In addition to the tsunami disaster unfortunately there are other tragedies wracking the world.  Although they don't have the sudden, unexpected impact of a large wave or moving ground, illness and death plague many. 
 
For instance, malaria is still common in other parts of the world, silently killing large numbers of people every day.  As explained here, it is being attacked in several ways——by medicine and some prevention.
 
Well and good. 
 
What columnist Eric Zorn neglects to mention however is another extremely successful prevention remedy that could have eradicated, or at least minimized, malaria in large parts of the world——large scale insecticide spraying to killl the mosquitos that carry malaria. But political correctness ruled when environmentalists complained about the ecological damage, so in many areas spraying was reduced or halted.  The malaria carrying mosquitos returned.
 
Life is a trade off.  Undoubtedly areas sprayed by insecticides were harmed somewhat.  But malaria is also harmful. Deadly. 
 
What is more important: environmentalists, who live somewhere else in good health with access to excellent medical care, have a pristine world they can treat as a museum or deathly illnesses be eliminated although some environmental damage might result?
 
Until that utopian world of perfection is reached——or even the less utopian time of effective treatment with minimal side effects——I'll opt for the latter.
 
Ethel C. Fenig   1 14 05