[budster101]

Not to diminish the losses in this horrible tragedy, there was another tragedy that occurred in 1976. It was the Earthquake in Tangshan, China where a reported 665,000 people died. 780,000 injured. China declined foreign aid.

Worldbook Link

From another article:

Fireballs and Animals Give Warning

Though scientific earthquake prediction is in its nascent stages, nature often gives some advance warning of an impending earthquake.

In a village outside of Tangshan, well water reportedly rose and fell three times the day before the earthquake. In another village, gas began to spout out the water well on July 12 and then increased on July 25th and 26th. Other wells throughout the area showed signs of cracking.

Animals also gave a warning that something was about to happen. One thousand chickens in Baiguantuan refused to eat and ran around excitedly chirping. Mice and yellow weasels were seen running around looking for a place to hide. In one household in the city of Tangshan, a goldfish began jumping wildly in its bowl. At 2 a.m. on July 28, shortly before the earthquake struck, the goldfish jumped out of its bowl. Once its owner had returned him to his bowl, the goldfish continued to jump out of its bowl until the earthquake hit.1

Strange? Indeed. These were isolated incidents, spread across a city of a million people and a countryside scattered with villages. But nature gave additional warnings.

The night preceding the earthquake, July 27-28, many people reported seeing strange lights as well as loud sounds. The lights were seen in a multitude of hues. Some people saw flashes of light; others witnessed fireballs flying across the sky. Loud, roaring noises followed the lights and fireballs. Workers at the Tangshan airport described the noises as louder than that of an airplane.

[version]

Also, last year, Iran had a massive earthquake in which some 25,000 people were killed.
Very tragic.

Seems like we can fund our wars easily enough, based on some false pretence of "protecting" the world; yet we can't invest enough into protecting, or understanding our environment. In fact, we spend more money on killing an Iraqi, than we do saving people in tihs latest tragedy.

$35 million dollars the US has given so far? Pfft, billions spent on bombing others.

[budster101]

Originally posted by version:
Also, last year, Iran had a massive earthquake in which some 25,000 people were killed.
Very tragic.

Seems like we can fund our wars easily enough, based on some false pretence of "protecting" the world; yet we can't invest enough into protecting, or understanding our environment. In fact, we spend more money on killing an Iraqi, than we do saving people in tihs latest tragedy.

$35 million dollars the US has given so far? Pfft, billions spent on bombing others.

Please refrain from being so silly, and give some more thought to your post by researching the basic threads on the topic. Are you reciting from some talking points regarding how little you think the US has given so far in this tragedy? The very first reply to my thread is a political attack. Maybe I should have placed this thread in the PL.

I'm not going to comment on your faulty logic and insinuations of oppinion regarding war versus foreign aid.

The 35 million dollars was the initial and immediate contribution of the USA, and will most definately outgrow other gifting nations. Do you calculate the manpower and equipment, as well as private donations from US based civilian and charitable foundations?

I would appreciate if you would move your agrevatory accusations to the political forum where there are ample like-minded and error riddled blatherings.

[d4nth3m4n]

the $35 million does seem a little slack.

maybe that's just me though.

[kcmac]

How much have you all given?

[version]

Originally posted by budster101:
Snipped Bull$hit

Faulty logic, error riddled? Common sense more like. Come back at the end of this and tell me how much was spent in aid, in comparrison to US war efforts. Or maybe you're just upset at the comparrisons.

Ever heard of the Kyoto treaty? the US can hardly contribute to protectng the environment, let alone protecting others. Good at destroying things, but not much good at helping, in comparrison to each other, of course

Get a grip.

If you want a normal discussion, then why even bring up this useles factoid of yours about China? Why point out a disaster that happened in the 70s,

You monkey.

[d4nth3m4n]

Originally posted by version:
why even bring up this useles factoid of yours about China? Why point out a disaster that happened in the 70s,

because it's in the middle of the 40 year window he alluded to in the thread title (which has also been incessantly cited in the news). he was going for a two-fer.

[Steve Bosell]

Originally posted by d4nth3m4n:
the $35 million does seem a little slack.

maybe that's just me though.

it is just you, read. Reaction to this thread shows just how narrow minded people can be, pretty disgusting

[version]

In comparrison,m the EU has given more than the US. The UK pledged half of what the US did. Look, I'm not saying the US is evil for not donating more, I'm merely comparing how they spend x amount bombing the fcuk out of countries, rather than helping them. I couldn't care if the US gave sh!t all, up to them, but I wil compare, and hold them up for scrutiny when it comes to bombing, and intrefering in other countries, while handing out measly aid.



Oh, my donations to charity are between me and the big man in the sky, better that way.

[d4nth3m4n]

Originally posted by Steve Bosell:
it is just you, read. Reaction to this thread shows just how narrow minded people can be, pretty disgusting

that's like half of some bigwig CEO's salary!!! peanuts. and sure, it isn't our duty to cover them and all that mumbo jumbo, but c'mon, that's like nothing. it's a drop in the bucket for us as a nation and so much more to the needy people whose lives were ravaged by this tragedy.

EDIT: it's just a little more than the median salary for a top 100 company CEO. link

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

Originally posted by d4nth3m4n:
the $35 million does seem a little slack.

maybe that's just me though.

Canada has given 33 million US and it only has a population of 30 million.

yes it is incredibly cheap of the US considering they have spent 300 billion on the 2 wars.

[version]

Originally posted by Steve Bosell:
it is just you, read. Reaction to this thread shows just how narrow minded people can be, pretty disgusting

Yeah, how dare we compare the bilions spent on useless bombing of others, and the help we give to utterly destroyed counries. Me thinks that personal interests come into play.

[version]

EU $44m
US: $35m
Canada: $33m
Japan: $30m
UK: $28.9m
Australia: $27m
France: $20.4m
Denmark: $15.6m
Saudi Arabia: $10m
Norway: $6.6m
Taiwan: $5.1m
Finland: $3.4m
Kuwait: $2.1m
Netherlands: $2.6m
UAE: $2m
Ireland $1.3m
Singapore: $1.2m

[version]

I'm sure that some of the billions Dick(head) Cheney siphoned out of rebuilding Iraq could be pent here, but hey, that's just me.

Anyway, I'm only comparing how one nation can spend bilions to bomb others, yet give pretty much vey little on the other hand.

[budster101]

What happened to my thread?

Nobody commented on how China refused foreign aid, and handled it themselves. I was just wondering why Asia could not handle the whole thing, and wanted to spur some intellectual conversation on the topic. Low and behold the rug-rats come into this thread and turn it into another US bashing, derailed version of 'Romper Room for Dummies'.

I even added a bonus article regarding the fact that there were warning signs by animals, if only there were paid attention too. No need for high-tech early detection systems located deep in the ocean floor.

It's just easier for some of the simple-minded, one-track left-winged evangelists to post provocative hit-and-run thoughtless attacks. How can any one of you be taken seriously?

[Phat Bastard]

There might be something to this "animal sixth sense"--apparently abnormally few animals were killed by the tsunami in Sri Lanka:
article

[version]

Originally posted by budster101:
What happened to my thread?

Nobody commented on how China refused foreign aid, and handled it themselves. I was just wondering why Asia could not handle the whole thing, and wanted to spur some intellectual conversation on the topic. Low and behold the rug-rats come into this thread and turn it into another US bashing, derailed version of 'Romper Room for Dummies'.

I even added a bonus article regarding the fact that there were warning signs by animals, if only there were paid attention too. No need for high-tech early detection systems located deep in the ocean floor.

It's just easier for some of the simple-minded, one-track left-winged evangelists to post provocative hit-and-run thoughtless attacks. How can any one of you be taken seriously?

Ok, despite the abuse you are levelling at me (single-minded, please.) I'll give this a bash.

You can't so easily compare how the Chinese handled their disaster, to this one just now, and come to the conclusion that Asia should refuse aid. There are a million reasons why thy refused, how so many lives were lost, and how they responded.

But hey, you're too simple to go bloody read up and use your head to think why.

[d4nth3m4n]

Originally posted by Phat Bastard:
There might be something to this "animal sixth sense"--apparently abnormally few animals were killed by the tsunami in Sri Lanka:
article

thread

this thread is a waste. while you did have a point about the china disaster being huge and in the 40 year window. everything else (including the china point) could have easily been added to other, existing, threads.

now about the US being slack with their donations.

[Steve Bosell]

Originally posted by budster101:
What happened to my thread?

Nobody commented on how China refused foreign aid, and handled it themselves. I was just wondering why Asia could not handle the whole thing, and wanted to spur some intellectual conversation on the topic. Low and behold the rug-rats come into this thread and turn it into another US bashing, derailed version of 'Romper Room for Dummies'.

I even added a bonus article regarding the fact that there were warning signs by animals, if only there were paid attention too. No need for high-tech early detection systems located deep in the ocean floor.

It's just easier for some of the simple-minded, one-track left-winged evangelists to post provocative hit-and-run thoughtless attacks. How can any one of you be taken seriously?

agreed, very sad indeed. says a lot about person when everything is a pissing contest to them.

[BRussell]

It's one thing to say "hey I think some animals were acting strange, and my toilet backed up" and another to use that to actually predict something like this. I wonder if these predictors are even true, and if they are true whether they could be quantified in a way that would be useful.

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

Originally posted by Phat Bastard:
There might be something to this "animal sixth sense"--apparently abnormally few animals were killed by the tsunami in Sri Lanka:
article

I don't think so. I mean how many Leopards and Elephants spend the day on the beach and waterfront hotels in highly populated areas?

Or did peoples Goldfish head for higher ground?

[Steve Bosell]

I remember shortly before 9/11 Art Bell was saying that he felt "something big" was going to happen due to all the strange animal behavior, shark attacks, bear attacks ....

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

Originally posted by Steve Bosell:
I remember shortly before 9/11 Art Bell was saying that he felt "something big" was going to happen due to all the strange animal behavior, shark attacks, bear attacks ....

Ya my Goldfish also refused to fly in the continental US a year before it happened.



Fascinating.

[budster101]

U.S. Donates 200 Million to EU

One of the main providers of global funding in the fight against AIDS is the United States, under President George Bush. In his State of the Union address in January 2003, President Bush promised the world the President�s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a commitment to significantly increase US spending on HIV around the world. Planned to run for five years, the plan was intended to direct $15 billion to places where it was most needed. PEPFAR became an umbrella for all the existing work being done by the United States, and for the funding which was already going out through USAID.

You are right, we need to give more to the world. We will, and I'll expect your apologies for doubting the U.S.

U.S. Aid

Even if the U.S. does not donate more than everyone, what is wrong with that? Is it wrong to think the rest of the world should take on some more responsibility for their neighbors? Quite relying on the U.S. for all your aid. What we do with our money is our business as well. If we wish to fund a War for 300b, then so what? If the end result is freedom for Iraq's people and some coin back in our pockets, who will profit most? Answer: The rest of the world through more philanthropy from those hated U.S. corporations that do nothing but?

Let me show you:

[PacHead]

Originally posted by version:
Also, last year, Iran had a massive earthquake in which some 25,000 people were killed.
Very tragic.

Seems like we can fund our wars easily enough, based on some false pretence of "protecting" the world; yet we can't invest enough into protecting, or understanding our environment. In fact, we spend more money on killing an Iraqi, than we do saving people in tihs latest tragedy.

$35 million dollars the US has given so far? Pfft, billions spent on bombing others.

Don't compare an act of violence to an act of nature. That's just dumb. In regards to the war, we will spend whatever it takes to eliminate the evil ones no matter how much you whine.

[Ghoser777]

budster101, just let it die. It's not worth it, and this thread is apt to be moved to the Lounge (or locked) at this rate.

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

Originally posted by budster101:
If we wish to fund a War for 300b, then so what? If the end result is freedom for Iraq's people and some coin back in our pockets, who will profit most?

Please don't tell me you ACTUALLY believe the US is fighting 2 wars for "the freedome of iraq's people".

If they took a poll and ask Americans "Is 10 million of our money worth it for the freedome of iraq's people" the answer would be NO.

If they ask "Is 300 Billion over 3 years worth it looking for WMD that don't exist and getting revenge and oh yes all that oil" the answer would be HELL YA!!!

[SimeyTheLimey]

Originally posted by budster101:
What happened to my thread?

Nobody commented on how China refused foreign aid, and handled it themselves.

1976 was toward the end of the Cultural Revolution, in which it is estimated that something like half a million Chinese were killed.

When the Maoist Chinese government declined international offers of help, it wasn't because they didn't need help. It was because the government at that time put revolutionary politics well ahead of the lives of their population.

[ASIMO]

China refusing FOREIGN assistance/INTERNATIONAL intervention in the wake of natural disasters, AIDS, and such? No, there is no history of that.

[ambush]

"some coins back in our pocket"

it's not going in YOUR pocket. It's going in stockholders' pockets you ignorant fool.

Dick Cheney, Bush, James R. Bath, etc.

[TheBadgerHunter]

Originally posted by PacHead:
Don't compare an act of violence to an act of nature. That's just dumb. In regards to the war, we will spend whatever it takes to eliminate the evil ones no matter how much you whine.

I believe the point is that you will spend billions on a war with blurry reasoning in a country most americans can't find on a map but then only give 35 million to a huge disaster.

So maybe, just maybe, your country's priorities are a wee bit lop-sided.

[budster101]

Originally posted by Ghoser777:
budster101, just let it die. It's not worth it, and this thread is apt to be moved to the Lounge (or locked) at this rate.

Sound advice. It appears that there is a philibuster in progress, so pardon me while I just take a seat until the thread is either moved, or locked, and the children can get out their frustrations. If they cannot stay on topic, maybe some of them should be placed in time-out until they can regain a bit of composure.

[PacHead]

Originally posted by TheBadgerHunter:
So maybe, just maybe, your country's priorities are a wee bit lop-sided.

Nope, not at all.

Anybody have a paypal link for the US military ? One can never have enough smartbombs.

[ThinkInsane]

there are several threads in the political forum where you can bitch about how the US isn't doing enough to help and how much better the money spent on the war could be used. Feel free to post your garbage in them. I will say its quite heartening to see how this disaster has really brought out the worst in some of our members. Thank you for showing just how small minded and petty some of you can be. Keep up the good work, lest we all forget.

[d4nth3m4n]

what's small minded about saying we could do more?

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

Originally posted by d4nth3m4n:
what's small minded about saying we could do more?

Ya I don't get it either, just because people are saying someone should give more money sounds like a good thing to me

[rjenkinson]

Originally posted by ThinkInsane:
there are several threads in the political forum where you can bitch about how the US isn't doing enough to help and how much better the money spent on the war could be used. Feel free to post your garbage in them. I will say its quite heartening to see how this disaster has really brought out the worst in some of our members. Thank you for showing just how small minded and petty some of you can be. Keep up the good work, lest we all forget.

-r.

[version]

<ignore right wing crap>="on"

So what's up wih the US creating a "coalition" of a few countries to help the victims? The UN has just asked the very same question, why? Is this perhaps just another example of trying to humiliate the UN?

Anyway, who wants to believe they are being saved by a fcuknig tw@t like Bush.

Happy holidays.

[PacHead]

Originally posted by version:
<ignore right wing crap>="on"

So what's up wih the US creating a "coalition" of a few countries to help the victims? The UN has just asked the very same question, why? Is this perhaps just another example of trying to humiliate the UN?

Anyway, who wants to believe they are being saved by a fcuknig tw@t like Bush.

Happy holidays.

I'm sure Kofi has the situation under control. He has our full confidence.

[version]

I'm so glad I have Pacman on ignore, but fun to see him leap in right after I post. Hold yer horses, the ring-wing hicks are a coming!!!

[PacHead]

Originally posted by version:
I'm so glad I have Pacman on ignore, but fun to see him leap in right after I post. Hold yer horses, the ring-wing hicks are a coming!!!

Oh, so this is the part where people call each other names ok.

[PacHead]

. . . .

[version]

I tried to send you a PM, wishing you Merry Xmas. It said, ahem,:

"Merry Xmas, d!ckhead, you're such a fanny, it's a wonder how you haven't had the cr@p kicked out of you yet"

But, yer inbox was full, so you never got it.

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

Originally posted by version:
I'm so glad I have Pacman on ignore, but fun to see him leap in right after I post. Hold yer horses, the ring-wing hicks are a coming!!!

Ya is is pretty neat. watch they usually post in packs also

[PacHead]

Originally posted by version:
I tried to send you a PM, wishing you Merry Xmas. It said, ahem,:

"Merry Xmas, d!ckhead, you're such a fanny, it's a wonder how you haven't had the cr@p kicked out of you yet"

But, yer inbox was full, so you never got it.

And the Mods ban me from the PL ?, when people come with this crap all the time ?

Oh well, nice going mods.

[version]

Pachead - I'm just playing with you. I do hope you have a lovely New Year, and wish you all the best.

[version]

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
Ya is is pretty neat. watch they usually post in packs also

lol, it's so true, I sometimes wonder if they come from the same village.

[version]

Originally posted by PacHead:
And the Mods ban me from the PL ?, when people come with this crap all the time ?

Oh well, nice going mods.

I'm kidding Pachead, don't take it all too seriously. Honestly, if you know, and are comfortable with yourself inside, deep inside, then nothing can touch you.

I really do hope you have a nice New Year though.

P.s. I'm actually on permanent ban from the Poli. lounge, lol.

[storer]

Originally posted by budster101:
China declined foreign aid.

That might have something to do with the huge death toll, then.

[Zimphire]

Originally posted by version:
I'm so glad I have Pacman on ignore, but fun to see him leap in right after I post. Hold yer horses, the ring-wing hicks are a coming!!!

right wing hicks?

If we are hicks, that would really be degrading your status.

I see you've came back for more smackdowns.