Haiti - A disaster in waiting?

[mashman]

Oh Noes!! Not teh UN.

Did you see those idiots on the news the other night? Started unpacking a truckload worth of food, got worried about there being "too many" starving people and that causing a riot, so they re-loaded the truck and took the food back to the warehouse. Which left the starving people rioting over the couple of boxes that got left behind.

Useless.

I've been to a few UN meetings before... didn't really pay too much attention, but the bits i did pick up on where all the politically sensitive points... In one case it was so fuckin trivial that I added my 0.02 to the discussion we were having on the way back to the digs (just driving my aid agency leader). Whether or not i believe this, i'd like to think it's true, but at the next meeting she made an official proposal to the UN to adopt "my" idea... it was accepted by all parties and over the next 2 days, the bridge once again became a peaceful place and people started to get their prefab houses built. That was 2 fuckin days after a discussion that had been going on for over 3 weeks, done, agreed, WTF! Now my idea wasn't exactly a nobel peace prize worthy effort, but none of the "thinkers" around the table UN Mgt/Aid Agency Leaders/Politicial representatives from both warring parties, could come up with anything that would appease the "powers" involved. Anyhoo, i spent the next couple of weeks building the prefabs, without question the most eye opening time of my life... a family of 11, living in a cowshed 2 miles off the main road (took us an hour and a half to get the lorries to their place), animal blood streaming down the ice in preparation for dinner, a man, a wife, his 2 sisters and the 7 kids between them, kids barefoot running around and playing like it was any other normal day (i got to give them teddies and welly boots (felt like a complete and utter fraud considering the gratitude that they oozed))... and that was the first family we went to build for... honestly horrendous to see the fallout that warring countries produce...

Anyway, trip down memory lane over... That thing on the box the other night was utterly disgusting to watch. I can understand why the did it, to a certain extent, but the people where there, in need, right there, fingers on the food... and what a stupid thing to do... drive away... I WON'T think about those that only had a day left in them!

[Mully]

Anyway, we shouldn't be Haiting.

At the least, we should Hait the game, not the playa.

(sorry, couldn't resist)

[peasea]

The following also applies to Cowpoos who commented on the group

Yes sure it not raising money
Poos you say i should get out and walk to raise money. can i ask what your doing to raise the awareness of the plight these poor people are facing. Some people might say that i'm not helping and doing "less than fuck all" then i ask what YOU are doing. I ask you this if i can't afford to help with money who am i to ask others to give there hard earned money when i haven't, kinda sounds hipa-critical don't you think. In the group i've pointed others to the right place should they want to donate.

I WILL NOT steal anything from the neighbour that will only just make me worse than the looters in Haiti

You really don't understand black comedy do you? (And that was even worse.)

Tell you what; I won't have a beer tonight and call THAT my contribution. Fair?

[Dave Lobster]

You really don't understand black comedy do you? (And that was even worse.)

Tell you what; I won't have a beer tonight and call THAT my contribution. Fair?

HA!! I'll have an extra one, and your charity will be wasted

[peasea]

HA!! I'll have an extra one, and your charity will be wasted

Oh well, might as well not bother then; now I'm off to the 4sq for a six pack, screw this generosity lark.

[avgas]

when is wellington falling into the ocean again?

[mashman]

when is wellington falling into the ocean again?

hopefully after i've had my afternoon dump... i don't wanna be found dead with my kex at my ankles and a half formed turd peeking from the jaws of the mighty chocolate starfish.... that and i don't have my swimming shorts either...

[Winston001]

Did you see those idiots on the news the other night? Started unpacking a truckload worth of food, got worried about there being "too many" starving people and that causing a riot, so they re-loaded the truck and took the food back to the warehouse. Which left the starving people rioting over the couple of boxes that got left behind.

What do you suggest the UN people do? Toss everything out on the ground? Let the big guys grab it?

In desperate situations the only way food distribution works are if armed soldiers control it. Last night I saw they were picking out women and the elderly for food because otherwise they were pushed to the back and got nothing.

[mashman]

What do you suggest the UN people do? Toss everything out on the ground? Let the big guys grab it?

In desperate situations the only way food distribution works are if armed soldiers control it. Last night I saw they were picking out women and the elderly for food because otherwise they were pushed to the back and got nothing.

I expect the UN to be prepared for the situation that they're about to walk/drive in to. I mean, who the fuck turns up with trucks of food, only to bottle it because the bullies might get the food. As soon as you turn your back the bullies will get the food!!! I certainly wouldn't have expected them to turn tail and run because the big guys (who might have a family to feed too) might take the food...

Not saying i have a better suggestion, although I reckon, on current evidence, i could do a damned site better job than the UN are at the moment.

[Maha]

Years ago there was a news report out of Joe/berg? Saweto? SA, must have been a quiet day because they showed children scrambling into a rubbish Bin.
They reported 'this is how the local children survive, taking any waste food (waste food?? WTF?) they can find from the many Rubbish Bins on the streets''

Turns out, that the TV Crew had thrown a few coins into the Bin first then started filming.

[Mully]

What do you suggest the UN people do? Toss everything out on the ground? Let the big guys grab it?

Well...

I expect the UN to be prepared for the situation that they're about to walk/drive in to. I mean, who the fuck turns up with trucks of food, only to bottle it because the bullies might get the food. As soon as you turn your back the bullies will get the food!!! I certainly wouldn't have expected them to turn tail and run because the big guys (who might have a family to feed too) might take the food...

that, mainly.

[Winston001]

I expect the UN to be prepared for the situation that they're about to walk/drive in to. I mean, who the fuck turns up with trucks of food, only to bottle it because the bullies might get the food. As soon as you turn your back the bullies will get the food!!! I certainly wouldn't have expected them to turn tail and run because the big guys (who might have a family to feed too) might take the food...

Everyone is a critic......

Civil disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis don't happen on a schedule. They are unexpected, sudden, and devastating. So the response with supplies of aid is equally uncertain. Food may arrive before soldiers, areas of greatest need have to be guessed at, roads are impassable, frankly I wouldn't expect any UN person to die trying to help.

However if the UN just wait until everything is perfect you and I are going to be asking what the delay was for? Can't win.

And tell me, where was the Dominican Republic Army? The Cuban Army? They could have been maintaining law and order and supporting the UN instead of waiting for the US to do everything.

[98tls]

It is a complex and delicate problem. The primal drive to have children is about as fundamental as you can get. Talking about population control is too sensitive at the political level, yet we condemn millions of children to starvation and disease by pretending not to notice they are born.

What can we do? Individually we can talk about it to other people and spread ideas. Nationally and at the UN level, how about tying aid to a requirement that nations work on population control. Admittedly that's damned hard when people are dying at your feet.

Not that complex really or is personal responsibility only applicable in so called developed countries?admittedly being poor probably means shagging is the best bang for your buck but when will they work out that the pain of watching your child starve to death is easily avoided by not having them.Surely feeding your child is just as primal a drive as having one.

[Dave Lobster]

Surely feeding your child is just as primal a drive as having one.

Not if you have squirrels in your head instead of brains. The "we'll just have another one instead" mentally takes over. Look at how many people have a billion children here - that end up in gangs/prison/etc. rather than having one or two that they can give full attention/nutritious meals to.

[98tls]

Not if you have squirrels in your head instead of brains. The "we'll just have another one instead" mentally takes over. Look at how many people have a billion children here - that end up in gangs/prison/etc. rather than having one or two that they can give full attention/nutritious meals to.

Yea but our lot know that they will get a slice of my hard earned to help them out with filling the pokie machines/pissing it up all day and all the other necessities for raising there future welfare cases.Over yonder theve only got a goat to rely on.