(no subject)

Latest tsunami info - hotlines, travel info, charities.

Can't wrap my head around 120,000 dead. 2400 times the size of my family. Half the population of Babylon, bit less than half the population of Canberra. 0.12 MIPs (Millions of Innocent People). That number's only going to go up.

I was talking to Jon last night about doing a tiny fanzine - just four pages. Given some contribs, I could realistically produce such a thing and mail it out (or email it out) within the next two weeks. Would it be realistic to flog it as a tsunami relief fundraiser for, say, $AUD10 (about $8US or 4 pounds)? Who could write or draw something within the next week?

(no subject)

Letter in today's SMH: It's time for atheists to start defending humanism, with the core tenets of compassion, scepticism and scientific logic, with the same fervour that Billy Graham pushed evangelism in the 1950s. What does she mean, "start"? :-) Smart-arse atheists are no less smug and obnoxious than preachy religous leaders, and damage an important cause. (And atheists who show tolerance, understanding, and a little humility are as laudable as people of faith who do the same.)

ETA: This is in the context of people struggling with theodicy in the, er, wake of the tsunami catastrophe. Natural disasters must be one of the greatest challenges to faith - terrible human evil can at least be blamed on its perpetrators. My own comfort, such as it is, is that the same planet that causes such devastation is the same planet which creates the most beautiful and varied life; it's all part of the same system.

Charity fanzine omg

Heaps of people volunteering contribs - bless you all. Have racked my brane for a title. So far Where The Sea's Asleep is the best candidate; all suggestions gratefully considered. Fiction, non-fiction, art, cartoons, poetry, or anything which might be of interest to, or at least comprehensible by, Doctor Who fans would be fine - doesn't have to be Who as long as the readers might be interested or amused.

Similar projects: motiveforce is looking for contribs for a role-playing game zine; hp4humanity is a Harry Potter fan fundraiser.

Apropos of nothing

FRODO BAGGINS is to BILBO BAGGINS

as

DUNCAN MCLEOD is to CONNOR MCLEOD