News 2020
Five times winner of the BBC Award for Nautical Non-Destabilisation
The western world united today in a spontaneous media-led outpouring of compassion as, in memory of those killed in the Asian earthquake, a three-minute silence was observed in those workplaces where talking is still permitted.
A few corporations have raised doubts as to the effectiveness of the measure, saying that 23 hours and 57 minutes is not quite a long enough working day to show maximal profits to shareholders.
Other companies are worried that such memorial silences might be the start of a slippery slope into worker idleness, given the increase in the number and severity of natural disasters which is expected over the next few years thanks to the Government's climate change policies.
However, most of western civilisation was happy to join the vast, nearly cost-free act of philanthropy as, on the other side of the globe, media professionals stationed barely half an ocean away from the worst effects of the earthquake did their best to put on record some of the reactions of those affected.
"All of us are very grateful," said Colonel Thigpen Wanger of the US Air Force, who commands the cruise missile base on the headlands of Alfredo Garcia.
Seismic detecting equipment on the small island was among the first to register the earthquake, and the warning was sufficiently early that all 108 of the new Obi-Wan missiles and their bunker-busting Schwarzenegger mini-warheads were protected from damage.
A tragic irony dictated that, although the island itself was severely shaken by the earthquake, the US base suffered less damage than some locations which were subjected to smaller tremors.
"If we had more bases in the region, we could have broadcast a warning and some of our guys might have thought to tell the natives," Colonel Wanger said. "It just proves once again that the best answer to all your problems is to let the US military build a base on your doorstep."
Then Europe and America fell silent as the people of the civilised world took a hundred and eighty precious seconds to think compassionate, inexpensive thoughts about their less fortunate little brothers so very far away.
The western world united today in a spontaneous media-led outpouring of compassion as, in memory of those killed in the Asian earthquake, a three-minute silence was observed in those workplaces where talking is still permitted.
A few corporations have raised doubts as to the effectiveness of the measure, saying that 23 hours and 57 minutes is not quite a long enough working day to show maximal profits to shareholders.
Other companies are worried that such memorial silences might be the start of a slippery slope into worker idleness, given the increase in the number and severity of natural disasters which is expected over the next few years thanks to the Government's climate change policies.
However, most of western civilisation was happy to join the vast, nearly cost-free act of philanthropy as, on the other side of the globe, media professionals stationed barely half an ocean away from the worst effects of the earthquake did their best to put on record some of the reactions of those affected.
"All of us are very grateful," said Colonel Thigpen Wanger of the US Air Force, who commands the cruise missile base on the headlands of Alfredo Garcia.
Seismic detecting equipment on the small island was among the first to register the earthquake, and the warning was sufficiently early that all 108 of the new Obi-Wan missiles and their bunker-busting Schwarzenegger mini-warheads were protected from damage.
A tragic irony dictated that, although the island itself was severely shaken by the earthquake, the US base suffered less damage than some locations which were subjected to smaller tremors.
"If we had more bases in the region, we could have broadcast a warning and some of our guys might have thought to tell the natives," Colonel Wanger said. "It just proves once again that the best answer to all your problems is to let the US military build a base on your doorstep."
Then Europe and America fell silent as the people of the civilised world took a hundred and eighty precious seconds to think compassionate, inexpensive thoughts about their less fortunate little brothers so very far away.
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