Japan--giving, helping

[golden]

The question came up in chat as to what Japan is or is not able to receive just yet in terms of aid. So as we get more information, why don't we post it here?

This New York Times discussion is the first mainstream news article I've seen on this topic:

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate...roups-in-japan

Here's a link to a piece in The Nation detailing what organizations are sending aid; these could use financial support, although it's not clear that any gifts they receive will be earmarked (and I'm against earmarking, personally):

http://www.thenation.com/blog/159222/how-help-japan

Maybe some Japan-specific relief funds will be established in the coming days and weeks. It seems like most of their problems, in terms of direct aid to survivors, are currently infrastructural and not related to money per se.

[discojoe]

They don't need money at all.

[Beautiful sky]

They need hope and a prayer for a miracle that those rods don't melt down. I should say having a nuclear disaster.

[discojoe]

Lol, melting rods.

[Beautiful sky]

Lol, melting rods.

whatever, you know what I mean.

[Suz]

They need hope and a prayer for a miracle that those rods don't melt down.

u got that right. I'm praying really hard!

[Beautiful sky]

u got that right. I'm praying really hard!

Me too. I really feel terrible for these people. It's heartbreaking, terrifying and brutal.

[Suz]

Me too. I really feel terrible for these people. It's heartbreaking, terrifying and brutal.

I had a nightmare about it last night. Really scary!!

[golden]

They don't need money at all.

Although this may be true, for people inclined to give, I do agree that donating some money to an organization that has people on the ground is the best approach.

[Beautiful sky]

They don't need money. Throwing money at institutions that have limited access to necessities isn't going to help. It's like having a stash of gold without having anything to exchange it for. What good does it do if you add to that stash with more gold, if you can't get food for it. You can't eat gold. Japan has the financial resources to support their own disaster. They need to get help or a miracle to solve this nuclear situation.

[golden]

To be honest, I have followed every twist and turn of this unfolding set of disasters in two languages, so I don't need to be preached at or corrected as if I am totally naive.

I made this thread because yesterday in chat, someone was upset at not being able to send something to Japan. My argument was (a) there is no infrastructure in place for getting things (mailed from abroad) to anyone, even if they need them, and (b) the scale of the problems is way huge at the moment, and people in Japan, in cooperation with multinational rescue efforts, are currently managing things as best they can and there's not much we can do about it as individuals.

My prayer goes like this: Dear God, you really effed up in Japan. Please fix it ASAP. Oh, you mean you can't bring back to life the probable 40K dead people. Damn.

I'm not trying to be difficult here, btw. Pray all you want, if it makes you feel better. Maybe there's some point to it for those who believe in it.

[Beautiful sky]

My prayer goes like this: Dear God, you really effed up in Japan. Please fix it ASAP. Oh, you mean you can't bring back to life the probable 40K dead people. Damn.

I'm not trying to be difficult here, btw. Pray all you want, if it makes you feel better. Maybe there's some point to it for those who believe in it.

That's part of the point to Fi otherwise we couldn't help in any real physical way and we know it.

[tereg]

My prayer goes like this: Dear God, you really effed up in Japan. Please fix it ASAP. Oh, you mean you can't bring back to life the probable 40K dead people. Damn.

I'm not trying to be difficult here, btw. Pray all you want, if it makes you feel better. Maybe there's some point to it for those who believe in it.

That's part of the point to Fi otherwise we couldn't help in any real physical way and we know it.

Then I'm glad I'm not Fi-valuing. The point of praying FOR someone else is to make yourself feel better. Nice.

Yes. It's subjective internal emotions. What are you going to do....send money?

They don't need money. Throwing money at institutions that have limited access to necessities isn't going to help. It's like having a stash of gold without having anything to exchange it for. What good does it do if you add to that stash with more gold, if you can't get food for it. You can't eat gold. Japan has the financial resources to support their own disaster. They need to get help or a miracle to solve this nuclear situation.

Just making sure this is on the record.

I sort of understand what you're trying to say, however, I find it appalling that you would have such a flippant attitude about Japan having their own resources to support the disaster. And even if they could support it, that obviously doesn't stop you from feeling compelled to help in some way. There are tangible ways to help, and there are plenty of problems in the world that can use assistance.

[Suz]

Just making sure this is on the record.

I sort of understand what you're trying to say, however, I find it appalling that you would have such a flippant attitude about Japan having their own resources to support the disaster. And even if they could support it, that obviously doesn't stop you from feeling compelled to help in some way. There are tangible ways to help, and there are plenty of problems in the world that can use assistance.

I disagree with the ppl saying dont send money. I think Japan could use all the resources it can get right now. Hundreds of thousands of people are homeless, with no home to return to, even once everything is stabilized. Can you imagine, that with that in the back of their minds, right now people there are worried they might get fried by a nuclear disaster or Japan completely swallowed up by the sea at any moment by a mega-earthquake? Being homeless is the least of their worries right now, but once those worries pass, it will be reality.

[ashlesha]

thanks golden and korpsey

[discojoe]

The absolute worst part of this disaster isn't the thousands of dead and homeless Japanese people, it's the indefinite freeze placed on the publication of manga and the broadcasting of anime.

Bring the Japs back to life and fix their Chernobyl reactor so I can get my One Piece.

[stray]

If you're not kidding about wanting to smash rocks with a sledgehammer, then.. get that taken care of. Maybe an herbal tea will help. There are better things to get worked up about than people giving to charity. lol. Nor is it cool to project your prejudices. You don't know anything about people, unless you get a chance to really observe them for awhile. I could compare you to some smug churchlady if I wanted to as well.. just going off the little information I have. They engage in this kind of busybodying all of the time.. blah blah blah.. so and so does this.. so and so does that.. getting in a huff about everyone else. I don't know you, but quit that shit. It's beneath you. It's beneath anyone. Go find a real problem. Like Japan. Maybe you should donate. Ho ho.

[Creepy-bg]

If you're not kidding about wanting to smash rocks with a sledgehammer, then.. get that taken care of. Maybe an herbal tea will help.

fuck herbal tea. go smash some rocks with a sledgehammer.

[stray]

fuck herbal tea. go smash some rocks with a sledgehammer.

Cool enough. I was just giving lucid a shortcut if he wanted to tire himself/herself out. There's all kinds of flavors these days too. Not sure how it's so bad. Then again, I'm talking to people who complain about charity. This is like talking to the kid who likes Bizarro more than Superman. Of course, he's not going to go for the tea.

[stray]

I did like Bizarro as a kid http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bizarro_%28comic_strip%29

at any rate I do feel bad for the people who suffered in the disaster, I just saw an opportunity to rant out my frustration and took it. Self-righteousness is a very ugly thing though, that remains constant in my mind, I have great appreciation for the unspoken people who just do what they think is right without needed to have their egos fluffed... but you know largely I can't judge everyones motives donating, like I said, I just needed to fucking rant

Fair enough. I understand what you mean there. Even if some people pat themselves on the back though, I guess I'm more on the side of indifference. Probably more than half of the time, the places they donate to are still going to help someone.

[717495]

Hello.

[golden]

So--again without taking any particular personal stance on the matter--here is a link to an article that argues one way to help the Japanese is to not buy up the pills they need more badly than we do, as the supply is not endless. (I've heard that this stuff can be harmful if you do NOT need it but am not too informed on potassium iodide.)

http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_rel...t-in-line.html