Mayor of New Orleans requests haste-People to write letters.

[Anonymous]

Kudos Dan and Ed! Well put, gentlemen!

They're over in our part of the state griping, too.

According to my wife, who should know because she works with the issue, TX has added approximately 26,000 new clients to the welfare rolls in the last 2 days, and that number is expected to skyrocket over the next week. And with only a hope of the state being reimbursed by either LA or the feds, so at this point their welfare is being paid for by TX taxpayers and, indirectly financially displaced TX welfare recipients. We're all happy to do it--no griping about it from our side-the welcome mat is out, as Ed has indicated. So under the circumstances, they have no right to gripe about the accommodations or turnaround time for sign-up and benefit receipt offered to them over here. We're doing what we can.

I saw reports on the local news yesterday and day before about refugees who booked a couple of days in hotels over here figuring they would ride out this little (Cat 4-5 isn't little) inconvenience that was going to miss NO anyway (famous last words), and now were having to go to the less luxurious shelters because their reservations were up, someone else had booked their rooms and the hotel made them move out. Sure sorry, but exactly what other action should the hotel take?? They're all booked.

The griping is ridiculous, and the Governor and Mayor have no business joining the chorus. Do I detect even a hint of partisan politics in their remarks? (peri***he thought!) I don't seem to recall any whining or blame-shifting from either Giuliani or Pataki after 9-11--they got down to solving the problems and let the political chips fall where they may.

The logistics of this operation are incredibly complicated, and it's going to take time. Are we so hung up on our own convenience that we fail to see the opportunities to do good?

Shooting at rescue choppers? Just who do they think they are?

Reminds me of Mark Twain's exposition of the difference between a man and a dog.

Give the 14 year old kid in the johnboat a medal!

[dekemd]

I've listened and listened to the mayor of NO complain of no help. In one interview he said the Feds need to go get all the Greyhound buses and get them down there. My question is what happened to all the NO city buses and school buses? Why weren't they taken out of the city to higher ground and have them ready to help evacuate? What has the mayor done for the people other than rant and rave about the Feds. From what I've seen the city had no emergency plans to deal with this situation. The Feds had a plan but with the destruction in LA, MS and AL they were overwhelmed. The media seems to focus on NO but MS and AL were hit hard also. NO may be underwater but most of it is still there. There are places in MS where there is nothing left standing. Do you hear about people in MS and AL yelling that the Feds aren't helping them. NO! They are going through whats left of their neighborhoods picking up what they can salvage. The majority of the people in NO are sitting around waiting for someone to do everything for them.

Ed's daughter is right. I've seen lots of news coverage showing people walking to the Superdome. If they can walk to it. They can walk away from it.

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

What the hell is wrong with you dude? I hope I'm out of line hear but you really don't critisize a man who has had no sleep, low clean water, rampid crime, excriment and urine everywhere, near dead or dying bodies rotting and being feasted on by rats, listening to suffering and plees of mercy.

It didn't take more then 48 hours to get supplies to Indonesia during the Tsunami but 5 days to get security forces and supplies into your own city? They did take too long. You would have to be a half-wit.

I just he learned that Fidel Castro has offered and mobilized 2600 doctors if needed; 2600! If Bush doesn't except this, he is a bigger schmuk then I thought he was.

What the hell is wrong with me? I would have to be a nit wit......<I was in the process of explaining my witless point of view, but I think that Ed has done a much better job...thanks Ed..who by the way is much closer to this then both of us...>

So instead let's talk some realities......

First, I am extremely upset that this preventable tragedy has occured. Preventable because it did not have to end up like this. This is the three little pigs on a grand scale. If you don't take the time and spend the money to build the house right, then you're going to be depending on those that did to save your bacon when the big bad wolf comes a knockin'. And on short term note.....the big bad wolf didn't sneak up on them like the Tsunami did.....it came with warning......and on a long term note...the Gulf coast happens to be haven for wolves of this kind....they just haven't chosen to prey on the NOLA piggies for awhile.... so living in the straw house has it's drawbacks eventually.....

Now let's talk about response...... You don't place anything near the epicenter that you expect to use later.....and that includes people..National Guard, FEMA guys, etc.....or they become casualties too. It's that simple. Bridges are down, power is out, roads flooded. So you need boats and helicopters...right? Where do helicopters that expect to live during hurricanes? They go away where the hurricane isn't and come back. They don't get buried in little holes, and hangars don't stand up to gale force winds real well. It takes time. Boats too....if you expect them to survive you move them or lose them. Plain and simple. Once it's over, you assess the situation, try to affect immediate life threatening rescues and marshall resources. Prioritization.....or triage let's say.....folks not in immediate threat of being swept away can wait a bit. If they can walk and talk to reporters, then they are not an emergency.....they can wait. Folks on a roof top surrounded by water get help first. And when they choose to shoot at the helicopter when it comes....it ain't coming back.

Infrastructure is key...many roads are impassable, rail lines have to be cleared, soft ground cannot be used as a landing field for heavy aircraft. Stuff has to be done methodically or resources get wasted and spread out. You have to also look at the resources you are being offered and try to not bring in too much because, rescuers themselves require support...shelter, food, water..etc....and there becomes a point where there get to be too many manage and direct and logistics strain in itself. Some say put it on ships standing offshore....so the ships now have to ride out a hurricane...ever been in a hurricane on a ship...I have and its no fun. Providing the ship and it supplies are not damaged, the crew is in no shape to do anything but recover themselves.

There's alot more involved than swooping down and magically grabbing everyone...alot more. And I know that. Its hard painful work to decide where assets get placed first. All we see is what the networks choose to show and they show the worst. Shepard Smith, plugged into Fox central is just as capable of telling folks to get to the Superdome as is anyone, but chooses to whine about the lack of help. He's not helping, just fanning the flames.

Lots of countries are offering to help. That's great and truly appreciated. Some we could use, some we don't need. Like more people there...like I said more people starts to saturate the area becoming a logistics drain. It's not meant to slight anyone. But a methodical and rational approach has to be taken to sort the resources.

So do I choose to not be overly sympathetic to the mayor of NOLA...sure. He was simply hoping to get through his term with nothing like this occuring.....he bet on status quo and lost. Blaming those trying to pick up the pieces isn't helping either. You are where you are, they are at ground zero....cut them some slack and give them the benefit of the doubt that they might have a big picture in mind.

Dan

[grandeman]

+1 Ed! Very well written observations. Accurate too.

[Anonymous]

Well said Ed!!! I too saw an awful lot of able body men and women. I think this evacuation should be just like a sinking ship, first the old and sick and children, then the women, then the men. Bet it was first come first serve.

[edblysard]

Andrew,
Exactly how long did the mayor of New Orleans know that the storm was headed his way, and that it was at least a cat 4 storm?
Think he knew his levees were only going to hold up against a cat 3 or less?
By the way, where exactly is the Mayor of New Orleans...in the Superdome, or did he manage to leave when the levees breached....bet your bottom dollar he aint sleeping on a cot in the Astrodome!
I don’t remember him on TV Sunday, telling every one to get out, nor do I remember him asking the Guard or the Coasites to be standing by...
And if he knew ahead of time, why wasn’t the Superdome stocked and ready...only took us a day to start stacking cots and sweeping the floor of the Astrodome....

Funny, but if the National Guard can drive their trucks into the city now, as I saw on TV, then the question my 12 year old daughter asked is kinda relevant..."if they can drive in there, why cant the people at the Superdome walk out?"
"Why are they waiting for someone to come get them?"

I couldn’t really find an answer to her question that didn’t sound callous...

Bluntly put, the Mayor of New Orleans sat on his butt, hoping the storm would miss, or lose intensity before it hit.

He and the Governor played the odds and lost, and now both are playing the blame game, because they got caught unprepared for any of this...
The people who are stuck there, with the exception of the really poor, the old and ill, and those who had to stay, cops and such, are stuck there because they too played the odds and lost, and now they want someone to come get them...

On the local evening news, a woman refugee was being interviewed...she was mad, because all we had managed to do for her was get her a place to sleep, a shower, some food and drinks, clothes for her kids, and clothes for her, enroll her children in school, and provide them all with a personal hygiene kit...she was demanding we provide her with some way to call her relatives, because she wanted to talk to her sister...and how were we going to get her "check" to her, the "government probably sent it to where I stays, and I aint gonna be there no more.."

The Astrodome now has its own zip code, and Post Office, for the obvious reason...and SW Bell is installing phones, pay phones, in the dome...which POed this lady even more, because she was expecting to get free phone service too...

Had one young man, mid twenties, not a thing wrong with him, yelling at the reporter because he wasn’t getting inside the Astrodome now, (it was full), instead, he was going to be taken to the G.R. Brown convention center across town, and that meant he would have to wait another hour or two before he could eat, get a shower and some new clothes, ...he was mad because he was going to have to ride another bus, and he was tired of riding buses...

All day long, I have heard nothing but "Somebody gotta do something for us.." but darn near none of these people seem willing the do a thing for themselves, except demand to be transported, fed, housed, and given phones...

You know, I have tremendous compassion for the ill, old and poor, especially the old black lady on the news this morning, who managed to bring her Bible, medicine and a few photos with her…her statement “I came into this world with nothing, and I cant take a thing with me when I leave it!” is a example of true grace under fire, but when I see young people who have no apparent disabilities griping because they are expected to do something for themselves, and complaining about the people who have gone so far out of their way to help them, then part of me says,” screw it, ship em back to the border, and let em fend for them selves.”

On a high note, the ABC affiliate, KTRK, did find a young boy, 14, who was taking his john boat all over several flooded neighborhoods, rescuing people from their roofs and homes, and taking them to the evacuation center at the Superdome...he had been at it since Tuesday morning, one of the people at the center said she knows he had brought at least 50 people in by himself...the news crew found him bringing in a old man who was obviously crippled, the kid was carrying him out of his boat, with his crutches tucked under one arm...

The kid was getting gas for his outboard from abandoned cars, draining it into a gas can, and then filling up his tank...when asked why he was doing this, the kid looked shocked, then said, "I gotta...can’t go off and leave these people all alone with no help"

His parents said he had been sleeping about two or three hours a day, then out for more...

One 14 year old in a city of how many thousands willing to get off his can and do something....amazing, because there are boats all over the place, some in places you don’t normally see boats, but still hundreds of john boats and flats everywhere...and one kid figures out how, and why, he should use one to help others, while the adults all sit in the Superdome whining about how "somebody gotta do something..." and their Mayor sits high and dry, demanding someone come and save the city and the people he let down and now has abandoned…even his own police force is so POed at not having been given the tools to be prepared, that some of them have turned in their badges and quit in frustration.
Heck, they are camped out at a Wal-Mart, eating off the shelves and running the remaining police forces from there, because no one thought to prepare an emergency headquarters and stock up on basics, like food and drink for the cops, before the storm hit.
Talk about a pooch screw!

The Mayor and Governor are acting like this thing snuck up one them and caught them by surprise, and now are making demands to cover their own fannys.
I did notice that most of the people doing the rescuing haven’t mentioned the hardships they have to face, the horrors of finding bodies that have been baking for a while, nor did any of the news reports mention that every one of them have to get a tetanus shot, and most likely will become ill anyway, from being exposed to the bacteria in the water…

All I do here is “gimmie gimmie” and “somebody gotta …(fill in the blank)”

I guess the concept of self help hasn’t occurred to these folks.

I would feel a little less upset if most of the people I see being brought out were the old, and the ill, but from what I have been seeing on the news, it seems the Superdome is full of a lot of able bodied folks content to sit there till someone comes and gets them.

Like my daughter said, if they can drive in there now, they can walk out too…

And by the way, the 14 year old kid is dirt poor, but I guess his parents forgot to tell him that it should prevent him from doing something to help himself and the people around him.

Ed

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

What the hell is wrong with you dude? I hope I'm out of line hear but you really don't critisize a man who has had no sleep, low clean water, rampid crime, excriment and urine everywhere, near dead or dying bodies rotting and being feasted on by rats, listening to suffering and plees of mercy.

It didn't take more then 48 hours to get supplies to Indonesia during the Tsunami but 5 days to get security forces and supplies into your own city? They did take too long. You would have to be a half-wit.

I just he learned that Fidel Castro has offered and mobilized 2600 doctors if needed; 2600! If Bush doesn't except this, he is a bigger schmuk then I thought he was.

[grandeman]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

I just heard a while ago that the Mayor of New Orleans from his own mouth, has pretty much had it with the slow speed of the government. I will sum up what he said almost exact words.

1/ "They need to get their a$$ on the plane" and figure something out
2 "It too G.D late"
3/ Write to the federal government and demand them to speed up.

That was mostly what he said. He is convinced that it shouldn't take as long as it has refering to 9-11 and Iraq.

It was difficult to listen to; he could maintain any composure and really who can blame anyone for cursing and swearing and crying at this point.

The thing I don't understand is that from what I heard is that troops should have been in the city already dealing with the a$$ clowns sniping at the hospital (honestly who does that?). They were to arrive last night; I have heard them mention anything about this yet.

While you are at it, tell the feds or the power that be, call Koffi Annan and make this a U.N matter. Call in the international community on stand-by. Call them in now because some of the country's resources will take some time to arrive just because of the distance so better get them going sooner then later.

Another thing he mentioned was "....don't want to see another press conference" (he may of added a curse word or two) until he sees troops on the ground.

It saddens me to have to convey a message like this but obviously the mayor thinks that it is neccessary at this point to get the general populace of the country, on the butts of the politicians. Please help him.

Are you serious? The UN? [:o)] I guess I should remind you that the US pays 90% of the UN's budget. I say we keep our $$$ and handle this ourselves.

It should be said that help would have arrived much sooner if these "citizens" weren't shooting at the rescuers. I guess that's what 40 years of the welfare mentality have brought us to. BTW, why wasn't the mayor and state gov't prepared for any of this? I mean, it's been predicted for decades and they made NO preparations. Now they want to cry in front of the camera and tell us how the Feds haven't done enough. The mayor can go tell someone else the sob story. My concern if for those who left and now have no home to return to and the ones who couldn't (sick, elderly) and had to pay the price of their idiot "leaders" and lawless, victim mindset neighbors. What a sad state of affairs. [V]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dthurman

QUOTE: One thing I am afraid of is the city will become under mob rule for a bit...may be non-realistic, but it's a possibility.

uspscsx

By mob rule you mean the looters? I think once they have some security forces in place a lot of these guys will wimp out and start getting out as their control will be gone. Messing with the police is one thing, mess with a small group of soldiers would be insane.

Well, if you include the losers setting fire to building and shooting at the helicopters trying to evacuate/rescue people on the street and in the Superdome, then yes, I do mean the looters.

With soldiers coming then I know that the city will come to order, but my point in saying that was that the soldiers aren't there yet. The rule needs to be made that the cops can shoot anyone breaking the law, because it's getting that bad down there.

uspscsx

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by uspscsx

[So they're pumping this back into the Gulf? And they complain about a "dead zone", this will cause the whole Gulf of Mexico to become polluted with disease and substances.

I never thought about that, but I am sure the ocean can disperse the contamination enough. I hope they are making sure when they pump not to pump out bodies or body parts, I remember a dredge on the IL River that was spewing fish everywhere [xx(]

QUOTE: One thing I am afraid of is the city will become under mob rule for a bit...may be non-realistic, but it's a possibility.

uspscsx

By mob rule you mean the looters? I think once they have some security forces in place a lot of these guys will wimp out and start getting out as their control will be gone. Messing with the police is one thing, mess with a small group of soldiers would be insane.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CSXrules4eva

I can understand why the mayor of New Orleans is swareing up and down about the situation. I personally would be too if I were the mayor. I was also informed today that there is aprox 8ft of water in the city, and it's going to take a very and I mean a very long time to pump that water out of the city and back into the gulf. I beleive the water is being pumped out at about and inch a day or some rediculiosly low number like that. Man that's a shame, so given this situation I can understand why the mayor is out of sorts about things.

So they're pumping this back into the Gulf? And they complain about a "dead zone", this will cause the whole Gulf of Mexico to become polluted with disease and substances.

One thing I am afraid of is the city will become under mob rule for a bit...may be non-realistic, but it's a possibility.


uspscsx

[Junctionfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dthurman

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

What the hell is wrong with you dude? I hope I'm out of line hear but you really don't critisize a man who has had no sleep, low clean water, rampid crime, excriment and urine everywhere, near dead or dying bodies rotting and being feasted on by rats, listening to suffering and plees of mercy.

It didn't take more then 48 hours to get supplies to Indonesia during the Tsunami but 5 days to get security forces and supplies into your own city? They did take too long. You would have to be a half-wit.

I just he learned that Fidel Castro has offered and mobilized 2600 doctors if needed; 2600! If Bush doesn't except this, he is a bigger schmuk then I thought he was.

Can I ask who your news source is? You may want to try the other media, Talk Radio, I have heard some very interesting facts that as usual the main stream media is all about not reporting or even researching. The National Guard is LA problem to call out. There is a law on the books that they have to call them , not the President. Also, he/she both have been up all night because 1. their conscious is eating at them, they had more then enough time to assess the situation, 2. they are the elected officials that should have been preparing for this disaster all along, what was it she/Govenor stated today or last night? They need to do a Berlin Drop? She actually wants them to just drop food and water into the zone. Guess what, the looters will be the first to parcel out the items. 3. It is now coming out about a lot of the graft and corruption that has been happening in good ole NO and I thing they don't know who's hand or palm to grease at the moment. Listen to some of the alternate news sources and start assessing the other facts. Your attitude may change on this matter.

Yeah their are folks in a bad way, but I, you, my mom, nor President Bush, the National Guard or my dog made them stay, we didn't tell the looters to to do as they please. I am also starting to hear the race card getting played, THAT IS TOTAL BULL, not a Black/White issue as they let some famous Jazz player state on CBS this morning. Man this is getting a little dumb. The reason that the Tsunami worked and we aren't is that the FED's aren't or weren't in charge from the beggining. We get our troops, and that is what's going in will finally restore order, many have had pratice in Iraq. okay, nuff said for that rant. Sorry...

I am witnessing the pictures and videos of it and the victims on CNN. As far as the Castro thing, CNN but why would they lie at this point?

I think that the deployment took too long and folks on their say now is not the time to criticize well at the time, there were no visible signs of order, people are living in another circle of hell and politicans and beurcrats are saying that help is on the way. Out of desperation, it is very much the time to critisize and find it hard to believe that anybody living in there at that particular moment wouldn't be very critical. Any people observing this going on would get critical as well.

I believe it was FEMA that did a simulated excercise (whatever you want to call it) recently within the last five years and supposedly it went well. What happened now? They say that this was extraordinary circumstances because many of the forms of transportation were out (rails, roads, etc) lines of communications gone. My question is this; shouldn't they have anticipated that to be a possibility too? I don't see any evidence that they were remotely prepared to deal with this considering the fact that they did the simulations and supposedly were comfortable enough to keep it in the keeper section of plans to implement.

As far as racism goes, I have no comment on that because I would hope that was incorrect and refuse right now until better evidence is presented to accuse folk of being racist. All I am accusing them of is being slow and ill-prepared.

[jeaton]

I'll stand corrected on this, but I believe the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers is responsible for all of the levies in New Orleans. Several years ago, the New Orleans paper did a five day story on the subject that suggested that the levy system had to be improved, but the Corps stated that the "return" on the project would not justify the expense.

It is supposed to be the Federal Emergency Management Administrtation's job to have the contingency for just these kinds of disasters. That is not to say that the government should have men, equipment and material standing by near every location that could become the site of a disaster. It is to say that plans should be prepared so that the needed manpower can be rapidly located and called up, the same for equipment and supplies and the means to get them to the site has to be in the plans.

IT IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE! Electric utilities and railroads have become very quick at responding to disasters and restoring their services.. I'll bet the farm that they don't have to invent their response on the morning after the disaster strikes.

To those of who argue that the state or the cities should have been prepared to take care of their own disaster, I have to counter "with what?" Even if New Orleans and the state of Louisana would be able to muster enough buses to haul the estimated 80,000 who couldn't drive out. Where would they take them? Then after the event, may I ask, where is the area that has been destroyed suposed to find the resources to take care of its own problem? That's like suggesting that one keep an emergency supply of things in the house to use in case the house burns down.

If you think the problem is poor foresight by the mayors and the councils of the Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana cities hit by Katrina, you might want to start checking into the preparations your own town, city or state to deal with natural or manmade disasters. Just a little scary, isn't it?

[Junctionfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by yardgoat46

Doctors are not needed. Logistics through land that is now lake is the problem.

The Christmas tsunami came ashore, and just as quickly, it receded. And by luck there were two US Marine Expeditionary Units close by, just sitting on the decks of ships.

"2600 Cuban doctors" ----- what a frigging joke! Jesse jackson, Fidel Castro, and now Junctionfan.

Jim

You can go to hell. I won't even rant at you because you seem to be too stupid to learn anything about humanity and timing of politics concerning Castro's offer.
[V]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by gabe

The thing that bothers me most about the above is people are using the death and suffering of others to further their political ideologies/hopes.

If such people would say "I think supplies are not coming in fast enough because of problem X, why hasn't problem X been addressed" I think that would be fine.

But general criticism is such a farce.

Gabe

Gabe, welcome back!

[gabe]

The thing that bothers me most about the above is people are using the death and suffering of others to further their political ideologies/hopes.

If such people would say "I think supplies are not coming in fast enough because of problem X, why hasn't problem X been addressed" I think that would be fine.

But general criticism is such a farce.

Gabe

[Anonymous]

Doctors are not needed. Logistics through land that is now lake is the problem.

The Christmas tsunami came ashore, and just as quickly, it receded. And by luck there were two US Marine Expeditionary Units close by, just sitting on the decks of ships.

"2600 Cuban doctors" ----- what a frigging joke! Jesse jackson, Fidel Castro, and now Junctionfan.

Jim

[Anonymous]

HOORAH! Gabe and I FINALLY agree on something. I wondered where you've been.
Willy

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

What the hell is wrong with you dude? I hope I'm out of line hear but you really don't critisize a man who has had no sleep, low clean water, rampid crime, excriment and urine everywhere, near dead or dying bodies rotting and being feasted on by rats, listening to suffering and plees of mercy.

It didn't take more then 48 hours to get supplies to Indonesia during the Tsunami but 5 days to get security forces and supplies into your own city? They did take too long. You would have to be a half-wit.

I just he learned that Fidel Castro has offered and mobilized 2600 doctors if needed; 2600! If Bush doesn't except this, he is a bigger schmuk then I thought he was.

Can I ask who your news source is? You may want to try the other media, Talk Radio, I have heard some very interesting facts that as usual the main stream media is all about not reporting or even researching. The National Guard is LA problem to call out. There is a law on the books that they have to call them , not the President. Also, he/she both have been up all night because 1. their conscious is eating at them, they had more then enough time to assess the situation, 2. they are the elected officials that should have been preparing for this disaster all along, what was it she/Govenor stated today or last night? They need to do a Berlin Drop? She actually wants them to just drop food and water into the zone. Guess what, the looters will be the first to parcel out the items. 3. It is now coming out about a lot of the graft and corruption that has been happening in good ole NO and I thing they don't know who's hand or palm to grease at the moment. Listen to some of the alternate news sources and start assessing the other facts. Your attitude may change on this matter.

Yeah their are folks in a bad way, but I, you, my mom, nor President Bush, the National Guard or my dog made them stay, we didn't tell the looters to to do as they please. I am also starting to hear the race card getting played, THAT IS TOTAL BULL, not a Black/White issue as they let some famous Jazz player state on CBS this morning. Man this is getting a little dumb. The reason that the Tsunami worked and we aren't is that the FED's aren't or weren't in charge from the beggining. We get our troops, and that is what's going in will finally restore order, many have had pratice in Iraq. okay, nuff said for that rant. Sorry...

[gabe]

I find it refreshing that I am not the only one who is kind of upset about the way New Orleans has handled this situation.

First, as a human being, I am horrified at this whole thing and have given as much as I could out of my last paycheck to help and will do the same in my next paycheck. Also, as a human, no one deserves to have happen to them what New Orleans is going through.

But, for the major to blame the Feds?!?

(1) They have known for 200 years that they are a target for a hurricane and THEY LIVE BELOW SEA LEVEL. Yet, they couldn't spend $850 million for a proper levy to protect a $400 billion city? The way I see it, if you live below see level and are that close to the sea, you have two options: (1) move or (2) build a bullet proof levy system.

Now the American tax payer is going to have to spend over $50 billion to fix a problem that could have largely been avoided with a $1 billion levy.

(2) I realize many people did not have the option to leave, but there are many people there now who did. I am sorry, but if you live below sea level in a city that is too penny wise pound fooli***o build a levy system capable of withstanding a category 4 hurricane and a category 5 hurrican is bering down on you and you have thoughts other than get the heck out of Dodge, you should really re-evaluate your thought process.

(3) Do people think the federal government can just teleport supplies into the city? I don't know what time line they are using, but I have yet to see one good piece of evidence that relief is not moving as fast as it can into an area that has a very poor infrastructure.

Like I said, my money and prayers are with New Orleans and they don't deserve their fate. But, I don't know where they get off blaming the government for their problems. They should check a little closer to home first.

Gabe

[Junctionfan]

What the hell is wrong with you dude? I hope I'm out of line hear but you really don't critisize a man who has had no sleep, low clean water, rampid crime, excriment and urine everywhere, near dead or dying bodies rotting and being feasted on by rats, listening to suffering and plees of mercy.

It didn't take more then 48 hours to get supplies to Indonesia during the Tsunami but 5 days to get security forces and supplies into your own city? They did take too long. You would have to be a half-wit.

I just he learned that Fidel Castro has offered and mobilized 2600 doctors if needed; 2600! If Bush doesn't except this, he is a bigger schmuk then I thought he was.

[dharmon]

First of all...the last people I'd want trying to save me is the UN...I'd rather have girl scouts in little red wagon try to get me first......You think this is chaos.....the UN hasn't been able to conduct an operation yet that didn't turn into a fiaso.

The mayor of NO needs to get his house in order before he blames any one.....being in charge of the city kind of makes him responsible for the sorry state of it's infrastructure.....

Everyone wants to blame the feds, FEMA, National Guard....everyone is suddenly an expert on crisis management, and mass casualty situations.....seems to me that after a crisis there is a lot of advice on how things should have been done...but rarely do the advice givers step forward to take over for the next time......I say put up or shut up.....

[CSXrules4eva]

I can understand why the mayor of New Orleans is swareing up and down about the situation. I personally would be too if I were the mayor. I was also informed today that there is aprox 8ft of water in the city, and it's going to take a very and I mean a very long time to pump that water out of the city and back into the gulf. I beleive the water is being pumped out at about and inch a day or some rediculiosly low number like that. Man that's a shame, so given this situation I can understand why the mayor is out of sorts about things.

[eolafan]

I have a few personal thoughts on this general subject, if I may:

1. The previous poster is correct, there should not have been so many people still in NO when the storm hit. In many cased (not all to be sure) the plight they are now in is their own fault.
2. I surely don't have a problem with folks who have not eaten in three or four days taking some food or water from a local market when it will likely be thrown away eventually anyway. However, I DO have a big problem with the low life Ba****ds who are stealing electronics, booze, etc. and looting private homes. These are likely gang members and they should be shot on sight with no questions asked.
3. When you live in a toilet bowl you must expect to be flushed at some point in time. That city of NO is in places 20 feet below sea level and it was just a matter of time until this happened. I have been there many times, I know. NO is a dirty, smelly cesspool of a city. They should look long and hard before deciding whether or not to rebuild (I vote NO).
4. Many of the poor folks left in NO are too poor or sick or something else and can't afford or manage to get out on their own, but most have just too little brains to have gotten out when they should have, they are animals and deserve what they get. Remember here I am not issuing a blanket condemnation, but only am referrign to able bodied persons who have a few brains but NO COMMON SENSE.

There, that is my opinion and I am sticking to it

[Anonymous]

I would.
Allan.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jimrice4449

The mayor of NO's tears are real and justified. Now the whole country knows what a totally incompetent boob he is. How long was Katrina predicted to make landfall near NO? What kind of emergency plan did the incompetent mayor (hereafter referred to as IM) devise? Hell's bells, NO has been a potential huricane target since it was built why didn't IM and his political fllunkies take a brief time-out from their graft collecting to make some sort of rudimentary precautions. Who was it that announced that looters would be given a pass? IM that's who. I'm not a big fan of mayor Rudy, but the contrast between NYC on 9/11 and NO now is too obvious to ignore and whining about the feds not doing now some of the things IM and his gang of grafters should have done long ago isn't going to obscure the fact of his gross incompetence.

Jim [tup] if I remember correct, the standing order at first was to ignore them and recue people, understood, butwhen they started to loot for weapons, I think the balance of control was slowly shifting. edblysard on the Katrina thread stated that in Houston is now feeling the animal effect of the NO refugees. On Rushes show they just stated that much of NO is a welfare city, this could explain a lot of the help me attitude and not the I can do reality.

[jimrice4449]

The mayor of NO's tears are real and justified. Now the whole country knows what a totally incompetent boob he is. How long was Katrina predicted to make landfall near NO? What kind of emergency plan did the incompetent mayor (hereafter referred to as IM) devise? Hell's bells, NO has been a potential huricane target since it was built why didn't IM and his political fllunkies take a brief time-out from their graft collecting to make some sort of rudimentary precautions. Who was it that announced that looters would be given a pass? IM that's who. I'm not a big fan of mayor Rudy, but the contrast between NYC on 9/11 and NO now is too obvious to ignore and whining about the feds not doing now some of the things IM and his gang of grafters should have done long ago isn't going to obscure the fact of his gross incompetence.

[Anonymous]

You know when 9-11 happened, though not on the same scale as NO, both the mayor and govener of NY seemed to get a handle on the events very well, why can't the govener of LA get a grip on this stuff. I heard that the curfew wasn't enfoced, people still partying in the french quarter. If he is looking to start pointing fingers, I think that the NO mayor and the LA govener also need to take part of the blame.

It seems that many are forgetting Biloxi was hit much worse, and yet I don't seem to be hearing of the same insanity as in NO with the looting and you know, if people are able to get in, people can get out, instead of waiting for a miricle to happen, maybe they should start an exodus out. I do have compassion for those in NO, but not sure if I have a ton of sympethy (sp) for those that choose to stay, and look what they did to the stadium, there are reports that people smeared crap "actual crap" smeared on the walls, I also heard that a lot of the law enforcement turned in their badges and left, also the govener is in charge of the LA national guard, not our President. He had to call the guard out, not President Bush, there is some odd law in place that LA didn't want to turn control/command of the national guard over to the feds. More to this whole mess then is being told.

[tree68]

Assistance arriving isn't news - people dying in the streets and shooting at rescuers (Hey! Where'd they come from - they aren't here yet!) is news.

As the head of FEMA pointed out - the reserves of materiel that would have helped were also hamstrung by the storm. Moving other materiel in still takes time - remember, the rest of the country hasn't exactly shut down. People still expect to find a loaf of bread and a jug of milk on the shelf at their grocery store in Poughkeepsie.

Then again - air isn't an important commodity unless you aren't getting any.

[Junctionfan]

I don't know. At this point, whatever police that is there must be allowed to shoot any and all folk who break the law since the national guard isn't there and current police officers are either dying or becoming sick from the desolate conditions. They must take out thease snipers and rape gangs-no other choice now.

[jchnhtfd]

Who was it who told the police and the troops to ignore the looting in the first place?