Hurricane Katrina

Hey, I was wondering about how people viewed the hurricane that hit Louisiana and Mississippi. Just wondering what people thought about the manditory evacuation and how people didn't leave. I know we should feel pity for them, but they were warned were they not? I know that there are certain circumstances where somone would not be able to leave (handicapped, etc) but some other people kind of blew my mind in staying knowing they would be facing one of the worst hurricanes to ever hit the US. Also, how do you think the increase in gas prices will affect the US? A local gas station here went from 2.63 to 2.95 in just one day. Also, what do you guys think about the looters?

Please don't start a huge argument, just a discussion about what is going on.

#312462

Just wondering what people thought about the manditory evacuation and how people didn't leave. I know we should feel pity for them, but they were warned were they not? I know that there are certain circumstances where somone would not be able to leave (handicapped, etc) but some other people kind of blew my mind in staying knowing they would be facing one of the worst hurricanes to ever hit the US.

would you leave the only home you have ever known? and what if you didnt have the money or resources to get out of town? i feel sorry for them. not only did most lose what they had but its gonna take months to get things back (like power, they are expectd to be w/o power for 3 months). as far as the gas thing, the gov. should of knew this thing was gonna hit the gulf. it just shows how ill prepared this country is for crisis.

#312464

it just shows how ill prepared this country is for crisis.

That's a kind of uneducated thing to say...we're all at the mercy of the elements, and they're not the only type of crisis.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the afflicted.

-NC

#312465

uneducated? they knew that the storm was headed towards the gulf, which contains a majority of this countries off sea oil drills. the gas was already at 70 a barrel before the hurricane, they could have opened up the reserves and then gas wouldnt be 6 a gallon in the south.

i cant even drive home this weekend due to the fear of the southern states not having gas.

#312467

That's a kind of uneducated thing to say...we're all at the mercy of the elements, and they're not the only type of crisis.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the afflicted.

-NC

I have to aggree with you here because I'm sure Asia knew about the psunami (sorry spelling), but there wasn't anything they could really do. I know you would have trouble leaving your only home, but whats the point of staying at a home you know will be destroyed leaving you to die (again, not referring to the people who didn't have the means of getting out).

#312468

and let me clarify im not saying the gov. could of done anything to prevent the forces of nature, but they could prevent the sharp rise in gas prices and the widespread shortage.

#312470

and let me clarify im not saying the gov. could of done anything to prevent the forces of nature, but they could prevent the sharp rise in gas prices and the widespread shortage

Well the problem is you're wrong on that. Gas shortage could hardly be effected by government, since the biggest problems are distribution and refining(which took a large hit), not production. This also makes the strategic reserve largely irrelevant. Do you have a right to cheap gas? No. The only thing you have a right to is not getting pricegouged, and there is a phone number set up that you can call to deal with that anyway. But generally complaining about the price of gas is a bit lame, considering people are dealing with hurricane aftermath. I agree when you say the country was ill-prepared though.

Anyway back to the storm, to a large degree, people who stayed behind were simply poor, and hoping to protect what little property they have in this world, while not incuring what for them seemed like a high(and for some, impossible) cost of vacating. Compared to higher income brackets, they will not get compensation for lost property (insurance), hence they are more likely to accept higher risk in protecting what little they have.

The buildup to the event and the aftereffects have shown that they(authorities) are ill prepared for a crisis like this: to a large extent things like this are predictable, as almost everything that has happened in NO would have been modelled beforehand (levee breaks, flood water levels, social disorder, etc) under worst case senarios. The scramble that's been going on in the last day, and more importantly, the lack of communication that occured amongst the 'leaders' was a joke, even to the extent that those 'leaders' were just abandoning their duties(I'm not talking about officers ignoring looters... I'm mostly fine with that).

Reassigning all city officers from search and rescue to protection of private property is an embarassment, especially for a conservative government. This is precisely one of the few situations in which conservatives trumpet the role of government, and they dropped the ball in the first day after.

#312472

Would it be unreasonable to leave new orleans flooded? The city is below sealevel right next to the most stormy part of the nation. I think New Orleans should become a river city, like Venice ( or however you spell it) in Itally. I mean, can the US really afford to keep repairing the city?

But, hey, thats just my thought.

#312479

And to think, I was just in New Orleans earlier this year. I read an article about the looters, and it was talking about a Wallgreens (thats what its called, right?) in the French Quarters. I bought black licorice from there before my flight back home...

#312485

My heart goes out to all affected. It's a surreal situation. Climate change anyone?

#312498

instead of arguing about whether or not people should have left or not.. we should be talking about what we can do to help those in need. Leaving is a moot point now. Whether people left or not there homes are now destroyed. I live on the gulf coast and this storm could have just as easily destoryed my home. There are a number of ways that you can help out the storm survivor through donations etc..

It is a great tragedy what has happened. Could you imagine not being allowed back to your home for 1-2 months? Not going to work, school etc... what would you do for money? Clothes? Food? It is very scary to think what these people are facing.

some links to help:

http://www.yahoo.com/_ylh=X3oDMTEwdnZjMjFh...gtY3Nz/s/252643

http://www.yahoo.com/_ylh=X3oDMTEwdnZjMjFh...gtY3Nz/s/252644

#312502

Exactly BZ - If i see any other post brushing up politics or the way to handle a country right (who is the idiot that claims to be able to do it so much better?) i will close the topic.

No politics are allowed here specially because little kiddies dont know what they are talking about when the only thing taxes are affecting them in is in getting a mac.

Be warned people - I dont want discussion as to why or why not we are discussing politics/gas prices, mkay?

#312514

Out of all the places in the US, it had to hit New Orleans, didn't it?

I hope everything recovers quickly, and everything goes ok. I don't want New Orleans to be a swamp if I ever go there...

Sorry if anybody's friends and reletives where harmed from the hurricane... :/

~Wuzzie

#312539

I didn't know it was like that... It seems like if people were too young to talk about this kind of stuff they just wouldn't... Oh well.

#312575

Didn't really see much info... but there are people shooting at rescue choppers?

#312594

riots are going to start shortly. We all saw the looters who were running away with tv's etc...now we see people fighting for water and food. The damage is just simply far too vast for a quick fix. It is really sad....this is going to get worse, much worse, before it gets better. the initial storm and floods that followed will not be the only thing that will cause loss of life. These people are going to die without help, and quick.

I know what they are showing on the news only shows the suffering going on, but we all have to recall that it is so huge that the help that is coming in is being spread out all over the place, so it seems like nothing is done.

Some that stayed behind were simply trying to be heroes...but that is a small percentage of people. The south is filled with poor people, they simply didn't have the transportation/money etc to go anywhere. A mandatory evac was set up, but it wasn't as if busses were knocking on doors of people and saying "come on lets go" these people had no where to go.

As I said, it is going to get ALOT worse before it gets better...disease is going to start wiping out all of those survivors.

I pray for the health and well being of all those effected, directly and indirectly. My god bless them

#312629

The lack of water will be a big part into this.

We all need water to live, and water is scarce to get there now.

Also, we all need to go to the bathroom. There is no place to go, the place is litterally under water. The water will get dirty and contaminated...full of bacteria and people will die from disease too.

This is a tragedy. RIP all who's lives were taken.

#312646

I wanted so bad to go down there and help out, then i realized the mini-concert me and my friends are going to be putting on Sept. 24th can be used to get money donations for Operation CARE!

#312696

god bless america and the american people they've shown the world how united they are after 9-11 and i've no doubt that the american people will unite together and overcome the problems that face them now. My thoughs are with them and i hope those who need help get the help fast and begin the long road of rebuilding their lives. Nows not the time to discuss gas prices or money, u can't put a price on one human life, possesions can be replaced but u can't bring back loved one's.

#312699

Wait, what? Since when can you control the wind? I'm sure that the people there were aware of what was potentially heading their way, so the smart ones did all they could to be "better safe than sorry." I'm sure many other states did the same thing in preperation for "the potential." Someone said "we're all at the mercy of the elements" and I couldn't agree with that statement more. There's no way to regulate something like this, and it's a tragedy when it takes so many lives. Callousness is never a wise approach to something like this.

#312739

The power of nature is virtually unlimited, as the human stupidity is (like Einstein was used to say).

It's funny to notice that phone/dsl cables are buried, while power cables are still hangin in the air. To me, Florida looks like Europe during the II World War because of this, with dangerous power cables everywhere, and companies like FPL don't even think about the electro-magnetic pollution those cables create.

It's weird to see that after so many years and so many hurricanes, power cables are still out there... What's wrong with Floridians?

#312742

Next to IRC, we need to have a donate link likewe did for the tsunami, that would be great

#312969

Deleted.

#312998

I made a little Gallery

http://www.raulmontana.com/katrina/

My prayers are with them.

PS** Let's not argue what the gov. should do what they shouldn't do, let's just help...

If you care to help and you have a blog, wordpress whatever, here's the code to make a post dedicated to a donation page.

Donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.

#313004

Call it what you want, but I think its really dang stubborn to NOT leave when there is a HURRICANE coming your way, and a big one at that... Especially if they are evacuating people. When they start doing that you KNOW its going to be a serious problem, plus a good time for vacation.

Some people werent able to make it out, but im talking about the people who didnt even try.

I'm really glad that I live on the west coast, wild weather stays away.

#313076