Haiti aftershock stirs panic, could hinder last-ditch rescue efforts (1/20)

[Celtic Rose]

Port-au-Prince, Haiti; and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

The powerful aftershock that struck Haiti early this morning incited panic among residents who are sleeping in the streets and could hinder rescue efforts as the clock ticks to save those buried alive under the rubble.

Registering at a magnitude of 6.1, it is the largest aftershock since the devastating quake a week ago Tuesday killed tens of thousands of people and left hundreds of thousands wounded and homeless.

There were no immediate reports of serious damage after the latest earthquake, centered 35 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, but it could hamper aid efforts, which have finally gained steam after Haitians complained that food and water were not reaching their settlements

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[Celtic Rose]

I think a week after the fact, it would generally be considered a completely separate earthquake.  They really can't catch a break.

[thundley4]

All Hell seems to be breaking loose down there. Riots are common place from what they are saying on the news.

[debk]

I think a week after the fact, it would generally be considered a completely separate earthquake.  They really can't catch a break.

I heard this morning that it was referred to as an aftershock, but then determined to be a separate earthquake because the magnitude was over 6.0.

I think they have been having aftershocks on a fairly frequent basis from what I have heard from different Fox reporters .....

[littlelamb]

They seem to have it pretty rough right now

[debk]

They seem to have it pretty rough right now

I can't imagine.

They were hit by 3 tropical storms/hurricanes last summer too.

The governor of PA chartered a plane, flew down there to rescue 2 sisters from PA who run an orphanage there, and brought back 54 orphans yesterday. The plane he had chartered had to be movedout of Haiti, and couldn't get back yesterday when they received permission from the Haitian government to take the kids out.....so a  US C-?? flew them out.

I saw him interviewed on TV this morning, and there were clips of the children stapped into the seats. Now homes have to be found for the children. I doubt it will be difficult.

This will sound so ugly....and I really don't mean it to be....not towards the children....but those that control adoptions.

There are so many children ......American - US children....that need homes. And they aren't getting adopted. They aren't getting adopted because of  US state adoption rules/regulations that are in place preventing people - good people - from adopting children.

My step sister couldn't adopt a child (granted it was a long time ago) because she and her husband were over 40! Give me a break! A gay guy that I work with....he and his partner each adopted a bi-racial sister and brother at birth. Cost them close to $200,000 to get those kids through a very private adoption. I have been to their home, which is an absolutely lovely million dollar plus home, they are surrounded by loving family members as both men come from large families....and the kids are bright, happy kids now approaching middle school.

That's why so many people go out of the country to adopt foreign childen. The adoptive parents have the means and desire to adopt....but they don't fit the "criteria" imposed on US adoptions.

I think it's great that so many of these Haitian children will be going to live in good homes adopted by people who want them.

I just think it would be great if American children could be adopted so easily....


Sorry this went off topic...but it's been bothering me ever since I saw a clip last week of an orphanage that had 20-some children who have already been adopted by US parents, trapped in bureaucratic red tape and in a perilous situation....

[Ptarmigan]

I think a week after the fact, it would generally be considered a completely separate earthquake.  They really can't catch a break.

Such a sad situation for Haiti. 

[WMD Owl]

By the way, hear about the plans to relocate 150,000 Haitian Refugees to Florida?

[JohnnyReb]

By the way, hear about the plans to relocate 150,000 Haitian Refugees to Florida?

And instantly, 150,000 new democrat voters, huh?

That might cure the hanging chad problem......for a little while.

[seabelle]

By the way, hear about the plans to relocate 150,000 Haitian Refugees to Florida?

While I'm all for humanitarian efforts in helping these people.......I donated with hopes it would be to help them in HAITI !

[Celtic Rose]

I can't imagine.

They were hit by 3 tropical storms/hurricanes last summer too.

The governor of PA chartered a plane, flew down there to rescue 2 sisters from PA who run an orphanage there, and brought back 54 orphans yesterday. The plane he had chartered had to be movedout of Haiti, and couldn't get back yesterday when they received permission from the Haitian government to take the kids out.....so a  US C-?? flew them out.

I saw him interviewed on TV this morning, and there were clips of the children stapped into the seats. Now homes have to be found for the children. I doubt it will be difficult.

This will sound so ugly....and I really don't mean it to be....not towards the children....but those that control adoptions.

There are so many children ......American - US children....that need homes. And they aren't getting adopted. They aren't getting adopted because of  US state adoption rules/regulations that are in place preventing people - good people - from adopting children.

My step sister couldn't adopt a child (granted it was a long time ago) because she and her husband were over 40! Give me a break! A gay guy that I work with....he and his partner each adopted a bi-racial sister and brother at birth. Cost them close to $200,000 to get those kids through a very private adoption. I have been to their home, which is an absolutely lovely million dollar plus home, they are surrounded by loving family members as both men come from large families....and the kids are bright, happy kids now approaching middle school.

That's why so many people go out of the country to adopt foreign childen. The adoptive parents have the means and desire to adopt....but they don't fit the "criteria" imposed on US adoptions.

I think it's great that so many of these Haitian children will be going to live in good homes adopted by people who want them.

I just think it would be great if American children could be adopted so easily....


Sorry this went off topic...but it's been bothering me ever since I saw a clip last week of an orphanage that had 20-some children who have already been adopted by US parents, trapped in bureaucratic red tape and in a perilous situation....

I'll be honest, I'm a little concerned that some people are making an impulse decision to adopt a child.  A child isn't a dog that you can find a new home for if you change your mind. 

From what I understand, most of the children coming to the US right now are children who were already in the adoption process.  Other couples may still have to wait a couple years to have the adoption finalized, and I don't know what the authorities plan to do with the children in the interim. 

I agree with you though Deb.  We have so many children in the US who need good homes, and many people who want to adopt them, but it is a very difficult process 

[debk]

I'll be honest, I'm a little concerned that some people are making an impulse decision to adopt a child.  A child isn't a dog that you can find a new home for if you change your mind. 

From what I understand, most of the children coming to the US right now are children who were already in the adoption process.  Other couples may still have to wait a couple years to have the adoption finalized, and I don't know what the authorities plan to do with the children in the interim. 

I agree with you though Deb.  We have so many children in the US who need good homes, and many people who want to adopt them, but it is a very difficult process 

State/federal adoption laws in this country need to be changed.

I understand that people must be "vetted" every which way from Sunday....but to eliminate someone because they reach a certain age is ridiculous. In some cases, it's been as young as 40....which is just stupid. My brother is 42 and his kids are turning 4 and 6 in March. Many people these days wait until their 40's to start having children!

To discriminate against single parents is dumb too. Over 50% of marriages fail....those with kids all end up for some period of time being raised by a single parent. My mother was killed 4 days after my 13th birthday...my dad waited a whole 8 months before he remarried. With the way things turned out....with the exception of my little brother....I would have been better off if he hadn't remarried!! I was a single parent....at least legally as the other half and I still aren't married. A two-parent household does not guarantee a "good" child.

While it may make some of you angry....a same-sex couple is not a bad thing. Many same sex couples, will adopt children with "special needs" or bi-racial children that in many cases are often hard to adopt...as neither "race" wants the child.

Which brings up another point.....lily-white parents who won't adopt a bi-racial or non-white child from here in the States....but they will adopt a child child from Haiti, China, VietNam, Africa, etc! Why? Is it because their hearts go out more to a child that comes from a "poor" or "oppressed" country? Helllllloooooooo? The kids here that are up for adoption haven't had a great life either or they wouldn't be in up for adoption or in foster care!!!

I know I'm on a soapbox here....but it just really irritates the poo out of me that it has become "en vogue" to adopt a foreign born child....while so many American born children are shuffled from one foster home to another or one orphanage to another. ("oh let's do what Angelina and Brad do!!!"  ) I don't want to hear that the American children were crackbabies or addicted to alcohol! Many of the foreign born children's mothers didn't have any prenatal care either and lots of them had mothers with AIDS! Where's the difference?