In which I get on my soapbox

Look, as all three of my loyal readers know, usually I blog about Sons of Anarchy.  But somehow snarking, joking, tweeting, and eating poisoning myself at the Waffle House seems small and makes me feel like an asshole.  I slept with a roof over my head last night, warm and toasty in my own bed.  I woke up this morning and knocked back a big glass of water and smiled knowing that all of my loved ones are safe and sound.  Unlike the entire nation of Haiti. A country that didn't have a lot to begin with now has even less.  No water, no food, no medicine, no safe shelter.


It is grim.  It is even worse than grim.  The only sign of any form of a functioning government is a few police in pick up trucks collecting bodies of the dead and delivering them to the already overloaded morgue.  Everything is turned upside down.  There is a bottleneck of relief workers and supplies trying to get into the country but they can't because the airport and ports lack the capacity to receive cargo or were damaged, the airport doesn't have any fuel, and roads into cities and towns have been destroyed not to mention the smaller towns.  But most importantly, all of the survivors need clean water.  And plenty of it. Like now.  Here is a good live blog of what is going on in Haiti.  


Since this is my blog and my own personal little soapbox, here goes.  Do something to help.  At this point, cash donations are the only sort of support that will help.  In kind donations like blankets, toys, clothes, medicine pose terrible logistical challenges to aid workers and can clog up the systems that they use to provide aid.  I know these are tough financial times for Americans but every little bit helps.  So, here is what you can do:

• Send a text message on your mobile to 90999 and with the message HAITI to donate $10 to the Red Cross.  The charge will automatically added to your phone bill.  
• If you can or want to donate more, Interaction has a list of legitimate aid organizations who have experience working in Haiti
• Don't stop paying attention to Haiti.  It is going to take a long time for things to get better.  
• Pray to whatever god you pray to for these people.  Atheists, turn to reason and science. 
• Appreciate what you have.  Take 5 minutes and take in all the things you have to be grateful for.  

That is all.  In the next post, I'll be off my soapbox and back to my usually snarky self....  I promise.