Two engineering professors from my University are going down there to try and help figure out the fastest and most efficient ways of pumping the water out and repairing the levies. Pretty nifty, I thought.

Anyone else watching the evacutations from the Convention Center on Fox News? I have tears in my eyes.

Yes BETH E, I'm watching it too. It's just so damn heartbreaking.


Don Cardi

Geraldo is annoying, and not one of my favorite reporters. But times like these I tune out the reporter and focus on the pictures of what his happening around them. To see those planes and helicopters take off, knowing people are "free" from their long hell is what is important.

Did anyone see the coverage last night in the convention center? I thought that Geraldo was going to lose it and crack. Even Bill O'Rielly was like " Calm down Geraldo, we hear you."

He went over to a man holding a baby to interview him and it turns out that the baby was not the mans and it was a woman's baby who had passed out and was lying on the floor! So this man decided to take care of the baby!


Don Cardi

Its hard to believe now but there was a time that Geraldo Rivera was an EXCELLENT tv reporter. Back in the day when he was on Eyewitness News here in New York he broke a major story about abuse and neglect at a state mental hospital. He followed with some great investigative journalism for a short time but he's now a shadow of his former self and something of a clown.

We're finally getting to see a turn in things, even if its slow.

I don't remember which news station I saw this, because I kept switching channels, but did anyone see the story of the evacuees boarding a bus? It was women & children first, and some lady holding a baby tries to board the bus. But only, it was a man in a wig (don't know why/how he'd have a wig at a time like this )but evidently it was someone else's baby (who was returned to his mother). Can you imagine???? It's true really. I saw the video.


TIS

Chivalry is dead, TIS.

Unbelievable!

I remember on 9/11 when a boat finally ariived to us to take us over from lower Manhatten to New Jersey, all the men stepped aside and made the woman and the children from the surounding schools and daycare centers get on that boat first. We all waited for it to return. There wasn't ever a second thought about doing that for the woman and children.

This guy should live in shame forever.


Don Cardi

The threat of Katrina to the Gulf Coast was known by Friday Aug 26. Actually, the oil markets started reacting on Thursday Aug 25 to the threat Katrina posed to Gulf oil rigs.

Why are we mobilizing the Guard now, instead of a week ago? Why are convoys of supplies being sent now instead of a week ago? As early as 2001 it has been known that NO would face a major crisis should a Cat. 4 or 5 hurricane strike - and we knew the hurricane was in its way for days before it hit.

Holding those in power accountable for their inaction is not politics, it is what we all should do. Can you honestly look at the situation and say that this is the best we could do??? Democrat or Republican?

Why would we rather leave 50,000 people to rot in New Orleans than ask for help from Europe for Homeland immediately?

Why is Rush Limbaugh and some other nuts stating that it's the people who stayed's fault for their current situation - are they this blind not to see that not everyone had the means to get out?

DOD, FEMA, etc should have been fully prepared to handle Katrina and prepared to deliver massive aid within a few hours after Katrina passed regardless of where Katrina hit in the band between Pensacola and New Orleans.

Yes, they all dropped the ball. I'm ashamed. If you're offended, come see me at my old hometown, in New Orleans, when the water drops. I'd slap each and every smug little 'not our fault' face but good.

I'm not excusing this guys actions. It was terrible.

But you can't compare. Being without food or water for 4.5 days versus waiting for a bus that everyone knew was coming back?

There are hardly any buses in NOLA. Some people have been waiting for buses for days while sitting among their own filth and dead bodies feeling a nation doesn't respond.

Who know if you or I would crack. I'd like to think I wouldn't, but I've never been in that situation.

Good to see you're okay, SB! How'd your family fare?

Piggybacking on SB's post. Here's a couple interesting stories from 2000-01. It's a shame that knowing this was more a likelihood than a possibility, that we weren't prepared. And yes, somebody/s should be held accountable.


From 2001


From 2002

2001

TIS

Every single story is a heartbreak. Each and every one brings tears to your eyes. I am so very sorry that these people have been left behind, alone and stranded without supplies, left to rot in their own filth.

I saw the FEMA director on 20/20 (I think it was 20/20) last night and he said that "the agency was not aware" of how bad it's been there until yesterday. The reporter just looked at him, speechless for a moment, until he finally just asked, "Don't you have a television? Haven't you seen the people?", and the director replied, "Well, we didn't know FACTUALLY until today." Boy, is that a politician's answer, or what? Disgraceful.

uh.... what??!

I'd fire his ass. But you know the "big shots" in the chain of command won't get the ax,it will be the
pee-on's on the bottom of the chain.

Thanks for the post SB. Glad you are physically ok.

I know SaladBar, there is no comparison. People have just lost thier minds there, and understandably so.. I wasn't trying to make a comparison, TIS's story just reminded me of that situation on 9/11.

Don Cardi

See my explaination of why it took so long for FEMA and the NATIONAL GUARD to respond over in this other thread where we've decided to discuss the political aspects of this thing :


http://www.gangsterbb.net/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=6;t=008543;p=2


Don Cardi

The President has just ordered 7000 ACTIVE duty military personnel for this effort! That is in addition to the 40,000 National Guard troops that are there.

More than 10,000 have been rescued and more than 25,000 have ben evacuated since the National Guard arrived yesterday.

There is no question in my mind that we have the most efficient and capable military in the world.


Don Cardi

You got that right mang.

Speaking of which, who's heard the reports that supposedly many stranded stuck people without food/water have apparently resorted to cannibalizing the dead corpses everywhere?

New York Times reports that the first estimated number of economic losses from the storm is now....

$100 billion

Holy Jesus...

on abcnews they are saying another Hurricane may hit that area in the coming weeks

This is madness. Almost like a sort of "Apocalypse Now" but in the jungles of New Orleans. (If anybody understands that?)

edit: sorry if that was mean just had a personal problem that pissed me off very much, I was out of line. Sorry.

Again, I apologize.

I wish I could actually go over there and help. I can't even put into words how it makes me feel to see the videos and read about this. I feel so far away and useless, you know? At least we can donate money, and that will make a big difference both now, and in the many months after this. I hope everyone is doing so at every opportunity that they find.

Zia, there was an story in our local paper of some medical personnel from our area that went down there, but have not been assigned to help yet. They have yet to treat one patient, because they have not received directions yet. Others went down to retrieve family members, but were turned back in Mississippi because they were told there was not enough fuel. There were also men who went down there with boats to help the rescue effort and were turned back for the same reason.

I just hope that they get those people out of the convention center soon. Although they've gotten some supplies now, they still have no running water or relief from the heat.

Zia, I called several agencies today about going there. I was planning on taking this week off to go to Houston and help out. I found a Marriot hotel 1/4 mile away from the Dome that was willing to discount me a room for like $39 a night if I was to be a volunteer. I spoke to several airlines and two of them said that they would give me a discount rate if I was going there as a volunteer. But unfortunately when i called the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, I was told that if I were to go down there I might be told that my name would be put on a list and I may have to wait several days until they do a background check and then find something for me to do! I explained to them that I would only have a week down there and that it would be a waste if I went there and was not given something to do when I got there. So the woman reffered me to the Red Cross. After speaking to them I found out that they are holding "rescue training courses" in the city that you live in and after you complete the training they will contact you if they need you to help. What's good about getting this training certification is that God forbid there is ever a need for rescue or volunteers where you live, you would be utilized to help out. So I am going to look further into this after Labor day. I was a bit dissapointed about not being able to go down to Houston to help out, but it would really be a waste if I was not assured of something to do BEFORE I got there.
I know exactly how you are feeling. It's a helpless feeling when you watch TV and see Human Beings going through this.

Don Cardi