JAPAN DISASTER: Doing What We Can

"It is not enough to be compassionate. You must act. There are two aspects to action. One is to overcome the distortions and afflictions of your own mind, that is, in terms of calming and eventually dispelling anger. This is action out of compassion. The other is more social, more public. When something needs to be done in the world to rectify the wrongs, if one is really concerned with benefitting others, one needs to be engaged, involved."

"Today, more than ever before, life must be characterized by a sense of Universal responsibility, not only nation to nation and human to human, but also human to other forms of life."- Dalai Lama

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For a lot of us, we see JAPAN as one of the strongest, most capable countries around... long been the source for some of the BEST, INNOVATIVE, SLEEK, FUTURE FORWARD, etc.. products around... we ADMIRE them for always being Fashion Forward and Stylish.... as well as, for the way the Government seems to have a Better Handle with the well being of its' citizens... and of course, for alot of us VINYL TOY LOVERS - some of our most coveted collections and favorite toys have come from Japan.... Yes, they are these and so much more.... But, as we all know, these does not exclude them from Natural Disasters that leaves so much ANGUISH, LOSS, & DEATHS.... and most of us, around the world, sits around watching CNN and other News Programs - feeling their SORROWS and so HOPELESS...

Last nite, I could not sleep much as after watching 2 full hours of CNN, the IMAGES weighed heavy on me.... it is soooo DISHEARTENING watching everyone try to make sense of what has happened (the Quake & the Tsunami) and the THREAT that is still looming: the Nuclear Plant Saga... I cried watching people try to locate their love ones... seeing them breakdown in front of, what used to be homes of their friends and love ones, now a vacant lot or just plain rubbles... Hard to swallow knowing that the Death Toll has already reached over 3,500 and is expected to climb even higher with soooo many more people missing...

I woke up, with all these still on my mind and decided, I should also do what I can... and what I can is try to help in what I know how - just as I did when ONDOY battered the Philippines a couple of years back.... Besides the different ways you can HELP that I mentioned in the POST BELOW -- Tragedies & Disasters -- we have also started a RELIEF FUND - to be DONATED to a CHARITY (either RED CROSS or we will COORDINATE with a JAPANESE FRIEND to see if there is a LOCAL CHARITY that is TRUSTWORTHY and can get the DONATION faster....)

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So between now and the end of March... we will have a Japan Relief Fund Drive... Percentages of the SALES between these dates will be Calculated and Added to the fund.... they will be as follow:

-25% on all Susie, R&D Fashions, & Angels Sales
-10% from all Others

You Can See the OFFERINGS HERE: http://www.rnddolls.com/ * Only IN STOCK Products are Included * Pre Orders are NOT INCLUDED.
Of Course, STRAIGHT DONATIONS will be ACCEPTED, as well. Pls Email: wtsrudi@yahoo.com

Tragedies & Disasters

Am pretty sure that eveyone by now have heard and seen graphic images from the very recent plight of the Japanese people against an 8.9 magnitude Earthquake, coupled with the devastating TSUNAMI that washed away countless of cars, houses, farming, ships, planes, trees, lives.... and as well as, HOPE.... I for one, can relate - having gone through the '89 Quake that devastated the Bay Area... even shared in the agony of losing friends and acquaintances... then of course, the one that totaled and claimed so many lives in Taiwan back in 2001....

Often, at times like these - many lose their hopes - understandably so as they see & experienced first hand the aftermath of such disasters... losing just about everything is already devastating enough but to lose love ones, family & friends - it makes the pain and suffering even more so....

Believing that we are all in this world together... we are all interconnected.... we are all linked... we all MUST do something to bring back HOPE & LOVE.... and HELP our neighbours REBUILD.... We all, in whatever way we can, however BIG or SMALL, must show our friends in JAPAN that we care, they are loved and thought of....

SO, DO CHECK OUT THE MANY WAYS YOU CAN HELP AND DONATE IN AIDING OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS OF JAPAN - HERE'S A FEW LISTING OF AID RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE TRUSTWORTHY:
-RED CROSS

-GLOBAL GIVING
-SAVE THE CHILDREN FOUNDATION

-SHELTER BOX

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"There is a saying in Tibetan, 'Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength.'
No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that's our real disaster."
— Dalai Lama XIV

"Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work."
-Mother Teresa

Qee for Haiti!!!

Just got this in my mailbox -- Happy Qee!!!

Made especially to help with the Haiti Relief Fund - 100% of the SALES on these cuties will be donated directly to the + Red Cross to help in the relief efforts for Haiti.... So what are you waiting for -- Order Yours Now!!!

another disaster upon us...

Am sure by now most, if not all, of us have heard about the Earthquake that shook the impoverished country of Haiti on Tuesday, Jan 12th. The earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.0 and was centered about 10 miles west from the Caribbean nation's capital of Port-au-Prince. No confirmed DEATH TOLL count as of yet, but listening to BBC radio this morning, I heard that it is already in the Tens and thousands... so the as soon as some kind of DEATH TOLL appears, it will go down in history as another disaster where countless lives were lost....
So, I was talking with a few friends about the horrors of it all... swapping stories of the BIG Quakes: in San Francisco ('89) and here in Taiwan ('91) - both of which I have managed to experience and survived... of course everyone has a different opinion... Act of God, Mother Nature, and so on... and at times like these, one thing is always sure to be questioned: "WHERE IS GOD?"

Am not really a religious person, but I do hold on to my beliefs... I do believe in God... I believe that he will not give us anymore than we can handle.... and God is everywhere you see/find Love... and in the case of Haiti - God is where the VOLUNTEERS are...

God is where the countless Medical volunteers; the soldiers; the firefighters and the trained sniff dogs; the countries extending a helping hand and sending relief aids, money or otherwise...

God is where the many regular people, such as you and me, who will donate their time, money, material (clothing & food) and whatever else we can that we feel the the victims will be needing...

and God is where the Haitians who suffered from these calamity and still managed to get back and help one another... not take advantage of the situation to loot and cause more havoc....

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