| Comedian Chevy Chase, when he anchored the | | | | Contrast this state of affairs with the recent |
| first Saturday Night Live faux-news desk, had a | | | | earthquake in Pakistan. The magnitude of that |
| running joke that satirized, post-mortem, the | | | | disaster was similarly breathtaking. If you missed |
| endless medical updates provided by the public | | | | it, the Richter scale measured the quake at 7.8 |
| relations machine of a dying dictator ... | | | | and an estimated 87,000 people were killed. Their |
| "Here's a bulletin from Spain: Doctors are reporting | | | | government already depends upon the USA for |
| that Generalissimo Francisco Franco is holding fast | | | | much of its additional aid. It may be a while |
| in his valiant fight to remain dead!" | | | | before they see anything significant to assist in |
| The point, of course, was that neither the Spanish | | | | this natural tragedy. |
| public nor the global public at the time was ever | | | | One city there will have additional help. It's coming |
| fooled by the propaganda of Franco's terminal | | | | in the form of lottery winnings. A gentleman |
| condition during his last days. The tweak also | | | | named Ishan Khan hit it big while working in the |
| carried undertones that no government could | | | | USA as a taxi driver. He nailed a $55 million |
| overcome the forces of nature, no matter what | | | | jackpot and took his winnings up front, netting |
| it announced. | | | | over $32 million. Mr Khan moved back to his |
| That brings us to the wake of Hurricane Katrina. | | | | homeland, where that amount of money can |
| Anyone who has been to the Gulf Coast says | | | | spend like $1 billion and where he instantly became |
| that the media images of the devastation there | | | | one of Pakistan's most wealthy private individuals. |
| --- no matter how hard they try --- just cannot | | | | It's obvious to Mr Khan that private assistance is |
| convey the scope of the disaster. Vast segments | | | | necessary for relief efforts there to have any |
| of the region have literally been blown back a | | | | immediacy. His village, Batagram, lost 4500 citizens |
| couple of centuries, to a time when electricity, | | | | in the 8 Oct quake and surely, a good number of |
| telephones, running water and the like were either | | | | those were known to him. Here's the Associated |
| a luxury or a futuristic concept. Usual | | | | Press account of his response to date: |
| conveniences such as food shopping are still a | | | | "Just days before the earthquake, Khan was |
| major challenge to many. Some jobs may have | | | | elected district nazim, or mayor, of Batagram. |
| left with Katrina; like her, they may never return. | | | | After the quake hit, he helped pull survivors from |
| This doesn't look like it's going to get much better | | | | the rubble, and paid to get the most seriously |
| anytime soon, either. | | | | injured to regional hospitals. He told pharmacists |
| I thought of this while taking a second look at the | | | | he would pay them later for dispensing all the |
| pages on the Longer Life site, all of which include | | | | medicine on their shelves. The bill came to 10 |
| the American Red Cross public service ad which | | | | million rupees, almost $200,000. |
| appeals for donations to their hurricane relief fund. | | | | "Khan has bankrolled a program to supply roofing |
| The appeals are just as urgent and relevant | | | | materials to rebuild shattered homes. He bought |
| today as they were when they were first posted. | | | | 150 tents, some of which occupy land just |
| I sometimes wonder, though, if those who view | | | | outside his mansion with panoramic views of |
| them don't get so accustomed to their presence | | | | snowcapped peaks. |
| that they ultimately look past them. I know the | | | | "Most important, Khan has emerged as a colorful |
| plan at the Longer Life site is to keep them in | | | | and outspoken critic of local government |
| place until all needs are met, which in my opinion, | | | | corruption. In recent days, the blue-eyed nazim -- |
| means the Red Cross will be a fixture on their | | | | who refers to himself simply as Khan -- has |
| pages for a long time to come. | | | | dismissed the town's police chief and fired another |
| The American government recently released over | | | | official. Khan promises to continue the |
| 100,000 pages of documents which dealt with | | | | housecleaning. 'We have a calamity and people are |
| their handling of the crisis. It's notable in the | | | | lazy, unable to move,' he says. 'So I started firing |
| impression that they didn't give the matter much | | | | people.' |
| more attention than they would have if the | | | | "Relief workers are impressed. 'He's a take-charge |
| affected area was a third-world country. Having | | | | person,' says Aziuddin Ahmad, who works with a |
| said that, the sheer volume of funds required to | | | | Malaysian aid group." |
| repair and rebuild is staggering. | | | | With that record, I'm sure there would be a good |
| For example, it's been cited in the Los Angeles | | | | number of towns along the Gulf Coast that would |
| Times that the costliest public works project to | | | | elect him to public office, too. |
| date was the shift of freeways in Boston to an | | | | With so much money required, both public |
| underground route. The price tag was $14.6 billion, | | | | accountability and private incentive are imperative |
| the time factor was 14 years and the object of | | | | if the effects of these disasters are to be |
| the exercise was to move just under eight miles | | | | overcome. Let's hope that interest groups in both |
| of roadway into a tunnel. | | | | the USA and Pakistan monitor the former closely |
| The Gulf Coast reclamation is going to involve | | | | and with the greater good in mind. |
| much more than eight miles of tunneling. | | | | Meanwhile, let's not let those Red Cross ads blend |
| It's been reported that the federal commitment | | | | into the background. As Mr Khan has exemplified, |
| to this task has already exceeded $62 billion. One | | | | there is no more effective actions than those |
| third of that amount has already been deployed | | | | taken by personal incentive. Do whatever you can |
| and it can fairly be said that its effects are hardly | | | | do to make sure your governmental |
| noticed. This total will be added to the federal | | | | representatives understand that accountability in |
| deficit, of course, right along with the billions being | | | | dispersing relief funds is important to taxpayers |
| spent to do whatever it is they currently say | | | | and can shear years from the completion date of |
| they're doing in Iraq. If the current administration | | | | reclamation projects. More directly, anytime --- |
| holds fast to its pledge against raising taxes, the | | | | now or whenever, as this effort is going to take |
| implication is that a host of cuts in other | | | | years to accomplish --- you have a bit of funds |
| programs are inevitable. | | | | to spare, forsake the costs of a night on the |
| Thus, Americans won't have to be located along | | | | town or its equivalent and click on the Red Cross |
| the Gulf Coast to somehow share in its | | | | ad. |
| devastation. Among other things, some interest | | | | Perhaps your donation won't come from winning |
| groups are now taking a close look at how funds | | | | the lottery, but the knowledge that you've helped |
| are being utilized and allocated. Allegations of | | | | a disaster victim in need will make it feel like you |
| misappropriations and the like are sure to follow. | | | | did. |