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Tsunami (Page 3)
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| This topic is 4 pages long: 1 2 3 4 This topic was originally posted in this forum: Tires, Rims Discusssion |
| Author | Topic: Tsunami |
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rsterling78 Prowler Junkie Posts: 286 |
posted 12-29-2004 03:32 PM
These organizations are helping those affected by the tsunami/earthquake: Action Against Hunger ADRA International Air Serv International American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Inc. American Jewish World Service AmeriCares Baptist World Aid B'nai B'rith International Brother's Brother Foundation CARE Christian Children's Fund Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) Church World Service Direct Relief International Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres Food for the Hungry, Inc. International Aid International Medical Corps International Relief Teams International Rescue Committee Latter-Day Saint Charities Lutheran World Relief MAP International Mercy Corps Operation USA Oxfam America Plan USA Project Concern International Project HOPE SAWSO (Salvation Army World Service Office) Save the Children USA Stop Hunger Now US Fund for UNICEF World Concern World Emergency Relief World Vision
— Within the United States, toll free number: 888-407-4747. — Overseas: 317-472-2328. — State Department's American Citizens Services and Crisis Management, 202-647-5225. — Information about disaster relief, preparation and emergency services to U.S. citizens abroad: http://travel.state.gov/travel/crisismg.html |
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Thunder Prowler Junkie Posts: 456 |
posted 12-29-2004 06:24 PM
Forget about the negative $hit. Remember there are most likely thousands of positive feelings and comments for every 1 negative, it is just that controversy and negatives is what the media is all about....ignore it...we are above their games.
quote:
quote: I know we are a small Country, and that we don't agree on everything...but when 9/11 happened, Canada sent medical teams, search and rescue teams, and many, many firefighters. Many Canadians also opened up their homes for stranded Americans. I do wonder why all these rich Arab nations are doing nothing...that's pathetic. The US are definite World leaders when it comes to aid...this is a fantastic thing....be proud and don't let the media or any other sleazy outfit change this.... This message has been edited by Thunder on 12-29-2004 at 07:44 PM |
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01Prowler Prowler Junkie Posts: 5068 |
posted 12-29-2004 06:42 PM
quote: You're nutz! |
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MDProwler Prowler Junkie Posts: 5250 |
posted 12-29-2004 07:05 PM
I'm surprised that Osama Bin Laden has't sent money from AlQueda to help out. Then he can legitamize himself in the worlds eyes and be the next Yasar Arafat. |
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CJ Prowler Junkie Posts: 18860 |
posted 12-29-2004 08:25 PM
quote: Oh, how true that is.......let me tell you.......my son has spent a good portion of his 13 year military career in the Middle East (everywhere). In the last three years, he's been there more than 750 days. He talks about the wealth in some of these countries.........in particular, Oman. Do you see any of these countries helping........ Bob Miller......I agree.......with the communications technology that we have.......what difference does it make if the President is at his ranch or the White House? |
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ALLEY CAT Prowler Junkie Posts: 36093 |
posted 12-29-2004 09:09 PM
Wow! Lots of great input on this subject, and I appreciate all of you jumping in with your thoughts and feelings. More from today's news: France has pledged $170,000. Can you believe that? And the US is stingy and cheap for offering up $35 million. Saudi Arabia (largest oil exporter in the world) has stepped up with $15 million,,,the same initial amount given by the US. Geez,,,,one palace costs them $15 million to build. The normal US Foreign Aid $$$ this year provided to other world countries, totals $22.4 Billion = that is 40% of all foreign aid $$$ given by all the countries in the world to other countries. And they call us cheap? A spokesperson from the Red Crescent [ WTH is that? ] said today NOT to send water, food, clothes, or shoes to the South Asia countries,,,,send only CASH. Wonder why if these people need water, food, and clothes the most? Could it be the scammers are already in route to charge $10,000 per hour, per person to help re-establish the water supply and water treatment facilities? I can see that cash donations will be scammed away from the people who it is meant for No other countries came to our aid during the Mississippi River flood, the Florida hurricanes, the great earthquake that leveled many areas of San Francisco a few years back, etc. etc. What does that tell you? Sri Lanka is a country with direct ties to terrorism groups. Today, I listened to nearly three hours of Phoenix talk radio, where this aid topic was discussed. 60% said the US should aid the needy countries, while 40% of the Phoenix market responding said "Not a dime should be given by our government",,,,since we are in a costly war on terrorism and already are in heavy national debt. Seems this country is still split on issues. Those saying not to give a dime stated,,,,This country has helped rebuild this world with financial aid to other countries for a hundred years, and all we ever get in return is a kick in the teeth. I believe a lot of people are pissed about this subject,,,at least in Phoenix. Me,,,,,,I'm listening to these death estimates grow from 19,000 dead to 76,000 estimated today. I don't trust the estimates, thinking the more they report dead, the more these countries will want in $$$ aid to rebuild. I think we need our government to help count the dead and injured, and adjust our aid $$$ from there. JMO Keep posting your opinions,,,,this is a hot topic. This message has been edited by ALLEY CAT on 12-31-2004 at 07:08 PM |
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Bob Miller Prowler Junkie Posts: 4576 |
posted 12-29-2004 10:10 PM
As I mentioned an earlier post here, one of my colleagues, whom I worked with in Nepal for four years was missing in Thailand. Earlier this evening my worst fears came to pass. I was notified from Thailand that his body has washed ashore on Wednesday. He was a Brit and leaves an American wife whom he was married to for 20 some odd years and four young children. He, his wife and two of his children were swept out to sea by the tsunami. Everyone in his family somehow made it back to shore alive except my friend Robin Since no one here knew him, I won't bore you with all of his attributes, and there were many. But what a wonderful, caring family man and human being he was, and what a dry and wicked sense of humor he possessed! The good die young... |
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CatDude Prowler Junkie Posts: 1593 |
posted 12-29-2004 10:24 PM
If the U.S. can afford to spend 100+ BILLION on Iraq, then what could we afford to spend to help friendly nations that are obviously in need? The national debt did not grow out of international aid that the U.S. gives (a drop in the bucket, compared to the debt).... It has occurred by gross mismanagement by the government.... extremely creative in several ways to spend tax dollars, but not very creative in raising the money to cover the costs. |
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SirReal Prowler Junkie Posts: 3332 |
posted 12-29-2004 10:36 PM
Bob I am very sorry about the loss of your friend. Jeff |
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rsterling78 Prowler Junkie Posts: 286 |
posted 12-29-2004 10:44 PM
Alley Cat: In France's defense, they have announced that they will contribute $20.5 million dollars. Mr. Miller: My condolences on the loss of your friend. My thoughts and prayers are with his family friends. |
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CJ Prowler Junkie Posts: 18860 |
posted 12-29-2004 11:36 PM
Bob........how awful..........Our condolences to you for the loss of your friend and to his family, also.  |
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GenoTex Prowler Junkie Posts: 8492 |
posted 12-29-2004 11:49 PM
Certainly not as "HOT" a topic, and excuse me for 'changin' on you here Larry... but has me JUST as 'upset' if that's the right word... anyway here it is...
The UNITED STATES OF AMERICA flag at halfmast! for a dead football player?!?!??!? WHAT IS THAT?!?!??!?!?! Enough to make me fume...! Am I nuts? This is NOT about Reggie White.... a very good man I'm sure, and set a fine example, blah blah blah... buttttttttttttttt The man was just an employee of the organization... that's it and nothing more!
SOooooooooooooo I call the Gov's office.. and guess what?
Perhaps I should just 'hush' and 'let it go' and honor the dead, etc... but when I think about the price(s) paid so dearly for that flag, I still boil over....
(I also called the Packer biz office (920 496-5700) and placed a letter for submission to the local paper (big packer paper by the way... if a packer sneezes that takes precedence over a tsunami for their headline space...) That just chaps my hide! |
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mannyd Prowler Junkie Posts: 94 |
posted 12-30-2004 01:08 AM
quote: you hit it on the head! how did the world help Florida this past year. What we do will never be enough |
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ALLEY CAT Prowler Junkie Posts: 36093 |
posted 12-30-2004 07:20 AM
Sterling - thanks for the update on France chipping in more aid $$$. I'd guess they felt 'cheap' [like the U.S. was called] and decided to up their amount. If I remember right,,,,we completely rebuilt France after WW2. Bob Miller - sorry for the loss of your friend. Catdude - you are absolutely right in your statements, but the bottom line is we [the government] have buried ourselves, our children, our grandchildren into bankruptcy. That is unacceptable, and as I asked way above, WHO is going to pay for it? Geno - I think I would question that issue as well,,,,doesn't sound right? This message has been edited by ALLEY CAT on 12-30-2004 at 07:25 AM |
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Bob Miller Prowler Junkie Posts: 4576 |
posted 12-30-2004 08:57 AM
Appreciate the kind words for my colleague and friend Robin... For the record, the amount of money the US government gives in foreign aid is less than 1% of the government's discretionary budget. That "clown" at the UN who called the US "cheap" was referring to the fact that our foreign aid, as a percentage of our gross domestic output, is very low. We still give much more than anyone else, which he conveniently overlooked. "Don't bite the hand that feeds ya..." I was called un-American on this site several months ago for questioning the size of our national debt at a time of war. In my opinion, it's a waste of energy to blame Republicans or Democrats. As John McCain has rightfully stated, the government cannot get its financial house in order until our elected leaders refrain from including "pork" in every billed that gets passed. Pointing fingers makes good politics - it gets politicians noticed in the press and shifts the blame without them actually having to do anything painful to fix the problem. According to an article I read the other day, so far this year the US government has spent $650 billion more than it raised in revenue, and financed the deficit largely by borrowing from foreign central banks, mainly those of Japan and China. They have been willing creditors because American consumers send much of the money right back by purchasing foreign-made products. The American accumulated debt to foreign investors has now swelled to $3.3 trillion -28 percent of gross domestic product, nearly double the share of four years ago. The US has traditionally had both the economic and military power to reward the good and punish the bad. But with our deficits the way they are that is now dispersing. It may turn out, if trends continue, that no country or bloc of countries possesses the combination of economic and military power needed to reward the good, deter or punish the bad and impose international rules, order and security. China and the European Union both pose growing economic challenges to that of the US. If we don't somehow get our deficits under control we may very likely lose our current influence to impact the behavior of other nations. Sure, the price our children and grand children will have to pay for paying-down the debt will be unpleasant, but my greatest fear is that the US will lose it's level of influence because we can't control our spending. Sorry this is long - but I wanted to vent a little.
This message has been edited by Bob Miller on 12-30-2004 at 08:58 AM |
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ALLEY CAT Prowler Junkie Posts: 36093 |
posted 12-30-2004 09:00 AM
"China and the European Union both pose growing economic challenges to that of the US. If we don't somehow get our deficits under control we may very likely lose our current influence to impact the behavior of other nations. Sure, the price our children and grand children will have to pay for bring down the debt will be unpleasant, but my greatest fear is that the US will lose it's level of influence because we can't control our spending. Sorry this is long - but I wanted to vent a little." You said it all very well Bob,,,,its OK to vent here. |
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Randy Cobb Prowler Junkie Posts: 4070 |
posted 12-30-2004 09:16 AM
I suggest we withhold our committment to the UN for this calendar year and forward those funds to the disaster relief. This is a far more immediate need, the UN turns their back on the US when needed, so why not! ------------------ |
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ALLEY CAT Prowler Junkie Posts: 36093 |
posted 12-31-2004 07:15 PM
Pres. Bush and Colin Powell today announced that the U.S. government upped the U.S. $$$ support for aid to these needy countries,,,to 335 million $$$. I project, it will go higher. Will be interesting to see how much scam takes place? Two years from now,,,,will these countries embrace us or hate us?
In a previous post, I stated this past year's total foreign aid $$$ to all other countries totaled $2.4 billion. My finger made an error,,,,should have been $22.4 billion, 40% of all of the world's foreign aid $$$ contributed. |
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blackcat Prowler Junkie Posts: 1744 |
posted 12-31-2004 07:28 PM
AC it's now $350 million. Maybe we can make them all rich like we did with the widows of 9-11 and then they can fight and bitch that we didn't give them enough...... |
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CJ Prowler Junkie Posts: 18860 |
posted 01-01-2005 09:45 AM
I have no problem helping others (I do that a lot), but when are we going to start helping those in need in our own country? While I sympathize with the poor and those victims of disaster, I would prefer my tax money to go the the school district my grandsons are in.........the district has no money and the schools there are suffering. How can we help others if we can't help ourselves? |
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Kroooozer Prowler Junkie Posts: 225 |
posted 01-03-2005 11:45 PM
Just wanted to add an article in one of our papers today. It is a bit long but some interesting statements.....titled "Irrelevant whingers let the world down" The United Nations has failed the victims of the Sumatran Tsunami.UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who wouldn't break his skiing vacation to tackle the crisis, should be thrown out the door of the Turtle Bay palace he presides over on New York's East River. Un Humanitarian Affairs Under-Secretary Jan Egeland should be tossed out as well, after bagging the US for being "stingy" with aid money. He should be forciblyreminded that the US picks up about a quarter of the total bill for the UN, and an even greater percentage of special operations like the World Food Program and the UN Human Rights Commission. Of course, its fashionable for the elitist latte-sipping chiefs of the UN to be critical of the US and other nations that actually show global leadership because the historically corupt UN is such an abject failure by any accounting. The whole world knows that Australia, the US, Japan and India are setting the pace for the relief assistance across the devastated region and the UN is trailing in the mud. Mr Annan's biggest initiative so far has been to call an international conference for January 11 – and that's still a full week away – while obliquely criticising US President George W. Bush for moving to co-ordinate the activities of the flying foursome! Typical of the latte-lappers is former UK development secretary Clare Short who said the co-ordinating role should be left to the UN because "I think this initiative from America to set up four countries claiming to co-ordinate sounds like yet another attempt to undermine the UN when it is the best system we have got and the one that needs building up. "Only really the UN can do that job," she told BBC Radio Four's PM program. "It is the only body that has the moral authority." Give me a break. The US, Japan, India, and Australia, already in the field, distributing supplies, setting up field hospitals, arranging for sanitation and clean water, don't have the moral authority for tsunami crisis relief? What a joke. I'm proud of the fact that Australia is right at the forefront of the international aid effort, that Australian officials are in charge of all consular activities for all nations in Thailand and in particular are co-ordinating the international effort to trace all missing foreigners in the stricken tourist areas, working to establish the identities of the dead and locate all Western tourists. Australia was the first country to weigh in with aid and has just kept scaling it up since the tsunami struck. Prime Minister John Howard and Foreign Minister Alexander Downer will no doubt offer even more when they meet with other regional and international relief chiefs in Jakarta on Thursday. The fact that the US, India and Japan are prepared to let Australia take the lead role in the effort shows how respected we are in the region. It is to be hoped that our participation does not go unnoticed by the Islamic community in Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim nation. Perhaps our local Islamic leaders could let their brothers abroad know exactly how much the Christian Western nations are contributing at this time to the affected Muslims and counter some of the poisonous propaganda that spews out of the terrorists' news network, al-Jazeera. They might even point out that their hated Israel was one of the first to fly in supplies and medical teams. Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd has complimented the Government on the manner in which it has risen to meet the demands flowing from the disaster. His positive and constructive stance can't be faulted. His boss, Opposition Leader Mark Latham, the putative alternate leader of our nation, hasn't been heard from despite the national and international issues arising from the tragedy. The tsunami has accurately shown how a coalition of like-minded sovereign nations can act promptly and work together while the dysfunctional UN issues grandiose statements and attempts to justify its bloated presence. If the UN feels it has been snubbed by the efforts of the coalition, let it raise this matter when it meets next week. No-one could care less because no-one will be listening. The doers will be in the field, flying helicopters, unloading the C-130s, and setting up field hospitals where they are needed, not sitting around conference tables in Geneva fiddling their expense claims and trying to think up ways of demeaning the efforts of Australia, the US, India and Japan. Under Kofi Annan, the UN failed in Rwanda, the Congo, the Sudan and it has now failed in South-East Asia. The UN bureaucracy's self-serving response is a laughing stock. This lesson must not be forgotten when the UN's multi-lateralists jump on their soap boxes in the future and presume to tell Austra- lia, and other advanced nations, how they should conduct themselves. |
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tangled up in BLUE Prowler Junkie Posts: 11086 |
posted 01-04-2005 12:41 AM
...makes no difference to the surviving victims who helps.....they are desperately in need of the basics, food, water and medicine....and who ever can get it to them the quickest should....the victims are humans and the politics of this are probably the furthest thing from their minds right now....compassion is a universal language without words, it can be as simple as a look or a kind gesture... ...before this is all over, I have a feeling this may touch many of us....when I first saw this on the news, the death toll was a stunning 11,000, now the current estimate is at 175,000 including over 3,000 Americans, and still counting....it is a shame politics even enter into such arenas at all.......if all the countries of the world quit fighting and killing, the savings on military spending alone would allow a decent life for all that are starving....just last week the interim leader of Iraq admitted the insurgents have cost their country over 10 billion $$$ this year alone.....what a waste of the assets of the entire world fighting over greed and power.... .....politics and religion are very weak points for me to debate, as I readily confess being greatly under educated in both.... |
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ALLEY CAT Prowler Junkie Posts: 36093 |
posted 01-04-2005 08:01 AM
I found this interesting,,,maybe you will not: While listening to local Phx talk radio yesterday for two hours, they were discussing the US aid going up from first 15M, to 35M, and finally up to $350M. To the shock of the radio show host, 16 out of 18 callers within the two hours called in to say the US shouldn't give ANY $$ aid!!! The callers claimed the US shouldn't be involved in giving donations, as a charity gift to other countries, and instead to spend the money on our troops and their families first. Others said it is OK that Americans donate their own funds personally "from the heart",,,,but no US taxpayer dollars should be given out. Now ask yourself,,,where are the Wal-Marts and NIKE, etc. who make their millions of $$$ from the cheap labor those devastated countries provide??? Good question. What about all the US companies that have 'outsource' US jobs to India and other countries,,,,what are they giving? Also brought up, as I said in a earlier post, to provide those countries with all forms of birth control = too many people who are forever poor, going nowhere, with no future, and hungry. These people populate like cockroaches, and need help learning to only breed what they can feed. Also mentioned was Barbara Streisand, Mel Gibson, Mrs John Kerry, Bill Gates, the slob who made recent millions Michael Moore, and other wealthy people. Other than Sandra Bullock giving a million dollars,,,where and when are the rest of these wealthy people stepping up to the plate? The concenus was give from your heart, what you can give, but keep the US taxpayer dollars out of it. This message has been edited by ALLEY CAT on 01-04-2005 at 08:02 AM |
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dpena Administrating Kat Posts: 5359 |
posted 01-04-2005 08:09 AM
I'm here in China now and most all china channels have coverage on the this topic. I originally landed in Hong Kong and the same thing is happening. Very interesting way of live here. Later... |
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Bob Miller Prowler Junkie Posts: 4576 |
posted 01-04-2005 08:49 AM
Thanks for posting Krooozer! In my line of work I do sometimes have to work with (and sometimes around) the UN. Let me tell you, whenever I think the US government is screwed up and inefficient, all I have do is think about the United Nations and I know we're not so bad! The UN is extremely bureaucratic and pompous. The only real good I see in the UN is that it is a forum for nations to bitch at each other and blame each other instead of going to war. Talking is always better than silence... I work with a lot of NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and we audit them annually. We watch their overhead rates closely in determining who gets funding. CARE, Save the Children, International Federation of the Red Cross, The Red Cross, Mercy Corps, World Food Program, and the US military to name a couple, are very good organizations, that don't mess around - they get going fast and have clean audits. I agree with you Tangled, the people who are desperate, don't care where the help is coming from. They are in the basic survival phase. When we deliver relief supplies through NGOs or the military, the crates and boxes have the red, white and blue USAID logo on the side with the words "From the American People." They know who is helping them. Lastly, I just want to say that Australia has long been a close friend of the US, and they are fully capable of leading the relief initiative in Asia. We're damn fortunate to have Australia working with us! |
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I once read a report that stated only $1 out of each $17 donated,,,gets to the actual fund it was meant for.
