Largest earthquake in 40 years.

[unclehobart]

What I am seeing is a great weariness in that the US gets spat upon when it helps. It gets spat upon when it doesn't help. Turning the other cheek so oft is starting to make us dizzy. Pretty soon we will lose our temper and throw the rest of the world to the ground like a sack of rocks. Then we'll see who has the strength to be the worlds whipping boy for a change.

 

[Gonz]

to give rather than be concerned about what you recieve???

I hope to hell you aren't talking about us...

"We gave $2.4 billion last year; 40 percent of total contributions by all countries," said U.S. Agency for International Development (search) Administrator Andrew Natsios. "We are by far the largest donor — no one even comes close to us."

In dollar terms, the United States leads the world in foreign aid from government sources. But individual and corporate charity from the United States also exceeds that of any other developed nation, and those donations exceed official government expenditures. Last year, Americans donated billions to international causes.

"Americans give $240 billion overall each year to charity. Only 2 percent of that money is for international causes, so we're talking about $5 billion," said Daniel Borochoff, president of the American Philanthropy Association (search).

Only two percent is specific to internationally targeted causes. 98% is for whoever needs the help.

 

[HomeLAN]

I have zero problem giving to help in a crisis like this. What I don't like is getting shit on while I do it. Clear enough for you, dear?

 

[chcr]

I have zero problem giving to help in a crisis like this. What I don't like is getting shit on while I do it. Clear enough for you, dear?

Succinct and to the point.
Thank you.

 

[Kawaii]

The death toll is now at 116,000+, with 80,000 dead in Indonesia alone.

Source

I don't give a shit about the politics behind this. We need to help those in need. That's all i care about.

 

[ResearchMonkey]

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 (Bernama) -- The death toll in Acheh, the region worst hit by last Sunday's tsunami, may exceed 400,000 as many affected areas could still not be reached for search and rescue operations, Indonesia's Ambassador to Malaysia Drs H. Rusdihardjo said Thursday.

source

Best Guesstimate, Indonesia alone.


Whereas It would seem there are some that feel we should be forced to respond as they see fit, we Americans do not see it that way. While those others are focusing their energies on creating more issues. We, out of our sense humaity and goodness, are responding with more vim and vigor to assist in the relief effort with a coalition other top-shelf nations ...

While you bicker at our lack of response, we are supercedeing anything you could imagine and doing it of our own free-will.

 

[tank girl]

125,000+ dead and climbing but who really knows if its not double that?

500 million destitute

entire populations traumatised for life...

now, don't take my criticisms as a personal attack, dears: my obsevances seem to be pretty on board from where I stand here - the largest criticism of bush now is is lack of a prompt response, but then again blair is still sipping on martinis somewhere in Egypt...

I think its about time that you try not to take criticisms of your nation so personally, its not the individuals but its leaders and political agenda that seem to be the cause of so much ridicule around here, it just is a pity that you don't know how to distinguish yourselves from the failings of your country...

 

[Luis G]

125,000+ dead and climbing but who really knows if its not double that?

500 million destitute

entire populations traumatised for life...

now, don't take my criticisms as a personal attack, dears: my obsevances seem to be pretty on board from where I stand here - the largest criticism of bush now is is lack of a prompt response, but then again blair is still sipping on martinis somewhere in Egypt...

I think its about time that you try not to take criticisms of your nation so personally, its not the individuals but its leaders and political agenda that seem to be the cause of so much ridicule around here, it just is a pity that you don't know how to distinguish yourselves from the failings of your country...

That's just free anti-US propaganda, wether the help is stingy or not it is still help and there's no obligation (other than moral perhaps) to donate. I wish my country was rich so we could give money to them, but no, the most we're giving is food and expert rescue teams to help over there.

Have you already donated from your own pocket?, if so, how much? (can it be considered stingy as well?), did you donated faster than Bush and Blair?

I know I haven't donated a dime.

 

[tank girl]

I hope to hell you aren't talking about us...



Only two percent is specific to internationally targeted causes. 98% is for whoever needs the help.

Now that takes the cake....you assume that I'm just thinking about MONEY?


It seems to me a striking tendency that when americans get all self involved and defesive all the think about is demonstrating the "poor me" syndrome.

Its not about money, its about conciousness, who cares about you and how much everyone hates you or whatever? If you (as you seem to absolutely do) know you're so superior to everyone else then why waste your energy in trying to prove it?

Rather than expect to recieve some sort of global reverence or whatever you think you deserve for being an American, isn't about time to start thinking bigger and about others than worrying about protecting your own self-interests

* sigh, its such a common symptom of the age that "giving" is only measured by worth in money...

d'ya think that thats all that Jesus meant? cause I'm pretty sure when he was around capitalism wasn't invented.

you can give your human capacity for concience and thoughts rather than dwelling on your own selfish misfortunes and insecurities

 

[tank girl]

That's just free anti-US propaganda, wether the help is stingy or not it is still help and there's no obligation (other than moral perhaps) to donate. I wish my country was rich so we could give money to them, but no, the most we're giving is food and expert rescue teams to help over there.

Have you already donated from your own pocket?, if so, how much? (can it be considered stingy as well?), did you donated faster than Bush and Blair?

I know I haven't donated a dime.

I've donated $50 and i'm a student thousands of dollars in debt. The thing is, I know it won't hurt me because I'm priviledged enough to have the opportunity to be educated and come out with a good job and pay it off.


Y'know, the criticisms that came out from the UN guy was because Spain donated TWICE as much as the U.S's first pledge... TWICE....SPAIN!...you do the maths.

or not it is still help and there's no obligation (other than moral perhaps) to donate. I wish my country was rich so we could give money to them,

same here, we're giving 5 million now with aid and forenzic researchers to identify bodys etc

I have a feeling we'll probably give a bit more if we can in the weeks to come.

I guess thats where I'm coming from - the viewpoint of a moral obligation. It really stumps me that a political system that relies so much on morals to justify its decisions can be stingy when it comes to this. But the american public indeed has donated about a billion NZ dollars (mostly contributed by all the democrats with an actual social/global concience no doubt )

 

[unclehobart]

500 million destitute? I could have sworn that they were destitiute before this ever happend.

 

[tank girl]

500 million destitute? I could have sworn that they were destitiute before this ever happend.

yah, exactly but the difference is now they have zilch...'tis true they didn't have much before.

 

[Gonz]

Rather than expect to recieve some sort of global reverence or whatever you think you deserve for being an American, isn't about time to start thinking bigger and about others than worrying about protecting your own self-interests

What the fuck are you talking about? We, the US, as in WE THE PEOPLE, do more than 3/4 of the other countries combined. We handle, per the previously posted story, 40% of the worlds woes. One country that catches hell whether we shit or get off the pot do damned near half of all humanitarian relief. So kiss my ass. We get pissed when our country is disrespected or attacked because WE ARE THE GOVERNMENT!!! Some of us take time to attempt to change the lesser liked aspects while people like you only piss & moan & offer nothing for solutions. Try studying facts, not spouting lies.

entire populations traumatised for life...

That is so incredibly incorrect it's simply amazing. You are apparently a spoiled pompous windbag with nothing better to do than spout incorrect agendized propaganda with zero proof or facts. These people are stronger than you could ever be. They will be sad & then they will move on with their life. People that have time to be traumatized for life over natures wrath need to find more constructive thinhgs to do that study pop psych.

(mostly contributed by all the democrats with an actual social/global concience no doubt)

Retry. The states with the lowest per capita & whole dollar donations are the blue states.

 

[ResearchMonkey]

Now that takes the cake....you assume that I'm just thinking about MONEY?

WINNAH - WINNAH - WINNAH!!!

Congradulations, you just won back-peddling post of the year.

Other then the single post about offering prayer, the only thing you have addressed is application of resourse ($$$) by our president.

Blather ....

blather ....

and more blather......


Rather than expect to recieve some sort of global reverence or whatever you think you deserve for being an American, isn't about time to start thinking bigger and about others than worrying about protecting your own self-interests

We're not asking to recieve reverence, we are however fed up with the condemnation from little shit-hole nations that haven't managed to create their own prosperous place in the world.

Your Island envy beseiges you. Its not the size of your Island, its what you do with it.

you can give your human capacity for concience and thoughts rather than dwelling on your own selfish misfortunes and insecurities

I'm quite happy that you have donated money from your meager student budget and that you have given prayer, both are needed at this time.

Maybe that's our secret of becoming the power house we are. Seems I once read that 'he who gives whilst being watched has already recieved their reward' and another thing I think I read somewhere... 'those that give in secret will recieve it in return 10-fold' ...prolly just something scribbled on a rest-stop bathroom somewhere

I think its time that you fore-go your selfish desires of a Uni-edumacation and put your efforts into humanitarain missions in the third world.




And since you're sooooo stuck in 2003, I'll let you know that we are spending billions of dollars on humanitarian missions in Iraq.

Have you seen my movie, I am quite happy how it came out.

Operation Iraqi Freedom

Dial-up ...its also in .MOV and .RM

...you may learn something if you watch it to the end.

 

[tank girl]

 

[Winky]

_

 

[tank girl]

World Bank $250m
UK $96m
EU $44m
US: $35m
Canada: $33m
Japan: $30m
Australia: $27m
France: $20.4m
Denmark: $15.6m
Saudi Arabia: $10m

1. Indonesia: 79,940
2. Sri Lanka: 27,268
3. India (inc Andaman and Nicobar Is): 7,330
4. Thailand: 2,394
5. Somalia: 120
6. Burma: 90
7. Maldives: 67
8. Malaysia: 65
9. Tanzania: 10
10. Seychelles: 1
11. Bangladesh: 2
12. Kenya: 1​

 

[tank girl]

oh winky, this ones for you

Sweden: 44 dead, at least 1,400 missing
Germany: 33 dead, over 1,000 missing
Britain: 28 dead, 50 missing
France: 22 dead, 90 missing
Norway: 21 dead, 430 missing
Italy: 14 dead, 600 missing
US: 14 dead, thousands unaccounted for
Switzerland: 11 dead, 850 unaccounted for
Australia: 10 dead, 1,000 missing​

 

[Winky]

Only way to help a dead person
is to bury them

 

[ResearchMonkey]

Is the part where you begin to have a meltdown or is there some cryptic point you're trying to make.


(nice formatting BTW )