Port-au-Prince Earth Quake

[TMACK]

Originally Posted by jwight

I went through the Red Cross; you can designate the International Response Fund and pay through Amazon.com if you have an account with them.

Correct. The IRC allocates funds relative to the severity of the plight of the day. If you specify the IRF, rest assured most of your donation will be going to Haiti.

[Neonspinnazz]

Originally Posted by Suze

I haven't read the youtube comments, but you are right about hateful comments. Not what this country needs just now.

more hateful comments


And too add salt to the wounds there are already hundreds of charity scams in the works preying on peoples' good will.

Thankfully my "tarjeta de credito" doesn't work anymore, I'm not getting scammed.

Hopefully if my mom could cut some out of the budget she'll donate to the Red Cross.

I'll update my Facebook status...from "I want smart car!" to "Help Haiti!"

[TMACK]

Originally Posted by Suze

I haven't read the youtube comments, but you are right about hateful comments. Not what this country needs just now.

And too add salt to the wounds there are already hundreds of charity scams in the works preying on peoples' good will.

I heard this morning a news bit about how some scofflaw was caught robbing the dead after the great San Franciso quake: he was hung on the spot.

[MB DNA]

Originally Posted by BigWarpGuy

A co-worker went to Facebook to find out about her friend in the Dominican Republic which I believe is on the same island.

BWG,

As a CA (earthquake) native I have spent some time in Haiti and my first thoughts are that there was NOTHING built "seismic" (no rebar in the concrete etc.) thus the devastation must be horrific! The picture you posted was of the Presidential Palace and while old, was likely one of the better built structures back in the day.

The quake in this hilly area was very shallow (5 or 6 miles down) and thus did not dissipate its strength before devastating Port-au-Prince (the capital city). That may have localized the damage such that the Dominican Republic may have felt the quake but had little damage.

The infrastructure of the capital was on its best day poor and antiquated with a large portion of the population living in slums having no services.

The people of Haiti are a proud but impoverished (per capita income of $1,300 est. 2008) people having survived living under a dictator family (Duvalier) from 1957 to 1986.

I would expect the death toll to be high with the effort to clean up and rebuild a daunting task. It will take a lot of aid and volunteers from around the world to bring them back to their meager existence.

Thanks for the posting and thanks to those of you who have made a donation. Let's keep them in our thoughts and prayers.

Tom

[TMACK]

Suze, I just read your post's hate link.

Simply unbelievable. His compassion takes my breath away.

[JPaul]

Possibly handy:
How To Spot Dubious Haiti Charity Pleas - Forbes.com

[jwight]

Originally Posted by TMACK

Suze, I just read your post's hate link.

Simply unbelievable. His compassion takes my breath away.

FWIW, there was a similar thread after last year's earthquake in Italy. We had some pretty harsh comments from forum members which really surprised me. Glad to see no repeat this time around.

[Neonspinnazz]

Originally Posted by jwight

FWIW, there was a similar thread after last year's earthquake in Italy. We had some pretty harsh comments from forum members which really surprised me. Glad to see no repeat this time around.

Not yet, it's been about 24 hours, people are still spamming YouTube and when they're done they'll move on to Facebook and forums (us).

[jetfuel]

...July 29 1967 ...6.5 shaker..yes I know what it feels like to have the ground you're standing on move up and down...side to side...run down the stairs from the 6 floor to find myself in the middle of the street in a concrete dust filled air from the neighbouring buildings that now are but just a big pile of dirt blocking the street...
..I remember it as it was yesterday...

...for those who are looking for an organization to donate/help the people of the world I encourage you to go here Samaritan's Purse | International Relief ...I've seen what this organization can do around the world and here in the states...they were the first help/aid allowed to go to China after the May 2008 earthquake...
...as of this morning they already had people on the ground in Haiti...
...I've been a friend with Franklin Graham for the past 20 plus years and I can tell you that his organization can get the help these people need...
...shelter...food...doctors..medicines and portable water treatment plants to begin with...

jetfuel...pray that Haiti gets the help that they so badly need...

[jwight]

Another great organization: Medecins san Frontieres Mdecins Sans Frontires International Homepage

They have medical teams all over the world, including Haiti.