THE LONELY VOICE #23: It Doesn’t Fit, It Will Never Fit, It Fits
Of Jean-Claude Van Damme, Haiti, and V.S. Pritchett…
...moreOf Jean-Claude Van Damme, Haiti, and V.S. Pritchett…
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If I were independently wealthy, I would be less for it, because the chase for money to pay for food, shelter, babies, and now small children has taken me from sharing with two women an eighty square foot octagonal house originally built in the early twentieth century in rural Florida to house a wealthy child’s doll collection, to a room in a massive and mostly unoccupied schoolhouse converted into a lakefront hotel by the tax evading gangster Al Capone
David Grann compiles a decade of investigative profiles from The New Yorker and elsewhere in a compelling study of the dark side.Here’s lots of good info on the situation in Chile, and here’s some more. We’re all thinking of folks down there.
Who wants a Sumatran tiger for a pet?
“The inescapable truth is that “the world” never forgave Haiti for its revolution, because the slaves freed themselves.” — Sidney Mintz at The Boston Review
A handy interactive guide to everything Italian Prime Minister and media mogul Sylvio Berlusconi has “allegedly” done wrong.
...more“First let me debunk a couple of myths, starting with the principle that “anything is better than nothing”. Trust me, it’s not. Relieving suffering should be guided solely by need and not what people have to donate.”
Claire Durham of the Red Cross on why you should donate money instead of your old yoga mat.
...more“One in four Americans is employed to protect the rich.”
Here’s an underreported story: Dominicans are coming to the aid of Haitians, despite a less-than-idyllic history between the two countries.
VICE is taking a ton of heat for its treatment of Liberia in “The Vice Guide to Liberia.”
A very cool looking architectural installation that covers an abandoned Detroit home in ice.
...more“And in disaster after disaster, at least since the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, those in power, those with guns and the force of law behind them, are too often more concerned for property than human life. In an emergency, people can, and do, die from those priorities.
...moreSome people in Haiti are riding out the earthquake in decent shape. Any guesses who?
As we mentioned yesterday, Royal Carribbean Cruise Lines is still docking at Labadee, its privately-owned Haitian port. Yes, they’re delivering some relief supplies, but they’re also encouraging their passengers to party at Labadee as well.
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“In a few weeks, the international media will leave the country, and Americans will be free to forget about Haiti once again. It is my hope that this story will give American readers a glimpse into the lives of people I have come to love in Haiti.
Haiti tries to go from rescue to recovery to relief.
And if you’re looking for people to follow via Twitter, Jay Newton-Small, the writer of the above piece is a great place to start. Plus, you get little snippets of back-story that don’t make the published pieces.
...moreThere’s some understandable frustration among Haitians about the slow pace of the aid coming in. Daniel Kaszor explains why getting aid to the people who need it is so difficult. Short version: the needed infrastructure is gone.
Not all charities are equally efficient with their donations.
...moreI don’t know who Lily Coyle of Minneapolis, Minnesota is, but if I ever meet her, I might have to kiss her for this letter to the editor of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. It’s in the voice of Satan, and it’s beautiful.
...moreCraig Ferguson has a suggestion for Rush Limbaugh, and also shows that he understands how unimportant his job is in comparison to real concerns and issues.
Peter Jamison wonders if Pat Robertson has any thoughts on the recent California earthquake.
...morePlease send all links to poetry@therumpus.net
Writers Edwidge Danticat and Simon Winchester are rallying for Haiti. Winchester will be holding a fundraiser at the Manhattan location of Idlewild Books on Tuesday January 19.
Fox News reporter breaks down on the air while reproting from Haiti.
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Tomorrow, we’ve been told, will be another day as well.
Richard Nixon as art critic.
Christophe Gilbert’s photo-manipulations are pretty rad indeed.
Can doctors use your eyes to determine if you have Alzheimer’s? (spoiler alert: maybe!)
GerryCanavan takes this moment to point us to a fascinating Zizek article on Haiti.
...morePlease forward any suggestions for links to poetry@therumpus.net.
Seems like Rush Limbaugh wasn’t satisfied with being the second-most-dickish person on the Haiti earthquake (though I use the term person loosely).
Ta-Nehisi Coates points out that Pat Robertson equated the rejection of slavery with the rejection of Christ.
...moreThanks to everyone who’s been sending in links. Keep them coming to poetry@therumpus.net.
So where exactly did Pat Robertson get his “deal with the devil” story from? Thomas Rogers brings the information.
Ferentz LaFargue, writing for American City, has some thoughts on the meaning of progress in Haiti.
...moreAny tips or suggestions should be sent to Brian at poetry@therumpus.net.
James Ridgeway at Mother Jones notes that most of the country only seems to hear about Haiti when there’s a disaster of some kind.
There’s a rumor on Twitter about UPS doing free shipping to Haiti.
...moreI’ll be doing this until further notice. Any tips or suggestions should be sent to Brian at poetry@therumpus.net.
A couple more suggestions for places to donate: The Hunger Site, Partners in Health, and UNICEF.
If you’re in south Florida and want to make donations of things like blankets, tents, batteries, candles, clothing, medicine and canned food, there are collections points here: 1st and Alton, south beach, South Miami Collection Point (Tara Sokolow or Vicki Simons): Simons and Green 5842 Sunset Drive Mon-Fri 10am-5pm Collection Point #2 (Jude Papaloko): Jakmel Art Gallery 7646 Biscayne Blvd.
...morePresident Obama’s statement on Haiti.
UN First Responders HQ was among the buildings destroyed.
More from UN Dispatch.
Images from the NY Times.
An update from Médecins sans Frontiéres. Many of their buildings were damaged, so they’re treating people in tents.
...moreI can’t begin to tell you how bad the destruction is in Haiti after the massive earthquake yesterday. Reports right now are that the death toll is expected to be in the thousands and that bodies are being piled in the streets.
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