anyone know a good relief org that we can donate to? i went to the Red Cross site, but I'd rather give to a place where I can earmark the money for these specific victims (why? not sure why)
Dan | Homepage | 12.27.03 - 11:51 am | #

I'll post if anyone finds one. I don't really like the red cross.
Atrios | Homepage | 12.27.03 - 11:52 am | #

Thanks.
Dan | Homepage | 12.27.03 - 11:55 am | #

There was a substantial cultural loss--the world's largest mud-brick structure, the Citadel of Bam. I would rather it have been destroyed that a single life lost, but this has to multiply the blow to Iran's society and economy. Interestingly, this quake was about the same magnitude as the one that struck California two weeks ago, and is a reminder that it's not the industrialized societies that suffer most in natural disasters, but the ones that are more dense and in which earthquake protection, and other protective measures are an unaffordable luxury.
Brian C.B. | 12.27.03 - 11:57 am | #

I found some places to donate, but it's hard for me to know if they're on the up-and-up.
Dan | Homepage | 12.27.03 - 12:17 pm | #

I've donated to Relief International in the past, and they're responding to the quake.
NTodd | Homepage | 12.27.03 - 12:23 pm | #

Thanks. I just gave a small donation. I should really give an amount matching what I've given to politicians this year, but, well, I'm going back on my word to myself, I guess. Anyway, I'll post that link on my blog--of course, the only people that read that website are myself and my friend who does it with me.
Dan | Homepage | 12.27.03 - 12:31 pm | #

how about this one? http://www.ifrc.org/HELPNOW/ dona...donate_iran.asp
goober-mince pie | 12.27.03 - 12:38 pm | #

Yeah Bush said that he would helped Iranis--but he has tied-up the troops and all the taxpayer money in Iraq and Hallibuton-there simply isn't anything Bush is going to be able to give Iran beyond token relief. To bad Bush failed to plan for the long, hard slog.

Americans will have to reach into their own pockets for this one. Good thing Bush gave us poor folk that token tax refund, if per chance you haven't already used it to pay for that over-priced gasoline at the pump that was necessary to support Bush's good friends in the oil industry.
Cheryl | 12.27.03 - 12:38 pm | #

The United States has committed so much of our resources to coping with the man-made disaster in Iraq that we can't spare anything to help deal with a natural disaster in Iran. Pitiful.
yankeedoodle | Homepage | 12.27.03 - 12:43 pm | #

I'm not up on the Red Cross controversy, but according to news reports, the International Red Cross has been central in rescue efforts aimed at helping victims of this earthquake.
Beth | 12.27.03 - 12:51 pm | #

hey, it's just God taking care of country #2 in the Axis of Evil (tm) since we're um, kind of tied up in Iraq. good thing aWol is on such tight terms, otherwise it would have had to come out of the US taxpayers pockets to do that much senseless destruction, and I hear Halliburton got a no bid contract to take care of the mop-up
preznit giv me turkee | 12.27.03 - 12:57 pm | #

I think Joshua Micah Marshall got it exactly right:

The geological make-up of the land under a major quake can play an important role in the devastation it creates. But you have to assume that almost all the difference in this case owes to buildings which are made or not made to withstand quakes.
56k | Homepage | 12.27.03 - 1:07 pm | #

i'm suprised the news hasn't mentioned that terrorism has been ruled out as the cause of the earthquake.
Jesse | Homepage | 12.27.03 - 1:18 pm | #

Don't worry. Over at Democratic Underground they are discussing if the US government caused the earthquake.
Campesino | 12.27.03 - 2:16 pm | #

You know, if the U.S. would pitch in to help the Iranians in the wake of this unspeakable tragedy, it really would help to alleviate (at least some) of the ill will the Muslim world now has for the U.S. as a result of our colossal fuck up in Iraq. But you know that's not going to happen because Bush and his thugs just can't resist the opportunity to give the finger to people who are suffering.
gene214 | 12.27.03 - 2:27 pm | #

Bush must be seriously pissed. Mother Nature beat him to it. He wanted to destroy Bam. Bet he's pouting right now.
vinnie | 12.27.03 - 2:31 pm | #

Bam! Bam! Bam! I wanted to do it damnit!
vinnie | 12.27.03 - 2:33 pm | #

is the red crecent seperate?
pansypoo | Homepage | 12.27.03 - 2:55 pm | #

i give to these people :
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/
isa | 12.27.03 - 3:48 pm | #

"But you have to assume that almost all the difference in this case owes to buildings which are made or not made to withstand quakes."

My experience in the developing world is that the craftsmen there are capable of constructing fine buildings once a standard is set and enforced. Firms don't voluntarily adopt more expensive standards, and pervasive low level corruption ensures the government does not enforce standards uniformly.

I'm not saying this as a hit on the unfortunates in the developing world. I think that the safety of our buildings in the USA is based on the high (read expensive) standards mandated by law, enforcement by non-corrupt officials, and backed with a serious civil law system. Those that argue for small government, less laws that impact businesses, and tort reform, should understand that these things are paid for with blood.
S-wapiti | 12.27.03 - 4:07 pm | #

Fine blogger The Eyeranian has been blogging hard on this, and recommends donating to Mercy Corps
dublingal_ny | Homepage | 12.27.03 - 4:15 pm | #

i'm suprised the news hasn't mentioned that terrorism has been ruled out as the cause of the earthquake.
Jesse | Email | Homepage | 12.27.03 - 1:13 pm | #

Terrorism may not have been involved, but I would put money on our bombing being a factor of all those quakes that have happened in the area since March. When we shocked and awed Iraq, Iran had a huge quake. Soon after that, Turkey had a huge quake. Now, Iran has another horrible quake.
oldwhitelady | 12.27.03 - 8:04 pm | #

This is a tragedy.

I'm with Josh Marshall as to the effectiveness of US building construction.

If you ever want to gripe about excessive regulation (and I've had my run-ins with building inspectors), just remember the differences in earthquake fatalities here. It's about three orders of magnitude.

Sometimes that nasty old big government isnt' too bad.
Al Peck | 12.27.03 - 11:42 pm | #

Is Iran "earthquake prone" like California and Japan? I know earthquakes can occur anywhere, but places where it's most likely tend to spend big money on buildings.

Can bombing really trigger earthquakes? Are there studies on this? (Sorry, I majored in English, no so strong in science type stuff).
satiRic air tanK | 12.28.03 - 2:42 am | #