JWE
Posts: 6580
Joined: 7/19/2005 Status: offline
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The Japanese are a Great people; more importantly, they are a great People. They have been through trials like this before and recognize that suffering increases as you work down. Even the greatest among them feels the obligation towards the least. If you have a Japanese friend, send them your donations directly (direct bank wire transfers are up and running, and I know that BofA is doing them to Japan for free). Your Japanese friend WILL see to it that your funds are used appropriately. If you don't know anybody in Japan, please make an effort to find and donate to a Japanese relief organization. Those folks have a little bit better handle on how funds may be best spent to help those in most need, in the Japanese sense of things. In my experience (limited to be sure) Japanese relief organizations spend 98% of every dollar received on effective assistance. Their staff are volunteers, in every sense of the word, and I think the various Chairmen (also volunteers) get an annual salary of 10 Yen. International Relief Agencies are good, they are very good. Internal Japanese relief, however, is a teensy bit better in that it's more directed. So .. if you got a Japanese buddy, empty your wallet and trust it will be put to good use. If you don't got a Japanese buddy, empty your wallet anyway and trust that it will be put to good use.
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