Here Today... Gone To Hell!

New Orleans, Mississippi and Alabama coasts have been absolutely devistated. I have not even heard a word from any other countries on this. You would think this catastrophe would even be acknowledged by other countries considering the billions of dollars the US sends abroad to help with disasters (Tsunami Relief, famine in Africa, etc).

yup chances are no you wont see anything..... the areas your talking about that a tonne of aid goes too.... they are third world..... they cant rebuild without outside help..... and if the US can wage a war in another country and try and rebuild that.... they can afford to rebuild the coast of its own country.... its a cold hard fact jack....... and im sure W. aint going looking for international aid either.....

Mexico is sending us plenty of workers to come and clean up the mess.  They must have excellent hurricane forcasts inMexico because these workers ahve ben showing up by the thousands for years now!!

How does this not surprise me US politics gets into this subject?? 

well, its not because a country is not poor that it doesnt get help.
sure the US wont get money, but they could get firefighters, workers and stuff from other countries
that's how it goes in europe, when a country is devastated by some incident, the other countries send help (in terms of workforce)

but, i dont see european countries sending people across the ocean ... even if i'd like to go to the New Orleans - maybe its better than the old one - :)

We dont need anybodys help. In times of tragedy, the U.S. always stands alone. But you would think that other countries would at least acknowledge the disaster. Its shameful. Maybe Bush should turn on HAARP and whip up a few hurricanes and some typhoons and send them to various spots on the globe. Maybe even a decent sized tsunami. Then ignore the catastrophes. It would be fair play.

god.... you must have a very sad life :)

Hasn't Europe been experiencing floods n' shit for the whole summer? I know Romania has been hit with tons of rain and floods for almost a year.
The hurricane shit in the States is horrible, but it's nowhere near the same scope of the asian tsunami.

hey Canda send in fire jumpers when needed and bombers too...... hell we were first on the line during 9/11 offering full assistance at GZ..... remarkably we were left of teh thank you card list.......



wht the hell do you expect... its not even a political statement... its a fair assment.. if the US asked for help you would get help for this..... wed laugh if you asked for money...... but if you asked for man power im sure you would get it..........but he wont ask in teh current climate.. it would be sucide now... it would show weakness on th part of him not being able to have feet on the ground to do teh job at home..... its a fair assment...IMO. granted you may look at it and say christ here he goes again on the political side of things...... why is he doing that?...... hell id all most put money on the fact that the "federal" US goverment will not aske for outside assistance...... state side.... well thats usually where teh asking comes from... and that woud not surprise me... and they would get what tehy needed short of money.... besides with all that oil reserve sitting idle... it wont take long for teh pinch to be put to get everything up and running....

Your post could be used as a great example of how ignorant some people are....? ::)



/jarmo

Good one, Jarmo. Instead of offering condolences to the people suffering in that region, you insult the american in this thread. You proved my point.

I lived in MS. for two years, and I know how it feels there when hurricanes fuckin slam the coast. I REALLY feel for the people who have had their home devastated by Katrina. I wouldn't like to live in New Orleans, Mobile, Biloxi, Gulfport or any other place on the Gulf Coast right now.

New Orleans is my favorite place in the States so I will surely help by sending money via the Red Cross or something as soon as I can. My heart is with the people right now in the Superdome and those who can't even go back to their place because they can't even go back to their city. It must suck big time. This was like a tsunami for MS. and LA.

As far as other countries go, no I don't think they will send money or whatever, because it's not exactly the same situation as the tsunamis in Southeast Asia. I guess most governments will suppose the US can take care of this, just like they did with past hurricanes like Ivan. I'm not saying this is a good thing or anything, this is how I think they see the situation right now, but I could be wrong and maybe they're gonna send money and aid over there.

What do you expect when you make a post like that? What point? Insulted the American?

You insulted the rest of the world in a thread about a natural disaster. You had to make it about "USA vs the rest". Pathetic!



I feel bad for anybody who suffers due to natural disters, hunger, war, terror attacks etc.




/jarmo

MAN, FUCK YOU !!!! >:( >:( >:(

you'r  post was fuckin' ignorent!!

You say that "you would think that other contries would at least acknowledge the disaster"........well guess what dickhead, i'v seen it on the news afew times now and ya know what, i actually sat down and watched n' thought about all the people livin' there, just like other disasters this world has had, i felt sorry and bad for anyone caught in it.

N' here you are assuming no one outside of the USA gives a fuck.......well i do, but fuck you!!! :rant:

how do you know that your last post didnt offend some poor fucker here that has a relative or friend that died in one of those disasters!!!

oh, but Jarmo supposebly insulted Americans now ::).......WELL HOW MANY PEOPLE DID YOU INSULT WITH YOUR FUCKED UP REPLY!!!!







i bet you think GoD is an AmericaN................................
Bowie and Rezner : ok:

RACAS (AFP) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez offered to send food and fuel to the United States after the powerful Hurricane Katrina pummeled the US south, ravaging US crude production.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20050829/wl_afp/usweathervenezuelaoil_050829235602

I love the irony.  I'd gladly accept a Pat Robertson for food/oil trade.

Secondly, its unfortunate that half the Louisiana national guard is preoccupied halfway around the world at the time of the state's greatest need.

Ok there`s a start. Maybe Chavez isn`t as evil as some would make him out to be.

Or its just good press.  I'm curious to see if any of our celebrities, who are so anxious to help out with the issues in other countries will come through on this one.  And I don't mean with "benefit" concerts.  I want them to give cash.  It annoys me to see people with millions telling me that I should donate money.

But I have to confess that its hard to be anxious to help when you see all those losers looting and shooting at the police and stuff.  They don't deserve to live, let alone get donations.  But they will.  People like that know how to work the system. 

Well, because our standing in the world is probably turned down a notch or two after Iraq.

But if it makes you feel better Chavez is offering cheap oil to help us out.

Where in this post (below) is your condolences to the victims?

Rather you wish tragedy on another group of people....is that your way of posting a condolence for the victims in New Orleans?



We dont need anybodys help. In times of tragedy, the U.S. always stands alone. But you would think that other countries would at least acknowledge the disaster. Its shameful. Maybe Bush should turn on HAARP and whip up a few hurricanes and some typhoons and send them to various spots on the globe. Maybe even a decent sized tsunami. Then ignore the catastrophes. It would be fair play.

I mean look at this trash you wrote....

 People read that crap and think we all are like that, you fuckin' asshole. People died up there and all you jerks can do is start the hate game towards the rest of the world.

And you wonder why nobody likes our ass? Idiot!

If someone is looting high end electronics, thats one thing, but when you have no food or water and the only way to get it is to steal it before someone else does before it spoils, what choice do you have?

No no, they aren't stealing to survive.  Have you seen the news?  They are stealing clothes, jewelry, breaking into ATM machines, everything they can get their hands on.  Shooting at the police that try to stop them.  Even carjacking people who have working cars.  New Orleans is a ghetto, and many of the people there are behaving like ghetto stereotypes.    I realize that the news might be making it look worse than it is, but its still disgusting.

My opinion is, yes.? Everyone/country who wants to help will help.? Whether is it monitary or supplies...the aid will come.? I also think most countries are humble and don't need to boast what they have done to help in this crisis.? Does it really matter where the person or piece of equipment came from?? Not really...it is appreciated because it is available to those who need it now.

Time is of the essence.? The quicker they can get in there and fix the levees, clean up the flood waters, get power and fresh water back into the area so people can start the rebuilding process, the better.? I can imagine it taking years for the rebuilding of New Orleans, LA and Gulfport, MS.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the people who have lost everything in this disaster.?

700 died in iraq.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050831/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_050831143538

most of them kids and women.

Yes. And 15,000 elderly people died in France during the summer of 2003. There are lots of tragedies every day in the world, it doesn't mean people in the southern states don't deserve attention. You could update this thread every day with a new tragedy, it wouldn't change what those who lost everything because of Katrina are enduring.

As someone said, we should all be concerned when a tragedy occurs, not just in our country, but anywhere on the planet. Actually I read about 850 people died in Iraq today. This is awful. R.I.P.

I was about to post something about that or starvation in Niger ...

I feel really sorry for all the people who lost a relative and their home in Louisiana and Mississippi beucause of Katrina. But international help ? I'm damn sure is firemen were needed France would be glad to send them but I d'ont see it happening soon if GW. Bush doesn't ask for help.

Will, you've just posted as I was writting my post. I think Wat-ever posted this in reaction w/ the demand for international help. Not to belittle what happen in the south of the United States.  ;)

I certainly hope so, but I understand how can Americans on the board take it the wrong way. Sure, "worse" tragedies happen all the time, but I don't think it's fair to compare tragedies. Concerning the international help, I already stated my point of view in the previous page.

I just saw some footage of New Orleans on CNN International. This is chaos over there. Most of the city is under water, I'm really sad to see that because I love this city... :(

I hope the whole world help, but nowadays I've heard such stupid comentaries like americans deserve that, and hey that was on TV, people that think that way should be exterminated, desire bad things for another human being is the worst, I will go to USA next month with a friend and we are gonna sign up to this comunity help i think is for the people that loose their homes and stuff  :peace:

My heart goes out to the South for this but man it cracks me up to see people out looting some big screens when the have NO power.  Yes, a new HD TV would be nice but when I have to go pick it up in a stolen boat and shoot at the cops when I'm taking it, I think I'll just save up for it!

These people are dumb. I don't see a problem if you're gonna steal/ get food (and wine ;D) for your family, because it's just gonna go to waste anyway, but stealing TVs and gaming systems when you don't have electricity? Come on now...

I just saw some recent footage from New Orleans...man I'm devastated...I've been to this city twice and it had so much soul and character. Hopefully they will be able to rebuild it.

They said on the news Chirac sent a letter to Bush saying the French people were supporting the victims from Katrina.

Saw the pictures from the New Orleans area.

That's scary.  :no:


Everybody knew it was coming since the city is below sea level, but it's always a surprise when it actually does happen....




/jarmo

Katrina Prompts Global Support for Victims
By DANICA KIRKA, Associated Press Writer
2 hours ago

VIENNA, Austria - From papal prayers to telegrams from China, the world reacted with an outpouring of compassion Wednesday for the victims of Hurricane Katrina in messages tinged by shock that a disaster of this scale could occur in the United States.

Islamic extremists rejoiced in America's misfortune, giving the storm a military rank and declaring in Internet chatter that "Private" Katrina had joined the global jihad, or holy war. With "God's help," they declared, oil prices would hit $100 a barrel this year.

Venezuela's government, which has had tense relations with Washington, offered humanitarian aid and fuel if requested.

The storm was seen as an equalizer _ proof that any country, weak or strong, can be victimized by a natural disaster. Images of flood-ravaged New Orleans earned particular sympathy in central Europe, where dozens died in raging floodwaters only days ago.

"Nature proved that no matter how rich and economically developed you are, you can't fight it," says Danut Afasei, a local official in Romania's Harghita county, where flooding killed 13 people last week.

Throughout Europe, concerned citizens lamented the loss of life and the damage caused to New Orleans, often described as one of North America's most "European" cities.

French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder sent messages of sympathy to President Bush. Chirac, who has famously quarreled with Bush over the Iraq war, addressed this letter, "Dear George."

Pope Benedict XVI said he was praying for victims of the "tragic" hurricane while China's President Hu Jintao expressed his "belief that that the American people will definitely overcome the natural disaster and rebuild their beautiful homeland."

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II also sent a message to Bush saying she was "deeply shocked and saddened" at the devastation caused by the hurricane and expressing her condolences, "especially to the families of those who have lost their lives, to the injured and to all who have been affected by this terrible disaster."

The U.S. Embassy in Bern, Switzerland _ a capital at the foot of the Alps hit by flooding last week _ said calls were rushing in from Swiss individuals and institutions looking for a way to donate to relief efforts.

"We are getting calls from the Swiss public looking to express their condolences, (and) people are also asking for an account number where they can make donations," said spokesman Daniel Wendell.

The Internet-edition Vienna daily Der Standard had recorded 820 postings commenting on a front-page story on the hurricane. In one of the postings, signature "Emerald" asked where money could be donated to the victims, but the question sparked a debate about whether a rich country like the United States needed such aid.

In response, one posting, from signature "far out," argued that hurricane victims who are poor still needed support.

Amid the sympathy, however, there was criticism.

As U.S. military engineers struggled to shore up breached levees, experts in the Netherlands expressed surprise that New Orleans' flood systems failed to restrain the raging waters.

With half of the country's population of 16 million living below sea level, the Netherlands prepared for a "perfect storm" soon after floods in 1953 killed 2,000 people. The nation installed massive hydraulic sea walls.

"I don't want to sound overly critical, but it's hard to imagine that (the damage caused by Katrina) could happen in a Western country," said Ted Sluijter, spokesman for the park where the sea walls are exhibited. "It seemed like plans for protection and evacuation weren't really in place, and once it happened, the coordination was on loose hinges."

The sympathy was muted in some corners by a sense that the United States reaped what it sowed, since the country is seen as the main contributor to global warming.

Joern Ehlers, a spokesman for World Wildlife Fund Germany, said global warming had increased the intensity of hurricanes.

"The Americans have a big impact on the greenhouse effect," Ehlers said.

But Harlan L. Watson, the U.S. envoy for negotiations on climate change, denied any link between global warming and the strength of storms.

"Our scientists are telling us right now that there's not a linkage," he said in Geneva. "I'll rely on their information."

 :rofl:

Genius

I would really like to know why these people didn't get the hell out of the city?  It's not like the hurricane arrived with no warning.  They were warned days before the hurricane hit that it was coming and it was big.  I know that it's alot to ask of some people but you have to make intelligent decisions that protect yourself and your family.  The people who stayed in the city really didn't make a good decision based on the available evidence.

I live in the mid west and we get tornadoes.  Knowing this information I take steps to ensure the safety of my family by having a tornado shelter in the basement and having and supply of food and water for five days and an alternative way of heating the house in case we lose power.

There seems to be a large number of people in new orleans who decided to just ignore the hurricane and paid dearly for it.

I've been to new orleans and if bourbon street had been washed into the gulf of mexico the world would be so much better off.

They are saying some people didn't leave because they were worried about looting, others just didn't have the means or money to go anywhere.  I don't understand why plans weren't made to evacuate the hospital, those poor people are still stuck there with no electricity or running water.  A nurse called CNN from inside the hospital to try to get them to get someone out to help them.  Its ridiculous. 

Also, many of the people who didn't evacuate are not exactly well-educated.  The officials knew when they ordered the evacuation that about 100,000 inner city residents wouldn't leave.  They just tried to get them to go to the Superdome.  Unfortunately, they either didn't listen or didn't get the message. 

Alot of people couldnt leave because they didn't have the money to leave. Its a horrific situation. Bush needs to get off his ass and send supplies to the region. Time is being wasted. I just heard on the news that Russia, Germany, UK, and France have offered assistance. This is a step in the right direction. Maybe they read my first post in this thread and wised up. :D I have a question for you people here that aren't americans. I read on the internet that in foreign countries they are announcing that there is up to 50,000 dead and they are showing graphic footage on foreign news channels. They are also saying that the american media wont show this because we couldn't handle it. Are you guys seeing this footage? Are they really saying tens of thousands dead?

I bet you wouldn't be saying shit like this if your family had been down there.

Ever thought about people who don't own a car? Many people do not own cars in that city, rich or poor. There is no need for one often times in N.O.

Also, some people have nowhere to go. I laughed when they said "such a broad eclectic group of people going into the stadium for shelter" when all I saw were the poor inner city blacks. Maybe what? 3% tourists? Although I doubt it. Those people that sought shelter had no money and/or nowhere to go. If you have no car, nowhere to go, and not two nickles to rub together, wtf are you going to do?

Then there is the "been there done that factor" where people have lived through 20 hurricanes already. They turn at the last minute, die out, etc etc. They've seen all the hype before, and place the odds on it not hitting as hard. I remember last year in Tampa, one was coming (what seemed to be) right for us. Many people were concerned, but others did nothing...they had seen so many turn off and hit upland etc...It did not hit as we thought, and all the people said "See...I knew it wouldn't".

they say maybe thousands dead ... man, thats a lot :(

New Orleans could learn a lesson from the Dutch when they rebuild. There needs to be a better system for flood control than what was in place or this will happen again someday.

Nice to see other countries respond. Even if they are not in a position to help, any concern is appreciated.

As far as the Islamic extremests go, I say Fuck You assholes. Remember when we sent aid to Iran a few years ago due to the earthquake. We said screw politics, this is a human trajedy and we are here to help. How quickly the have forgotten.

SLC already said it all about the people who didn't leave. Many people in N.O didn't have a car.

They're talking about thousands of dead people but I've actually seen less footage on French TV than on CNN International. Maybe BBC is showing more, I don't know.

if they're extremist, they're assholes, we know, no need to remind it.

i saw some riot / looting  footage on french tv .... that's very.... sur-real.

I saw a lot of pictures on the news paper thats really tragic  :(, It reminds me here when el ni?o devastate all the harvests in the coast.

They just suspended the evacuation of the Dome because people are shooting at the police.  Meanwhile, Bush is sitting around with his thumb up his ass while people have not had water or food for 2 days.  The South is his voter base and this is how he treats them.  Wow we sure are lucky to have such a great leader (read  sarcasm).

this has been non-stop headline news in London for days and i have been really taken aback at the devastation of these places.  Whilst tony B-liar and Queenie have sent messages of sincere condolences, I have donated to red cross already today.  that comment earlier on this topic about USA stands alone - that's one hell of a sweeping comment that will do nothing but alienate the poster, not the country.  We are behind the troubled states and I really hope that enough aid is sent from all over the world as necessary.   am sure that individuals will be touched enough to donate judging by some of the footage we are seeing - we wont wait for our government to decide or decide not to help. 

 :)

Ps BBC isnt reporting tens of thousands dead jameslofton29 - they are reporting quotes from officials and reporters in the area and dont show overly graphic pics that usa cant handle (your words) - I think any footage shown is pretty graphic to be honest, by the nature of the tragedy.  peace and hope to New O.

They just showed more footage of N.O on CNN, I'm so sad to see these empty streets, the devastated buildings, all the people trying to evacuate...this is chaos over there. And of course, all over the coast...

Yesterday Bush mobilized massive amounts of aid to the region and released oil from the reserve. Regardless of your opinion of the president, you don`t have your facts straight.

This response should have been immediate not 24-36 hours later.   I was shocked that he cut his vacation short.  I suppose golf is not as important as such a horrible disaster.  I'm sure that if you had just lost everything inthe world to you you would want support and troops there immediately not in a day or so.  The people down there are upset because of this delayed response.

as much of a Bush hater i am........ i laugh at people that talk about how long it took for anything to occur....... aid/personel... etc. you have to keep in mind that if you do not have a full understanding of the situation that you are going into... then you will have the wrong assests for teh job at hand....... it takes really 2-3 days to fully understand the situation and deploy based on that info. Yes there are first responders on the ground doing spot rescues and aid, though what is actualy going on is a full regional survey knowing what is on the ground now that can be gained access too, as well as where the  assests are needed the most. Would you want a blanket.... when you've been thirsty for 2 days?.... or a drink of water when your still soaking wet? deployments like this will take several days to get finalised, and the main priority is assment and rescue/relocation. after that then you worry about everything else.

I agree with this entire post.  As always, there will be those on the right and the left that will turn everything into a political issue and find ways to take political shots.

I`m sure Bush had to meet with his advisers first before he took action. I would think it would take time to figure out the logistics of a course of action, it is not like you could snap your fingers and say send in the supplies ( where are the supplies coming from? can you get supplies into the city, how are they gonna get there? is ground transportation possible? etc) You have to meet with people who are looking into these things so you can figure out how you are gonna get aid to a 90,000 square mile area.

'A scene of anarchy'

Editor's Note: CNN correspondents report back on what they are seeing in New Orleans and other Gulf Coast communities hit by Hurricane Katrina.

Living like animals

Posted: 1:07 p.m. ET
CNN's Chris Lawrence in New Orleans, Louisiana

It's hard to believe this is New Orleans.

We spent the last few hours at the New Orleans Convention Center. There are thousands of people lying in the street.

We saw mothers holding babies, some of them just three, four and five months old, living in horrible conditions. Diapers littered the ground. Feces were on the ground. Sewage was spilled all around.

These people are being forced to live like animals. When you look at the mothers, your heart just breaks.

Some of the images we have gathered are very, very graphic.

We saw dead bodies. People are dying at the center and there is no one to get them. We saw a grandmother in a wheelchair pushed up to the wall and covered with a sheet. Right next to her was another dead body wrapped in a white sheet.

Right in front of us a man went into a seizure on the ground. No one here has medical training. There is nowhere to evacuate these people to.

People have been sitting there without food and water and waiting. They are asking -- "When are the buses coming? When are they coming to help us?"

We just had to say we don't know.

The people tell us that National Guard units have come by as a show of force. They have tossed some military rations out. People are eating potato chips to survive and are looting some of the stores nearby for food and drink. It is not the kind of food these people need.

They are saying, "Don't leave us here to die. We are stuck here. Why can't they send the buses? Are they going to leave us here to die?"


'We have to deal with the living'

Posted: 10:49 a.m. ET
CNN's Rick Sanchez in Metairie, Louisiana

We spent the night at the New Orleans Saints' training facility. It is the encampment for the FEMA officials and National Guard troops who will deploy out to certain areas.

They just deployed a new unit out here from California. They're called swift water operation rescue units. These folks are trained to go in and get people out of the homes that they have been stuck in for days now with water all around.

We were with a unit last night on a boat. We watched as they performed many of these rescues. It's quite a sight to see. Bodies are floating along the flooded road. And I asked them, "What do you do about that?" They said, "There's no time to deal with them now. We have to deal with the living."

See the video of thousands stranded among sewage and bodies on the riverfront -- 2:54

We went off into many communities to see if we could find people. As we were navigating through these narrow areas with power lines and all kinds of obstructions above and below us, we suddenly heard faint screams coming from homes. People were yelling, "Help! Help!"

We found one elderly woman in one home. She told us, "I've been here and I need to get out. Can you get me?" Then she said, "But there are people next door and they have babies, so leave me until morning. Get them out now."

So we contacted the swift water rescue units and they went out there. To our surprise and their surprise there were no fewer than 15 people huddled in their home. We could only hear them. We couldn't see them. We were able to assist and get the right people over there to get them out.

Just like them, there may be literally thousands that need to be rescued. It's a very daunting task for these officials.


Chaos at the convention center

The New Orleans Convention Center has become a major gathering place for displaced residents.WATCH Browse/Search

New Orleans a 'refugee camp.' (1:14)?
? Up to 60,000 trying to flee New Orleans
 
CNN's Jim Spellman in New Orleans, Louisiana

I don't think I really have the vocabulary for this situation.

We just heard a couple of gunshots go off. There's a building smoldering a block away. People are picking through whatever is left in the stores right now. They are walking the streets because they have nowhere else to go.

Right now, I'm a few blocks away from the New Orleans Convention Center area. We drove through there earlier, and it was unbelievable. Thousands and thousands and thousands of people spent the night sleeping on the street, on the sidewalk, on the median.

The Convention Center is a place that people were told to go to because it would be safe. In fact, it is a scene of anarchy.

There is absolutely nobody in control. There is no National Guard, no police, no information to be had.

The Convention Center is next to the Mississippi River. Many people who are sleeping there feel that a boat is going to come and get them. Or they think a bus is going to come. But no buses have come. No boats have come. They think water is going come. No water has come. And they have no food.

As we drove by, people screamed out to us -- "Do you have water? Do you have food? Do you have any information for us?"

We had none of those.

Probably the most disturbing thing is that people at the Convention Center are starting to pass away and there is simply nothing to do with their bodies. There is nowhere to put them. There is no one who can do anything with them. This is making everybody very, very upset.


Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/09/01/scene.blog/index.html?section=cnn_topstories

Yah, can we leave Mr. Bush and the administration out of one thread, and simply discuss the tragedy.

There's one thing I don't understand: are the reporters in N.O dying like the rest of the citizens? I mean, they have to go back to their HQ or their local offices, right? And they have to go back to N.O by whatever means they have. Can't they bring back some water and food? (the reporter in the story was saying they didn't have any of those to help out the citizens).

well we wont bother talking aout reporters..... more worried about getting a story of someone dieing then tring to help them....... not that i know of this happening... im jsut saying... you think they would be tring to aid in what ever means they can.... or the networks a least.... and yes i do understand that by them getting the info out to the masses its jsut they spin some stories and make it worse then what it is just for teh ratings.... ... bah reporters

I updated my post with the article with more reports.

That's very thoughtful of you, babydolls.  I was also compelled to donate to the Red Cross after reading these mad news stories about people looting and shooting - it's almost too shocking to comprehend.   :no:


There is a site (http://www.charitywatch.org/) that evaluates charities based on various factors, and these ones came out on top, in case anyone would like to make a donation:

American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org  1-800-HELP-NOW

America's Second Harvest http://www.secondharvest.org/  1-800-771-2303

Church World Service http://www.churchworldservice.org/ 1-800-297-1516

MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger http://www.mazon.org/  310-442-0020

Salvation Army http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/ 1-800-725-2769

thats my big ole heart fill random :)


i misses ya... post more.... :(

Amen brother. Its a human trajedy, not a political problem.

Yes, I realize that this is a horrible tragedy and politics should be left out but when you look at the Bush response to the Florida Hurricanes of 2004 there is a vast difference.  In 04 Bush declared Florida a disaster area before the first storm was over, troops were already stationed nearby and the aid package was out of this world.  Why the difference?  2004 was an election year and Bush badly needed FLA voters and brother Jeb is the govener.  Bush needed to endear himself to the citizens of Florida because no FLA = no 2nd term.

Fine, he did it for political reasons.  He doesn't want to help because it allows oil companies to jack up oil prices in the short term.  He should be impeached.  I think Congress should forget about meeting to pass relief measures, and instead should file impeachment articles against Bush. ::)

Help through Paypal:

http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=xpt/cps/general/PayPalKatrinaReliefEffort-outside

havent heard that number in New Zealand, but they are saying it could be thousands. It's also being reported that thousands are being left high n dry by the government

"In times of tragedy, the U.S. always stands alone. But you would think that other countries would at least acknowledge the disaster. Its shameful."

jameslofton29




***************

Thursday September 01, 2005 11:57 - (SA)




PARIS - France is prepared to send humanitarian and military aid to the United States to help the country cope with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, one of the most devastating storms in that country's history.

"Our operational humanitarian aid group is going to meet to study the civilian and military means that France could make available from French regions and the French West Indes," said a foreign ministry spokesman, Denis Simmoneau.

He said several French citizens were trapped in New Orleans, one of the cities worst hit by the storm and subsequent flooding, but there were no known French fatalities.

"From our crisis unit, which is going to Baton Rouge from Lafayette, we are following the situation of the French people we know about," Simmoneau said.

President Jacques Chirac on Wednesday sent a letter to his US counterpart, George W. Bush, expressing his "heartfelt emotion" at the ravages of Hurricane Katrina, which is believed to have killed hundreds, maybe thousands, of people and destroyed billions of dollars of property in the southwest United States.

"Those dawn french" are helping you, you should be happy instead of criticizing us.

"In times of tragedy, the U.S. always stands alone. But you would think that other countries would at least acknowledge the disaster. Its shameful."

jameslofton29



*********************


Canada searches for ways to help U.S. oil industry



By Jeffrey Jones 1 hour, 14 minutes ago

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Canada's oil companies are considering pushing back autumn maintenance at refineries as one way to help alleviate U.S. gasoline shortages caused by Hurricane Katrina, an industry official said on Thursday.


However, there are no specific emergency provisions within the North American Free Trade Agreement under which more petroleum products or crude oil can be shipped to the United States, said Greg Stringham, vice-president of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers.

"We'll do whatever we can, as is humanly possible. If they can help identify what the needs are, we'll try and meet them," Stringham told Reuters.

CAPP, the industry's main lobby group, was involved in talks with the Canadian, Alberta and U.S. governments on Thursday to determine ways to lessen the energy crisis that has followed the hurricane's rampage through the Gulf of Mexico.

Canada jockeys with Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Venezuela as top oil supplier to the United States and is the No. 1 foreign natural gas supplier. The industry normally produces every drop all it can, so has little extra fuel in reserve to send.

Pushing back maintenance at refineries as well as at pipelines will keep Canada's capacity to supply U.S. markets as large as possible when the supplies are needed most, Stringham said.

Canadian
Prime Minister Paul Martin said he had asked Alberta Premier Ralph Klein if there are ways the country's biggest oil-producing province can help the U.S. energy situation.

"The premier said he would look at this," Martin told reporters in Calgary.

"What we're doing is to simply say to Canadians in a wide range of areas: 'Look, is there something, that if the Americans request it, or it is needed, that you could do?"'

Crude production in the Gulf of Mexico remained cut by more than 90 percent three days after Katrina ripped through the region. Eight refineries in the area were shut down and 11 others were operating at reduced rates.

Most Canadian oil exports to the United States are shipped via the Enbridge Inc. pipeline to the Midwest.

"The biggest thing that seems to be out right now is the refinery capacity down there (the Gulf Coast), and they are also having problems getting oil from the Gulf Coast to some of the Midwest refineries," Stringham said.

He cautioned, however, that Canada already produces as much crude, petroleum products and natural gas as capacity allows.

Enbridge spokesman Jim Rennie said the company's 2 million barrel a day mainline, the world's longest petroleum pipeline system, is pumping near capacity, a situation that had already prompted expansion plans. Those are not close to completion.

High oil and gas prices will spark more drilling in the already-booming western Canada producing region, but Stringham said additional output will take time.

Even before the hurricane damaged U.S. Gulf production facilities, Canadian markets were bracing for record high natural gas prices amid tight North American supplies.

Canada, as a member of the International Energy Agency, would take part in emergency oil sharing operations, but those are to be used in longer-term disruptions, Stringham said.

In addition to oil and gas, officials are discussing sending Canadian power utility crews to help restore the electricity needed to run Gulf Coast refineries and pipelines.

New Orleans' top emergency management official called that effort a "national disgrace" and questioned when reinforcements would actually reach the increasingly lawless city.

About 15,000 to 20,000 people who had taken shelter at New Orleans convention center to await buses grew increasingly hostile. Police Chief Eddie Compass said he sent in 88 officers to quell the situation at the building, but they were quickly driven back by an angry mob.

"We have individuals who are getting raped, we have individuals who are getting beaten," Compass said. "Tourists are walking in that direction and they are getting preyed upon."

A military helicopter tried to land at the convention center several times to drop off food and water. But the rushing crowd forced the choppers to back off. Troopers then tossed the supplies to the crowd from 10 feet off the ground and flew away.

In hopes of defusing the situation at the convention center, Nagin gave the refugees permission to march across a bridge to the city's unflooded west bank for whatever relief they could find. But the bedlam made that difficult.

"Right now we are out of resources at the convention center and don't anticipate enough buses," Nagin said in a statement.

At least seven bodies were scattered outside the convention center, a makeshift staging area for those rescued from rooftops, attics and highways. The sidewalks were packed with people without food, water or medical care, and with no sign of law enforcement.

An old man in a chaise lounge lay dead in a grassy median as hungry babies wailed around him. Around the corner, an elderly woman lay dead in her wheelchair, covered up by a blanket, and another body lay beside her wrapped in a sheet.

"I don't treat my dog like that," 47-year-old Daniel Edwards said as he pointed at the woman in the wheelchair.

"You can do everything for other countries, but you can't do nothing for your own people," he added. "You can go overseas with the military, but you can't get them down here."

Bush declared New Orleans and the Mississippi coast disaster areas before the storm also before the storm came so emergency crews could mobilize and be in ready positions after Katrina. I`m just stating the facts. Bush is in many ways is not one of our most brilliant leaders, but your statement is simply not accurate.

We sure do appreciate the help that the rest of the world is offering.  Most knew it was only a matter of time before the support came.  Those that criticize the rest of the world are just as bad as those that blame the tragedy on the war in Iraq.  Idiots. 

To those in countries offering help, Thanks.

 :peace:

    " Those Damn French! Fuck them for not supporting our war!!!!"



  sar?casm      (s?rkzm)  KEY 

NOUN:

   1. A cutting, often ironic remark intended to wound.
   2. A form of wit that is marked by the use of sarcastic language and is intended to make its victim the butt of contempt or ridicule.
   3. The use of sarcasm. See Synonyms at wit 1.

"In times of tragedy, the U.S. always stands alone. But you would think that other countries would at least acknowledge the disaster. Its shameful."

jameslofton29



*********************


Offers have been received from Russia, Japan, Canada, France, Honduras, Germany, Venezuela, Jamaica, Australia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Greece, Hungary, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, China, South Korea, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, NATO and the Organization of American States, the spokesman said.

Also, the Singapore embassy said the Southeast Asian country was sending three Chinook helicopters with 38 air force personnel from military exercises in Texas, to Louisiana to support relief efforts by the Texas National Guard.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/01/AR2005090101542_2.html

'Unsanitary and unsafe'

Blanco said Thursday she has requested the mobilization of 40,000 National Guard troops to restore order and assist in relief efforts.

A humanitarian catastrophe unfolded at the convention center, where thousands of increasingly frustrated people waited for help amid dead bodies, feces and garbage.

Numerous bodies could be seen, both inside and outside the facility, and one man died of a seizure while a CNN crew was at the scene.

A National Guard helicopter dropped food and water Thursday afternoon, although the amount was far short of enough to meet the needs of the throngs that had gathered.

Nagin advised those gathered at the center to march over the Crescent City Connection bridge to the west bank of the Mississippi River to find relief in neighboring Jefferson Parish.

"The convention center is unsanitary and unsafe, and we are running out of supplies," said Nagin, adding that officials did not expect to have enough buses for evacuations.

Brown told CNN Thursday evening that federal officials only found out about the convention center crisis earlier in the day, and that he had since directed that "all available resources" be made available there.

Boat rescue teams looking for Katrina survivors told CNN they had been ordered to stand down Thursday by FEMA officials concerned about security.

However, FEMA issued a statement from Washington denying it had suspended operations, though the agency conceded there had been "isolated incidents where security has become an issue."

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said that the Coast Guard has rescued about 3,000 people from flooded areas in New Orleans and the surrounding parishes.

At the city's airport, a field hospital set up by FEMA was "overwhelmed" with patients, a medical team commander said.

Equipment normally used to move luggage was instead ferrying patients to a treatment center and to planes and buses for evacuation.

"I do not have the words in my vocabulary to describe what is happening here," said Ozro Henderson. "'Catastrophe' and 'disaster' don't explain it."

 - CNN

What on earth does it mean when some official says that the national guard can't go in to the convention center yet because they might be going "in harm's way." Last night on MSNBC, a reporter in NO said she saw a bus turn away a mom and kids because it was reserved to take police out of town. Helicopters aren't landing because somebody shot at them.

This is, excuse me, just bullshit. It is the job of the national guard to go in harm's way. That's why they carry guns. The police should leave last, not first. I know there are many heros in NO and I respect them, and praise them. But this idea that the city has to be made safe before the people who should be making it safe can go in, has to stop. Does the NYFD and NYPD have to go down there to show them how it is done?

Before and after Katrina (in N.O):

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/new-orleans-imagery.htm

In memory of New Orleans (I took these pictures during Christmas 2003):

(http://gnrfrance.net/Divers/no1.jpg)

(http://gnrfrance.net/Divers/no2.jpg)

(http://gnrfrance.net/Divers/no3.jpg)

(http://gnrfrance.net/Divers/no4.jpg)

Wow, those pictures bring back memories. What a great city New Orleans was. I mean, I really loved that place. So much culture......

*********

I have nothing but contempt for these people in the city shooting up like the wild west. I believe that they should be killed on the spot if possible. I saw on CNN yesterday that they were just trying to "protect the police station" from these scum. That is how bad it has gotten. How many elderly and children are dying in the street because help is not able to get to them while these guys rape and beat down people and steal appliances in the street? If these people open fire or attack, shoot to kill. Total scum! :rant:

People often make the assumption "it wouldn't happen here" when they seem something like people looting stores and killing each other in countries far away from home.

But it can happen anywhere! It has just been proven.

We're supposed to be "civilized" and look what's going on in New Orleans!

Somebody compared the city to a third world city in the paper.....



/jarmo

These SCUM OF THE EARTH who are beating, stealing and raping should be killed on the spot, or if taken alive tried for treason.

In the stadium people are going to the bathroom on the floor because of rapes occuring in the bathroom. Today a lady gave birth to a child, only to have that child die because no medical care is available. No medical care is available because of the violence that has overtaken the city and people can't come in to help.

I can not fathom how human beings could resort to this when everybody needs to help one another.

By attacking their fellow citizens, making the city less safe, thus bringing healthcare and aid to a halt, these fuckers are committing treason in my opinion. It is a direct and indirect attack on our citizens.

We need troops down there NOW, thousands and thousands of troops to secure this, and take that city back.

I can't believe that this has spun out of control like this.

I wonder how the situation would be handled if this happened in New York, Los Angeles, etc. where there is money?  This is happening in the deep south...I'm begining to think the U. S. Government doesn't care what happens to these people.  This is just my opinion after watching the news for the past several days.  They should be able to get in there and take control, but they aren't doing that   >:(

lamo..... cough cough  oil production..... no oil country die....... walks away shaking head

Yesterday there were snipers shooting at the people trying to rescue preemie babies and the very ill.  Armed gangs roaming the streets.  Chaos rules.

I think that we see that the US govt. is still a racist entity.  They don't care how many poor blacks die.  It's almost like they are running a social experiment on just how much a person can take before they snap.  Before anyone jumps my ass on this just look at the former Yugo situation in Albania.  We went in there to prevent the genocide of white Euros but have continued to sit by and watch Sudan and do nothing. 

I don't like Bush, never have, and think he's a terrible president.  But I don't think there was any evil intentions on his part in this case.  I think he was truly clueless, along with most of his advisors, about what was needed in N.O.  I think he figured he could treat it like a "normal" natural disaster...fly over, say a few words about prayers, declare a disaster area, and allow appropriate agencies to handle the relief and handing out the money.  Even the rescue workers figured they would do their thing, take people off rooftops, etc. and bring them to where they would get aid.  No one expected the total lack of communication among the officials and rescue workers.  No one expected the absolute lawlessnes that erupted.  Perhaps they should have, considering this disaster hit a very high crime area.  For those who think of New Orleans with fondness, remember you are most likely talking about the French Quarter, Bourbon street, etc.  New Orleans is a big city with projects and inner city crime.  Those criminals didn't leave, they didn't become better people, and there's no law enforcement to keep them in check.  So I don't think its that the politicians don't care or are racist, even if they don't care as human beings, they care as politicians who want to get re-elected some day.  I think they had no idea how bad it was going to get.  But I'm glad the Mayor stopped being a politician for awhile and got forcefull in his words toward the government.  No one else seemed to be making them understand how bad it was. 

I watch CNN and Fox News and I don't remember which station it was on, but this reporter was on the street doing an interview and the police were driving up in an SUV.? The reporter stopped the police officer and asked him point blank when they were going to provide help for these people.? He had no comment and drove away!? WTF? :o

All these agencies are there helping but the real question is who, where and how are they helping?

As an average American, I find this situation unacceptable to have become what it has become.? This is showing the world that we are not prepared for any type of crisis.

I'm starting to think that the FEMA officials need to watch CNN.  I heard the one guy from FEMA say he just found out about the people at the convention center and was getting some help for them.  But CNN had been reporting on them for days.  So either the FEMA dude is lying, or he's got less information than the reporters. 

We certainly were caught with our pants down on this one.

When New Orleans is rebuilt, the levee system needs to be much better at handling powerful hurricanes. Or we`ll go thru it all over again. It is certainly sad how some people have been acting, murders, rapes, shooting at helicoptors giving aid, etc. How easily our society can unravel.

Europe is set to offer oil aid from its reserves.

From New Orleans' local newspaper: http://www.nola.com/hurricane/katrina/

We've been watching CNN and Fox news... right now airing The O'Reilly factor.  The guy really seems to be making a concerted effort to identify and put out on the air for the authorities that they know are tuned it, specific needs at specific locations.

Get the cruise ships there ASAP. They have food, showers, beds, every single ammenity these people need. You won't need to ship them here and there and hope they have a place for these people!!!!! These ships can help immediately!!!

I guess there is some type of tent town set up in Tarpon Springs for some of these people. I am going sometime next week and do whatever they need me to do, on my days off.

Yeah I saw that on CNN too yesterday afternoon (Paris time) and I was what the fuck ???, I had seen this on french TV and FEMA wasn't aware that there were people at the convention center that were needing help ?  :o

So....

Lets not be petty and dishonor the victims of this hurricane with political rants.

Lets help them.

We can focus on what public figures may or may not say, or we can dig deep, remember we are human beings, and make a difference.


http://store.yahoo.com/redcross-donate3/

OK, I'll continue in this thread.

SLC, I'm glad you now agree that we shouldn't dishonor the victims with political rants. And if you couldn't imagine Jackson being so petty in a time like this, wait till you hear these quotes:


taken straight off of Michael Moore's web site

another way to help:

http://www.salvationarmyusa.org

The point I am making is to ignore what people are saying left or right. It is a waste of time to pay attention to that, or draw attention to it.

You bringing them to the forum takes away and dishonors the victims.

People are going to say things, there is a Christian Group claiming that it's God's fault because of the gays. However I am not going to focus on that, but rather focus on helping the victims.

And don't be a hypocrite, we don't "agree" on anything. You say we shouldn't dishonor the victims for politcal reasons, and then go ahead and paste something from MM's website... ::)

I love how you like to turn things around. It's me simply bringing it up on the board that dishonors the victims, not the people who actually make the political rants. Riiiiight ::)


The Kanye West statement happened on national television. Jesse Jackson is considered an icon by many democrats and whenever he says something, people listen. You seem to be the only one to have heard of this fringe Christian group saying that. Do you see the difference?


I agree "that we shouldn't dishonor the victims with political rants" which is what you said. Posting other people's political rants doesn't make me a hypocrite. It's interesting how, while claiming to be against political rants, you have said nothing against the people who make them, but instead you jump all over me for merely bringing up rants others have made. Make up your mind. Are you truly against politicizing the situation? Or are you simply against me stating that others have politicized the situation? If it's the later, then I guess we don't agree.

Ok guys, can we focus on the victims and on what's going on there and let the rest aside for a while? Thanks.

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/US/09/03/katrina.impact/index.html

Good idea.
Here's map based wiki with information from people there
http://www.scipionus.com/

sorry Will cant let him have the last word there.

look long story short in the other thread where you brought all of this out, one simple question had to be made. If you are so agnist the political side of how things have gone why introduce a new thread with blame being laid squarely on the adminstration, when clearly its the right that is doing the majority of the blaming? and the second question is why blame the left of twisting things when there are people that you ahve quoted blmaing everyone for whats going on... and not really doing a god damn thing..... i mean come on, go on tv and blame the world..... blame is somethign that is not needed now, co-operation is what is needed now...... notice the left is tring to put all aside for the msot part.... and the right is the one bitching......

We all should agree that its a time for action, and things are happening...... deathly slow to some, but you ahve to remember that you cant simply compare this even to last years in FL..... we are dealing with a much larger area with a much more diffcult terrain.


and talking about reporters..... Katie Kurric is a moron......one question i heard her ask was...."Why was there nothing done, no assests in place when the levies broke to go immdately and try and seal the breaches?"

lets see 175mph winds...... heavy flooding....... not knowing exactly where it was going to break......=loss of crew and eqiupment......

is it really that hard........

stupid questions........

Right, and he won't let you have the last word, and SLC won't let him have the last word, etc., etc.

Can't we put our differences aside just for a while, that's all I'm asking. If you can't do that, well, I can't force you to do so, but I'm just asking some common sense.

The General (Honore?) who is leading the troops in New Orleans is doing the right thing when he asks his troops to "point their guns down, this is not Iraq".

Hey man, that was the point of my posts..... :peace:

all this story is insane.
the united states sure have to re-think their system.
the tv footages remind me of african disasters, and it's supposed to be the richest country in the world.
and mtv is showing re runs of the vmas with nice cars in miami ... :)

You are right, it reminds me a lot of African disasters, but that doesn't mean anything can fail and that nothing can hit you, perhaps they didn't think the hurricane could've hit them, has anything of this happened in N.O before??

Money can't move water, and it can't control the weather.? For the first few hours, no one even knew what what going on in N.O. They just moved 10 billion dollars and Bush said it was just the down payment. Sure, there's a debate going on about whether or not things could have moved faster but the real issue now is to take care of the victims, of the people still in New Orleans, and people there are really doing their best now. Troops are trying to regain control of the city and it's progessively working.

Now another issue is the fires going in the city, and they don't have the necessary firemen to take care of this.

Yes, Mr. Dick Purple, N.O have been hit severely several times since the 1700's by disasters, but it has never been that bad. They knew it was going to happen eventually, and they were working on the levees surrounding the city, but fundings had been cut recently and they had to stop working on the levees. But analysts say maybe N.O couldn't have been protected from Katrina with a better levee system (not totally anyway), it's hard to say now.

Footage from the last few days is very hard to watch indeed and it could happen anywhere, we just have to show our support to the victims and hope their situation will get better soon. Read the online version of the N.O paper to get the latest from there (I gave the link earlier).

What do these people want Bush to do? Go down with a large hose and suck the water out?

I mean seriously, u cant land a plane in N.O. u cant drive a car, It took some time to get there basically because of stuff like that

I do like the Cruise Ship idea SLC and wonder if any of them have thought of that?

Afghanistan just pledged 100k!

I understand people wanting to show respect for the victims by not making this political and playing a blame game, but I think we owe it to the victims to find out what went wrong.  I realize there was a hurricane and and flood, but for it to take 5 days to mobilize and get aid to those people is horrible.  They could have air dropped, they have ways to do that stuff.  For heaven's sake, the reporters got everywhere they wanted to go, the government could have too.  The communication was clearly lacking.  Rescuers were leaving people on overpasses and the convention center, but the people delivering the water didn't know they were there.  Even at the superdome, where the location was clearly known, they didn't bring in enough food and water.  Why? 

I don't know what happened, I don't know who's to blame.  Was it Bush being clueless?  Did his advisors fail to explain the situation?  Did FEMA ask for additional security and not get it?  Or did they not ask?  Is it true that our military is stretched to thin due to Iraq?  There will be finger pointing and politicizing, but in the end someone (or many someone's) screwed up and they should be held responsible.  Too many people died that didn't need to die and we should not let that be excused.

Why?  Because three babies died outside the convention center of heat exhaustion.  Three babies that survived a hurricane and a flood and whose parents took them to the convention center because that's where they were told to go.  Three babies died waiting for water in the United States of America.  That's shamefull.   We have to find out who is responsible for that.  It wasn't just bad luck, those people were left to die.  It can not take 5 days to mobilize military in this country.  They didn't show up before because no one told them to.  So who dropped the ball?  I hope we can find out the truth, both for the victims and for our country, so this never happens again.

Cuts were made before the flood in 2002, and cuts were set for 2006 AGAIN.

Guess who made the cuts? And guess what they needed the money for instead?

That's all I have to say about that.

I guess officials have been reading the board...;)


Three Carnival cruise ships to aid Katrina relief

Sunday, September 4, 2005 Posted: 0255 GMT (1055 HKT)

Two of the ships, the Ecstasy and Sensation, have a maximum capacity of 2,606 each and will be based in Galveston, Texas, while the third boat, the Holiday, has a maximum capacity of 1,800 and will likely be docked in Mobile, Alabama, the Miami-based company said.

Thousands of people in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama were left homeless after Katrina ripped across the Gulf Coast with powerful winds and widespread flooding, ruining homes, buildings and critical infrastructure.

Carnival, which is the namesake brand of the world's largest cruise company, Carnival Corp., declined to say how much the Federal Emergency Management Agency was paying to charter the ships.

The company said people who had their trips canceled on the three ships could receive a full refund or book a trip on another cruise ship. Some future travelers are being switched to another boat.

It was not immediately clear what would be the total impact on the company by removing three ships from service. Carnival crews will operate the ships which will be at the disposal of the U.S. Military Sealift Command, according to the company.

"This inconvenience to our guests will provide desperately needed housing for thousands of individuals affected by this tragedy," said Bob Dickinson, Carnival president and chief executive officer.

Carnival shares closed down 28 cents Friday to $48.24 on the New York Stock Exchange.


Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2005/US/09/03/katrina.cruise.reut/index.html?section=cnn_topstories

So, please behave gentlemen! ;)

http://www.infowars.com/articles/new_orleans/halliburton_hired_storm_cleanup.htm

 
Halliburton hired for storm cleanup

Houston Chronicle | August 1, 2005
COMMENT:
(Days ago we jokingly suggested that Bush would give his cronies at Halliburton no-bid contracts to rebuild Iraq New Orleans and lo and behold, the federal government is doing just that. )

The Navy has hired Houston-based Halliburton Co. to restore electric power, repair roofs and remove debris at three naval facilities in Mississippi damaged by Hurricane Katrina.

Halliburton subsidiary KBR will also perform damage assessments at other naval installations in New Orleans as soon as it is safe to do so.

KBR was assigned the work under a "construction capabilities" contract awarded in 2004 after a competitive bidding process. The company is not involved in the Army Corps of Engineers' effort to repair New Orleans' levees.
Navy Turns to Halliburton for Help

New York Times | August 4, 2005
By JOHN H. CUSHMAN Jr.

Facing extensive damage by Hurricane Katrina to naval installations in Mississippi , the Navy turned immediately to the Halliburton Company's KBR subsidiary for tasks like restoring electricity, repairing roofs and clearing debris at bases that are urgently needed for response efforts.

It is a familiar role for KBR, which under longstanding contracts has delivered the engineering equivalent of first aid to the Navy and other military and government agencies after natural disasters for more than 15 years. This time, the Halliburton unit's performance is likely to be watched especially closely, as its work under separate contracts in Iraq has come under extensive criticism in the past two years.

The Naval Facilities Engineering Command turned to Halliburton after the hurricane under terms of a five-year contract worth up to $500 million, renewed in 2004 after competitive bidding, that calls on the company to provide immediate services on demand after natural disasters, in humanitarian crises or in military conflicts. Last year, the Navy invoked the same contract after Hurricane Ivan hit Florida .

Although Halliburton has not yet been asked to work on installations around New Orleans, it said on Friday that it would begin performing damage assessments there "as soon as it is deemed safe to do so."

The Navy faces urgent problems repairing installations such as the Naval Construction Battalion Center at Gulfport, Miss., which was heavily damaged and has become a crucial staging point for recovery operations in the coastal area hit hardest by the hurricane.

Almost all the base's personnel were evacuated before the storm, and there were no military casualties reported, but many buildings were damaged, power and communications were out, and roads were blocked or flooded.

But even as the Halliburton contract was being announced on Friday, the base was getting back in business, feeding 1,200 personnel each day, sheltering 350 Federal Emergency Management Agency employees in a warehouse, preparing to build a tent city for FEMA, supporting 1,000 employees of Mississippi Power, and deploying Seabees into nearby communities.

Even as it prepared for new jobs in the disaster area, both under its military contract and in its broader civilian role as a major engineering and construction company involved in ports and oil services, Halliburton and its employees faced problems of their own from the storm.

The company said on Friday that it had 3,000 employees working in the affected region and that "many have suffered devastating losses with many homes and vehicles flooded and some with a total loss of all of their belongings." The company, headed by Dick Cheney before he became vice president, has close ties to the Bush administration, and earlier this year confirmed that it had hired Joseph M. Allbaugh as a consultant on issues including disaster relief and homeland security. Mr. Allbaugh was the director of FEMA during the first two years of the Bush administration.

Editorial blasts federal response

Sunday, September 4, 2005; Posted: 7:21 p.m. EDT (23:21 GMT)


NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (CNN) -- The Times-Picayune of New Orleans printed this editorial in its Sunday edition, criticizing the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina and calling on every FEMA official to be fired:

An open letter to the President
Dear Mr. President:

We heard you loud and clear Friday when you visited our devastated city and the Gulf Coast and said, "What is not working, we're going to make it right."

Please forgive us if we wait to see proof of your promise before believing you. But we have good reason for our skepticism.

Bienville built New Orleans where he built it for one main reason: It's accessible. The city between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain was easy to reach in 1718.

How much easier it is to access in 2005 now that there are interstates and bridges, airports and helipads, cruise ships, barges, buses and diesel-powered trucks.

Despite the city's multiple points of entry, our nation's bureaucrats spent days after last week's hurricane wringing their hands, lamenting the fact that they could neither rescue the city's stranded victims nor bring them food, water and medical supplies.

Meanwhile there were journalists, including some who work for The Times-Picayune, going in and out of the city via the Crescent City Connection. On Thursday morning, that crew saw a caravan of 13 Wal-Mart tractor trailers headed into town to bring food, water and supplies to a dying city.

Television reporters were doing live reports from downtown New Orleans streets. Harry Connick Jr. brought in some aid Thursday, and his efforts were the focus of a "Today" show story Friday morning.

Yet, the people trained to protect our nation, the people whose job it is to quickly bring in aid were absent. Those who should have been deploying troops were singing a sad song about how our city was impossible to reach.

We're angry, Mr. President, and we'll be angry long after our beloved city and surrounding parishes have been pumped dry. Our people deserved rescuing. Many who could have been were not. That's to the government's shame.

Mayor Ray Nagin did the right thing Sunday when he allowed those with no other alternative to seek shelter from the storm inside the Louisiana Superdome. We still don't know what the death toll is, but one thing is certain: Had the Superdome not been opened, the city's death toll would have been higher. The toll may even have been exponentially higher.

It was clear to us by late morning Monday that many people inside the Superdome would not be returning home. It should have been clear to our government, Mr. President. So why weren't they evacuated out of the city immediately? We learned seven years ago, when Hurricane Georges threatened, that the Dome isn't suitable as a long-term shelter. So what did state and national officials think would happen to tens of thousands of people trapped inside with no air conditioning, overflowing toilets and dwindling amounts of food, water and other essentials?

State Rep. Karen Carter was right Friday when she said the city didn't have but two urgent needs: "Buses! And gas!" Every official at the Federal Emergency Management Agency should be fired, Director Michael Brown especially.

In a nationally televised interview Thursday night, he said his agency hadn't known until that day that thousands of storm victims were stranded at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. He gave another nationally televised interview the next morning and said, "We've provided food to the people at the Convention Center so that they've gotten at least one, if not two meals, every single day."

Lies don't get more bald-faced than that, Mr. President.

Yet, when you met with Mr. Brown Friday morning, you told him, "You're doing a heck of a job."

That's unbelievable.

There were thousands of people at the Convention Center because the riverfront is high ground. The fact that so many people had reached there on foot is proof that rescue vehicles could have gotten there, too.

We, who are from New Orleans, are no less American than those who live on the Great Plains or along the Atlantic Seaboard. We're no less important than those from the Pacific Northwest or Appalachia. Our people deserved to be rescued.

No expense should have been spared. No excuses should have been voiced. Especially not one as preposterous as the claim that New Orleans couldn't be reached.

Mr. President, we sincerely hope you fulfill your promise to make our beloved communities work right once again.

When you do, we will be the first to applaud.

I find it amusing in a way so many are quick to blame Bush for everything, including the Katrina response effort delay. No one on the state or local level was prepared and the co-ordination within the federal level was awful. That is not completely Bush`s fault.

Tampa Tribune reported a reason for part of the hold up, also repeated tonight on 60 minutes.

The Feds wanted the state to give them ultimate control over the situation. Thus the Feds could say "Hey look, there was no state planning". State government and that awesome mayor of New Orleans, said "no fuckin' way", as they understood the reason why. The Feds (Bush) wanted off the hook for the cuts he had made prior before coming in to help. It didn't happen anyway...and lives were lost in the meantime.

Pathetic.

I read this earlier and posted on my message board.

Imagine that...

They also were awarded a no bid contract...meaning they can bill whatever they want and the Americans (all of us, right, left) get fucked again.

Another USA tragedy, and while we're all looking away, the pirates come in for more looting.

Also I found out.......Not one Levee broke!
   

It was the flood walls which apparently are only 2ft thick made 20 yrs ago for up to category 3 hurricanes......

Here is the difference:

You posted with the intent purpose of starting a fight:

"[turns on American looney liberal impersonation]"

and

"Man, I can't wait for the Michal Moore "documentary" to come out."

These were nothing more then a cheap shots, ignoring the tragedy, and dishonoring the victims. Used for no purpose but to muster a petty fight.

While pointing out what went wrong, and how it went wrong, is a way of making sure it does not happen again. Which is at least some form of respect towards the victims.

In my first post I made it very clear that it was everybodies fault, including Clintons. But that wasn't good enough for you. You wanted to fight.

That was not my intent. In light of some of your recent statements, my post was more like a prophecy.

you forgot to quote the line that said the looney left will blame:


What you're saying would be different if you actually had any evidence of foul play in the awarding of the contract.? But on the contrary, the NY Times article actually said

So what you made was a baseless, politically driven, petty attack.

And i couldn't help but notice your updated signature. I'm flattered to be referred to as an American, but unfortunately I'm not one yet.

Your little diatribe did remind me of a septic flush. ::)

Try handing your vitriol to another Q-back........Sir-Spin-a-lot.

India gives $5 million.
P.S: I never thought we'd be giving the U.S relief money...  ;)

I know! I know no political stuff but it's like a wake up call for Bush like saying stop using money in war?

Bush may not have been the person who actually screwed up, but he's the guy in charge.  When you are the boss you are often held responsible for your employees' screw ups.  I heard a woman on tv who had lived through Camille.  When asked how Katrina was different, she said Nixon had the 3rd infantry there within 48 hours.  Does Bush have less power as President than Nixon did?

From what I'm hearing on the news and talk shows, it sounds like FEMA director Brown is going to take the fall for this one.  Analysts are expecting him to resign.  The bad thing about that to me is that I think it will just be for show, to look like something has been done, and others who are equally responsible will not be held accountable. 

Mayor Nagin said he held several people personally responsible for the delayed response.  He declined to give names, but I would love to see his list. 

Kuwait gave 500 mil and Qatar 100 mil.  I have been pleasantly suprised by the international community.  Even countries like Pakistan and Afganistan are giving.  I guess we tend to focus on all the negative that the Govt does and we forget the good things they do.  Lots of questions remain unanswered though, some heads are gonna roll for this.  But props to the NO mayor and the General in charge.  Two no shit taking guys!

The mayor of NO has my absolute respect. Talks like a man, not a bullshit artist. He should be our next president.

Great, thats all we need, one failure to replace another.  Perhaps the biggest story in this whole thing in my eyes were the looters that decided to try and take advantage of the Hurricane and diverted immediate response teams away from the jobs that they actually should have been doing. 

"In truth, the looters, rapists, and murderers who have terrorized New Orleans since Monday began their post-Katrina reign of terror a full day before the situation grew truly desperate?and it was their increasingly lawless behavior that kept willing but unarmed professional and volunteer rescue workers away from the city and from the poor people who needed saving."

"And the others who stayed behind, unfortunately, are those who terrorize New Orleans on a low-grade level on a good day?and have now taken over the stricken city. What?s happened is the predictable civil deterioration of a city whose fragile civil infrastructure can?t control or contain its core criminal class in peacetime.Good lord, buses left in parking lots instead of used in evacuations."

This thing was unacceptable all the way around.  Once we start the blame game, the Governor nor the Mayor should be left off any list of those that didn't filfill their duties as we would have hoped.

They both were failed on the FEDERAL level, before, after and during.

About the international help: correct me if I'm wrong, but none of it has been accepted just yet by the US...

Le Monde said it has.
condoleez rice "kinda" accepted.
but expert are seeing that the us are so shocked to accept help from poor countries, even Sri Lanka offered help.

there is a serious political issue i think.
the usa showed a weak face during 9/11
and now they are showing the poor face.
it's really time for them to work with the rest of the world. they can't go on like that, and have p diddy rolling in a golden mercedes while louisiana looks like Rwanda or some african disaster ...

some german expert brought up that if g w bush did not wipe the global warming issue that fast, the hurricane wouldnt have happened ... its kinda stupid and exagerated.
but there is some truth, if the usa continue playing solo they'll be in trouble again.
as you we can see now, everything is global.
countries mean nothing anymore. patriotism is dead.

Yea, they haven't accepted all offers, from what I understand. That was a day or so back that I read that though.

Now would be a good time to start addressing global warming.....the German scientist had some validity to his claims I think.

Now I feel even more like a prophet  :hihi:

A lot of help hasn't even arrived there because they don't have the logistics to deal with it.

I read in the paper how Sweden has offered to send a mobile phone network and other supplies, but the plane couldn't leave Gothenburg because they couldn't set it up in USA if they left now.





/jarmo

The next US President will be black, and his name will be Nagin! :)

Anybody who thinks global warming is NOT aiding to these storms is foolish indeed.

Cell phones would be a tremendous help right now. Drop a few thousand off down there would help quite a bit.

Here's a list of what countries are donating for Hurricane Katrian relief. Some of these offers are shocking and pretty much a slap to the face. And I'm talking about the some of the riches countries in the world and what they offered. I was really impressed when I first heard about countries all over the world that were going to help out with Hurrican Katrina, but the list is rather disapppointing.

As of September 6, the official list of donor countries includes:

Afghanistan - $100,000
Armenia - $100,000
Australia - $7.6 million
Azerbaijan - $500,000
Bahamas - $50,000
Bahrain - $5 million
Bangladesh - $1 million
Belgium - Med/logistics teams to Red Cross
Canada - 2 helos, 32-person rescue team, Air Canada evacuation flights, medical supplies
China - $5.1 million cash and relief supplies
Djibouti - $50,000
Finland - 3 logisticians to Red Cross
France - tents, tarps, MREs, water treatment supplies
Gabon - $500,000
Georgia - $50,000
Germany - MREs and high speed pumps
Greece - cruise ships, private offer
ICRC - web-based tracing system
India - $5 million
Israel - tents, first aid kits, baby formula
Italy - generators, water pumps/purifiers, tents, med supplies
Japan - $1,000,000 cash, generators, tents, blankets, bottled water
Kuwait - $400 million in oil, $100 million cash
Maldives - $25,00 cash
Mexico - bedding, MREs, baby care items, personalhygiene kits
NATO - coordinating European assistance offers
Norway - $1.54 million  in relief supplies
Organization of American States - $25,000 cash
Qatar -$100 million cash
Republic of Korea - $30 million cash and in-kind donations
Saudi Arabia - $255 million from Aramco
Singapore - 3 helos
Sri Lanka - $25,000 cash
Taiwan - $2 million cash, medical supplies
Thailand - Large amounts of food
UAE - $100 million cash
UK - MRE's
UN OCHA - UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination Team and Logisitics support
UN WHO - Public health officers and logisticians
Venezuela - Up to $1 million to Red Cross

http://usinfo.state.gov/gi/Archive/2005/Sep/06-611544.html

I like this quote from the head of Jefferson Parish:

"Bureaucracy has murdered people in the greater New Orleans area. And bureaucracy needs to stand trial before Congress today," Aaron Broussard, president of Jefferson Parish, said on CBS' "The Early Show."

"So I'm asking Congress, please investigate this now. Take whatever idiot they have at the top of whatever agency and give me a better idiot. Give me a caring idiot. Give me a sensitive idiot. Just don't give me the same idiot."

Bureaucracy should have gone on trial a long long time ago.

all we got was food from Britain? Their food is horrible anyway. Haggis anyone?

Right, but there's about as much sound evidence that global warming is caused by human activity, and that it's not a natural cycle, as there is that cell phones cause cancer. It can't be ruled out, but at this point it can't be confirmed either, so it's irresponsible to point fingers as if global warming was for a fact caused by us.

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php


Any idea where all our helicopters are? It's Day 5 of Hurricane Katrina and thousands remain stranded in New Orleans and need to be airlifted. Where on earth could you have misplaced all our military choppers? Do you need help finding them? I once lost my car in a Sears parking lot. Man, was that a drag.


i know it's very TRENDY to hate michael moore. well i like him ;D

True, but given the amount of damage (irreparable) that global warming would cause if true, don't you think it would be prudent to take the precautions?

If it's that serious then we should all take precautions. Under the Kyoto Protocol (which is what Bush is criticized for not signing), China is exempt from the limits imposed on the developed world,? and they are the second largest emitter of greenhouse gasses. So it seems to me like Kyoto is less a sincere effort to combat global warming and more a political device.

Says you, Mr bad analogy man.

[turns ON impersonation of SLCPUKE]
That's just your opinion, I'm right.
[turns OFF impersonation of SLCPUKE]

Countries like Canada, UK, Italy, France, Germany etc. are providing those things because Washington asked specifically for only those things from them, which are in really short supply. The U.S doesn't need cash.

Actually it should have read:

"That's just your opinion...your dumb"

But other than that you nailed it.

true :rofl: my bad  :peace:

The USA is in debt up to their eyeballs...(Thanks to you know who.)

just like every *rich* countries in the world.

the usa doesnt need cash  ? that's for sure, but the black people i saw on tv sure need some.
so if you're happy that p diddy has cash, then good for you.

If I'm not mistaken, Genesis is from India so he was just taking a guess I suppose.

What is sad now is for the people who are coming back to the coast to find their house devastated or flooded...and then what, from there? I mean, how are they supposed to work when the office buildings are destroyed and most of N.O economy doesn't exist anymore? That's a fucked up situation...

Actually we are also sending several warships and coast guard ships down with over 1000 personel to help in any way.

Canadian ships sail to rescue


KATRINA: THE AFTERMATH
Canadian ships sail to rescue
As U.S. envoy thanks Ottawa 'for giving us your best,' schools open to usher in a semblance of normalcy

By GLORIA GALLOWAY

Wednesday, September 7, 2005 Page A1

With reports from Brian Laghi, Agence France-Presse, AP and Reuters

HALIFAX -- There will be hand-knitted teddy bears for the youngest of the survivors and body bags for those who died in the water's grasp.

Nearly 1,000 Canadian military personnel set out of this port yesterday on a mission to bring aid to those people caught in the worst natural disaster ever to befall the United States.

On the sunny deck of HMCS Athabaskan, the lead ship in the four-vessel convoy, politicians from both sides of the border praised the expedition as a clear demonstration of the deep bond between Canada and its large southern neighbour.

Until hurricane Katrina wiped out much of the U.S. Gulf Coast, U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins had spent a good part of his brief tenure deflecting Canadian outrage over softwood lumber. Yesterday, he had a chance to talk about friendship instead of irritants.

"On behalf of my grateful country, thank you," he told the sailors and those who sent them on the journey of rescue.

"Thanks to all Canadians for giving us your best when we needed you most."

The Canadian assistance is a reminder to all victims of this disaster, Mr. Wilkins said, "that the human spirit is, at its best, more forceful and powerful than any storm."

As the Canadian ships prepared to leave yesterday, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said he saw the first "rays of light" in his devastated city as army engineers began pumping the putrid water that had submerged entire neighbourhoods back into Lake Pontchartrain. Late last night, however, he instructed law enforcement and the U.S. military to forcefully evacuate residents who refuse to leave.

In Washington, President George W. Bush announced an investigation into "what went wrong" with the federal response to the destruction wreaked by hurricane Katrina in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. The U.S. government has been slammed in recent days for taking so long to send help to the devastated Gulf Coast region. A congressional official said Mr. Bush intends to seek $40-billion to cover the next phase of relief and recovery operations.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Paul Martin, who was among those who arrived to see the Canadian ships set out for the U.S. South, promised that Canada will take in Americans displaced by the hurricane if asked to do so.

Appearing on CTV Newsnet, the Prime Minister reiterated an earlier undertaking by Public Safety Minister Anne McLellan.

"If we're asked to do so, we will certainly do so," said Mr. Martin, adding that he expects the Canadian contribution will increase down the line.

"I don't think there is any doubt that this is going to be a very long-term process and, as I said to the President almost a week ago, look, whatever it is they need, we have it, and it will be there as long as they need it."

The Prime Minister shrugged off questions about whether Mr. Bush was too slow to respond, saying the important issue is to offer as much help as possible.

Asked whether Canada would be ready in such a disaster, Mr. Martin said Canada is in good shape, but that Canada will learn from the experience in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Athabaskan, HMCS Toronto, HMCS Ville de Quebec and the Sir William Alexander, a Coast Guard buoy finder, will take four to five days to reach the Louisiana coast. Once there, the military personnel will operate under the orders of Canadian Commander Dean McFadden but will perform whatever tasks the Americans request of them.

The Canadians, who are taking four helicopters, motorized rafts, inflatable boats and a sea truck that can drive through the high fetid water covering New Orleans, believe their primary role may be to move relief goods from warehouses and hangars to the areas where people need them.

The supplies that have been loaded onto the ships were gathered over the holiday weekend -- much of it by the people of Halifax.

The cargo includes blankets, cots, syringes, diapers, baby wipes, tents and food. It also includes about 300 teddy bears knitted by a group of local women who make toys for charity. And then there are the 1,000 body bags.

"We need to get whatever corpses are in the water out of there," Lieutenant Marie-Claude Gagn?, a communications officer, said matter-of-factly. Like many of the others on the mission, she was called back from leave to help with the hurricane relief.

The ships are outfitted for 30 days, but Lt. Gagn? said "we can stay as long as we are needed."

When the extent of the devastation became clear late last week, the Canadian government asked the United States what it could do to help, but American authorities were too busy to respond. The military went ahead with plans for the relief mission, assuming that whatever resources it could take to the region would ultimately be needed.

"The pictures on TV, devastating though they may be, can in no way convey the reality of the lack of hope and the suffering that the people of the United States are going through as a result of Katrina," Mr. Martin said.

"Canada was built by neighbours helping neighbours in times of crisis and that doesn't only apply within our borders."

General Rick Hillier, Canada's Chief of the Defence Staff, said the role of the military is to help those who are in desperate need.

"It just so happens that those who need help are our friends, our allies and our neighbours."

But it was the U.S. ambassador who delivered the most moving tribute. There have been other times when the United States was hurting, such as after the terrorist attacks of four years ago, when Canada proved its friendship, Mr. Wilkins said.

"And once again Canada is coming to our rescue early and eagerly," he said.

"What you are doing today, ladies and gentlemen, is important. You are saving lives. And to those survivors in the United States, you are helping build back their lives."

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20050907/STORMCAN07/TPInternational/Americas
-----

The ships left yesterday for the Gulf Coast, and should be there by Friday.

You think they'd send that?


I don't think you'd be expecting a gourmet meal if you were living in a sports arena with nothing but the clothes you're wearing as your only belonging.





/jarmo

Not only does the Federal government have broad powers of national emergency that supercedes state law, it has complete jurisdiction over waterways that cross state lines. The river became part of New Orleans it also came under total federal jurisdiction. Period.

The city was right in the middle of the river now, and the US Marines could have dropped right in there if they felt like it. Took charge of the dome...done. They could have made camp right on Bourbon street, and been perfectly legal.

Instead they couldn't even spare a dingy.

WASHINGTON - The federal government plans to begin doling out debit cards worth $2,000 each to adult victims of Hurricane Katrina, The Associated Press has learned.


Homeland Security Department Secretary
Michael Chertoff descibed the plan in a conference call with state officials Wednesday morning. The unprecedented cash card program initially will benefit stranded people who have been moved to major rescue centers such as the Houston Astrodome.

"They are going to start issuing debit cards, $2,000 per adult, today at the Astrodome," said Kathy Walt, a spokeswoman for Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

The cards could be used to buy food, transportation, gas and other essentials the displaced people need, according to a state official who was on the call and requested anonymity because the program has not been publicly announced.

___

How predictable. That's teh usual 13% of MoveOn.org types who would blame Bush for everything.

I guess some people think the president actually is responsible when something this big happens and things don't get done properly in time.

Other people would never blame the president for anything.





/jarmo

That's true. There are about the same number 10-15% on the other side who would never blame Bush for anything.

And Bush does bare some part of the blame. If it was me in charge, I would have declared martial law, sent in the national guard, and just ignored the people who were inevitably going to chastise me for abusing power (which is basically the same looney 13%).

nothing wrong with haggis, plenty of nutrients and it gives you plenty of energy, so it would be ideal for people in that situation...

Its the though of eating intestine, where poop was at one time.

Hunger is the best cook.

Michael Sings for Katrina Relief
Tue Sep 6, 5:00 AM

 Michael Jackson is ready for action.

The entertainer, who's been enjoying a lengthy vacation in the United Arab Emigrates, has announced plans to record a song to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina. The song, titled "From the Bottom of My Heart," is set to be released on 2 Seas Records, a label owned by Prince Abdulla Hamad Alkhalifa of Bahrain.

"It pains me to watch the human suffering taking place in the Gulf Region of my country," Jackson said in a statement. "My heart and prayers go out to every individual who has had to endure the pain and suffering caused by this tragedy. I will be reaching out to others within the music industry, to join me in helping to bring relief and hope to these resilient people who have lost everything."

Of course, Jackson isn't the only celebrity pitching in on relief efforts.

Many of Hollywood's A-listers have been vocal about their contributions to hurricane-related charities in an effort to inspire donations from the masses.

Here's a look at how some famous folk are lending a hand in Katrina's wake:

George Clooney donated $1 million to the United Way for hurricane relief. "There isn't much any of us can do right now but pour money into this tragedy," Clooney said. "We're all in this one together."

Steven Spielberg and his family donated $750,000 to the American Red Cross for immediate relief and $750,000 to the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund for long term recoveryefforts.

Mississippi-based author John Grisham and his wife established the Rebuild The Coast Fund to aid in relief efforts on Mississippi's Gulf Coast and made an initial contribution of $5 million.

Oprah Winfrey spent time Monday among the 18,500 New Orleans evacuees who have taken refuge in Houston's Astrodome. "My pledge is to keep the stories of these people alive," the Queen of Daytime said.

Macy Gray also visited with displaced New Orleanians at the Astrodome, where she handed out clothes and toiletries on Saturday. "I just really wanted to help out," Gray said. "It is crazy when you don't know what is going to happen to you the next day and suddenly that is what their lives are like." Jamie Foxx hosted an auction event at Miami's Delano Hotel at which more $600,000 was raised in a few hours for the American Red Cross. A New Year's Eve date with Paris Hilton was sold for $200,000, while a date with Colin Farrell went for $10,000. Guests paid $200 a ticket to attend the event.

Producers of American Idol announced that the season four contestants would add a date to their Idols Live! Tour and play a Sept. 11 concert in Syracuse, New York to benefit relief efforts.

Organizers of Ozzfest teamed with Red Cross volunteers to accept cash donations from concertgoers Sunday at the tour's final date in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Green Day, R.E.M., John Cusack, Tim Robbins, Pearl Jam, Moby, the Beastie Boys and the Roots are among those who have joined with MoveOn.org to find housing for victims of the hurricane at HurricaneHousing.org.

Willie Nelson launched a radio ad campaign calling for donations for farmers who suffered severe losses due to Hurricane Katrina to be made through FarmAid.org.

Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis were named honorary chairs of Habitat for Humanity's "Operation Home Delivery, a long-term rebuilding plan for families left homeless by the hurricane.

Barry Manilow will add a dollar to each dollar donated through the Manilow Fund for Health and Hope with the fund also adding a dollar, turning a $1 donation into $3.

The Recording Academy has set up a relief fund with an initial donation of $1 million to help "music people" in need.

Montel Williams plans to devote an episode of his hour-long syndicated show to Hurricane Relief on Sept. 12.

The Urban Television Network, partnering with the Oasis Foundation, said it would put on a national telethon, a concert series and other events for hurricane relief.

Starting Sunday, Manhattan jazz musicians will embark on "When the Saints Go Marching In," a weeklong effort to raise money for the American Red Cross by playing concerts in clubs throughout the city.

MTV, VH1 and CMT's benefit special, ReAct Now, airs Saturday, featuring performances from the Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Paul McCartney, the Neville Brothers and Kanye West.

Stars including Sheryl Crow, the Dixie Chicks, Alicia Keys, Randy Newman, Paul Simon, Rod Stewart and Neil Young are scheduled to perform on Shelter for the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast, a primetime benefit special to be simulcast on numerous networks, including E!, on Friday. Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz, Ellen DeGeneres, Jack Nicholson and Chris Rock are among the celebrities slated to appear.

Finally, there was at least one celeb whose relief efforts reportedly didn't pan out as planned. According to published reports, Sean Penn traveled to New Orleans and boarded a small motor boat with the intention of rescuing children still stranded by the storm. Unfortunately, Penn apparently neglected to plug a hole in the boat, which began taking on water, forcing the actor to start bailing and thwarting his rescue attempts.

However, according to an eyewitness, Penn continued his efforts and went on to rescue numerous people in need. "I witnessed him rescuing up to 40 people," Douglas Brinkley, who was there on assignment for Rolling Stone, told the New York Daily News. "He was up to his waist in toxic muck."

Thank goodness we still have Michael. 

It is nice that he is offering this. But after so many surgeries you can barely recognize the guy anymore....

(http://tinypic.com/dgtiyu.jpg)

Condi Rice: "We had no specific knowledge that Hurricane Katrina had any plans to hit New Orleans.

Chairman: Ms. Rice, could you tell us the title of the White House briefing book given to President Bush last Thursday?

Condi Rice: "Hurricane Katrina to hit New Orleans directly and cause massive flooding and loss of life".

 :hihi: :hihi:

Is that a real exchange?  Oh my gosh :hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi:

Is this a joke, or a real dialogue?

Well, Greeks thought of it sooner than everyone else, at least it was announced sooner than anyone else.

Also, and I suppose most countries did, we donated a lot more than Cruise ships but I guess they wanna show as less as possible...

It's a spoof based on the 9-11 investigation.

She claimed there was no information that made them believe an attack could occur.

Then they asked her the title of the memo given to the white house prior to 9-11, and she replied "terrorists plan on taking planes and crashing them into buildings in USA".

 :hihi: :hihi:

This almost looks like a pic that was real, nothing would shock me regarding MJ.

I do have one question though, do you like or dislike Bush? I  find your posts throughout the forum a little vague on that subject.  :hihi: :hihi:

haha, that is not white enough to be MJ, anybody can see that.... :hihi:

No comment on the rest... :hihi:

How come nothing suprises me anymore?

 ::)

**********

 WASHINGTON, Sept 8 (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush issued an executive order on Thursday allowing federal contractors rebuilding in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to pay below the prevailing wage.

In a notice to Congress, Bush said the hurricane had caused "a national emergency" that permits him to take such action under the 1931 Davis-Bacon Act in ravaged areas of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Bush's action came as the federal government moved to provide billions of dollars in aid, and drew rebukes from two of organized labor's biggest friends in Congress, Rep. George Miller of California and Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, both Democrats.

"The administration is using the devastation of Hurricane Katrina to cut the wages of people desperately trying to rebuild their lives and their communities," Miller said.

"President Bush should immediately realize the colossal mistake he has made in signing this order and rescind it and ensure that America puts its people back to work in the wake of Katrina at wages that will get them and their families back on their feet," Miller said.

"I regret the president's decision," said Kennedy.

"One of the things the American people are very concerned about is shabby work and that certainly is true about the families whose houses are going to be rebuilt and buildings that are going to be restored," Kennedy said.

The Davis-Bacon law requires federal contractors to pay workers at least the prevailing wages in the area where the work is conducted. It applies to federally funded construction projects such as highways and bridges.

Bush's executive order suspends the requirements of the Davis-Bacon law for designated areas hit by the storm.

Is it temporary?

It may be necessary in order to have enough funds to rebuild. If that's the case then the loss of wages should be compensated near or after the restoration of the communities.

If the funds were not "elsewhere" (rhymes with "My back") they wouldn't need to cut them.

Plus, are the contractors getting a cut as well? Halliburton? I doubt it.

I doubt it too.

This decision is like a slap across the face. The victims of the hurricane need to be given the appropriate funds to rebuild their lives.

Looks like Mike Brown got shit canned today.

Whudda thunk?

too late maybe.

Turns out all of Bush's buddies (with little experience regarding disaster relief) were given high up posts with FEMA, while those with the experience...were not. Imagine that?

"The Washington Post reported that five of the top eight FEMA officials had little experience in handling disasters and owed their jobs to their political ties to Bush.

As political operatives took the top jobs, professionals and experts in hurricanes and disasters left the agency, the newspaper said."

I guess Brownie didn't do such a good job afterall.  It's noce to see Bush with his head out of his ass for once!

He's trying to save it (his ass) while he still can. His ratings for how he handled this are pretty bad.

I didnt realize "little experience" was an understatement until I learned of their previous employment:


The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced this week that it didn't want the news media taking photographs of the dead in New Orleans. A FEMA spokeswoman talked unconvincingly about the dignity of the dead. But the bizarre demand, a creepy echo of the ban on news media coverage of the coffins returning from Iraq, is simply the latest spasm of a gutted federal agency.

It's not really all that surprising that the officials who run FEMA are stressing that all-important emergency response function: the public relations campaign. As it turns out, that's all they really have experience at doing.

Michael Brown was made the director after he was asked to resign from the International Arabian Horse Association, and the other top officials at FEMA don't exactly have impressive r?sum?s in emergency management either. The Chicago Tribune reported on Wednesday that neither the acting deputy director, Patrick Rhode, nor the acting deputy chief of staff, Brooks Altshuler, came to FEMA with any previous experience in disaster management. Ditto for Scott Morris, the third in command until May.

Mr. Altshuler and Mr. Rhode had worked in the White House's Office of National Advance Operations. Those are the people who decide where the president will stand on stage and which loyal supporters will be permitted into the audience - and how many firefighters will be diverted from rescue duty to surround the president as he patrols the New Orleans airport trying to look busy. Mr. Morris was a press handler with the Bush presidential campaign. Previously, he worked for the company that produced Bush campaign commercials.

So when Mr. Brown finally got around to asking Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff for extra people for Katrina, it wasn't much of a departure for Mr. Brown to say that one of the things he wanted them to do was to "convey a positive image of disaster operations to government officials, community organizations and the general public." We'd like them to stay focused on conveying food, water and medical help to victims.

Political patronage has always been a hallmark of Washington life. But President Bill Clinton appointed political pals at FEMA who actually knew something about disaster management. The former FEMA director James Lee Witt, whose tenure is widely considered a major success, was a friend of Mr. Clinton's when he took office in 1993, but he had run the Arkansas Office of Emergency Services. His top staff came from regional FEMA offices.

(from NYTimes)

I dont know if u can give Bush credit for firing him when he hired him in the first place, but Im glad Bush came to his senses and did this.

Yeah, especially when a couple days before he endorsed him by saying he was doing " a great job" :hihi:

Was he actually fired?  I thought they just "sent him back to Washington'" but he's still head of FEMA.

Oh wow, I thought they fired him. Why would they just send him away and let him keep his job?

I swear I saw he was fired on CNN, but I just went to yahoo news and it says he was sent home like you said.

So I changed the title. Thanks for the correction.

To add: it is funny Bush said he was going a great job the other day alright, I saw that last night. Gave him a nice pat on the back. ::)

Chertoff was on tv today saying Brown had done a great jobing coordinating relief efforts.  They won't take any real action against him because they aren't ready to admit that the feds did anything wrong.  They are still hoping to transfer blame to state and local officials.  Brown will probably get a promotion. 

Are you surprised?  No one is, nor will take responsibility for any of this.  It is simply a failure at all levels, yet everyone is pointing the finger somewhere else.  I know nothing about the job this guy has done to comment on whether he has performed adequately or not, but, if he has not, it sure is sad that it takes a tragedy to point out the problem of political favors in our system.  On a side note, are people on this board still calling for Nagin to run for President?  Those were some of the most ridiculous comments I had read in some time.

Gore airlifts Katrina victims out of New Orleans
Former vice president chartered 2 private aircraft

Friday, September 9, 2005; Posted: 5:46 p.m. EDT (21:46 GMT)

 KNOXVILLE, Tennessee (AP) -- Al Gore helped airlift some 270 Katrina evacuees on two private charters from New Orleans, acting at the urging of a doctor who saved the life of the former vice president's son.

Gore criticized the Bush administration's slow response to Katrina in a speech Friday in San Francisco, but refused to be interviewed about the mercy missions he financed and flew on Sept. 3 and 4.

However, Dr. Anderson Spickard, who is Gore's personal physician and accompanied him on the flights, said: "Gore told me he wanted to do this because like all of us he wanted to seize the opportunity to do what one guy can do, given the assets that he has."

An account of the flights was posted this week on a Democratic Party Web page. It was written by Greg Simon, president of the Washington-based activist group FasterCures. Simon, who helped put together the mission, also declined an interview.

On Sept. 1, three days after Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, Simon learned that Dr. David Kline, a neurosurgeon who operated on Gore's son, Albert, after a life-threatening auto accident in 1989, was trying to get in touch with Gore. Kline was stranded with patients at Charity Hospital in New Orleans.

"The situation was dire and becoming worse by the minute -- food and water running out, no power, 4 feet of water surrounding the hospital and ... corpses outside," Simon wrote.

Gore responded immediately, telephoning Kline and agreeing to underwrite the $50,000 each for the two flights, although Larry Flax, founder of California Pizza Kitchens, later pledged to pay for one of them.

"None of the airlines involved required a contract or any written guarantee of payment before sending their planes and volunteer crews," Simon wrote of the American Airlines flights. "One official said if Gore promised to pay, that was good enough for them."

He also recruited two doctors, Spickard and Gore's cousin, retired Col. Dar LaFon, a specialist in internal medicine who once ran the military hospital in Baghdad.

Most critically, Gore worked to cut through government red tape, personally calling Gov. Phil Bredesen to get Tennessee's support and U.S. Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta to secure landing rights in New Orleans.

About 140 people, many of them sick, landed in Knoxville on Sept. 3. The second flight, with 130 evacuees, landed the next day in Chattanooga.

How about that!!!

This may have already been posted.

The Rolling Stones donated a million dollars to the Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund.

That's awesome of them.

It is nice to see that more and more people are contributing, regardless of their political views, to the victims of the Hurricane Katrina tragedy. It is not about politics, it is about helping our own citizens. American helping American. We are all on the same team. Blue states VS red states is bullshit compared to this catastrophe.

What would ever make you think that someone would not donate just because they came from a blue state?  I donated a hefty sum, and I definately do not come from a red state.  I couldn't even fathom the possibility that someone might not donate because of their political views.

Sometimes politics gets in the way of the greater good.

My name is Mike Brown and I feel embarrased by the similarity to the name of the (former) FEMA director.

Or a medal...

Nationally syndicated right-wing ranter Glenn Beck comments on hurricane victims:

BECK: Let me be real honest with you. I don't think anybody on talk radio -- I don't think anybody in their right mind is going to say this out loud -- but I wonder if I'm the only one that feels this way. Yesterday, when I saw the ATM cards being handed out, the $2,000 ATM cards, and they were being handed out at the Astrodome. And they actually had to close the Astrodome and seal it off for a while because there was a near-riot trying to get to these ATM cards. My first thought was, it's not like they're going to run out of the $2,000 ATM cards. You can wait! You know, stand in line. Maybe it's because I'm the kind of guy, when I go to a buffet, I either have to be first in line, or I'm the very last. Because I know there's going to be extra food, and I just won't stand in the line. I'll wait until all the suckers go get their food, and then I'll go get mine. Or if I'm really hungry, I hate to admit this -- and really, I don't even have to be really hungry. If I'm really being a pig, I will kind of, like, hang out around the buffet table before the line is -- you know, chat with people right around the table: "Oh, they just opened the line! Let's go!" And then you're first in line.

When you are rioting for these tickets, or these ATM cards, the second thing that came to mind was -- and this is horrible to say, and I wonder if I'm alone in this -- you know it took me about a year to start hating the 9-11 victims' families? Took me about a year. And I had such compassion for them, and I really wanted to help them, and I was behind, you know, "Let's give them money, let's get this started." All of this stuff. And I really didn't -- of the 3,000 victims' families, I don't hate all of them. Probably about 10 of them. And when I see a 9-11 victim family on television, or whatever, I'm just like, "Oh shut up!" I'm so sick of them because they're always complaining. And we did our best for them. And, again, it's only about 10.

But the second thought I had when I saw these people and they had to shut down the Astrodome and lock it down, I thought: I didn't think I could hate victims faster than the 9-11 victims. These guys -- you know it's really sad. We're not hearing anything about Mississippi. We're not hearing anything about Alabama. We're hearing about the victims in New Orleans. This is a 90,000-square-mile disaster site, New Orleans is 181 square miles. A hundred and -- 0.2 percent of the disaster area is New Orleans! And that's all we're hearing about, are the people in New Orleans. Those are the only ones we're seeing on television are the scumbags -- and again, it's not all the people in New Orleans. Most of the people in New Orleans got out! It's just a small percentage of those who were left in New Orleans, or who decided to stay in New Orleans, and they're getting all the attention. It's exactly like the 9-11 victims' families. There's about 10 of them that are spoiling it for everybody.

if we had to read and focus on what any random guy is saying ....

He seems like a selfish person. Maybe he's never suffered a tremendous loss, and can't relate. Either way, he's lacking some serious sensitivity.

i lost my nintendo ds charger the other day ... it was very hard, but i found this morning. it was under some book.
;)

Katrina failings were my fault, Bush admits for first time

? President says hurricane exposed serious problems
? Tests planned for 44 bodies found in hospital

Jamie Wilson in New Orleans and Julian Borger in Washington
Wednesday September 14, 2005
The Guardian


For the first time, George Bush yesterday explicitly took responsibility for shortcomings in the federal response to Hurricane Katrina. Speaking at a press conference at the White House, President Bush said that it had "exposed serious problems in our response capability at all levels of government".

"And to the extent the federal government didn't fully do its job right, I take responsibility," Mr Bush said. "I want to know what went wrong or what went right ... It's in our national interest that we find out exactly what went on so we can better respond. I'm not going to defend the process going in but I am going to defend the people on the ground saving lives."

Rest of article (http://www.guardian.co.uk/katrina/story/0,16441,1569424,00.html)




/jarmo

I love it when news article paraphrase to come up with more attention getting headlines.

"Katrina failings were my fault, Bush admits for first time" - he did not actually say it like that.

It was not all his fault as that statement leads on. He was at fault along with hundreds on the state, federal and local level. I give the guy credit for taking some blame. Unlike Mr. Clinton with Monica.

The politicos/pundits who dislike the blame game are usually the ones to blame.

The ones who like the blame game are the ones without the answer to the problem.

Actually I agree with you.  The media is giving him credit for taking responsibility, but I don't think he really did.  What he said was "to the extent the federal government didn't fully do its job..." To me the implied statement is that the federal government isn't really to blame.  But if they are, he'd be responsible.

You can't hear the answer if you aren't willing to listen.......

there is no answer, only complaining.

Like I said......

(http://tinypic.com/dosccj.gif)

The sky is blue.

Whatcha gotta say about that?  :hihi: :rofl: :hihi: :rofl:

Apparenty we are both equally adament in our points of view.

Personally I enjoy the debate (even though your logic is flawed.)

 

Yea yea, drive your Dodge Ram up to Tampa, hang out by the pool....

I'll bring you to the light by the end of the day........

Here is my brief opinion...President Bush is the most powerful individual in the United States.? I feel he has failed this nation because he has every resource available to him at his finger tips.? Maybe it is all the red tape he had to go through before anything could be done.? I'm mad over the fact that we should have been prepared and capable of handling this crisis; yet we fell flat on our face.? I'm sure another hurricane or tornado will devistate an area in the years ahead.? Will the next crisis be handled better?? I doubt there will be any "lessons learned" applied to the way we handle natural disasters in the future.? Status quo? ?:(

Yea, how come I have the feeling that when this is all over that part of the government will just be bigger and wrapped in more red tape?