We In Hong Kong Are So Grateful For The Worldwide Support – Thus We Want To Help Others

It has been a gruelling 7 months for us in Hong Kong with now over 7000 people arrested, numerous first-aiders having been arrested, numerous members of the press being shot in the face, threatened and/or harassed, a few weeks ago the police arbitrarily arrested 400 random people in a busy shopping district of Hong Kong…all the while there are DAILY reports of mysterious suicides, people being taken up to China, and on and on. The government continues to claim that they are doing everything right and that the world is wrong and misunderstanding the situation here. Even though 2 million people came out and protested, and the pro-democracy faction of Hong Kong won in a landslide in the most recent elections – the people are wrong, the government is right.

This whole time we have seen countless people from various communities around the world supporting us by holding up STAND WITH HONG KONG signs.

So we want to take the opportunity today to share with you a few other worldwide causes that we back:

Australia wildfires and how our friends in Worldwide Underground are trying to raise funds by releasing a worldwide 100 band compilation: https://uniteasia.org/worldwide-underground-releases-100-band-compilation-raise-funds-australia/

Sick of it All release a shirt to raise funds for Puerto Rico

“As you may have heard, the beautiful island of Puerto Rico has once again been hit by another devisatening natural disaster. Struck by a series of earthquakes when they’ve barely recovered from the damage caused by hurricane Maria. Our sisters and brothers need our help. We are offering this limited edition SICK OF IT ALL/PUERTO RICO BUILT TO LAST shirt! All the profits will be going to World Central Kitchen to support their efforts to feed the people affected by this tragedy. These are limited so get yours ASAP! Here’s the link:

https://allinmerch.com/collections/sick-of-it-all/products/sick-of-it-all-ny-pr-built-to-last-tee-limited-run-preorder

A good friend and all round incredible human being, Stu of Bane/Reach The Sky, has been diagnosed with cancer and a fund raising page has been set up.

“September 18, 2019 changed our lives forever. It is the day Brendan was diagnosed with cancer after seeking medical attention for 6 months. We were confused, in shock and are still wondering why. We met over 20 years ago at a local Death Threat / Diecast show in Brockton. That day a mutual friend who was there exclaimed “I didn’t know you two were together”. We weren’t. We just met. But the connection was undeniable and we have been together ever since. The local music scene is and was such a huge part of us as individuals and as a couple. I could not have imagined how that show, meeting Brendan would be the start of creating a beautiful life that now includes our two daughters, Nora and Lennon.”

http://imwithstu.limitedrun.com/

The Taal Volcano Eruption in the Philippines

Alpha Subanon released their sophomore EP in order to raise funds for the victims of The Taal Volcano Eruption. This is to help spread awareness about the immense suffering and destruction that our friends (people and animals) are dealing within Batangas, Philippines and surrounding areas. For as low as $1, you may download the EP and 100% of proceeds generated will be donated to the disaster and relief effort initiatives in Batangas, Philippines.

Taal, the Philippines’ second-most-active volcano, surprised even volcanologists when it suddenly erupted on Sunday. Within hours, the volcano on an island in the middle of a lake shot a plume of ash a mile high and triggered multiple earthquakes.

Whether it be typhoons, earthquakes, mudslides, tsunamis, volcanoes, droughts, or floods, the Philippines has been victimized by them all. Taal’s eruptions were a reminder that the country of 105 million is perched on the Pacific Ocean’s ring of fire, where seismic activity is at its most ferocious.

Taal remained on the fourth of a five-step alert level, meaning that a hazardous explosive eruption was possible within hours or days. The earthquakes that followed the earlier eruption have caused large fissures in the ground, proving the volcano’s intense energy and hinting at an imminent explosion.

Residents on the island, as well as those in provinces within a 14-kilometer (or 8.6-mile) danger zone, have been ordered to evacuate. Classes in some parts of Manila and in the surrounding provinces have been suspended since Monday. Emergency crews have managed to restore power and electricity to some areas, though a large part of the region still remained in the dark.

But living with the continual threat of a natural calamity has inured some people to the danger, even as communities gathered together to tend to the 50,000 people from the provinces of Cavite and Batangas who have been sent to 200 evacuation camps.

Areas nearest to the Taal Volcano have been blanketed in ash. There have also been 566 volcanic earthquakes since 1 pm last Sunday, January 12, the day Taal started erupting. Of these, 172 were magnitudes 1.2 to 4.1, and were felt at Intensities I to V. These are considered strong for volcanic earthquakes.

There’s a lot going on in the world…please take care of each other.