[SubGeniux]

Red Crescent, not sure how to use them, but they are one of the UN's main aid agencies.

This event is so sad, one witness describe it as like being a holocaust.

[SubGeniux]

Link to RC. http://www.ifrc.org/

[PacHead]

Originally posted by SubGeniux:
Red Crescent, not sure how to use them, but they are one of the UN's main aid agencies.

This event is so sad, one witness describe it as like being a holocaust.

I'm sure the event is terrible for those involved, though I'd hardly call it any holocaust.

[SubGeniux]

Originally posted by PacHead:
I'm sure the event is terrible for those involved, though I'd hardly call it any holocaust.

Um, those were the words of some survivors, as noted in my post.
But hey, I forgot, only teh Jews have the rght to cry about teh holocaust.
****.

[theolein]

I just donated to the Red Cross and Glueckskette, a Swiss charity.

Pachead, you should be ashamed of yourself. You expect people to sympathise with you when some tragedy befalls your country but you won't when a tragedy happens to others because they're "not on your side". You really are a sick little man.

A list of countries and the current death toll there:
Sri Lanka: 18,706 dead
Indonesia: 27,174 dead
India: 4,371 dead
Thailand: 1,400 dead
Maldives: 52 dead
Malaysia: 44 dead
Burma: 30 dead
Bangladesh: 2 dead
Somalia: 100 dead
Kenya: 1 dead
Seychelles: 3 dead
Tanzania: 10 dead

And it is known that people from the following countries have also died in the tragedy:
Australia
Germany
Japan
Italy
Sweden
France
Britain
the United States
Austria
Belgium
Denmark
Finland
Hungary
the Netherlands
Norway
Switzerland
Turkey
Spain
Russia.
The number of Americans confirmed dead stood at eight, at the moment.

[Mr. Blur]

Originally posted by theolein:
And it is known that people from the following countries have also died in the tragedy:
Australia
Germany
Japan
Italy
Sweden
France
Britain
the United States
Austria
Belgium
Denmark
Finland
Hungary
the Netherlands
Norway
Switzerland
Turkey
Spain
Russia.
The number of Americans confirmed dead stood at eight, at the moment.

and also 3 (so far) from my country, Canada. i was going to spend some money on a few cd's but instead gave the $75 to the red cross

[theolein]

Originally posted by Mr. Blur:
and also 3 (so far) from my country, Canada. i was going to spend some money on a few cd's but instead gave the $75 to the red cross

And two from my country, South Africa, as well.

[vmpaul]

Ain't humanity grand?

You'd think when a natural disaster of this proportion happens the one thing we could all agree on is that people need help, regardless of their nationality or politics. Yet I click on this thread to see people bickering again. It never ceases to amaze me how a tragedy can bring out the best and worst of people.

Nice list paully dub, I think we're going with Doctors Without Borders this time.

[PacHead]

Originally posted by SubGeniux:
Um, those were the words of some survivors, as noted in my post.
But hey, I forgot, only teh Jews have the rght to cry about teh holocaust.
****.

Lemme know when 5,999,999 more people die, and they'll have a valid comparison perhaps.

[budster101]

.

[budster101]

Originally posted by PacHead:
Lemme know when 5,999,999 more people die, and they'll have a valid comparison perhaps.

If it were a loved one of mine, I would easily compare the two tragedies. It's all a matter of perspective.

Myself, I'm thinking of "Doctors without Borders". Which one do you prefer?

[PacHead]

Originally posted by budster101:
Myself, I'm thinking of "Doctors without Borders". Which one do you prefer?

Between them and the international red cross, I'd choose them.

[paully dub]

Originally posted by PacHead:
Between them and the international red cross, I'd choose them.

Yet you said they wouldn't get a dime from you. I fail to understand.

(Doctors Without Borders = Medecins Sans Fronti�res)

[effgee]

Originally posted by PacHead:
Between them (= www.doctorswithoutborders.org) and the international red cross, I'd choose them.

... quod erat demonstrandum.

[Sherwin]

Originally posted by PacHead:
I'm not christian, but only a moron would be threatened by a christmas tree. Screw ethnic minorities and their intolerance.

The Red Cross thing wasn't because of minority intolerance - it was because of the Red Cross being run by a-holes who thought that there'd be some offence caused. If they can't get simple things like that right then I question their ability to make choices in the core of their work (i.e. helping folks).

Originally posted by SWG:
Set your faces to stunned. A Canadian tries to get others to donate money to people suffering and an American starts acting like a jerk.

Mastrap, who started this thread, isn't Canadian. Stop trying to turn everything into an Americans Vs Canadians thread.

Originally posted by TheBadgerHunter:
When you won't donate because they don't support a certain political agenda or put up christmas ornaments you're not caring about the victims.

Wrong. One has to look at the best way to help the victims rather than just give blindly to the most visible organisation. For example, donating to charity A could see some of your money siphoned away from the needy towards the charity's "other aims", while donating to charity B could see all of the money used for the needy.
Just because these organisations are there and highly visible doesn't mean that they're any good (see Microsoft for details).

[LookSee]

Originally posted by Sherwin:
Mastrap, who started this thread, isn't Canadian. Stop trying to turn everything into an Americans Vs Canadians thread.
[/B]

Where do you think Toronto is?

I couldn't decide between Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders, so I split the cheque and gave to both. They're both good causes, but I agree DWB is the better one between the two.

[Sherwin]

Originally posted by LookSee:
Where do you think Toronto is?

It's in Canada. Have they got walls around the city to make sure that Germans don't go and live there?

[dillerX]

Originally posted by vmpaul:
Ain't humanity grand?

You'd think when a natural disaster of this proportion happens the one thing we could all agree on is that people need help, regardless of their nationality or politics. Yet I click on this thread to see people bickering again. It never ceases to amaze me how a tragedy can bring out the best and worst of people.

Nice list paully dub, I think we're going with Doctors Without Borders this time.

Have to agree with vmpaul here.

Holy freakin' a people. This place can't even agree on people needing help. Why is it that some of you all can't just contribute to the place you choose, and stop whining about the ones posted.

This is just lame, and sad.

[Sherwin]

Originally posted by dillerX:
Holy freakin' a people. This place can't even agree on people needing help. Why is it that some of you all can't just contribute to the place you choose, and stop whining about the ones posted.

Everyone knows about the disaster.
Everyone has access to the Internet to find out how to donate if they've a mind to.

Therefore, this thread is either for:

1) Telling everyone that you donated or
2) Bickering.

No harm discussing the merits and problems of various organisations receiving the donations here.

[Synotic]

Originally posted by paully dub:
Yet you said they wouldn't get a dime from you. I fail to understand.

(Doctors Without Borders = Medecins Sans Fronti�res)

Perhaps he's illustrating his intense dislike for the International Red Cross by supposedly choosing the lesser of two evils.

[paully dub]

Originally posted by Mastrap:
Take your pick:

The Red Cross

Unicef

M�decins Sans Fronti�res

Originally posted by PacHead:
No thanks. Those 3 organisations won't get a dime from me.

[effgee]

Originally posted by Synotic:
Perhaps he's illustrating his intense dislike for the International Red Cross by supposedly choosing the lesser of two evils.

He's illustrating something ... that much is sure.

[TheBadgerHunter]

Originally posted by Sherwin:

Wrong. One has to look at the best way to help the victims rather than just give blindly to the most visible organisation. For example, donating to charity A could see some of your money siphoned away from the needy towards the charity's "other aims", while donating to charity B could see all of the money used for the needy.
Just because these organisations are there and highly visible doesn't mean that they're any good (see Microsoft for details).

All these agencies have special funds just for this tragedy. The money all goes towards it. Apart from agencies known to waste money or lie about its use there is no issue here.

Either you're too lazy or too cheap to help. Otherwise find an agency and donate. Bickering over which one does what is irrelevant.

[Captain Obvious]

Originally posted by TheBadgerHunter:
All these agencies have special funds just for this tragedy.


The money all goes towards it.

Actually, no. They are under no obligation to use all the proceeds raised to aid one specific event. The Red Cross has actually been one of the largest offenders of this type of thing. Yes, they have funds and raise money for tragic events like this but it is unlikely based on previous history that they will spend all the money raised now on it. Some of the reasons are the logistics of being able to spend it all at once with a limited staff and the another is that they know that there are other disasters down the road that will not foster the same level of generosity from the public. They probably never had any intent to spend it all on this after they hit a certain financial benchmark and some of that money will go to purposes that the people who gave it to them may find questionable.

The last thing is that the IRC and their regional organizations are huge bureaucratic organizations that suffer from all the problems large organizations have. Corruption, internal politics, and various agendas by their leadership all exist within the Red Cross. Coupled by the fact they have limited accountability and are generally not scrutinized by contributors means they can get away with violating the intent of the donations more often than you would think.

[nredman]

Originally posted by dillerX:
Have to agree with vmpaul here.

Holy freakin' a people. This place can't even agree on people needing help. Why is it that some of you all can't just contribute to the place you choose, and stop whining about the ones posted.

This is just lame, and sad.

lame and sad pretty much describes "some" macnn members.

[theolein]

To those people who feel the need to slag off the Red Cross and other agencies who are actually doing about this catastrophe, I wonder how you expect people to react when something bad happens toone of you in future? I personally know that if Pacman, Captain Brainless and Sherwad ever post some thread here about a tragedy in their lives, I will just sit there and feel a kind of great justice when no one else gives a sh�t about their predicament.

Pacman's just sulking because the Red Cross actually did its job and asked the US authorities to correct the situation in Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo. And that is the huge irony. The Red Cross, which is avowedly apolitical, does not speak to the press about its impressions and actions. But the mere fact that they actually did dare to give a damn about those prisoners, which is what their charter actually asks of them, is why Pacman and Brainless get so upset about them.

[Captain Obvious]

Listen Eurotrash, you need to learn to think before you open your mouth.
First of all, I have insurance for pretty much everything. So I am not worried. I also am not stupid enough to live on a flood plain, drained swamp, or in the known path of hurricanes like some people here thus needing subsided insurance and programs to cover the lack of responsibility for my decisions.
Secondly, what I said is true. I could give two sh!ts about Abu Ghraib. The red cross has had several types problems ranging from bogus payrolls for their workers in Italy to initially not funneling all the money raised in the wake of 9/11 to the actual victims. To say that they do not have instances of using their profile to make political statements or further an agenda they support is to be completely ignorant and stupid, which we both know you are. From the West Bank to today's statement's of criticism against the US levels of aid they do push an agenda through their organization.

And if they were strictly a self funded agency I wouldn't have a problem with them having an agenda but so long as they get money from the government through USAID and other grants I think they need to keep their self righteous crap to themselves or dissolve the organization.

[Mastrap]

Originally posted by Captain Obvious:

First of all, I have insurance for pretty much everything. So I am not worried. I also am not stupid enough to live on a flood plain, drained swamp, or in the known path of hurricanes like some people here thus needing subsided insurance and programs to cover the lack of responsibility for my decisions.

Well, bully for you. You must feel really good about yourself.

[voyageur]

Originally posted by Captain Obvious:
First of all, I have insurance for pretty much everything. So I am not worried. I also am not stupid enough to live on a flood plain, drained swamp, or in the known path of hurricanes like some people here thus needing subsided insurance and programs to cover the lack of responsibility for my decisions.

I can't imagine how special it must feel to know you've planned your life so perfectly that you are immune to natural disaster.

[xi_hyperon]

The hardness of some people's hearts is amazing.

[vmpaul]

I can't really speak to the alleged failings of the Red Cross. I imagine like any large organization they have their problems. In the end, I'm sure they do more good than harm. I DO know there are many who don't like to contribute because they'll get on a mailing list and be forever bugged about giving more. So, I thought i'd pass this on if it hasn't already been posted:

Amazon: Red Cross

Donations are being collected through Amazon. A couple of benefits to this: an easy donation method (who doesn't have their CC registered on amazon?), a secure credit card transaction, and an anonymous donation (if under $250). It's nice to know 100% is being forwarded on to the RC and nice to see a track of how much has been collected (click on the link).

At 6:25 PST the amount is : $526,709.85

Pretty cool idea.

[budster101]

Originally posted by vmpaul:
I can't really speak to the alleged failings of the Red Cross. I imagine like any large organization they have their problems. In the end, I'm sure they do more good than harm. I DO know there are many who don't like to contribute because they'll get on a mailing list and be forever bugged about giving more. So, I thought i'd pass this on if it hasn't already been posted:

Amazon: Red Cross

Donations are being collected through Amazon. A couple of benefits to this: an easy donation method (who doesn't have their CC registered on amazon?), a secure credit card transaction, and an anonymous donation (if under $250). It's nice to know 100% is being forwarded on to the RC and nice to see a track of how much has been collected (click on the link).

At 6:25 PST the amount is : $526,709.85

Pretty cool idea.

That's wonderful! I just read that the United States is giving 35,000,000 in preliminary aid.

The death count is now 55,000 and rising.

[Face Ache]

Originally posted by Captain Obvious:

First of all, I have insurance for pretty much everything. So I am not worried.

I take it the arseholitis was a pre-existing condition then?

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally posted by Captain Obvious:
Listen Eurotrash, you need to learn to think before you open your mouth.
First of all, I have insurance for pretty much everything. So I am not worried. I also am not stupid enough to live on a flood plain, drained swamp, or in the known path of hurricanes like some people here thus needing subsided insurance and programs to cover the lack of responsibility for my decisions.

I've been waiting for the "It's-their-own-damn-fault" post since post one of this thread.

To tell the truth, I was expecting it from PacHead, but either way, this thread is now complete.

**** off.

[PacHead]

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
To tell the truth, I was expecting it from PacHead.....................

Apparently, you were wrong.

[effgee]

Originally posted by Captain Obvious:
... First of all, I have insurance for pretty much everything. ...

Insurance? For what?

To cover the grief and sorrow of your family/friends dying while they were on vacation and/or their house got washed away by some natural disaster?

Numbnut.

[LookSee]

Originally posted by xi_hyperon:
The hardness of some people's hearts is amazing.

No kidding. Really people this is appalling. If the Red Cross don't use all the money on one project, then they'll use it on another. People need help when disaster strikes, regardless where they are.

What good will insurance do when your whole town is wiped out and you have no food, shelter, or clean water? You think the insurance company will come and help you? If you do, then man are you in for a rude awakening.

[itai195]

Donated to unicef, which my company has a match for. Perhaps it would be more worthwhile to discuss effective ways to help in this thread, rather than bicker about the IRC.

[voyageur]

A blogger has taken the time to post ratings from the Better Business Bureau and the American Institute for Philanthropy for a few of the prominent charities that are helping with the tsunami relief effort. Link.
Of those rated, both American Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders (Medicins Sans Fronti�res) are rated very highly. So give as generously as you are able.

[dcmacdaddy]

Originally posted by voyageur:
A blogger has taken the time to post ratings from the Better Business Bureau and the American Institute for Philanthropy for a few of the prominent charities that are helping with the tsunami relief effort. Link.
Of those rated, both American Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders (Medicins Sans Fronti�res) are rated very highly. So give as generously as you are able.

Good info. I new about the Charity Navigator (mentioned in the link) but didn't think to use it as a reference before making a donation. I made a gut call to donate to MSF. Looks like I made the right choice.

to everyone who has donated, for whatever reason.

[rambo47]

If you're serious about helping with donations, then it is imperative that you give to a charity that actually gets your donation to the people they're trying to help. By all means give, but do it intelligently and make a real difference. Don't just appease your concience.

[roberto blanco]

Originally posted by Captain Obvious:
I also am not stupid enough to live on a flood plain, drained swamp, or in the known path of hurricanes like some people here thus needing subsided insurance and programs to cover the lack of responsibility for my decisions.

please say you're not blaming people for living in sri lanka, india and thailand!

this must be one of the most ridiculous and sadly disgusting things i've ever read.

hurray for the cult of "responsibility", - i guess.

[dcmacdaddy]

Originally posted by Captain Obvious:
Listen Eurotrash, you need to learn to think before you open your mouth.
First of all, I have insurance for pretty much everything. So I am not worried. I also am not stupid enough to live on a flood plain, drained swamp, or in the known path of hurricanes like some people here thus needing subsided insurance and programs to cover the lack of responsibility for my decisions.

<other drivel snipped>

In the "pictures of your city" thread you showed yourself living in a high-rise right on the Chicago(?) River. So, if it ever floods for whatever reason and your apartment or apartment building gets damaged then you will be refusing all government help for your stupidity, correct? I mean, choosing to live right next to a river is stupid, isn't it?

[Sherwin]

Originally posted by TheBadgerHunter:
All these agencies have special funds just for this tragedy. The money all goes towards it. Apart from agencies known to waste money or lie about its use there is no issue here.

Either you're too lazy or too cheap to help. Otherwise find an agency and donate.

You're assuming that someone doesn't donate and then discuss the merits of the organisations involved.

I mean what? You think that because someone doesn't brag about their donation here it means they haven't donated? What kind of self-gratifying ego-boosting hogsh*t is that?
FYI, it's not the "done thing" for Christians to disclose their charitable donations to anyone.

Try to think before you shoot your mouth off, if you're capable. And perhaps read all of the posts in the thread by the poster you're shooting at - my original post on this subject was a "yes PacHead, I know what you mean but MSF are OK so donate to them".

Originally posted by TheBadgerHunter:
Bickering over which one does what is irrelevant.

No, it's not. It's very relevant. See following post:

Originally posted by rambo47:
If you're serious about helping with donations, then it is imperative that you give to a charity that actually gets your donation to the people they're trying to help. By all means give, but do it intelligently and make a real difference. Don't just appease your concience.

And then we have another post like BadgerHunter's which assumes a great many things:

Originally posted by Theolin:
To those people who feel the need to slag off the Red Cross and other agencies who are actually doing about this catastrophe, I wonder how you expect people to react when something bad happens toone of you in future? I personally know that if Pacman, Captain Brainless and Sherwad ever post some thread here about a tragedy in their lives, I will just sit there and feel a kind of great justice when no one else gives a sh�t about their predicament.

See reply to BadgerHunter.
Then maybe go have a Barclays to ease your angst - it's what you're good at Theo.

[PacHead]

Hey, it's ok people, certain countries are ok, and they don't need anymore aid, especially not from them dirty Joooooos.

A 150-member Israeli aid delegation canceled its mission to Sri Lanka on Tuesday, after the country - one of the hardest hit in the Asian tsunami disaster - apparently refused to accept the Israeli team,

Screw them bigots, let 'em rot.

And certain people wonder why I have something against helping out certain people.

[dcmacdaddy]

Originally posted by PacHead:
Hey, it's ok people, certain countries are ok, and they don't need anymore aid, especially not from them dirty Joooooos.

A 150-member Israeli aid delegation canceled its mission to Sri Lanka on Tuesday, after the country - one of the hardest hit in the Asian tsunami disaster - apparently refused to accept the Israeli team,

Screw them bigots, let 'em rot.

And certain people wonder why I have something against helping out certain people.

• Psalms 78:38 - But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.
  
  1 Kings 8:50 - And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them.
  
  Matthew 9:36 - But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
  
  Matthew 15:32 - Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

[Abu Bakr]

Originally posted by PacHead:
Hey, it's ok people, certain countries are ok, and they don't need anymore aid, especially not from them dirty Joooooos.

A 150-member Israeli aid delegation canceled its mission to Sri Lanka on Tuesday, after the country - one of the hardest hit in the Asian tsunami disaster - apparently refused to accept the Israeli team,

Screw them bigots, let 'em rot.

And certain people wonder why I have something against helping out certain people.

"Certain people"

They declined help from the Israeli military. The delegation you refer to included Israeli military personel. There are already other (civilian) Israeli aid agencies on the ground in Sri Lanka. No anti-semitism here even if you try hard to find it.

But don't let that stop you trying to find something that makes the Israelis victims instead of the real victims.......

[effgee]

Originally posted by PacHead:
Hey, it's ok people, certain countries are ok, and they don't need anymore aid, especially not from them dirty Joooooos.

A 150-member Israeli aid delegation canceled its mission to Sri Lanka on Tuesday, after the country - one of the hardest hit in the Asian tsunami disaster - apparently refused to accept the Israeli team,

Screw them bigots, let 'em rot.

And certain people wonder why I have something against helping out certain people.

Because some thick-headed bureaucrat enjoyed his 5 mins. of fame and power and turned away a group of Israeli helpers, you want to punish all the people that suffer?

You really are a despicable character and do deserve an extended break from the Lounge. Sick bastard.

[PacHead]

Originally posted by effgee:
You really are a despicable character and do deserve an extended break from the Lounge. Sick bastard.

And you are a piece of trash. Go whine about me in the feedback forum if you'd like me banned or something. Even better put me on ignore you whiner.

[Mr. Blur]

this thread has reminded me why i don't spend much time in these forums anymore.