OT - Haiti

[wmp]

All of theses "news" organizations are for profit entertainment and nothing more. CNN's report implying that Sanjay was the only doctor in Haiti doing any work was particularly self serving, misleading, and odious. My only question regarding the response is why so many TV spokesmodels were allowed to land, consuming valuable airport bandwidth and real estate. The last thing these folks need is some bonehead with a camera asking them how they feel.

[theGman]

Fox IS fair and balanced. Watch it sometime. The constant bashing of Fox by the sheep on the left is not taken seriously any more. Note: I am not trying to defend Fox as much as wondering how these same people defend MSNBC and CNN.....as fair and balanced? Come on. Get real. Knock them sometime, just to be "fair and balanced".

 

[Eric Jx]

This conversation is wandering off topic and into political grounds.

 

I suggest if you want to debate media left/right bias you take it to another forum.

[MAJUSCULE]

My high school is about 300-350 kids. Our principal has pledged to take the bungee jump at the West Edmonton Mall Waterpark if we raise 3000$, with every extra 1000$ mereting a jump from another teacher. This is the kind of stuff that gets people moving.

 

I was appalled during my social studies class this morning. The "debate" was whether or not Canada made the right choice in fast-tracking immigration and adoption for Haitians. (The immigration only includes spouses, parents, or children, not siblings, cousins, etc.) Well-off, mostly white kids were arguing that it would cost too many tax dollars, that the immigrants would be nuisance and would ask for "reasonable accomodations" (not sure if that's the proper english term), etc. I mean, give me a break! Sometimes, you have to give up a few trips to Starbucks, get a smaller TV or skip an exotic vacation to save some lives! I'm planning to donate all my coins from the next couple of weeks. I get a lot of tips at work, so it just total over 50$.

[Eric Jx]

I love what your principal is doing to raise money for Haitian relief.

 

As to your debate about fast-tracking adoption, read the first comment to this blog post for a reasoned counterpoint.

[Joe Muscara]

There is a movement to have Haiti's debt cancelled and ensure that they are given grants, not loans. See this link for more info.

 

http://www.one.org/us/actnow/drophaitiandebt/

[wmp]

I like to donate to a fund earmarked for rebar.

[NoahZark]

This conversation is wandering off topic and into political grounds.

 

I suggest if you want to debate media left/right bias you take it to another forum.

 

Hear, hear.

[MAJUSCULE]

I love what your principal is doing to raise money for Haitian relief.

 

As to your debate about fast-tracking adoption, read the first comment to this blog post for a reasoned counterpoint.

 

Ok, I agree. But that's reasoned. My stupid classmates were nowhere near that. I believe the fasttracking is only on existing adoption applications, but I could very easily be wrong.

[meccajay]

All of theses "news" organizations are for profit entertainment and nothing more. CNN's report implying that Sanjay was the only doctor in Haiti doing any work was particularly self serving, misleading, and odious.

 

That wasn't what I said, or what was reported.

 

What was reported was true.. The UN doctors abandoned the medical tent full of sick people, and had taken most of there equipment too. Sanjay just happened to be the reporter covering it, and was a doctor, so he stayed to help those left behind. Many were post op, and some were recent amputees. Lots of people are dying after treatment there, and as the head of Doctors Without Borders mentioned, there were far too many 'stupid deaths' last week in Haiti.

 

Now, is CNN self-serving network? Yes, they all are. Did that matter in this case? Not at all.

 

To be honest, I had to step far away from all the coverage for a while this weekend. It just got too emotional.. FWIW, I've watched Fox, CNN, MSNBC, ABC, and CBS. I must say CBS is probably out front for me, as the Sunday 60 minutes segment was compelling. CNN and ABC bring up 2nd place.. Diane Sawyers coverage last week was strong. At one point she almost seemed about to collapse due to the frustration of the impending 72 hour(water) deadline for survivors. Where the Fox reporters were I dunno, as I see more political debate than actual reporting on Haiti, but most of the reporting they've done is pretty good. I must say watching Fox for disaster news coverage is like watching PBS for sports updates. Now when it comes to political coverage, they stay towards the head of the pack.

 

Ok, network stuff aside, here's what I've picked up on with the combined coverage..

 

There are many reasons for the delays in relief and actual doctors getting to the survivors. One reason is the tactical priorities are being set by USAID. So a percentage of flights go to military, and percentage to relief flights. If the military had set priorities, then a lot more assets could be on the ground which would help with logistics, ie; a 2nd airfield(landing strip) as well as the port would probably have been opened by now.

 

I mentioned Gen. Honore' earlier. That's because he seems to have a certain talent for disaster logistics. He mentioned that trying to treat this many people in a place this bad off is ridiculous, and that the military needs to evac the sick and wounded immediately because in conditions like this the elderly and the babies die at a very high rate if you don't. I have noticed reports that many are dying after treatment or surgery due to infections in these poor conditions. Were at about 200,000 dead now according to some reports. If they don't evac these people to a better environment then I'm afraid to guess at what could be ahead.

 

**Special acknowledgement of excellence has to be given to the Israeli Medical Units dispatched to the relief effort. The arrived last Friday night, and had a field hospital set up by Sat morning, complete with surgical suites, and even a maternity ward. As of Sunday, the US had no field hospital set up yet. I'm thinking we need to follow there example of deployment. Complaints and emotions aside, many thousands of people from all over are doing a very fine job.. Doctors and Nurses, military, charitable orgs, fire-rescue teams etc.

 

I have to say my prayers go out to Len Gengal's daughter to be finally found. Mr Gengal's agony is so tangible it pains to see his suffering. Gengals appeals to the news may appear obnoxious at times, but if it gets the job done, then I'm all for it. I imagine I'd be just like him if in his shoes.

 

May god be with Haiti