130,000+ people die due to tidal wave in Asia... (1 Viewer)

[CharlesD]

This is not the case. Presidential Inaugurations are paid for by donors. There is a Presidential Inauguration Comittee that organizes the Inaugural and raises most of the money to pay for the activities. The Committee is partisan, if Kerry had won the members (and no doubt many of the donors) would have been different.

Pledges of aid amounts are irrelevant, it is too often the case, no matter who the donors is, that the pledged amount is not always delivered for many reasons.

The need in this case for is for co-ordination of relief efforts and for actual relief to be delivered. The posturing of various Governments, commentators, NGOs etc. is irrelevant, what counts is getting help to where it is needed.

 

[ChadM]

I, for one, feel extremely lucky to be safe and sound.


I also can't recall by so distraught and saddened and yet so fascinated (by the science of the whole thing) by a tragedy. I am guessing I am not the only one who feels that way.

 

[Mark_vdH]

I agree. However, it could also be that some of those waves actually were these enermous walls of water, but that the people who filmed those kind of waves had absolutely no chance of survival....

This video (no shocking images) is closest to the sort of waves I would have expected:

http://www.waveofdestruction.org.nyu...hits-beach.wmv

(mirror1, mirror2)

 

[Chris]

I thinkw e're talking about the same thing in a different way.. the amount that the federal government put forward for innauguration stays the same. The ammount that independent donors puts forward varies greatly.

(better) I was trying to say the equation with federal dollars output is a bad example.

 

[ZacharyTait]

I just wish I had a few extra bucks to send to the relief effort. I feel bad not having any extra money. :frowning:

Is there any way the thread headline can be changed to reflect the latest number of 135,000?

 

[Craig S]

It's now being reported that the US government plans to increase the funds for the tsunami disaster relief by an order of magnitude, i.e., in the range of $350 million or so:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp..._pe/tsunami_us

That's in addition, of course, to the untold millions that will be donated by private citizens. I certainly hope that everyone here who has even a few spare dollars will join me in donating to the Red Cross or the relief agency of your choice. Put off your next DVD purchase, meal out, etc. Every little bit helps and I think the vast majority of us can probably afford something.

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

Done.

 

[Malcolm R]

That's what makes it even more eerie, IMO. These people were enjoying a nice, bright, sunny day at the beach...then all of a sudden you're under water.

I gather the waves were bigger closer to the epicenter of the quake (in Indonesia). Maybe not 200', but someone reported 30' (that's a 3-4 story building).

 

[Ray Chuang]

For those with morbid interest, DigitalGlobe has a website where you can see these SHOCKING before and after pictures of the Indonesian city of Banda Aceh taken by the company's QuickBird imaging satellite.

The scene of a city literally scoured clean by the tsunami waves just leaves you speechless. :frowning:

 

[Philip_G]

Do you think we'll get a single thanks from the rest of the world for our 350 MILLION dollars?
Probably not. Just more criticism.

 

[Joseph S]

I don't care. Never gave anything with the expectation of anything else but that the source be helped. We've benefitted as much, if not more, as a nation than any other from the generosity of others both in our creation and in time of crisis. I'm not about to cry about whether or not a homeless, unemployed and grieving victim has the time to send a note. Certainly, the "rest of the world" doesn't have to write one either.

 

[Jonathan White]

Thanks

The British government has increased its pledge to £50 million ($95 million dollars). This was done after public donations have reached £50 million.

 

[Philip_G]

I do. If we offer up 35 million dollars and the rest of the world has the nerve to say it's not enough, that irritates me.
Pfizer donated 35 million dollars on their own, that's impressive. 10 million of it in cash, the rest in product.

 

[Rob Gillespie]

Why? If the donation had stood at $35m and not changed the criticism would have been 100% correct.

 

[Philip_G]

Why? The Australian gvt. is offering something like 27 million, same with Germany, who's offering more than 35 million?
smacks a little of bitching at free meal to me.

 

[Mark_vdH]

The Japanese government is giving 500 million dollar.

Besides, you should take into account a country's population and national income. I've read the Beslan community (fom the school disaster earlier this year) is sending something like 40 dollars, but I'm sure for them that's as heavy a burden as (y)our country's millions to us/you....

 

[Steve Christou]

As Jonathan pointed out the British public alone have donated $90 million. Which is why it seemed odd the goverment of the richest country in the world was offering $35 million.

 

[todd s]

I only get upset by how most of the time people around the world complain about us (not just Iraq). But, when their is a problem. They are the first to come pleading to us. They showed an a section of Indonesia that was hit hard(that is very anti-western). Yet, when a reporter who was the first of anyone to go to the area. The first thing they started complaining about was where are the Americans. America SHOULD and WILL help more. I am just tired of hearing people complain all of the time about us..until they need our help.

 

[Philip_G]

GOVERNMENTS, the us government pledged 35 million initially, phizer alone matched that, leave the public donations out of it.

We have problems of our own, and with a debt in the 3 trillion range I hardly consider us the richest in country in the world.

Anyway, now we're up to 350 million
Things NOT included in the $350 Million figure:
- The supplies shipped out from local militrary bases immediatly after the tsunami
- Medical supplies donated
- The aircraft carrier & fleet sent capable of producing water, supplies & troops to distribute them
- The Military costs for airlifting supplies

I'm sure in a few days someone will pipe up and complain that we're not "doing enough to help"

 

[Brandon_T]

Saw a figure on CNN last night that 40% of the worlds charity donations come from individuals in the US, that is of the WORLDS charity. Not our goverement. The People. No matter what we do its never enough.

I will forever be greatful at the support we as Americans recieved on Sept.11, and I think its good that we reciprocate what we can to these current victims. I just hate people from other countries getting on us for not doing enough.