Amazing

Hello from 2005.
I'm not a New Years person, find it a pretty pointless exercise.

But once again I'm proud.

The four biggest Australian aid organisations have raised more than $41 million in less than a week, with the Australian Red Cross attracting almost half that amount. Starting the week with a target of $8.5 million, the figure reached more than $20 million by 5pm yesterday.

Donations to many organisations started slowly, but began to flow more freely by mid-week. World Vision Australia has raised $9 million, CARE Australia attracted $7.5 million and Oxfam Community Aid Abroad $5 million.

Between 11.30am and 1pm yesterday CARE Australia received 6100 calls from people wishing to donate. The organisation has now raised $7.5 million.

The group's total includes many corporate donations, among them $1 million from the Pratt Foundation, led by the Visy Industries chairman, Richard Pratt, and $250,000 each from Qantas, Australia Post and Woodside Petroleum.

"The new year is the ideal time for the corporate community to resolve to follow the example already set by the outpouring of support from the Australian people," Mr Pratt said.

The amount donated to non-government agencies is about two thirds of the Federal Government's tsunami relief spending, which was raised to a total of $60 million yesterday.

Aid agencies have been overwhelmed by the generosity of the Australian public, and phone lines have been constantly busy.

And Oxfam had collected at least $900,000 at the Sydney fireworks.
The cricketers are also arranging a one day charity match at the MCG for Monday week of the world's best. Should be a very good line up. I hope at least a couple from India and Sri Lanka can come.

Amazing

Hello from 2005.
I'm not a New Years person, find it a pretty pointless exercise.

But once again I'm proud.

The four biggest Australian aid organisations have raised more than $41 million in less than a week, with the Australian Red Cross attracting almost half that amount. Starting the week with a target of $8.5 million, the figure reached more than $20 million by 5pm yesterday.

Donations to many organisations started slowly, but began to flow more freely by mid-week. World Vision Australia has raised $9 million, CARE Australia attracted $7.5 million and Oxfam Community Aid Abroad $5 million.

Between 11.30am and 1pm yesterday CARE Australia received 6100 calls from people wishing to donate. The organisation has now raised $7.5 million.

The group's total includes many corporate donations, among them $1 million from the Pratt Foundation, led by the Visy Industries chairman, Richard Pratt, and $250,000 each from Qantas, Australia Post and Woodside Petroleum.

"The new year is the ideal time for the corporate community to resolve to follow the example already set by the outpouring of support from the Australian people," Mr Pratt said.

The amount donated to non-government agencies is about two thirds of the Federal Government's tsunami relief spending, which was raised to a total of $60 million yesterday.

Aid agencies have been overwhelmed by the generosity of the Australian public, and phone lines have been constantly busy.

And Oxfam had collected at least $900,000 at the Sydney fireworks.
The cricketers are also arranging a one day charity match at the MCG for Monday week of the world's best. Should be a very good line up. I hope at least a couple from India and Sri Lanka can come.

(no subject)

Lucky I wasn't drinking anything when I read this.
From Matt Buchanan of the Sydney Morning Herald:

Drama of a more serious nature followed on Tuesday, with the latest episode of the much-delayed new season of The West Wing (Nine). President Jed was surprised to find himself host to a defecting North Korean pianist. I know what you're thinking. The only answer is that Kim Jong-il must sometimes let people use his piano. (It's not impossible the piano itself was also defecting.)

Bartlet and friends still look alarmed to find themselves speaking lines not scripted by series creator Aaron Sorkin, who left at the end of last season. These days, each scene concludes in dreadful silence.

Toby and Josh, with the entire cast gathered on the horizon of their shoulders, squint into the middle distance as if preoccupied with mental arithmetic. Horribly, they wait for a Sorkin wisecrack that will never come. Oh, the humanity.

(no subject)

Lucky I wasn't drinking anything when I read this.
From Matt Buchanan of the Sydney Morning Herald:

Drama of a more serious nature followed on Tuesday, with the latest episode of the much-delayed new season of The West Wing (Nine). President Jed was surprised to find himself host to a defecting North Korean pianist. I know what you're thinking. The only answer is that Kim Jong-il must sometimes let people use his piano. (It's not impossible the piano itself was also defecting.)

Bartlet and friends still look alarmed to find themselves speaking lines not scripted by series creator Aaron Sorkin, who left at the end of last season. These days, each scene concludes in dreadful silence.

Toby and Josh, with the entire cast gathered on the horizon of their shoulders, squint into the middle distance as if preoccupied with mental arithmetic. Horribly, they wait for a Sorkin wisecrack that will never come. Oh, the humanity.