[Jeff Higgins]

Pledges are one thing, payment is another. A story running in the paper last night pointed out that most of the money pledged for relief has yet to materialize. This includes money from the U.N. and nations around the world, including our own. It's too bad that in the face of such a terrible dissaster, it appears the grandstanding has begun, at least to a degree. Why do nations, individuals, or the U.N. feel the need to announce what they intend to give? What ever happened to just quietly doing what needs to be done to help, without keeping score?