Heda_Madness's past comments

  • 1

    Heda_Madness

    you are way out on that. The JRC have given $1.3 billion to 15 prefectures which is more than 90% of all the money donated to the IRC.

    Last week there was justified criticism of the Japanese Government for using money that was earmarked for the Tohoku reconstruction on non-Tohoku related cases. 15 Prefectures. How many were affected by the Tsunami...? It wasn't 15

    Posted in: Incidences of thyroid cancer on the rise among Fukushima children

  • 1

    Heda_Madness

    Mirai - a tornado is a type of whirlwind

    Posted in: Whirlwind injures 6 children at Ibaraki school sports meet

  • -4

    Heda_Madness

    Zichi said shame on me. Shame on me for posting something which is true. I know for a fact that some of the people living in temporary housing sold their new appliances for money. Because they had none. For Zichi to accuse me of lying is offensive. Seriously offensive.

    According to you no-one should donate to anyone. Apparently I'm the one that's ludicrous.

    Personally I know there are gaps that no government can deal with, and that if it hadn't been for the donations and the actions of many volunteers the situation in Tohoku would have been a hell of a lot worse. But that's just the thoughts of one ludicrous individual.

    .

    Posted in: Disaster relief funds used to count turtles, promote cheese, wine events

  • -3

    Heda_Madness

    No, I'm following on from my initial comment which you picked up on so I responded. Smith weighed in on that so I've now responded to that.

    Or should I just ignore the responses?

    The government (now deposed) did a superb job in that first 10 days. But I hadn't realised that the mayor of Sendai was the voice of Tohoku because there were a hell of a lot of areas that didn't have anywhere near the amount of food that they required. Or Water. I witnessed that first hand. And it's wrong to suggest that they had enough food.}

    And I know for a FACT that people have sold their appliances for money. You want to go to a Save Minami Soma trip where still, 2 years after the event people are queuing for a 2-3000 yens worth of food and water. And they queue in all conditions.

    And please don't you dare accuse me of making stuff up.

    Posted in: Disaster relief funds used to count turtles, promote cheese, wine events

  • -4

    Heda_Madness

    As someone who despises the Japanese government and it's cronies I'm geniuinely surprised of your defence of the Red Cross.

    I'll reiterate what I said at the start, the failure to spend the money accordingly by the Japanese government is wrong. However this is public money, not donations.

    You confused the two hence the reason I picked you up on it. If you donated to the vast majority of NPOs that were in Japan then your money would have been used quickly and effectively.

    The Japanese government have wrongly used money that was earmarked for the redevelopment of Tohoku and used it on other projects. This is wrong.

    No one should donate to Japan again until this is cleared up.

    This is also very wrong.

    Posted in: Disaster relief funds used to count turtles, promote cheese, wine events

  • -4

    Heda_Madness

    Onniyama - that's good and I know a lot of people did. There are also those who sold all of their appliances because they needed food and water. And still do. There are many organisations that are still providing food and water to those who need it.

    But Onniyama did you receive food and water that was donated by the Red Cross in that first month? Did you receive any support from them in the intitial emergency. Because it was very much an emergency and for months the Red Cross was sitting on a lot of money when people needed it.

    Posted in: Disaster relief funds used to count turtles, promote cheese, wine events

  • -4

    Heda_Madness

    I'd be interested to know what your experience is on the subject. To be honest I can't be bothered. I've relayed first hand accounts. I've shown that the Red Cross will collect in their own country and will only give to the disaster area if that specific red cross requests for money (available on red cross site). They go on a mass PR campaign at the start of any disaster but have little intention of turning that initial money to food and water etc.

    All of that is fact. That you choose to ignore those facts is fine. Donate to the Red Cross (if you do). Or donate to an organisation that actually helps at a point when it is life or death. I posted a link which the moderator deleted that was critical of the organisation.

    They do good stuff. But they advertise as being a relief organisation. But in Tohoku they weren't. And people donated to them when other organisations were doing more on the ground at first and needed more money. And that my friend, are the facts.

    Posted in: Disaster relief funds used to count turtles, promote cheese, wine events

  • -4

    Heda_Madness

    Smith - read my posts.

    This isn't from donations. It doesn't make it right but anyone who donated shouldn't feel that their money has been wasted. Unless you donated to the Red Cross but that's a completely different argument.

    At no point have I defended the misuse of the money. I have however criticised the Red Cross for the way that they dealt with their collections. The two are separate. But in my opinion, and many other people who have first hand knowledge of the subject, equally wrong.

    Posted in: Disaster relief funds used to count turtles, promote cheese, wine events

  • -3

    Heda_Madness

    Sorry Zichi but I have to respond.

    Within 2 years they have donated that. However they were incredibly slow, they misrepresent themselves as an initial emergency aid organisation which they are not. Donations go to them in the initial stages when food, water and shelter are the most important things. They do nothing in these areas. They do, however provide 32 inch TVs and Air conditioning units.

    Ask anyone who was involved in the initial stages of the relief efforts and they will give you the same story.

    On all of my trips there, I never saw anything of the Red Cross which is pretty incredible given the ground we covered.

    9% for administration. $30 million was donated to the American Red Cross for Japan. Japan initially refused that money. The American Red Cross continued to ask for funds for Japan. Only later did the Japanese Red Cross ask for money. And if it hadn't that money, that was donated for Japan, would have stayed in the US.

    They're an amazing **business. **

    Posted in: Disaster relief funds used to count turtles, promote cheese, wine events

  • -4

    Heda_Madness

    Zichi, that's not what those who were involved saw. And I'm talking about people who were the heads of a number of NGOs who came to Japan as well as people at non Japanese government level.

    The feeling from those involved is that they would never support the RC in anything in the future. As my post, deleted, showed, they still have over 30% of donations that were given for Sandy.

    They are there presenting at the front but it's not from them. It's from corporates (including Suntory) or from other NGOs.

    And that, is the facts.

    Posted in: Disaster relief funds used to count turtles, promote cheese, wine events

  • -3

    Heda_Madness

    To be honest I don't know. However I do know that they were sitting on a large pile for a long time and not doing anything with it. Other NGOs who were on the ground missed out on urgently needed funds because people went down the Red Cross route. And the people suffered.

    Posted in: Disaster relief funds used to count turtles, promote cheese, wine events

  • -6

    Heda_Madness

    Interesting piece of Red Cross propaganda - initial donations went to food and water? I don't know anyone who saw this but I know many people who were involved, across a wide area and seniority, who had nothing positive to say about them.

    I do know they're a business. A mightily successful business and one that understands the power of the media. As I say they claim for international disasters but there is no guarantee that any money raised for that disaster will make it. There small print says so, so that makes it right.

    Posted in: Disaster relief funds used to count turtles, promote cheese, wine events

  • -5

    Heda_Madness

    Not only do they keep a percentage they say on their website that they will donate whatever the JRC request, therefore had the JRC requested zero the international Red Cross would be collecting money for Japan, but without donating a penny.

    The Red Cross' business model is a disgrace. Be first there. Get your name on the news. Have video footage of you handing out aid. But don't mention that the aid comes from elsewhere. And don't mention that you are not an immediate relief agency. But encourage others to believe that you are.

    Posted in: Disaster relief funds used to count turtles, promote cheese, wine events

  • -3

    Heda_Madness

    As Zichi said.

    This isn't from donations. It doesn't make it right but anyone who donated shouldn't feel that their money has been wasted. Unless you donated to the Red Cross but that's a completely different argument.

    Posted in: Disaster relief funds used to count turtles, promote cheese, wine events

  • -1

    Heda_Madness

    Give this money to the people STILL living in shelters.

    WHO is STILL living in shelters? The temporary accommodation is far from luxurious but it's massively better than shelters.

    Posted in: Iwate 'miracle' pine returns…after a few adjustments

  • 4

    Heda_Madness

    I stated the Japanese defense is contrary to the charter of the IWC, which is part of Australia's case.

    the Convention states that its intention is to provide for the proper conservation of whale stocks and thus make possible the orderly development of the whaling industry. (IWC)

    Australia have gone on record as saying that they are and always will be against whaling. So who is contrary to the charter of the IWC?

    Posted in: Australia hopeful of Japan whaling ruling by int'l court this year

  • 0

    Heda_Madness

    Thanks Airion. I knew that Taro was part of Miyako but I'm still struggling with the 181 fatalities in Miyako. Taro was completely destroyed and I'd be surprised if there were 'just' 181 casualties there. The main part of Miyako was quite badly hit as well (many of you will remember the footage of the boat being carried over the sea wall and under the bridge). I've tried to confirm the numbers for Miyako but I can't find anything in English and my Japanese isn't good enough.

    Posted in: 2.4-km-long X-shaped seawall being built in Iwate

  • 3

    Heda_Madness

    It's amazing how many people get upset about the concrete protection in this region. There is an extraordinary amount of unnecessary concrete in Japan. But the keyword there is unnecessary. Due to a multitude of regions this area of Japan is susceptible to tsunamis. Even if all of the land was left for farmland it would need to be protected from tsunamis.

    Posted in: 2.4-km-long X-shaped seawall being built in Iwate

  • 2

    Heda_Madness

    As Taj said. In Taro it reached as high as 36 metres because of the shape of the land. In Miyako itself it wasn't as high.

    Posted in: 2.4-km-long X-shaped seawall being built in Iwate

  • 2

    Heda_Madness

    The death toll seems to be low as I believe that Taro-cho (part of Miyako) was higher than that. There's a lot of video of the tsunami clearing the previous wall in Miyako.

    Taro had two ten metre walls that were designed to prevent a 15 metre tsunami. Part of the reason their death toll was relatively high was that the locals believed that the wall would protect them. Sadly it was higher than that and the area was totally destroyed.

    Posted in: 2.4-km-long X-shaped seawall being built in Iwate

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