The Hurricane Katrina thread

[Sterlingdog]

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. 

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.

[Dry Heat]

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.?

[Where is Hassan Nasrallah ?]

700 died in iraq.

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

most of them kids and women.

[Will]

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.

[Rain]

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. 

[Will]

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...

[Mr. Dick Purple]

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 

[gilld1]

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!

[Will]

These people are dumb. I don't see a problem if you're gonna steal/ get food (and wine ) 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.

[jarmo]

Saw the pictures from the New Orleans area.

That's scary. 


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




/jarmo

[Sterlingdog]

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."

[Izzy]

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!!

 

Genius

[Kitano]

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.

[Sterlingdog]

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. 

[jameslofton29]

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. 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?

[SLCPUNK]

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.

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".

[Where is Hassan Nasrallah ?]

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

[Dr. Blutarsky]

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.

[Will]

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.

[Where is Hassan Nasrallah ?]

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.

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.