Good use of Facebook and Skype

After the tornado disaster in the USA a Facebook page has been created to help the people whose homes and possessions have been blown away. The info. page says:

Please post pictures or pictures of other items that were found as debris after the 4/27/2011 tornadoes. Please leave a brief description of how someone can find you if they identify pictures or items that belong to them. My email is pbull35@hughes.net if I can assist someone in anyway with returning items.

This person had found a torn photograph in her garden after the storm, which had given her the idea of launching the link-up. The "wall" is full of messages now, offering help or asking for help, and 87,381 people (and counting) "like this" idea.

I discovered that story on the Weather Network, by the way.

People often complain, and I do too, about the needless complexity and other miseries, but the positive side of modern technology shouldn't be forgotten. Skype and other Internet connexions are a real boon for me at the moment. Not only am I able to research and be able to imagine the details of our movements around China without moving from my desk at home, but am also able to discuss our plans "live" with our son and daughter-in-law while they wait for our arrival in Beijing. The language on Chinese websites is more of a barrier, of course, than our access to them. Meanwhile, I also catch glimpses of our newborn grandson as he gazes up at his mother to learn the expressions on her face. He even turns his head in the direction of the computer screen when he hears my voice speaking from Canada. That, I think, is wonderful. Without Skype, I'd have missed witnessing this first stage of his life altogether.