The biggest news in China was not the preparations for the upcoming Olympics. The news on everyone’s lips and on everyone’s minds there was the massive earthquake that rocked Sichuan Province on May 12…and the 400+ aftershocks that have hit there area since.
We cannot fathom a natural disaster of that magnitude – 70,000 people killed, mostly children, and another 20,000 still missing. Newspapers were filled with stories about survivors, the rescue efforts, the schools that collapsed, and the anger and scared residents of that area.
It has also scraed the heck out of people living thousands of miles away.
TV networks broadcast a range of telethons to raise money for disaster relief. Popular music artists hurried out songs and videos to help raise money. And common folk, most of whom don’t make even $3,000 per year there, were giving all they could to help.
Domestic tire companies like Double Coin (and its CMA U.S. unit) have donated millions, as have Michelin, Bridgestone, Yokohama and others.
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– Jim Smith
