Katrina Blog Relief

Geesh! I didn't know readers who contributed to a charity through a link from here, or were encouraged to do so were suppose to log their contribution.

If anyone wants to log in such a donation so it applies to the overall bloggers fund raising initiative - Scroll way down and you can do so here. In the web log listing, just scroll down to the R's and you'll see RWV. Apparently it's an honor system, so you don't need to donate again to log it in.

My Blog relief post is here.

Update: Walmart is stepping up big:

BENTONVILLE, Ark., Sept. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Following President
Bush's announcement today that former Presidents Bush and Clinton will lead a
nationwide fundraising effort to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina, Wal-
Mart President and CEO Lee Scott contacted President Clinton and the White
House and committed $15 million from Wal-Mart to jump-start the effort.

As part of this commitment, Wal-Mart will establish mini-Wal-Mart stores
in areas impacted by the hurricane.  Items such as clothing, diapers, baby
wipes, food, formula, toothbrushes, bedding and water will be given out free
of charge to those with a demonstrated need.

Wal-Mart previously donated $2 million in cash to aid emergency relief
efforts and has been collecting contributions at its 3,800 stores and CLUBS,
and through its web sites

Comments

[angelaberdine]

Every penny is needed. Everyone who can offer respite for weary travelers. Thank you for this, Dan.

[!]

WOW...That is great !! Way to go Wal Mart. you will not be forgotton !!

[Dman]

great corporate citizenship from Walmart.

What I find unbelieveable is the apparent silence of any meaningful response from NYC...after 911 the Country was very generous in its support for people there....but it does not seem that returning that kindness is something they feel a need to do. NYC, as could other cities around the US be taking in dislocated persons from Katrina and they certainly have to means to just go get them...but prefer to remain silent as people die...very disappointing.

[me]

German news 2 September , translated from german to english
http://www.n-tv.de/574563.html

Bush refuesed help for new orleans from over 20 countries!

Friday, 2 September

2005 Bush leaned many countries first off wants to help The governments of more than 20 countries offered after the hurricane "Katrina" assistance to the USA.

According to data of the State Department in Washington are under it is enough allied like Germany and Japan, in addition, poor countries such as Honduras and the US-CRITICAL government in Venezuela. The US government reacted first rejecting to the offers from the foreign country. "I do not expect much of foreign nations, because we did not asked for it", said president George W. Bush the television station ABC. Perhaps some "cash" would send, but the USA could solve their problems themselves. Later a speaker of the State Department said, the US government wants the offers of help from all world without exception to accept. "we accept to everything that makes, said the difficult, tragic easier situation of humans, who are affected by hurricane Katrina," for Sean McCormack. "it should encourage us that the world hands the hand to the Americans in times of distress." More than two dozen of countries and international organizations would have already announced themselves, and the list becomes once per hour longer, said McCormack. Among other things boats, airplanes, tents, covers, generators and money were offered. For Germany minister of foreign affairs had offered Joschka Fischer to its US colleague Condoleezza Rice assistance. The venezolanische president Hugo Chavez offered among other things what really needs the country according to opinion from observers to to to the USA: low-priced oil Bush had requested Saudi Arabia before to increase its supplies. US-OWN oil production is substantially impaired because of the hurricane. But the State Department did not express itself first to the offer of Chavez, which had called a "cowboy" still on Wednesday Bush, who had failed to the hurricane crisis during the accomplishment. Other countries want to help with physicians, ships, airplanes, tents, covers or cash donations. The US government explained also, probable did not let itself not all offers be realized. Besides the wealthy USA would accept donations of poorer countries reluctantly. The donationses are large actually within the USA. The relief organizations took so far 90 million dollar. However the red cross received according to own data 71.6 million dollar, since the hurricane reached the coast on Monday.

why dont we accept this help offered????

[R Nelson]

great corporate citizenship from Walmart.
Posted by: Dman | Sep 2, 2005 7:42:36 AM

Yeah, right! I'm sure you believe that, I don't. Of course that's what they'd like you to think. Maybe we can thank them for supplying guns and ammo to the looters and other criminals as well. This is a company who refuses to sell certain magazines like Maxim(which doesn't contain nudity BTW)and and only allows the sale of censored CD's. All the time selling guns and ammo, and in this case not securing them so that the looters made off with all of the them. No I'm not an advocate of tighter gun control, I'm an advocate of less hypocrisy. I'm sure with the mega billions they earn, this is another tax write-off to inflate their appearance of goodwill. Try and deal with them on a corporate level and you'll see what snakes they are. Not slamming any store employees, I don't shop there so have no judgment.

[007scarlett]

Well, if anyone has the money to give, it is Wal-Mart. I wonder how they will determine "demonstrated need".

My husband once worked for another very big Walton-owned company. I have seen the good and bad sides of their businesses. Believe me, they will get something in return for their generosity. They always do.

[alabamajazz]

As for the wealthy
I EXPECT people who are well off to contribute. Actors, politicians, millionaires, etc...I EXPECT it of them. If I can contribute on my mere salary then people with money can contribute a whole lot more. Period.

[farmgirl]

This is just another glitsch.
A group of nurses..ready with camper loaded ..wanted to go to louisiana and help the sick ..

they could not reach the Louisiana Board of nurses to get permission...its in Metarie out of New Orleans..

Calls to Baton Rouge and Shreveport hospitals informed them that without Louisiana license they could not function as nurses in Louisiana (which they well were aware of).

So there is no way to contact the Louisiana Board of Nurses..at this time

Go figure..

[crystal]

R. Nelson

Did the company you work for just donate 17 million? NO, didnt think so. So maybe your a little jealous that you work for some sorry company, but i can assure you there are many people out there thankful and greatful for what they have done, especially us here in Louisiana. Also, just so you will know they were not there handing out guns to looters, they actually had a huge loss prevention team there trying to protect that, but when guns where pulled on them they decided to get the hell out of dodge, as I'm sure you would have done to!

[Jack]

The State and the Flood
by Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr.

"No one can escape the influence of a prevailing ideology," wrote Ludwig von Mises, and Gulf Coast residents know precisely what it means to be trapped — ostensibly by a flood but actually by statist policies and ideological commitments that put the government in charge of crisis management and public infrastructure. For what we are seeing in New Orleans and the entire Gulf Coast region is the most egregious example of government failure in the United States since September 11, 2001.

Continues at http://www.mises.org/story/1902

[Mulder]

"We've got small children and sick and elderly people dying every day, small children being raped and killed, people running around with guns -- I'm scared for my life"

-CNN

WTF. The first thing I think to do when I am without water, food or shelter is to start raping small children.

Does anyone else wonder why we heard no reports of rapes after the tsunami? Is this a common fallout of natural disasters or just a US thing?

[WalMartSuks]

Wal-Mart will find a way to make money off of this disaster. They will also take credit for the money their customers donate.

Wal-Mart is a union-busting, anti-labor corporation that denies health insurance to their employees by not allowing them to work full-time.

Fuck Wal-Mart. Those emergency mini-marts will soon turn into full scale stores that will try to take over any rebuilding projects.

[Hydrangea]

Oh yeah wallmarts**ks, that was really nice...exactly what have YOU done to help the victims?

[Dan]

For all the Walmart bashers - they happen to have the best damn price on Golf Balls out of anyone I know ... and that says a lot in MY book!! Not bad on the fishing side of things, too - though I also try and patronize shops with some expertise - both of the above are invaluable commodities to bad golfers and good fisherman!! ; )

[ustt]

can't find the discussion for the Katrina storm so will post my question here:

if we as a country were so broke many of my relatives and friends are having their health benefits cut and the schools don't have books, and the roads are a mess, and we don't have enough people to guard our borders..........

how did $10.5 billion dollars MYSTERIOUSLY MATERIALIZE OUT OF THIN AIR?

do they just print it up when they need it?

i thought we were BROKE?

[Jack]

Re:
how did $10.5 billion dollars MYSTERIOUSLY MATERIALIZE OUT OF THIN AIR?

do they just print it up when they need it?

---
Yes, which tends to raise prices / cost of living. And, tends to reduce the real value of our savings. If we have any.

[clintcarter]

Can't it be both?
1) Bravo for stepping up with big $ and hopefully getting involved in distribution.
2) Not bravo for being one of the most hypocritical, exploitive major companies in the U.S.

[SgtSally]

If I were Wal Mart I wouldn't be too smug.

15 million dollars is about 45 MINUTES operating profit from this company. Their total PROFIT this year are close to 25 BILLION DOLLARS.

This is equivalent (do the math) to a person making $100,000 a year kicking in 50 bucks.

They will make billions from the flood. All that stuff that got ruined .... will be replaced with government and insurance and borrowed money....with new stuff from Wal Mart!

[clintcarter]

Sgt. Sally fortunately most of the new stuff that comes from Wal Mart will have been manufactured and purchased in other countries; leaving idle Americans free to study how best to maximize profit and minimize overhead.

[bhm mom too]

Good for WalMart. Makes me want to shop there instead of Target or other competitors.

[George T.]

Go figure..

Posted by: farmgirl | Sep 2, 2005 10:45:07 AM

Yes, farmgirl, I also have another point of view. I was anxious to meet a relocated family or lady and to spend a little time with them. Give a hug and a McDonald's dinner or so.
But, I had not considered that the relocated people were being secluded. Meaning not accessible to the general population.

Now I can see why everyone needs to be counted and lots of paper work done on each person, but there is a human need also. The human touch is something no one can do without.
I understand the security risk in wanting to keep these people save from a polluted society, but I can not see keeping them in isolation (except for the company of other like victims.)

I have read the local paper which has given a number of places one can send money to, or a list of "acceptable" items various organizations will accept on behalf of the victims.

But unless you are an established volunteer, you are not allowed to visit anyone. You are not able to offer up what little you have and are willing to share. I can understand that items have to be looked over by Oficial People before they are passed out, but how could it hurt for me to meet a lady and give her a hug, and hand her personally some items, and a welcome to the area greeting.
Sanitized humanity.....

So sad to me, and questionable?????