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From: ems@amdahl.UUCP (ems)
Newsgroups: net.space,net.columbia,net.sf-lovers,net.followup
Subject: Re: Space Shuttle Children's Fund
Message-ID: <2759@amdahl.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 7-Feb-86 16:43:40 EST
Article-I.D.: amdahl.2759
Posted: Fri Feb  7 16:43:40 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 8-Feb-86 06:23:28 EST
References: <221@hadron.UUCP> <325@lifia.UUCP> <328@lifia.UUCP>
Organization: Circle C Shellfish Ranch, Shores-of-the-Pacific, Ca
Lines: 56
Xref: utcs net.space:5108 net.columbia:2022 net.followup:5566
Summary: Multi lingual postings could be useful. And insurance.

In article <328@lifia.UUCP>, felix@lifia.UUCP (Francois Felix INGRAND) writes:
> 
> First my question was serious, I do not know very well the american Social
> System but I feel very sorry too, to think that you have to make a fund to help
> these childrens.

We don't really have a single 'Social System'.  It is more like a
collection of interacting systems.  Insurance is one system (usually
privately funded, but often not).  Government aid is another.  Public
funds are yet another.  These all tend to work without any coordination
between them.  Often this means that their actions are either redundant
or lacking.  In the case of astronauts, since their profession has
high risks, private insurance companies would be unwilling to take
on those risks without very high payments.  I think that NASA provides
the 'insurance' that the families would normally be able to purchase.
(If someone knows, they may want to explain how this really works.)

The comments that "the children don't need the money" imply that
there are some form of benefits available to them.

The forming of a fund is, as often as not, for the expression of
the sympathies of the donors.
> 
(...)
> Third, Do you really think that it is money that these childrens need?
> Do you really think that sympathy can only be Dollars. Excuse me but I
> feel sorry for you, to see that the only think that you can do for them is to
> make a Fund. I understand that we can make a fund like AFRICA AID, of "LES
> RESTAURANTS DU COEUR" in France. But here, is it the best solution? I doubt.

There is little else that most folks can do.  I may be on the other side
of the continent from them, and I may not be able to contact them,
and they might not want to be contacted by several million strangers,
but I can show my concern by a donation to a fund.  Cash is the
universal medium, the children can convert it into whatever form
of monument they desire.
> 
> I apologize for my poor English, and my response would be more precise if it
> was written in french.
>
I would like to encourage you to post in your native language.  I
would have benefitted from (trying) to read it.  Prehaps a bi-lingual
standard could be addopted:  The English version first, as it is the
customary language of the net, and the native language following.

It would be helpful both as a reference for clarification, and for
practice for those of us who are in need of practice for our
French (or other language of your choice..)

(Not to mention furthering the ideal of a multi-lingual and
multi-cultural net/world)

-- 
E. Michael Smith  ...!{hplabs,ihnp4,amd,nsc}!amdahl!ems

This is the obligatory disclaimer of everything.