Jack Black provides the quote of 2004:

What are you saying? That it was King Kong? That it was King Kong that brought George Bush?

Least astute observation of the year:

2004 may go down in history as the year of the runaway breast.

The world seemed unsure how it should welcome the new year after the horrendous end to the last one. Consider this mixed message:

Many of the estimated 1 million revelers in Sydney marked a moment of silence for the victims before the fireworks began.

Annoyingly, there’s political argy-bargying going on even as aid packages are put together but thankfully, the global community is doing what it can to ease the suffering in the tsunami-hit countries.

There may be reason to feel a little more optimistic but the world needs to acknowledge the harsh and unpleasant truth illustrated in this Matt Davies cartoon.

The world certainly seems to have lost interest in the quake victims of Bam and one wonders how long before the tsunami victims are forgotten as well.

More quotes:

• “We don’t even have his photos. The sea took those away too.“
• “I saw 11 bodies but I have no idea if they were any of my relatives because their faces have disappeared.“
• “I am more optimistic than yesterday, and much more than the day before, that we, the global community, will be able to face up to this enormous challenge.“

If you subscribe to the view that this was an act of God then this must have been God’s view of it.

Waveofdestruction.org has more photos and videos.

(Via MeFi.)

The death toll now exceeds 120,000.

Remarkable stories of survival are still emerging, though. The elderly man seen swept away by a sea surge in Phuket is alive. However, he’s in a coma and his wife is still missing.

Meanwhile, a MeFi poster shares a gripping personal account.

More quotes:

• “It’s not your fault, it’s not your fault. We’re your family too and we’ll stand by you through all of this.”
• “These people have lost everything, but they gave us all they had.”
• “The tsunami was not preventable, but preventing unnecessary deaths and suffering is.”
• “As many as 5 million people are not able to access what they need for living.”
• “The big challenge to all of us is not to turn away, because we’ve got to rebuild those homes and those shattered livelihoods.”