>I have read all of your posts in this thread. My conclusion?>This is simply a cheap shot at AVSIM.>His post, regarding this same subject and same intentions, didn't go over any better at Flightsim.com either...L.Adamson

Great news, Ken. :-)

Yeah, but thanks to AVSIM readers, we get his first post at FS.com, which is:"I'd really like to see Flightsim.com show a little more support for the many American's displaced, especially in New Orleans. We have many simmers from this area in our community for nothing to be said about this tragedy on the front page."Which is a whole bunch different from his first post here which starts out with:"Avsim may not be the main culprit of this hypocrisy but I distinctly remember all the support Indian Ocean area got in its time of need but see no mention and little support for the millions of Americans suffering right now. Something could at least be said on the front page of Avsim."Notice the difference? There is an agenda at play here at best or a simple cheap shot at worst. I believe the latter.

Ken, great to see you are alive and back in the fold. We were worried about you of course. I owe you a beer or two in San Diego! :)

To that poster: The US Department of State has received numerous offers from foreign countries to assist in the NO disaster area according to NBC news.Also, give people a little time, you don't know how this site's staff and others may have been effected as well as other simmers.I know it's frustrating trying to grasp what has happened, but try and understand that this site and other sites will try and do what they can.How do you just create a story on a sim site about what has happened and how do you tactfully try and start the ball rolling for some sort of donation effort as well.It's not as easy as it sounds.for now people wishing to help out can do so best by giving money to the Red Cross at: www.redcross.org .

Jeff there is no agenda and all I was hopeing to see was a statement like this,"OUR PRAYERS AND SYMPATHY GO OUT TO THE MANY PEOPLE CAUGHT UP IN THIS DISASTER. MANY SIMMERS MAY HAVE FAMILIES AND/OR FRIENDS INVOLVED IN THIS TRAGEDY OR ARE DIRECTLY AFFECTED THEMSELVES. WE WISH YOU ALL THE BEST THROUGH THESE TROUBLED TIMES. FOR ANYONE WISHING TO KNOW ABOUT AND/OR DONATE YOU CAN FIND INFO WITH THE LINKS PROVIDED BELOW."I have family and friends who didn't make it...I just found out...

Sorry to hear that Dillon.For most people it's going to take time for them to express publicly how they feel, especially in a headline. Most people still can't grasp it themselves and most aren't even effected as of yet.

Current estimates are there are over 100,000 STRANDED in New Orleans as of tonight. No shelter, no food, no water.I see the Beeb is as accurate as it always is.bt

Somehow, I knew we'd get here.Nearly 1000 Iraqi religious pilgrims died in a human stampede on a bridge in Baghdad today. Haven't seen any outcry or armchair quarterbacking from our boys perched atop the wailing wall pertaining to the relative awfulness of thousands of people crushing each other to death.In the last three days more than 4,200 people died of heart disease in the U.S. Guess we should pummel Avsim for not caring enough to have a home-page link to the National Heart Association as well.Every day, lovable little furry rodents are having who-knows-what done to them in laboratories all over the world. Dang it, Tom, where's your "Save the Rats" statement??!!But, to Avsim's credit, there WAS a formal announcement on the front page that Captain Sim has (cough) completed its beta of the C-130...now THAT has all the makings of a disaster worthy of discussion here! :-lolThere are more than enough venues available for discussion of all the unhappy things in the world, but Avsim need not be one of them. The absence of a "wear it on your sleeve" statement of condolence to nobody in particular means nothing except that life goes on.Bob ScottATP IMEL Gulfstream II-III-IV-V L-300Santiago de Chile

>I guess most people missed the story yesterday of the $1>million US donation from BP or the money being given to the>Red Cross across Europe by ordinary people to aid victims of>Katrina.Today the White House confirmed that no less that FOURTEEN countries, including Russia, have offered aid to the US ranging from teams of SAR forces to food, clothing, oil, etc.What more could we expect?

Thanks Jeff... I am now waiting to see what the rest of my family is planning on doing and how we are going to deal with this.Tom it wasn't my intention to try and bash anyone. I apologize if I came across that way. I just felt this was a very devastating event and thought others felt the same way. Tom I hope all of your friends and colleges are found and accounted for, I would hate to hear any of you lost anyone...

Dillon,To tell you the truth I couldn't remember who made the original post, I was just trying to get people to always ask first, then post.Of course we are all very sorry for yours and everyone's loss in NO.I just don't see any need to go flying off the handle just quite yet. Tempers are going to flare though, there's no getting around it I guess.And yes, we should be able to talk about whatever we want to in these forums as long as they're in the right area. Most of us have come to know each other on an 'online' regular basis anyways for quite a few years, so we should also feel free to talk about life in general if we want to.I also hate to say it, but the poster below me might be right as harsh as it sounds. Avsim may not be the correct median for a front page post unless they are going to try an organize some kind of donation or relief effort themselves for everyone to get involved in.

>The way I've been attacked by Tom and others on this site has>been just horrible and has equally hurt me as much as the>recent bad news...Well, just what do you expect when you shove a sharp stick in someone's eye? It's to be expected that you'll reap what you sow.I am sorry to hear about some of your relatives not having made it through this disaster. The way that most families have spread around these past fifty years, it's quite likely that most of us here in the US have lost family as well, even if we may not yet be aware of such.

Bill I retracted that statement. Read my revised statement above please...

I was going to stay out of this, and I probably should, but...I think it's a little strong to say that the original poster was taking a "cheap shot" at Avsim, considering the fact that he posts here all the time, and probably enjoys coming here. What IS most likely going on here, is that he like many other Americans are indeed upset, because we are for the most part (as Americans) good people, and we are always quick to help out others (nations), yet I think a lot of us get the feeling that the rest of the world really do not like us. Needless to say, I can see why, it seems like every day some country has a beef with us for some reason or another. Whatever. I could care less, if half of the world or more don't like us, but some people maybe more sensitive to this than others. It's a very complicated subject. I don't wish bad upon any person, but all this terrorism and jihad stuff is a little disturbing. I will be honest and say that while I don't believe that everyone hates us, I can see why someone would think that. My last trip outside the US was to Canada, and they were all very friendly and kind people. I just quit smoking yesterday so I hope am not rambling, thank you for reading.Jeff