Who profits from disasters?

[Gooberlx2]

The Bill Gates donation thread got me thinking. People donate millions and millions to relief funds and worldwide aid all the time. The Red Cross is a good example. A huge part of what the Red Cross spends its money on is vaccines and other medicine. So much of the donated money changes hands to the pharmaceutical companies. Do those companies reduce prices, or give free medicine, etc? Or are they just profitting like mad?

 

[Mo0o]

Whta about clean up companies and construction companies and everyone else that get paid to fix and rebuild?

 

[JustAnAverageGuy]

Giving away free stuff is some of the best advertising money can buy.

 

[Reel]

1. Disaster
2. ?????
3. Profit

should be the topic summary

 

[Slappy00]

lawyers profit off of everything

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: Slappy00
lawyers profit off of everything

I hear asia is suing the Earth. It's gonna be a close one

 

[jtusa]

Tax write-off.

 

[cchen]

Originally posted by: jtusa4
Tax write-off.

Exactly. During times of need/disaster pharmaceutical suppliers usually donate supplies and write it off

 

[chuckywang]

the media

 

[Argo]

Construction companies make out like bandits during natural disasters. Home Depot made a nice chunk of money after all those huricanes down in Florida. They actually have special trucks that they drive down to the disaster scene and rebuild people's houses.

 

[Freejack2]

Construction industry. Someone has to rebuild everything.

Edit: nevermind, what Argo said.

 

[neonerd]

Originally posted by: Freejack2
Construction industry. Someone has to rebuild everything.

:thumbsup:

 

[imported_cello]

Plywood people.

 

[Kishan]

Originally posted by: chuckywang
the media

Amen!