1/5/2005: Tsunami survivor

[Undertoad]

Someone noticed that there hadn't been one image of the tsunami on IotD. That's on purpose. I've seen a lot of images - a TON of them really. But none has been IotD-worthy. Most of them are pretty sick and the point of IotD, to me, is to be mind-boggling without being outright sick or porn or such. If you want images of about a hundred dead bodies floating in a harbor, you can find them if that's what you care to see.

But if you care to see someone alive, mind-bogglingly alive, here it is.

This is Acehnese Rizal Shahputra, the luckiest man in the world, as seen from the deck of a container ship. He is floating on a bunch of debris. He has been floating on this debris for EIGHT DAYS. He was rescued earlier today.

Like a lot of others from Banda Aceh, he was swept out to sea... way out. In horror, he watched as others swept out couldn't manage and disappeared. And he floated.

"At first, there were some friends with me," Rizal told reporters. "After a few days, they were gone... I saw bodies left and right."



He survived by drinking rainwater and banging open coconuts with a door latch that he found.

full story 1 full story 2

[xant]

So many things should have killed him. Sunburn and dehydration usually combine to get you first. Then starvation if you somehow survive those. Not to mention the freakin' tsunami waves and everything they brought with them.

Do they believe in Satan over there? He must have made a deal.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Maybe he knows Tatsuya Ishida, Xant.

[Elspode]

I don't know if being washed 100 miles out to sea by a tidal wave qualifies one as the luckiest man on earth or not. I would be willing to accept the notion that he had first been very unlucky, then very lucky, I think.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Elspode

I don't know if being washed 100 miles out to sea by a tidal wave qualifies one as the luckiest man on earth or not. I would be willing to accept the notion that he had first been very unlucky, then very lucky, I think.

Well, he was lucky he only made 100 miles in 8 days. He could have been much further away....out of the shipping lanes.

[Happy Monkey]

So you're saying it's a wash?

[404Error]

...or it all comes out in the wash.

[BigV]

So is that absolute luckiness (sp?!) or relative luckiness?

[Elspode]

If this guy had relatives, I'm pretty sure they were even unluckier than he.

[Griff]

Good thing he wore a yellow shirt. I wonder if life is sweeter or more bitter now?

edit -Nice call UT. Stories of hope and triumph are whats needed.

[Brown Thrasher]

I feel sure the people set in their belief of evolution; would say this man was very lucky. I also believe the people who firmly believe in the theory of creation would say he was definetly blessed by "God". As, a person who was firmly taught christianity was the one and only way, I do hope the latter is true. Sometimes, I feel education; especially formal education can be very detriemental to simple people like me. Once, as a boy I really believed I saw Santa Clause flying through the air. For whatever reason, I am very happy for this paticular positve image of one of the worst natural disasters ever. God bless him and all the people who have died an suffered in this terrible event.
Thank you for the positive image. I've seen all the negative possible in the media. Maybe, some scientist trying to teach everyone about evolution being the factual theory; could figure out a way to warn people when a Tsuanami is
coming. At least then they might have time to decide about their final beliefs concerning the hereafter.

[capnhowdy]

tsunami.........do I need a condom?

[Troubleshooter]

Originally Posted by Brown Thrasher

I feel sure the people set in their belief of evolution; would say this man was very lucky.

Then you clearly don't know what you're talking about. They would say that he was particularly well adapted, or "fit" to survive. He survived because he was able to collect rainwater and harvest coconuts.

Originally Posted by Brown Thrasher

Sometimes, I feel education; especially formal education can be very detriemental to simple people like me.

No, such a formal education would be impossible to you if you were so simple as you claim. A formal education would only be an impediment if you allow it to clutter how you think to the point that you are unable to think at all. One of the greatest instructors I've ever had was a very lucid and insightul priest who was my ethics teacher.

Originally Posted by Brown Thrasher

Once, as a boy I really believed I saw Santa Clause flying through the air.

That's because it is a fantasy. A fantasy that people eventually out grow.

Originally Posted by Brown Thrasher

Maybe, some scientist trying to teach everyone about evolution being the factual theory; could figure out a way to warn people when a Tsuanami is coming.

Funny thing about that idea, it's been tossed around for a while, but one of the biggest hurdles seems to be the fact that a lot of that part of the world is unable to accept rapid communication and then unable to implement it should they get it.

Originally Posted by Brown Thrasher

At least then they might have time to decide about their final beliefs concerning the hereafter.

Isn't the premise supposed to be that you shouldn't have to worry about a warning? Isn't your state of grace supposed to be in a constant state of question?

[Torrere]

Originally Posted by Brown Thrasher

I feel sure the people set in their belief of evolution; would say this man was very lucky. I also believe the people who firmly believe in the theory of creation would say he was definetly blessed by "God".

He was very lucky to have been blessed by God while God allowed some 150000 people to die around him.

[magilla]

Brown Thrasher,

Your statement indicates that you have a profound misunderstanding of evolution, and a terribly limited view of religion. First and foremost, you would force everyone into a false dilemma of evolution vs. religion, as though evolution is the same as atheism. The real dilemma is that of evolution vs. some small subset of religion that mainstream sects, like Roman Catholicism and most Protestant groups totally reject. The fact is that evolution makes no statement about God, gods, or religion. Most people- especially in the United States- who accept evolution also believe in God. Evolution is a natural phenomenon, and thus occupies a completely separate domain from religion, which is perforce supernatural.

If you wish to discuss this sort of thing further, I cordially invite you to the Usenet newsgroup, talk.origins. For more information about evolution than you can shake a stick at, try www.talkorigins.org.