Just walking around the neighborhood the other morning when I saw my favorite NYC traffic cop. She’s been keeping me entertained during rush hour for a couple of years now. You can download your podcast here.

Brings to mind Piet Mondrian’s Broadway Boogie Woogie, painted in 1942-1943.

According to MOMA:

Escaping to New York after the start of World War II, Mondrian delighted in the city’s architecture, and, an adept dancer, was fascinated by American jazz, particularly boogie–woogie. He saw the syncopated beat, irreverent approach to melody, and improvisational aesthetic of boogie–woogie as akin to his own “destruction of natural appearance; and construction through continuous opposition of pure means—dynamic rhythm.” Bands of stuttering chromatic pulses, paths of red, yellow, and blue interrupted by light gray suggest the city’s grid and the movement of traffic, while the staccato vibration of colors evokes the syncopation of jazz and the blinking electric lights of Broadway.

Go to MOMA’s site to see an image of Piet’s painting. Or better yet, come to my neighborhood to SEE THE REAL THING. Last I checked, she was directing morning traffic at Second Avenue and 63rd Street.

If I was fed up with network and cable news sources yesterday, I’m really fed up today. I think I’ve seen Sanjay Gupta and the 15 day old baby 25 times: not just on CNN, but on every other newscast also. Now don’t get me wrong. I think that what Sanjay did is terrific, but some of us need more information.

Yesterday I mentioned the Special Coverage page at Global Voices. It’s still a good place to start, but in case you don’t have time to check out every source, I’ve gone through and selected the ones that I think are of special value. Of course, The Heritage Traveler does not endorse the sites, their information, or their products. I’m listing them in no particular order, some annotated — some not.

• First, for up to date information from people who are on the ground in Haiti, you might want to take a look at the curated Twitter feed of users based in Haiti. You can find it at http://twitter.com/georgiap/live-from-haiti. The Twitter hashtag for news and information about humanitarian aid is #Haiti.

Blogs covering the earthquake from various perspectives include:

• Pour ne pas oublier… (French) : can’t vouch for the content, but visually engaging. Good for those of you who read French.
• Pwojé Espwa – Hope In Haiti
• Haiti, Land of Freedom
• Real Hope for Haiti Rescue Center
• The Livesay [Haiti] Weblog: this is a family blog written by missionaries serving in Haiti.

Other information resources

• Wikipedia | Haiti Earthquake
• US Geological Survey podcast answering questions about the earthquake
• Reuters AlertNet Haiti Earthquake: live blog
• Ushahidi | Local reports of devastation are being recorded on an online map by UN OCHA/Colombia and the International Network of Crisis Mappers (CM*Net). Submit reports of incidents online. Read about the genesis of the map here.

Haiti mainstream media:

• Haitipal.com is terrific. It’s streaming live video and audio in French and Haitian creole.

Haven’t checked this out, but you radio buffs may be interested in the following page age which will serve as a collection point for radio communications data related to the quake: http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Haiti_Earthquake_2010.

If you’re interested in becoming familiar with the Kreyol language click here.

Like many of you, I’ve been glued to cable news, anxious to find out what’s really going on in Haiti, waiting to see promised aid arriving.  I’ve found it quite challenging to figure out who will do the best job with my money. I’ve also been bored by the film clips repeated over and over, but I’ve found myself stymied in my search for independent information sources that might provide reports from the grassroots.

Today The Heritage Traveler will address the money issue. Tomorrow we’ll provide some alternative sources of information. If you’d like to get a headstart on the information post,  you’ll do well to check the Special Coverage page at Global Voices.

USAID’S Disaster Assistance page has good information on the questions you should ask before you make your donation. The page also has links to other resources. Some of the most important considerations include:

• Can the organization describe exactly what they are doing to provide relief, and how they are doing it?
• Does the organization have experience in the affected region and/or with this type of disaster?
• Is the organization undertaking programs that you would like to support?
• Does the organization have readily available information about its programs and finances?
• What share of a donation goes toward programs, versus administrative and fundraising costs?
• What are the organization’s plans for donated funds that are left over after it has fully funded its relief activities?
• Will your donation be tax-deductible?

I urge you to consult this page and read it thoroughly before you decide who to support. The Better Business Bureau also has a Web Site dedicated to “Wise Giving.” You can access it here.

Yesterday I posted links to The Lede. They’re still a great resource, especially for the latest and most up-to-date information. Read The Lede here.

The Huffington Post also has terrific Haiti coverage. You can read it here.

Here is a list of resources provided by the  Huffington Post. Although I listed some of the same resources yesterday, I think they’re worth repeating.

The American Red Cross is pledging an initial $200,000 to assist communities impacted by this earthquake. They expect to provide immediate needs for food, water, temporary shelter, medical services and emotional support. They are accepting donations through their International Response Fund.

•UNICEF has issued a statement that “Children are always the most vulnerable population in any natural disaster, and UNICEF is there for them.” UNICEF requests donations for relief for children in Haiti via their Haiti Earthquake Fund. You can also call 1-800-4UNICEF.

•Donate through Wyclef Jean’s foundation, Yele Haiti. Text “Yele” to 501501 and $5 will be charged to your phone bill and given to relief projects through the organization.

Operation USA is appealing for donations of funds from the public and corporate donations in bulk of health care materials, water purification supplies and food supplements which it will ship to the region from its base in the Port of Los Angeles. Donate online at www.opusa.org, by phone at 1-800-678-7255 or, by check made out to Operation USA, 3617 Hayden Ave, Suite A, Culver City, CA 90232.

•Save The Children has launched an emergency relief effort for Haiti. Donate to their fund to provide medical attention and clean water to children and families.

•International Medical Corps is assembling a team of first responders and resources to provide lifesaving medical care and other emergency services to survivors of the earthquake. The IMC previously helped recovery efforts after September 2009′s earthquake in Sumatra, Indonesia, and the massive 2005 earthquake in Pakistan. Donate to the International Medical Corps through their 24-hour hotline at 800-481-4462

•Ben Stiller’s Stillerstrong campaign will be temporarily diverting all donations to support the Haiti relief effort.

•Partners In Health reports its Port-au-Prince clinical director , Louise Ivers, has appealed for assistance: “Port-au-Prince is devastated, lot of deaths. SOS. SOS… Temporary field hospital by us at UNDP needs supplies, pain meds, bandages. Please help us.” Donate to their Haiti earthquake fund.

•As a UN Special Envoy to Haiti, Bill Clinton appeared on CNN on Wednesday to ask for further assistance in bringing relief to populations on the ground. You can donate through the Clinton Foundation or text HAITI to 20222 to donate $10.

•Mercy Corps is sending a team of emergency responders to assess damage, and seek to fulfill immediate needs of quake survivors. The agency aided families after earthquakes in Peru in 2007, China and Pakistan in 2008, and Indonesia last year. Donate online, call 1-888-256-1900 or send checks to Mercy Corps Haiti Earthquake Fund; Dept NR; PO Box 2669; Portland, OR 97208.

•Doctors Without Borders is on the ground and has set up clinics to treat injured in Haiti. Donate any amount so they can keep their efforts going.

•Direct Relief is committing up to $1 million in aid for the response and is coordinating with its other in-country partners and colleague organizations. Their partners in Haiti include Partners in Health, St. Damien Children’s Hospital, and the Visitation Hospital, which are particularly active in emergency response. Donate to Direct Relief online.

•Oxfam is rushing in teams from around the region to respond to the situation to provide clean water, shelter, sanitation and help people recover. Donate to Oxfam America online.

•The UN World Food Programme is gathering all available resources to deliver food to the recently homeless and impoverished in Haiti. Donate now to help bring food to those affected as quickly and efficiently as possible.

•The Baptist Haiti Mission is operating an 82-bed hospital that is “overflowing with injured.” Donate online to BHM and 100% of your donation will go to the relief effort.

•International Medical Corps is assembling a team of first responders and resources to provide lifesaving medical care and other emergency services to survivors of the earthquake. Donate online.

•Following the earthquake, Catholic Relief Services made an immediate commitment of $5 million for emergency supplies. They are distributing food and relief supplies, and importing plastic sheeting, mosquito nets and water purification tablets from the Domincan Republic. Donate to Catholic Relief Services to assist in these efforts.

•Give to the American Jewish World Service’s Earthquake Relief Fund.

•CARE is deploying emergency team members to Port-au-Prince today to assist in recovery efforts. They’re focusing their efforts on rescuing children who may still be trapped in schools that collapsed. Donate to CARE.

•Orphans International America reports that they have been able to make contact with their program director in the town of Jacmel, a city about 20 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince that houses OI’s hospitals and schools. Orphans International America is attempting to gather food, clean water and emergency medical supplies to Jacmel. You can contribute to them through PayPal.

•The International Rescue Committee is deploying an emergency response team to Haiti to deliver urgent assistance to earthquake survivors and to help overwhelmed local aid groups struggling to meet the immense emergency needs. They will focus on critical medical, water and sanitation assistance. Donate to the IRC Haiti Crisis Fund.

•NetHope is coordinating its response with its NGO member agencies and with the UN’s Emergency Telecom Cluster to establish connectivity in Haiti. Seventeen of NetHope’s members are already providing aid and deploying resources on the ground. Donate online.

•The Haitian Health Foundation is still assessing the situation of their full-time facilities and staff in Haiti. They regularly provide health care, development and relief to rural mountain villages in Haiti. Donate to the Haitian Health Foundation.

•World Vision has more 370 staff in the country. Staff members from less-affected regions of Haiti are mobilizing, and World Vision’s global experts are expected to arrive in the disaster zone as soon as possible. Donate to World Vision.

•The Jewish Federations of North America is partnering with the American Jewish Joint Distribution committee and have created a dedicated Haiti Relief page for online donations.

•United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) is the UN’s humanitarian fund responding to emergencies like the earthquake in Haiti. Donate online.

•Friends of the Orphans will use donations to meet the needs of first responders such as first aid supplies, shipping of necessary materials to assist in efforts, and treating the injured. Those interested in helping the relief effort can visit www.friendsoftheorphans.org, or call 888-201-8880 to make a donation.

•World Concern‘s staff is almost entirely composed of Haitian nationals and will be tapping into private as well as U.S. government supplies to help in the relief effort it hopes will soon be supplemented by cargo ships. Donate to World Concern.

•Merlin USA is sending an emergency response team out to the region and have subsequently launched an emergency appeal to bring urgent medical aid and assistance to those affected. Donate to Merlin USA.

Please give to the organization of your choice.

I just finished reading Around the World in Eighty Days, a book some say is one of the “best travel books of all times”. Since The Heritage Traveler, in large part, is a blog for bookworms who love to travel, I thought I should give it a read.

In case you don’t know the book, the plot is simple: Phileas Fogg is a Londoner who accepts a sizable bet from four members of his prestigious gentleman’s club to go around the world in eighty days. He and Passepartout, his valet, set out. They are hotly pursued by Detective Fix of Scotland Yard, who thinks Fogg has robbed a bank and is traveling to avoid arrest. On their journey, the three encounter accidents, diversions, and surprises.

Actually, at first, I didn’t think  Fogg was much of a traveler since he “descends the whole length of the beautiful valley of the Ganges without ever seeing it.” But he proves his mettle later on.

Still, this is a journey that revolves around time rather than the experience of place.

Did Fogg make it back to London and win his bet? You’ll have to read the book to find out. The other thing you might discover — or at least think about — is: “What kind of traveler are you?” And what role does time play in your travels?

A recent study suggests that there are five kinds of tourists. They are:

• passionate
• well-rounded
• aspirational
• self-guided
• keeping it light.

Hopefully, The Heritage Traveler has something to offer each. However, I’m also interested in travelers who don’t fit neatly into one of these marketing categories. You might call them the ‘intentional’ or ‘purposeful’ traveler. These are the people who are committed to protecting the cultures and environments they visit. I hope you are one of them.

Why do you travel? Is it:

• to escape from your daily routine?
• to make your heart grow fonder?
• to experience different cultures?
• because you have wanderlust?
• to seek creativity?
• because your friends expect you to?
• to avoid problems at home?
• to do away with boredom?
• because your job requires it?
• to see the natural wonders of the world?

Or — do you want to do good and change the world?

Contribute your thoughts and your comments. Let me know what you’re interested in and what you want to talk about. I look forward to getting to know you.

The Heritage Traveler will help you decide where and when to go, but we also offer lots of tools and techniques to help you preserve your experiences and share your memories. For, after all, no matter where we go or what we see, there is always a story to tell!

If you’d like to learn more about the travels of Phileas Fogg and Passepartout, check out The Extraordinary Journeys: Around the World in Eighty Days (Oxford World’s Classics)