Many of us in the New Orleans and in Louisiana areas and in so many places throughout the world fully understand the horrors of disasters such as Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike. Now, Haiti desperately needs our help.
Sometimes we are taken back by the sheer magnitude of those catastrophes and feel we can do little to help those who are hundreds or thousands of miles away.Thus, often we do little or nothing.
When Katrina hit Louisiana, I felt the entire world had come to an end.Thankfully, most of us did survive although our lives are different than it was before the storm.Thankfully, the world came to our aid and helped rebuild from the rubble and gave light to the hopeless.
Now with reports of 40 to 50 thousand Haitians killed as result of the earthquake, we the former victims and we the fortunate are wondering just what can be done to help those who are now living in chaos.
As publisher of Bayoubuzz, I am asking all of us to reach out and make a difference.
Many of us might not have much, but some people who we do not know now have nothing.
The country and the people of Haiti are frantic.They need our resources.
Let’s give deeply to comfort those who are seeing hell on earth.
I thank you so very much.May the Lord bless each and every one of you.
Earthquakes scare me. That's why I live in the swamp land of Louisiana. The way I figger is ... when da earth cracks .. da swampusses will fill in da crack. Written by I bes a genus
on 2/25/2010
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The largest magnitude earthquake in the last 100 years was 9.5. for every 1 point of magnitude the severity is a 1000 times…. Richter magnitudes / a general Description of the Earthquake effects/ and the general frequency of occurrence around the globe….. Less than 2.0 /Micro Microearthquakes, /not felt./ About 8,000 per day - - - - 2.0-2.9 /Minor /Generally not felt, but recorded. /About 1,000 per day - - - 3.0-3.9 /Often felt, but rarely causes damage./ 49,000 per year (est.) - - - 4.0-4.9 /Light /Noticeable shaking of indoor items, rattling noises. /Significant damage unlikely. /6,200 per year (est.) - - - - 5.0-5.9/ Moderate /Can cause major damage to poorly constructed buildings over small regions./ At most slight damage to well-designed buildings./ 800 per year - - - 6.0-6.9/ Strong/ Can be destructive in areas up to about 160 kilometres (100 mi) across in populated areas./ 120 per year - - - 7.0-7.9/ Major /Can cause serious damage over larger areas./ 18 per year - - - 8.0-8.9/ Great/ Can cause serious damage in areas several hundred miles across./ 1 per year - - - 9.0-9.9/ Devastating/ in areas several thousand miles across. /1 per 20 years - - - 10.0+ /Epic /Never recorded; /see below for equivalent seismic energy yield. Written by
on 2/25/2010
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Richter Scale/TNT comparison for Seismic Example - - Magnitude Energy Yield (approximate) - - - [R.S.] OF (minus) -1.5 (negative value below 0 on the Richter scale) =’s the force of a 6 ounce ‘sledge’ hammer breaking a rock on a lab table - - - - [R.S] OF.…. 1.0 =’s approximately 30 pounds of TNT (Dupont’s dynamite there folksies which is actually nitro glycerin stabilized by sawdust or other inert matter contained in a cylindrical wax coated paper wrapping, it is classified in the high (HE) classification of explosives - - Nitroglycerin (NG), (United States spelling) also known as nitroglycerine, (UK spelling), has a composition of trinitroglycerin, trinitroglycerine, 1,2,3-trinitroxypropane and glyceryl trinitrate, or C3H5N3O9 for short……) which could be exampled [MEY]as a large blast at construction site (like removing a stump the size of a giant redwood or sequoia tree possessing a 15 or 20 foot radius , or a large boulder around the size of a really - really big 4 seat brick outhouse……….. [R.S] OF …… 1.5 =’s approximately 320 pounds of TNT with an [MEY] that yields, well, a pretty damn big hole in the ground at the very least….[R.S] OF … 2.0 =’s approximately 1 ton of TNT Large Quarry or Mine Blast … [R.S] OF … 2.5 =’s approximately 4.6 tons of TNT with an [MEY] that yields, well, a pretty damn big hole in the ground… [R.S] OF … 3.0 =’s approximately 29 tons of TNT with an [MEY] that yields, well, a pretty damn HUGE hole in the ground… [R.S] OF …. 3.5 =’s approximately 73 tons of TNT with an [MEY] that yields, well, a pretty damn GINOURMOUS hole in the ground… [R.S] OF …. 4.0 =’s approximately 1,000 tons of TNT with an [MEY] that yields, well, a Small Nuclear Weapons explosive capacity…. [R.S] OF …. 4.5 =’s approximately 5,100 tons of TNT with an [MEY] that yields, well, an average tornado (total energy) … [R.S] OF …. 5.0 =’s approximately 32,000 tons of TNT with an [MEY] that yields, well, probably the mother of the mother of the mother of all tornados on the planet, or 6 or 7 of those critters happening in the same place, the same space, at the same time….. [R.S] OF …. 5.5 =’s approximately 80,000 tons of TNT with an [MEY] that yields, well, the Little Skull Mtn., NV Quake of 1992… [R.S] OF …. 6.0 1 =’s approximately over ¾ of a million tons of TNT with an [MEY] that yields, well, the Double Spring Flat, NV Quake of 1994… [R.S] OF …. 6.5 5 =’s approximately 5 or 6 million tons of TNT with an [MEY] that yields, well, the Northridge, CA Quake of 1994… [R.S] OF….. 7.0 =’s approximately 32 million tons of TNT with an [MEY] that yields, well, the Hyogo-Ken Nanbu, Japan Quake of 1995; or pretty much the Largest Thermonuclear Weapon known to be in existence today… [R.S] OF ….. 7.5 =’s approximately 160 million tons of TNT with an [MEY] that yields, well, the Landers, CA Quake of 1992 … [R.S] OF ….. 8.0 =’s approximately 1 billion tons of TNT with an [MEY] that yields, well, the San Francisco, CA Quake of 1906… [R.S] OF …. 8.5 =’s approximately 5 billion tons of TNT with an [MEY] that yields, well, the Anchorage, AK Quake of 1964… [R.S] OF …. 9.0 =’s approximately 32 billion tons of TNT with an [MEY] that yields, well, the Chilean Quake of 1960… [R.S] OF …. 10.0 =’s approximately 1 trillion tons of TNT with an [MEY] that can yield, well, probably a San-Andreas type of fault line thingy circling Earth… [R.S] OF … 12.0 =’s approximately 160 trillion tons of TNT with an [MEY] that can yield, well, the (Fault Earth in half through center, OR Earth's daily receipt of solar energy) … [R.S] OF …. 15.0 =’s approximately 1e26 joules - - - - - - interesting gadgetomery……… (calculated using Energy =’s 1.74x10 ^ (5+1.44*Magnitude) [ ref: h t t p: / / w w w .physicalgeography. net / fundamentals / 10m. h t m l ] NOW TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT COMPARITIVE ENERGY VALUES FOR WAVES…….. ANYONE OUT THERE HANDY WITH A CALCULATOR??? MY SLIDE RULE SEEMS TO HAVE SLIPPED OFF TO SOMEWHERE - - - -
Written by
on 2/25/2010
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Goodwill Industries was founded in 1902 under the name of Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries, Boston in Massachusetts by Edgar J. Helms, a Methodist minister and early social innovator. Helms collected used household goods and clothing in wealthier areas of the city, then trained and hired those who were poor to mend and repair the used goods. The goods were then resold or were given to the people who repaired them. Today Goodwill has become a $3.25 billion nonprofit organization. Helms described Goodwill as an "industrial program as well as a social service enterprise...a provider of employment, training and rehabilitation for people of limited employability, and a source of temporary assistance for individuals whose resources were depleted." Written by Wikipedia
on 1/28/2010
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Speaking of "unproportional system of trade and commerce based on an out of balance 'high tech - mechanized - valuation' way of looking at things." I saw a USDA rep, or associate, or consultant or wutever from up Nebraska or North Dakota way say something along the lines of; "We may start to see work allocation on farms in the near future".. Translation: You will probably have to take a number and stand in line to work, for X amount of hours per week..... And the others? Well, that's what the USDA food stamp program is all about.......... You folks should see the USDA's annual budget. It is pretty much enough to run a small war on some distant continent for an extended period of time on an annual basis, as in year after year....... Written by
on 1/27/2010
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Daymmm, talk about a cosmic biotch slap to ya there WB II whutever yer problem iz... Smoke a number... Ha! I am almost laughing myself out of my chair at that stupid spyware based response of yers..... Written by
on 1/20/2010
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If that makes sense, but then again sense, or common sense appears to be in pretty short supply or even demand when one thinks about it with regards to our politicos. Written by
on 1/20/2010
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Perhaps you just smoke a number and try to communicate on a human level. Written by
on 1/20/2010
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Perhaps you should start crunching numbers? Written by
on 1/20/2010
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One of us is not making any sense here. Written by
on 1/19/2010
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And to that Kp, I merely point out, aside from the observation below this one by WB_II or III or wutever that when you start disecting the demographics, economy, values, focus of intent or labor etc. a common thread starts to appear, perhaps above and beyond population explosion values (consider 100, 200, 300 years ago and relevant resources versus trade, population and of course 'government' or governing, or ruling class perpensities. One being the compulsion of one 'elite' class to quash innovation or wealth creation that can naturally occur if they cannot shave points off the vig. We also have an unproportional system of trade and commerce based on an out of balance 'high tech - mechanized - valuation' way of looking at things. Even more bothersome here in the United States (aside from the fact that we are going to pretty much self destruct here in a few years) is our attitude towards productivity and victimization. I have heard that every man woman and child here in the U.S. has a shared debt of around 34 thousand dollars each right now. This is incorrect. What it really is amounts to every WORKING person in this country HAS a debt of approximately 150 thousand dollars or better, on top of the day to day operational expense and the self help self support it is expected to carry on. I was looking at more statistics, etc., and I just said to myself 'ehhh, what the fugh, ain't no one could give a dipstick anyways so why bother? We live in a nation known as babble on... It will not get better if the fun n' games are continued on. Ehhhh, I don't want to distract folks from their Saints delusions though so I need to just get off the keyboards for awhile. Oh, and I almost forgot, the upcomming fake bobbles and beads fest in the gutters. Why is it that between Halloween and Easter it really sucks the big one down here? Written by
on 1/19/2010
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Anyone having trouble identifying the cause of Haiti's desperation before or after the quake? Anyone having the same trouble analyzing NOLA? Populations incapable of effective self-government maybe?? Written by
on 1/19/2010
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Not saying I'd want to live in the Dominican Republic - or that I admire their government or economy - just pointing out how they are "less screwed up" than their neighbors with whom they share the island of Hispanola. Written by kpf
on 1/19/2010
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Don't really know about the corruption and 'how deep' or how bad it is KP, - - - The Dominican Republic – Population * 9,650,054 (Around the same as Haiti) (July 2009 est.), Ethic Groups * mixed 73%, white 16%, black 11% Religions * Roman Catholic 95%, other 5% Education expenditures * 3.6% of GDP (2006) Economy – overview * The Dominican Republic has enjoyed strong GDP growth since 2005 and continued to post sound gains through mid-2008. The global recession, however, had a significant impact on GDP growth in the latter half of the year as tourism and remittances, two of the Dominican Republic's most important economic contributors, showed signs of slowing. The economy is HIGHLY dependent upon the US, the destination for about two-thirds of exports. Remittances from the US amount to about a tenth of GDP, equivalent to almost half of exports and three-quarters of tourism receipts. The country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco but in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. Although 2007 saw inflation around 6%, the rate grew to over 12% in 2008. High food prices, driven by the effects of consecutive tropical storms on agricultural products, and education prices were significant contributors to the jump. The effects of the global financial crisis and the US recession are projected to negatively affect GDP growth in 2009 with a rebound expected in 2010. Although the economy is growing at a respectable rate, high unemployment and underemployment remains an important challenge. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of national income. The Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) came into force in March 2007, which should boost investment and exports and reduce losses to the Asian garment industry..L…International organization participation * UNLIKE HAITE, NON SPECIFICALLY LISTED…… GDP composition by sector; * agriculture: 10.8%, industry: 22.9% HERE IS A GENERAL TRADEMARK OF THE AREAS TRADE - KICKER, NOTE THE PERCENTAGE OF GDP DEDICATED TO ‘SERVICES’…… services: 66.3% (2008 est.).... Sort of a mirror image of the route that is being ‘hyped’ by the United States, and Louisiana as the direction our economy should be going (although a great deal of our efforts are already dependent upon this approach and you can see where it is getting us)… Labor Force * 4.119 million (2008 est. AND AROUND 1.2 MILLION MORE AVAILABLE THAN IN HAITI)…. Population BELOW the Poverty line * 42.2% (2004) VERSUS HAITI’S 80%, GDP per capita * $8,200 (2008 est.) VERSUS HAITIS $ 1,300.00…… Industrial Production Growth Rate (2008) * 1.3% (2008 est.) VERSUS HAITI’S 0%.... Current Haiti account balances (monetary) minus 611 million dollars… Export - partners * US 58.1%, Haiti 9.3%, Netherlands 2.9% (2008) … Import – partners * US 39.2%, Venezuela 7.7%, Mexico 5.4%, Colombia 4.9% (2008)… Haitian migrants cross the porous border into the Dominican Republic to find work; illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage each year to Puerto Rico to find better work. The Dominican Republic is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; a large number of Dominican women are trafficked into prostitution and sexual exploitation in Western Europe, Australia, Central and South America, and Caribbean destinations; a significant number of women, boys, and girls are trafficked within the country for sexual exploitation and domestic servitude..tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year, the Dominican Republic is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly in terms of not adequately investigating and prosecuting public officials who may be complicit with trafficking activity, and inadequate government efforts to protect trafficking victims; the government has taken measures to reduce demand for commercial sex acts with children through criminal prosecutions (2008)… The Dominican Republic is a transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; has become a transshipment point for ecstasy from the Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada; substantial money laundering activity in particular by Colombian narcotics traffickers; significant amphetamine consumption (2008) - - - SO ALL IN ALL, THE CUMULITIVE EFFECTS OF THOSE ISLANDS APPEAR TO BE ONE BIG CIRCLE JERK….. DEDPENDENT UPON, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES…. and where success or failure goes, I guess in a large way it is just like Louisiana also, it only depends on who is pulling who's chain at the moment and what a loss or a success is construed as being... Written by
on 1/19/2010
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New Orleans is just as dysfunctional as Haiti, and for exactly the same reasons, but NOLA has easier access to the confiscated wealth of American taxpayers. Therefore, NOLA is quicker to blame others for their failure, and has access to a seemingly endless (if democrats have any say) stream of other people's money to subsidize and perpetuate its failure. Written by
on 1/17/2010
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Hispaniola is one island, and the Dominican Republic shares this island with Haiti. However, despite encroachment by leftists, corruption etc. that plague Central and South America the DR has a liberal economic model (not "liberal" as in Barney Frank - "free market" liberal economic model) and has one the the strongest economies in Latin America. Haiti however is one of the poorest countries in the world. Unless one is named "Al" one recognizes this is not due to the policies of George W. Bush, but rather choices Hatians have freely made themselves. They threw off the yoke of colonialism but supported (or at least "did not rebel against") their own dark-skinned oppressors. Listening to the Haitians being interviewed reminds me of New Orleans after Katrina ... "why aren't we being helped" is the common cry. No need to explain why that is the wrong approach to a crises ... you either "get it" ... or you probably never will. Written by kpf
on 1/17/2010
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We don't need to send Bush or Clinton to Haiti. We all know that the greatest disaster response and recovery leader in the world is sitting in Lafayette waiting for her call. Send Kathleen Blanco to Haiti and the problems will end immediately. The disaster has to be George Bush's fault anyway. Written by
on 1/16/2010
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Haiti: Where will all the money go? - - By SHARON THEIMER, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 11 mins ago - - - WASHINGTON – How difficult will it be for the United States and other donors to track the millions of dollars in earthquake aid headed to Haiti? U.S. government auditors pulled out of the country years ago after concerns over kidnappings and other crimes scuttled their efforts to monitor Haiti's spending of $45 million in U.S. aid after storms there killed thousands…. Corruption, theft, violence and other security problems and Haiti's sheer shortage of fundamentals — reliable roads, telephone and power lines and a sound financial system — will add to the challenges of making sure aid is spent properly as foreign governments and charities try not only to help Haiti recover from this week's devastating earthquake but to pull itself out of abject poverty…. Past efforts haven't been easy. The Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, faced problems on a smaller scale in 2005 and 2006 as auditors tried to review the use of roughly $45 million in aid the U.S. provided after Tropical Storm Jeanne struck Haiti in September 2004, killing more than 2,000 people, injuring more than 2,600 and affecting an estimated 300,000 others…. The inspectors wanted to visit projects funded with the money to measure progress. But after an initial fact-finding trip to Haiti, it was considered too dangerous for them to go back. They could visit only projects deemed safe as destinations. In summer 2005, many employees of the Agency for International Development — which is coordinating the current U.S. response to the earthquake — were temporarily pulled out of Haiti, according to government reports… .Haiti is one of the poorest places on Earth. Most basic public services are lacking, people typically live on less than $2 a day, nearly half the population is illiterate and the government has a history of instability. The public has little opportunity to be sure that aid to the government is used honestly and well. Nor is following the money easy for donors, including the United States, 700 miles away and one of the country's biggest helpers…. "It has been a challenge, and I think it really is one of the things we have to look at when the country has had such long-standing problems that it seems as though we have made little dent there," said Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-Mo., chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee's subcommittee on international organizations, human rights and oversight…. The immediate focus is search and rescue and addressing immediate public health needs. But after that, "I think there's going to be a number of questions that arise," Carnahan said…. Just last month, a private group, the Heritage Foundation for Haiti, urged Haiti's government to complete an audit of a $197 million emergency disaster program to respond to corruption allegations over how the money was handled. Haiti's senate cited the allegations when it removed Prime Minister Michele Pierre-Louis in November and replaced her with Jean-Max Bellerive…. President Barack Obama promised at least $100 million in earthquake aid. That comes on top of substantial spending by the United States in Haiti in recent years for economic development such as the country's textile industry, humanitarian assistance, environmental programs, and law enforcement, including trying to stop the use of Haiti as a pass-through point for narcotics en route to the United States…. Apart from earthquake relief, senators working on the next annual foreign assistance budget have proposed at least $282 million for Haiti; the House proposal would provide at least $165 million…. Much of the U.S. government's aid to Haiti comes through the Agency for International Development, which has provided at least $800 million from budget years 2004 through 2008, agency figures show…. At least $700 million more was pledged to Haiti by governments, international givers and charities at an April 2009 donors conference. Former President Bill Clinton, a United Nations special envoy to the country, told the U.N. Security Council in September that he was "100 percent committed to delivering tangible results to the U.N. and most importantly the people of Haiti."… The Haitian government relies on foreign aid to keep itself and its economy operating…. In a December 2008 Gallup survey, 60 percent of Haitians interviewed said there had been times that year when they didn't have enough money to buy food, and 51 percent said there were times when they couldn't afford shelter…. Statistics about Haiti, as gathered by the U.S. government, chronicle a grim standard of living. According to the CIA and State Department, 1 in 8 children in Haiti dies before age 5. The life expectancy is 59 to 62 years. Malaria, typhoid and dengue fevers and other life-threatening illnesses long ago wiped out in the industrialized world still plague Haiti…. Written by
on 1/15/2010
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Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberia began in 1822; by 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to establish a republic. William TUBMAN, president from 1944-71, did much to promote foreign investment and to bridge the economic, social, and political gaps between the descendents of the original settlers and the inhabitants of the interior. In 1980, a military coup led by Samuel DOE ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In December 1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion against DOE's regime that led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE himself was killed. A period of relative peace in 1997 allowed for elections that brought TAYLOR to power, but major fighting resumed in 2000. An August 2003 peace agreement ended the war and prompted the resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR, who faces war crimes charges in The Hague related to his involvement in Sierra Leone's civil war. After two years of rule by a transitional government, democratic elections in late 2005 brought President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF to power. The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) maintains a strong presence throughout the country, but the security situation is still fragile and the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country will take many years…….. Liberia – Population *3,441,790 (July 2009 est.), Ethic Groups * indigenous African 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves) Religions * Christian 40%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 40% Economy – overview * Civil war and government mismanagement destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around the capital, Monrovia. Many businesses fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them, but with the conclusion of fighting and the installation of a democratically-elected government in 2006, some have returned. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products - primarily raw timber and rubber. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. President JOHNSON SIRLEAF, a Harvard-trained banker and administrator, has taken steps to reduce corruption, build support from international donors, and encourage private investment. Embargos on timber and diamond exports have been lifted, opening new sources of revenue for the government. The reconstruction of infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy will largely depend on generous financial and technical assistance from donor countries and foreign investment in key sectors, such as infrastructure and power generation.
International organization participation * ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
…. GDP composition by sector; * agriculture: 76.9% … industry: 5.4%... services: 17.7% (2002 est.) Labor Force * 80% unemployment…. Population BELOW the Poverty line * 80%, GDP per capita * $ 500.00 …… Industrial Production Growth Rate (2008) * N/A, suspected as being 0%.... Current Haiti account balances (monetary) minus 611 million dollars… Export - partners * India 26.5%, US 17.9%, Poland 13.9%, Germany 10.1%, Belgium 6.8% (2008)
… Import – partners * South Korea 27.2%, Singapore 25.5%, Japan 11.8%, China 11% (2008)
Transnational issues although civil unrest continues to abate with the assistance of 18,000 UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) peacekeepers, as of January 2007, Liberian refugees still remain in Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Ghana; Liberia, in turn, shelters refugees fleeing turmoil in Cote d'Ivoire; despite the presence of over 9,000 UN forces (UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict continues to spread into neighboring states who can no longer send their migrant workers to Ivorian cocoa plantations; UN sanctions ban Liberia from exporting diamonds and timber
- - Illicit Drugs * transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption, criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade provide significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering center
Written by
on 1/15/2010
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Haiti – Population * 9,035,536, Ethic Groups * black 95%, mulatto and white 5%, Religions * Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% - note: roughly half of the population practices voodoo…. Education expenditures * 1.4% of GDP (1991), Economy – overview * Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere with 80% of the population living under the poverty line and 54% in abject poverty. Two-thirds of all Haitians depend on the agricultural sector, mainly small-scale subsistence farming, and remain vulnerable to damage from frequent natural disasters, exacerbated by the country's widespread deforestation. While the economy has recovered in recent years, registering positive growth since 2005, four tropical storms in 2008 severely damaged the transportation infrastructure and agricultural sector. US economic engagement under the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) Act, passed in December 2006, has boosted apparel exports and investment by providing tariff-free access to the US. HOPE II, passed in October 2008, has further improved the export environment for the apparel sector by extending preferences to 2018; the apparel sector accounts for two-thirds of Haitian exports and nearly one-tenth of GDP. Remittances are the primary source of foreign exchange, equaling nearly a quarter of GDP and more than twice the earnings from exports. Haiti suffers from high inflation, a lack of investment because of insecurity and limited infrastructure, and a severe trade deficit. In 2005, Haiti paid its arrears to the World Bank, paving the way for reengagement with the Bank. Haiti is expected to receive debt forgiveness for about $525 million of its debt through the Highly-Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative by mid-2009. The government relies on formal international economic assistance for fiscal sustainability. International organization participation * ACP, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, PetroCaribe, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO…. GDP composition by sector; * agriculture: 28% industry: 20% (2004 est.) HERE IS THE KICKER, NOTE THE PERCENTAGE OF GDP DEDICATED TO ‘SERVICES’…… services: 52%.... Sort of a mirror image of the route that is being ‘hyped’ by the United States, and Louisiana as the direction our economy should be going (although a great deal of our efforts are already dependent upon this approach and you can see where it is getting us)… Labor Force * slightly over 3.5 million people…. Population BELOW the Poverty line * 80%, GDP per capita * $ 1,300.00…… Industrial Production Growth Rate (2008) * 0%.... Current Haiti account balances (monetary) minus 611 million dollars… Export - partners * US 70.7%, Dominican Republic 8.9%, Canada 3.1% (2008)… Import – partners * US 34%, Dominican Republic 23.1%, Netherlands Antilles 10.6%, China 4.5% (2008), Reserves of foreign exchange and gold * 708 million dollars.. Transnational issues *: since 2004, about 8,000 peacekeepers from the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) maintain civil order in Haiti; despite efforts to control illegal migration, Haitians cross into the Dominican Republic and sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claims US-administered Navassa Island - - - Illicit Drugs * Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US and Europe; substantial bulk cash smuggling activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial transactions; pervasive corruption; significant consumer of cannabis - - - - - ALL IN ALL, IT ALMOST SHOWS A REFLECTION IN SOME RATHER STARTLING WAYS TO THE UNITED STATES…. Written by
on 1/15/2010
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The native Taino Amerindians - who inhabited the island of Hispaniola when it was discovered by COLUMBUS in 1492 - were virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola. In 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the island, which later became Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the Caribbean but only through the heavy importation of African slaves and considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18th century, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under Toussaint L'OUVERTURE. After a prolonged struggle, Haiti became the first black republic to declare independence in 1804. The poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has been plagued by political violence for most of its history. After an armed rebellion led to the forced resignation and exile of President Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE in February 2004, an interim government took office to organize new elections under the auspices of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Continued violence and technical delays prompted repeated postponements, but Haiti finally did inaugurate a democratically elected president and parliament in May of 2006. Written by
on 1/15/2010
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I became a fan of NOLA and LA, its music and culture, since my first of five trips to the region. One of the things that continues to impress me is the warmth, spirituality and down-to-earth outlook of most of those whom I met, who live and work there. I then did some further research into how this region and its people have been tested by natural calamities and socio-economic challenges, through many years. I now had figured out that such outlooks are the result of having little choice, but to stay and live their lives with added effort and gratitude. It seems to me that the rest of the U.S.A. and Canada are only beginning to share the same outlook, due primarily to the global recession. Now, since we've seen what happened in Haiti this week, I feel the strongest parallel between this earthquake and Katrina's stricking NOLA, is the exascerbation of already dire vulnerabilities.
For those who don't know, or don't remember, NOLA took in about 10,000 Haitian refugees in the early 1800's (mixture of blacks, whites, slaves and free people), which doubled its population. Today, their descendants continue to hold on to their mostly French names and their traditions and spirituality. Let's not forget to retain some empathy for when calamities occur elsewhere. Let's continue to pray and give, if you can. Written by Anthony D., Montreal, CANADA
on 1/15/2010
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“Culture is the problem, not race.” Ahh, a beacon of light shines out from the darkness…. But Al, you need to get a grip on yourself, you sort of sound like CL… #1 Long term aid with Haiti is not the solution, however, profitable trade could become an underestimated value. And #2, the United States, being broke (or haven’t you been keeping up with the economic theories flying around out there as well as the balancing act of some hard numbers which translate out as ‘debt we be in’) sort of puts this little incident on the backburner. Oh, but then again I suppose that your post is merely your wishy washy way of acting like you care but in reality you have this kind of attitude: - - - - h t t p: / / sfbay. craigslist. Org /eby /rnr / 1553850550. H t m l - - - - Written by
on 1/15/2010
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It is useless to send foreign aid to Haiti, and has been for generations. If we could truly help them become a successful society, I would be glad to help. But we can't. And if you ever have the chance to go to Barbados, you will find what a successful, overwhelmingly black society looks like: in every respect, it is the opposite of Haiti: law abiding vs. chaotic; safe vs. dangerous; literate vs. illiterate; hard working vs. indolent; profoundly Christian and abiding by the 10 commandments vs. the primitive animalistic voodoo that believes misfortune is caused by curses rather than by one's own behavior; capable of participatory democracy vs. not even the most meager capability of self government; honest vs. unbelievably corrupt in both the most minor and most serious of affairs.
It is NOT our fault that Haiti is like it is. We did our best for 20 years from about 1910 to 1930, similar to how we ruled the Phillipines. But to no avail. Bill Clinton tried. The French have tried. Billions have been sent their way, to no good end. The only way to save Haiti is with an extended period of benign colonialism, but no one has the stomach for that today. If Haiti had forever been a British colony, and had the benefit of British rule during the transition from slavery to freedom to independence, Haiti would be like Barbados. But it isn't, and it is impossible to imagine it becoming a decent place for anyone in anything less than 50 years. It is not within our power to solve some problems. Haiti is one; Somalia and Burma and Bangladesh are others. But we are succeeding in Iraq, have a chance in Afghanistan, and might have to in Yemen. Written by andouille
on 1/14/2010
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****andouille*** Even though you probably mean well, what a shortsighted argument.* You say we shouldn't help the people of Haiti long term because the GOVERNMENT is corrupt. Seems all the more reason we should help the people of Haiti. The U.S. Government left Hati in a state of dissaray that it suffers from today. And extreme selfishness. hmmmm more so then Americans? Disregard for law, who has more citizens incarcerated then the U.S. And I bet it's likely most of them have a disregard for the law. ****** But the people are law abiding, church going, well spoken, and relatively well educated.*******Look around at the economic mess we are in right now. It was caused by law abiding, church going, well spoken and extremely well educated folks . You can't be naive enough to think that Bernie Madoff types lacked education or culture? And he seemed fairly well spoken to me. If you compare his vocabulary to that of our most recent president, he's a wordsmith. ******Church going****really!! Scandal continues to plague one of the biggest religions both here and abroad. Seem they can't keep their hands of little boys and girls. Maybe their a tad to "church going"? And the cover-ups just seem so corrupt to decent people. You know, like me and you. And surely you can't believe that The U.S. should not provide aid to foreign countries with corrupt governments? Does Iraq and Afghanistan ring a bell? We're in the 9th year of George Bush's (Mission Accomplished) money sucking, economic disaster war. A war that only feeds his cronies....that happen to be, well, you guessed it...corrupt. Written by Al
on 1/14/2010
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We should provide emergency assistance in recovering people from the wreckage and delivering emergency supplies. But long term foreign aid to Haiti is useless because corrupt governments have stolen it for at least 50 years. It is not possible to help Haiti unless the people themselves decide to change their culture of extreme selfishness, disregard for law, tolerance of corruption, and lack of concern for education.
Haiti would be a disaster even without hurricanes, or earthquakes. Haiti is not poor because it is black: Barbados is also a former sugar colony, and is probably blacker on average than Haiti which has a lot of people of mixed race. But the people are law abiding, church going, well spoken, and relatively well educated. Culture is the problem, not race. Written by andouille
on 1/14/2010
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Repeat. Grow up, and also learn to spell and construct complete sentences. Written by CL
on 1/14/2010
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Hey Steveo, as an afterthought and being as you are so full of compassion for your fellow man suffering from earthquakes maybe you might want to write something nifty for the folks in Eureka California that suffered an earthquake last Sunday. I know the damages and loss weren’t as immense as New Orleans or Haiti, but maybe they might want some of your personal ‘loving' and a small meritorious mention too’ ….. So much for a stitch in time saves - attitude ehhhhh? Oh well, You might get on the right track someday...... Peace out dude........ Written by
on 1/14/2010
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Oh, but the little plea "Let us help" on the cover page warmed the very cochials of my heart. It tugged at the very strings that are tuned to my emotions. How Nobel of you there Steve-o or should I have written; "How mighty Noble"? Oh and the little Katrina eulogy was equally heart warming... Grow up? Grow up indeed CL.... wut a loser...... Like I posted somewhere else, this Horrific Haiti occurrence is right here, in the Western Hemisphere... Best hope that all that could be sucked from the Federal Hog Trough for Katrina was sucked, because I am pretty darn sure this marks the end of the Katrina position on the "waahhhhhh we need more money board"....... Didn't see Steve-o make mention one of the folks in Myanmar, or at least not as I recall... Yeah steve-o… perhaps I was too critical of your character when I called you hypocritical when instead it appears you are merely wishy-washy…. Peace out dude, and keep the fast paced breaking action stories and news bylines coming!!!! Written by
on 1/14/2010
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Many of us in the 
