<p>how to [url=<a href="http://www.google.com/tsunami_relief.html%5Dhelp%5B/url">http://www.google.com/tsunami_relief.html]help[/url</a>]</p>
<p>Hi, does anyone know a way to donate using cash through snail mail? It's been hard to work out the logistics of checks etc.</p>
<p>glowingamy-</p>
<p>I seriously would NOT recommend sending cash through post, it is far too dangerous that it will be intercepted and stolen, especially if it is a rather large sum. I recommend either writing a check (what logistics?) or donating online through a credit card. If neither of those options are available, it's possible to find stores, activists, organizations raising funds in your area. Many of these people will set up booths outside grocery stores and the like, they will take cash donations. In addition, it may be a good idea to find combine donations with someone who is able to write a check and give them the cash. Thanks for your enthusiasm, PM me if you have any questions!</p>
<p>bump bump bump</p>
<p>try buying a money order. as long as the envelope does not get lost( has not happened to me yet) it should work.</p>
<p>I'd like to recommend an organization called Direct Relief (<a href="http://www.directrelief.org%5B/url%5D">www.directrelief.org</a>). Unlike many organizations, including some of those mentioned above, Direct Relief guarantees that any money donated for tsunami relief WILL go to tsunami relief. They will not put any donations earmarked for tsunami relief into their general fund to be spent for other purposes. Many organizations take donations and apply a certain portion to their general fund which can be used for other purposes, including administrative costs that do not directly benefit tsunami victims. They are also very good about explaining EXACTLY how they are using donated money for tsunami relief and have one of the highest ratings of any non-profit. They work with organizations that are already established in affected areas. It is an excellent organization.</p>
<p>In any case, before donating to any of the excellent organizations out there it is important to ask whether all of the money you send will be used for Tsunami relief if that is your intention with a donation.</p>
<p>Thank you for your suggestion, carolyn.</p>
<p>I would like to note, however, that for any of these large organizations mentioned, you have the RIGHT to specify exactly how you would like yoru donation to be used. Sending and email, or a letter, or even making a note on the bottom of your check, you can specify that you want your check to go to either something like ONLY food for the tsunami victims, or ONLY for the tsunami relief in general.</p>
<p>They usually don't liek that so much, since they'd rather be able to choose how to spend the money, but they cannot stop you from doing it.</p>
<p>bump
bump
NOW!!</p>
<p>forgive me, i skipped over all the replies</p>
<p>pebbles: you said that United States allocated 35 million for aid. i take it you mean the government by "United States". why should we donate more? is it our role, in the world. its expected that countries help, but why the 'more'. its not like we dont have a some-trillion dollar deficit (thanks to some president and some war). screw japan and their some-number-greater-than-35 million dollar donations. they are in the freaking ring of fire. they donate a lot, so when disaster strikes, then can expect the same. how many countries lent money to help the US fight the 'Talibans' in the wake of 911, a disaster that struck fear across the country as the tsunami struck fear in southern asia? </p>
<p>hell the US already finances the UN lol. and isnt it true we are lending man-power (marines). </p>
<p>private donations however, is the choice and responsibility of you and i. </p>
<p>in case anyone is wondering, i have pledged $20</p>
<p>the donations from our government was later bumped up to $350 million</p>
<p>If there hadn't been something fundamentally wrong with providing $35 million to a region that has lost billions and billions and hundreds of thousands of lives, why was it upped to 350 mil?</p>
<p>You can't even begin to draw a parallel between 9/11 and a natural disaster of this magnitude. Though 9/11 was a definite tragedy, Americans tend to blow it out of proportion. America had all the money and resources necessary after 9/11 to pay for damages, we weren't crunched at all. In fact, we launched a whole big war pretty soon after, so we surely were not low on money. Besides, insurance covered much of the damages. However, the countries affected by the tsunami are much more economically unstable and absolutely need every bit of help we can offer. They cannot pay for their own repairs, provide burial for the death, or keep the survivors alive. Oh, and Japan certainly does not need to "insure" themselves against a disaster of their own, they are pretty well-off economically also.</p>
<p>Since you bring up the argument of 9/11, I have found a graph that puts the two event into perspective rather well... get ready to scroll...</p>
<p>keep in mind that those are not the most recent death tolls by any means. Sri Lanka is now up to 30,500, and the total has surged past 150,000 (some say it may even double due to disease).</p>
<p>9/11 is not a single event, rather it embodies the whole "war against terrorism". despite whether or not the US will quell terrorism (i highly doubt it), we are spending millions/billions of dollars to end a global threat. Al Quaeda just so happens to be our first target, but i guarantee we will move on other targets worldwide (in Ireland, Russia, etc). regarding this outlook, 9/11 and this terrorist cleansing are quite comparable (i am predicting the future).</p>
<p>with respect to those financially unstable countries, they are what they chose to be. actions and repercussions, is a law of the universe. funding their disaster relief is still not a responsibility of the US. they are their own countries, they should be able to deal with their own problem. we can help, but its because of our own goodwill. we are generous, but in no way is this our duty. </p>
<p>$350 million, skrew the cheney admisitration. how about fixing up our own economy</p>
<p>you think japan could handle a volcanic eruption on its own? what if japan's "silicon valley" was burnt down, think they would be fine?</p>
<p>9/11 is a single event. Tragic, but single event. It has only been made into something more than that by the government in an effort to scare the people into blindly following their leaders. Terrorism is terrorism, and will always exist unless everyone is satisfied with the order of the world... which is really pretty impossible. You can kill the leaders; hell, you can kill them all, but more will only come to replace them if they feel strongly enough about the cause they are fighting for. To REDUCE terrorism, we need to remove the cause, not the people who fight for it; therein lies the evasive solution for which we are hunting. If "we will not negotiate with terrorists", we will need to learn to live with them. That's another discussion for another time, however.</p>
<p>I'm here to encourage personal donations to the natural disaster in Asia, as I have no control over endowments provided by the government (which the countries affected will have to pay back sooner or later, mind you). What I will say about the government is the necessity of global unity. I think we have come to a time in which national, racial, and cultural pride has surpassed our pride in the human race as a whole. It's all well and good to concern yourself with your own country, money, and situation, but if the human race is to endure, we need to extend our hands across borders, oceans, and continents with the simple goal of helping each other. It is only through helping the fallen ones get back onto their feet that we, as a people, will remain standing. It's sad that it takes a tragedy of this magnitude to make us realize that, but it's been really heartening for me to see such a response in the people of the world, and has allowed me to hold onto the hope that it's never too late. Make love, not war, folks, and above all else, stick together :)</p>
<p>"we will need to learn to live with [terrorists]" - im sorry, i realize this should be addressed "another time", but this statement just makes me laugh. </p>
<p>your second paragraph touches me... and i agree. :)</p>
<p>My highschool had a goal of $5000.</p>
<p>We raised $14,360.</p>
<p>Good for you :) We're probably going to shoot for something high, like 20,000, and then see if we can reach it.</p>
<p>(Mods - I know it doesn't relate to college admissions but I would much rather this thread in the admissions forum so that more will see it, thanks)</p>
<p>did you guys hear about the little girl in miami who tried to raise money with her lemonade/cookie stand but was shut down by the town? the town busted up her place* and closed her operation because they said that she did not have a license or something like that</p>
<p><em>slight</em>* exageration
**total</p>
<p>The best thing to do is to invest large amounts of your money into the stocks of the company comtractors of the relief corporations. These things go up so much it's not even funny. Then use the profit you gained to give back to the aid fund. What does this do? Takes money out of the "non-profit" organization and gives it to those who actually need it.</p>
<p>Its very good that we're all so concerned about this and trying to help. I'm going to play devil's advocate here and just try to show you a different perspective. This was a tragedy, but it was not an accident. Those governments in Asia screwed up. There was...what...an hour and a half between the earthquake and the first wave hitting? Have no doubt that that an earthquake of 9.0 magnitude was picked up immediately and each government knew that the threat of a tsunami was present. The fact is that...in poor place like India...the government did not care enough to take quick action and save a bunch of poor villagers. In the high-tourist places like Thailand, the government did not want to risk evacuating their big-money spots should a tsunami not hit. Remember when earlier this year there was the threat of a hurricane flooding New Orleans? It never happened, but the U.S. government immediately took steps to inform the population and urge them to evacuate one of the nation's major cities. In this case, those Asian government took a calculated risk and screwed up. And now they got everyone feeling sorry for them and giving them money. </p>
<p>It kind of ****es me off how these countries like Indonesia raise all this money through tourism and then don't even spend any on tsunami warning systems or on building up their infrastructure because they know that the whole world will come to their aid anyway. Its just sad that innocent people had to be the victims of this.</p>
<p>you fool. you obviously do not watch enough of the news. </p>
<p>US tsunami watch center in hawaii picked up the earthquake in southern asia. they then issued a bulletin saying it was a <em>8.0</em> earthquake and that there was no chance for a tsunami to build. 30 minutes later, they modified the bulletin saying now it was a <em>8.5</em> earthquake and the chance for a tsunami was possible. </p>
<p>souther asia however, did not recieve this information. those countries are too poor to afford tsunami warning buoys and centers. therefore, without such important information, no one thought much of the earthquake. </p>
<p>even as the first killer waves were seen, still no one evacuated. a tsunami was just out of people's minds. plus the waves looked so far away, and distance distorts size. the fastest wave recorded was moving at a rate of apporximately <em>500 miles per hour</em>. once glance and you see movement on the horizon, next time you turned your head, and you were staring at a 12 meter high column of water.</p>
<p>im sure money taken from tourism is spent wisely on other matters, maybe keeping the country together? plus, how often does a tsunami hit the indonesian islands? once a year? and to spend money on warning systems for an event that <em>might</em> occur a few times a year, would be a reckless investment. the point is, indonesia is still poor despite the money that comes in from tourism, and they just cant afford such advance warning systems</p>