Dolphins, Whales, & the Philippines

I've been watching the trail of dead bottle-nose dolphins, or porpoises, slowly move down the east coast. Current numbers say that at least 753 dolphins have died from a measles-like virus that is slowly spreading through the migrating pods.  Dead dolphins are now being found along the coast of Florida, and after five whale carcasses have also tested positive for the virus, scientists fear that the virus might be spreading through our air breathing, but water living, friends.  Recently, three humpback whale and two pygmy whale bodies have been found on east coast beaches that are positive for the measles-like dolphin killing virus.  If you are on the water, or at the beach, and notice a dolphin or whale that is behaving in an unusual manner, please contact the NOAA Hotline at 1-877-WhaleHelp.  Do not approach the animal, and do not allow your pets near it either - it might be contagious.  We need to help these wonderful aquatic creatures.
    The landing of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines brings back memories of Hurricane Camille for me.  Camille hit the coast with winds of 190 mph; Yolanda hit the islands at 195 mph.  Camille then had to fall apart over the mainland of the United States; Haiyan crossed the sea again and is approaching another landfall in Viet Nam.  Ouch.  Hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones happen all over the world - and they are very destructive.  If you live on, or near the coast, or worse - on an island - you are pretty much at the mercy of whatever Mother Nature throws at you.
   Here in the US, we can easily look at video and photos of the devastation from Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy.  You can look at the effects of flooding here in Colorado less than two months ago, on 12 September, when we had our 100 Year Flood.  (We just had another all-day volunteer work party to clean up one of the mountain towns, Salina, yesterday.)  Compared to the average citizen of the Philippine islands, we are rich, even if our income is below "poverty level" by US standards.  I'm afraid that these poor citizens - of all of the Philippine islands - will stay in the incredible limbo that the people of Haiti are still in, after their devastating earthquake.
   Please, if you can afford to donate anything, please give to the American Red Cross.  You can say that your donation is for the survivors of Haiyan in the Philippines, or for those left homeless in Viet Nam.  I have just enough to get by this month, as I took a 5-day trip to Oklahoma City last month; but, any excess money that I earn this month will be donated to the Red Cross, as soon as I get it.  Why?  Because they do good work for every person on this earth!