My friend at ValueHuntr.com contacted me about a promotion he is running in an attempt to raise money for the people affected by the recent earthquake in Haiti. Here is the information he provided me regarding the generous offer:
"In solidarity with those affected by the earthquake in Haiti, ValueHuntr.com will be providing a free premium membership, including a subscription to our monthly ValueFocus Newsletter, to readers who donate more than $30 to the ValueHuntr Haiti Relief Fund below. This offer expires Friday, January 22nd.
It is our hope that this will provide an extra incentive for our readers to donate. We guarantee you that all funds collected will be donated to the Haiti Relief and Development Fund of the Red Cross (we will send receipt to donors as proof)."
The link is: http://valuehuntr.com/2010/01/15/haiti/
I ask people to contribute whatever they can and urge them to take advantage of the opportunity to receive a great newsletter as well. I understand that a lot of people are currently struggling in their own right. I'm not sure the dislocation between the boom on Wall Street and the near depression on Main Street has ever been more dramatic. But we have to remember that most of us have won what Warren Buffett calls the Ovarian Lottery. Those of us who were born in developed countries with ubiquitous infrastructure and endless opportunities for future prosperity are incredibly lucky. No matter how stellar our intellect or amazing our talents, if we had been born in different circumstances our chances of achieving professional and personal success would have been much more limited. Accordingly, it is our obligation to help those who are suffering and it is clear from the disturbing images currently being shown on the news that the Haitian people are suffering beyond what just about any Americans can fathom.
So, times are tough. The US deficit continues to increase by the millisecond. Underemployment continues to levitate at distressing levels. We somehow are still fighting two wars. But none of that should feed a tendency to lean towards ethnocentrism. One of the lessons of the Great Depression was that protectionism and turning inward only prolonged the slump. So let's take this opportunity to show our solidarity with the rest of the world and do whatever we can to help the people of Haiti.
Sincerely,
The Inoculated Investor
