At the Parent/Teacher/Student Organization meeting last night we were discussing the sudden 50% reduction in enrollment in extra-curricular activities and in fundraising that has become evident in the month since school started. We debated whether spare cash was being diverted to Hurrican Katrina relief, but were dismayed to note that the amount we raised through school was much less than usual, despite there being more projects than for previous fisaster relief funds -the Tsunami for example.
We are pretty sure the kids will also want to help the Pakistan earthquake victims, but is there any money left? Is there any compassion left? Or are we all disastered out? Will the people of Pakistan have only token gestures from governments?
I have barely had time to read the news this week, relying on what I hear on the radio etc. I haven't been bombarded with messages about "how to help" or clickies to "donate here". Is Pakistan on it's own in this one? If we are all compassioned-out is it just a US thing as a result of having had one of the disasters on our doorstep or is it worldwide?
Also interesting to note that this is the first topic on here about the earthquake which happened three days ago.
I feel a little tragedied out of late. Maybe I’m too much of a news junky, but this year with the tsunami, the famine in Niger, constant reports of bombings in Iraq, the London bombs, hurricanes Katrina and Rita, rumblings about a flu pandemic, and now this earthquake, I feel like it’s getting hard to care. sad
Hasn't Georgie offered $50mill. to help?
Also , I did like what UK did. You could turn up at Heathrow and buy a ticket to Pakistan, visas were waived and the whole thing was streamlined. It works the other way too. Haven't noticed the States helping like that.
Personally though, I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Seems mother earth is well ticked off with all of us.
Preparing earthquake kits as I type.
One of the things I did notice, both on the BBC and Yahoo, was the only countries listed as helping were Iran, Russia, UK and USA. I'm sure there must be more than this helping in reality? Haven't read the news for more than a day now so I'm sure this must have changed?
I have been following the news regarding the earthquake and the devastation but more online than the regular news because there has been so little about it on the TV over the weekend. We have had a few news points regarding how local people are reacting who have relatives over there, but very little on the national news channels. I just haven't had time to post anything on here regarding it - a sorry excuse, I know, but it isn't because I don't care sad
I, like someone else has mentioned, am struggling with all the natural disasters that have occurred over the last year, and really the last few years. It just seems to be getting more and more frequent and effecting more and more people. And then add on top the manmade disasters!. Is there ever going to be a point where we can have a year where the world is somewhat peaceful ???
roll I do think people are getting all disastered out and I also think that they are getting hardened to it all. plus I think the economic situation here is not that great, so folks are not spending (Look at gas prices and credit card interest, just to see that). I would hate to see your heating bill for this winter monster. They are talking of 90% increase's. Makes me glad I am in TEXAS lol.
Yes Bush is sending money and equipment over, but I guess there's still going to be a bunch of radicals somewhere, saying the west has done nothing. Such a small minded world we have and for that reason as well, people will stop giving. Shame really.
India has sent over 25 tons of aid. Might not sound like much but these two countries hate each other with a passion but at least they can bury their differences when a tragedy strikes.
Sadly, once memories fade, they will probably end up facing off again but it might take something like this in the future to change mankind's selfish approach to life.
I don't know if anyone else feels this way but I have given to recent disasters, not much, not bragging and I'm sure we've all done the same.
When I see how much alleged waste from the Red Cross and other charities is reported in the news I feel a little reserved now about giving.
I know nurses who wanted to go and help after Katrina hit and they were told things by the Red Cross like if they couldn't give so many guaranteed hours they didn't need them. If a nurse from Colorado can only go down there for four days because of the stingy vacation allowance in the USA, surely four days is better than nothing?
When Katrina hit we had someone who anonymously donated 3 months rent to a few displaced families to an apartment complex in Boulder. My friend at work lived in the same apartment complex and asked us at work if we had any furniture we didn't need or if we wanted to donate to the rent. I felt this was a way of directly donating without the money getting swallowed up by large organizations.
I read that a lot of refugees that were displaced by the Tsunami in Sri Lanka still can't go home but that large hotels and condos are being built where their homes once stood. Surely this isn't how the many who donated to this disaster wanted to see the money spent?
I guess all I'm saying is that I'm more choosy now about how I donate.
India has sent over 25 tons of aid. Might not sound like much but these two countries hate each other with a passion but at least they can bury their differences when a tragedy strikes.
Sadly, once memories fade, they will probably end up facing off again but it might take something like this in the future to change mankind's selfish approach to life.
I was listening to the world news on 4 earlier and some folk from the region were complaining. It was 15 miles up into the Pakistan territory of Kashmir(is that how they spell it now) up in the mountains. They were on the Indian side of the border. The Pakistani troops wouldn't let them in to help. How bloody small minded. like the guy said. Before the troubles we were all one family, now half our family lives one side of the border, the other half, well, they don't even know if they're alive. The troops were doing little but stopping illegal crossings.
One of the things I did notice, both on the BBC and Yahoo, was the only countries listed as helping were Iran, Russia, UK and USA. I'm sure there must be more than this helping in reality? Haven't read the news for more than a day now so I'm sure this must have changed?
The French are over there, they got 5 people out today. Other than that I don't know.
I agree with the sentiments about wondering where the money goes. I always donate to the Red Cross, yet when I volunteered after Katrina they never bothered getting back to me! Charity giving is abit of fingers crossed situation in my opinion. I like to give, but I do wonder where it all ends up.
I think the US is definitely disastered out after the 2 hurricanes.
We have a Pakistani girl living with us at the moment, and her sister was only 30 miles from the epicentre. We did get word on Saturday morning that she was safe.
We will probably donate directly to the family to distribute locally rather than through DEC.
Hasn't Georgie offered $50mill. to help?
Also , I did like what UK did. You could turn up at Heathrow and buy a ticket to Pakistan, visas were waived and the whole thing was streamlined. It works the other way too. Haven't noticed the States helping like that.
Personally though, I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Seems mother earth is well ticked off with all of us.
Preparing earthquake kits as I type.
Unfortunately this type of eartquake activity is quite normal through recorded history. Even though this has been a really tough year for tropical storms is most definitely not unheard of, I think it is garnering many more thoughts of the end of the world and the "worst hurricane season ever" because these are all heavily populated areas now and that might have not been the case 100 -200 years ago when these events were recorded.
We have only had the pleasure of CNN telling us how terrible the world is for the last 20 years. This has been a regular year for earthquakes, apparently the world can expect at least 1 earthquake at 8 on the richter scale, 2 - 3 in the 7.5's and at least a dozen around the 6.5 - 7 mark.
This is a common reaction through various decades. Most people look upon the past with nostalgia, when they think that things were never as bad as they are now. You could let your kids play in the street, you didn't have to lock your front door. In fact child abductions similar criminal actions have remained pretty constant over the last few decades per head of population. It is just they are being reported on now in much greater detail and everyone has access to some form of mass media.
Sorry this was just meant to be a commentary, definitely not "you are dead wrong Annie and here's why".