Petition for China Earthquake
 

I saw this in Maki's siggy... and I thought its a great thread!! So here's the deal...

Official Forum's Thread - Petition for China Earthquake

the OP's aim is to have a petition, for Outspark to host an event to raise money for the 12th May 2008 Earthquake victims in China. (Similar to Earth Day Event)

Statistics:
Magnitude - 8.0
Almost 70,000 confirmed dead
370,000+ injured
18,000+ still missing
At least 5 million people left without a home
Property damage lost estimated to be US$20 Million.

Picture says a thousand word... so here it is... (i've picked the not so gruesome ones)

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/7...hquake5rw0.png

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/6...hquake2vs4.png
Survivers running to safety...

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/7...hquake6on9.png
Earthquake has shattered most, if not all main roads, making it hard for backup resources to be transported

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/6...hquake7np8.png
Survivers left homeless for an indefinite amount of time...



This may have happened 2 months ago, but in a few seconds, this earthquake has destroyed decades worth of buildings, community, city's infrastructure... The victims will continuously need all the help they need for years to follow...

I hope Outspark would consider the OP's suggestion, as every bit we do will help...

It's kind of sad how I don't hear much about it on the news now. Especially when the olympics (which really shouldn't happen IMO) is around the corner.

Yeah, people here hardly talked about it.. but I know in HK they ran a 20 hr straight event... no commercial, all the celebrities came out and sing/talk/perform to raise money for Sichuan... some of then even went to the actual place to help for a week...

I think the Olympic may bring their spirit up... something to be proud of as a Chinese....

I'm given the impression that many of the towns are in good spirit dispite the disaster... but they get their good spirit from knowing that people around the world is giving every bit of our effort to help them through...

Yeah well wat I've heard is...

Dispite some of them hving to sleep in a gym.. SOME of the better recovery sites, the people get tents...

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/1...hquake4jn3.png

Eventhough everything is bare, and basic, they appreciate every blanket, pen, paper, that they receive.. things that we pick up and take for granted...

so instead of dwelling on the sad stuff, they embrace wat they've got now, and try make the best of wat they've got.. which is important... every bit of help we give them, amplifies when they take it on with appreciation...

I don't see how they plan to shrug off the problems they've been having in time for the Olympics.


Especially when it seems like noones looking at the people who suffered in the natural disasters anymore (media)


Infrastructure and vital buildings/bodys of water were damaged or rendered unusable but still there's so many people living homeless, some only with the bare essentials. Others may not even have that.

The olympics is a form of celebration. I don't see how they can celebrate when so many are homeless and many more grieving for their lost families.

If they have enough money to embed each and every medal with jade. I think they have more than enough to help those families in need. :hulksmash:

Well, it takes 4 years to get an olympics ready... I'm sure they couldn't revive the money they spent on the olympics for disaster recovery....

Plus... does that mean another country should hold the olympics? no other country will be ready for that in 3 months time... or cancel it altogether? Then that's unfair to all those atheletes that trained so hard for 4 years...

I would've thought that the victims would not want this national proud event to be moved/cancelled for something's that's no one's fault...

well that's what I hope they'll think anyway... I've seen many of their proud faces when the torch went through the country...

Eh. FF basically just did a 1-month necro on that thread. But whatever. Maybe it'll bring the issue to the forefront again...

Of course, they're not going to. Who knows how long the problems facing that region are going to be solved? Chinese corruption is a deeply entrenched cultural as well as a political issue and those simply don't go away because the government (or the people) will it.

And of course, the Chinese government's remedy to the situation is to cover it up. TBH, the Chinese government in this catastrophe has already shown to be more open with the public about toll numbers and the exact extent of the damage compared with past catastrophes (bird flu, anyone?). But the Chinese government just won't allow news of this catastrophe or others (Curse of the Fuwa) to interuppt what it sees as a demonstration of a new China.

To be fair, it's not as if the Olympics were planned to coincide with this.

Yeah sorry i didnt look at the timestamp LOL!! is there a rule that says no necroing on official too?

No.

So we're good.

Except one person noticed it was a "Zombie thread."

But whatev.

So I guess the actual Outspark donation thing is long-past revival?


It would have meshed well with the Dragon Pack Promotion or something.

Thats good...

There's actually a lot of inspiriational stories coming from this disaster...

OMG I just found these comics on the earthquake..

These comics derived from true stories, I've heard it all on my HK channel...

http://earthquakestrips.blogspot.com/

The Strips are on the right, numbered 1 to 12.



Yeah I noticed that he OP stopped updated the list a month ago.. i just PMed him, hoping he'll keep doing it..

Being displaced like that is a right and total bitch. I was out of doors in a Red Cross shelter for about two months back during Hurricane Rita (2005, shortly after Katrina). By the time we decided we should probably leave, the closest place we could find room was about 400 miles (627 km) away. Due to the traffic, it took us nearly 20 hours to get there. Ah well. C'est la vie, non?

The media seems to move so quick these days @.@ I mean, years later, the media still dwells over things like that little John Bennet Ramsey or Princess Diana. The "war" in Iraq, who wore what on the Oscars the night before. But then theres stuff like this going on, effecting regular everyday people.

^That's actually not a coincidence.

Hard to do stories over it when the government is preventing reporters or news agencies to get close enough to do one.

I loved how China rushed aid to US when Katrina hit while Bush is still scrambling around... and how US is busy China-bashing like how they've Japan/Taiwan/Korea/etc. bashed when their economy was surging in the past. I guess people like Jack Cafferty is too busy worrying about lead poison from the "goons and thugs" to care about their suffering! Btw... to Hessah about the spirits... yeah it's an impressive sight... to see the unity in people... I duno how to describe it but whether it be the Olympics or the earthquake my heart felt warmed seeing all the people with one determined will...

The Olympics has been a highly anticipated event in China, and it is also a matter of national pride to see it through in as exotic a manner as possible in an attempt to woo the rest of the world. It's an event for it to show off whatever it's got - backing out wouldn't even be considered.

I've noticed that CCTV news today come in this sequence: speech by senior party officials; updates on the disaster relief effort; updates on the preparations for the Olympics. Very little world news, if at all. Several times this was followed by specials on the earthquake's survivors and select moving stories. All the time, a ticker scrolls at the bottom showing updates on the disaster and relief effort statistics and the Olympics (I last saw one saying 53bn RMB of funds in total with over 30bn RMB already distributed). Within the country, this is certainly a widely publicised incident, with coverage on TV plus lots of huge posters on 5.12. I've also heard of an additional Party fee collected to fund for disaster relief. But the Party's approach to international aid seems to be to accept aid with no strings attached and not beg for more.

The people directly affected by the earthquake have their lives irreversibly changed and there is little that can be done to remove their sorrow and or misery. In terms of monetary and material relief, what could have been done had been done. Which country could have done better?

The earthquake was felt by so many people across the country and when the buildings shook, all of them experienced fear. Afterwards, everyone donated money to disaster aid; some more, some less. What more can one ask of them?

China already had its share of mishaps this year with the earthquake and the floods. To let the Olympics be affected would just drown the people in their own misery. Frankly though, the whole thing is just hype. Olympics is just something for the people to be proud of when China wins medals.

What idealistic views. Even though the operator of China is called the Chinese Communist Party, they don't go around redistributing wealth. See it as the Party of Chinese-Communists rather than the Chinese Party of Communists. Social welfare is rather vague. An event such as the Olympics is known to bring about foreign attention, business investments, forced development, tourism, broadcasting rights, and all that equal wealth! Running the Olympics is a delicate issue. Celebration is like a meaningless mascot to me.

All true. The first won't happen in my lifetime. The second, well - who doesn't do cover-ups? It's just a matter of how much is covered up. I'm pretty sure the Party tried to fend off aggressive foreign humanitarian aid inputs, and on the international stage it appears to be quiet about the issue, and the reason can only be that it doesn't want all this unwanted attention. After all, nothing in this world comes free, aid included. I was frequently asked whether I heard of the earthquake outside the country. This gave me the impression that public announcements made no mention of foreign involvement, so these people are wondering if these other countries know about the earthquake.

Outspark will try to make a bundle of money out of everything, wow. The last time they used Planting 10,000 Trees to promote their CS items, I found that it only costs a 3-digit sum of money to do so, from the link that was given as the organisation that carries out the planting.

Interestingly, I heard this. Russia, upon hearing of the earthquake, swiftly sent in planes carrying aid relief goods. The US pondered, and decided to ask first whether it could send in relief. The Chinese Premier hinted that he'd appreciate it if only the US could stop meddling with the Taiwan issue.

Basically, if you have the money to spare, donate by all means. If not, just go away or shut up and watch. That's the feeling I get.

Seems to me like the media hardly covered the earthquake... Which is sad. I'd "sign" it but I don't think I'd make a difference... :cries:

Srsly... ;_; At least, not in China. Much too late now though.

Nice post.

I have a similar impression. But I dont think it's the problem of no mention of foreign involvement, its... no mention at all about china earthquake in foreign media. Well at least in Australia, i've hardly heard about it. Apart from that some celebrity (i 4got her name) said that the earthquake is "karma"....

a 3 digit sum is better than no digit =D I'm sure every bit helps....



Did you read those comics? Are they awesome... I cant get over how well done they are...

A good performance at the Olympics will raise the morale of the people. And if your comment is the result of anything other than thinking along the lines of undermining the Olympics in order to grieve for the earthquake-affected people, such is the very reason many people still treat foreigners with both curiosity and spite.

What kinda media is there in Australia? You should move on to some news channel that reports on world affairs rather than local issues. And, what a misguided soul the aforementioned celebrity is! What have the ordinary people done? For thousands of years they have always been the victims of the changing political landscape of that part of Asia.

I was talking about how the Chinese government treats the the citizens of China and the lack of human-rights. (Not to mention the Tibetan crisis.)

I guess I was mildly off-toping-ing...

That's interesting. I just got asked that same question today by a couple people from Guangzhou who were visiting us.

A random thought:

Chinese people are very proud of finally having the Olympics held at their country. They were fighting with Sydney for 2000 Olympics, and didn't get it. So to get it 8 years later, is a dream finally coming true.

They've tried educating people, like line up, and banning dog meat and everything, trying their best to accomodate foreigners.

Also, they recently did an informal survey in HK, after the olympic torch went through HK, asking how many people considered themselves as "Chinese" instead of "Hong Kong People"*. And a raise from less than half to 60% now considered themselves as "Chinese". keke



*For those that didn't know, Hong Kong was under british rulings until 1997, and many of us considered ourselves to be more "superior" than people from mainland china... it was a cultural thing at the time... Hong Kong people was a bit reluctant in calling ourselves "chinese" as it implies that we're from mainland china... but things are changing, and the olympics sure makes more hong kong people feel proud to be chinese

I would attempt to make an argument, if only you had more than the usual clichéd repertoire of 'human-rights blah blah'. And since when did the Tibetan issue become a crisis? Does your local media think that low of the Chinese government?

Some people, after they have attained wealth, forget their roots. It is understandable, but to be ashamed of it takes it to a new level. See, as the economy booms in the mainland, as the other coastal cities develop beyond Hong Kong, the opinions change again.

Well that's the problem isnt it? if normal TV news and mainstream newspapers only reports little of the earthquake.. then the majority of the people here will only know little bit... not everyone watches news channels.. but when they had the tsnami and 911.. it was broadcasted day and night for a week here! i'm sure just as many ppl suffer from this earthquake... why do we know only so little?

Yeah i found out her name.. Sharon Stone (just google China Karma and all you see is her name HAHA) got hammered and jobs stripped off her XD All her ads in China were taken down...

For people of this generation... British rulings are our roots. Dont forget that British took over HK for 100 years, we're born into British laws, British education, British passport, our own currency etc. We even speak a different language to China (canto vs mando). So its not just the wealth thing, but there was actually a culture difference.

But since the last time i was in HK it was obvious the gap between china and HK is sure closing up...

this is great! I hope everything goes well if this idea becomes reality!

Oh, I forgot to comment on the key issue of this thread. Sometimes I wonder if people really want to help, or just want to tell everybody else in the world that they want to help. Fundraising through a commercial organisation like Outspark invites which kind of people and benefits who the most?

Rather that signing a petition like that, one might as well write some text for publicity appealing to the charitable ones that directs readers straight to donations.

It makes people that wont normally donate, to indirectly contribute to helping those who needs help...

I think every avenue to raise any bit of money would help. Nothing wrong with spreading your concerns to a community that you're familiar with.

At least they tried. It's ashame that the thread starter stopped updating the thread, and didnt reply my PM... he's probably inactive now LOL

but its the thought that counts...

We should help all we can because the Chinese helped the US when Katrina came. Though I know why the US is not putting much on the news about this........... The US supposedly has data that the Chinese are helping fund the soldiers in Darfur (found it while doing research for my 7 minute speech for English class) and therefore has feelings of resentment towards the Chinese. But it would be awesome if we could help the Chinese who helped us in the US's time of need. Yes the Olympics is a source of pride to the Chinese therefore they are focusing more on the Olympics than the earthquake survivors.

I don't hear anything about the survivors or injured anymore. :cries: Maybe I'm just missing the stories, but I haven't heard much about US aid... Or aid from other countries.

When did the poster last update the petition? /too lazy to look

I must have struck a nerve? Haha, I apologize for my oh-so-limited views on the Chinese government. Maybe the relocation of people because of construction of the Olympic stadium in Beijing and the flooding of cities and homes along the Yangtze because of the Three Gorges Dam (Which looks pretty damn cool.) just left a bad taste in my mouth. I guess having a few million people lose their houses is small in comparison to how either of those would help the country, though. There's also the Darfur thing, which I forgot about until Lexaeus mentioned it. Having the Olympics in China is probably one of the best things that could have happened for the country, with all the improvements there have been, though.

I also apologize for using the word crisis without quotation marks. I was trying to use the word that many news headlines use to describe it. Oh well. Seems appropriate since there were riots going on in the country (Not currently, as far as I can tell though.), as well minor violence and much protest in other countries though, no?

And yes, the biased media where I live does seem think that. Reading biased articles on CNN probably doesn't help.

Apart from the sarcasm, you stick pretty well to facts. Don't forget that the US & Co. also fund the other side of the Darfur issue. There's got to be somebody funding each side or there wouldn't be a conflict.

Riots do not equal crisis. They were swiftly squished. They were also localised to a certain part of the country where certain individuals habour thoughts of using violence for personal gain. The handling of these people was heavy-handed. How else do governments treat rioters?

Your media can't possibly not be biased when it, like many others, ain't got access to facts.