Originally Posted by cmac2012

That is a first thought. Trouble is, if the supposedly powerful west doesn't do something to alleviate some of the suffering, the only visible body that is helping will be extremist groups. I've heard a bit about that on the news, not sure which groups involved.

And don't look now, but some in Pakistan are saying this is the result of AGW - melting glaciers in Himalayas and possibly the fires in Russia.

The latter is probably a stretch but who knows, torrential rains are one of the predicted effects of GW - extremes of climate could well become more pronounced or rather are as we speak.

To the OP, on the Lehrer Newshour last night was given info on how to do the texting donation, in this case it would go to a UN relief effort.

Here's the link:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/weather/july-dec10/pak2holbrooke_08-19.html

RICHARD HOLBROOKE: So, I'm very glad to be able to to mention all this. The American public is just beginning to tune in. We have a special phone number. If you text, is S-W-A-T, SWAT, and punch in the number 50555, you automatically send $10 to the U.N. Refugee Commission. But a lot more needs to be done.

JIM LEHRER: Excuse me. Say that again, Mr. Holbrooke. Say the SWAT and the numbers again.

RICHARD HOLBROOKE: You type in as a text message in an SMS text S-W-A-T, for SWAT, that area which is now completely underwater, once known as the Switzerland of Pakistan, SWAT. Then you send it to 50555, and will add $10 to your phone bill at the end of the month, and you will have sent $10 directly to the U.N. High Commission on Refugees.

And all the money goes directly to them. And no one has to worry about diversion, because it goes to the refugee issues of the U.N.


I just did it and it seemed to work.