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Archive through January 10, 2005

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: 2005 Mar. ~ 2005 May: The Tsunami Tragedy: Archive through January 10, 2005 users admin

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Schoolmarm
Member

02-18-2001

Friday, January 07, 2005 - 10:29 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Here's an interesting article about one of my colleagues, a journalism professor who was actually IN Sri Lanka and was in the Tsunami.

Hope the link works, I'm not really good that these things.


http://news.siu.edu/news/January05/010505bm5001.html

Jimmer
Member

08-30-2000

Friday, January 07, 2005 - 10:58 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
"However, it's really no one's business which charities or other organizations I contribute to, nor how often or when I do it."

I agree. In fact, I clearly stated this in my first post when I said "Let me start by saying that this comment is not directed at anyone here on this board. I apologise in advance if I sound upset and I don’t mean to offend anyone or diminish their wonderful contributions."

So no worries.

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Friday, January 07, 2005 - 12:14 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Hey, at least people donate their hard earned money. There is no law stating that people HAVE to donate, and the fact that they do is wonderful. No matter what charity it is for.

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Friday, January 07, 2005 - 1:54 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Very interesting article and photos, Marm.

Sunshyne4u
Member

06-17-2003

Friday, January 07, 2005 - 2:01 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Excellent article, Schoolmarm. I liked how he also noted the nonprofessional behaviour of some of the media.

I watched a fair amount of CNN and noticed that quite a few reporters are there giving 'live' shows. How many 'on the site' reporters does a news agency need??
You know, they look just too happy to have a disaster to report. Interviews are eagerly done with doctors etc and the questions are basically frivolous. The smiles just seem out of place.

When Anderson Cooper was playing with the dog and reporting from a beach I was thinking........WHY dont you go help look for bodies or something!? Make yourself useful.

****

Eeyore, yes there are a few of us here at TVCH which are from this area. I myself am actually across the Fault line(ha ha) on Vancouver Island. I think Catfat is across the water from us both in the USA.

*****
Experts say the West Coast could experience a calamity similar to the one they have been watching unfold half a world away.

"People need to know it could happen," said geologist Brian Atwater of the U.S. Geological Survey.

Scientists say grinding geologic circumstances similar to those in Sumatra also exist just off the Pacific Northwest coast. They are a loaded gun that could trigger a tsunami that could hit Northern California, Washington, Oregon and British Columbia in minutes – too fast for the nation's deep-sea tsunami warning system to help.

The danger rests just 50 MILES off the West Coast in a 680-mile undersea fault known as the Cascadia subduction zone that behaves much like one that ruptured off Sumatra

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/science/20041229-1439-quake-ustsunamis.html

Think I am going to put Earthquake Insurance Back onto the house YIKES

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Friday, January 07, 2005 - 2:36 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I have a question:
This is in the regard of foreign aid and funding therefore. Now, I am not opposed to giving and charitable efforts on any part. But it is when you "look a gift horse in the mouth". Maybe that is the wrong term. I get very irritated when people give and give and others only want them to give more. They say things like "Well you can afford it so why don't you give more." Hey, at least contributions are being made.

I just read an article that posed the question "is the US being stingy?" because they have only given $350 million so far, and Australia, Japan, etc. have given so much more. That really bothers me. This isn't a race to see who can provide what. It's not a popularity contest. It isn't about that. This is about helping a neighbor in need, and if another neighbor gives more, good for them.

Here's my question: Isn't that what the UN is for? Isn't it like a car insurance company?(for lack of a better example) Everyone who is insured with that company pays into it and that money is used incase there is an accident? Correct me if I am wrong, and I realize that this is really not in comparison, but where was our foreign aid when we had the natural disasters in Florida? What about hurricane Ivan, and Hurricane Hugo? And the flooding in midwest a couple years ago? I didn't see Australia, Japan, and other countries rushing their funds and relief over here.

Like I said, it's great that we are helping and giving and that the world is coming together for this cause. But to say that countries who aren't giving as much as others are stingy just ticks me off. Then I see people posting that the US isn't doing enough, and I think, ya know, we don't ask anyone for help, and that's alright, but we do give to countries and obviously don't ask for anything in return (thank the lord for the red cross) and still get spat on for not doing more.

So maybe I don't have a question, but a vent/grip. Sorry if I offended anyone, maybe this should go in the Vent/Gripe thread.

Eeyoreslament
Member

07-20-2003

Friday, January 07, 2005 - 2:39 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
(OT - Sunshyne, you don't have a folder, but I think we've discussed this before. Where on VI are you?)

Tishala
Member

08-01-2000

Friday, January 07, 2005 - 2:59 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Escapee, unless I am mistaken, I think someone criticized ALL Western nations for stinginess in the immediate aftermath of the disaster because, IIRC, the initial offers of aid from all nations, including Australia and Japan, were significantly less than they are now. I believe the man who criticized Western nations was from a Scandanavian nation which, of course, is also Western, so he was critiquing his home country as well as Germany, France, the UK, the US et al.

Now that western nations have mobilized their resources--for example, the initial pledge from the US was $400K, then $15M, then $35M before the present $350M contribution--I have not heard anyone accuse anyone of stinginess. Well, that is except some people who have criticized the UN, France, Saudi Arabia, and China for nt giving enough. Those people, I might note, are Americans and work on a cable station that purports to deliver news and apparently think giving is, indeed, a popularity contest, but they wonder aloud about the responsibility of us giving to nations full of Muslims who hate us [to the point, in fact, of showing a dead body wearing a t-shirt with Osama bin Laden's picture on it!).

I also see a huge difference between the hurricanes Florida endured this past year and the 170,000 dead people [and the obliterated infrastructure] in southeast Asia. They are not even remotely analogous IMHO.

The larger issue, to me, is that this disaster has been so horrific, so really unimaginable, that I have a hard time understanding how prickly people are about whether we are stingy or not or comparing our donations to those of other nations. It seems to me that the tragedy is of such magnitude that we can be bigger than these petty issues. Instead of the divisions some are fostering about Saudi Arabia/the UN/China, etc., we would do well to remember the victims and work together for their sake. Those who want dissention will always find it, but I think this horrible event is too important for that.

Sherbabe
Member

07-28-2002

Friday, January 07, 2005 - 5:24 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Don't know where to post this, but, during this huge disaster I've heard people speak about either a group of girls or some sisters who either saw a miracle or a miracl came to them,,,,anyway, they were told that these disasters were going to start happening and i believe predicicted something like this would happen. I'll ck w/ my sources again, but, just wonder if anyone here remembers this story.

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Friday, January 07, 2005 - 5:51 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Foreign aid: Is the U.S. stingy?
MSN


Tsunami relief has put the question on the table. The answer depends on how you run the numbers.

By The Christian Science Monitor

With a carrier fleet on hand off Sumatra, the United States seems likely to play its usual role of being the biggest provider of relief in a major humanitarian disaster.

American giving to help the victims of the Asian tsunamis, so sudden and captured so dramatically by television, is huge. Washington has pledged $350 million in aid. Moreover, President Bush enlisted two former presidents, Bill Clinton and his father, George H.W. Bush, to lead a nationwide campaign to raise private funds -- a move that squares with the president's preference for private economic activities.

Yet the U.S. aid pledge had been surpassed as of Thursday not only by Japan ($500 million), but by Germany ($674 million) and Australia ($764 million) as well.

Such efforts have pushed the question of American charity to the forefront. Is the United States stingy when it comes to foreign aid?


The answer depends on how you measure.

<edited for length. See guidelines posted HERE on 1/2/05 for details. Also per previous rules, you must provide a link for all copyrighted articles. Thank you!>

Eeyoreslament
Member

07-20-2003

Friday, January 07, 2005 - 5:57 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Jet Li recounts how he survived tsunami in Maldives

HONG KONG (AP) - Hong Kong action star Jet Li has raced to save the day onscreen. But on Dec. 26, he found himself running for his life with his two daughters in his arms when the tsunami crashed into the Maldives resort where they were vacationing.

The star of Lethal Weapon 4 and Hero told the audience at a tsunami charity concert in Hong Kong that he was strolling on the beach with his daughters and their maid when the giant waves started rolling toward the shore.

"The waves came really quickly and formed swirls. I carried my daughters and pulled my maid and ran. I'd only walked three steps when I realized that the water had already come up to my waist," Li said on stage.

"When I looked back, everything I saw minutes ago was gone. Everything was surrounded by the ocean. The houses collapsed. I continued to run but the water was already up to my mouth," he said.

At that moment, Li said he was faced with the most difficult decision in his life.

<edited for length. RA>

OT - It really bugs me how articles are written nowadays. At what point did journalism students become REWARDED for single sentence paragraphs? Did they DROP the "technical writing" class from jernalizim skool?

Sunshyne4u
Member

06-17-2003

Friday, January 07, 2005 - 6:26 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
It isnt just the USA that is accused of being stingy. I heard that there has been an outcry as the RICHEST countries in the world havent been involved as of yet.

Kuwait for instance is amazingly rich. United Arab group as well (saudi) You'd think that at least Religious groups would have responded as some of these countries affected by the tsunami were muslim/ islamic.

Many of us in Canada guffawed when Bush offered that initial amount of $15 million. British Columbia has a population of 4 million people.....we immediately sent 8 million. Do the math and wonder again why people are thinking the USA numbers just arent adding up.

The other comparison I can make is a political incorrect one. We all know the incredible financial burden on the country due to the lengthy attack on the people's of Iraq (and their chosen religion and lifestyle). The costs are sooooo high and THAT is why many of us feel the USA is having a hard time finding spare funds.

It is just a few weeks before the election and that guy was just assassinated...surely that is a clue that this USA imposed cultural change is not going to be accepted by the average person in Iraq??
****

I heard that the rebuilding and cleanup is probably going to take YEARS!! The other HUGE concern is the numbers of orphaned children and that pedophiles and slavetraders are already trying to 'adopt' displaced kids. What a WORLD we live in!!! <MG>

Wendo
Member

08-07-2000

Friday, January 07, 2005 - 7:41 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
IMO, wealthy and rich countries are part of a larger world and, therefore, have a responsibility to help the poorer and less fortunate nations. We live in a global community now, one more connected than ever before in history. And really, as human beings, shouldn't we want to help those countries that don't have the money and resources we do. When the US suffers a national disaster we have the money to rebuild. Places such as Indonesia and Sri Lanka do not.

The comparison between this past summer's hurricanes to the tsunami is completely inaccurate. Just the number of people dead, the infrastructure that needs to be rebuilt, and the number of nations affected; it just doesn't compare.

Frankly, I wish the US would give more and I hope we do; and I hope we honor our pledges too. This tsunami has just been so devastating.

Maris
Member

03-28-2002

Friday, January 07, 2005 - 7:51 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Interesting if you look at the donations that individuals are giving.

Julia Roberts multimillionaire actress 1 million dollars

George Bush, multimillionaire leader of the US $10,000.

What does that tell you about setting an example.

Jimmer
Member

08-30-2000

Friday, January 07, 2005 - 9:35 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I'm not a huge fan of President Bush, but speaking as a Canadian (since nationality was mentioned earlier), I respect the United States' charitable efforts helping other people around the world. It's not a contest. Perhaps President Bush contributes to other causes, as other people around here do as well.

Sunshyne4u
Member

06-17-2003

Saturday, January 08, 2005 - 12:41 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I agree it isnt a contest. But it is an interesting comparison eh?

By the way, incase anyone didnt know. In Canada we get approximately 40% of our charitable donation back in the form of Tax Savings. ((If my research is correct and the accountant is correct LOL))

Anyone who is seriously considering donating a LARGE amount of money, maybe find out whether it will be highly beneficial for you. There may be some of you whom are worried about what would happen to your finances if a large donation was made. It is good to know that there are benefits to charity.

I hope that didnt sound shallow considering the disaster.

Schoolmarm
Member

02-18-2001

Saturday, January 08, 2005 - 10:03 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Today at the Marianplatz (Town Square) in Munich, the Red Cross had up a tent and also had members in red coats with white crosses at each entrance to the subway with cans to collect money for the flood victims.

I chatted a little bit with the girl at the Bavarian Radio (it's like NPR over here) who has been archiving all the audio news reports about the Tsumani. She says that from all the news sources she is NOW finding that the different countries ARE in a contest to give the most (see Germany's LARGE and recent increase in their donation) or to be the first. She is archiving not only BR news reports, but those from other places as well. [poor girl...I hope she gets a happier topic for her next job. She had to work on the holiday of Epiphany when everything was closed just to keep up. There were only three others in the office that usually has 52 that day.]

It is very important here in Germany to "show well". I don't know if it is the same in other places.

Seamonkey
Member

09-07-2000

Saturday, January 08, 2005 - 1:13 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I don't have enough income the past couple of years for charitable donations to give me any benefit at all. And for the most part I don't advertise where my donations go.

Some people tithe through their church or regualulary donate hours of time or goods or other pro bono donations that may not mean writing a check.

IMO, not a contest (but if it is and it gets more aid to those who need it..IF.. then, so be it)

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Sunday, January 09, 2005 - 10:25 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Eeyore wrote:

quote:

OT - It really bugs me how articles are written nowadays. At what point did journalism students become REWARDED for single sentence paragraphs? Did they DROP the "technical writing" class from jernalizim skool?




Um, actually, that wouldn't be from a teknikal riting klass. That wood be frum a jernalizm klass. Or a plain old English class.

As an online help author and information developer (aka technical writer), I can guarantee you that our main work isn't devoted to writing newspaper articles. Instead, we educate users on how to use our products (be they hardware or software).

And, interestingly, in the one technical writing class I took at university (for my landscape architecture degree... and don't ask!), there was never any emphasis on HOW to write papers. It was assumed that we all had a basic grasp of English.

Anyways, it's the editors' fault! <wink>

Since that was totally off topic... back to your regularly scheduled program. And Sea's right... you give what you can give, when you wanna give, and it doesn't matter if it's money or time or pro bono work. This entire discussion should never be about who's giving the most. It should be about getting aid where it needs to go, regardless of who gave it, yes?

Sunshyne4u
Member

06-17-2003

Sunday, January 09, 2005 - 6:08 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I just found out that a fairly large group of Canadian doctors have immediately left for Ache, Indonesia. It is one of the hardest hit areas. One of the doctors is an orthopedic surgeon whom is really going to be busy.

Evidently there is a huge need for Amputations. the arms and legs that were broken/ injured/ cut need to be taken off as there is no way they can be saved this long after the injury and infection has set in. i just heard on the news that TETANUS is the second biggest disease spreading throughout the survivors.

There have been lots of donations and even the hospital has sent a whole bunch of supplies.

Here in Canada we are all immunized against Tetanus and the immunity is good for at least ten years. How sad that these countries were too poor to offer their peoples routine "shots" like our children get in school.

****

In previous posts I have talked about our risks here on the West Coast and have been doing some research. This is the Pacific Geoscience Geological Survey of Canada Government site for anyone interested in what is happening here on the coast.

http://www.pgc.nrcan.gc.ca/index_e.php

the January 1700 earthquake was large enough to have ruptured the entire length of the plate boundary of the Pacific Coast (from northern Vancouver Island to northern California) resulting in strong ground shaking and a significant tsunami.

This earthquake caused a tsunami across the entire Pacific Ocean that, even in Japan, crested as much as five metres (16ft)high.

The research team examined Japanese historical documents reporting a Cascadia (North American Pacific Coast) earthquake in the year 1700.

First Nation peoples of Vancouver Island have oral stories of a tsunami and landslides that destroyed aboriginal villages.




Sunshyne4u
Member

06-17-2003

Sunday, January 09, 2005 - 6:28 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
in 1964, a large earthquake in Alaska triggered a tsunami that caused damage all the way to California, including several million dollars damage in Port Alberni here in British Columbia. The local tsunami source is the Cascadia subduction zone earthquake.




Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Sunday, January 09, 2005 - 6:33 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
That 1964 earthquake caused damage in NORTHERN California. By the time the tsunami hit southern California, it was just a few large waves (that I'm sure the surfers loved).

Seamonkey
Member

09-07-2000

Sunday, January 09, 2005 - 8:24 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
And apparently the only deaths in the extreme north of California occured when people who were WARNED, stupidly went TO the beach to see the tsunami and it got them.



Tess
Member

04-13-2001

Sunday, January 09, 2005 - 11:30 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Sea, you are probably right about that. in 1964 I was in 4th grade and living on the shores of the Pacific Ocean in San Francisco. We received the order to evacuate and we did, going to St. Cecelia's church inland and up on a hill. My father was in the police reserves and was sent to patrol the beach near our home. There were countless surfers loving the waves and the police had the hardest time getting them off the beach.

As we all know, the tsunami never got past large waves in San Francisco either, but even 40 years later I still remember thinking how misguided those surfers were to not leave when we were first told to do so.

Halfunit
Member

09-02-2001

Monday, January 10, 2005 - 7:06 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I came into work today to see a notice on our Intranet that my company is donating $25,000 (US) to the American Red Cross and $25,000 (CAN) to the Canadian Red Cross agencies from it's charitable trust to help in the relief efforts.

They are challenging the employees to beat the company's amount. I think that is a great idea as they know we like to out-do the corporate office. :-)