Floods In Pakistan

Hey everyone. I hesitated putting this post up because I usually try and keep things pretty inconsequential on here and I hate it when people try to get attention by talking about how much they care about the latest worldwide disaster. But from everything I've read about the floods in Pakistan, the problem is that a lot of people really aren't paying as much attention to it as recent disasters in other locations. This is for several understandable reasons:

• Everyone in the international community has their own economic problems at the moment.
• We're just getting done with a big push for aid in Haiti.
• Many countries, especially America, don't have a lot of faith in the corrupt government in Pakistan and worry if money would even get to the people who need it. In fact, the government's inability to mobilize a response seems to be part of why we haven't gotten a lot of data about what things are like on the ground in Pakistan.
  

Unfortunately, this could mean that the approximately 15 million people who have been affected so far by the floods may get the shit end of the stick. I say this not to lay a guilt trip on anyone (hence no pictures for this post), but rather to remind folks that even though we may not be on the best terms with Pakistan as a country, there are people there who are in a pretty bad way.

If you are in fact worried about giving money that will be squandered by the Pakistani government, here is a list of outside organizations that are mobilizing in Pakistan that might be a good way to help. And be smart about who you give to. If you're not sure about the organization, then do a little background research on them first and make sure you're comfortable before you give.

OK, that's enough making myself feel noble for one day. I'll get back to posting about irrelevant miscellanea soon.