Froodee

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How To Give Haiti Your Help

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The earthquake that hit Haiti is one of the worst in history, and we are all witnesses to the suffering that the people of this country are going through. Even though you and I may be worlds away from Haiti, there are many ways by which we can help. For sure, you have been looking for ways to donate so here is a list of organizations that you can check out.

The easiest and surest way would be to donate directly to the Red Cross. If you do not know where the nearest Red Cross office is, you simply have to take out your mobile phone (in the US, at least) and send “Haiti” to 90999. In doing so, you will donate $10, which will be billed to your mobile phone plan. Alternatively, you can call 1-800-REDCROSS for more information and options.

Another organization is Doctors Without Borders. They have been actively involved in charitable activities for as long as anyone can remember and they already have started organizing teams to help out in Haiti. To get in touch with them, call 1-888-392-0392.

The Clintons have been key figures in the relief operations in Haiti, and the Clinton Foundation is accepting donations as well. Text “HAITI” to 20222 to donate $10 towards the operations in the country.

There is a more comprehensive list of organizations which you can contact here. Just a word of caution – be very careful as to where and whom you give money to. As sad as it may be, the reality is that there are still those who would take advantage of the situation.

Ireland Passes Blasphemy Law

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Whatever happened to the separation between Church and State? I guess that this principle differs largely from one country to another, but I was really surprised when I read about the new law that was passed in Ireland on Friday. Called the blasphemy law, it places hefty fines on people who commit violations. One such violation is to publish or utter “matter that is grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby causing outrage among a substantial number of the adherents of that religion.” This violation requires a fine that can go as high as 25,000 euros (USD 35,000)!

At first glance, I can already foresee questions arising. What is the definition of outrage? What is a substantial number?

Don’t get me wrong – I am a person of very strong faith and religious ties. However, the whole thing about the government enacting such a law seems a little off to me. Atheist groups and other similar entities in Ireland are reacting a bit more – as can only be expected.

A group called Atheist Ireland actually went as far as to publish content on its web site. What they did was to collect quotes from famous and respected people – quotes which can be considered blasphemous under the law. Interestingly enough, the quotes came from figures such as Jesus Christ, Muhammad, and Pope Benedict XVI – all religious icons. By doing this, the group might just get in trouble with the law.
Do you think that this law will hold water? Is it still applicable considering the time?

Autism Numbers A Cause For Concern?

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released information on autism in the United States on Friday, and the official numbers are that about 1 in 110 children have the condition. This is a considerable change from the old numbers that the CDC has been broadcasting in the past – 1 in 150. However, CDC officials are trying to tone it down slightly, saying that they do not know yet if it is a real increase or if the increase is due to other reasons such as better diagnosis and better record keeping practices.

Autism is a condition which can be diagnosed by observing the behavioral patterns of a child. Unlike other physical conditions, no blood work or biological tests can be used to determine if a child has autism or not. The traditional definition of autism is limited to children who exhibit severe unnatural behavior, mostly repetitive, as well as severe problems with regard to speech and social interaction. Today, however, the definition of autism has become much broader. Even children with milder behavioral and speech conditions can be considered autistic.

On the one hand, I think that it is good that national attention is being brought down on autism. For so long, the general public has needed to be more aware of it. With this kind of attention, perhaps more people would understand autism, potentially detect it, and seek professional help if necessary. On the other hand, I am quite concerned about what are considered “milder” and “minor” conditions. Are we labeling kids too easily these days? Parents, what do you have to say?

The Philippines Could Use Your Help

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Do you consider yourself to be a charitable person? I know a lot of people who have made it their personal goal to do good deeds on a regular basis. They do it not because they want to glorify themselves, but because they value helping others.

At any given point in time, there will always be someone who could use your help. Right now, I cannot help but write about the plight of the people in the Philippines. The effects of Typhoon Ondoy (International name: Ketsana) have been broadcast all over the world, and nary a person is unaware of what happened in this Southeast Asian country.

Over the weekend, record amounts of rain fell in the capital and surrounding areas. A dam was opened to avoid further damage, but it only contributed to the unbelievable flooding that occurred in the cities and outlying regions. A lot of people have died, more are sick, and even more have lost everything they owned.

Imagine this: over 80 percent of the nation’s capital was under water on Sunday. Today, a large part of the metro is still submerged; hundreds of thousands of people are homeless, and families are still unreached by rescue teams.

They call it the “equalizer” – both the rich and the poor alike were not spared; famous and unknown were exposed to the elements. And the more fortunate countrymen are joining together to offer what they can. You may not be Filipino, but you won’t help but be inspired by how they are dealing with this crisis right now. It’s something that we can all learn a lesson from.

For those interested in helping out, contact your local Red Cross chapter.

World’s Fastest Internet Connections

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Which country has the fastest Internet connection? If you are thinking the United States, think again! The Communications Workers of America (CWA) recently conducted a survey to rank the countries of the world based on the speed of their Internet connection. The results were published in a report, and guess what? South Korea ranked number 1 with the average download speed of 20.4 megabits per second!

Compared to that speed, the United States lags far behind at only 5.1 mbps. In fact, the US ranked only 28th. The other top “scorers” are Japan with 15.8 mbps, Sweden with 12.8 mbps, and the Netherlands with 11.0 mbps.

So just how fast is the Internet in the top countries? In Japan, for example, users can upload a video in high def within 12 minutes. Compare this to the 2.5 hours it would take the average American to do the same thing.

Who tested the speeds? Speedmatters.org was the one responsible for the testing and the organization reported that from 2008 to 2009, the average speed in the US increased by a mere nine-tenths of a megabit per second. The outlook does not seem very bright, as there does not seem to be any indication that the US will be making any significant progress in improving infrastructure.

On the bright side, President Obama has promised to make broadband available to every home in the US. While that does not mean that the speeds will increase, at least more people should be able to gain access to the Internet.