Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced on Friday the launch of a new tool, the “Person Finder,” to allow people to find and share information on missing loved ones in Haiti. This tool and other relief information can also be found at http://www.state.gov/haitiquake.
Here is part of the statement on the release of State’s Person Finder:People around the world are turning to the Internet to search for information on friends and family in Haiti: however, accurate information is fragmented and difficult to locate. The State Department convened a call with NGOs and the tech community to brainstorm how to innovatively utilize technology in the ongoing search and rescue efforts. As a result of the call, a group of engineers from the private, public, and NGO sectors come together to build the “Person Finder.” It is a simple tool that allows people to locate and contribute information on people in Haiti. This tool is available in French and English, and can be embedded on any website.
In addition to helping people find their loved ones, this tool will make the data accessible to other governments and private organizations in an easily manageable and accessible format.
International Committee of the Red Cross: Locate Relatives through Family Links
The International Committee of the Red Cross has opened an online page called FamilyLinks.icrc.org which aims to accelerate the process of restoring contact between separated family members. You can check The List to see if your relative's name is on the list, Register yourself if you want to inform your relative of your whereabouts, Register your relative if the relative you’re looking for is not on the list.
The ICRC cautions that it has no means of verifying the information sent through this open network. “The information given on this website is not confidential and can be consulted by everyone. It is the responsibility of the persons publishing information on this website to ensure that no harm can result from this publication. The ICRC cannot be held responsible for any possible negative consequence that might arise from the publication in this website.”
Ushahidi Haitisays that its crisis maprepresents the most comprehensive and up-to-date crisis map available to the humanitarian community. The information in the site is mapped in near real time and gathered from reports coming from inside Haiti via: SMS, web, email, radio, phone, Twitter, Facebook, television, list-serves, live streams and situation reports. It has 449 reports as of this writing.
Volunteers at the Fletcher School's Situation Room are mapping about 50% of the reports 24 hours a day. The other 50% of reports come from the Ushahidi team and volunteers around the world. Each report is first read at least once by Situation Room before being published on the map. This Ushahidi deployment represents a joint initiative with members of the International Network of Crisis Mappers (CM*Net).
For people trying to contact U.S. citizen friends and relatives in Haiti
The US Embassy in Haitihas updated its contact information for inquiries on welfare and whereabouts of American citizens in Haiti. Reprinted in full below:
During the Crisis in Haiti, calls regarding the welfare of U.S. citizens can be made to the Embassy’s Consular Task Force in Port-au-Prince at 509-2229-8942, 509-2229-8089, 509-2229-8322 or 509-2229-8672. (Prior announcement also urged Americans to contact the Embassy via email at ACSPaP@state.gov to request assistance).
The Department of State has received a high volume of calls concerning the welfare of U.S. citizens in Haiti. To handle these requests most efficiently, the Department has established an e-mail address for people who are trying to contact their U.S. citizen friends and relatives in Haiti.
The full name, date of birth and passport information (if known) of the persons in Haiti you are trying to contact.
Their contact information in Haiti; telephone numbers, email address, hotel name or address (if known)
Your name and contact information, and your relationship to the person in Haiti (parent, spouse, friend etc.)
Any special or emergency circumstances.
Our task force will work with our Embassy staff in Haiti to locate and, if needed, provide assistance. We will respond to each message as soon as possible. If you hear from the person you are concerned about, please be sure to send us an email providing the new information about their location or condition.
Below is the contact info for the Ops Center from a prior announcement:
The State Department Operations Center has set up the following number for Americans seeking information about family members in Haiti: 1-888-407-4747 (due to heavy volume, some callers may receive a recording). Outside of the U.S. and Canada, call 202-501-4444.
The FBI today reminds Internet users who receive appeals to donate money in the aftermath of Tuesday’s earthquake in Haiti to apply a critical eye and do their due diligence before responding to those requests. Past tragedies and natural disasters have prompted individuals with criminal intent to solicit contributions purportedly for a charitable organization and/or a good cause.
Therefore, before making a donation of any kind, consumers should adhere to certain guidelines, to include the following:
Do not respond to any unsolicited (spam) incoming e-mails, including clicking links contained within those messages.
Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as surviving victims or officials asking for donations via e-mail or social networking sites.
Verify the legitimacy of nonprofit organizations by utilizing various Internet-based resources that may assist in confirming the group’s existence and its nonprofit status rather than following a purported link to the site.
Be cautious of e-mails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files because the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.
Make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf to ensure contributions are received and used for intended purposes.
Do not give your personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions: Providing such information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.
Anyone who has received an e-mail referencing the above information or anyone who may have been a victim of this or a similar incident should notify the IC3 via www.ic3.gov.
The State Department Operations Center has set up the following number for Americans seeking information about family members in Haiti: 1-888-407-4747 (due to heavy volume, some callers may receive a recording). The Ops Center also says that "Our embassy is still in the early stages of contacting American Citizens through our Warden Network. Communications are very difficult within Haiti at this time."
US Embassy Haiti
The U.S. Embassy in Port Au Prince has set up a task force at the Embassy which is taking calls as conditions permit. The Embassy is working to identify Americans in Haiti who need urgent assistance and to identify sources of emergency help. Americans are urged to contact the Embassy via email at ACSPaP@state.gov to request assistance. Americans in Haiti can call the Embassy’s Consular Task Force at 509-2229-8942, 509-2229-8089, 509-2229-8322, or 509-2229-8672. Read Warden Message here.
How to Help:
If you need help making up your mind where to send your donation, you might check out Charity Navigator, the largest and most-utilized evaluator of charities in the US since 2001. It assesses the financial health of over 5,000 of America's best-known charities. Check out what the ratings mean here.
You can help the victims of countless crises, like the recent earthquake in Haiti, around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster, please do so at the time of your donation by mailing your donation with the designation to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013 or to your local American Red Cross chapter. Donations to the International Response Fund can be made by phone at 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) or online at www.redcross.org.
MAP International Medical Assistance Program
“MAP has contacted medical teams in Haiti who are already treating many of those injured. Hospitals and clinics are also providing lists of needs for emergency cargo shipments that will leave the MAP Distribution Center on the Atlantic coast to treat those needing critical care. Donations of cash and medical GIK are needed to support the many needs.” Click here to donate now.
MercyCorps: Haiti Earthquake
“Over the last five years, we've allocated more than 89% of our resources directly to programs. America's premier charity evaluator rates Mercy Corps four stars in organizational efficiency.” Click here to learn more. Click here to donate.
Is appealing for donations of funds from the public and corporate donations in bulk of health care materials, water purification supplies and food supplements which it will ship to the region from its base in the Port of Los Angeles. Charity Navigator, America’s premier charity evaluator, has rated Operation USA a 4-Star Charity for six consecutive years. Donate money, miles, in-kind donations online at www.opusa.org, by phone at 1.800.678.7255 or, by check made out to Operation USA, 3617 Hayden Ave, Suite A, Culver City, CA 90232.
Oxfam: Haiti Earthquake Response
“Oxfam is accountable for achieving the highest standards in programmes that are effective in helping people help themselves and achieve their development rights. We keep overhead costs below 5 percent and ensure that around 80 percent of all funds raised are spent on programmes. For more information about our record of achieving results in humanitarian relief, long term development and campaigns, and details of our finances, please read our Annual Review.” Click here for the Haiti Earthquake donation page.
In mid-November, thousands of emails were hacked from servers at the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia in the U.K. A small fraction of them address controversial issues; how to present climate data in the most favorable light and how to combat climate skeptics, among others. The responses reported in the press have ranged from these emails being a confirmation of climate change deniers' assertions that global warming is a conspiracy and a hoax, to the whole affair being a tempest in a teapot with no relevance to the reality of global warming and the need to combat it.This panel of experts gives its views on what 'Climategate' really means for climate science, the integrity of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, public perception of climate, and the ongoing policy negotiations in the Congress and at Copenhagen.
Moderator: Henry D. Jacoby | Participants: Kerry Emanuel '76, PhD '78, Judith Layzer PhD '99, Stephen Ansolabehere, Ronald G. Prinn SCD '71, Richard Lindzen | December 10, 2009
Running Time: 1:58:31
From: MIT World, a free and open site that provides on demand video of significant public events at MIT.
The United States government is financing its more than trillion-dollar-a-year borrowing with i.o.u.’s on terms that seem too good to be true.
But that happy situation, aided by ultralow interest rates, may not last much longer. Treasury officials now face a trifecta of headaches: a mountain of new debt, a balloon of short-term borrowings that come due in the months ahead, and interest rates that are sure to climb back to normal as soon as the Federal Reserve decides that the emergency has passed.[…]The problem, many analysts say, is that record government deficits have arrived just as the long-feared explosion begins in spending on benefits under Medicare and Social Security. The nation’s oldest baby boomers are approaching 65, setting off what experts have warned for years will be a fiscal nightmare for the government.
“What a good country or a good squirrel should be doing is stashing away nuts for the winter,” said William H. Gross, managing director of the Pimco Group, the giant bond-management firm. “The United States is not only not saving nuts, it’s eating the ones left over from the last winter.”
Still -- a tad scary, I supposed, when one realize a simple thing.It’s not only that we’re not saving nuts, or munching the bad ones left from last winter for that matter, but that we’re also giving “our” nuts away …
See -- there’s also Jon Boone in Kabul with more worrisome news from Afghanistan.He’s reporting that we are pouring millions into anti-Taliban militias in Afghanistan (Guardian | November 22, 2009).Apparently the Special Forces are funding fighters in Afghanistan and there are fears the strategy could further destabilize Afghanistan.“According to some western officials, the US government will make a pot of $1.3bn (£790m) available for the programme, although the US embassy said it could not yet comment on CDI.”He also writes that “senior generals in the Afghan ministries of interior and defence are also worried about what they see as a return to the failed strategies of the Soviet Union during its occupation of Afghanistan.”
Wait, wait a minute! Didn’t the we armed the somebodies out there in the 1980s against the Soviet occupation?What? We're not supposed to talk about that? The Guardian also reports that “in return for stabilising their local area the militia helps to win development aid for their local communities, although they will not receive arms, a US official said.”
How sure are we that they will not turn their aid money into arms to shoot at our guys?
This is just so, so confusing.
But I do feel sorry for squirrels like us.Are we ever going to enjoy our nuts again in peace like normal squirrels? Or is this as good as it gets?
The recent reporting on Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, who is accused of killing 13 people at Fort Hood, is a classic run-and-gun investigative story in which dozens of reporters badger officials to disclose a new fact (which gets you on page one) or two new facts (which is enough to snag the coveted lead-of-the-paper slot on a slow day). This wolf-pack approach to reporting almost invariably produces stories that lack context, which is hardly surprising.
After all, reporters are telling a complex story by unveiling the key aspects as they learn them. It’s roughly akin to taking scenes from say, the three "Godfather movies" and spitting out them out as YouTube videos in random order. Good luck to anyone trying to follow the plot.
On the Hasan story, one of the earliest newsbreaks seems, at least so far, to be among the least clear.
About a year ago, U.S. intelligence intercepted messages sent by Hasan to Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical imam in Yemen. A task force of counterterrorism officials reviewed those messages , determined they were benign —consistent with work-related research Hasan was doing — and never contacted anyone in the military familiar with Hasan’s record in the military.
Newspapers, Web sites and TV all gave huge play to the story. But what was anyone expecting the government to do about someone who exchanged e-mails or text messages with a known bad guy? Seize his legally obtained gun? Remove him from his job? Arrest him as a material witness to a crime not yet committed?
Last night, NPR provided some context in an exclusive story on "All Things Considered." Daniel Zwerdling reported that Hasan’s supervisors at Walter Reed Army Medical Center had become increasingly worried that their young resident was losing touch with reality and might be psychotic and a danger to himself or others. They weighed firing Hasan, decided that would be too difficult, and sent him off to Fort Hood without a formal mental health evaluation.
Now, the intercepted messages story has more meaning.
Remember the contacts between Hasan and the Yemeni cleric? They are reported to have occurred in December 2008, which appears to be the same time as Walter Reed doctors were wondering whether Hasan might be capable of what NPR termed "fratricide."
The terrorism task force that reviewed the potential threat posed by Hasan looked at his personnel files. But they never knew of the doctors’ concerns, because as, The New York Times reported today, the doctors didn’t add them to his file.
Had the Federal Bureau of Investigation spoken to his supervisors – an idea that raises a host of civil liberties and privacy questions – the assessment of the danger he posed might have been different. But the available facts suggest that no one knew the full picture, which meant no one could start "connecting the dots.’’
The reader faces a similar challenge as the Hasan story unfolds in the coming months.
Here’s something to keep in mind: It is a long-established rule for reporting that the first accounts of any military action are frequently wrong. A corollary: The initial reports in a run-and-gun investigative story seldom age well. Remember the hero female cop who shot Hasan? Well, maybe she did and maybe she didn’t. And the purported view of Walter Reed officials that Hasan might be a threat? Shortly after the NPR story aired, the Washington Postasserted the possibility that Hasan might be "delusional" was never taken seriously and addressed by his supervisors only "in passing.’’
Stay tuned.
Stephen Engelberg is managing editor of ProPublica.
September 30: Earthquake in IndonesiaSeptember 29: Tsunami in Pacific SamoaSept 29: Typhoon Ketsana in VietnamSept 26: Typhoon Ketsana (Ondoy) in the Philippines
I know things are tough for everyone. But if you want to help and can help, below are some organizations that have sent out appeals for contribution. I've put together the data here for information purposes only and not as endorsement. If you need help making up your mind where to send your donation, you might check out Charity Navigator, the largest and most-utilized evaluator of charities in the US since 2001. It assesses the financial health of over 5,000 of America's best-known charities. Check out what the ratings mean here.
From Reuters AlertNet: "September 30 - A powerful 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit the Indonesian city of Padang on Sept. 30, trapping thousands under debris. The quake struck the bustling port city of 900,000 people, toppling hundreds of buildings. By Oct. 2, the United Nations said more than 1,000 people had been killed in and around Padang. Aid to thousands of displaced survivors started trickling in, but rescue operations have been hampered by power blackouts and a lack of heavy equipment to shift fallen masonry. " The United States Government has provided disaster assistance here and here to support emergency relief work in Indonesia. ReliefWeb also has updates on post-disaster development in Indonesia here.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent SocietiesThe IFRC is the world's largest humanitarian organization, providing assistance without discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions. The Federation spends 93.5% of the donations on direct programme costs. The remaining 6.5% is used to cover administrative and other miscellaneous costs. Click here for online donations (use drop down arrow to specify “Indonesia: Sumatra Earthquake” or click here for bank transfer (insert name of country/programme you wish to support, e.g. “Indonesia: Sumatra Earthquake”).
Mercy Corps: Asia Pacific Disaster Response (Samoa and Indonesia)Over the last five years, has allocated more than 89% of resources directly to programs. America’s premier charity evaluator rates Mercy Corps a four-star charity. Click here to learn more. Mercy Corps International is a recent recipient of a $300,000 emergency grant through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) as part of the US initial $3.3 million commitment to the Padang Earthquake Response Effort. Check out Charity Navigator’s interactive map to locate the 29 4-star charities working in Indonesia here.
From Reuters AlertNet: "Tsunami waves smashed into the Pacific island nations of American and Western Samoa on Sept. 29, destroying in minutes a paradise of palm trees, resorts and pristine beaches. On Sept. 30, the death toll stood at 146 in Samoa, but officials said it was rising, with hundreds missing. Some 20 villages were destroyed in Samoa and scores flattened in nearby American Samoa. U.S. President Barack Obama declared a major disaster in American Samoa, where more than 20 people have been killed, and ordered federal aid to help the recovery."
Breaking news reports out of Samoa confirms many deaths and widespread devastation resulting from a tsunami after a massive 8.3 magnitude earthquake. Wondering what you can do to help? Be an online relief volunteer for the New Zealand Red Cross.
Link to this blog in your tweets and on your Facebook status
Get really involved and set up your own fundraising page by clicking FUNDRAISE here (encourage your company, colleagues, staff and networks to get behind your page) – all funds you raise will go automatically to the New Zealand Red Cross
Most of us probably don’t have the skills or experience to assist in on the ground in an emergency like this – but it is great to know there are ways we can volunteer our time & energy online to support those that can help like the Red Cross.
Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA)ADRA Australia is part of the global ADRA network, and is the humanitarian arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Donations to ADRA Australia’s Pacific Disaster Appeal will be used to support the immediate disaster relief activities in the area. If the Pacific Disaster Appeal raises more funds than are immediately needed, donations will be allocated to ADRA Australia’s ongoing emergency management activities in the region. ADRA Australia uses 10% or less of donations to fund its project management support services (see ADRA USA 4-star Charity Navigator ratings here). Donate here; Hotline (1800 242 372); ADRA New Zealand donate here; Hotline (0800 4 999 111).
Oxfam New Zealand: Samoa Tsunami Appeal Oxfam New Zealand works in the Pacific, Asia and Africa, working with communities to tackle the root causes of poverty. It spends 6% of its funds on programme management, 3 on essential administration (no data available from Charity Navigator).
Typhoon Ketsana hit the Philippines on Sept. 26, with the resulting floods affecting tens of thousands of people and forcing the Philippines to appeal for international aid. Documents posted in ReliefWeb from USAID/OFDA indicates that the floods have killed nearly 290 people and affected more than 3.1 million others as of October 2, including more than 419,221 evacuees residing in 508 evacuation shelters. In addition, NDCC reported that flood waters have destroyed or damaged more than 10,200 houses, as well as roads, bridges, schools, and agricultural assets, as of October 2. ReliefWeb which is administered by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has also posted regular updates of the post-disaster development here. US Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney has been helping out in relief supplies distribution in the capital city.USAID/OFDA also has an update on US disaster assistance in the country here.
Google and volunteers have put together an extensive page listing resources on how to help the victims in the Philippines.
This page includes a Google map also put together by volunteers indicating road conditions, donation centers, situation maps and missing persons in the affected area {If you are familiar with Google Maps and would like to help the group's volunteer efforts, email typhoonondoy@googlegroups.com}.
The help page includes news and updates (including local media websites), disaster emergency contacts (including rescue operations, civil society media, rubber boat and 4x4 truck requests), donations (online, credit card/paypal donations and SMS/text donations), list of US-based drop-off points for in-kind donations by state, and list of drop-off points for in-kind donations in the Philippines.
Check out Charity Navigator’s interactive map to locate the 19 4-star charities working in the Philippines here.
VIETNAM: TYPHOON KETSANA
The storm that caused extensive flooding in the Philippines moved on to Vietnam, slamming into the central part of the country on Sept. 29.According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) a preliminary emergency appeal for Vietnam seeks 4.9 million Swiss francs (USD 4.75 million/Euro 3.25 million) to provide food and non-food items for distribution, water, sanitation and hygiene interventions, shelter for displaced populations and capacity building for the Viet Nam Red Cross and its volunteers. An estimated 3 million people have been affected by Typhoon Ketsana and related flooding in the country. The US Government has provided disaster assistance here to support emergency relief work in the country.
AmeriCares: Asia and South Pacific DisastersAmeriCares is a nonprofit disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization which provides immediate response to emergency medical needs – and supports long-term humanitarian assistance programs – for all people around the world, irrespective of race, creed or political persuasion. More than 98% of total expenses directly support programs and relief for people in need, and less than 2% represent administrative costs. (See 4-star Charity Navigator ratings here).
Check out Charity Navigator’s interactive map to locate the 17 4-star charities working in Vietnam here.
According to Al Kamen, In the Loop's Name the Flu contest was aimed at finding a moniker catchier than H1N1, neutral on Mexico and fair to America's pork producers.
Apparently many hundreds of entries were received – “from as far away as Afghanistan, Slovakia, El Salvador and New Zealand -- sifted themselves into broad categories: slams on 24/7 media hype; plays on the H1N1 name, some trying to work out anagrams that will be easier for people to remember; and creative ways to avoid defaming Mexico or speaking ill of pigs.”
CNN Flu, Fox News Flu, Ponzi Flu, NAFTA Flu, PC flu – were among the entries that got special mention in Al Kamen’s column on June 19.Not terribly exciting submissions or creative submissions I must say.A Foreign Service officer in El Salvador did submit "Y2K Flu," adding: "The same hype and senseless waste of money. Twice."
But -- none of the names submitted would remind you to run to the bathroom and wash your hands one more time. The PONZI flu may remind you to check your wallet.The PC flu may urge you to check your computer’s temperature … you know what I mean?We need something bulky, severe and scary like SARS; just saying it out loud is big thud, a sure attention getter. We need something solid like that.
Al Kamen over in TWP’s In the Loop is running a Name the Flu contest.He wanted a better name for this thing – something more accurate than "swine flu," less wonky than "H1N1," in case this virus returns big in the fall.I agree that the name should be “something bold like SARS,” perhaps even catchy (but short). It might help folks remember to wash their hands or cover their mouth when they sneeze.
The 10 winners are promised fine-quality, In the Loop T-shirts. Send your entries via e-mail to nametheflu@washpost.com or mail them to In the Loop, The Washington Post, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071.You must include a phone number -- home, work or cell -- to be eligible. Just passing this along.
Deadline for entries is midnight this Wednesday, May 13. Read Al's post here.
Doesn’t say anywhere that you must limit your entry to one -- so go for it! Can you come up with your top ten names for this thingy?
“No dear, you’re wrong … we did not torture anyone”
Did she really?Did the former National Security Adviser and the 66th Secretary of State really said all those things that are ricochetting around the blogosphere? Let’s see …
Um …that did not go down outstandingly well, did it? It spawned sparks around the net, here, here , here and here. Even former Nixon White House counsel John Dean waded in.
On Sunday, May 3rd at the Sixth and I Historic Synagogue, Dr. Rice was back on the public sphere, at the podium this time for the Yitzhak Rabin Memorial Lecture (h/t to CQ for the transcript, read it here).
In the Q&A after the lecture, she talked a bit about her professorial skills on that video taken by Stanford student, Reyna Garcia:
Dr. Rice:
“This is really hard, right? This is a very hard issue. And I think the debate about it is appropriate and I don’t have any problem debating it. I was asked this by a Stanford student, famously now, on YouTube. And I thought two things: I thought you know, good, we should be talking about this. I also thought I need to work on my professorial skills a little bit – I think I’ve been in Washington a little too long in the way that I talked to the student.”
Yes, she did say, “We were as deaf and dumb and blind on September 10th as you could possibly be.”
Dr. Rice:
“But I do think that it is important to do this in a context of remembering the times and in giving people the benefit of the doubt that these were people of good will – and I mean everybody who was doing this – who had the hardest possible dilemmas and choices before them. There were second-wave attacks planned. We knew virtually nothing about how al Qaeda operated. We were as deaf and dumb and blind on September 10th as you could possibly be.
Now, the president in that context – in that circumstance – said what more can we do to protect the country? But he was very clear every time I talked to him – every time he talked to any of us – but it has to be within our legal obligations – both our international obligations and our domestic obligations. That is why we saw an opinion from the Justice Department and ultimately, from the attorney general himself, about what our obligations were and what the agency was proposing and how – whether or not this was legal.”
And what she said earlier, this was what she meant, “This was not a Nixon/Frost moment.”
Dr. Rice:
“Now, there’s been another confusing statement – I said at one point that it was, therefore, a given that the president – if the president authorized it, it was legal. This was not a Nixon/Frost moment. What I intended to say or what I meant to say about this is, the president said I won’t authorize anything that is illegal. It’s not that because he authorized it, it was legal. No, that’s a tautology. It was that he said, I won’t authorize anything that’s illegal.
Dong ma?
There’s really not much to add except to say …ya know … the Chinese has a popular saying that goes like this, "More talk more mistakes, less talk less mistakes, no talk no mistake."
Um … read the whole thing here (pdf), then sit back and wait for the next installment in this series. I’ll go watch Josh Whedon’s Dollhouse.
On 30 April 2009, the INTERPOL warned of criminals potentially exploiting the swine flu outbreak through spam emails and websites selling illegal, unlicensed or fake medicine.Below is the media release; click here for the original post:
Unlicensed and illegal internet pharmacies take orders and payments with no assurance of the goods being delivered and those customers receiving goods have no guarantee of the safety, quality or effectiveness of the drugs, thereby seriously putting their health at risk.
Transactions via this type of unregulated sites also greatly increase the chances of cybercriminals stealing an individual’s credit card details and users’ computers being infected with password stealing viruses.
“It has been seen time and time again that following a global threat or natural disaster, criminals exploit the situation for their own financial gain and in this situation they are searching to take advantage of people’s fears about their health,” said INTERPOL’s Executive Director of Police Services, Jean-Michel Louboutin.
“By responding to spam swine flu emails or attempting to order medication online through illegal and unregulated websites, people are risking their wellbeing and their money.
“Any unsolicited emails containing deals or links to websites offering swine flu-related information packs or medicines should be treated with extreme caution,” added Mr Louboutin.
Internet security firms are reporting that around three to four per cent of spam mails currently being circulated are related to swine flu, with this number expected to increase. Similarly, hundreds of new web pages related to swine flu have been created in the past week.
Criminal organizations and individuals involved in the production of counterfeit pharmaceuticals may also attempt to take advantage of the current health situation through the manufacture of fake antiviral drugs.
“Any product which can be manufactured can be counterfeited, and while there is so far no evidence to suggest that fake antivirals are being manufactured in response to the swine flu outbreak, this is an area which we will continue to monitor in order to identify any cases if or when they emerge,” said Mr Louboutin.
Anyone seeking official updates and information about swine flu should consult the website of the World Health Organization (WHO) which is leading the global response to the outbreak.
For individual countries’ guidelines people should consult their national health authority website.
The US Embassy in Mexico has released an April 27 Public Announcement Update on the flu outbreak in the country.The US Embassy in Mexico City and all U.S. Consulates throughout the country have now suspended all non-essential services to the public until May 6.
“On April 27, the Government of Mexico announced that as a precautionary measure, all schools throughout the country from kindergarten through university level will remain closed until May 6. All government-sponsored events involving large crowds in Mexico City have also been canceled, and museums and most tourist attractions are closed. […] Additionally, U.S. consulates in Mexico will suspend some nonimmigrant visa operations until May 6, but may see a limited number of applicants. More information will be provided on April 28, 2009 about nonimmigrant visa operations at U.S. consulates. If visa operations need to be suspended beyond May 6, we will inform the public as soon as possible.”
The announcement also states that operations at the U.S. consular agencies throughout Mexico may be curtailed.“Several are closing to the public entirely for walk-in services, seeing the public by appointment only.”
The US Mexico Mission covers all the nine US Consulates in Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Monterrey, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo, Tijuana and the 13 Consular Agencies in Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas, Cancún, Ciudad Acuña, Cozumel, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, Oaxaca, Piedras Negras, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Vallarta, Reynosa, San Luis Potosà and San Miguel de Allende.
Updated: 1:08 PM I should add that according to the WHO update (see Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response for daily update) as of 27 April 2009, the United States Government has reported 40 laboratory confirmed human cases of swine influenza A(H1N1), with no deaths. Mexico has reported 26 confirmed human cases of infection with the same virus, including seven deaths. Canada has reported six cases, with no deaths, while Spain has reported one case, with no deaths.
Although the alert has been bumped up to phase 4, the WHO advises no restriction of regular travel or closure of borders. "It is considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention, in line with guidance from national authorities. There is also no risk of infection from this virus from consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products. Individuals are advised to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water on a regular basis and should seek medical attention if they develop any symptoms of influenza-like illness."
One of our largest embassies in the world, US Embassy Mexico, will suspend non-essential consular services the week of April 27.In its Warden Update dated April 25, the embassy issued the following notice:
In accordance with measures announced by the City of Mexico to limit the congregation of large crowds, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City will suspend all non-essential consular services from Monday, April 27, 2009 through Thursday, April 30, 2009. On Friday May 1st the Embassy is closed for a local holiday.
From Monday, April 27 to Thursday, April 30th, consular services for U.S. citizens will be limited to citizenship applications (passports and consular reports of birth abroad, or CRBA) and emergency assistance only. Notarial and other routine services will not be available; anyone with passport or CRBA appointments is encouraged but not required to reschedule to a later date. Additionally, the Federal Benefits Unit is requesting all persons to postpone interviews on Social Security claims.
The Visa Unit also suspends normal operations during this week. Visa applications scheduled for this week will be rescheduled according to the announcement.Read the whole thing here.
The Warden Update did state that “these are precautionary measures only, taken to best assure the well-being of our clients and staff,” and that “the United States has imposed no additional constraints or limitations on travel between the United States and Mexico.”
The US Embassy Mexico mission is one of the largest in the world with nine consular posts and 14 consular agencies around Mexico. It looks like the suspension of consular services is limited only to the US embassy at this time, and does not include the constituent posts around the country.
Meanwhile the CDC Health Advisory (April 25, 2009, 3:00 EST (03:00 PM EDT) has the following update:
CDC has also been working closely with public health officials in Mexico, Canada and the World Health Organization (WHO). Mexican public health authorities have reported increased levels of respiratory disease, including reports of severe pneumonia cases and deaths, in recent weeks. CDC is assisting public health authorities in Mexico by testing specimens and providing epidemiological support. As of 11:00 AM (EDT) April 25, 2009, 7 specimens from Mexico at CDC have tested positive for the same strain of swine influenza A (H1N1) as identified in U.S. cases. However, no clear data are available to assess the link between the increased disease reports in Mexico and the confirmation of swine influenza in a small number of specimens. WHO is monitoring international cases. Further information on international cases may be found at [the WHO website].
In the same advisory, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that “The viruses contain a unique combination of gene segments that have not been reported previously among swine or human influenza viruses in the U.S. or elsewhere. At this time, CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment of infection with swine influenza viruses. The H1N1 viruses are resistant to amantadine and rimantadine but not to oseltamivir or zanamivir. It is not anticipated that the seasonal influenza vaccine will provide protection against the swine flu H1N1 viruses.”
More here on the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment of infection, including how it works and its possible side effects, especially on children.
CDC has not recommended that people avoid travel to affected areas at this time. CDC has posted recommendations at the CDC Travelers' Health page to help travelers reduce risk of infection and stay healthy. Note that the current World Health Organization phase of pandemic alert is at 3, the initial stage which correlates with preparedness, including capacity development and response planning activities.
It was disappointing to see this in the news today.Ambassador Chas Freeman withdrew from consideration for a top intelligence post in the Obama administration yesterday.I don’t know him but the way he was kicked around is shameful. His long experience in public service and the personal endorsement of 17 former U.S. ambassadors and seven former senior intelligence officials did not seem to matter.
The interest of the many outweighs the interest of the one? Even if he was not “encouraged” to withdraw from consideration, this is not a good sign.I expected more from this administration especially in terms of welcoming dissenting and beyond the beltway views. Now more than ever, we need people who can speak bluntly and truthfully even when it is inconvenient. I think less of this administration today than I did yesterday.
When Admiral Blair asked me to chair the NIC I responded that I understood he was "asking me to give my freedom of speech, my leisure, the greater part of my income, subject myself to the mental colonoscopy of a polygraph, and resume a daily commute to a job with long working hours and a daily ration of political abuse." I added that I wondered "whether there wasn't some sort of downside to this offer." […] I am not so immodest as to believe that this controversy was about me rather than issues of public policy. These issues had little to do with the NIC and were not at the heart of what I hoped to contribute to the quality of analysis available to President Obama and his administration. Still, I am saddened by what the controversy and the manner in which the public vitriol of those who devoted themselves to sustaining it have revealed about the state of our civil society. It is apparent that we Americans cannot any longer conduct a serious public discussion or exercise independent judgment about matters of great importance to our country as well as to our allies and friends.
Ambassador Charles Freeman Wall Street Journal │March 10, 2009 Read the full piece here.
David Rothkopf in Foreign Policy writes: "Further, those who celebrate keeping out Freeman or any others whose views do not align with theirs or who feared his associations would do well to remember that the same kind of criteria can be applied by other groups. The result is not a government of people without conflicts of interest or troubling ties, rather it is a government full of people whose conflicts and ties are with groups powerful enough to protect them. This among other reasons is why I, as a Jew with a memory, was so opposed to the attacks on Freeman. But for the record, the most compelling reason I found for believing Chas Freeman would have been a superb Chairman of the National Intelligence Council was one that seldom came up in all the articles I read. I actually know him."
