CNN: US has released $100,000 for Tsunami victims

[spanone]

Now ain't that something. One hundred thousand dollars. That oughta clean that mess up. We're quite the superpower ain't we?

[Goldmund]

1. It's one McCheeseburger per a dead person.

What do ya want???

[justinsb]

2. Canada sent 1 million yesterday

for short term relief and the govt. is currently putting together a larger package (full details not yet available).

[Spazito]

44. Here is link on the reaction in Canada...

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1104107795299_96/?hub=TopStories

Canada pledges $1 million for earthquake relief
CTV.ca News Staff

The federal government is committing an initial $1 million to earthquake relief aid as Canadians with ties to south and southeast Asia scramble to react to the earthquake and tsunami-related disaster unfolding there.

"As relief organizations are currently assessing the needs on the ground, Canadian officials continue to closely monitor the situation and stand ready to give further humanitarian assistance," Aileen Carroll, Minister of International Co-operation, said Sunday in a news release.

more

[SmokingJacket]

3. Sheeeit. That won't even by you a wine cellar in Greenwich! nt

[StClone]

4. Band Aids two for each survivor

There don't you feel better now let's drop another 20 million into Iraq an hour.

[hatrack]

12. But the Band-Aids will have Purple Hearts on them!

Hyuck-hyuck-hyuck.

This is absolutely shameful. And would anyone like to bet that as we speak, some knuckle-dragger on FR is whining about spending taxpayer on all those furriners?

[Fleshdancer]

5. please tell me this is some sort of sick joke...

Google news says the death toll just topped 23,000. Millions are displaced. What is $100,000 going to accomplish??!!?

[JPace]

6. Cheap, Cheap, Cheap!

If 10,000 were killed that gives $10.00 per family.
My country does shame me at times, this is one of those times.

[nostamj]

over FORTY MILLION for his coronation

and 100K for 23,000+ dead and countless homeless and...

gotta luv repub values!

[Stephanie]

47. Let's challenge the selfish prick to donate his coronation funds

to the victims. Let's demand he do it. How DARE he spend that money to fete himself.

[Lorien]

55. Great idea!

Maybe we should forward this to MoveOn/ sounds like something they could get behind to call attention to REAL GOP "values".

[Stinky The Clown]

52. I am SICKENED (again? still?) by Chimpus Khan

What the fuck does he need with all that coronation money when there are REAL people in dire straights, in REAL need, in REAL peril, in REAL distress.

Fuck you, George Bush. Fuck your coronation, George Bush.

I hope the hole in the end of his dick scabs over and his balls explode.

[Benhurst]

7. "The World's Only Superpower" -- What a pathetic joke. NT

[ChairOne]

8. $5/person, according to the last count I saw...

Or cut that in 1/2, because of administrative costs.... So $2.50/person... Maybe that's a lot of money in that part of the world...

[Career Prole]

9. Freakin' humiliating.

I'm disgusted.

[amazona]

10. in case no one has noticed the U.S. is broke

It is shameful but we're not even feeding and housing our own poor. There is little to no medical care for lower middle class or poor. You can't get blood out of a turnip.*

^*Any resemblance between the Chimp brain and a turnip may not be strictly coincidental.

[American Tragedy]

21. We've *somehow* been draining blood from a turnip for four years

[slor]

11. This is a joke right?

$100,000!?! He is SOOOOO PATHETIC!!!! This is an embarrassment and an outrage!!

[teach1st]

13. Perhaps GW Bush...

...could take the $250,000 inauguration donations and funnel them to the tsunami relief. All of the Bush supporters expecting an ornate coronation would certainly understand - after all, what a great example of compassionate conservatism that would be.

[coreystone]

27. Sacrifice the "coronation celebration"! Give to the poor and needy..

instead of the "fanfare"! Show some Christian moral compassion for your fellow human beings who have undergone such a major catastrophic event.

$100,000!!!

Disgusting!


:argh:

[leesa]

14. Big Deal. What a bunch of cheapskates! I guess we don't give billions

unless Halliburton is assured to pick up the cash.

[American Tragedy]

15. That's the kind of donation you might expect from a third world country

[soothsayer]

16. And I thought the $50k we gave to Cuba was a slight.

(after the hurricane walloped them)

I guess we're just cheap asses. Jeezus...!

[ninkasi]

17. How shameful...

Further proof that * has no conscience and no soul. Relatives of troops killed in Fallujah raised 6 times that amount to take to the Iraqi survivors of that city. Absolutely, positively, one of the most humiliating gestures ever made by the leader of what is supposed to be the most powerful country in the world.

[Withywindle]

18. $100,000!!!????

:wow:



:grr:




Don't tell me, let me guess. It's to be invested in individual private accounts for each homeless, traumatized person.

[indepat]

19. Wonder how many seconds would that run the Iraqi venture?

[Inland]

20. The cost of 19 hours of Iraq occupation, by my math.

But no cost is too great for that particular disaster.

[BlueEyedSon]

28. Your math is wrong... more like 50 seconds.

Pretty sad, huh?

Project Billboard and the Center for American Progress have released a major new analysis of the cost of the Iraq war, detailing exactly how the $144.4 billion pledged to date could have been spent on multiple projects to make America safer at home and stronger abroad. The report, "Opportunity Cost of the Iraq War," coincides with the unveiling of a major new billboard in New York's Times Square. The billboard, which will go live at 11 a.m. today, will feature a constantly updated clock counting the cost of the Iraq war, similar to the former national debt clock. The clock will start at $134.5 billion and increase at a rate of $177 million per day, $7.4 million per hour and $122,820 per minute. The billboard will be featured in a full page ad in the New York Times on Monday, 30 August.

http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=171440

[hatrack]

29. I came up with not quite one minute of Iraqi occupation costs

Current costs are roughly $4 billion a month (this is pretty conservative, by the way).

Divide by 30 = $133,333,333 per day

Divided by 24 = $5,555,555 per hour

Divided by 60 = $92,592.59

So, enough to pay for blowing up and occupying Iraq for about 55 seconds.

[Inland]

34. I defer to your calculation

I used the calculator provided by Microsoft and it is hard to even read, much less use for a number in the billions.

[hatrack]

36. Somehow, I find that VERY believable, given that it's from Microsoft!

:hi:

[gnofg]

22. Haliburton

It will probably be funneled through Haloiburtond and they will get 50% margin on it

[Inland]

23. And its in dollars, too. Not even euros.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

24. Can someone provide a link to an internet news source? n/t

[spanone]

37. Can't find a link. CNN reported just reported it. Not on site yet.

[theycanbiteme]

25. Slap in the face of humanity....

and to think that the imbecile in chief talked about "compassion"
during his Xmas address.

[gratuitous]

26. Gee, a whole hundred grand

Less than one-hundredth of what we spend every day, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays included, on our national defense budget.

Of course, we've got all our funds tied up in conquest right now, so it's a particularly bad time for Asia to be experiencing a natural disaster. Sorry folks. Could you come back around when we're done licking this terrorist thing?

[Minstrel Boy]

30. Russian aid arrives

MOSCOW, December 27 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian emergencies ministry's 2 IL-76 transport aircraft departed for Colombo, Sri Lanka's capital, on Monday morning.

The first plane will deliver humanitarian aid to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami that broke out in South Asia.

"The plane is delivering 110 many-place tents and 2,200 blankets," said the ministry's press service.

The other IL-76 left the Ramenskoye airfield near Moscow at 7.40 a.m.

"A team of rescuers with equipment, including a light Bo-105 helicopter, are flying on board the other plane," said the press service.
http://en.rian.ru/rian/index.cfm?prd_id=160&msg_id=5255803&startrow=1&date=2004-12-27&do_alert=0



Russia Sends 2 Planes, Rescue Helicopter to Sri Lanka Disaster Site

Russia’s Emergency Ministry has sent two planes with humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka, where an earthquake-caused tsunami devastated the south Asian coast Sunday morning, leaving over 15,000 people dead.

The planes are carrying, among other goods, 25 tons of tents, the Itar-Tass news agency quoted Viktor Beltsov, advisor to the minister for emergency situations.

Apart from aid Russia is also sending a BO-105 rescue helicopter and a group of experienced rescuers.
http://www.mosnews.com/news/2004/12/27/srilanka.shtml

[theycanbiteme]

35. Excellent

I also expect the Chinese to make a massive showing of support.
Seriously, this will make them stand out within the world community.
The community that the reich-wingers don't want to participate in.

[ozymandius]

31. I am embarrassed for our government.

As our government has no shame - I'll provide some for it. $100k for the devastation of lives and habitats is an insult after we've spent almost $150billion for the loss of 3,000 lives in 9/11.

[name not needed]

32. $100,000?

We can pony up billions for a clusterfuck of a war, but not even a million for relief efforts for a major catastrophe?

[spanone]

33. Maybe we only give billions to countries we've destroyed.

Not an ounce of compassion in these bastards.

[Selwynn]

38. LINK PLEASE

Don't believe everything that's posted unless there's a link included.

[spanone]

40. This was 'announced' on CNN. Can't find a link yet.

It's too embarrasing to make up.

[Selwynn]

42. I don't start commenting on things where no evidence has been presented

I'm sorry you expect me to take your word for it, but I won't get all riled up until I have a clear source that I can review.

I find it very likely, based on our past actions, and despite our current president, that you have slightly misunderstood what you've heard. I doubt that 100,000$ is ALL the aid we will send. But I'll reserve judgement until I see something concrete.

[spanone]

45. aid

http://www.nj.com/newsflash/washington/index.ssf?/base/politics-5/1104156540109770.xml&storylist=washington

[Bridget Burke]

48. More details in above link--not QUITE so cheap

The economic aid includes $100,000 each that was immediately sent to India, Indonesia, the Maldives and Sri Lanka, and U.S. officials were discussing an additional $4 million contribution to help Red Cross disaster efforts.

So, there were several $100,000 contributions. And we may siphon more through the Red Cross--it's being "discussed" while other countries are rushing forward with help.

Meanwhile, planning for Bush's Inauguration continues. Currently, the estimated cost exceeds $40,000,000. Much will be raised from his contributors (& you know they will be "reimbursed".)

Just to keep things in perspective.

[spanone]

49. The CNN report got it wrong in their initial announcement

still the amount is an embarrassment.

[arwalden]

39. Awww... isn't that nice? Was he holding his pinky up to his mouth?

[Greylyn58]

41. That Is Totally Disgusting

Shrub is spending millions on his coronation, but he sends $100,000 to help people who have lost everything including their lives...

That man is pure evil!!!

:grr:

[coreystone]

43. C-SPAN2 Now! UN UnderSec Gen of Humanitarian Affairs...

"It' not just the 100,000's (?) but the millions of lives,,,"

Not $100,000, but, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS!


:mad:

[durablend]

46. Actually it's $4 million

Still a drop in the bucket compared to the coronation expenses.

[Minstrel Boy]

50. Not exactly. $4 million is "being discussed,"

but the amount sent is more than $100,000:

The economic aid includes $100,000 each that was immediately sent to India, Indonesia, the Maldives and Sri Lanka, and U.S. officials were discussing an additional $4 million contribution to help Red Cross disaster efforts.
http://www.boston.com/dailynews/362/wash/U_S_dispatches_disaster_teams_:.shtml

[Kber]

53. Bit chinzy isn't it? nt

[coreystone]

51. I Stand corrected! :-) Let's pray for all of the fallen and surviving..

victims!

:grouphug: for our fellow humanty!

[nostamj]

54. Powell just announced $14M in 'initial' aid...

press conference on cable now. talking about Ukraine now.

[coreystone]

56. FOX! :-( ...( Colin Powell $400,000 immediate) and ? 10 to 15 mil..

long term!


ON EDIT: THERE seems to some confusion over the exact amounts which the US has currently allocated, and promised. I am sure more "concrete" information will be available soon!

:-)