Did you know…that if you are a Direct Tv customer AND an AT&T customer, there is a $5 discount available for your AT&T bill?  Yep.  Something they don’t tell you about.   (or automatically apply)   So I’m telling you.
ATT customer service: 800.656.7189 if you had the ATT service first
Direct tv :  800.531.5000 say ‘customer experience’ (if that doesn’t connect, say ‘customer service’ then ‘billing’…billing will put you through to ‘customer experience’ and they will in turn contact AT&T to verify you have service with them.   YOU DO IT THIS WAY if you had the Direct Tv first.    Along round about way, but….
Hey,  5 bucks is 5 bucks.  It’s more of a discount with certain home phone services too.

*Note:  After calling,  and being asked by an AT&T rep “What was you calling about?” …I learned you must have the “all distance phone”, DSL and Direct Tv.
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I found this a bit…..disturbing:

An Italian official called the US relief effort in Haiti ‘pathetic’.  Say what? (link to article here)

Italy…sent $8.14 million to Haiti, is donating $2.57 mill to international groups to help Haitian children and a field hospital that can treat 150 patients daily.   Which sounds all sweet and nice until you look at what the US has put into this.    And while I’m pissed, let me ask, where are the contributions from the big boys like Saudi Arabia…United Arab Emirates… Kuwait… Egypt…. Jordan… Qatar…. um….hello?

And uh China and Russia?   A measly show of support!  Let me just say that as you read the AP article that will follow I want you to keep one thing in mind.   Here in the Cleveland area, a local news channel had a Haiti drive to collect medical supplies for the relief effort.   Citizens of Northeast Ohio brought in donations of 200,000 POUNDS of supplies.   If my math is correct…that’s about 91 tons of donations. (From ONE US city)  And we see that in cities across the US and in Canada, and I’m sure…in MANY countries.   My issue isn’t with the PEOPLE, who are very giving across the globe. I do however take issue with a few of these countries.  Now take a look at what’s coming in worldwide….. 

A look at foreign quake aid for Haiti
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (CP) January 23, 2010
Governments have pledged nearly $1 billion in aid to Haiti, according to an Associated Press estimate, including $575 million from the European Union’s 27 nations. Those promises include:

AUSTRALIA: $13.8 million in aid pledged.

AUSTRIA: $1.9 million to United Nations and international aid organizations.

BRAZIL: $19 million in aid pledged. Eighteen flights have delivered 200 tons of aid including food, water, tents, medicine, a hospital and medical equipment. Forty six medical doctors and nurses have been sent, along with 50 firefighters who specialize in search and rescue using search dogs. Nearly 1,300 Brazilian U.N. peacekeepers are working in rescue operations.

BRITAIN: $33 million in aid. A 64-member search and rescue team is on the ground.

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS: $80,000 in aid.

CAMBODIA: $50,000 in aid from the government; $10,000 from Cambodian Red Cross.

CANADA: $130 million in aid pledged. So far, Canadians have privately contributed more than $39 million and Ottawa will match those funds. Some 2,000 military personnel, including two warships.

CHAD: $500,000 in aid.

CHILE: 15 tons of food and medicine, search and rescue team, 20 doctors.

CHINA: $4.2 million in aid pledged. Deployed a 60-member rescue team to the island, including search and rescue specialists with sniffer dogs and monitoring equipment, medics, and seismological experts.

COLOMBIA: $900,000 in aid pledged through Colombian Red Cross. $1 million in food, water, tents and medical supplies sent. Colombia’s air force has flown in more than 200 rescue and medical workers and 18 sniffer dogs.

CONGO: $2.5 million in aid.

COSTA RICA: Engineers, health workers, disaster experts.

CROATIA: $137,000 from the government and a similar amount donated from citizens to the Red Cross.

CUBA: 30 doctors.

CYPRUS: $141,000 in aid.

CZECH REPUBLIC: $1.1 million in aid pledged.

DENMARK: $9.67 million in aid.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: $11.4 million in aid.

FRANCE: $28.6 million in aid pledged, plus more than 500 personnel, especially rescue workers, and 61 tons (55 metric tons) of supplies. Dispatched Francis Garnier, a ship that specializes in humanitarian missions, and three military transport planes.

GERMANY: $14.28 million in aid pledged by government. $25.56 million donated by private citizens.

GRENADA: $215,000 in aid.

GUATEMALA: Rescue team.

HUNGARY: $140,000 within an aid program co-ordinated by the EU, plus three medical teams and three search dogs.

ICELAND: Search and rescue team.

INDIA: $5 million in aid.

ISRAEL: Established field hospital, sent some 150 doctors and rescue workers and 10 tons (nine metric tons) of medical equipment.

ITALY: $8.14 million as part of $131.37 million in emergency aid from EU member states. Separately it is donating $2.57 million to international groups to help children in Haiti. A field hospital that can treat 150 patients a day has been airlifted in.

JAPAN: $5 million in aid, plus $330,000 in emergency supplies. One 24-member civilian medical team on the ground, sending 110-member military team of medical and other personnel via a Japanese C-130 transport plane.

LIBERIA: $50,000 in aid.

MEXICO: Rescue team.

NETHERLANDS: $2.86 million in aid from the Dutch government, which has pledged to double the amount raised by the public. So far the appeal has raised $9.28 million. A Dutch plane with search and rescue team and sniffer dogs has been sent.

NORWAY: $17.5 million in aid earmarked for the World Food Program, Doctors Without Borders, the Red Cross and other aid organizations. The country’s Red Cross and other aid organizations have raised at least $4.5 million for the country.

PERU: Two planes with 50 tons of aid, mainly food; two field hospitals.

PORTUGAL: Around $860,000 from private donations. The government has sent a military transport plane with more than 20 emergency rescue workers and sniffer dogs, as well as medical equipment and water.

RUSSIA: Has sent 138 emergency workers, a mobile air hospital, and doctors and five transport planes to deliver aid.

SENEGAL: $1 million in aid. President Abdoulaye Wade has said he would give a region of Senegal to Haitians wishing to move to Africa. He argued that because Haiti was settled by African slaves they are owed a right of return. The eccentric proposal was met with criticism by many who say the government is not even able to house its own people.

SIERRA LEONE: $100,000 in aid. The government has also offered to send police, soldiers and medical teams.

SLOVENIA: $70,000 in aid, and has sent tents worth $98,000.

SOUTH AFRICA: $135,000 in aid, and has sent a search-and-rescue team and plans to send forensic experts to help identify bodies.

SOUTH KOREA: $10 million in aid from government, aid agencies, religious groups and business companies, plus relief workers.

SPAIN: $8.56 million in emergency aid disbursed, sending 450 troops, 50 doctors, technicians and specialists.

SWEDEN: $25.6 million to organizations working in Haiti, including the U.N. and E.U.

TAIWAN: $5 million in aid. Dispatched a team of 23 rescue personnel and 33 medical staff.

THAILAND: $120,000 in aid; 20,000 tons (18,000 metric tons) of rice.

UNITED STATES: $130 million in aid, according to USAID. Has sent about 12,000 military personnel so far, 265 government medical personnel, 18 Navy and Coast Guard ships, 49 helicopters and seven cargo planes to assist in aid delivery, support and evacuations. Is managing operations at the Port-au-Prince airport.

VENEZUELA: 679 tons (616 metric tons) of food and 127 tons (116 metric tons) of equipment, including water purification systems, electrical generators and heavy equipment for moving rubble. 225,000 barrels of diesel fuel and gasoline is on its way, and the Venezuela-led Bolivarian Alternative trade bloc also sent two ships carrying 5,248 tons (4,761 metric tons) of food aid. Search and rescue team.

INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK: $200 million pledged.

WORLD BANK: $100 million pledged.

WORLD FOOD PROGRAM: More than 250,000 ready-to-eat rations delivered. More than 10 million to arrive within the next week.

Copyright © 2010 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

**I realize that many on this list cannot contribute more and are very generous in terms of their own economies….

YOUR THOUGHTS?