Watching the news today - huge earthquake, pretty much destroying Port au Prince, the Capitol city. Presidential palace destroyed, as was the prison and other government buildings. A bunch of UN workers missing, the Haitian Bishop killed in his office. They are calling this one 'biblical' in severity. The USS Carl Vinson carrier is heading down to Florida to embark a helo squadron, then will push on to Haiti. She had just left the East coast to return to her homeport in the West coast. A Navy hospital ship in Boston set to sail down there too. Whoowee...... I pity those folks..... this is true SHTF, bigtime!
Note well the lack of Plan B among the inhabitants. Note also that there aren't a whole lot of caches away from their homes. Not to take those items as critical, Haiti has very few people that could afford a second pair of shoes to put in a tub in the back yard. I feel for them, but we can, and should, prepare for things like that ourselves. The west coast is vulnerable, as is the Missouri valley. (But you know that.)
I remember not so long ago, I had re-posted a piece, (MSN site now closed) that showed the Haitian people so poor, they were eating "cookies" made of dried mud.... When the UN and world wide HELP shipments of food was being confiscated by local "authorities", at the docks and sold to enrich their own...It was covered with photos by UP and AP.... Now, it's all about let's help the Haitians... OK, So long as the "PEOPLE" get the help.... The "authorities" need to be.... Well you get the idea!
Yep, same with many Third World countries - extremely corrupt governments. Now we get a taste of it. Hopefully the aid will get to the people this time.
A friend who used to play the horn in Buffett's band sent out an email... Just a little more info on what is going on.... "Thanks for getting in touch. People's concern over this catastrophe is enormous and I'm really quite overwhelmed, both with the enormity of what has happened and the enormity of the response to it that has come my way, from people from all over the world, from all walks of life. It has been wonderful to hear from everybody but if it keeps up at this rate I may find myself unable to keep up. Would you mind passing this on to everybody at ***********?: First of all, it is almost 30 years now since I first encountered the nation of Haiti. I have kept that part of my life somewhat private, mostly because trying to describe Haiti to someone who's never been there is an exercise in frustration. How would you describe a Picasso to a blind person? But at a time like this, with people wanting to know, I know that I have to do the best I can, and speak up, and keep talking as long as anyone will listen. It is the least I can do for a country that has done so much for me... and I can do it well. Here goes. What do we want first, the big stuff or the small stuff? OK, the big stuff first: This thing is clearly a huge human disaster and it is going to take weeks, if not months, just for everyone to be accounted for, as many people as possible to be extracted from the rubble, and the dust to settle. The need for immediate help is enormous. This is a nation of roughly 6 million and we are going to have to assume that, even for people in the areas not directly affected by the quakes, there are going to be major breakdowns in the economic and social running of the whole country; the tens of thousands of direct victims are a drop in the bucket. If owned a bulldozer or a container ship things would be different, but as it is I have to trust that the various organizations that exist nationally and internationally will be the best equipped to handle the immediate crisis and keep people's bodies and souls together in the short term as best it can be done. PLEASE DONATE TO THEM. But what we private indivduals CAN do is to not forget Haiti's pain, once the crisis dies down and people have to get to the business of rebuilding their lives, their property, and their nation. This is going to take a long time and it may be quite painful, but at least it offers the country of Haiti a once-in-a-lifetime chance to correct a lot of mistakes and negligence that happened over the years, decades, even centuries, if done right. The alternative, though, is a misguided search for quick fixes and BandAid solutions, which would lead the situation getting worse and staying that way for a long, long, time to come. Imagine breaking your arm and not having a doctor set the bone! We wouldn't wish that on anyone, but particularly not on a nation of people, just a few hundred miles from us, so many of whom have somehow managed to continue to be, in spite of material poverty and political voicelessness, so patient, gentle, decent, proud of who they are, and, above all, undiscouraged. Those of us who care will need to be vigilant and not let the subject fade from view when the crisis has eased. It could require us to do as much as going to Haiti to help out as our abilities permit us, or to write our elected officials or put on benefit concerts in Haiti's behalf. Some of you with direct or second-hand connections with Haiti, perhaps through me and the artists I work with, will find that it can make a huge difference simply to say to our fellow Americans, "Hey! I know someone from Haiti and I think he's a wonderful human being!" or "Hey! I know someone who's lived in Haiti and is crazy about it!" or in some way let the world know that these are REAL PEOPLE WHOM WE HAVE MET AND COME TO LOVE, not just abstractions, or tragic talking heads on CNN - human beings who continue to ask, humbly, a chance to live in dignity and hope. The little stuff, which, nevertheless, is plenty big to me and my family and friends: My family and I have been fortunate so far - we have had some close calls, but everyone that we've been able to reach so far is pretty much OK. At least we are not involved in any funerals as yet. But we have not yet heard from many, many dear friends and relatives. We have no idea how to reach them. The Haitian equivalent to the Coconut Telegraph is called "teledjol" (tele-mouth!) and it is extremely effective. We will eventually get news. Pray with us if you would like, especially for Cynthia Z's mother, who is said to be trapped under rubble, and Cynthia K's parents, who simply have not been heard from. Evelyne and the kids at her orphanage. So many about whom we simply don't know yet. Let's hope and pray for the best but with the knowledge that in some cases we had better be ready for the worst. Anyone wanting to know specifically about any of my musical associates, please contact me personally. I was afraid that it would be canceled, but I hear that Belo's Guadeloupe concert will be held as scheduled this Saturday night; those of us who know him would expect nothing less from him. As far as anyone knows right now, I will be going down there to play, after all. It will be the first of what I imagine will be a lot of Haiti relief concerts to come. Wish us well. If anyone anywhere out there is interested in trying to put a relief show together, or wants to know about some other way to get involved, don't hesitate to contact me... if I can help, I will. Bless you all for caring."
I just read that rescue workers and releif are bottle necked at the airport. there is no control tower, no where to land and no jet fuel. Deep kimshi
FAA has taken control of air port operations and so many aircraft on the ground they've had to hold the incoming to get the ones on the ground out of the way. Supplies and crews are backed up for lack of transport. No electricity means no fuel pumps for either aircraft or trucking and backhoes. OOgly sit.
I've just asked Sea how best to help with some funds for assistance. IIRC, he knows that area extremely well. I just watched a slideshow of some pretty heartbreaking pics. Images of dead and suffering children have always haunted me and this is no different. I don't really care who did or didn't do what that caused the place to be like it was before this quake, I can't stand to see anything suffer.
For those who will be sending contributions for Haiti and are trying to decide which organization will do the most with it, this is a site that evaluates non-profits. It gives them star ratings, plus financial summaries, including what percentage goes toward actual program expenses, what percentage for admin costs, and what percentage for fundraising. I especially like the executive compensation information. http://www.charitynavigator.org/ Also, a lot of Companies are matching donations....Ck to see if yours will.....I know DIRECTV and a couple of others that do.....Just a thought. IF anyone is interested.....
I saw that even with the incoming supplies, it is very small in comparison to need! They have bands of younger Haitians looting and roaming in bands stealing and taking others food and water. That is a mess to say the very least! I heard today there are some 300, of the 81stAirborne's troops are now on the ground and helping. It won't get better fast I am afraid. This will take time to even try to clean up, and they are having fits just getting in the equipment, personnel and dogs to locate people in the rubble..... Their port is a mess and at least they have the military running the airport (such as it is) now. Ships have problems getting supplies into the shore! Expect the toll of people lost, to be astronomical. 1 news stated they had buried some 40k and they had not even begun to clear the streets of the carnage! I cannot even begin to imagine.....Horrifying doesn't seem to fit. I have seen mass graves, and that never leaves you, but, this is near total destruction, in so many ways.....starvation as well as injuries. Next will come the illness' and even more losses..... They need serious help in getting the dead out of the streets and moving the healthy to a remote area...Not going to be a simple or quick fix.