JCC Typhoon Haiyan devastates Phillippines.

10,000 dead thus far. I have no words.

 

TBH, I was praying this wasn't going to be as bad as I thought it would be when I heard how monsterous this storm was.

And even worse, I have this sinking feeling the death toll's going to rise exponentially high over the course of the next several days.

 

Looks like prayer doesn't work.

 

I'm sure the strength of this typhoon is just a coincidence. Not as though something could make such a storm more and more likely. Nah. Let's just tally up the dead and revel in our disaster porn.

 

The people I know in Bacolod seem to think it helped.

 

Airport at Tacloban City, before and after photo's.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-11/before-and-after-typhoon-haiyan-philippines/5083994

Surely China, with their $1 trillion in US Bonds, will donate aid ... or will it be up to Western Countries to donate aid, yet again?

 

What nonsense is this. If one is going to donate, then donate. Complaining about others not donating is petty silliness

 

Why? Does China ever help the region, without expecting something in return?

 

Don't worry. The U.S. doesn't want to lose its influence over the country.

 

Oh. My mistake. Here I thought we donate in order to help people, not grandstand.

 

We do, we do! (donate in order to help people).

Perhaps I worded my comment incorrectly. I'm just frustrated that China holds $1.3 trillion US Bonds, and it could be put to good use.

 

Bib Fartuna Do you want Chinese troops in Manila providing aid?

 

They don't need troops, they can just donate money.

 

Which brings us right back to my original point: if you want to donate, donate. Convince others to donate, even. But don't start being the donation police.

 

This is spectacularly terrible. My life has been very rocky recently, but stuff like this really helps keep it all in perspective.

Also, I'd like to formally register my puzzlement that we're talking about Chinese US bond holdings less than a page into the thread.

 

This typhoon is going to hit china too, so let's let them deal with that aftermath before starting to complain about them not helping out.

 

Well, if they can't use that, they have plenty of Gold stockpiled.

 

Ok. I sense your displeasure. I'll zip it.

 

Thanks, Rep. Paul.

 

Let's just get back to making fun of Juliet for predictably starting this thread.

 

What do you mean "yet again?" You realize that China is in general pretty active about regional disaster relief, and that concerning the Philippines in particular, even as far back as 2007 it was their #3 source of bilateral development aid in the entire world? Tell me where the US falls on that list.