Haiti...

[Two_Sheds]

as for the rest of the world I would like to think they would help. I must admit I am a little sceptical though I hope and pray we never have to find out.

Our children/grandchildren may get to find out, if large areas of the UK disappear under floodwater with climate change

[Two_Sheds]

so called celebrities ... give thier time, big deal, lets see them who are worth millions put thier hands in their pockets

A lot of celebs keep their charitable donations a secret (they don't want the fuss, or to seem to be favouring certain causes over others perhaps).

According to Forbes, Oprah Winfrey gave $52 million to charity in 2008.

Barbra Streisand gave $11 million

Mel Gibson gave $9.9 million

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie gave $8.4 million, Lance Armstrong & Michael Jordan each donated $5 million.

I think it sets a good example. (I know lots of very well-off people who give nothing: not even tax; I feel ashamed & saddened by that)

[lez]

I keep hearing conflicting information reference climate change and it being blamed for a lot including the weather. I remember as a kid having floods and snow. in cornwall they even had an earthquake in the 70's I believe. the flooding just recently in cockermouth should not be a suprise as in the 50's a similar thing happened in Lynton and Lynmouth devon I think. then there was the one last year where it swept down a valley. then new orleans and the list goes on. a lot of places are built on known fault lines and tsunamis pop up time to time (excuse my spelling) the coast is eroding at a rate of knots not only here but all around our coast (quite peturbing really and I hear they will let a lighthouse slip into the sea. I hear them say that climate change is real others say it is just scare mogering. I really don't know what to make of it all.

oh no got to go, OH wants to go to the carpets shop hopefully will be able to pick this up later. thanks for your inteaction Two Sheds and nice corresponding. hopefully catch up later

[zazen999]

What's mostly wrong about ALL disasters is that we know they happen, and yet all the richest nations [who make money out of the poorer nations] never seem to put money aside for these events.

If all the rich nations just put 1% of GDP into a Disaster fund every year; then it could be released immediately following natural disasters like this. If fact; if they took their 'rocket science' funding and put that aside, then what sort of a difference would that make?

[Two_Sheds]

The climate is warming up. The debate is whether it's man-made or natural. But that's for another thread.

[Two_Sheds]

the richest nations [who make money out of the poorer nations] never seem to put money aside for these events.

Whose fault is it that Haiti is so poor, esp. when it's so close to the USA? Why can't the people help themselves? I've typed this as a note to myself, because I'm interested.

I haven't had time to check any sources, but several I've read mention the same things:

- when the slaves gained independence from France in 1804, France punished it by making it pay $21billion compensation to slave owners (in today's money), and kept Haiti in debt to France for the next 80 years.

- France then persuaded Spain and the USA to join it in an economic embargo against Haiti

- Haiti's national bank was plundered on several occasions by US, British, French and German forces.

- in the 50s and 60s, The US tacitly supported the dictator Papa Doc because of Haiti's location close to Fidel Castro's Cuba, for fear that Haiti would also turn communist. Papa Doc stole land from the peasants to give to his militia, as well as murdering 1000s of Haitians. The well-educated fled the country and Haiti never really recovered from this 'brain drain' which led to a serious lack of teachers and doctors.

- his son Baby Doc took over, but fled the country in 1986 for France with the assistance of the Reagan administration

- The almost total deforestation of Haiti has added to the island's problems. In 1923, over 60 per cent of Haiti was covered by lush forests; in 2006, that had fallen to less than two per cent, thanks to the demand for charcoal, the main source of fuel in dirt-poor Port-au-Prince, and land for agriculture.

This has led to soil erosion, desertification and floods

Why is Haiti so poor? A history of the earthquake-hit island | News & Politics | News & Comment | The First Post