Earthquake

[monster]

I hope help gets there soon

[Shawnee123]

Wow. Text 90999. I heard about this in a couple places, and wanted to check it out, so I found this article.

This is remarkable not just because of the technology, but because it changes the landscape of America's philanthropy.

Less than 48 hours after the deadly 7.0 earthquake devastated Haiti, the American Red Cross received $5 million in donations through mobile texting, all at $10 a click.

It could create a whole new generation of philanthropists. Young adults who sometimes text more than they talk will step into the world of charity the same way they download another ringtone.

"They're not going to donate by direct mail, and they're not going to a $200, black-tie gala," Naegele said. "But this is something they can do."

[monster]

All the reporting is about how much money is being poured into aid. For one, stfu and just send people with crates of water, buckets of drugs and earthquake know-how. I don't care what is costs. I don't care what you label me. Those are real people.

[glatt]

The airport is overwhelmed. Planes full of aid are circling and then flying away to land on other nearby islands because the single runway airport can't handle them. The control tower isn't working and the terminal is heavily damaged. There's no room to park multiple planes once they land.

The seaport is damaged as well.

[morethanpretty]

Originally Posted by glatt

The airport is overwhelmed. Planes full of aid are circling and then flying away to land on other nearby islands because the single runway airport can't handle them. The control tower isn't working and the terminal is heavily damaged. There's no room to park multiple planes once they land.

The seaport is damaged as well.

Guess we need to send boats with aid. Big boats with lotso little boats that can land on the beaches, ect, to ferret stuff and people back and forth.

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by morethanpretty

Guess we need to send boats with aid. Big boats with lotso little boats that can land on the beaches, ect, to ferret stuff and people back and forth.

Big boats are out - the port is unusable. The US military is trying to send stuff in using amphibious vehicles and helicopters.

[glatt]

Last April, the US Navy's hospital ship USNS Comfort spent 11 days in Haiti as part of its 2009 humanitarian aid tour of Latin America. While in Haiti, they treated 6,731 patients and performed 161 surgeries. At the beginning of this week, they were in a state of reduced operations in Baltimore harbor. They normally need 5 days to prepare to ship out. They got the order on Wednesday, will be ready to leave tomorrow morning, and should be in Haiti on Thursday. When they get there, they will probably anchor off the coast, and let helicopters bring patients to them.

The Comfort started life as an oil tanker in the 1970s, and was converted to a hospital ship in 1987. She has beds for 1000 patients.

Around a week and a half from the earthquake until she's on site, but for the people she will treat, Comfort will be very good to see again.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by monster

All the reporting is about how much money is being poured into aid. For one, stfu and just send people with crates of water, buckets of drugs and earthquake know-how. I don't care what is costs. I don't care what you label me. Those are real people.

The money is to pay for stuff that's already on the way, and the years of aid they'll need in the future. It's important the companies scrambling to put all the shit together are reassured they'll get paid eventually, and not have to worry about being bankrupted.

I was surprised when I went to my employer's internal website, to donate by payroll deduction.
2004 Indian Ocean tsunami = $1 million, plus 100% matching of all employee donations.
Haiti = $50k, plus no matching.

There are so many people/groups collecting, I worry how much will be siphoned off, or just plain stolen?

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I was surprised when I went to my employer's internal website, to donate by payroll deduction.
2004 Indian Ocean tsunami = $1 million, plus 100% matching of all employee donations.
Haiti = $50k, plus no matching.

Noticed tonight, their donation has been upped to a million, they're also matching donations.
Guess they realized how bad it is.

[squirell nutkin]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Noticed tonight, their donation has been upped to a million, they're also matching donations.
Guess they realized how bad that looked.

I'll say.

[W.HI.P]

go here
http://samrainer.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/haiti.jpg
then hold down f11

[monster]

I'm not saying they don't need money, I'm saying the money is not the most important thing to be reporting on. Tell me to send money then show me people getting help, or not getting help, not a groomed clean presenter telling me how much money the government has promised and how that compares to other governments and other disaster. as I switched channels it was all about the money -grand totals, not that more is needed.

[glatt]

Google Earth has overlays that you can install in that program so you can see the latest data from satellite imagery. Each one of these red dot can be clicked on to read details on what it is. Most are collapsed buildings.

[xoxoxoBruce]

You know, this is a good reminder. When the shit hits the fan, whether bum fuck Haiti, or Peoria, Illinois, you best be prepared to take care of yourself, at least survive, for a week or more. It takes that long for governments and large organizations to get up to speed.

[Pie]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

You know, this is a good reminder. When the shit hits the fan, whether bum fuck Haiti, or Peoria, Illinois, you best be prepared to take care of yourself, at least survive, for a week or more. It takes that long for governments and large organizations to get up to speed.

Yeah.

So what do you do if you're so poor you can't feed your family today, let alone for some unspecified week in the future?

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere with 80% of the population living under the poverty line and 54% in abject poverty.