The tsunamis in the Indian Ocean basin are a tragedy. Whether or not a warning system would have reduced the overall death toll is a debate that will last probably as long as the clean up effort. Reality says that even if such a system were in place, the death toll would still be quite high as a warning system requires that the information be passed on to the people it is warning. Most of the areas are so isolated and lacking in basic technology that any warnings generated really would not have been of affect.
That being said, last night I hear that Representative Frank Wolf, who represents Virginia, has requested that a tsunami warning system be established on the East Coast. Now, Mr. Wolf is not known for making brilliant suggestions. This is a man who thinks the Spotted Owl is a drink and fixing transportation problems is as simple as adding a new lane. Now he wants to waste our tax dollars on a warning system on the wrong coast. Earlier this week, Yahoo news reported that NOAA was lamenting the state of the US's West Coast warning system - a system of six devices off the coast, two of which don't currently work. Their report was that the six devices were just barely enough to do the job.
Now, I am all for a warning system if there is something to warn against. In order for a tsunami to form, you need two things - a large body of water and an UNSTABLE geologic zone. No such geologic zone exists in the Atlantic basin. Sure, there is a chance that an eruption of a volcanic ridge under the Canary Islands could trigger a tsunami. It is more likely that you, me and two hundred of our closest friends will hit the lottery than that will happen. We are more likely to witness the poles flip polarity than we are to see that happen. Still, Mr. Wolf wants to waste our tax dollars on a useless warning system.
Do you still wonder why we have a deficit?
10:43:03 AM 
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