http://www.virgin.com/richard-branson/blog/antarctica-log-2--no-lie-can-live-forever

Dear colleagues, Haiti remains in a desperate state on essentially all measures of health and human security. The governance and crime issues are now moving to the forefront in the post-earthquake mission again, as the elections draw near. The health and human security issues will need to be addressed within any credible approach to the governance and management of the crime issues. If you are interested in how the U.S. Department of State and Rand are looking at Haiti's resilience, the upcoming U.S. Institute of Peace briefing on October 13 may of interest.

There is a need for a One Health Knowledge Management System that addresses the need for evidence in health policy and health system management in the U.S. as well as overseas. The article below rightly claims that evidence-based medicine is growing and is positively impacting clinical practice. That said, there needs to be a One Health Knowledge Management System that can inform policy makers, planners, and health systems managers about the cascading health issues and impacts within their domains and jurisdictions. See below.

Below is a New York Times OpEd that provides an overview of the actions Congress should take in the Deepwater Horizon Spill and its meaning for future risks the petrochemical industry assumes when endangering the health and human security of Americans. What are your thoughts? xxxxxxx Published: August 2, 2010 Over the opposition of most Republicans and the massed lobbying power of the oil industry, the House last week narrowly approved legislation imposing new safeguards on offshore oil drilling.

Here is an interesting technology that could make a huge difference around the world, if its commercial application application end up being inexpensive and sufficient for most families.

http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-03/low-power-desalination-and-purification-technology-brings-clean-water-remote-villages

No statements yet on how long the chips will last.

My biggest concern is that this may become an excuse for human's continuing to foul their planetary nest, without consideration of the larger implications.

For such a large earthquake, it would seem that the death toll should be far higher, unless the buildings and infrastructure were designed to face a huge earthquake with low casualties.

Beyond the immediate death toll, what is the impact of this 8.8 Mw earthquake on Chile and the world?

Chile earthquake: tsunami warnings trigger evacuations across Pacific
The devastating earthquake in Chile has triggered a tsunami which is radiating across the Pacific and has already caused serious damage on the islands said to have inspired Robinson Crusoe.

By David Barrett
Published: 1:37PM GMT 27 Feb 2010
Previous1 of 3 ImagesNext

Chile's President Michelle Bachelet declares a 'state of catastrophe' Photo: AP

Chile well prepared for quakes

By Jonathan Amos
Science correspondent, BBC News

It is not possible to predict the time and magnitude of an earthquake, but certain places on the Earth know they are always at risk from big tremors. Chile is one of those places.
It lies on the "Ring of Fire", the line of frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions that circles virtually the entire Pacific rim.

== PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE REPORT ==

***This event has been revised.

Region: OFFSHORE MAULE, CHILE
Geographic coordinates: 35.846S, 72.718W
Magnitude: 8.8 Mw
Depth: 35 km
Universal Time (UTC): 27 Feb 2010 06:34:14
Time near the Epicenter: 27 Feb 2010 03:34:14
Local standard time in your area: 27 Feb 2010 06:34:14

Location with respect to nearby cities:
104 km (65 miles) WSW (246 degrees) of Talca, Chile

By IANTHE JEANNE DUGAN

PORT-AU-PRINCE—Doctors here are bracing for another onslaught of patients, as emergency workers leave the country and thousands of surgeries done after the January 12 earthquake need to be redone.

For a good overview of the US-based health volunteers and disaster response, please see:

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/NEJMp1001737?query=TOC