News in the US

[CIK]

I don't now what news is being carried outside of the US, but things in the south eastern part of this country are in dire need of help & prayer. Stop by and read the news at http://www.cnn.com/ or http://www.msnbc.msn.com/ the actual state of affairs is much worse then the headline stories carry.

The biggest problem is our beloved federal government has been AWOL since this happened and is only now starting to call up regular millitary people and resources to help with this major disaster. Civilian aid effort have started reaching the hardest hit areas today and are being told they are the very first people from the outside the few remaining residents have seen.

Sorry for my rant, but the folks down their need a lot of help.

[William Wallet]

We're hearing a fair bit about it in Australia - not as much as I'd think there would be though. Odd.
My first thought on seeing the people with guns and stuff is 'bloody hoons'. But - it must be a pretty bloody desperate situation to make people want to do that, so I have no problem with reserving judgement. It's easy to form a quick opinion like that when you're on the other end of the world, with no hurricane.

I'm just so bloody sad for the people that died in this mess. Another one of those things that just doesn't need to happen.

[Baron LeDant]

Actually CIK the picture painted of the events here in England is pretty damning of the U.S Governement being totally underprepared for something they knew would happen.

[CIK]

And that’s how we feel about it too.

I'm still not sure the US government is really going to step up to the plate. It's a political nightmare now and I have the sick feeling they would rather stick it to the states and city governments then step up and do the job they are paid to do.

I say this because what small portion of the regular military that are being deployed are being put under control the state governments. The state governments are helpless because they have lost large portions of the civil infrastructure in their states(ie no radio, phone, water, electricity) what's needed is for the federal government to step up and appoint military commanders to run the show until the states can get some basic communication systems in place. These regions are like a major war zone and the military is the only people with the experience to deploy communications and command and control infrastructure in areas where there is nothing but devastation.

[William Wallet]

From what I'm seeing on the telly, people in the disaster area are understandably confused. I would be too, if the aid was simply not coming through when it should.

What the hell is the deal? Can't they airdrop stuff for some reason? I know they were getting shot at, so correct me if airdropping stuff isn't an option.

[CIK]

Yes airdropping would be a very viable option....we are all asking the same question. We do it in 3rd world counties but we can't do it in our own backyard.

[William Wallet]

It sounds ludicrous, what the hell is the deal? Too much red tape? That really doesn't sound like a reason to keep people waiting - and not the kind of waiting you go through in a queue to get your hair done. This is life and death shit, why aren't they doing something?

Pretty atrocious state of affairs. There's a lot of people suffering.

It can't be a budget thing, they sign billions away all the time to all kinds of things.

[ozone]

If the media is so freaking concerned about these people..why didnt they bring water or food with them? Im sure after they are done filming their segments for the newscast they get in their lil choppers and fly off to the closest 5 star hotel for a steak dinner. I can almost guarantee they didnt bring any "refugees" with them either...

sad.



Edited By ozone on 1125685031

[SomeLoser]

The news about the Hurricane Katarina is very big here in Sweden. It covers the front page every day, and latest thing I heard were that there might be many thousend dead in the catastrophe. Last thing I read was that Sweden was going to help with rebuilding the IT-infrastructure and provide communication somehow..
It suprise alot of people here that the military hasn't acted faster then they have, and alot of people also think even "worse" of the Bush administration then they did before.. Somewhere about 90% of the people here in Sweden disslike the way the administration handles the War on terrorism and many thinks that there really are other real threaths to US security then Terrorism only.
Anyway, this criticism from swedes has alot to do with how bad our own governemnt handled last christams Tsunami catstrophe. Sweden wast actually the country outside the Tsunami region that was most effected by the Tsunami (20 000 swedes were involved) about 1000 has never been found. It is really suprising to see once again how coutries such as USA and Sweden doesnt do more about security threaths such as natural catstrophes, when you see how much money is spent on other kinds of security.

Anyway, I hope none of your relatives are affected by the dissaster
(got a message to you also CIK, could you pleas contact me on ICQ..)

/SL

[Pistol_Pete]

This is life and death shit, why aren't they doing something?

They're trying. FEMA didn't properly setup for this hurricane's impact, and a moderate natural disaster has turned into a catastrophe, by man's poor planning.

About your air drop comment: I'm not aware of any air drops of supplies - remember, FEMA didn't position supplies properly before the hurricane hit, but if any come, they will be big problems. Imagine if you haven't had any water for 2 days, and all of a sudden a crate full of rations and water lands a mile away. You'd see people sprinting all over; a huge melee would erupt as people claim the supplies; people would be called to restore order, but some police would be ineffective, while others would defect, and grab what they could. It's a fucked up situation - no other way to express it.

I'm going to try to give away my freqent flier miles, and see if that helps.

[woof]

People demanding solutions in less than a week to the worst natural disaster in US history... such is a culture of instant gratification.

Sometimes bad things happen.
Sometimes good people try to help.
Sometimes their best isnt good enough at first.
But by all means let's blame the government. That's the least we can do.

Here's a thought. Do something instead. Send $. Volunteer. House a stray pet. Give blood. If you are one of the people who has done anything of substance, this message isn't to you. If you are one of the people that look to others to solve problems and then attach blame, stfu and make a difference.

Sorry. I'm a cranky bastard who's shy a pint of blood and Im far angrier at the looters and people shooting at rescue helicopters than I am at the Gov Agencies who are trying to help with the worst natural distaster in the history of the US.



Edited By woof on 1125701706

[Brainbug]

about food dropping, you can't really drop it in a flooded area can you?

plus there's already looters, so dropping it is out of the question, you have to bring it bye trucks or a boat and with military escort...

[Pistol_Pete]

The Galveston hurricane nearly wiped the city off the map; it's death toll is immense, and I hope the U.S. doesn't have to endure a horrid disaster of such maginitude, for a long time.

Frankly, it looks like some sections of the government dropped the ball. Take a gander here. A lot of these broken levis have been chronically underfunded. And we all know where many of the U.S.'s guardsmen are...

For those doing all they can to save lives, my hat is utterly off to them. I'd like to see a few heads roll, and some solid lessons learned over the neglect of this disaster; but that's not what should be done now. Now is the time to treat the wounded, and feed the starving and dehydrated masses.

...and I just got a card about a blood drive in two weeks. You're not the only chump pumping out the pints, woofie.

[Horus]

Current news is that the US has refused a great many offers of aid from outside the US...

Canada, Holland, Russia, Iran and China included...

WTF!!


Edit: Here's what I'm talking about

Being kept from the American people have been the uncounted offers of assistance from Nations all around the world, including: Venezuela has offered their Medical Airlift Command for the evacuation of peoples trapped in these devastated regions; Holland has offered the resources of their Public Works Ministry (and who are the acknowledged World Experts for below sea level water evacuation procedures); Russia has offered over 100,000 temporary living structures, along with Military Personal to assist their American counterparts; Iran has offered 1 Billion US Dollars in immediate assistance and guaranteed 5,000,000 barrels of oil at $35.00 US Dollars; China has offered their Military Rescue Forces (Who are acknowledged as one of the best in the world for rescuing peoples in flood ravaged areas.)

All of these offers, and more, the Military Leaders of the United States have declined, and for the their previously stated reason: “The United States Government and its People Respectfully Decline your offer of assistance and refer you to our previous State Department Bulletin (NCO:13788) in which we had stated that this remains an internal action.”

And another bit from a more reliable source

On tonight's news, CTV (Canadian TV) said that support was offered from Canada. Planes are ready to load with food and medical supplies and a system called "DART" which can provide fresh water and medical supplies is standing by. Department of Homeland Security as well as other U.S. agencies were contacted by the Canadian government requesting permission to provide help. Despite this contact, Canada has not been allowed to fly supplies and personnel to the areas hit by Katrina. So, everything here is grounded. Prime Minister Paul Martin is reportedly trying to speak to President Bush tonight or tomorrow to ask him why the U.S. federal government will not allow aid from Canada into Louisiana and Mississippi. That said, the Canadian Red Cross is reportedly allowed into the area.

Bush needs to get over his Crusade already and help New Orleans.



Edited By Horus â„¢ on 1125712928

[woof]

The Galveston hurricane nearly wiped the city off the map; it's death toll is immense, and I hope the U.S. doesn't have to endure a horrid disaster of such maginitude, for a long time.

Frankly, it looks like some sections of the government dropped the ball. Take a gander here. A lot of these broken levis have been chronically underfunded. And we all know where many of the U.S.'s guardsmen are...

For those doing all they can to save lives, my hat is utterly off to them. I'd like to see a few heads roll, and some solid lessons learned over the neglect of this disaster; but that's not what should be done now. Now is the time to treat the wounded, and feed the starving and dehydrated masses.

...and I just got a card about a blood drive in two weeks. You're not the only chump pumping out the pints, woofie.

Heya Petey.

Galveston was bad. Katrina's effects are way larger. Maybe or maybe not in a death toll of 6,000--who knows at this point--but in lives affected, Katrina pwnD.

Not for one moment did I imply that Im "the only one pumpin out the pints"--in fact, just the opposite. There are hundreds of thousands of people helping. Some are part of bureacracies which by nature are slow to act, some are from charities that respond much faster, some are indviduals helping in whatever way they can.

Nor am I suggesting the Gov couldnt have done better and do better. We all can. But that's the nature of any solution to a problem. Something ALWAYS can be done better with HINDSIGHT. Just saying that now's not the time to assess and blame.

I think Former Prez Clinton got it right when he said:

Because when you say that they should have done this, that or the other thing first, you can look at that problem in isolation, and you can say that.

But look at all the other things they had to deal with. I'm telling you, nobody thought this was going to happen like this...

...And so I just think that we need to recognize right now there's a confident effort under way. People are doing the best they can.

-CNN

As to your point that " A lot of these broken levis have been chronically underfunded. And we all know where many of the U.S.'s guardsmen are..."

Lack of National Guard is not the problem. It's ACCESS and mobilization. Roads are impassible or destroyed or flooded. Airports are destroyed or overcrowded. It will take time.

As to the levees, taxpayers didnt want to fund the billions it would take in upgrades.

So if ya want to start blaming a government, blame the French of 1718. As good Americans, we should always take the opportunity to blame the French! (Right, Grasshopper?)* ;> Fookrs built a city in wetlands and subsequent people threw up levees so that they could build BELOW sea level on the coast of one of the most active storm regions in the world. Brilliant.

Katrina 1, New Orleans, 0 gg

*intoned with voice dripping in sarcasm