An Inane Detail.

Today in the UK Parliament the British government issued an apology to the victims of Thalidomide which was pregnancy drug that caused birth defects in the 1950's and 60's. The apology was given by junior government minister named Mike O'Brien. At my primary school there was a teacher called Mr O'Brien who was a Thalidomide victim. Despite being born without forearms he was also ginger making his decision to go into teaching all the more heroic.

There is better news today from the actual Haiti where the first phase of the relief effort now appears to be complete. The countries only airport is now open and an American aircraft carrier has arrived off the coast. This means that the rescue workers are now able to bring supplies ashore and have a helicopter platform to distribute them throughout the country. Therefore the relief effort should be up and running at full strength in the next 12-24 hours. Hopefully the 6000 or so soldiers won't need to be called upon to keep the peace.