Official Hurricane Katrina Thread

[ChumpDumper]

It wasn't the fact he got emotional, more the content and the studio's ersponse.

[SpursWoman]

While I feel sorry for most of these evacuees, some of them are really pissing me off. On CNN the other day they were interviewing a very enraged woman (surprise, surprise). She was at the airport looking for her husband and was livid that no one could tell her where he was.

Maybe he is horrifyingly embarrassed and is hiding from her.

[whottt]

Hannity was the one I saw.

This would be Sean Hannity of the Hannity & show? I seldom watch it.

But congrats...you've exposed him for being an extreme right winger. I await your next expose on that Pat Buchannan guy....

[whottt]

It wasn't the fact he got emotional, more the content and the studio's ersponse.

The host of the show calls the feeds...Sheppard didn't get cut off on O'Relly...but O'Relly did try and get him to explain what he was trying to claim. That's when he said he wasn't trying to blame anyone...he was just sick of watching people drop dead on the streets...he was pointing out the horror of the situation.

[Slomo]

They just said in the news over here that the US has finally asked/allowed for foreign help. The EU is reacting immediately since people and some materials (beds, blankets, freeze dried food..) have already been prepared anticipating the US request and are being flown to the US. Some countries like Belgium and the UK are also sending help on their own as well.

The US request has been adressed to the UN, EU and NATO (although it wasn't clear wether those were three different requests or one addressed to all three organizations).

[TOP-CHERRY]

While I feel sorry for most of these evacuees, some of them are really pissing me off. On CNN the other day they were interviewing a very enraged woman (surprise, surprise). She was at the airport looking for her husband and was livid that no one could tell her where he was. She went on a long rant about how disgusted she was with the rescue efforts. But during her tirade she revealed that she could have left when ordered but chose not to and that she was pulled off the roof by the Coast Guard not once, BUT TWICE. She and her husband were first rescued from their roof on Monday. Then on Tuesday (or Wednesday) she went back to "check on her house", only to find herself back on the roof with her husband where they waited about 10 hours (which she ed about) to get rescued again by another helicopter. And now she's infuriated about the disorganization and the fact that they put her and her husband on seperate buses and on and on. I'm sorry, but it is people like this that
selfishly overburden the system and are a reason why so many truly needy people are not getting the help they need.

Oh wow...

Damn.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

BTW,

for all the ing about the federal response, there are now 51,000 National Guard troops on the ground in the three states affected.

I guess the government's acting too slow though, we need some troops on the ground.

[MannyIsGod]

You guys don't seem to understand what is being conveyed here. This is not a case of blatant racism that you used to see in pre civil rights America, this is an example in the difference of reactions and preperations that happen to poor people - many of whom happen to be black.

Racism probably isn't the correct term, because the correct term is classism. Jeff Master nailed it in his blog. There would have proper perations undertaken had New Orleans had more money and its cons utants been more important to those who are in charge.

This isn't a partasian issue either. The fact is that the democrats in power have ignored these people as well.

And you can't put the majority of the blame on the state government, because diaster reaction - especially in this magnitude - is something that falls on the federal governments plate. When you are dealing with state and local governments in an area as poor as New Orleans they don't have the resources to react.

It is pretty ing obvious to anyone who reads what the feds say that a large part of this was federal neglect. They neglected the situation before the storm, they neglected to plan for the storm, and they sure as neglected to make an expedious response.

[MannyIsGod]

BTW,

for all the ing about the federal response, there are now 51,000 National Guard troops on the ground in the three states affected.

I guess the government's acting too slow though, we need some troops on the ground.

#1, national guard troops are a state response.

#2, there weren't enough to prevent what happend, so there weren't enough, so the response was ed.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Manny, I'm not syaing the feds are free of blame. Just that the people who are trying to lynch everyone from Bush to the janitor at the White House for this need to assess some blame in teh direction of state and local folks too.

[MannyIsGod]

While I feel sorry for most of these evacuees, some of them are really pissing me off. On CNN the other day they were interviewing a very enraged woman (surprise, surprise). She was at the airport looking for her husband and was livid that no one could tell her where he was. She went on a long rant about how disgusted she was with the rescue efforts. But during her tirade she revealed that she could have left when ordered but chose not to and that she was pulled off the roof by the Coast Guard not once, BUT TWICE. She and her husband were first rescued from their roof on Monday. Then on Tuesday (or Wednesday) she went back to "check on her house", only to find herself back on the roof with her husband where they waited about 10 hours (which she ed about) to get rescued again by another helicopter. And now she's infuriated about the disorganization and the fact that they put her and her husband on seperate buses and on and on. I'm sorry, but it is people like this that
selfishly overburden the system and are a reason why so many truly needy people are not getting the help they need.

What is the job of these networks? To generate ratings. I have yet to encounter one person who is anything but incredible gratefull. But you know, that doesn't generate ratings as much as showing the looting, ungrateful people, and people who are stiring the .

Open Letter: From a Katrina refugee in S.A. Web Posted: 09/05/2005 10:50 AM CDT


MySanAntonio.com

Hi:



I just would like to thank all the wonderful,

courteous individuals that have come to all of the

refugee's aid-The Governer of Texas, the Mayor of San

Antonio, the Police, Fireman, SBC, Kelly USA, etc.,

etc. but I especially would like to thank the citizens

of San Antonio.



At this moment I have no idea of were I am going or

what I am going to do once I leave Kelly USA but I

will always remember the wonderful and courteous

citizens of San Antonio, especially all the hours that

they have given to make us feel like a human being

again.



This hurricane has really been tragic for the

various states hit by Katrina.



New Orleans is known to be a very friendly city and

at this moment I feel like San Antonio is a sister

city.



I would like to apologize for those New Orleanians

that may cause trouble or damage to the facilities.



I was at the Super Dome for four and half days and

it felt like I was having a nightmare and I was not

even sleeping.



The stories that I was able to read, I feel, does

not really tell the whole story but I know if I return

to New Orleans I will try and leave early, some way,

some how even thought I do not have transportation.



Thanks again and God Bless the citizens of San

Antonio and all those in Texas.



Wilson Breaux

[MannyIsGod]

Manny, I'm not syaing the feds are free of blame. Just that the people who are trying to lynch everyone from Bush to the janitor at the White House for this need to assess some blame in teh direction of state and local folks too.

The state definetly shares a good amount of blame, but no where near as much as the feds.

You know, when I found out they didn't have a plan, then I just put into my mind it was going to be their fault. They are the backsop; the failsafe. They are the ones ultimately responsible for making sure those people are safe in this situation.

And they didn't even have a ing plan.

We have war plans in case we need to attack Ethopia, Nepal, or a number of any other scenarios that are never going to happen. But we don't have a plan in the event of a hurricane stronger than cat 4 hitting New Orleans.

[MannyIsGod]

As Slomo said, thanks to the EU....

EU, NATO are asked to provide supplies

BRUSSELS, Belgium — The U.S. has asked the European Union and NATO for emergency assistance, requesting blankets, first aid kits, water trucks and food for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, the two organizations said Sunday.

The 26-nation NATO alliance said the U.S. has asked it for food rations for the thousands of people evacuated from New Orleans and other areas.

— Associated Press

But why the aren't we prepared? I'm very grateful for the help, but I am also very pissed that we didn't have enough. We should be prepared. We have the resources. This is not a pride thing. I'm just tired of seeing how unprepared we were.

Anyhow, thank you once again to Europe.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Oh I agree with you there, FEMA is going to need a major overhaul. It's telling to me that with Bush in La. today that Chertoff and Lt. Gen. Honore are flanking Bush, but since the president stepped in Wednesday night we really haven't seen or heard anything of Michael Brown, FEMA director.

I've said this much earlier in this discussion, but I truly believe FEMA had a plan, but in that plan, with a storm hitting NO head on, there wasn't this many survivors needing rescueing.

[Jelly]

You've got it wrong Manny. Talk about jumping to conclusions. It was a live broadcast on CNN and they were talking with lots of people. The reporter was not trying to make any particular point. She never raised on eyebrow or questioned this woman further about her two helicopter rescues. They just let the woman speak and wished her well. No questions asked beyond "how are you doing?". I am the one asking questions and critisizing this woman and I don't feel bad about it. If she was only pulled from the roof once, I wouldn't have even posted about it. But twice? Sorry. She and her husband took the place of two others that might be dead now.

[ChumpDumper]

The host of the show calls the feeds.

Does he? Last I heard, producers and directors did that.

This would be Sean Hannity of the Hannity & show? I seldom watch it.

Then you have no knowledge of what went on.

Understood.

[MannyIsGod]

You've got it wrong Manny. Talk about jumping to conclusions. It was a live broadcast on CNN and they were talking with lots of people. The reporter was not trying to make any particular point. She never raised on eyebrow or questioned this woman further about her two helicopter rescues. They just let the woman speak and wished her well. No questions asked beyond "how are you doing?". I am the one asking questions and critisizing this woman and I don't feel bad about it. If she was only pulled from the roof once, I wouldn't have even posted about it. But twice? Sorry. She and her husband took the place of two others that might be dead now.

If you don't think they interview these people while off camera and then go to them while live, you're a bit naive.

We're not talking about a HS broadcast journalism club, we're talking about CNN.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Lt. Gen. Honore just tore up one of the reporters at the press conference.

Reporter asked if it was true that choppers weren't flying in due to the security situation, and he went drill instructor on her ass and told her that wasn't the case.

Classic.

"Have you been in New Orleans?"
Reporter: "yes I have."
"Anyone assault you?"
Reporter: "no."
"That's what I thought. All this second hand rumor stuff, I'm tired of it. We have the security situation under control. If you have a boat and want to help, come down. No one's going to be shooting at you."

[whottt]

Does he?

Yes he does. He can cut off the interview whenever he wants.

Then you have no knowledge of what went on.

Understood.

I know what went on when he melted down on O'Relly...when he didn't get cut off. Because O'Reilly didn't cut him off.

[ChumpDumper]

I know what went on when he melted down on O'Relly

Which was not the point.

Understood.

[SpursWoman]

"Have you been in New Orleans?"
Reporter: "yes I have."
"Anyone assault you?"
Reporter: "no."
"That's what I thought. All this second hand rumor stuff, I'm tired of it. We have the security situation under control. If you have a boat and want to help, come down. No one's going to be shooting at you."

Not according to Geraldo.

[SpursWoman]

Which was not the point.

Understood.

I saw the same program...O'Reilly didn't cut him off, he was more trying to get him to calm down by asking him specific questions to help him focus.

At least that's what it looked like to me. But I'm an optimist, and not a cynic...that's what I would have done when this guy was obviously upset. I do the same thing to my children.

I don't go looking for racism, partisanship, censorship or whatever when there just really doesn't seem to be any.

[whottt]

Manny...as you put this all on the Fed...Realize this:

One sign of the continuing battle over who was in charge was Governor Blanco's refusal to sign an agreement proposed by the White House to share control of National Guard forces with the federal authorities.

Under the White House plan, Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honoré would oversee both the National Guard and the active duty federal troops, reporting jointly to the president and Ms. Blanco.

Now that's @8000 Louisiana Guardsmen....that weren't doing in the first days of this...

That was the when the Guardsmen were just standing around with their thumbs up their ass with no direction.

Just like the NO Police Force...

The first ing thing Nagin did was get the out of town and leave his cops to try and control every thing...

And how the can he be in charge of the situation when he is not even in the ing town and all the communications systems are down?

The City and State Leaders were ing out of commission from day 1 one of this ...

They did nothing...the Fed had to go in there and totally rebuild the command structure to do the jobs of the city and state as well as their own...on top of that...they don't even have control of all the guardsmen because this won't cede authority....

And you wonder why there are communications breakdowns and the Fed had to spend days figuring out what was what?

Nagin should have been in that precinct with his ing cops manually giving orders on what to do...

How can the Govenor better utilize those Guardsmen when she is nowhere near NO and Honnore was down their driving around the motherufcking streets...

Jeezus H...


And all these ing leaders that are more interested in figuring out who to blame then actually doing their ing jobs...

Let's see...

Blanco - Democrat
Nagin - Democrat
That Broussard guy calling for Bush's impeachment - Democrat.

Elected Democrats....you don't think these ers are covering their asses?

You don't think the marginalize Democratic Party is doing everything in their power to play this situation to regain status?

Get ing real.


The first body hadn't dropped dead before Nbadan was spinning this on the Bush...he shoots a load every time another person drops dead...Democrats are no different...

And the state leaders are protecting their careers...after their command and control totally, thoroughly and completely failed.

And I don't know where you guys gets this crap that the US Government is supposed to do everything for us...The only thing this country promises you is an opportunity for a good life...

[MannyIsGod]

I love how whott wants to make a case for the Feds using NBADan. Don't you know you've reached NBADan proportions with your posts?

I've heard about that order with Blanco, and someone should have been on the phone explaining it to her. I've heard it explained as a clerical error.

Whottt, they had no plan.

NO PLAN.

[MannyIsGod]

You can save the extremist . AHF gets it, but you're so far up the administrations ass that you could give Bush a dental exam.