I had so many things I was going to write this week, it's my vacation, my birthday in a few days, my brother's birthday is New Year's Day, and my dad turned 76 last weekend. But then all thoughts of Christmas cheer and birthday shopping frenzy were overshadowed by the Asian Tsunami, it's so unbelievably tragic it's hard to think of anything else. Everything else seems so superficial and selfish when you consider what millions of people on the other side of the world are going through right now. The projected death toll crossed the 135,000 mark today.

Please at least give a donation to one of the groups trying to provide relief to survivors and families of the victims, I gave to Oxfam, which is not getting an Amazon plug like the Red Cross. Here's MoveOn.org's synopsis of their efforts:

We can help directly, as individuals, and save lives today. Oxfam is already scrambling on the front lines to fight off starvation and disease - and beginning to rebuild. Because Oxfam has worked for years with grassroots groups in the hardest hit areas, they were able to mobilize local leadership to help survivors immediately after the tsunami hit. And Oxfam will be there for the long-term, helping communities recover and regain their ability to meet basic needs. Oxfam needs to raise $5 million immediately to provide safe water, sanitation, food, shelter, and clothing to 36,000 families in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and India. Your contribution can make this possible.

Click here to donate, or here to read more about their organization. But please give to at least one of the groups, it's the very least we can do.

Our government is doing the least it can do also, they've offered less money for aid than they are planning on spending on Dubya's $40 million+ inauguration party, isn't that nice?

Also see Careusa.org and RedCross.org to help. And beware in advance of the soon to come spam emails claiming to be collecting for this disaster, you know they're coming. Never click on an email link, you can double check reputable organizations through the media websites, CNN has a long list here of places to safely donate.