Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami

[Mattie]

http://www.redcross.org.uk/japantsunami/?approachcode=68816_googlePAD13JpTs&gclid=CJLy9-OK16cCFUco3woduRGq-A

Please donate..

[JustMe]

Why?. Let me explain as that sounds cruel and it is not meant to be. The earthquake and the following tsunami was a terrible event and one which the normally well prepared Japanese had not expected. Yes I feel for every single person caught up in the disaster who has lost their home, their possessions or worst of all a loved one. But Japan is a wealthy country. Even their government is saying that they only need limited expert help. And I hope that many of those who have suffered financial loss will get compensated by their insurance company or their government.

 

Why did I say Why?. Because at this moment I am certain that there are many people in greater need of our money than the Japanese. Perhaps the poor people caught up in the fighting in Bahrain and Libya. People who have suffered from mud slides in Latin America. people in disputed lands in Africa. Maybe even people in the UK living on the streets because they cannot find a home.

 

Need I go on?. The flood victims in Pakistan. The ordinary people of Afghanistan. The jobless in the North East of England. Drug addicts the world over. Street kids in India. And what has happened to the people hit by the last big tsunami?.

 

So sorry but I will not be donating to any appeal for Japan at the moment.

[as]

I can hardly belief I am reading this!

The last thread started about this subject must have got deleted when I wasn't looking and judging by above comment this one will go the same. Rightly for being deleted because of utterly obnoxious attitudes like the above and wrongly, because a humanitarian crisis should be allowed to be discussed on Shetlink.

 

And a humanitarian crisis it is, JustMe. Do you seriuously belief that the majority of ordinary Japanese people that lost everything ,apart from the clothes on their backs, in this disaster where the well-to-do who could 'afford' to have their lives wiped out? What about the fishing communities living by the sea, much like the ones on Shetland?

 

If a major earthquake hits Iceland or like and triggers a tsunami which totally swallows Shetland (just assuming it would happen) and the rest of the world says:"Ah, Shetland. Oil-rich. They don't need our help, they are all rolling in it."?? Let's turn our backs and walk away and let folk die of thirst, hunger and cold. If your house burns down (Heaven's forbid!), would you not be glad of any assistance and kindness your community offers you? How would you feel if folk around you said:"Ah. JustMe. Well, he had plenty in the bank, more like me for sure. He has a good job and doesn't seem short of cash, surely he doesn't need my help and comfort."(I am assuming all this, as I obviously don't know you. But it is just an example.) How would you feel, left standing in smoking ruins, while your neighbours walk back indoors, leaving you to face the cold alone?

 

Apart from the fact that insurance would not pay out. Act of God. I can't believe a japanese fisherman or farmer scraping a living (a lot of the buildings lost did not seem like substantial structures to me) would have Tsunami insurance, assuming it exists.

 

I am on a pension and scraping along, but I am giving as much as I can afford, and not just to Japan. And WHY? Because those people in need are fellow human beings, that's why! They are not just some folk on the other side of the world I have never met. On day, I might be the person far from them needing help. What comes around, goes around! With your attitude JustMe, I would not want to be in your shoes when it is your turn to suffer. Your post certainly does not sound to me as if you really care, despite your assurances. People the world over suffer. If other folk stopped caring and helping, where would we be?

[Fjool]

The last thread started about this subject must have got deleted when I wasn't looking and judging by above comment this one will go the same. Rightly for being deleted because of utterly obnoxious attitudes like the above and wrongly, because a humanitarian crisis should be allowed to be discussed on Shetlink.

You are absolutely right that this topic is valid for discussion. The last thread was deleted because it degenerated into bickering and had very little to do with the crisis in Japan.

 

This thread will not be deleted if people remain respectful in their discussions.

[JustMe]

Good to see a response from as. And yes this topic should be discussed on Shetlink. If my flat burned down I would expect to claim on my insurance and if Shetland suffered from some great disaster I would expect the Shetland, the Scottish and the UK governments to help and perhaps UK charities to pitch in with any assistance that they could give.

 

My point about the Japanese disaster is that although it is terrible their government and their people can more or less cope with the problems and there are many other people throughout the world who are suffering and who need aid far more than Japan does.

 

And yes I think that if a tsunami caused by a major earthquake in Iceland (or more likely Norway) was to trash Shetland our governments should help us and charitable donations should go to places I mentioned in my previous posting where the need is far greater.

[Guest CyprusPluto]

I think the words from JustMe sound harsh, but in reality they are sensible. Japan is a very wealthy country and the 3rd largest economy in the world.

 

I'm sure everybody's heart goes out to the people affected and the images we see on the news of the tsunami rushing through towns and villages are awesome and scary.

There is a lot of work for the Japanese to do, but they are very capable people and they will manage it with or without the donations of people from the UK.

 

The other countries that have been mentioned by JustMe are countries and peoples that have limited capacity to be able to support themselves in a time of crises and in those cases our hearts go out and our donations are needed.

 

There was no call for donations for the New Zealand earthquake, There was no call in Japan for the victims of the Hull floods nor the Cumbrian massacre and nor should there be; we didn't need it. There are many tragedies of differing degrees all over the world all the time, not all need our help.

[bodaeshus]

Why?. Let me explain as that sounds cruel and it is not meant to be. The earthquake and the following tsunami was a terrible event and one which the normally well prepared Japanese had not expected. Yes I feel for every single person caught up in the disaster who has lost their home, their possessions or worst of all a loved one. But Japan is a wealthy country. Even their government is saying that they only need limited expert help. And I hope that many of those who have suffered financial loss will get compensated by their insurance company or their government.

 

Why did I say Why?. Because at this moment I am certain that there are many people in greater need of our money than the Japanese. Perhaps the poor people caught up in the fighting in Bahrain and Libya. People who have suffered from mud slides in Latin America. people in disputed lands in Africa. Maybe even people in the UK living on the streets because they cannot find a home.

 

Need I go on?. The flood victims in Pakistan. The ordinary people of Afghanistan. The jobless in the North East of England. Drug addicts the world over. Street kids in India. And what has happened to the people hit by the last big tsunami?.

 

So sorry but I will not be donating to any appeal for Japan at the moment.

 

 

So... JUST ME, In your big spiel of nonsense above, you kindly informed anybody whos interested that you will not be donating any money to Japan on the basis that there is plenty more worthwhile causes out there that need 'our' money!

I can only assume by this statement that you are currently donating to all the above mentioned causes as we speak???? Although you seem to have got yourself into a catch 22 type situation as you wouldn't have allowed yourself to donate to previous tsunami or any other previous urgent appeal for the same reasons you have given yourself for japan, as a lot

of the 'greater needs' listed above have been going on for decades.

some of which are self inflicted and man made....

I think we can presume... yet again, you are just playing devils advocate and probably doing little or nothing to aid ANY of the above causes...........

 

Ps.. well said 'AS'

[as]

But is there insurance or compensation for the Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami victims? I am sure my insurance policy does not cover it... seeing the sheer scale of distruction I find it hard to get my head round the idea that the Japanese Gov will make sure everybody is going to be just hunkydory fine. So as long as a disaster like this hits a wealthy country we should just ignore it? Leave them to sort it out? Despite the fact that there might and likely are a lot of folk who most def will not be able to fend for themselves and be abondend, like people in the 12 mile exclusion zone.

Somehow that idea does not sit right with me. I see myself as a citizen of the world and therefore have a responsibility to other folk who might need help, even if I can only offer little. State boundaries seem to matter little, is human suffering not human suffering no matter which country? Anyhow. If the worst came to it, would the UK turn down help from Japan? I don't think so. Or is the concept of a global community just a farce?

[as]

I don't think the Hull floods or Cumbria massacre quite compare to a natural disaster of this magnitude....

[bug]

It's a sad state of affairs when the pro-VE faction (Bert Morrison of Bigton et al) are now attempting to justify the planned man-made desecration of another part of the planet (the Shetland Island's part) on the back of the recent event pertaining in this thread.

 

http://www.shetland-news.co.uk/2011/March/letters/Not%20so%20bad%20after%20all.htm

 

Will the VE windfarm now be redesigned to be earthquake-proof?

[Guest Anonymous]

I have to say i agree with just me, japan is a wealthy country and really don't need our money, what they do need is advise and help with their nuclear reactor problems to help alleviate the immediate crisis.

Having worked in Japan not far from the disaster area i do feel a great deal of sympathy for the folk there, but I also know they don't need our money.

 

There is huge geothermal energy plants in the area and I would be really surprised if the wells have not sustained damage, if that is the case then they will need oil industry help with the supply of land rigs, and all the ancillary equipment and skills, this at a time when the oil industry is suffering a shortage of assets and skilled labour. the price of your gallon of fuel is about to take another massive hike, and some folk want you to hand over your hard earned to help out a country that even after the disaster that has befallen them is still in better financial shape than the country that we are reluctantly (for my part at least) are part of.

 

but the Japanese government and by extension as it is a democracy the Japanese people decided to build a turd load of nuclear reactors in one of the areas of highest seismic risk, if they had built on the west coast there is less seismic activity and less risk, geothermal was a viable alternative for them in the 70s when they built the reactors so in hindsight and some would say pretty bloody obvious from the very start it was not a smart move.

[GT]

I don’t think the Japanese have actually asked for any money have they?

The Red Cross are asking for money but they always do on the back of any natural disaster and most of it will probably go into their general pot.

I remember during the Braer oil spill the RSPB appealed for money worded to give the impression that it was all for Shetland’s oiled birds but in fact most went into the general pot (which I didn’t have a problem with but many did at the time).

[GT]

Will the VE windfarm now be redesigned to be earthquake-proof?

Not much risk of earthquake but those who live in and drive through the windfarm should be worried about life-threatening peatslides.

[Guest CyprusPluto]

I don't think the Hull floods or Cumbria massacre quite compare to a natural disaster of this magnitude....

 

It does to those individuals involved

[Para Handy]

It's a sad state of affairs when the pro-VE faction (Bert Morrison of Bigton et al) are now attempting to justify the planned man-made desecration of another part of the planet (the Shetland Island's part) on the back of the recent event pertaining in this thread.

 

http://www.shetland-news.co.uk/2011/March/letters/Not%20so%20bad%20after%20all.htm

 

Will the VE windfarm now be redesigned to be earthquake-proof?

 

Here, here! Bug

(Bert Morrison)

I did not think the VE pro-brigade could sink any lower

But I got that wrong.

It does prove that even the Prospects of Money Corrupts