The generosity of Americans

[Comrade]

Individual contributions on Amazon.com have now exceeded SEVEN MILLION.

:clap1:

 

[no1tovote4]

Have any of you Moderators thought to sticky this thread?

It would be a shame if we lost it in the netherworld and I forgot to check on the results....


Just a suggestion.

 

[Comrade]

Average contribution is now almost $70 with over 100,000 individual contributors and rising.

The charitable mainstream of America is definately catching on to this portal, and it's total contributions are continuing to accelerate into its first 10 MILLION.

And as depressing it is to see the official death toll also double every day, I am heartened to see such a demostration of generosity from individual Americans to what are otherwise people of inconsequence in the daily routine of our lives.

 

[Comrade]

inspiring progress made by americans rushing to help

In the world of fundraising, Aossey added, the Internet is "the great equalizer."

At Seattle-based Amazon.com, a group of employees decided to do something to help the tsunami victims. So dozens of workers, some of them originally from the affected areas in Asia, toiled through the night to rejigger Amazon.com's Web site. The large posting centered at the top of the site prominently features the American Red Cross symbol and a link for people to donate to the relief effort.

"It definitely came as a groundswell from our employees,'' said Amazon.com spokesman Craig Berman. "As soon as it went up, we started seeing donations kick in. It was virtually instantaneous."

The only other time Amazon.com made a similar posting was after Sept. 11, when it raised more than $6.8 million.

EXCEEDED!

A testament to the power of the Internet over the course of the last few years is that this simple plea for disaster relief in South-East Asia has collected more donations from the average online American than 9-11.

 

[dilloduck]

I sure hope the drug companies are working overtime on vaccines--their gonna need it there big time----I was glad to see them come thru with some big financial donations !!!

 

[NATO AIR]

good

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...us_nm/quake_usa_newyork_dc&cid=1896&ncid=2337

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Revelers in New York's Times Square will observe a moment of silence for the victims of the devastating tsunami that struck southern Asia earlier this week, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Friday.

The silence will be observed at 8:15 p.m. local time, at New Year's Eve festivities where Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) will be the guest of honor.

"We all have to look in the mirror tonight and recognize how lucky we are," Bloomberg told reporters.

Bloomberg urged New Yorkers to be generous in donating to the survivors of the disaster by sharing "what we have with those that don't have as much."

The death toll for the South Asian tsunami is approaching 150,000 and contributions have been pouring in from around the world to aid the estimated 5 million survivors.

On Friday, the United States announced that it was raising its contribution tenfold, to $350 million, bringing global relief pledges by governments to $1.35 billion.

"In my over 20 years in public service ... I've dealt with a number of humanitarian crises, and I've never seen anything like this," Powell said.

 

[NATO AIR]

wow!

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aGKkWTr1ZFd8&refer=us

Exxon Among Companies to Provide $95 Mln in Asia Aid (Update3)
Dec. 30 (Bloomberg) -- Exxon Mobil Corp., Starbucks Corp. and Wall Street investment banks are among companies pledging at least $95 million in cash and supplies to South Asia tsunami victims in a disaster relief effort the United Nations said is one of the largest ever.

Starbucks, the world's biggest coffee-shop chain, said it will donate $2 for every pound of whole-bean Sumatra it sells in the U.S. and four other countries next month. Exxon Mobil and its employees are contributing $5 million. Citigroup Inc., UBS AG, Merrill Lynch & Co. and other financial firms around the world are pledging at least $10 million in disaster relief.

The companies join Amazon.com Inc., Coca-Cola Co., Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and others corporations to provide aid to more than 5 million people in Asia and Africa in need of food and medicine following last weekend's earthquake and tsunamis.

``Whenever we have a disaster, corporations and Americans have stepped up to the plate,'' Red Cross spokeswoman Michelle Hudgins said in an interview today. ``We couldn't do our jobs without them.''

Gates Foundation

Amazon.com, the world's largest Internet retailer, had collected $6.71 million as of 10:21 p.m. New York time from about 101,000 individuals. The donations to the American Red Cross were made through a link on Amazon.com's home page. Coca-Cola, the world's largest soft-drink distributor, said it is donating $10 million and providing bottled water and other emergency supplies in Indonesia, India and Thailand.

The UN said 30 countries have offered $500 million, including $250 million released today by the World Bank, to locate tens of thousands of people still missing, provide shelter and stop the spread of diseases such as cholera. The U.K. raised its aid pledge to $96 million today, the largest of any country.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation offered $3 million, and Microsoft Corp. employees in Indonesia are helping the Red Cross set up a database program to track the missing, dead and injured. Workers in India decided to donate a day's salary to relief efforts, Microsoft spokeswoman Joanna Fuller said in an interview.

Wal-Mart Stores, the world's largest retailer, will contribute $2 million. Later today, the Bentonville, Arkansas- based company will set up collection stations at 3,600 Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores in the U.S., spokesman Dan Fogleman said in an interview.

General Motors

General Electric Co.'s charitable fund donated $1 million to the Red Cross and $100,000 to UNICEF, spokesman David Frail said in an interview. The company is matching employee contributions. Texas Instruments Inc. said it's donating $500,000 to the Red Cross, and Boston Scientific Corp. said it would provide $100,000.

General Motors Corp., the world's largest automaker, said its foundation will donate $1 million to the American Red Cross and match up to $1 million in contributions made by its employees. The company said it also will provide vehicles to help distribute supplies.

Walt Disney Co. said it gave $1 million to the Red Cross. Home Depot Inc., the No. 1 home-improvement chain, will donate $500,000 to the Red Cross. The company's charitable foundation will match each employee contribution up to $1,000.

New York-based Pfizer Inc., the world's largest drugmaker, said yesterday it will donate $35 million in cash and medicines, including its Zithromax, Zyvox and Diflucan anti-infectives. That matches the aid the U.S. government has said it will provide.

Northwest Airlines

Northwest Airlines Corp. will carry up to 200 tons of materials such as medicines, syringes and latex gloves to Singapore for the relief effort, said Jim Friedel, president of Northwest's cargo unit. The first shipment for the Americares disaster-relief group leaves as early as tomorrow, he said.

``The enormity of this disaster has struck us and we want to see everyone help in any way possible,'' Friedel said in an interview. Americares would need to pay $700,000 to $800,000 to lease two Boeing Co. 747 cargo planes to carry 200 tons of supplies to Singapore, he said.

Other U.S. companies that have announced donations include drugmaker Abbott Laboratories, which said it will provide $4 million in funding and prescription drugs and nutritional aid. American Express Co. said it will give $1 million and match employee donations.

Drugmakers

Cisco Systems Inc., whose equipment conducts 70 percent of the world's Internet traffic, said the San Jose, California-based company and its employees are donating at least $2.5 million to relief efforts. PepsiCo Inc. said it has allocated $1 million to relief work in the region.

Merck & Co., the No. 2 U.S. drugmaker, today increased its donation to $3 million, from an initial $250,000, to the American Red Cross and other aid groups, spokeswoman Anita Larsen said. The company will make an additional product donation once it has determined which of its medications are most needed by disaster victims, Larsen said.

Johnson & Johnson said earlier this week it will give $2 million in cash and send packages of supplies, including wound- care and pain-relief products.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., which initially had said it would give $100,000 to the Red Cross, today increased its donation to $1 million, spokesman Brian Henry said. The company is also shipping more than $4 million in medicines, including its Tequin antibiotic, to the region.

``Over the next week, FedEx will be shipping approximately 200,000 pounds of medical supplies from the U.S. to both Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Jakarta, Indonesia,'' on behalf of four relief organizations, spokesman Ed Coleman said yesterday.

European Donations

Wells Fargo & Co., Computer Associates International Inc., First Data Corp., Symbol Technologies Inc., Hospira Inc. and May Department Stores Co. also have announced donations.

Nike Inc., the world's biggest athletic shoemaker, said it will contribute $1 million. The Beaverton, Oregon-based company is estimated to get about 40 percent of its shoes from Thailand and Indonesia.

European companies are also donating.

Inditex SA, the owner of the Zara clothing chain, said it's contributing 1 million euros ($1.36 million) to Caritas, a Spanish charity, to help the victims. Arteixo, Spain-based Inditex said it plans to make additional donations to families who lost their jobs and homes. The retailer buys as much as 90 percent of its children's wear from Asia, mostly from Indian providers.

Bayer, BASF

Canadian companies, including Inco Ltd. and Toronto-Dominion Bank, as well as organizations and governments have promised almost C$55 million ($45.7 million) in aid so far, according to news releases and statements issued in the past four days.

Australia's Qantas Airways Ltd. has offered free travel to volunteer doctors to Colombo from Melbourne, flown medical and charitable supplies free of charge and helped evacuate injured travelers from Phuket, spokesman Michael Abraham said. The airline is also donating A$1 million ($778,600) to UNICEF and other relief organizations.

Siemens AG, Germany's largest engineering company, is collecting donations from employees and matching them with corporate contributions. The Munich-based company, which employs about 3,700 people in Indonesia, said it has raised more than 1 million euros to help rebuild the infrastructure for electricity, telecommunications and water purification.

Bayer AG, Germany's second-biggest drugs and chemicals maker, said in a faxed statement today that it has made 500,000 euros available in money and material donations. BASF AG, the world's biggest maker of chemicals, is giving 1 million euros and will match contributions by its employees through Jan. 31.

Web Companies

In addition to Amazon.com, other Internet businesses, including Google Inc., the most used Web search service, placed links on their sites for people wanting to make contributions.

``They're playing a huge role,'' American Red Cross spokeswoman Kara Bunte said yesterday. ``Corporate partners like Amazon and MTV are coming to us and asking ways they can support our relief efforts.''

Other Web companies, including Yahoo! Inc. and Microsoft's MSN either collected donations or provided links to sites where people could make contributions. Mountain View, California-based Google made a rare exception to its policy of maintaining a Spartan main page by adding a link titled ``Ways to help with tsunami relief'' and giving it prominent display.

Time Warner Inc.'s America Online placed a highlighted link on its welcome page that allows members to make donations, spokesman Nicholas Graham said in an interview. More than $1 million has been donated through its site in the past 48 hours, Graham said this afternoon.

EBay Inc., the largest Internet marketplace, added a link to tsunami disaster relief on its home page. The company enables cash donations to eight charitable organizations linked to its site and allows people to auction items and donate the proceeds or to buy items that benefit one of the listed charities. EBay spokesman Hani Durzy said the company's foundation will make a gift to relief efforts in Asia.

To contact the reporters on this story:
Jesse Westbrook in Washington at [email protected]; Edvard Pettersson in Los Angeles at [email protected]

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Glenn Holdcraft at [email protected].

 

[Adam's Apple]

...they loved it when Clinton was his usual phoney self biting his bottom lip pretending to give a shit, while Bush was actually doing something about getting money to Asia as a soom as it happened

Well said, Bonnie. Bill Clinton never felt anyone's pain ever, not Hillary's, not Chelsea's, not Juanita Broderick's...you get my drift. He was one big phoney baloney, and the Democrats lapped it up because he managed to pull the wool over everyone's eyes and get himself elected President of the United States.

 

[007]

hey send this link to whats his name. then he can insult the american people as well as the government

Oh... you must mean that fatass pile of steaming dog shit, mickey moore.

 

[dilloduck]

Oh... you must mean that fatass pile of steaming dog shit, mickey moore.

Either that or our ami PE

 

[Comrade]

And growing!

That's more than any single government on Earth except for the pledges from America's government itself, and Japans government.


Amazon.com now approaching 15 MILLION. The final total I expect will exceed the SUM TOTAL of ALL Arab nations combined, who made over 10 Billion in oil sales last year.

To the rabble rousers who continue to disparage Americas' role in the world as the most generous nation on Earth:

Americans Open Wallets for Tsunami Relief

18 minutes ago

By DAVID CRARY, AP National Writer

NEW YORK - From antibiotics to clothes to cash — lots of it — U.S.-based relief groups report an overwhelming response from donors moved by the devastation of the Indian Ocean tsunami, with more than $200 million raised as of Tuesday. One charity said online pledges were coming in at the rate of $100,000 an hour.


AP Photo




Latest Headlines:
· U.S. to Double Helicopters in Tsunami Relief to 90
Reuters - 14 minutes ago

· Tsunami Crushes Indonesian Isles, Villages
AP - 16 minutes ago

· Reading Winds, Waves Help Indian Islanders
AP - 17 minutes ago


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Special Coverage





Donors contributing to what one official called a "tidal wave of generosity" ranged from actress Sandra Bullock, who gave $1 million, to 3-year-old Antonio Cabrera, who joined his brothers in dropping off cash-filled sandwich bags at the American Red Cross (news - web sites) office in Denver.


Firm statistics for such relief campaigns are elusive. But charity officials said they expected donations to continue streaming in for weeks to come, putting the tsunami in the company of the Ethiopian famine of the mid-1980s and Central America's Hurricane Mitch of 1998 as the foreign disasters prompting the largest contributions from U.S. citizens.


The private donations are in addition to the $350 million pledged thus far by the U.S. government. Two ex-presidents renowned for their fund-raising prowess — Bill Clinton (news - web sites) and George H.W. Bush — have been recruited to spur more private giving.


The No. 1 recipient, by far, has been the American Red Cross; its pledged tsunami donations as of Tuesday totaled $92 million.


"Something about this disaster has really touched a chord," said Suzanne McCormick, who heads the Red Cross chapter in southern Maine. "In terms of international relief, we have never seen anything on this scale."


Other major recipients included the U.S. Fund for UNICEF (news - web sites) and Doctors Without Borders (news - web sites) USA, with donations of about $20 million apiece; and World Vision, Oxfam America, Catholic Relief Services and Save the Children, each reporting gifts of roughly $15 million from U.S. sources.


Dozens of other agencies also were collecting funds for tsunami relief. A New Jersey council of mosques raised $250,000, the Akron, Pa.-based Mennonite Central Committee $2.5 million.


World Vision set a $50-million goal to help victims of the tsunami, the largest single commitment in its 54-year history.


"This disaster came on in an instant, but it will take years to help survivors rebuild their lives," said World Vision president Richard Stearns. "This tidal wave of generosity will help them rebuild."


Baltimore-based Catholic Relief Services has committed $25 million for relief efforts; spokeswoman Caroline Brennan said her colleagues were confident of raising that sum without dipping into reserves.


"We usually receive $40,000 a month through our Web site, and now we've been receiving $100,000 an hour," she said. "It's overwhelming. We're enormously grateful."


Doctors Without Borders USA, a branch of Medecins Sans Frontieres, has advised its supporters that it has raised enough to meet immediate needs related to the tsunami and urged donors to give to its other programs.


"We can't accept any more restricted donations at this time," said spokeswoman Kris Torgerson. "But we very much appreciate unrestricted donations to meet needs in Southeast Asia and elsewhere that are not in the immediate spotlight."


Numerous U.S. corporations have made large donations — including $10 million last week from Coca-Cola and $5 million Tuesday from Midland, Mich.-based Dow Chemical Co. The Connecticut-based relief group AmeriCares received $500,000 from The New York Stock Exchange (news - web sites) Foundation.


Major drug companies such as Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and Bristol-Myers Squibb have been giving not only cash but also antibiotics, bandages, pain relievers, syringes and other supplies.


Celebrities also are pitching in. Bullock gave $1 million to the Red Cross, while Leonardo DiCaprio, who filmed "The Beach" on a Thai island in the tsunami zone, set up a link on his Web site for relief donations. Singer Willie Nelson agreed to headline a benefit concert Sunday in Austin, Texas.


In Ohio, the majority owner of the Cincinnati Reds, Carl Linder, and his son, Carl Linder III, provided $200,000 for a flight carrying 60,000 pounds of antibiotics, food and water for tsunami victims in India and Sri Lanka.

In Fargo, N.D., which was hit by the Red River flood in 1997, city officials agreed to give $10,000 of taxpayer money to tsunami relief.

"As I think back to the flood. ... and the amount of assistance we received from so many people and communities, I feel compelled to reciprocate," Mayor Bruce Furness wrote in a letter to city commissioners.

In Chattanooga, Tenn., some errant motorists were given extra incentive to donate — Municipal Court Judge Russell Bean is letting them give $100 to tsunami relief rather than pay a traffic fine.

"I don't want to force this on them," Bean said. "But I thought this would be a good way for people to make a difference."

 

[freeandfun1]

I heard some democrat on tv this am saying that since the US government wasn't giving more, it looked bad for the USA. I kept screaming at the TV, what is the difference (other than control of the money, which is probably the reason they are so upset) if Americans give it directly or if they give it to the government in the form of taxes and then the government gives it?

If we give it to the the government, they will likely lop off a 40 - 50% before it is passed on so I say screw'em. Americans are giving more than enough.

Can you believe that China only gave $60 million as did France? Saudi Arabia only gave a measly $10 million.

 

[Comrade]

Is Russia even giving one red cent?

 

[Comrade]

Just remember, you heard it here first, folks!

http://www.techcentralstation.com/010405G.html

Amazonian Compassion

By Jackson Kuhl and Nick Schulz

Has the US been stingy in its response to the tsunami disaster in Asia? Depends on whom you ask. Some people at the United Nations think so. Other people, like the Hudson Institute's Carol Adelman, writing in the New York Times, think government aid isn't the only barometer of a country's compassion. She says we should consider private donations as well.


At TCS, we'd like to propose consideration of another standard of compassion: Amazonian compassion.



Shortly after the disaster, Amazon.com made its websites available for individuals to give donations to help with tsunami relief. Below you'll find amounts given by the residents of several different nations (as of 10:30 a.m. EST, January 4) to that country's Red Cross as well as approximate per capita donations.



After the American government was vilified for proposing $35 million in disaster relief, it upped its contribution to $350 million. But governments aren't the only possible donors. Individuals around the world, aided by technologies like those fine-tuned by Amazon, can make contributions quickly and easily. See below if your fellow citizens are giving enough, relative to other countries around the world. Perhaps pointing out the relative stinginess of the citizens of some nations will prompt them to give more.



USA: http://www.amazon.com/

http://s1.amazon.com/exec/varzea/ts/my-pay-page/PX3BEL97U9A4I/104-4679654-9766331

Total collected: $13,910,657.00

Number of donations: 171,710

Population of USA: 293,027,571

Approximate per capita donation to RC thru Amazon: $0.0475



Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/

http://s1.amazon.com/paypage/P1K4EVLBRBZ771/104-4679654-9766331

Total collected: $62,579.82

Number of donations: 1,023

Population of Canada: 32,507,874

Approximate per capita donation to RC thru Amazon: $0.0019



United Kingdom: http://www.amazon.co.uk/

http://s1.amazon.com/exec/varzea/ts/my-pay-page/P3RDR40PV9HS5E/104-4679654-9766331

Total collected: $391,910.39

Number of donations: 7,611

Population of United Kingdom: 60,270,708

Approximate per capita donation to RC thru Amazon: $0.0065



Germany: http://www.amazon.de/

http://s1.amazon.com/exec/varzea/ts/my-pay-page/P3USRMAJ8GVL0F/104-4679654-9766331

Total collected: $170,477.00

Number of donations: 3,427

Population of Germany: 82,424,609

Approximate per capita donation to RC thru Amazon: $0.0021



France: http://www.amazon.fr/

http://s1.amazon.com/exec/varzea/ts/my-pay-page/PMS8ISE6626LD/104-4679654-9766331

Total collected: $29,161.50

Number of donations: 795

Population of France: 60,424,213

Approximate per capita donation to RC thru Amazon: $0.0005



Japan: http://www.amazon.co.jp/

http://s1.amazon.com/exec/varzea/ts/my-pay-page/P3C9345RXUJQOM/104-4679654-9766331

Total collected: $87,818.00

Number of donations: 2,488

Population of Japan: 127,333,002

Approximate per capita donation to RC thru Amazon: $0.0007



China: http://www.joyo.com/

No donation opportunity apparent on the main index page.

 

[freeandfun1]

Just remember, you heard it here first, folks!

http://www.techcentralstation.com/010405G.html

Heard what first? And how/where did USMB thread hit the MSM? Are you the author of the piece?

 

[Comrade]

Heard what first? And how/where did USMB thread hit the MSM? Are you the author of the piece?

No I wasn't. What I am referring to is the Amazon.com portal for donations that grew from the start of this thread from counting the first million to it's sum total today.

We discussed the importance of this a few days before Drudge and then the MSM mentioned it as it approached 10 Million!

This is demonstrative of the Internets' ability to drive the main stream media. If I credited the USMB it's only becuase our thread also beat out Instapundit and LGF as well!

 

[freeandfun1]

No I wasn't. What I am referring to is the Amazon.com portal for donations that grew from the start of this thread from counting the first million to it's sum total today.

We discussed the importance of this a few days before Drudge and then the MSM mentioned it as it approached 10 Million!

This is demonstrative of the Internets' ability to drive the main stream media. If I credited the USMB it's only becuase our thread also beat out Instapundit and LGF as well!

I got ya. We were also on top of "Rathergate" too; remember?

 

[Comrade]

Here's some news from the Islamic Leader of the World!

Quoting myself from the initial post

(Hey all you oil rich Muslims, how about poneying up for your own?)

The royal family is pleased to announce they will not pocket an additional 20 million of their countrys' black gold and instead donate it to a suitable Islamic charity, becuase after all, all those orphans need to learn the Koran in a strict environment of absolute fundamentalism... that is, those who live after the West feeds and houses them.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=sto...04/wl_mideast_afp/asiaquakeaidsaudi&printer=1

Saudi triples aid for victims of Asian tsunamis

Tue Jan 4, 3:37 PM ET
RIYADH (AFP) - Saudi Arabia announced that it was increasing its aid to victims of the Asian tsunami disaster to 30 million dollars and would organize a telethon to raise more funds.


AFP/HO/File Photo




Latest Headlines:
· Thai teams pump out lake in grim search for more tsunami victims
AFP - 24 minutes ago

· Sweden Fears Worst as First Tsunami Dead Come Home
Reuters - 27 minutes ago

· Tsunami brings chance for appeasement in Sri Lanka
AFP - 27 minutes ago


Special Coverage
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RSS:






Given that the scale of the disaster and damage "has surpassed all expectations, royal orders have been issued to increase Saudi Arabia's aid to the victims from 10 million dollars to 30 million dollars," the official SPA news agency reported.


SPA reported earlier that King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, whose oil-rich country initially pledged 10 million dollars in emergency funds for the victims, had ordered a telethon to be staged by state television on Thursday.


The death toll from the massive December 26 earthquake and resulting tidal waves around the Indian Ocean neared 146,000 Tuesday, more than 94,000 of them in Muslim-majority Indonesia.

Do you hear that, Saudi Arabia has ordered a telethon folks! In a Christian society, these things happen naturally but you know how quirky the Muslim faith can be.

In our society charity is an act of kindness, not a state mandated event, no?


Any thoughts on this from the board?

 

[nosarcasm]

I d like to point out the generosity of the Germans with 674 millions in donations. The fact that a lot of German tourists visit Thailand might have helped the drive.

 

[dilloduck]

I d like to point out the generosity of the Germans with 674 millions in donations. The fact that a lot of German tourists visit Thailand might have helped the drive.

Yup--leading the pack so far !! you should be proud !