The BIG BLOW

[bszopi]

Some of the latest news includes:

"...a National Guardsman was shot and wounded on Wednesday and that there had been reports that a Chinook helicopter was shot at Thursday while trying to evacuate people."

There also seems to be mayhem at the Superdome because people are starting to flock there to get evacuated. The crowd size has grown from the ~25,000 people originally in the dome to between 50-60,000 people now.

[firechiken]

Was there any sort of evacuation like this before Kat blew in? A lot of these people didn't leave because they had no way of leaving, or no place to go. All those pictures shown on tv of the pre-Kat evac., didn't see 500 school buses lined up like they have now.

[firechiken]

Just saw this:

"NEW ORLEANS - The evacuation of the Superdome was suspended Thursday because of fires and gunshots outside the arena, authorities said, as National Guardsmen in armored vehicles poured into New Orleans to help restore order across the increasingly lawless and desperate city."

[Doubt_Incarnate]

if you can't co-operate as a team to be rescued, then you can be left to die as a team.

[bszopi]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/09/01/scene.blog/index.html

Its said when reporters are comparing being in New Orleans right now to being in Iraq. Police driving around the streets in full tactical gear. Doctors get shot at by a sniper on a roof top because they are trying to evacuate people. Yet, its only happening in New Orleans. Areas of Mississippi (Biloxi, Gulfport) got hit harder, yet the area is calm. Maybe we should concentrate on the areas willing to cooperate and deal with the other areas later.

Oh yeah, and it looks like the inmates have control of a jail in New Orleans as well. Yeah, looking for a great outcome out of this one...

[Juglenaut]

Lets show them how we take care of our own in times of need.

It is a pity and a low down dirty shame to other countries that don't help us when we lay down billions of relief to those in need after such calamities such like this.

This is a picture of how the American Government really cares about the home land. When disaster struck elsewhere relief was sent in 48 hours and continued for months and some countries are still receiving aid today.

Unfortunatly I have no way of helping my budget is so tight it is hard to open a gap of $150 for a few months. I ussually don't beetch about gas prices, but this is crazy darn right brainwash in action. Reg here is 3.299, ethenol 3.099, expected to go up 20 cents by Friday night. I ditched my Lumina Euro, sold lots of stuff an purchased a 94 cav 2.2L that has recorded MPG of 38-45 and got current on my house...I travel 40+ miles a day and cost me 47.00 to fill now and lasts 11ish days, I turned off the A/C in my house, Line dry my clothes, switched to making my own cigs, stopped drinking beer!!!, lowered my coffee intake, eat less, work more, don't budget in clothing for myself or my GF, live off what we have...Furthermore my house is behind on maintainence, I had to skip a car payment on the Intrugue just to get a new exterior door..


I rarely vent my situation, others are far worse, some have alot to lose some have hardly anything.

GAS up=Food UP= cost of living up...What is going to happen is when the grain belt does harvest at 3-4 dollar gas the shock wave will set a blow down through every cravet of the economy, some farmers around here say if it gets to high they are going to leave the grain in the field. On average a combine cost 500 dollars a day or 8-10 hours up time so for every 8 hours in the field is about 500 bucks, and harvest can easily exceed 2 weeks 10 hours a day seven days a week. A bill for 7 grand is not uncommon for custom combining for 150 acres. If the cost of soy, corn, wheat go up so will just about everything, this coupled with gas for transport of grain and to the store shelves. Small farms under 100 acre that showed a profit last year will see that profit cut this year even if grain goes up. I would expect an average food monthly expense to go up 20-30% next year and thats a low guess.

If I where in a postition; buy everything that you can that lasts a year or more and pack rat it away.

[Doubt_Incarnate]

i've been trying to figure exactly why i havent shot myself yet, and i think its just because im that lazy. in a month i use 40 gallons of fuel wich is gonna cost me 120 bucks now, its 120 for health insurance, 60 for pills, and if i tested as much as i should (diabetes, the type thats not a big deal) testing suplies would be like another 120. then food, and other stupid bills. cost of living is disgusting. but gas even at $3 a gallon is still only .50 cents a pound, thats cheaper than chicken! about as much as milk, and way less than beer depending on where you get it, and if your a yuppie golfer, your paying like 1.09 or 1.19 for a 20oz bottle of water. gas is not all that bad yet. for as dependant as we are on it, your gonna have to pay up. i think im gonna search ebay for an electric car, its only 7 miles to and from work for me.

[RednBlack]

I won't quote you jugglenaut, however, Venezuela, has promised help in the form of shipping oil, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and about a dozen other countries have joined in, in the form of monetary help. Saudi Arabia has opened up for mass oil production, yes, they want the money, but it is still oil.

The sad part is, we have the oil, still in the ground in Alaska, but the tree savers won't let us tap it. Maybe time for "Imminent Domain", like the government does with hiways.

As far as New Orleans is concerned, I think it should be cancelled. Population can't return for months. (Have you seen the stories of chemical invasion into the water?)
Population was over 500,000. Can't see even 10,000 returning there. Open up the levees and make Ponchartrain a little larger. Leave the tall buildings and make an island Casino.

But first, let the National Guard have it's way with the unlawless. Get the refugees out and provide some adequate housing and relief. It will cost less in the long run, and the pain will lessen as time goes on.

9-11 still stings, but it isn't a burn anymore. Just view humans as an ant colony. We get messed up by rain here, we go with what we have and build somewhere else. It's a "Rebound Reflex".

It seems like we dare natural events too much, California coast-line, pretty much the East coast and the Gulf coast. (As a matter of fact, worldwide, can you show me a safe ocean shoreline?) Seems we,(humans), like to play "Russian Roulette" a lot! I am not a Bible thumper, this is just a comparison. "Why build a house on sand"? Maybe someday, we'll get the picture, and just visit the Oceans. Not live there.... Never saw a Hurricane in Kansas. Just rain and tornadoes. I can dodge them.

The whole thing could have been averted. .....But...we tempt fate. Fate always wins. This time it had 4 Aces.

[vsop4me3.1]

This is a picture of how the American Government really cares about the home land. When disaster struck elsewhere relief was sent in 48 hours and continued for months and some countries are still receiving aid today.

who did we respond to within 48hours? when the tsunami hit Indonesia, Bush waited like 3 or 4 days before responding, happened on a week end, what else would you expect from the Kato Kaelin of Presidents?
Or are refering to the president before GW, well ya He knew what he was doing. Bush don't give a shit about the people down there, the people over here, and the people Period, and it's disgusting, along with the comments about leaving them to die, because people are shooting at the rescue choppers. I tell you what, if the louisiana national gaurd were there, they would be neutralizing the shooters while the red cross, coast gaurd, and volunteers saved the lives. But it's pretty hard to Guard the nation when your over in Iraq. this should be a wake up call to America. he did nothing during 9/11 and he's doing nothing now and on top of it all he fucked himself by sending "national" gaurd to Iraq. Who's in charge down there? NOBODY, because this country lacks leadership goddammit! .
I sure hope if this happened in my community, the government better move faster, or yes I'm shooting people. I donated what I can this week, next week I'll donate what I can.

[vsop4me3.1]

The sad part is, we have the oil, still in the ground in Alaska, but the tree savers won't let us tap it. Maybe time for "Imminent Domain", like the government does with hiways..

they don't know how much oil is up there and last I thought they passed the act to drill up there

As far as New Orleans is concerned, I think it should be cancelled. Population can't return for months. (Have you seen the stories of chemical invasion into the water?)
Population was over 500,000. Can't see even 10,000 returning there. Open up the levees and make Ponchartrain a little larger. Leave the tall buildings and make an island Casino.

I kinda agree with you on this one, but after the people are saved.

[RednBlack]

Someone must have peed in your Cheerios...

Congress had been scheduled to reconvene next week after a long summer break, Democratic Leader Harry Reid earlier Thursday urged majority Republicans to drop plans to debate legislation repealing the estate tax in favor of hurricane-related relief.

"Given the tragic and devastating events along the Gulf Coast, members of the Senate would have great difficulty explaining why we were debating the estate tax during our first days back when we know hundreds of thousands of families are suffering," he wrote Majority Leader Bill Frist.

The White House has not yet sent lawmakers a request for funding for hurricane-related costs. Amy Call, a spokeswoman for Frist, said the GOP would bring up relief measures as quickly as possible. "Certainly our first priority is Katrina," she said.

The White House arranged a conference call for later in the day so Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney could consult with top congressional leaders, according to one congressional aide. Homeland Secretary Michael Chertoff and Energy Secretary Sam Bodman also were to participate.

Bush asked his father and Clinton to lead the fund-raising campaign after they helped raise more than $1 billion in private donations to victims of the Asian tsunami that hit last December. He made the request of them Wednesday and the three planned a Thursday afternoon meeting in the Oval Office. McClellan said they didn't have a fund-raising goal this time, but want "to maximize the response from the American people."

How can you say Bush is not compassionate about this disaster? You can't expect money to start flowing in a couple of minutes. Yes, the Government will provide immediate assistance, I heard the 425 Air Command take off at 5 AM yesterday morning. But the money trail is slower. Get a grip. Maybe he should have had ESP and had the money in a bank in New Orleans?

This is not a war. It is a salvage. And GWB did not start this one. But I'll bet he doesn't sit on his ass over it.

[vsop4me3.1]

but he sure had time to play golf in arizona on monday, and then call his vacation off early on tuesday, before returning to washington on wednesday. It's friday and they just started seeing help. 5 days after the hurricane hit. he sat on his ass again, because he doesn't care. and BTW the mistakes he made did lead to this. can you say cut 70 million from the levey project to fund the war? stop defending him he's wrong and America is finding out.

[Juglenaut]

Yes I know of the tsunami and no thats not what I was talking about. I didn't iterate what I was putting down, but as the gov't in general.

They don't want us to know how much oil is in Alaska.

You'd think the US gov't would be able to respond faster to disasters in the homeland.

If anything this sent a message to thoses against the US all over the world that the US can't and/or doesn't care about devastation in the homeland. I think this might lead to something else, as some might see this as an openning for attack.

The US had advance warning, it not like they couldn't have prepared some relief before it happened, they should have but failed. It just like them to see no poverty and lack of transportation for the poor, and people that simple couldn't leave. Even if it missed LA altogether it would have caused a national state of emergency. Sure everyone can leave, if you tell them to evac...No thats not true.

[RednBlack]

Donald Trump sent water. He bashed the Government also. His water arrived today. (Friday)

No one expected this kind of devastation. (Although they were warned) Most are perplexed by the enormity of it. The Mayor of New Orleans didn't even cast an evacuation notice untill it was too late. Then, he turns face and bitches about help? Shit..I posted get the fuck out in my first post on this thread!!! (On Sunday) The storm was way out then.

Again, maybe we should have ESP and had all the needy materials available to stop all the suffering from something no one had any control over.

I was in the Military, there is no way you can immobilize, and provide relief from an event like this, in a second. It takes time. Where do you send it? It is an unheard of catastrophe. The help came in the same it always has. The media has blown all of this up, like they do, because it happened on home soil.

Maybe Katrina should have come in 50 miles west and this thread would be null and void.
Big Easy would be gone. No lootings or shootings.

Alabama and Mississippi don't seem to have a problem. They are coping with it. And Katrina fucked them hard! Totality! And not a shot fired.

It was a Hurricane! Not a bomb. Out guess it. I bought my first gas @ $3.29 today. I knew why........

[vsop4me3.1]

It's just horrible and as Americans we expect more. Kanye West is a fool though, I never cared for him or his music, but it took some balls to say what he said.

I"m done