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OT: Tsunami, Earthquake . S & SW Asia
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Rivergallery
Rivergallery

Dec-26-2004 17:22

Just wanted to put out my thoughts and prayers to family and friends of all those lost, and suffering loss of life, home and general safety due to the Earthquake and folowing tsunami and aftershocks of Sundays (Sumatra time) (8:00 p.m. EST Saturday evening).. which is about 6pm sleuth time I think.

Anyway Delvin is in Singapore and he should be safe, but usually logs on daily and I haven't heard from him, and he does know people that would have been in effected areas.

So any good thoughts you want to send him, or people there feel free to add on to my posting.

HOPE if anyone else here lives in SAsia or SW ASIA are safe and everyone they know are also.

Again Prayers and my good wishes to those in that part of our world.

Rivergallery.

Replies

jstkdn
jstkdn
Well-Connected

Dec-28-2004 14:47

LadyK, I thought so. I was pretty sure there was someone from BKK in here. But I was wrecking my brain who. Glad you are OK, and your family too. Your country is in my prayers!

River, comparative foreign aid spending by percentage of national income is honestly nothing to boast about since the Bush administration. Shameful, particularly comparative to other countries.

As you are interested:
Our initial pledge is 2 million and they plan to up it more as they are awaiting what further needs are. The Netherlands has a GDP (purchasing power parity) of $461.4 billion, not much but since there only 16 million of us Dutchies. As for future donations, the government has stated "Money will be no object."

The US GDP is $10.99 trillion, a populaton of 293 million.

This is however government spending, I know the American people itself are putting their coins and efforts together to help people out. So will the American red cross, American NGO's, other aid groups. I am also 100% sure, that many Americans will make wonderful gestures, as the American people as people, often do (Hey, I'd be speaking German right now. If it wasn't for you guys.)

I wish your government would follow that lead though. It bugs me that Bush is sitting there with a smug face, in a disaster like this, pretending to be o so helpful. Not the time, and elections are over, enough already. I don't think Bush doesn't have much more money to spend abroad though, the budget for Iraq is 147 billion and counting (fast.) http://costofwar.com/

But don't feel bad, I am sure my government has spent more then 2 million on the Iraq war as well.

jstkdn
jstkdn
Well-Connected

Dec-28-2004 15:00

In short, River, don't give a damn about what Colin Powel say and Bush. They are currently spending 9 billion a month on Iraq. That is 2,25 billion a week. That is more then 321 million a day.

jstkdn
jstkdn
Well-Connected

Dec-28-2004 15:07

So the donation is approximately the cost 2 hours and 35 minutes of war.

Bella Luna
Bella Luna

Dec-28-2004 15:35

I can't comprehend the lose and suffering. My prayers go out to all. I read today 30,000 are missing in India, one of our members is from there and I only pray that he is ok.

MeganR6
MeganR6

Dec-28-2004 20:34

Lady K, I'm so sorry about the loss your country has suffered. I am just devastated about what has happened. I'm just over in Phnom Penh and I've spent a fair amount of time in Thailand over the years - I go about 3 times a year. I have a work colleague who was supposed to be kayaking at Krabi, but haven't hear anything about him since this occured. Another colleague was visiting family in Bangladesh, but I'm not sure where. I am working on setting up a fund for donations from people here in Cambodia through the Canadian embassy hopefully. We will do what little we can to help.

Madame TBird
Madame TBird
Well-Connected

Dec-29-2004 17:35

I am just still so saddened for these people, like Lady K. I FINALLY got word on my next door neighbor who was in Sri Lanka. All I could find out is that he is okay, no word on his other family members. We were told it would be several weeks b4 he can come back stateside. Knowing this guy if there is any physical way possible, he is helping the people there through this. Oh, my heart just aches for these people. I have prayed for my neighbor & all these victims to be okay.

JSTKDN,
You are just kidding right. I understand where you are coming from throwing out the Gross Domestic Product VS. the public donation. This tragedy DOES NOT compare to the war. You cannot throw the 2 into the same basket. Yes, America is spending a lot on the war. It however was thrust upon ALL Americans & free people everywhere. If the US did not step up to the plate & fight the terrorists. They would have won. If you know your history, the first incident of Islamic terrorism began in 1968 with the assination of Robert F. Kennedy. There have been numerous incidents in between since then leading up to Sept. 11,2001. That is about a 33 year time span that America turned it's head again & again. Yes, freedom comes with a cost. American citizens are not doing nearly enough to support this war in comparison with the noble citizens of WWII. Our parents & grandparents even rationed thier food to fight for freedom. America is a good nation with a great big heart. The monetary donation you are seeing right now is just the beginning of what She will do to help with the Tsunami/Earthquake victims. You are focusing on the instant government donations. What you are not seeing is the millions of dollars, volunteers & supplies that are pouring into private organizations. America will be there for these people in anyway possible. You will see, we are always the 1st nation to extend a loving, helping hand anywhere in the world at anytime. America & Britian are the most loyal caring bunch of people.

jstkdn
jstkdn
Well-Connected

Dec-29-2004 19:06

Tbird although I do not agree with your political point of view, the war in Iraq, or if that would be the right country or way to start a war with to battle terrorism. Even though my country is in Iraq as well. Ironically, the biggest danger come from terrorist cells within Europe.

I am glad your neighbour is OK. Although, as you don't know how his family is doing, he may not be all that well. A lot of people are going from the red cross to the hospital over there to figure out if their loved one was found or not.
A really sad story about was about a young boy (2-3 years old) whom was found in Phuket. The hospital put a webpage up, as they had no idea where the little boy came from, from shock he could not talk. A day later when he got a bit better, they figured he spoke Swedish. His family in Sweden saw the picture and flew over. Turns out the little boy was on holiday with his parents, and grandmother. They are all still missing. His uncle was now flying over to be with him, and to try and find out what happened to his parents. Many people are frantically looking for their loved ones. I can not even imagine such dispair around that. The not knowing, or finding out your loved ones have died. And to only know, that's where the story starts. I have travelled in the majority of the places hit, and people were already barely surving with the jobs they had then, jobs that no longer exist

I hope that the civil war/fights and the groups associated with it in Sri Lanka and Aceh are not going to cause much problems. They say that the tamils were already in peace discussions with the Sri Lanka government, so it would likely be OK that no fighting starts over who gets what, or someone should get no aid at all. However, Aceh is a different story. Thankfully, the usual stubborn Indonesian government wants Aceh to have the aid. But god knows what is going to happen over there between the Aceh people in civil war, with this disaster, and the matter of aid on top of that.


jstkdn
jstkdn
Well-Connected

Dec-29-2004 19:16

And like I said previously, I think that the American citizens are great people. And that all sorts of organizations and people are coming together. I just said, I wish your government would follow their lead.

I would be very careful about saying the Brits and the Americans are always the 1st countries that come to aid. There are a lot of smaller countries that are never talked about that are either there too, or actually are first. Few people for instance realize that WWII that you mentioned was not an American, British effort only, but Canadian, Australian, and Polish as well. In addition a lot of people of occupied terrority fought along. Don't forget that all western nations, also have a lot of innocent blood on their hands through colonization, or taking someone elses country, badly picked wars over bad executed non-sensical theories or religion. So I would be very careful about saying things like "always", "every time, and every country."
No one is always on the right side of the line.
Even Switzerland, staying a neutral, can also be a bad thing.

Madame TBird
Madame TBird
Well-Connected

Dec-29-2004 20:18

Did not mean to exclude any nation no matter how great or small. Every little bit helps just because 1 country can give or do more than another, does not make either one any better. The point is that ALL countries put aside any differences at times like this & reach out a helping hand. I think it is wonder ful that the Dutchmen have stepped forward too. It infuriates me that America has always went out of thier way to help the needy & less fortunate. Only to be berated & misconstrued. I just wish foriegners could see the good in the American spirit.

mr mason
mr mason

Dec-29-2004 20:30

Anyone heard from Delvin?

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