Hurricane Katrina

[Marona]

On around 28th of August,Hurricane Katrina has hit the south louisiana and mississipi area.The strong winds and complication of the hurricane cost many lives,many homeless,and stuff needed to be fix to stop the floods.

People need food and money to help gain their homes back in the areas.Of course new orleans,80 percent of the city is completely flooded in contaminated waters that are unhealthy for people to get around.

I pray and beg of you to help some victims in the devastated hurricane ever to hit the U.S and south louisiana,as it was worse as hurricane andrew.

Please look for your nearest donator or donate to the red cross or salvation army of louisiana.Even one penny or dollar can save a life.

Thank you for reading this.Please at least give us a little hand :)

~Marona~

[jetblue]

Some news networks are calling it Americas Tsunami.
Its awlful,there evacuateing new orleans and that superdome looks like a death trap.

[Marona]

on the news described,it was.it was because people were sweating,no electricity.germs spreading...all that stuff

[chrissii]

It just goes to show how unprepared this country really is for disasters. Honestly, I can't understand how they have no transportation for these people... I won't say they're not trying, but there's got to be a better way to do things, than having people walk for miles along a freeway in this heat. And ... the Superdome? I do see their point with it, they can't rightly set up temporary tent towns and have people swelter to death in this weather, and the dome IS air conditioned, but... agh. I don't know. With a little more planning ahead, this could've worked out at least slightly easier than it is now. I mean come on, the city of New Orleans is below sea level... how could they not have expected something like this to happen eventually? :-\ Just a generally bad situation...

[Marona]

actually most people...lets say 90 percent were prepared.its just those people who think they can ride the storm.Me and my parents had to evacuate because we didnt know if our house could stand up

it did stood up tho...meh maybe our family's houses are blessed.

now the super dome,maybe it was those people who couldnt afford leaving because of gas or hotel prices.what choice could they have in new orleans?

[Leon]

Gas prices, indeed. I've heard that some prices have risen to $5.00 a gallon in some places because of that hurricane.

A few of my friends have been evacuated from that area. One from another forum was fine, but a couple I haven't even heard from yet. I hope he's okay.

[jetblue]

The news say of the rioting and thieving but what about all those price gougers and that guy that was selling bags of ice for 10$ a bag. And boo hoo that a few casinos got damaged. Its a real shame.

[Locke]

As soon as I heard the news the song New Orleans is sinking by the Tragically Hip began to play in my head, and it made me sad. :(

Seriously, this is a huge tragedy. I hope that Bush plans on putting in money as part of a compensation fund for those unfortunates who were in New Orleans.

[Marona]

As soon as I heard the news the song New Orleans is sinking by the Tragically Hip began to play in my head, and it made me sad. :(

Seriously, this is a huge tragedy. I hope that Bush plans on putting in money as part of a compensation fund for those unfortunates who were in New Orleans.
he better.if not he's a huge fucktard

[bjp4444]

They say preliminary costs of all repairs will be around 25 billion US Dollars. Thankfully, we've only spent 200 billion US Dollars on our war in Iraq, so there should be enough to go around in this drastic time of need.

Sorry about that, I'm a sarcastic bitch.

I'm praying [even though I'm not religious] for all those who have been affected. Good luck and godspeed in the recovery. I'll do whatever I can.

-bjp

[Leon]

*Update*

My friend survived okay, but his house was flooded and everything in it was either ruined or carried out on the water. After seeing some of the pictures of the devastation, my heart truely goes out to those caught in this catastrophe. :(

[chrissii]

actually most people...lets say 90 percent were prepared.its just those people who think they can ride the storm.Me and my parents had to evacuate because we didnt know if our house could stand up

it did stood up tho...meh maybe our family's houses are blessed.

now the super dome,maybe it was those people who couldnt afford leaving because of gas or hotel prices.what choice could they have in new orleans?
Oh yeah I don't doubt that, I was talking about the government being prepared for it, not the citizens. I'm sorry to hear that about having to evacuate... I can't imagine having to leave my home like that. But I guess you must be thankful in a way that you weren't caught in it? :-\

[Marona]

*Update*

My friend survived okay, but his house was flooded and everything in it was either ruined or carried out on the water. After seeing some of the pictures of the devastation, my heart truely goes out to those caught in this catastrophe. :( I hope your friend does okay..

chrissi: oh thought u meant people lmao...goverment isnt prepared for anything ever:P.Actually we should have caught most of it because new orleans is a high risk for floods and the area im in is very uncommon for floods.our house would handle that

[chrissii]

I hope your friend does okay..

chrissi: oh thought u meant people lmao...goverment isnt prepared for anything ever:P.Actually we should have caught most of it because new orleans is a high risk for floods and the area im in is very uncommon for floods.our house would handle that
Really, it's true. Makes me seriously worried about the mass chaos that would ensue should huge disasters such as this crop up in more than one place simultaneously (be they natural or terrorist disasters.) :-\ I thought the governement would be more prepared than they are by this point, given the state of the world, but apparently I thought wrong...

[Leon]

Things are getting worse over there in LA and MI.

In a sign of growing lawlessness, Tenet HealthCare Corp. asked authorities late Wednesday to help evacuate a fully functioning hospital in Gretna after a supply truck carrying food, water and medical supplies was held up at gunpoint. It's crap like this that really makes me mad. http://www.rpgamers.info/images/smilies/mad2.gif Who knows how many people died because of that? Not mention the carjackings and issues of ice bags:


Tempers were starting to flare across the devastated region. Police said a man in Hattiesburg, Miss., fatally shot his sister in the head over a bag of ice. Dozens of carjackings were reported, including a nursing home bus. One officer was shot in the head and a looter was wounded in a shootout. Both were expected to survive.

[Locke]

Yeah, I head about that last one Leon. It's definently rough down there right now, I sincerily hope that bush gets off his ass and actually does something to help relief in NO. I wonder also if they are going to rebuild the city where it is or if they're going to fill it up to above sea level and then build :wonder:

[chrissii]

Yeah, I head about that last one Leon. It's definently rough down there right now, I sincerily hope that bush gets off his ass and actually does something to help relief in NO. I wonder also if they are going to rebuild the city where it is or if they're going to fill it up to above sea level and then build :wonder:
I dare say I hope they rebuild it above sea level. It was built below sea level years upon years ago, when we really didn't have the means to do much about it. However, if they rebuild the same way it was right now, they'd have no excuse. There's no telling when something like this could happen again, and although it would cost more and take longer -probably years, in fact- to make it above sea level, it would end up costing less than if they were to rebuild where it is and have the same thing happen again in the future. Sure, people would probably get angry about the length of time, and the costliness, but in the long run it would work out for the better. I hope they do the right thing with that, as opposed to a quick-fix. :-\ But maybe that's just my opinion.

[Locke]

Yeah, quick fix's tend to be a bad idea :shame: They will work for the short term, but I think the last thing we need is another troy :shame:

[Lord Draud]

only 200 billion eh? thats not what the last reports i read said the us army spends 400 billion a year and tahts not in war times the spending can tripple in war time, and also they won't rebuld it above sea level they will rebuild the walls that failed and make them bigger! once again the french are surrounded and in trouble its amazing that the only people that didn't have to worry are the ones that most of america hates. and looting its a american past time you thing something like a flood would stop it? maybe i am being mean here and looking on the down side but i think that bush wil not do anymore then the minimum needed cause he only has three more years left anyway, two terms is all he gets and this is his second one. OUT!

[Locke]

And good riddance to bush as well, I say. He has done enough harm to the world :shame:

[bjp4444]

only 200 billion eh? thats not what the last reports i read said the us army spends 400 billion a year and tahts not in war times the spending can tripple in war time, and also they won't rebuld it above sea level they will rebuild the walls that failed and make them bigger! once again the french are surrounded and in trouble its amazing that the only people that didn't have to worry are the ones that most of america hates. and looting its a american past time you thing something like a flood would stop it? maybe i am being mean here and looking on the down side but i think that bush wil not do anymore then the minimum needed cause he only has three more years left anyway, two terms is all he gets and this is his second one. OUT!
First off, it is 200 billion. The armed forces itself might spend more over the course of a year, but that is the amount that has been dedicated towards the war.

Second, I'm sorry you hate all things American [at least that's what I'd assume from your posts; if that's not the case, I apologize]. We are not a perfect nation by any means, but to make a quote that looting is an American past time is ridiculous.

I'd wager if you were stuck in shoulder-level water or in an attic with a limited air supply for three days, after going through the worst storm you will ever experience in your life, all while trying to manage with the water being contaminated from chemicals, human waste, dead bodies and the like, along with wildlife also getting more and more hungry and you're looking more and more tempting to them, that the water and bread sitting behind the window at the abandoned CVS pharmacy [that's going to spoil in less than a day anyways, when the water reaches it] might look a little tempting to you.

Now those douchebags stealing TVs and the like, I have no excuse for them. They should be publicy flogged, with the price gougers on gas, water, and ice right behind them. Also, the shootings and such are also inexcusable, but I'd imagine that there's a mob mentality taken to an extreme level due to extreme circumstances. That's not to be an excuse, but a possible explanation.

In regards to rebuilding, I have heard an idea of taking Lake Ponchetrain [which is nearby and ABOVE sea level] and emptying it into what's currently known as New Orleans. Then, rebuilding could occur where the lake was, eliminating the "sinking city below sea level" problem. True, there would be a loss in regards to the historic French Quarter and such, but I'd think the safety concern would be a greater concern.

Third, Bush does suck ass, IMO.

-bjp

[jetblue]

All those plasma tv and dvd players are useless to them anyway. No electricity and the moisture in the air will takes its toll on them. And you cant board a transport with one of those under your arm. I would use them as target practice. Load the 30 incher,PULL!
Can you imagine all the insurance claims filed after,lots of companys dont cover floods. And im sure they'll come up with lots of loop holes like they did for the wildfire victims a while back.

[Locke]

Third, Bush does suck ass, IMO. -bjp
Thanks bjp, you just made my day. It's been a long time since I've heard an american admit that. It was nice to hear.

As to the rest of it, that would be a good idea with the lake thingy, though it'd be quite a while before anything could be built at either site due to the amount of water and mud that would be around, and it would be a loss with the french quarter, along with the rest of the city. I sincerily hope that the governement doesn't decide to build up the city below sea level again. That would just be bad.

What I'm not looking forward to is the news getting it's hands on pictures of people in louisianna. That's just not going to be pretty :shame:

[bjp4444]

Thank You to our Interantional Friends (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050901/ap_on_go_pr_wh/katrina_world_offers_2)

I was very happy to read this article. It only renews my love for the human spirit to help one another. I'm sure it could be very easy for the rest of the world to say, "Screw them, they can handle themselves. They're the big, bad USA."

If this tragedy doesn't, in some aspect, make all of us Americans realize that we need the rest of the world, I'll be very very sad.

One planet, one humanity, one love,
-bjp

[Leon]

Heh, I never thought I'd say this, but Venezuela is now officially awesome.

[Marona]

hey...is anyone from louisiana here at all?

oh btw the above ground sea level thing...i doubt it...they didnt do it on last hurricane andrew i think...dumbasses

btw on news people were desperate and on rage that people were snipering hospitals and a family stole a car and got arrested because they wanted to get out...

my god its hell over there :(

[Leon]

Hell is EXACTLY the word. It is absolute lawlessness: gangs are roaming the streets looting, killing, raping. God, this disaster is horrible beyond words....

EDIT: Here's some more hell, as if we haven't seen enough... :(

People just shoving corpses into corners at the Superdome. (http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/09/01/katrina.impact/index.html)

"This is not a FEMA operation. I haven't seen a single FEMA guy." (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/hurricane_katrina)

Hard to imagine this is less than a few hundred miles from me...

[ELSTAVEO]

I've seen it in the papers. Did you hear about the woman who gave birth while escaping?

[chrissii]

I didn't hear about that, no. What I did hear about was the man who shot his sister in the head over a bag of ice, and the mass rapings going on. Apparently women were getting raped in the middle of a giant crowd of people, and when the authorities would try to get in to help them, the entire crowd would make sure to push them out --- intentionally. Does this disgust anyone else as much as it does me? I mean, like these people haven't been through enough, they have to cause misery to others who just went through the same thing as them as well? Not to mention the fact that they walked through debris, sewage, and other crap, and are trying to make their way to survival, and yet they're that bad of animals that what they think about is that they need to rape people?! Honestly...

[Leon]

It disgusts me beyond imagination. The authorities are basically powerless; they've been told to stop with the search-and-rescue stuff to deal the stupid looters and rapers. I cannot believe people would do this [loot and rape]. It seems unimagineable to think that so many people would promote lawlessness and anarchy like this in a situation where everyone is going to die. It's like a post-apocolyptic world over there.

[chrissii]

It disgusts me beyond imagination. The authorities are basically powerless; they've been told to stop with the search-and-rescue stuff to deal the stupid looters and rapers. I cannot believe people would do this [loot and rape]. It seems unimagineable to think that so many people would promote lawlessness and anarchy like this in a situation where everyone is going to die. It's like a post-apocolyptic world over there.
No kidding. It just really bothers me that in situations like this, it seems like the masses turn to evil crap like looting, raping, and murder, when they should actually try to have a sense of community and help for themselves and their fellow man. I'm pretty sure I've said this before, but I am really not looking forward to what happens when even more disasters start happening across the country at once. It would be mass chaos, apparently no one has prepared themselves for these situations -- Not even just prepared with supplies and stuff, but mentally preparedness. These people are losing their heads there, and if they would just get their act together alot more of them would have a chance at survival.

[jetblue]

Mabey because there surrounded by death and have lost loved ones. Human instinct begins to take over in situations like that. The feeling of being trap and that death is near sometimes the first thing that goes through your mind is food and reproduction. Place your seed in as many as possible. And kill as many rivals for food and women and dryland. Your body is pumped up with so many hormones and stuff its very hard to control.
I know the first thing i would try is suppress is my fear and swim. Swim to empty dry land were there are'nt as many humans. Swim like a gorgan is after me. Never stopping till my arms cramped up.

Im glad that a current affair was filming yesterday and they landed there chopper and picked up a few from the super dome and another reporter in a boat picked up a few to dry land.
I must say it looks very organized when i woke up and saw the news.

[Leon]

I just now heard on the radio that 25,000 people are coming to Reunion Arena here in Dallas. I'm glad that they have a better place to stay, but where will they go from there? They can't stay forever, can they?

I'm going up there tomorrow to help the RC and stuff. Is anyone else? (Does anyone else even live in Dallas? :p )

[bjp4444]

A few points:

One: I do agree that human [read: animalistic] nature is what is intesifying the mob mentality. But then again, you didn't see this after the tsunami, for example. Perhaps its a combination of the mob mentality, extrapolated by the nightmarish situation, and blended in with the wonderful American "me first" mentality. I'm sure that seeing the country mobilize so quickly after 9.11 and to aid in the tsunami, for example, and then seeing how long it is taking [in comparison] for this situation isn't quelling any anger either. This is an explanation, not an excuse, of course.

Two: Post-apocolyptic would be a good way to describe it, this will most likely become the worst disaster to ever hit the US, if it already isn't there. No one was, or really is, prepared for this, at least in the US. I thought that's what the Homeland Security department was for, to prepare us all when catastrophy hits. I'm puzzled why they have taken so long to mobilize, IMO.

Three: I love to help out this weekend, but I'm in Michigan, and I'm not sure there's much I can do. If I could afford to come down and help, I would, but I can't. I have 75$ to last until next Friday, and when you factor in I have to buy gasoline for work every day, that's not as much as you think. I know the mayor of Detroit has offered space to displaced peoples in the city; if they come here, I will assist.

-bjp

[Maxin]

I just want to share all of my thoughts on the hurricane.

First off, this whole thing makes me realize even more why I did NOT vote for Bush in 2004. He is completely incompetent, IMO. I mean, we can easily give aid and food to other countries that need it, but we can't do it to ourselves. Bush is probably still too worried about Iraq or two men getting married than he is over this tragedy. That's all I want to say because I don't want to go into a tirade.

Secondly, I had three friends affected by the hurricane. My first friend lives in western LA and wasn't affected much by the storm, but he had family in the New Orleans area. It took him a couple of days to communicate with them, but all of them are all right. My second friend is currently working in Orlando, but New Orleans is her home. She's been devastated by losing her hometown, the only place she really knows. I've been trying my best to comfort her, but most of the time I just don't know what to say since I've never been in a situation like this. Not being able to get ahold of her family made it worse, but she eventually found out through a family friend that her family is just fine. However, she herself has not been able to reach them still. My third friend has a few familiy members there, but most got out when the call to evacuate came. However, her grandmother took a bad fall the Friday before and had to go to the hosiptal. Her mom went down to watch over her. Then the hurricane hit. Thankfully both of them are just fine, though, like most to all of the hospitals in the area, they need to be evacuated. I haven't gotten word on that yet, but I hope they made it out safely.

I am so relieved that everyone is just fine. But it'll take a long time for many to get over what happened. We just need to be there for them if they need to talk.

Thirdly, I think what irritates me the most about this whole thing are the people who are now shooting at rescue workers simply because they're not being saved. I can understand that you are desperate, that you probably haven't had food and water in days, but you're not only endangering others by attacking the rescue workers, you're endangering YOURSELF in the process. If rescuers can't get in or land to save anyone, then how will you be saved? It's complete idiocy.

I agree that most of the looters are only acting out like this out of desperation. Especially when it comes to food and water. But there's no reason to loot abandoned homes or to rob corpses. That's just wrong (and disgusting).

And people using this disaster to get more money from others (i.e. price gougers at gas stations, or internet scammers lying about being from a relief agency) should be shot.

I feel horrible for the students that have been displaced by the disaster. College students are having to go other colleges for school, though I don't know how this is working exactly. Vanderbilt here is accepting a number of those students that have been displaced, which is a good thing. But their education will probably be disrupted by this.

This will indeed be the worst natural disaster to ever strike the United States. It'll take months and years to either rebuild the city or for the people to get over the tragedy to some degree. So much has been affected. If anyone can do anything to help out, then please do so. Be there for friends and family that have been affected in any way by the storm. Volunteer or pledge money. Do something.

[jetblue]

Yeah,bush and that mississippi governor had me shocked.
While cnn was showing lots of damage a few days ago they broke for the presidents speech in some meeting hall where he was talking about iraq. I remember this line:"we must stay in iraq so the oil funds dont go to funding terrorism.
And that ignorant mississippi governor said this hours after katrina passed:"I have little sympathy to those that stayed behind after the order to evacuate"

[Leon]

And that ignorant mississippi governor said this hours after katrina passed:"I have little sympathy to those that stayed behind after the order to evacuate" This guy is an arrogant butthole. Some of the people couldn't get out because of such short notice. I mean, has he never heard of the homeless?! This wascompounded by gas prices and traffic of others trying to get out. This so-called "Governor" should be put in the middle of New Orleans at night to see what goes on there. Then he may have some sympathy for those that couldn't leave that deathtrap.

[Marona]

I just want to share all of my thoughts on the hurricane.

First off, this whole thing makes me realize even more why I did NOT vote for Bush in 2004.
would the other guy..erm...starts with a J he ran for president for democratics...be worse?

[Leon]

Further proof that responce has been unacceptably slow... (http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050902/pl_afp/usweatherdeaths)

Oh, and Marona. About that one guy...apparently people are still arguing about it (http://forum.starmen.net/?t=msg&th=16126). :p

[EDIT] Oh, and for your viewing pleasure:

You know it's a bad situation when even the Police are looting the local Wal-Mart. (http://www.zippyvideos.com/8911023771013466/countdown-looting-in-walmart/) http://www.rpgamers.info/images/smilies/mad2.gif

[Maxin]

would the other guy..erm...starts with a J he ran for president for democratics...be worse? John Kerry? Honestly, I don't know. I think we probably would be better off with him, though. Kerry wouldn't be so caught up in Iraq that his cabinet would probably have handled this situation differently and more effectively. But, then again, maybe not. It's still all open to debate.

Truthfully, most of the problem lies with FEMA. FEMA has had how many years to prepare for something catastrophic like this? Knowing that it could happen any hurricane season? Supposedly they're still sitting on their butts not knowing what to do. It's a disgrace. I saw this on a New Orleans TV station news update website: "3:14 P.M. (Sept. 2) - St. Bernard Parish officials say that FEMA has not called them yet...five days after the storm." New Orleans is in St. Bernard Parish. So the Federal Emergency Mangement Agency, the "agency of the US government tasked with Disaster Mitigation, Preparedness, Response & Recovery planning" has done NOTHING. It's atrocious.

[Marona]

i dunno...it would be good to find out if we had some sort of time machine to see who's worse...

for that walmart thing...stealing food and clothes and water is understandable but accessories,toys,drugs,and all that stuff?...no way just...so wrong...http://www.rpgamers.info/images/smilies/shame.gif

[Leon]

Interviewer: So...why are you looting this Wal-Mart?
Cop: I gots to live! I gots to eat!
Interviewer: Oh? And what's with that mp3 player?
Cop: I...I gots to go! (paraphrased slightly, the main idea remains the same.)

My thoughts?


BS!
God, this is just wrong. EVEN THE COPS ARE DOING IT!! WTF?!

[Maxin]

This article just about sums up what's happening, and how well FEMA thinks things are going.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/02/katrina.response/index.html

[jetblue]

Another gem of a phrase the governor of mississippi kept saying was "Shoot to kill".
He said this 4 times in his press conference. Like the only ones that stayed behind was only for lootin purposes.
And another thing he was doing while he was on the news was he had a some chewing tobacco in his mouth. I dont really fault him for because i enjoy a good chaw myself now and then but theres a time to chaw and a time not to chaw. And this wasnt a good time.

[chrissii]

Another gem of a phrase the governor of mississippi kept saying was "Shoot to kill".
He said this 4 times in his press conference. Like the only ones that stayed behind was only for lootin purposes.

I'd take a stab and guess that he was talking about the looters, and the people who are shooting down the rescue teams, and generally making it harder for them to get to and help the people who really need the help (i.e, the sick, handicapped, elderly, and the younglins.) I highly doubt he meant everyone. :-\

[Leon]

What really got me is that he actually said "Shoot to kill". That is not something you hear from someone affiliated with law enforcement. "Shoot to stop" (which is, to my knowledge, the only armed response doctrine employed by law enforcement in the United States) often results in the death of the stoppee, and that is acknowledged as an acceptable cost - but the death itself is not the goal. When the governor is saying "Shoot to kill", he is saying that if you shoot them and they are not subsequently rendered dead, you shoot them again until they are.

[jetblue]

The governor was saying it within hours of katrinas passing and with a smile on his face,thats what made me so angry. Like something he was gonna look foward to. It was later that the refugees were shooting at the choppers and looting began.
Im waiting for bush to say something good. He can redeem and make me forgive so much if he does something really good when hes in new orleans. I got my fingers crossed.

[Leon]

Ha...I just heard something totally awesome. This seventeen year old "hijacked" a bus and evacuated 70 people out of New Orleans. That is just cool. But...I guarantee you the Feds will be all over him before they say anything else about the hurricane. Dumb Stupid FEDS!! http://www.rpgamers.info/images/smilies/wall.gif

[Lord Draud]

human nature is to gather, so when all restrictions are gone on our gathering (money the law and our sence of guilt) we gather, even if we never will use the items

[Locke]

It is human nature to take what we want, when the legal ramifications are gone... Well, that just makes people want to loot. I remember a couple years back when hurricane juan hit Charlottetown there was numerous people that looted some of the stores downtown. Human nature, I suppose.

I also came accross an interesting bit of information earlier on today. The number one thing that got looted first was .... Guns. Yep, you guessed it, guns. Even before food, people went for guns. What has humanity gotten too :shame:

Well, people are dumb. I stand by that.

[Leon]

Evacuation is going well, it seems. In Dallas today, more people arrived today. Everyone seemed in surprisingly good spirits for having their home destroyed and nowhere to go. Everyone who helped out was cooperative and friendly. It lifts your spirits to see this kind of thing happening. The kids all got together and played, the adults were in groups discussing how lucky they were and how miracles had been going on. It was pretty cool.

[bjp4444]

That's really cool that you were able to help out, I wish I could. I almost feel helpless sitting here, with nothing I can do other than wish that everything turns out all-right, and things get back to, or better than, what they were ASAP.

Much kudos to you, man. Way to go.

-bjp

[kai]

I don't mean to sound cold here or anything but when you move into a city that is below sea level, YOU SHOULD KNOW THE RISKS. Now don't misunderstand, I'm not saying we shouldn't help them (in fact if I was closer I'd probably be there helping out) no one deserves to go through that (in most cases) but everyone is going on how this is a huge disaster and no one saw it coming :confused: whatever, the one thing that bothers me most is that in their situation the city should know the risks and in case of such a disaster should be able to organize quickly.
I suppose when l.a. drops off into the pacific everyone will be shocked :shame:

[Leon]

That's what make the situation so much like "Hell" or "Post-apocolypse". The stupid government didn't prepare the people enough. They really should know the risks. Of the 10% (of the total population) that stayed in NO, about 1% were the imbeciles who said they could ride it out. The other nine should have had some way to get out, courtesy of the USA.

What I'm getting at is that the idiots running the country didn't prepare enough for such a disaster in order to get those that could not evacuate out. They should have airlifted or bussed them out, but, like I said, the government here is inept.

[Locke]

Yeah. It's too bad it happened, but really though, I'm with Kai. People should have been much more organised for this, and they weren't. Now if LA drops off into the pacific, I'd hate to see how the government would react, because really, there's nothing they could do to save the population if there's a quake and LA slide's into the water. There will be millions killed, so let's hope that doesn't happen. :(. Too bad about NO, but really, it should have been handled much better.

On a side related note, I'd say that I'dve been there helping out if I lived remotely close, but unfortunently I can't afford to feed myself right now, let alone fly down and lend a hand. I send the spirit of help from me though, I really do. God bless those poor people who lived below sea level :umbrella:

[jetblue]

There are lots of places where humans live thats below sea level. But there are other archetectual factors and stuff also.

Our family has donated to the state and city effort with supplies and money. When the pay period comes around again more will be donated.

[bjp4444]

Well, I think that no one was properly prepared or saw it coming since, quite honestly, nothing of this magnitude have even come close to occuring in New Orleans, ever. There's only been three Catagory Five hurricanes to hit the United States, and the closest one ever got to NO was 60 miles. Sure, some could have estimated or guessed what was to happen [like this article in the Philly Inquirer from October 2004, I think they had it right: Scary Dead-On] (http://hurricane.lsu.edu/_in_the_news/phillyinquirer100804.htm)

Also, I think the city thought it was prepared; they thought the levees would hold and the pumps would work. That of course, did not happen. Then the mayor got in over his head, the governor got in over her head, and the president was lax in mobilizing. Does that mean I excuse the response? Of course not: the FEMA chief waiting for hours or even days to mobilize in UNACCEPTABLE! But we need to make a distinction between pre-planning and post-event action. Post event was very, very bad. Pre-planning was bad, but I think only a minority knew that. They were asking for funding, and didn't get it. Everyone else, I think, thought they would be able to get through it, and we know that was not the case. Although, I've been hearing that the levees actually were holding for the most part; in one case, I actually heard that a tanker that was adrfit due to the water actually hit one of the levees, and that was the reason it broke. I'm not sure if that causes a chain reaction, or if this was an isolated case, or whatever. In any event, plans did not work as expected.

Moreover, you cannot totally prepare for the unpredictablity of weather. I mean, living in Michigan with lots of lake effect snow, and cold winters and the such, I guess technically I could prepare for what had been our worst winter, but even that isn't going to save me if there's some freak Lake Superior/Michigan/Huron, Alberta Clipper deal that blankets us all in 5 feet of snow for three months. There's really no way to predict that. True, freak snowfall isn't the same as a hurricane you can see coming from away, I'll give you all that. But at the same time, we also have to realize that most officials did not think that it would get this bad. That, coupled with the post-event action that was horrendous, got us to where we are today.

All we can do now is move forward, figure out what went wrong, and fix to a point where we feel there is the least chance possible of this happeneing again.

I'm sure I've rambled, I'm sure I've contridicted myself, and I'm sure there's a misspelling in here somewhere. It's late, I have to work tomorrow. These were just my thoughts, and in no means an attempt to say someone else was wrong or whatever.

peace and love, y'all!
-bjp

[jetblue]

Oh my. I did like what bush did when he got there,but he could of done more and said more. But i think thats as good as it ges with him. But I had to make sure i wasnt losing my hearing or mabey drunk when i heard what barbara bush said in new orleans. Im stunned.

[BAMAToNE]

Why was aid so slow in getting to New Orleans residents? Turns out it wasn't President Bush's fault... or even FEMA's (though they're seriously screwed up)...

Read here for more:
http://powerlineblog.com/archives/011594.php
http://www.radioblogger.com/#000967

Short version: Louisiana Dept. of Homeland Security and LA National Guard.

[Leon]

Oh, look. Another hurricane (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/14/AR2005091400254_pf.html). Ophelia made landfall. I wonder how many more are going to hit us. http://rpgamers.info/images/smilies/dotsign.gif

[Locke]

Oh, that should be fun. Thank god by the time they hit PEI they're mostly spent :nana: :thumbup:

[jetblue]

Dont you get the nor easters that are just as bad or worse? Or P.E.I still to far away for them to affect?

[Locke]

We get them every now and again, but they're hardly a problem. We're used to gail force winds here :D

[Leon]

Oh, great...another one. (http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT3+shtml/181440.shtml)

http://www.rpgamers.info/images/smilies/eeksign.gif
(http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT18/refresh/AL1805W5+gif/025617W_sm.gif)

[Vidus]

Oh, great...another one. (http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT3+shtml/181440.shtml)

http://www.rpgamers.info/images/smilies/eeksign.gif
The worst thing is that it is also bigger one. The place I'm currently living in Finland had bad weather some time ago. The wind was something like 67mph and it felt like it is going to break the windows. I can't even imagine what will Rita, that has over too times faster winds, do.http://www.rpgamers.info/images/smilies/bigeyes.gif
I read some articles about Rita and it doesn't look too good.http://www.rpgamers.info/images/smilies/cry.gif

[Locke]

Wow. :amazed: That's gonna be one hell of a doozy. I can't help but feel bad for anybody that get's caught in that one :(

[Leon]

I'm going to be feeling it. It's not going to cause us to evacuate, but some of my family will.

[Locke]

That's brutal. I wish there was a way that I could help, but I'm currently way way north of that, so I'm afraid I can't do too much but donate to relief funds...