Have you sent money to help the victims of the Tsunami?

[Masherbrum]

I have (without the wife's approval) just donated to the American Red Cross International Relief Fund.  

Karaya

[wombatt]

Originally posted by Masherbrum
I have (without the wife's approval) just donated to the American Red Cross International Relief Fund.  

Karaya

Remember Mash first rule of marriage.
it's better to say your sorry than to ask for permission LOL.

[Masherbrum]

Originally posted by wombatt
Remember Mash first rule of marriage.
it's better to say your sorry than to ask for permission LOL.

I'm practically driven to tears reading some of the "eyewitness accounts" per se.  I am simply at a loss for words.  I mean.....we have a 3 year old son and if anything were to ever happen....you know what I mean.

Karaya

[wombatt]

Originally posted by Masherbrum
I'm practically driven to tears reading some of the "eyewitness accounts" per se.  I am simply at a loss for words.  I mean.....we have a 3 year old son and if anything were to ever happen....you know what I mean.

Karaya

Yeah the wife and I gave on the care web site.
The really bad part about all of this is that this a poor part of the world to begin with and this overwhelming for them.

[storch]

Originally posted by weaselsan
We have a saying here in Daytona...Happiness is a thousand New Yorkers going home...with a Canadian under each arm.

[AKS\/\/ulfe]

I saw on TV kids in Africa starving to death, many of them born with aids.

I'm torn here.
-SW

[mora]

I gave a small sum to Red Cross collector. Í would rather do volunteer work than give large sums of money.

[lazs2]

none of the above.   I wouldn't even know about it if it weren't talked about here and someone hadn't mentiopned it.

everything I can do I have done with my taxes.... if they want more then they need to cut some other programs...  the red cross is a worse rip off than the government with about 60 or more percent going to salaries and the rest pretty much going to adminestration.... they get billions but don't have a cent to spend on any disaster except to get to it (transportation) and then they get set up and beg for money.

I give to several well run and true charities..  I don't know if they are giving to this particular disaster or not but I do know that they are givng a huge percent of what I give them to the people who need it.  

lazs

[oboe]

I'm not sure about Laz's facts on the Red Cross, but what I learned in my brief investigation of that organization made me pretty angry.

Despite a passing evaluation by the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance and a four star rating by CharityNavigator.org, I learned the CEO of the American Red Cross has a salary of over $600,000, and the previous CEO earned over 1.9 million (1.5 million of that was severance pay for being fired).

http://www.charityguide.org

http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/search.summary/orgid/3277.htm

How screwed up is that?   If the CEO earns that much, how much does the typical bevy of VPs pull away?   I will never understand why the CEO of a charitable organzation thinks they are entitled to such wealth.

[lazs2]

How much did the red cross ceo send of his personal money?   Have you ever seen a red cross station that set up with money at a disaster?   At best they will have some carboard cartons of coffee and some water and left over bedding and clothes donated from the last disaster.... once they get there they cry about the desperate situation they are in and say that if they are to do "anything" they need you to send your money NOW..

I have more respect for televangilists.

lazs

[Lye-El]

"In a news conference at U.N. headquarters in New York, Egeland called for a major international response -- and went so far as to call the U.S. government and others "stingy" on foreign aid in general."

And the impression I get from the UN is this: We don't want to help the U.S. in Iraq, we just want them to send us large amounts of money whenever we want them to. It's all their fault. We have pockets to line ya know.

The Daifur disaster/genocide is pretty much ignored by the UN as THE U.N. would have to do something and can't just say it's the fault of the United States. And there is millions dead or displaced there. Including children. And that is not an "Act of God" it's deliberate.

Send my tax dollars to up armor the humvees. France can cough up the money as they saved billions by not fielding even a policeman under the U.N. in Iraq.

[Suave]

I was brought up to believe that the tastefull way to give to charity was to do so anonymously.

Of course I was also brought up to believe that bartering is unethical.

I guess maybe I really am conservative.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by Nash
What's with all the confusion? It's pretty simple. Here, let me try and take a stab at it.

A tsunami hits, with tens of thousands dead.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Ripsnort has gone.... oh.... about 30 days without bragging about something (although I did see a thread started by someone here today blessing Rip for having beautiful kids or whatever, so despite missing that post I think it's safe to assume that Rip was jonesin' for some kudos - it's a cycle - and made another one of his "look at me" posts).

Maybe not enough people complimented him on his kids. Or maybe taking advantage of the sheer number of tsunami dead was just too irresistable. I don't know. But you can set your watch to this kind of thing.

If you thought for a second.... one second... that when Rip whipped out his checkbook, the thought of how he would parlay it into another "look at me" post (or three) didn't cross his mind... then you don't know Ripsnort. Hell, it was probably his sole and guiding motivation.

I only wonder how big a hit his $110,000/year "toy" budget took on account of this noble act of charity.

You really should take up drugs again, you were a much nicer person.  Could be you're just a dry druggie?

[Stringer]

Rip,
I'll take it at face value that you really want to make a difference in someone's life that is affected by this disaster.
 

http://library.adoption.com/International-Adoption/International-Adoption-Sri-Lanka/article/1419/1.html

It's just a "suggestion", mind you.

I can't think of a better family situation that a child who has lost their family could ask for.  Your 2 boys and your wife along with yourself would provide a nurturing environment for an orphan that you would adopt.

You have shown that you have the means,  and the disposable income to make this happen.  

I'll admit now that this is a taller order than I could fill.  I know that I couldn't make this big of a self-less act.  I have good friends that have done this, even though they have children of their own.  Hell, they never even told most people of their plans.  They just did it.  I admire them more than I can say.

You have given me the impression here, on this BBS,  that this is within your reach and more importantly, within your compassion to provide.

[Nash]

Originally posted by lazs2
once they get there they cry about the desperate situation they are in and say that if they are to do "anything" they need you to send your money NOW..