Donations for China Earthquake victims

This is my second post on natural disasters and the human tragedy that resulted. I'm talking about the recent quake in China and my heart sank when I saw the pictures of the children killed by falling buildings. Even though I don't live in China, I am Chinese and I do have relatives living in Hainan, China. Thankfully that was not the area hit by the quakes.

I'm also heartened by the fact that a online casino website is helping out with donations to the victims of the quake. I'm talking about BackgammonMasters.com which is an online backgammon site that also host blackjack tournaments.  It is commendable that they are channeling proceeds of prize money from the blackjack and backgammon tournaments directly to UNICEF organization.

For every $1 donated from a months worth of tournament buy-ins, Backgammon Masters will be donating $5. That's very generous of them and I salute their efforts.

Online backgammon and blackjack tournaments will be offered for the whole month, 24/7 to help towards this cause. So if you are into Blackjack or Backgammon, do drop in, register with the online casino website and join the online tournaments with buy-ins that ranges from $4.50 and $200. Where else can you have a good online game of backgammon and contribute to a good cause at the same time?

Myanmar/Burma disaster

It is feared up to 1 million people may have died in this disaster, and although this is disputed, if Nargis did kill this many people, it would be the deadliest cyclone ever recorded, and the third deadliest natural disaster ever recorded in history, behind the Yellow River floods of 1887 and 1931 in China. At least 10,000 people have been reported to have perished in the delta town of Bogale.One aid worker has claimed that the death toll from the cyclone and its aftermath may reach 300,000; if this was correct it would be the 2nd deadliest cyclone and fourth deadliest natural disaster.

~ Wikipedia

Got an email from Fide Trainer / FM Peter Long relaying the appeal by Myanmar Chess Federation for donation.

Here's a quote from the email:-

I just met Maung Maung Lwin, President of Myanmar Chess Federation at the ASEAN Age Groups in Danang, Vietnam www.aseanagegroups.blogspot.com and he asked me to help circulate the attached appeal to the chess world.

Maung has tirelessly and singlehandedly kept Myanmar chess alive for over 20 years and despite losing all his businesses (factory, restaurant, etc.) in the recent Cyclone Nargis he is more concerned about his people's plight and is still helping promote chess by agreeing to be our Chief Arbiter here!

More information at http://www.thefidetrainer.blogspot.com/