Lemming Tracks: Somalia Famine - Just Somalia?!

It's all over the news. Somalia is in bad shape. Particularly parts of southern Somalia, where Somalis face famine. In Somalia. Here's a sample of today's news about - Somalia.

"UN declares Somalia famine in Bakool and Lower Shabelle"
(July 20, 2011)

"The United Nations has declared a famine in two areas of southern Somalia as the region suffers the worst drought in more than half a century.

"The UN said the humanitarian situation in southern Bakool and Lower Shabelle had deteriorated rapidly.

"It is the first time that the country has seen famine in 19 years.

"Meanwhile, the UN and US have said aid agencies need further safety guarantees from armed groups in Somalia to allow staff to reach those in need...."

The Lemming is about as certain as it's possible to be, that the situation in Somalia is bad. Very bad. Definitely not-good. Pretty much the opposite of 'okay.' Somalis are dying of starvation, and diseases that might not have been so bad, if the folks hadn't been starving.

The Lemming is also glad to see that the United Nations decided to make a formal declaration of famine in two parts of Somalia. That's not, in the Lemming's opinion, as silly as it may sound: that sort of formal declaration probably makes it easier for the United States and other interested nations to start the process of getting help to those two spots in Somalia.

Eventually, the United Nations declaration, and government programs, may make a practical difference in the lives of some of the survivors.

In another blog, the Lemming mentioned one of the other outfits that's already in that part of the world: "Drought, Starvation, Death, Request for Help - But No Pressure," A Catholic Citizen in America (July 18, 2011).

Somalia's Got Trouble - And They've Got Company

Again, the Lemming is convinced that folks in Somalia - many of them - are starving, dying of diseases that should be non-lethal, and generally having a very bad time.

That's not right, and the Lemming thinks folks should do something to help. But, hey: no pressure.

Thanks to a long wait in a clinic, the Lemming heard over an hour of CNN news today. In which the tragedy of suffering in Somalia was discussed. Also starvation in Somalia, disease in Somalia, disease exacerbated by starvation in Somalia - where folks are suffering. Tragically. In Somalia.

This is not a criticism of CNN and nobody else - they're not the only ones obsessing on Somalia today. And, again: really, the Lemming thinks folks in Somalia are facing very real, very deadly, problems.

But - and it's hard to tell, given the coverage of Somalia - where Somalis are dying - in Somalia: Somalia isn't alone. It's one of several countries in the eastern part of Africa where folks are dealing with a catastrophic drought:

"...Some aid workers say this year's drought conditions in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and South Sudan are the worst in living memory...."
(CNA)

Here's that list of countries:

• Ethiopia
• Kenya
• Somalia
• South Sudan

Putting Things in Perspective?

Quite often, the Lemming's all for journalists not taking a local or regional problem and implying that it's a continent-wide catastrophe. But the Lemming also thinks it's a good idea to at least mention when a problem in one country is shared by folks in several neighboring countries, too.

Sure, the United Nations probably didn't make a declaration about Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Sudan today. But would it kill the news anchor to mention that Somalia wasn't the only place where folks are facing drought, starvation, and associated unpleasantness?

The Lemming really needs to give ranting a rest - and that's another topic.

Somewhat-related posts:

• "Drought, Starvation, Death, Request for Help - But No Pressure"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (July 18, 2011)
• "This Post is Not About Mutant Bananas"
  (June 18, 2011)
• "Lemming Tracks: Sudan, Africa, Independence, Unity, and Getting a Grip"
  (January 6, 2011)
  Particularly
  • Good Intentions Paved the Way to Africa's Nations?
  • What if Space Aliens had Conquered Europe?
  • That was Fiction: Africa's History, Alas! Isn't
  • The "International Community" Doesn't Want More African Nations?!
• "Fetching Water With a Q Drum: Looks Simple"
  (November 20, 2010)
• "Mutant Bananas: A Pretty Good Idea, Actually"
  (August 24, 2010)

Clark Veterans Cemetery, Angeles City, Philippines: Reality Check

The Clark Veteran's Cemetery, along with quite a bit more acreage around Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines, got covered by volcanic ash in 1991, during a series of eruptions.

The Lemming is pretty sure that facts in the following Associated Press story are accurate - as far as they go. There's more going on than what AP apparently decided we should know, though.

'The Government Oughtta Do Something?

"U.S. Reportedly Ignoring Veterans' Graves in Philippines"
Associated Press, via FoxNews.com (July 3, 2011)

"Walking along the rows of tombstones here offers a glimpse of the wars America has fought and the men and women who waged them. But most of the grave markers have been half-buried for 20 years, and there is little hope that the volcanic ash obscuring names, dates and epitaphs will be cleared any time soon.

"Clark Veterans Cemetery was consigned to oblivion in 1991, when Mount Pinatubo's gigantic eruption forced the U.S. to abandon the sprawling air base surrounding it. Retired U.S. soldiers, Marines and sailors volunteer to keep watch, relying on donations to try to maintain the grounds, but they lament that they're helplessly short on funds to fix things, and that Washington is unwilling to help....

"... 'People celebrate on the Fourth of July but they forgot the 8,600 who helped make that freedom happen,' said former Navy Capt. Dennis Wright, who saw action in Vietnam and is now a business executive.

" 'We're trying to get the U.S. government to assume responsibility for maintaining the cemetery so we can get it up to standards ... not on nickels and dimes and donations and gifts,' said retired Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Larry Heilhecker, who served as cemetery caretaker for five years until last month...."

Should the United States government "assume responsibility for maintaining the cemetery?"

Ideally, in the Lemming's opinion, yes. The Lemming also thinks that the United States Congress, and every administration during the last half-century and more, has done a miserable job of mismanaging the government's finances.

With any luck, we won't have to auction off parts of the country to cover expenses. And that's almost another topic.

'It's the Fault of [insert villain]?'

The Lemming's been over this before: this isn't a political blog. The Lemming doesn't think that one party's always right, and that everybody who won't say so is stupid.

In this case, there's quite enough blame to go around.

The fact is that right now America's national government is in debt up to it's virtual eyeballs: and Congress is actually talking about discussing means of deliberating on a solution.

It's a start.

The financial situation being what it is, a smallish (17 acres) cemetery in the Philippines may not be really high on the list of priorities: for the American Congress, or for folks in the Philippines. Some of whom are buried in Clark Veterans Cemetery.

Besides dumping ash on Clark Veterans Cemetery, Mount Pinatubo's 1991 eruptions did more than a little damage to homes and businesses. The AP article quotes someone who recognizes the potential for tourism in connection with a revitalized (if that's the right word) Clark Veterans Cemetery.

But - right now, with Congress finally going to the trouble of appearing to be interested in fixing part of the federal government's financial mess? The Lemming doesn't think that the folks inside the beltway will be all that inclined to throw cash at Clark Veterans Cemetery.

Besides, there are other solutions.

And Now, a Little Sentiment

Since this sort of account customarily includes a certain amount of pathos, here's more from that article:

"...Workers at the cemetery north of Manila recently dug to fully expose a gravestone for an Army sergeant who died in World War II in the Philippines. They discovered his wife's name engraved under his and a long-hidden tribute: 'Daughter, sister, wife and mother of veterans.'

"It's impossible to say what else remains hidden at the 17-acre (seven-hectare) cemetery. It holds the remains of 8,600 people, including 2,200 American veterans and nearly 700 allied Philippine Scouts who saw battle in conflicts from the early 1900s to the resistance against brutal Japanese occupation troops in WWII...."
(Associated Press, via FoxNews.com)

Hey, there's nothing wrong with sentiment - particularly if it motivates a person to do something sensible.

like not giving money to some scam artist.

Charitable Contributions: Useful and Otherwise

Let's say there's this fellow in America: he reads about the plight of the cross-eyed mud hens of Piskalooska Point - both of which are, the Lemming assures you, quite fictional.

This fellow is, quite sensibly, concerned about environmental stuff. And, not quite so sensibly: Googles "Piskalooska Point cross eyed mud hens," clicks on the first link he sees, and uses his credit card to donate $10.00 USD.

Nothing wrong with Google, the Internet, credit cards, or charitable donations. And the Lemming's posted about being careful before:

• "Citibank Card Data Hacked!! (but keep reading)"
  (June 9, 2011)
• "Giving: From the Heart, and Other Vital Organs"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (March 17, 2011)
• "Counterfeit Postage Stamps: No Kidding"
  (December 6, 2010)
• "Credit Card Fraud: A Few Cents Here, a Few Dollars There"
  (June 28, 2010)

Bottom line? Giving to a bogus charity may make a person feel good - for a while - but that's about it.

Finding a charity that's not a scam? It's not all that hard, and the Lemming thinks it's worth the extra effort.

Now, about Clark Veteran's Cemetery, Philippines.

The Lemming found a very nice-looking website, right at the top of Google's list, written in coherent English. It looked like a nice place to suggest.

The Lemming did a little checking - pure routine, using a fairly high-profile WHOIS lookup service. That nice-looking website's URL was registered to a fellow with a very 'American' name, and a physical address - - - about halfway between the Philippines and the contiguous 48 states.

Names, Identities, and Getting a Grip

'American' name? Make that an 'Anglo' name. Not everybody whose name suggests ancestry in the United Kingdom is an American - quite a few live in the United Kingdom, for starters. And not all Americans are WASPs. Most of us aren't, by now, and that's another topic.

That website may be legitimate - and just happens to be run by someone with a name that's foreign to the continent where it's registered. Or, it may not be. The Lemming might be able to work out who and what's actually running that show - but that could take time.

Another quick search found that there's a VFW post (VFW Post 2485, Angeles City, Philippines www.vfwpost2485.com) They're actively maintaining the Clark Veterans Cemetery, and willing to accept donations to help them get the job done.

They're also not mentioned in the AP article. Understandably, since VFW Post 2485, Angeles City, Philippines is apparently

• Trying to restore and maintain the cemetery themselves
• Not waiting until a government agency spends money
• Quite willing to accept financial help
  • From folks who aren't from the government

The Lemming checked - the person who registered VFW Post 2485's URL is with Post 2485, and the registration contact information matches Post 2485's. Looks like VFW Post 2485 exists, runs the website in question, and is actually doing something about Clark Veterans Cemetery.

So, does the Lemming think you have to give them money? That's up to you. Before you do, check them out yourselves. Just a suggestion, of course.

Now, a few pages at VFW Post 2485's website:

• VFW Post 2485 - Clark Cemetery
  Cemetery Personnel
• VFW Post 2485 Clark Veterans Cemetery Burials and Other Memorials
• VFW Post 2458
  home page

Not-entirely-unrelated posts:

• "Lemming Tracks: Inflatable Sharks? Swell!"
  (June 28, 2011)
  • No, really
• "It's Mother's Day in the Philippines - 'Read All About It' "
  (May 9, 2009)
  • The link's outdated
  • The content isn't
• "Swine Flu 2009 on World Tour"
  (April 28, 2009)
• "Memorial Day 2008: This isn't 1965"
  (May 26, 2008)
• "The Life of an Oregano Addict: An Unexpected Blog"
  (April 22, 2008)

Rebuilding Japan, Living in a Big World

"U.S., Japan announce joint post-crisis rebuilding effort"
Matt Smith, CNN World (April 17, 2011)

"The U.S. secretary of state and the Japanese foreign minister on Sunday announced plans for a joint reconstruction venture as the Asian nation grapples with a nuclear crisis following a devastating earthquake and deadly tsunami.

"Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said aid to Japan honors Japan's legacy of assisting other countries in crisis.

" 'Our two governments ... have agreed to create a public-private partnership for reconstruction,' Clinton said. 'We wish to enhance cooperation between Japan and American businesses, between civil society groups, public officials, under the guidance of the government of Japan, with its planning.'..."

The mess in and around TEPCO's Fukushima nuclear power plant is not the only clean-up job in northwestern Japan. That March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami destroyed quite a few buildings, roads, and assorted structures - and killed quite a few people. In the Lemming's opinion, it'll take years to rebuild that part of Japan. Decades. Centuries, if you include woodlands. (April 16, 2011)

Japan, and Living in a Big World

The United States-Japan plans probably aren't the only government-related ones in place or in development. The Lemming lives in America, and this is the one that the Lemming ran into.

It looks like Japan's government is trying to take care of some of the reconstruction efforts 'in-house:'

• "Japan DPJ: to manage reconstruction bonds separately-Jiji"
  Reuters Africa (April 18, 2011)
• "Displaced to get support from state" | Edano makes personal appeal to Fukushima
  Kyodo News, via The japan Times (April 18, 2011)
• "Restoration In Distribution, Temp Housing Construction Developing"
  Kyodo News, via NIKKEI.com (April 18, 2011)

If the government programs do something more than provide employment for bureaucrats, the Lemming doesn't have a problem with them.

An example of fairly competent government programs are America's roads. For the most part, roads in this country are built and maintained by government agencies. Major failures are uncommon. The August, 2007, Interstate bridge collapse in Minneapolis, Minnesota (Through One Dad's Eye (August 3, 2007)) is the exception, not the rule.

Even so, the Lemming doesn't think that government programs are the only way that folks can get things done.

Another example: That photo shows folks in Jogyesa Buddhist temple in Seoul, Korea, giving money to a relief fund for folks in Japan's disaster area.

It's not just Buddhists pitching in to help folks in Japan. Another example: Catholic Relief Services (CRS) was responding, along with the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan, within days of the quake. (A Catholic Citizen in America (March 20, 2011))

Japan, the Aflac Duck, and the Lemming

The idea of helping Japan is probably controversial. Or maybe not.

Actually, what surprises the Lemming is the relative dearth of 'Japan deserved it' statements. Apart from that little cluster of celebrity blunders in March, that is. Can't say that the Lemming is sorry about that. And that's another topic, for another blog:

• "Japan's Earthquake, Divine Retribution, and the Tower at Siloam"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (March 15, 2011)
• "Japan, Good Taste, Common Sense, and a Duck"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (March 15, 2011)

Not-quite-so-unrelated posts in this blog:

• "Rikuzentakata's 'Tree of Hope:' and a Philosophizing Lemming"
  (April 16, 2011)
• "TEPCO's 1,000,000 Yen - It's a Start"
  (April 15, 2011)
• "Japan, Catholic Relief Services, and Fraternal Sharing"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (March 20, 2011)
• "Japan: Missed Inspections, Two Colors of Smoke at Fukushima; Years of Rebuilding Ahead"
  (March 21, 2011)
• "Aid to Japan: Pretty Good Advice"
  (March 13, 2011)

In the news:

• "Japan DPJ: to manage reconstruction bonds separately-Jiji"
  Reuters Africa (April 18, 2011)
• "Displaced to get support from state" | Edano makes personal appeal to Fukushima
  Kyodo News, via The japan Times (April 18, 2011)
• "Restoration In Distribution, Temp Housing Construction Developing"
  Kyodo News, via NIKKEI.com (April 18, 2011)
• "U.S., Japan announce joint post-crisis rebuilding effort"
  Matt Smith, CNN World (April 17, 2011)

More:

• "Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of March 11, 2011: Posts"

Aid to Japan: Pretty Good Advice

"Japan earthquake: How you can help"
Jessica Dickler, CNNMoney.com (March 12, 2011)

"After the fifth largest earthquake in history struck Japan, many Americans have been eager to help -- but donations can be tricky, particularly in the earliest phase of the recovery effort.

"Despite the massive destruction seen in Tokyo and the surrounding area, 'at this stage it's very difficult to say the extent of the need,' said Andrea Koppel, a spokeswoman from the American Red Cross."

"Daniel Borochoff, president of the American Institute of Philanthropy, advises those ready to make donations to 'wait and see how the situation develops and step forward when clear charitable needs arise.'

"An immediate response is not necessarily best, he says. 'It's ok to get assessments on the situation and then send contributions.'..."

There's more to the article than that 'wait and see' advice. Like "What to give:" "...'Give money, not food, water and clothes,'..." Why? It costs more to ship supplies, than to transfer funds. Also, what someone in New York City gives might not be what someone in Sendai needs. And supplies may already be nearby - like "...a Red Cross warehouse in Malaysia ... fully stocked with enough relief supplies to aid 5,000 families, according to Koppel...."

Sometimes its important to know "What to avoid." Like giving to a bogus 'charity.'

Here's how Jessica Dickler's article puts it:

"...The Federal Bureau of Investigation advises donors not to respond to any unsolicited incoming emails, but rather go directly to recognized charities and aid organization's websites, as opposed to following a link to another site.

"Before donating, also verify the legitimacy of the nonprofit organizations as well as its nonprofit status.

"And be leery of emails claiming to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files, because those files can contain viruses, the FBI cautioned.

"Charity solicitations that seem suspicious can be reported to the National Center for Disaster Fraud; complaints can also be filed with the Internet Crime Complaint Center."

'Beware Links' - Follow These Links?!

What is the Lemming thinking? After that pretty good, common-sense advice about following links, the Lemming wants you to - follow links?!

The 'related posts' list, just below the next paragraph, links to other posts in Apathetic Lemming of the North that are about vaguely similar topics. Whether or not you decide they're worth following is your decision. If you've been online for a while already, maybe you'd rather take a break and stretch your legs: which might be a good idea.

One of them, "Haiti: About the Earthquake, Relief, and Related Topics," (January 15, 2010) has a list of fairly high-profile charities - and one that was maybe just a tad iffy. It's marked as such. The post focused on Haiti, but quite a number of the major charities listed handle relief all over the world - so you could consider checking them out for aid to Japan. Or not. Your choice.

Related posts:

• "New Zealand Quake: It Could have been a Lot Worse"
  (September 4, 2010)
• "Haiti: About the Earthquake, Relief, and Related Topics"
  (January 15, 2010)

News and views:

• "Japan earthquake: How you can help"
  Jessica Dickler, CNNMoney.com (March 12, 2011)

More:

• "Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of March 11, 2011: Posts"

Haiti, Cholera, A Thousand Dead, Link to Charities List

"Over 1,000 Haitians Dead From Cholera"
Americas, Voice of America (November 16, 2010)

"The death toll from Haiti's cholera epidemic has passed 1,000.

"Health officials made the announcement Tuesday, reporting an official figure of 1,034 deaths as of Sunday.

"The authorities said more than 16,700 people have been hospitalized since the outbreak was first reported late last month.

"Angry protesters have accused United Nations peacekeepers from Nepal of bringing the waterborne disease to their Caribbean nation.

"Violent protests against U.N. peacekeepers erupted Monday, with at least two people killed in clashes between demonstrators and the U.N. workers.

"The U.N. mission in Haiti, MINUSTAH, dismissed the demonstrations as 'politically motivated,' ahead of the November 28 presidential and legislative elections.

"The U.N.'s humanitarian coordinator in Haiti, Nigel Fisher, told reporters Monday that cholera has been detected in every province...."

Politically motivated riots or not: folks living in Haiti are not having a good year. At all.

So far:

• Major earthquake
• Near-miss from hurricane
• Cholera outbreak

The good news is that there isn't all that much left of 2010 left. Also that there are Haitians who aren't attacking folks from Nepal. And quite a few other folks are trying to help.

List of Charities

Maybe you saw this before: a list of charities I put together back in January, 2010. I haven't checked every URL, but the ones I did - worked. One more thing: It's a good idea to make sure that the outfit you're giving money to is legit. You can do that to your own satisfaction better than I could.

Okay. Here's a link to that list of charities:

• "Haiti: About the Earthquake, Relief, and Related Topics"

That page also has lists of posts in this, and other, blogs about Haiti.

Related posts:

• "Haiti, Cholera: Yes, It's in Port-au-Prince"
  (November 11, 2010)
• "Haiti, Cholera: It's In the Capital"
  (November 9, 2010)
• "Haiti: Cholera, Hurricane, But Otherwise in Rough Shape"
  (November 6, 2010)

Haiti, Cholera: Yes, It's in Port-au-Prince

"Haiti - Epidemic : 73 cases of cholera confirmed in Port-au-Prince, 1 dead"
Haitilibre.com (November 11, 2010)

"Since October 21, cholera in Haiti, made at least 583 victims reported officially.

"9,123 people infected with Vibrio cholerae type O1 are hospitalized. The cholera epidemic is now considered as 'a national security issue,' said on Tuesday Gabriel Thimothé, the Director General of Haitian Ministry of Health.

"According to the latest data from the Ministry of Health, the five regions, the Artibonite, Center, North, Northwest and West of Haiti and the capital, are now affected by cholera...."

So far this year, Haiti's had a major earthquake that destroyed buildings and killed people, a near-miss by a hurricane that did about the same thing on a smaller scale, and a cholera outbreak that wasn't helped by the hurricane.

Aside from that, the Haitian economy is in bad shape and their country's infrastructure - roads, water systems, power, and so forth - is in even worse shape than it was before the earthquake.

This hasn't been a particularly good year for Haitians.

Part of the World Health Organization's (WHO) website focuses on Haiti: who.int/countries/hti/en/.

The most recent update on disease outbreaks there is from last week:

"Cholera in Haiti - update 2"
World Health Organization (November 4, 2010)

"As of 3 November, the Haitian Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) reported 6 742 cholera cases including 442 deaths. The departments where confirmed cases have been reported include Artibonite, Centre, Nord, Nord-Ouest, and Ouest.

"Laboratory test on the cholera strain linked to the current outbreak in Haiti conducted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta showed that it is most similar to cholera strains found in South Asia. ..."

That's a lot of people dead and ill. A little quick arithmetic: 442/6,742 = 0.065....

As of around the middle of last week, it looks like around 6.5% of the folks in Haiti who got cholera - and let WHO know about it - died.

Sure: it isn't a particularly huge percentage of the country's 9,000,000 or so - - - Wait a minute. That Haitilibre.com article said that 9,123 folks were infected. 9,123/9,000,000: that's very roughly 1/1000. It's still not a very large fraction. But it's noticeable.

What if Tampa Took Ill?

For folks living in the United States, this comparison might help put the numbers from Haiti in perspective. America has about 310,000,000 folks living here.

If 1/1000 of us had cholera - that'd be about 310,000 cases. That's very roughly the population of Tampa, Florida ("Tampa's Population Moves Up In Ranking -- Tampa is now the 53rd largest city in the U.S." City of Tampa, Florida, press release (July 8, 2009))

Everybody in Tampa, Florida, coming down with cholera wouldn't bring this nation to its knees: but America is in much better shape to begin with than Haiti is. And - we'd notice if that many Americans got sick.

'Money isn't Everything' - But It Helps

No pressure, like the Lemming's said before. But folks in Haiti could use a little help. 'Money isn't everything,' but when someone's rounding up supplies, trying to get the shipped across part of the Atlantic - and pay people enough so that they can drop what they're doing and go help Haitians? Having money helps.

List of Charities

I put together a list of charities, back in January, 2010. Some of them you've heard of, some of them maybe not. I haven't checked every URL, but the ones I did - worked. One more thing: It's a good idea to make sure that the outfit you're giving money to is legit. You can do that to your own satisfaction better than I could.

Okay. Here's a link to that list of charities:

• "Haiti: About the Earthquake, Relief, and Related Topics"

That page also has lists of posts in this, and other, blogs about Haiti.

Haiti, Cholera: It's In the Capital

"Haiti tests for cholera in Port-au-Prince"
Latin America & Caribbean, BBC News (November 8, 2010)

"At least 120 people in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, are being tested for cholera, health officials say.

"Doctors have told the BBC the disease is 'clinically' present in the city, but there is no official confirmation.

"The health ministry says 544 people have died in Haiti's latest cholera outbreak. About 8,000 are being treated in hospitals...."

The last I read, 'only' about one in ten people who came down with cholera in Haiti died from it. This won't wipe out everybody.

The cholera outbreak will, however, create a great deal of misery.

That's the bad news.

The good news is that some folks are trying to help.

I haven't checked all the links for charities in this list: but many - maybe most - should still be working:
"Haiti: About the Earthquake, Relief, and Related Topics"
(January 15, 2010)

---

Update (November 9, 2010)
Why such big letters? I didn't want folks to miss the link. ☺

Back to the original post.

---

I know: money isn't everything. But when you're collecting supplies and getting them to Haiti - and paying folks enough so that they can afford to drop what they're doing and work at helping Haitians put their country back together - money helps.

And yes, I've 'put my money where my mouth is.' I've had opportunities when my parish passed the hat, earlier this year.

Now, about Haiti and cholera: The BBC article reviews what folks in Haiti have been dealing with lately. Earthquake. Cholera. Hurricane. Floods. Mudslides. More Cholera.

It's a waterborne disease, so flooding in a country where a none-too-adequate infrastructure had been damaged by a major earthquake didn't help contain the outbreak. At all.

The Lemming will be back, with something a bit more cheery. Wouldn't take much.

Related posts:

• "Haiti: Cholera, Hurricane, But Otherwise in Rough Shape"
  (November 6, 2010)
• "Haiti, Nigeria, Cholera"
  (October 27, 2010)
• "Haiti: It's Cholera"
  (October 24, 2010)
• "Haiti: First an Earthquake - Now - Cholera?"
  (October 22, 2010)

Haiti, Nigeria, Cholera

"Haiti, Nigeria Battle Cholera"
Voice of America (October 26, 2010)

"Health providers and aid groups have mobilized to combat outbreaks of cholera in Haiti and Nigeria. Often causing extreme dysentery and dehydration, cholera arises from a strain of bacteria that is easily spread and hard to eradicate from infected zones. Cholera is a common after-effect of natural calamities.

"Ever since January's massive earthquake devastated Haiti, health officials have warned of the dangers of cholera. In a country where public sanitation infrastructure is poor to non-existent and clean drinking water is often hard to come by, more than 3,000 cholera cases and more than 250 deaths have been reported in recent weeks, mostly north of Port-au-Prince.

"Doctor John Andrus, Deputy Director of the Pan American Health Organization, spoke with reporters this week:

" 'People with low immunity, such as malnourished children or people with the HIV virus, are of greatest risk for death, if infected [with cholera],' said Andrus...."

Haiti and Nigeria aren't alone: There have been cholera outbreaks in Zimbabwe, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh, too, according to the article.

The Lemming ran into the assertion that the earthquake in Haiti didn't cause cholera. True enough: the disease is caused by a bacteria. Roads, water handling systems, and buildings being destroyed by the earthquake in Haiti - and a great many folks who weren't killed having to move - in a country that was terribly poor to begin with - probably didn't help keep cholera from happening, either.

The Lemming is concentrating on Haiti - partly because it's closest to home; partly because it takes time to put together a list of charities; partly because quite a number of the outfits that help Haiti are interested in places around the world.

Related posts:

• "Haiti: It's Cholera"
  (October 24, 2010)
• "Haiti: First an Earthquake - Now - Cholera?"
  (October 22, 2010)

More about Haiti, including a list of charities:

• "Haiti: About the Earthquake, Relief, and Related Topics"

Haitians Need Help, Yesterday

News from Haiti, this week:

"IMF Cancels $268 Million in Haiti's Debt, Approves New Loan"
BusinessWeek (July 21, 2010)

"The International Monetary Fund agreed to cancel Haiti's $268 million outstanding debt to the institution and approved a loan to boost central bank reserves as the country rebuilds its economy after a January earthquake.

"The decisions came four months after donors pledged $5.26 billion to Haiti's reconstruction. The $60 million, three-year loan, which bears no interest until the end of 2011, will help the central bank manage potential currency volatility as donor funds flow in, the Washington-based IMF said in an e-mailed release.

" 'Donors must start delivering on their promises to Haiti quickly so reconstruction can be accelerated, living standards quickly improved, and social tensions soothed, IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said in the statement...."

"Where's the money for Haiti gone?"
mirror.co.uk (July 25, 2010)

"The world pledged £3.4billion for victims, but six months on just 2% of the cash has been given out

"When the heartbreaking images of the devastation caused by the massive earthquake in Haiti ­appeared on TV screens across the globe, the world pledged £3.41billion in aid.

"But six months on from the January 12 quake a Sunday Mirror investigation can reveal how the victims are being ­forgotten...because just TWO per cent of the money has arrived....

"...And because businesses aren't up and running again yet, looting is common – ­making the make-shift camps a breeding ground for criminals.

"Today UK charities warn that the rescue mission is descending into chaos, leaving thousands facing death.

"Donors are refusing to hand over their cash until the Haiti government comes up with a plan detailing exactly how the aid will be spent.

"But Haiti can't do that until the money arrives, condemning people there to a hellish future...."

I'm not sure why Haitian authorities can't figure out what they'll do with money until they have it in hand: but the bottom line is that Haitians who aren't government officials need help.

Want to blame America for the earthquake? Or at least for Haitian authorities not knowing how they'll spend pledged money? This may help:

"Haitian immigrants need expedited entry"
San Antonio Express-News Editorial Board (July 22, 2010)

"Pledges from individuals and governments to help the people of Haiti are a distant memory. Aid to rebuild the impoverished nation is trickling in.

"Six months after a devastating earthquake took as many as 300,000 lives, the world has moved on. Donor nations committed to send $5.3 billion at a March aid conference. CNN reports less than 2 percent of that aid has actually been delivered. Of the $1.15 billion American pledge, nothing has yet been paid.

"The humanitarian catastrophe in Haiti, however, continues.

"The U.S. funds are tied up in the congressional appropriations process. Even if they were released today, it would take weeks, perhaps months, before the funds would make it through the international bureaucracy to the people who actually need it.

"That needs to be done. But there's an immediate way the United States can provide direct humanitarian relief — by expediting the entry of 55,000 Haitian visa candidates who already have relatives in the United States...."

More immigrants? I don't see a problem with that - but then, I'm half-Irish, and know my family history. I wouldn't be here today: if America hadn't let some socially-dubious folks in.

The Lemming Opines: Not Waiting for the Government

Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere - and the folks who weren't among the roughly 300,000 killed in January's quake need help - now.

The American Congress may get through its appropriation process, Haitian authorities may decide to say how they plan to spend other people's money before they have it in hand: but Haitians who aren't with the government need help yesterday.

There's a link to a smorgasbord of charitable institutions, at the end of this post. I'd like to single out one that's affiliated with an outfit that's bigger and older than the United States of America.

• "Haiti"
  Catholic Relief Services

More:

• "Haiti: About the Earthquake, Relief, and Related Topics"

Haiti's Rebuilding: and Doing It Right

"Haiti trying to avoid past mistakes as rebuilding begins"
CNN (May 21, 2010)

"At the Iron Market, Haitians shopped for everything from vegetables to Voodoo flags. One side was destroyed in a 2008 fire. The January 12 earthquake leveled the rest.

"By year's end, workers hope to restore the Port-au-Prince landmark to its original splendor.

"Destined for Egypt in 1889, the market's French-built minarets became Haiti's when the sale to a Cairo train station fell through and President Florvil Hyppolite bought the massive cast iron structures as part of his plan to modernize the city...."

"...It's inspiring to see the historical structure rise again amid the rubble, Gay said. But even more, the Iron Market restoration provides hope to those who live and work in its shadow -- especially because everyone knows Haiti's rebuilding process is sure to be slow.

"By some estimates, it will take three to five years just to clear the rubble and debris still on the streets of Port-au-Prince. There is so much damage and destruction, so few trucks and places to dispose of the mangled steel and concrete and the piles of crushed furniture and personal possessions...."

One of the reasons that so many of Haiti's buildings collapsed is that they were built on the cheap - smooth rebar, not ridged the way we have it here in America, and not much of that. Calcium carbonate in the concrete - and concrete made with too much water (cutting costs again) - didn't help buildings stand up, either.

This time around, it looks like Haiti's government is going to inspect buildings as they're being built. I'm no fan of regulation: but there are enough bean-counting nitwits around to make me think that building codes make sense - in principle.

Bottom line? It looks like the survivors in Haiti realize that they really don't want to go on with 'business as usual' as they rebuild their country.

Aid agencies are putting up semi-permanent houses for folks who don't have a roof for the rainy season. These buildings aren't subject to building code - but that doesn't upset me all that much. Small, lightweight, structures seem to weather earthquakes fairly well. It's those concrete, glass and steel high rises with crumbly concrete and breakaway rebars that are a problem.

Finally:

A list of charities you've probably heard about already, with links and some contact information:

• "Haiti: About the Earthquake, Relief, and Related Topics"

Also a list of posts in this, and two other blogs, about Haiti.

Haiti's Still in Trouble: Just a Reminder

Earthquakes and their aftermaths; news from Haiti and Chile:

"Strong quakes torment Chile as president sworn in"
The Associated Press (March 11, 2010)

"The earth shook and shook Thursday as dignitaries walked in for the swearing-in of Sebastian Pinera as Chile's president. It shook some more as they waited for him.

"People in the balconies of the vast congressional hall in coastal Valparaiso shouted warnings as a massive light fixture rocked overhead, and heads of state nervously eyed the ceiling. But a steely calm prevailed, and Pinera strode in smiling.

"The 60-year-old president and his ministers then quickly swore their oaths, and the audience of 2,000 headed for the exits and the hills, joining an evacuation called out of concern that Thursday's repeated aftershocks would set off another tsunami...."

"Two kidnapped foreign aid workers freed in Haiti"
Reuters (March 11, 2010)

"Two foreign aid workers with Doctors Without Borders in quake-hit Haiti were kidnapped and held for nearly a week before being freed early on Thursday, the international medical charity said.

"'Two of my colleagues, two women, were abducted last Friday. They were released early this morning ... they are in good health and in good shape,' Michel Peremans, spokesman in Haiti for Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), told Reuters.

" 'It is not our policy to pay any ransoms,' Peremans said. He declined to say whether a ransom had been asked for in this case, or who the kidnappers were.

"Citing privacy considerations, he declined to give details of their identities or nationalities or of the circumstances of the kidnapping, which occurred in the capital Port-au-Prince...."

"Rainy season brings new threat to Haiti"
ABC News (March 11, 2010)

"The International Red Cross is warning of a new humanitarian crisis in Haiti, with the approaching rainy season set to wreak havoc in overcrowded 'tent cities'.

"With nowhere else to go, hundreds of thousands of homeless Haitians have set up camp on dangerous ground which is susceptible to flood and mudslides.

"Many of the makeshift camps are overcrowded and still growing, and International Red Cross spokesman Alex Wynter says the wet season will only make matters worse.

" 'There's no doubt, and no-one is trying to make any secret of the fact, that this country faces a very grave humanitarian emergency with the rainy season,' he said.

" 'We've got 5,000 local volunteers on hand to do things like digging out drainage gullies so that downpours don't turn into floods.'..."

Nothing really new here, apart from the good news about those folks with Doctors Without Borders. Chile will be experiencing aftershocks - and possibly not-quite-so-closely-related earthquakes - for weeks, months. Longer. It's a geologically active area.

Feeling Generous? Pick Your Charity

I put together a list of charities, after the big quake in Haiti this year. It's pretty obvious that folks in Haiti will need help for the foreseeable future - this page has links and other contact information:

• "Haiti: About the Earthquake, Relief, and Related Topics"
  (January 15, 2010)

Haiti isn't the only place where people are in need. There's the food situation in Zimbabwe, for instance. But enough with the crises. For now.

Related posts:

• "Chile City Moved 10 Feet West: Change Happens"
  (March 10, 2010)
• "Haiti isn't Chile: Earthquakes, Economics, and Building Codes"
  (March 1, 2010)
• "Quake in Chile, Tsunamis Around the Pacific"
  (February 27, 2010)

Feeling Compassionate, Doing Something About It

I think it's nice to feel bad for people going through hard times. I also think it's nice to do something about it. My household gave to a special collection at our church. We're not particularly wealthy people, for Americans, so my family's contribution was a tiny fraction of the quarter-million dollars that the diocese raised. My guess is that a lot of people gave a little, and a few gave a lot.

We're Catholics, so giving help when we can isn't an option: it's a requirement.

I mentioned Zimbabwe before. This post is already longer than many, and I'm getting off-topic, but one more link. It shows the Catholic Church in America's take on some of what's happening in Africa, and has some links.

• "Catholic Concern for Africa"
  Justice, Peace and Human Development, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Haiti isn't Chile: Earthquakes, Economics, and Building Codes

Haiti had a devastating earthquake last month. This weekend, Chile was hit by one of the strongest quakes in the last century.

The last I heard, Chile's government wasn't asking for help from other countries. That may not be stupid pride. Chile isn't Haiti.

Haiti can use help. Here's a list of charities you've probably heard about already, with links and some contact information:

• "Haiti: About the Earthquake, Relief, and Related Topics"

Also a list of posts in this, and two other blogs, about Haiti.

Now, about Chile, Haiti, and the two big quakes this year.

"Earthquake rattles Chile but tsunami a fizzer in Pacific"
Courier Mail, via. News.com.au (March 1, 2010)

"RESCUE teams have hunted for survivors after one of the largest earthquakes on record killed at least 300 people in Chile and sent waves roaring across the Pacific Ocean.

"A rapid tsunami alert gripped almost 50 countries and territories along an arc stretching from Australia and New Zealand to Japan, Russia and North America.

"Although the tsunami caused little damage after it raced across the Pacific at speeds around 720km/h, it showed the lessons learned following the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami that claimed almost 230,000 lives...."

In a way, that's good news. Particularly since yesterday's quake in Chile released roughly 500 times as much energy as the one in Haiti last month: Magnitude 8.8, compared to Haiti's 7.0. (500 times? Yes: The Richter Magnitude scale isn't linear, it's logarithmic: if you plot it on paper it looks a little like a ski jump, going up to the right. More at "The Richter Magnitude Scale," USGS (United States Geological Survey).)

Bigger Quake, Smaller Death Toll: Why?

The Haitians government says about 220,000 people died in the January 12, 2010 earthquake there. It looks like around 300 died in Chile yesterday morning. Odds are that the death toll for Chile will go up - but that's still a bit over a thousandth of the number of people killed in Haiti.

What gives?

I'm old enough to remember the 'good old days,' when a person could assume that since Chile was a Latin American country, this week's Generalissimo Supremo El Presidente had decided that the death toll should be low: and had people who said otherwise shot.

This isn't the fifties any more, and things have changed. More Latin American countries have gotten their acts together - or are in the process. Chile seems to be one of them.

Haiti? Well, let's say there's room for improvement.

"Tale of Two Quakes: Chile Was Ready, Haiti Wasn't"
FOXNews (February 27, 2010)

"The earthquake in Chile was far stronger than the one that struck Haiti last month - yet the death toll in this Caribbean nation is magnitudes higher.

"The reasons are simple.

"Chile is wealthier and infinitely better prepared, with strict building codes, robust emergency response and a long history of handling seismic catastrophes. No living Haitian had experienced a quake at home when the Jan. 12 disaster crumbled their poorly constructed buildings.

"And Chile was relatively lucky this time.

"Saturday's quake was centered offshore an estimated 21 miles underground in a relatively unpopulated area while Haiti's tectonic mayhem struck closer to the surface — about 8 miles - and right on the edge of Port-au-Prince, factors that increased its destructiveness...."

"...In terms of energy released at the epicenter, the Chilean quake was 501 times stronger. But energy dissipates rather quickly as distances grow from epicenters — and the ground beneath Port-au-Prince is less stable by comparison and "shakes like jelly," says University of Miami geologist Tim Dixon...."

That phrase - "infinitely better prepared" - is just plain wrong. I wish journalists would learn a little about mathematics and language. But that's another topic.

Okay - Haiti's quake happened a whole lot closer to a And buildings in Chile are designed to sway when they're shaken: absorbing energy without breaking. Buildings in Haiti? Back to that article.

"..."When you look at the architecture in Chile you see buildings that have damage, but not the complete pancaking that you've got in Haiti," said Cameron Sinclair, executive director of Architecture for Humanity, a 10-year-old nonprofit that has helped people in 36 countries rebuild after disasters.

"Sinclair said he has architect colleagues in Chile who have built thousands of low-income housing structures to be earthquake resistant.

"In Haiti, by contrast, there is no building code...."

I'm no big fan of regulations for the sake of regulation. But some make sense: like making it a rule that everybody drives on the right (or left) side of the road. And make buildings so that they won't collapse, even if it costs a bit extra.

Remember when the dirt-poor 'banana republic' where the nation changed its government and underwear at about the same rate was a stereotype - but not all-too-accurate for many Latin American nations? I do.

That was then, this is now.

Back to the article again.

" 'On a per-capita basis, Chile has more world-renowned seismologists and earthquake engineers than anywhere else,' said Brian E. Tucker, president of GeoHazards International, a nonprofit organization based in Palo Alto, California.

"Their advice is heeded by the government in Latin America's wealthiest nation, getting built not just into architects' blueprints and building codes but also into government contingency planning.

" 'The fact that the president (Michelle Bachelet) was out giving minute-to-minute reports a few hours after the quake in the middle of the night gives you an indication of their disaster response,' said Sinclair.

"Most Haitians didn't know whether their president, Rene Preval, was alive or dead for at least a day after the quake. The National Palace and his residence - like most government buildings - had collapsed...."

That may be an unfair comparison, since Chile's government buildings hadn't, by and large, been knocked over by the quake. On the other hand - - -.

"...On Port-au-Prince's streets Saturday, many people had not heard of Chile's quake. More than half a million are homeless, most still lack electricity and are preoccupied about trying to get enough to eat.

"Fanfan Bozot, a 32-year-old reggae singer having lunch with a friend, could only shake his head at his government's reliance on international relief to distribute food and water.

" 'Chile has a responsible government,' he said, waving his hand in disgust. 'Our government is incompetent.' "

Quake in Chile, Tsunamis Around the Pacific

---

Updated 11:26 a.m. (February 27, 2010)

"Pacific nations gear for tsunami after Chile quake"
BBC


(National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration, via AFP, via BBC, used w/o permission)

"Nations around the Pacific Ocean are on full alert for a possible tsunami following the devastating earthquake that hit Chile on Saturday morning.

"Tsunami warnings have been sounded in an area affecting about a quarter of the globe.

"Waves will spread from the epicentre of the 8.8 quake in central Chile and may strike land bordering the Pacific in the next 24 hours.

"People in the Galapagos and on Easter Island have already taken refuge.

"Large waves are already reported to have struck Chile's Juan Fernandez island group, reaching halfway into one inhabited area. Three people there are missing, local media say. Two aid ships are reported to be on their way...."

There's a link list of charities, with some additional contact information, at the end of this post.

---

"UPDATE 11-Massive earthquake strikes Chile, 122 dead"
Reuters (February 27, 2010)

"A huge magnitude-8.8 earthquake struck Chile early on Saturday, killing at least 122 people, knocking down homes and hospitals, and triggering a tsunami that rolled menacingly across the Pacific.
Quake in Chile, Tsunamis Around the Pacific
"TV Chile reported that a 15-storey building collapsed in the hardest-hit city of Concepcion, where buildings caught fire, major highway bridges collapsed and cracks opened up in the streets. Cars turned upside down lay scattered across one damaged bridge.

"Residents huddled in streets full of rubble of masonry and glass from destroyed homes. Many were terrified by powerful aftershocks and desperately trying to call friends and family.

"Chilean President-elect Sebastian Pinera said 122 people had been killed and the death toll could climb higher...."

By comparison, Haiti's January 12, 2010, quake was 7.0 magnitude.

As often happens in large-scale disasters like this, it's hard to get a 'big picture' idea of just how much damage has been done. Communications systems are down, so it may be quite a while before the folks in Chile know what they're dealing with

Meanwhile, it looks like the Hawaiian Islands will experience a tsunami in roughly three and a half hours.

"Sirens Sound on Hawaiian Coasts"
The New York Times (February 27, 2010)

"Evacuation alarms sounded in Hawaii’s vulnerable coastal areas at 6 a.m. local time Saturday, (11 a.m. Eastern) as the region prepared for what federal officials say could be a dangerous — but most likely not catastrophic — tsunami to hit the islands in the aftermath of the earthquake in Chile.

"The tsunami was expected to arrive in Hawaii at 11:20 a.m., or 4:20 p.m. Eastern time.

"Brian R. Shiro, geophysicist at NOAA Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, said that computer models show that the impact will be greatest in such spots as Hilo Bay on Hawaii Island and Kahului Harbor in Maui.

"In those areas, the tsunami waves could reach as high as six to 10 feet, Mr. Shiro said. Elsewhere in Hawaii, the waves will likely be only about two to three feet.

"Officials warned that all coastal areas in Hawaii could be affected because the wave can reach around the islands as it passes the region...."

Here We Go Again

Even Australia may get noticeable waves from this quake, I've heard.

I doubt that Australian towns and cities will have a problem dealing with the waves, by the time they get there. (Famous last words?) The same goes for Hawaii, and many other places on and in the Pacific.

On the other hand, some folks will need assistance - or at least could use it. After the Haiti quake, I put together a list of charities: with a little editing, I think it'll do for the current situation.

You don't have do do anything, of course: and maybe you can't. No pressure. On the other hand, if you do think that contributing something is a good idea, and can do so, here's an edited copy of that list:

List of Charities

No guarantees made, or implied: but I think these are a pretty good place to start:

• The usual high-profile outfits:
  • American Red Cross
  • Americares
  • Catholic Relief Services
  • Clinton Bush Haiti Fund
  • Direct Relief International
  • Doctors Without Borders
  • International Medical Corps
  • Medical Teams International
  • The International Committee of the Red Cross
  • International Relief Teams
  • Mercy Corps
  • Operation USA home page
  • The Salvation Army
  • Save the Children
  • Shelterbox
  • World Concern
  • World Food Programme
  • World Vision
• Catholic charities (we help anybody, but these tend to get more support from Catholics)
  • Catholic Relief Services
  • The Catholic Relief Services Collection
    On United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website
  • Caritas Internationalis
  • Catholic Relief Services donations
  • Catholic Relief Services home page
    • By phone 1-800-736-3467
    • Mail to CRS
      P.O. Box 17090
      Baltimore, MD 21203-7090
  • The Catholic Relief Services Collection
    On United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website
  • Salesian Missions
    • By phone 1-914-633-8344
    • Mail to Salesian Disaster Relief
      Salesian Missions
      P.O. Box 30
      New Rochelle, NY 10802-0030.

Haiti Death Toll: 300,000 Looks Likely

"Haiti death toll could reach 300,000: Preval"
Reuters (February 22, 2010)

"The death toll from last month's devastating earthquake in Haiti could jump to 300,000 people, including the bodies buried under collapsed buildings in the capital, Haitian President Rene Preval said on Sunday...."

From the looks of it, Haiti is going to be an opportunity for the practice of charity for quite a while. The country wasn't in very good condition to begin with, that earthquake killed a terrible fraction of the people, and broke quite a bit of the country's infrastructure. Folks there can use help.

In case you missed it, near the top of this page: A list of charities you've probably heard about already, with links and some contact information:

• "Haiti: About the Earthquake, Relief, and Related Topics"

Also a list of posts in this, and two other blogs, about Haiti.

Haiti - 5 Superdomes of Rubble - Charities

"Rubble from Haiti quake could fill 5 Superdomes"
The Associated Press, via The Miami Herald (January 30, 2010)

"A U.S. official says the rubble remaining from destroyed buildings in Haiti's capital could easily fill to the top five football stadiums the size of New Orleans' Superdome...."

The "U.S. official" seems to be U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Col. Rick Kaiser. And he says that's using "conservative estimates."

Had Enough of the Haiti Disaster? So Have the Haitians

At least, I assume so. I suppose there may be some psychiatrically-challenged person in Haiti, who's sitting in a corner, giggling about all the death and destruction. Or, not.

The point of this post is to

1. Share an interesting factoid
2. Have an excuse to highlight a list of charitable organizations

Well, I've shared the factoid. Now, to highlight the list. You probably saw this at the top of the blog:

A list of charities you've probably heard about already, with links and some contact information:

• "Haiti: About the Earthquake, Relief, and Related Topics"

Also a list of posts in this, and two other blogs, about Haiti.

I know: you've heard it all before. But folks in Haiti will be working their way out of the mess left by the January 12 quake for a long time. They can use help.

Haiti: 150,000 Confirmed Dead, So Far

"Confirmed Death Toll from Haiti Quake Tops 150,000"
The Associated Press, via FOXNews (January 23, 2010)

"The confirmed death toll from Haiti's devastating earthquake has topped 150,000 in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area alone, the communications minister said Sunday, with many more thousands dead around the country or still buried under the rubble.

"Communications minister Marie-Laurence Jocelyn Lassegue told The Associated Press that the figure is based on a body count in the capital and outlying areas by CNE, a state company that has been collecting corpses and burying them in a mass grave north of Port-au-Prince. It does not include other affected cities such as Jacmel, where thousands are believed dead, nor does it account for bodies burned by relatives.

"The United Nations said Saturday the government had confirmed 111,481 bodies; all told, authorities have estimated 200,000 dead from the magnitude-7.0 quake, according to Haitian government figures cited by the European Commission.

" 'Nobody knows how many bodies are buried in the rubble — 200,000, 300,000?' Lassegue said. 'Who knows the overall death toll?'..."

My guess is that the number will keep growing for quite a while.

Obviously, this is a very sad time for Haiti, Haitians, and everyone connected with them.

Related posts:

• "Haiti: 111,000 dead, 8,889,000 Survived"
  (January 23, 2010)
• "Haiti: It Could Be Worse"
  (January 16, 2010)

---

In case you missed it, from the top of this page:

A list of charities you've probably heard about already, with links and some contact information:

• "Haiti: About the Earthquake, Relief, and Related Topics"

Also a list of posts in this, and two other blogs, about Haiti.

Clinton, Bush Lend Names - at Least - to Fundraising Website

"Presidents Bush, Clinton head Haiti fund: 'Just send your cash' "
Bloomberg News, via Chickago Sun-Times (January 17, 20101)

"With former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton at his side at the White House on Saturday, President Obama said his predecessors will lead a humanitarian mission for Haiti's earthquake victims that will reach beyond government efforts and tap the generosity of the public.

" 'Americans have always come together at times of international crises,' Obama said. 'Responding to disaster must be the work of all of us."..."

The two former presidents are involved with another fund-raising unit, a new website: www.clintonbushhaitifund.org.

---

Haven't Supported Haiti Relief Yet? Here's Another Chance

The Lemming doesn't usually quote a whole page - and I didn't this time. Quite.

Here's most of the text from the home page of that new relief fundraising website:

Clinton Bush Haiti Fund

"Support the Earthquake Recovery Efforts in Haiti

"On January 12, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti just outside the capital city of Port-au-Prince. The devastation – in lives lost, property destroyed, and families displaced – is immense.

"At the request of President Obama, we are partnering to help the Haitian people reclaim their country and rebuild their lives.

"Our immediate priority is to save lives. The critical needs in Haiti are great, but they are also simple: food, water, shelter, and first-aid supplies. The best way concerned citizens can help is to donate funds that will go directly to supplying these material needs.

"Through the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, we will work to provide immediate relief and long-term support to earthquake survivors. We will channel the collective goodwill around the globe to help the people of Haiti rebuild their cities, their neighborhoods, and their families.

"We ask each of you to give what you can to help ensure the people of Haiti can build back stronger and better than ever.

"Both of us have personally witnessed the tremendous generosity and goodwill of the American people and of our friends around the world to help in times of great need. There is no greater rallying cry for our common humanity than witnessing our neighbors in distress. And, like any good neighbor, we have an obligation and desire to come to their aid.

"Thank you for taking the time to visit, and we hope you will donate to this worthwhile cause. The people of Haiti now need our assistance more than ever.

"President William J. Clinton
"President George W. Bush"

---

This website's on Twitter:

• cbhaitifund

They're on Facebook, too:

• Clinton Bush Haiti Fund

The Lemming is adding the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund to a list of charities that are raising money to help Haitians.

People are still being pulled out of collapsed buildings in Haiti. Sometimes they're alive. They've got a better chance to stay that way, if relief agencies have money to buy supplies: and the fuel to get the supplies to Haiti. Also heavy construction equipment. Some pieces of rubble are big.

And, although there are independently wealthy philanthropist-construction workers exist, I suppose, the bulldozer operators, doctors, and other people helping Haitians often have bills of their own to pay. Everybody working for free sounds groovy, but here in the real world: things don't work that way.

Haiti needs help.

Help costs money.

---

Related posts, not necessarily in this blog:

• "Haiti: About the Earthquake, Relief, and Related Topics"
• "Haiti: Looting, Lawlessness, and People being Human"
  (January 16, 2010)
• "Haiti Earthquake: It's Not Just Port au Prince"
  (January 16, 2010)
• "Haiti: Voodoo, Pat Robertson, and the Catholic Church"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (January 16, 2010)
• "Americans and Generosity: Just a Thought"
  Another War-on-Terror Blog (January 15, 2010)

Haiti. Red Cross. Twitter. Fundraising. $8 Million. Still Going

"Digital fundraising still pushing Haiti relief"
CNN Tech (January 14, 2010)

"A 48-hour-old fundraising campaign to help Haiti earthquake victims, done solely through text messages, was already stunning Red Cross officials on Thursday when it hit $3 million. By Friday morning, the tally had more than doubled.

"The campaign, made viral on networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, had raised $8 million by Friday, according to a Twitter message from the White House that was reposted on the Red Cross account.

"The campaign leads a spate of online efforts that have allowed people to help victims of the devastating quake.

"The Red Cross campaign's tally would be double the $4 million that was donated to all charities by mobile texts in all of 2009, a spokeswoman said.

"Abi Weaver, spokeswoman for the Red Cross, confirmed that the mobile giving campaign hit the $7 million mark about 11 p.m. Thursday.

" 'It's shattered any record that we've seen with mobile giving before,' Wendy Harman, social media manager for the Red Cross, said Thursday...."

"...'It feels like every person who has a Twitter account has tweeted about it, which is a pretty amazing thing to see,' she said."

I've long suspected that there were a lot of good people out there. Nice to see that suspicion verified.

I'm on Twitter - my handle is Aluwir there - and, although I haven't 'Tweeted' specifically about this Red Cross fundraiser, I've posted quite a lot about Haiti relief this week. So, obviously, have quite a few other folks.

In case you missed it, I've put a link toward the top of this blog: "Haiti: About the Earthquake, Relief, and Related Topics" - that'll get you to a link list of high-profile charity and relief organizations, and a link list of Haiti-related posts in this blog.

That CNN Tech article shows, I think, that the rules are changing - fast - when it comes to how communities are formed, how they work, and what they can do. Exciting!

One related post:

• "Twitter, Haiti and a Global Community"
  (January 14, 2010)

Haiti: About the Earthquake, Relief, and Related Topics

Haiti's in the news - a lot - this week.

For good reason.

That 7.0 earthquake at about 5:00 Haiti time Tuesday, January 12, 2010, made a mess of Port au Prince, Haiti's capital. The rest of the country isn't in particularly good shape, either.

Most importantly, if you're in a position to help Haitians: It's your call, but I think it's a good idea to support legitimate relief efforts. And, if you give money: make sure that the organization you give to is legit.

(A none-too-well-updated list of charities is near the end of this post.)

Posts About Haiti

Now, posts I've written, more-or-less about the situation in Haiti:

• In this blog, Apathetic Lemming of the North:
  • "Lemming Tracks: Haiti, Cholera, and an Oopsie"
    (May 6, 2011
    )
  • "Cholera in Florida: Naples isn't Haiti"
    (November 17, 2010)
  • "Haiti, Cholera, A Thousand Dead, Link to Charities List"
    (November 16, 2010)
  • "Haiti, Cholera: Yes, It's in Port-au-Prince"
    (November 11, 2010)
  • "Haiti, Cholera: It's In the Capital"
    (November 9, 2010)
  • "Haiti: Cholera, Hurricane, But Otherwise in Rough Shape"
    (November 6, 2010)
  • "Haiti: It's Cholera"
    (October 24, 2010)
  • "Haiti: First an Earthquake - Now - Cholera?"
    (October 22, 2010)
  • "Haitians Need Help, Yesterday"
    (July 25, 2010)
  • "Haiti: CNN Statistics and Video"
    (February 13, 2010)
  • "Art in Haiti: Still There, Still Colorful"
    (February 12, 2010)
  • "Haiti - 5 Superdomes of Rubble - Charities"
    (February 1, 2010)
  • "Hope for Haiti: Former Haitian Prime Minister"
    (January 27, 2010)
  • "Haiti: 150,000 Confirmed Dead, So Far"
    (January 24, 2010)
  • "Haiti: 111,000 dead, 8,889,000 Survived"
    (January 23, 2010)
  • "Vigilante Justice isn't Nice: Haiti"
    (January 23, 2010)
  • "Haiti's Earthquake Caused by - You Guessed it - Yankee Imperialists"
    (January 21, 2010)
  • "Haiti Survivors: Human Durability and Staying Calm"
    (January 21, 2010)
  • "Haitian Refugees Turned Away / Illegal Haitian Immigrants Given Amnesty"
    (January 20, 2010)
  • "Clinton, Bush Lend Names - at Least - to Fundraising Website"
    (January 17, 2010)
  • "Haiti: Looting, Lawlessness, and People being Human"
    (January 16, 2010)
  • "Haiti Earthquake: It's Not Just Port au Prince"
    (January 16, 2010)
  • "Lemming Tracks: All Haiti, All the Time?"
    (January 16, 2010)
  • "Haiti: It Could Be Worse"
    (January 16, 2010)
  • "Haiti: Before-and-After Satellite Images Help Send Help Where It's Needed Most"
    (January 16, 2010)
  • "Haiti. Red Cross. Twitter. Fundraising. $8 Million. Still Going"
    (January 15, 2010)
  • "Port au Prince: What's Holding Up the Relief Supplies?"
    (January 15, 2010)
  • "Port au Prince, Haiti: Before and After Satellite Photos"
    (January 15, 2010)
  • "Haiti, a Twitter Hoax or Two, and Giving Wisely"
    (January 14, 2010)
  • "Pat Robertson, the Devil, Haiti, and an Alternate Reality?"
    (January 14, 2010)
  • "Twitter, Haiti and a Global Community"
    (January 14, 2010)
  • "Haiti Quake: International Red Cross Website Helps Haitians Find Loved Ones"
    (January 14, 2010)
  • "Pat Robertson, the Devil, and Helping Haitians Anyway"
    (January 13, 2010)
  • "Twittering From Haiti: RAMhaiti"
    (January 13, 2010)
  • "Haiti Earthquake: A Few News Videos"
    (January 13, 2010)
  • "Haiti: News and How to Help"
    (January 13, 2010)
• In A Catholic Citizen in America
  • "Haiti: Cholera's Bad, But That's Not Their Only Problem"
    (November 4, 2010)
  • "Saving the Planet, Saving Haitians"
    (September 1, 2010)
  • "Haiti, Knights of Columbus, and Kids Without Limbs"
    (August 20, 2010)
  • "Hats Off to New Orleans Parishioners"
    (July 2, 2010)
  • "Archbishop: "Let's Not Forget Haiti" - Works for Me"
    (June 9, 2010)
  • "Haiti, Death Toll & Lent"
    (February 22, 2010)
  • "Haiti's Enu Zizi? Ena Zizi: Any Way You Spell it, She's Quite a Lady"
    (January 20, 2010)
  • "Haitians, God and Faith: Maybe Americans Can Learn Something Here"
    (January 17, 2010)
  • "Haiti Collection's Next Weekend in Our Parish"
    (January 17, 2010)
  • "Haiti: Voodoo, Pat Robertson, and the Catholic Church"
    (January 16, 2010)
  • "Haiti Earthquake: Your Parish May have a Second Collection this Weekend"
    (January 13, 2010)
  • "Haiti: Archbishop Dead; Aftershocks; How to Help"
    (January 13, 2010)
  • "Haiti Earthquake: Send Help if You Can, and Pray for the Folks Living There"
    (January 12, 2010)
• In Another War-on-Terror Blog:
  • "Imperialist American Aggressors Occupy Haiti?"
    (January 19, 2010)
  • "Americans and Generosity: Just a Thought"
    (January 15, 2010)

List of Charities

No guarantees made, or implied: but I think these organizations are a pretty good place to start your search.

---

Update (March 30, 2011)
This list is not kept up to date. Links may no longer be useful.

---

• The usual high-profile outfits:
  • American Red Cross
  • Americares
  • Catholic Relief Services
  • Clinton Bush Haiti Fund
  • Direct Relief International
  • Doctors Without Borders
  • International Medical Corps
  • Medical Teams International
  • The International Committee of the Red Cross
  • International Relief Teams
  • Mercy Corps
  • Operation USA home page
  • The Salvation Army
  • Save the Children
  • Shelterbox
  • World Concern
  • World Food Programme
  • World Vision
  • Yéle Haiti
    • Note:
      • This is a new organization
      • With possible financial & organizational issues
    • See
      • "Wyclef Jean's Yele Haiti charity comes under fire"
        USA Today (January 17, 2010)
• Catholic charities (we help anybody, but these tend to get more support from Catholics)
  • Catholic Relief Services
  • The Archdiocese of Miami
    • http://www.newmiamiarch.org
  • Caritas Internationalis
  • Catholic Relief Services home page
    • By phone 1-800-736-3467
    • Mail to CRS
      P.O. Box 17090
      Baltimore, MD 21203-7090
  • Salesian Missions
    • By phone 1-914-633-8344
    • Mail to Salesian Disaster Relief
      Salesian Missions
      P.O. Box 30
      New Rochelle, NY 10802-0030.

And, there's

• Food For The Poor
  • Food For The Poor
    6401 Lyons Road
    Coconut Creek, FL 33073
  • 1-800-427-9104, Monday-Friday 9 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. EST

That's the important stuff.

Haiti Quake: International Red Cross Website Helps Haitians Find Loved Ones

www.icrc.org/familylinks
Family Links Website
International Committee of the Red Cross
(A server for the URL at the top of the Family Links Website home page, FamilyLinks.icrc.org, was not online at the time this post was written.)

"The aim of the International Committee of the Red Cross FamilyLinks website is to help those separated by conflict or disaster to find information about their loved ones in order to restore contact...."

It's not Just Haiti. The top links on the Family Links Website home page were:

• Haiti earthquake 2010
  For people seeking to restore contact with family members after earthquake in Haiti
  Français
• 15-2-2007 Nepal
  List of missing persons in Nepal in relation to the conflict
• 25-7-2005 Bosnia and Herzegovina
  For persons unaccounted for in connection with the conflict on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Bosniac
• 25-7-2005 Gulf 2003
  For persons affected by the conflict in Iraq
  عربية
• 12-5-2005 Kosovo
  For persons unaccounted for in connection with the crisis in Kosovo /li>
• 25-7-2005 Somalia

The Red Cross website is for Haitians Trying to Find Their Relatives

There's a notice on the Family Links Website home page:

"The information available on the website may be listed in public places or broadcast on the radio to widen distribution to people without Internet access. All information on this website is provided by relatives of persons being sought or by those who register themselves.
"The ICRC cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the personal data"

In other words, it's okay to distribute information you find there.

Actually, it seems like a really good idea to me.

Where'd I find the Family Links Website?

"Red Cross website helps Haitians trace loved ones"
Reuters (January 14, 2010)

"Hundreds of Haitians at home and abroad are trying to get in touch with each other through a website set up after the devastating earthquake, the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Thursday.

"About 1,360 Haitians, mostly in the United States and Canada, registered on the site, www.icrc.org/familylinks, within hours of it going live, ICRC spokesman Marcal Izard said. Most appeared to be searching for relatives in the capital, Port-au-Prince.

" 'They include 148 Haitians in Haiti who registered, saying they were alive,' Izard told Reuters. 'Social media, including Facebook, have played a huge role by making links to our site.'..."

Shortly after I post this, I'll be putting the Family Links Website URL on Twitter. I'm quite sure others have done the same thing. But maybe someone will see mine, who hadn't seen the others yet.

Red Cross people on the ground in Haiti are taking tracing request from folks in Haiti who can't get on the Internet, according to the article.

The Lemming has another post lined up. It's about Twitter and Haiti. But stick around: it's not all Haiti all the time here. I'll try to get one more post out, after that one.