Apple opens up Red Cross donations

A lot of charities have opened up in the eve of the near-apocalyptic earthquake that occurred in Haiti recently, and while Apple isn't really opening up a new charity as much as giving a gateway to an existing charity, it's still nice to see that even a company like Apple has a heart from time to time. (I know the term CSR, in case you're calling me naive.)

So through iTunes, Apple is offering consumers a much more convenient gateway to donate to the American Red Cross, and by convenient I mean a page full of buttons you can click.

The offerings range from 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 and 200 dollar denominations, and the user need not input any personal information, because the personal information won't be sent to the Red Cross. And really, who cares about getting their name credited for the sake of fame when there are tons of people dying in the rubble-ridden South American country?

Fine, politicians, but ordinary people who buy iTunes stuff aren't politicians, so why make a big fuss about not being credited?

Unfortunately enough, iTunes does not offer a donate button for other countries (or at least it seems that way with the Philippines store). Perhaps they are negotiating with local Red Crosses?

In the meantime, SMART subscribers can text their donations to the Philippine Red Cross through texting HAITI <amount> to 4483. (eg, HAITI 50.)

Dial 8 For Murder?

What a week it was for the world.

First was the devastating typhoon in Myanmar, then the high-magnitude earthquake in Shenzhen, and now, Cosme in Northern Luzon.

And in between, 8 people were shot in RCBC, 8 people- 5 of them children- were shot in the middle of the night in their own homes by a farmer's helper and 8 people died from Cosme.

What the hell is happening?!

I'm pretty sure it's not apocalypse yet, but it may as well be with all the consecutive disasters and killings happening all throughout the week. And what's with the number 8 anyway? Is the same gang responsible for stealing money and shooting people in the head in RCBC and for killing innocent children and their parents? The fact that both the gruesome killings were held in Laguna supports that theory, although it would be a bit silly for the same people to go killing people days in a row. Still, it's really disheartening to see Laguna suffering their worst crime week- maybe- ever because I don't think the province deserves it- no place deserves it.

How about you? What do you think about all this? Maybe yet another killing will happen later?

But let's look at the bright side: Taiwan and Hong Kong has united with China in relief efforts for earthquake victims. 2 days ago, I saw on television a Taiwanese telethon with all those people happily and without conviction, urging people to get paying because the Chinese are people too. Aside from that, I've only got one more thing to say...

God help us.