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Anyone evacuating from New Orleans?

from Nick - Wednesday, August 31, 2005
accessed 2584 times

I have an empty condo I could let you use if you’re evacuating the floods in New Orleans.

I really doubt that we have anyone from this site in New Orleans, but if there are any of you that are evacuating the area and need accommodation then let me know.

I own a condo that’s just sitting empty right now till I find tenants and I would be happy to let evacuees stay there. It's located in the Galleria area in Houston.

If you need it, just reply to the email addy in my profile.

Nick.

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from A little pissed...
Wednesday, September 07, 2005 - 09:09

(Agree/Disagree?)
I just spoke to a friend of mine who’s family owns 2 gas stations/corner stores within 2 blocks of the Houston Astrodome.
When he hears that there are 30,000 people with no jobs coming over to his part of town he puts up a help wanted sign in both stores.
Well in the week that he has had these signs up guess how many applications he has had? He has had exactly 3 and in each case the people never showed up for the interview.
What he has seen is a none stop flow of these people using the relief debit cards that they were all given to buy beer, rolling papers and blunts.


(reply to this comment)

From Mia29
Thursday, September 08, 2005, 16:23

Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)

Hell! if I'd been through that ordeal I'd be buing beer, rolling paper and blunts too.

Where's the love?(reply to this comment

From Ne Oublie
Thursday, September 08, 2005, 23:32

Average visitor agreement is 1 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)
Well, please feel free to do exactly as you please with your own money. However, when it comes to money extracted out of MY pocket I do expect a right to an opinion on how it's spent.(reply to this comment
From anovagrrl
Friday, September 16, 2005, 07:15

Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)

Do you have an opinion about how the wealthy spend their tax cuts? The money for the 40% increase in the income of the wealthiest citizens (compared to the 5% increase in the income of the poorest workers) came from loans that you and your children will be paying off for the next 40 years, so yes, it's your money after all. Do you have an opinion about the fact that you're just one catastrophic medical condition away from bankruptcy, but the wealthiest 1% have more than enough money to pay for face lifts, and 40% of this additional disposable income was made available from tax cuts funded by loans against your future productivity? Does it offend you that the wealthiest citizens use tax cuts funded by massive Chinese loans to pay undocumented workers to mow their lawns and clean their swimming pools? Does the reality of "trickle down" economics every make your stomach turn?

Regarding this urban legend about no takers on a "help wanted" sign, I don't buy it. There are many thousands of undocumented workers in the Gulf coast region that will take those jobs in a heartbeat. All they need is a social security number and no questions asked. Soon enough they'll have amnesty and be regular low-wage taxpayers like the rest of us.

As a hardworking taxpayer and fiscal conservative, I'm for equal opportunity in moral outrage. Corporate welfare and tax cuts to wealthy elites at my expense aren't any more palatable than lazy welfare cheats who buy beer and blunts with government credit cards. I don't see any difference between "tax and spend" and "borrow and spend." My economic interests as a middleclass worker are not being served in either case.(reply to this comment

From Ne Oublie
Saturday, September 17, 2005, 15:55

(Agree/Disagree?)
Re-read your post, and understood the context of your 'borrow and spend' comment - trouble with posting after a few too many pints.(reply to this comment
From Ne Oublie
Saturday, September 17, 2005, 15:08

(Agree/Disagree?)
MASSIVE difference between 'tax and spend' and 'borrow and spend' - one is a matter of CHOICE, while the other is not.

When I CHOOSE to spend my money, I am agreeing to part with my money for a product or service, and because I have that choice I can also choose NOT to spend it if I don't consider it to be sufficient value. Not so paying taxes!(reply to this comment
From anovagrrl
Monday, September 19, 2005, 10:22

Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)

I'm not the only taxpayer in the U.S. who's feeling alarmed about the massive, ever-growing debt-to-GNP ratio, and now the frat boy & his cronies are talking about an FDR-style big government borrow-and-spend program to rebuild the Gulf coast. If you're interested in looking at the basic math that demonstrates the economic hole we're digging through tax cuts for corporate welfare and nation building projects like Iraq, take a look at Laurence J. Kotlikoff & Scott Burns' "The Coming Generational Storm: What you need to know about America's economic future."

By the way, I think handing out FEMA-issued credit cards to survivors of the New Orleans' survivors was really bad idea. Have you been following the news stories by the South Florida Sun Sentinental on $300 million in giveaways to people with little or no damage living marginal disaster zones over the past five years? Many people think that because the feds cut back so severely on subsidy welfare like TANF that income transfer frauds are a thing of the past. Nothing could be further from the truth.(reply to this comment

From Mia29
Friday, September 09, 2005, 14:41

Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)
Why do you feel it necessary to stipulate how tax payers monies should be spent by the needy?

I'm sure there are smart survivors who are putting their measly $2,000 to good use, but for those who choose to waste it because of stupidity or maybe, shell shock... I say, let them! I Mean, if you're going to make a stink about that you might as well take on the whole welfare system.. hell.. I'm sure most don't really "deserve" your hard earned money.(reply to this comment
From Ne Oublie
Friday, September 09, 2005, 15:51

(Agree/Disagree?)
Do you REALLY want to get me started on the fundamentals of our monetary and tax systems in this thread?(reply to this comment
From Mia29
Friday, September 09, 2005, 16:54

Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)
Lol. NO! I would hope you'd use some of that energy for a little human compassion.(reply to this comment
From Ne Oublie
Friday, September 09, 2005, 23:49

(Agree/Disagree?)
Bureaucratic institutional handouts are hardly my idea of human compassion.(reply to this comment
From Mia29
Saturday, September 10, 2005, 00:12

(Agree/Disagree?)
Such a cynic, what happened to you along the way? You're way too young to be so full of angst.
Please elaborate on how you would handle the situation, you seem well versed on the state of American bureaucracy. =)(reply to this comment
From Ne Oublie
Saturday, September 10, 2005, 05:06

(Agree/Disagree?)
Not specifically the American model, but bureaucracy in general, and more importantly the fundamentals of economics, effective governance procedures and business processes.(reply to this comment
From nooseflash
Friday, September 09, 2005, 15:12

(
Agree/Disagree?)
Our NeOublie likely would not hesitate one instant to take on the whole welfare system.(reply to this comment
From Ne Oublie
Friday, September 09, 2005, 15:55

(Agree/Disagree?)
How right you are! I'll get around to it soon enough...(reply to this comment
From
Thursday, September 08, 2005, 23:38

(
Agree/Disagree?)
What has you paying and directing use of American taxes, old chap?(reply to this comment
From Ne Oublie
Friday, September 09, 2005, 03:59

(Agree/Disagree?)
It was a conceptual response to a hypothetical statement.(reply to this comment
from .............
Wednesday, September 07, 2005 - 09:06

(Agree/Disagree?)

(REPOST FROM WASHINGTON POST)

Time for a Tough Question: Why Rebuild?
By Klaus Jacob

Tuesday, September 6, 2005; Page A25
It is time to swim against the tide. The direction of public discourse in the wake of Katrina goes like this: First we save lives and provide some basic assistance to the victims. Then we clean up New Orleans. And then we rebuild the city. Most will rightly agree on the first two. But should we rebuild New Orleans, 10 feet below sea level, just so it can be wiped out again?
Some say we can raise and strengthen the levees to fully protect the city. Here is some unpleasant truth: The higher the defenses, the deeper the floods that will inevitably follow. The current political climate is not conducive to having scientific arguments heard before political decisions are made. But not doing so leads to the kind of chaos we are seeing now.
This is not a natural disaster. It is a social, political, human and -- to a lesser degree -- engineering disaster. To many experts, it is a disaster that was waiting to happen. In fact, Katrina is not even the worst-case scenario. Had the eye of the storm made landfall just west of the city (instead of to the east, as it did) the wind speeds and its associated coastal storm surge would have been higher in New Orleans (and lower in Gulfport, Miss.). The city would have flooded faster, and the loss of life would have been greater.
What scientific facts do we need before making fateful political, social and economic decisions about New Orleans's future? Here are just two:
First, all river deltas tend to subside as fresh sediment (supplied during floods) compacts and is transformed into rock. The Mississippi River delta is no exception. In the early to mid-20th century, the Army Corps of Engineers was charged with protecting New Orleans from recurring natural floods. At the same time, the Corps kept the river (and some related canals) along defined pathways. These well-intended defensive measures prevented the natural transport of fresh sediments into the geologically subsiding areas.
The protected land and the growing city sank, some of it to the point that it is now 10 feet below sea level. Over time, some of the defenses were raised and strengthened to keep up with land subsidence and to protect against river floods and storm surges. But the defenses were never designed to safeguard the city against a direct hit by a Category 5 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson scale) or a Category 4 hurricane making landfall just west of the city.
Second, global sea levels have risen less than a foot in the past century, and will rise one to three feet by the end of this century. Yes, there is uncertainty. But there is no doubt in the scientific community that the rise in global sea levels will accelerate.
What does this mean for New Orleans's future? Government officials and academic experts have said for years that in about 100 years, New Orleans may no longer exist. Period.
It is time to face up to some geological realities and start a carefully planned deconstruction of New Orleans, assessing what can or needs to be preserved, or vertically raised and, if affordable, by how much. Some of New Orleans could be transformed into a "floating city" using platforms not unlike the oil platforms offshore, or, over the short term, into a city of boathouses, to allow floods to fill in the 'bowl' with fresh sediment.
If realized, this "American Venice" would still need protection from the worst of storms. Restoration of mangroves and wetlands between the coast and the city would need to be carefully planned and executed. Much engineering talent would have to go into anchoring the floating assets to prevent chaos during storms. As for oil production, refining and transshipment facilities, buffer zones would have to be established to protect them from the direct onslaught of coastal storm surges.
Many ancient coastal cities of great fame have disappeared or are now shells of their former grandeur. Parts of ancient Alexandria suffered from the subsidence of the Nile delta, and earthquakes and tsunamis toppled the city's famed lighthouse, one of the "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World."
It is time that quantitative, science-based risk assessment became a cornerstone of urban and coastal land-use planning to prevent such disasters from happening again. Politicians and others must not make hollow promises for a future, safe New Orleans. Ten feet below sea level and sinking is not safe. It is time to constructively deconstruct, not destructively reconstruct.
The writer, a geophysicist, is an adjunct professor at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. He teaches and does research on disaster risk management.
(reply to this comment)
from hurricanehelper
Sunday, September 04, 2005 - 22:33

(Agree/Disagree?)
I wanted to let you know that there is a free of charge site supporting the victims of Hurricane Katrina. They do not accept donations of any kind, but are providing information and a place for people to offer shelter and other support.

Purpose:

1) To unite displaced individuals and families of hurricane Katrina with others willing to offer immediate SHORT TERM shelter.

2) To unite displaced individuals and families of hurricane Katrina with others willing to offer LONG TERM shelter.

3) To unite the survivors with family and friends.

4) To find full or part time employment opportunities for hurricane victims.

5) To provide contact information for charities, communities, and churches offering assistance.

They can be found at http://www.hurricanefamilyhelp.org
(reply to this comment)
from Nancy
Sunday, September 04, 2005 - 09:38

Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)
I got the following email last night, Nick, in response to my email regarding what was needed and where I could send it. I thought this was a purely local group, but it turns out they are in Houston primarily. It looks like they are right in your neighborhood. I'm going to call the local numbers to see if I can donate items locally. If not, I will probably be contacting you to see if I can send money for items and you might be able to deliver it. Let me know if you're available. Thanks!

Greetings and thank you so much for your compassion Caryn,

This is Inga Willis, co-owner of Peacefire Galleries L.L.C
Direct#: 404)808-1839
919-286-9884
919-682-5808


As you know, we have opened the Gallery up as a drop spot for relief

We have a list of shelters in the houston area, as well as a list of families in need and their temporary addresses. We are also getting calls from people relocating to this area who need housing options.

Thank you to our three customers who have volunteered housing for a family of five and a mother and child.

Our focus is on DIRECT RELIEF. Sending what is needed to people directly. We have also formed PRE, Peacefire Relief Effort, our 501C-3 branch which will focus on relief for victims of naturaal disasters. I will update you all with that info tommorrow.

Peacefire needs volunteers, assistance with shipping & more items.

What is needed: PAMPERS!!!!! Infant and baby clothing, Mens and Womens clothing of all sizes. Deoderant, shampoo, feminine items, VITAMINS, SHOES, UNDERWEAR!!!! Childrens books, school supplies, Bibles, business attire for job interviews, toothbrushes, toothpaste, ibuprofen, SOCKS, canned goods, can openers.

Anything that you can think of, our people need. We know that things are tight, so cleaning out all of our closets is a good start. We also need more boxes and tape.

We love you each and all and ask you to stand with us in our effort to assist our brothers and sisters in need. Let us not respond like our federal government, let us move quickly and with urgency.

Please respond to this email to let us know you are with us!!!!!!

Peacefire Galleries

105 East Chapel Hill St.

Durham, North Carolina 27701

919-682-5808

Monday-Saturday 12:00-7:00pm {extended hours during the relief effort, last night we were in the gallery until 10:00pm}
(reply to this comment)
from Gray Wolf
Saturday, September 03, 2005 - 16:02

(Agree/Disagree?)
I live in Florida and I can provide a family of 3 that are survivor of hurricane Katrina a place to live until they can get back on their feet, details can be worked out. I just wish that I could do more for the victims of Katrina. all my thoughts and prayers are with you.
(reply to this comment)
from I was there
Saturday, September 03, 2005 - 13:23

Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)

So, we have a lot of opinions of the situation in New Orleans. I would like to suggest that no one takes the media accounts as the gospel truth. I WAS THERE.

I arrived Monday evening in Mobile, Alabama and traveled into Mississipi early Tuesday morning. I left late yesterday (Friday) evening. I was with a private relief group. We sent in the first wave to set things up. The second wave arrived Friday and the first wave leaves . The second wave will be there a week and then the goes home when the first wave comes back. It alternates like that as long as we need to. I am not going to name the group so don't ask. We are a private company that prefers to remain behind the scenes. The reason we do not stay straight through without alternating is that we still have a company to run back home. We could not make it into New Orleans yet - the authorities would not let us. We did make it to Gulf Port - Biloxi - and that area of the coast.

The media reports things that get people to watch and insight emotions. I will give you that there are many people acting like savages. But, unless you've been there, you can't really understand. Until you have had an infant starving in your arms or a loved one dying because they can't keep their medication cold, you can't understand. Until you have stood in the 95 degree heat with no sanitary water to re-hydrate and no idea of when you might get some, you can't understand. Until you have actually seen and smelled the dead bodies and realize that you could very easily join them if something doesn't change soon, you can't understand.

I would like to say that I would not loot a grocery store, but if my children and loved ones were in danger of dying, I probably would. You cannot imagine the joy on peoples' faces when we did something as simple as put food in their hands or give them a bag of ice to take with them.

Be careful before you pass judgement on these people. Poor or not - at this point it is only a matter of trying to survive. The people raping and what not are not trying to survive. They are indeed savages. But don't lump everyone down there in that group. There are many caring and giving people too. They just don't make the media reports.

Don't pass judgement. Do something to help. Send you money, every little bit helps. Donate blood, plasma, or what ever you can. Everything helps. It is total devastation down there.

Each day gets a little better and offered a little more hope.

At this point, hope is all many of these people have.


(reply to this comment)

From xolox
Sunday, September 04, 2005, 00:37

(Agree/Disagree?)

Actually, there are plenty of reports of decent human behaviour, at least in this part of the country. Of course it's natural to feel the outrage at the atrocities more acutely than the joy at people simply behaving as they should.

What I wonder is why it never ocurred to anyone to boil some of the abundant water all around them. Even if you had to boil it for an hour, you would eventually have plenty to drink. The only use they found for fire was to torch a few stores and the like. Ridiculous. (reply to this comment

From benji
Wednesday, September 07, 2005, 09:18

(Agree/Disagree?)
Where are they supposed to get fuel, stupid idiot.(reply to this comment
From Nancy
Saturday, September 03, 2005, 19:49

(Agree/Disagree?)
Bless you!

What do you suggest we can do who want to help directly. It doesn't seem like helping directly to write a check to a huge organization like the Red Cross. Any smaller ones? Any with direct contact with those hurt right now? What about clothes and supplies? Where can we give those? What if we have a week to volunteer? After what I read today, I would take a week off to help. It's hard to carry on normally without feeling the need to do something.(reply to this comment
From lucidchick
Monday, September 05, 2005, 20:47

(Agree/Disagree?)

Looking into charities, I found the Baton Rouge Area Foundation. I understand that Baton Rouge has been dealing not only with its own storm damage, but its struggling people have also been assisting those who landed there after fleeing New Orleans. Here is their website:

http://www.braf.org/

Here is the "about" section:

http://www.braf.org/page10177.cfm(reply to this comment

From dave
Saturday, September 03, 2005, 13:56

Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)

This time last year, while living in Memphis Tennessee, a powerful storm hit the area and knocked out all power to the city for sometime. Most of the 600,000+ residents had no power, and in some cases no running water for about a week. I got lucky after 3 1/2 days. After no fresh water, eating a few canned goods, no lights, no power, and having to drive across town, dodging fallen trees and debris to wait in line for hours to get expensive gas.. because most gas stations also had no power either... it gets to you, and tests your patience. In that situation, it was civil, but the city wasn't submerged, and things got back to normal fairly quick; nothing compared to what's happening now. But I just can't imagine what it's like to have kids and the elderly in such horrid conditions. Stick me on a rooftop without any water, food, clothing, or word from the outside world for five or more days, I will probably do somethings I never thought I would do as well.

If I were President Bush, I would have already resigned. The slow response of our officials, our politicians and federal agencies dragging their feet to come to the rescue is surprising, deplorable and inexcusable. Judging from what I've seen and from what I'm hearing from friends and former colleagues affected by Katrina, something tells me, when California gets hit with a big one, be it an earthquake, or some other event, we're on our own.(reply to this comment

from Nancy
Saturday, September 03, 2005 - 11:01

(Agree/Disagree?)
Nick,

Offer your place to stay at http://www.hurricanehousing.org/

It's a list of people offering housing for refugees.

BTW, Bravo!
(reply to this comment)
from setherial
Saturday, September 03, 2005 - 03:42

Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)
I think you shouldnt get into trouble if you are starving and decide to break into a grocery store. Its retarded! What else are you suppossed to eat? On the reverse side theres a minority of people there seem to be a bit uncivilised
(reply to this comment)
from exister99
Friday, September 02, 2005 - 20:00

Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)

Right now human beings are dying of thirst in attics and on rooftops only 500 miles from my home.

Please go here: http://www.redcross.org/

If there was ever a good reason to charge some money to your plastic this is it.
(reply to this comment)

from Nick
Friday, September 02, 2005 - 09:47

(Agree/Disagree?)
Not even the tsunami victims acted this animalistic! I can just see the “joy” on these people faces when they realized that the law gone and they were free to let their true self out in the open. Scary!!!

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/02/katrina.impact/index.html

Police outnumbered and outgunned
Overnight, police snipers were stationed on the roof of their precinct, trying to protect it from gunmen roaming through the city, CNN's Chris Lawrence reported.
One New Orleans police sergeant compared the situation to Somalia and said officers were outnumbered and outgunned by gangs in trucks.
"It's a war zone, and they're not treating it like one," he said, referring to the federal government.
The officer hitched a ride to Baton Rouge Friday morning, after working 60 hours straight in the flooded city. He has not decided whether he will return.
He broke down in tears when he described the deaths of his fellow officers, saying many had drowned doing their jobs. Other officers have turned in their badges as the situation continues to deteriorate.
In one incident, the sergeant said gunmen fired rifles and AK-47s at the helicopters flying overhead.
He said he saw bodies riddled with bullet holes, and the top of one man's head completely shot off.
Lt. Gen Steven Blum of the National Guard said that as many as 2,600 National Guard troops were expected to arrive in Louisiana Friday to join the nearly 2,000 who went in Thursday.
(reply to this comment)
From mao
Wednesday, September 07, 2005, 09:23

(
Agree/Disagree?)
Nick, dear, your true self is what´s scary.(reply to this comment
From Nick
Wednesday, September 07, 2005, 09:53

(Agree/Disagree?)
Instead of posting all these wonderful little snippets of wisdom under an anonymous name, why don't you come out and say what you really mean.
All I did was post what CNN had written. What I posted was fact, plain and simple. Just because you don't want to admit to yourself that it happened (Whoever you are) that doesn't stop it from being fact.

(reply to this comment

From hitler
Friday, September 16, 2005, 05:54

(
Agree/Disagree?)
Nick you are a true member of the arian race, I´m proud of you, all those savage blacks should be sent back to africa, and that mao guy should be sent to prision, for not trusting the CNN.(reply to this comment
From Nick
Friday, September 16, 2005, 07:18

(Agree/Disagree?)
Oh whatever. This is nothing to do with Race! It's to do with the people in NO. I never said anything about them being black. I have some very good African American friends that I hang out with just about every weekend so why don't you get out from behind that anonimus sheild when you post and say something worthwhile.(reply to this comment
From Sir Rantalot
Saturday, September 03, 2005, 05:27

Average visitor agreement is 2.5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 2.5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 2.5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 2.5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 2.5 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)
I can say I was a bit excited at that news, think of the freedom, the possibilities, the power finally unleashed.

Then again, I am a bit of an anarchist.

Only the weak and timid would see such news as negative, I'm exhilarated hearing people say "fuck you" to any sort of authority, and experiencing a glimpse of true, terrifying freedom!
YAY!!!!!
(reply to this comment
From a little kitten
Saturday, September 03, 2005, 05:53

Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5(
Agree/Disagree?)
Are you sure you don't just like to see yourself as a bit of an anarchist, dear? I mean, sure, 'freedom' and possibilities and power' sound cool enough when you are sitting in your safe house in a safe country but if you were in New Orleans right now, would you still applaud the people who are behaving in such uncivilised and criminal ways? I'm not talking about the lootingnecessarily, but gangland warfare and rape when there are bodies floating in the water and people dying? Come on, how can that possibly be considered a good thing??? (reply to this comment
From Sir Rantalot
Monday, September 05, 2005, 23:47

Average visitor agreement is 2 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 2 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 2 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 2 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 2 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)
It's a bunch of angry poor people, with little hope for anything. Looting and rape is just an expression of their rage, and us humans are nasty creatures as well, there is no good or bad human behaviour, it's just human behaviour.

Uncivilised? Well, maybe they want nothing to do with a society that gives them no chances and are finally making a proactive choice, someones been reading self-help books.
(reply to this comment
From vixen
Friday, September 16, 2005, 08:16

Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)

I understand what you're saying and I've got no problem with your right to your own opinions. However, my problem with this kind of philosophy is that at the real-life level it simply doesn't work. That's why I made the comment about you sitting in your house, safely removed from the action in question. While I do find philosophical discussion immensely interesting, I have found that in order to see what I *really* believe on any particular issue, I must bring it down to a personal rather than ideological level, in other words what does it actually mean to me, in my 'normal' day-to-day life, and how would it affect me.

Now if you could stand opposite to me and tell me that if I had been in New Orleans in that week and had watched a man rape my young daughter, that I could not call his actions 'wrong' (no matter how arbitrary a distinction it is), uncivilised and wholly detestable, then I have lost a great deal of respect for you. If you had a child, would you be okay with it???(reply to this comment

from Nick
Friday, September 02, 2005 - 09:31

Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)

Fucking Animals!!!

I can not belive the way these animals are behaving. Rapeing and beating eachother up in the superdome. Shooting at the rescue choppers and looting hospitals!

Then I go and read that the 50 Brits that are stuck in the superdome are being victimized because they are the only whites?!?!?! Read this shit http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wear/4208792.stm Makes my blood boil!


(reply to this comment)

From
Friday, September 02, 2005, 09:55

Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5(
Agree/Disagree?)

All the rich and middle class got out, the poor and sick remain. New Orleans has a 40% poverty level and most of them are black. The White House took too long to respond on this one, I say let them loot all night long and use our resources to bring these guys water, food, blankets and help. (reply to this comment

From Shaka
Friday, September 02, 2005, 15:33

Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)

I beg to differ. As a soldier I say they should put the city under martial law and shoot to kill anyone caught behaving like a fucking savage. What the hell does being poor have to do with raping fellow victims of this disaster? Or shooting at officers trying to save people? If I was deployed there I wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet in the head of anyone presenting a threat to any officers, soldiers, or just other victims trying to survive.

I was glad when I read that they put Lt Gen. Honere in charge of part of the relief effort. I met him about a month ago when he came to speak to my class. He's a tough sonofabitch and he won't hesitate to use lethal force if the need arises. He's one of the few Patton/John Wayne oldschool types left in the ever softening military. What's up Nick? Long time no see, buddy. (reply to this comment

From xolox
Sunday, September 04, 2005, 00:31

Average visitor agreement is 1 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)

Oh wow, I find myself disturbed by the fact that I actually agree with you! They should have declared martial law in the first place. In cases like this it should be part of the emergency response.

What is with these savages? I wonder, how will they blame whitey for the rapes and murders this time?(reply to this comment

From Nick
Friday, September 02, 2005, 15:39

(Agree/Disagree?)

Whats up dude?! Glad to hear you finally have a little down time. I hear your training was tough. BTW, Congratts!!! :)

(reply to this comment

From Lance
Friday, September 02, 2005, 13:18

Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)


Hell! Being poor doesn't strip you on the need to feel responsible for your actions!

It seems to me like there are a lot of people doing good in this tragedy, but still there is quite a few who are just behaving like savages. It is these people who represent the worst of our so-called civilization.

With all our great advances it is a shame that this country can not hold the pride of having the most responsible civilians on earth; we progress through life truly believing that everything that happens to us is some one else's fault, and that there is an excuse for every bad behavior.

It’s a damn shame, and I feel this is an issue that needs to be addressed in this country. It’s not a question of religion or race. It’s a question about responsibility and personal accountability for your actions.(reply to this comment

From vixen
Friday, September 02, 2005, 09:52

(Agree/Disagree?)
Truth be told, I'm never amazed at the way civility goes out the window at the merest push from circumstance. But as an interesting discussion topic, I have at times wondered if scenes such as those played out in New Orleans would develop in a similar way if a natural disaster of comparative severity were to come upon the UK. What do you think, Nick, having lived in both countries and learned to know some of the cultural differences between the two?(reply to this comment
From vixen
Friday, September 02, 2005, 10:01

(Agree/Disagree?)
OK, maybe I'll change that discussion topic slightly: Do any of you who live in the US think that your city/state would have gone about things differently, or that the normal person on the street would have reacted differently, in a comparative situation? How much of this is due to poverty or other sociological factors and how much is the emergence of latent human instinct for self-preservation at all costs?(reply to this comment
From one who knows
Friday, September 02, 2005, 17:49

(
Agree/Disagree?)

I know that wouldn't happen in most states. New Orleans could be considered the "Africa" of the US, and by that I mean that it has more of an "anything goes" kind of attitude. Where else can you walk around drunk flashing your boobs for beads? Had that happened in a say, Texas, the bodies floating in the water would be from wanna-be thugs who got shot trying to loot.(reply to this comment

From Phoenixkidd
Tuesday, September 06, 2005, 15:48

(Agree/Disagree?)
Some people at work commented we should just bomb the place and use it for bass fishing! I tend to agree, we have so much Land in the US we don't need to have people living under sea level between a big river and a shallow flood prone lake!(reply to this comment
From one who knows
Tuesday, September 06, 2005, 19:12

(
Agree/Disagree?)
Not a bad idea.(reply to this comment
From a TCK
Tuesday, September 06, 2005, 21:38

Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5(
Agree/Disagree?)

I disagree. Even setting aside the deep desire that I am sure some have to return home even if it takes a while, New Orleans is a special city without which the US would lose a crown jewel, notably one that is somewhat quirky and different from the others. I would find it very depressing for our country's future if its diversity were to take the disproportionate hit that loss of that city would mean.

Heck, it's a city built by the French and the creoles, with appreciation of the senses, ryhthm and savoir vivre. Without it, and until the population trend tips things over, we're stuck with anglo-saxon aridity!

Hm, I wonder if people who don't care for NO have religious biases- against voodoo! How about that misunderstood minority religion ;-)(reply to this comment

From Nick
Wednesday, September 07, 2005, 07:46

Average visitor agreement is 1 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)
The "US will lose a crown jewel"? Sorry mate, but that ship has sailed. It's already lost.(reply to this comment
From anti-racist
Friday, September 02, 2005, 10:41

Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5(
Agree/Disagree?)
I think the socialogical factor of racism is the root cause of all these preventable problems - it defines the relationship between the police and these people. it is the reason for the slow reponse and neglegent preparation and the reason these people were in third world conditions in the richest country in the world.(reply to this comment
From Ne Oublie
Friday, September 02, 2005, 10:11

(Agree/Disagree?)
This is the same primitive side of 'human nature' that has been in evidence in Iraq since Saddam's regime was removed. In the same way as the hurricane did not 'cause' the looting in New Orleans, the US/UK intervention in Iraq did not 'cause' their current wave of violence and civil unrest.(reply to this comment
From Nick
Friday, September 02, 2005, 10:00

(Agree/Disagree?)

That wouldn't happen in 95% of the other US cities, much less the UK. Only in New Orleans.

If that were to happen here in Houston, only 350 miles away, we would band together and help eachother. Not shoot down the people trying to hel us.(reply to this comment

From Phoenixkidd
Tuesday, September 06, 2005, 15:52

Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)
Oh I don't know about that. Looting happens all the time in a major hurricane. Ever notice on the news and it's always the B**** people out in the middle of a hurricane grabbing levi's and makin off with junk in their shopping carts. I remember Ivan people stole from old retired folks. What about the LA riots looting and burning happen almost everytime there is a major catastrophe in the middle of an American city. I am glad all this was captured on TV to show you what animals we have living in the inner city. (reply to this comment
From xolox
Sunday, September 04, 2005, 00:45

Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)
Are you fucking kidding? People behave like animals in Houston every day and it doesn't take a hurricane to bring it about. Just go back a few months or even just a few weeks and compare the violence levels between the two cities and see what you find. If you were to pull all government and police out of houston it would be much worse!(reply to this comment
From Maybe it didn't really happen......
Friday, September 02, 2005, 18:45

(
Agree/Disagree?)
Quote from ABC news, Sept 2, 2005:

"At the Superdome, we have a report that one shot was fired at a Chinook helicopter," Schneider said, adding that the Chinook is "an extremely large aircraft."

Laura Brown, a Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman in Washington, said she had no such report.

"We're controlling every single aircraft in that airspace and none of them reported being fired on," she said, adding that the FAA was in contact with the military as well as civilian aircraft.

This is the link to the entire story:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1087205(reply to this comment
From placebo
Friday, September 02, 2005, 12:24

(Agree/Disagree?)

We had serious flooding here in Switzerland recently.Instead of crime outbreaks and chaos the whole country got together and had 23 million SFR together in 3 days from private charities alone(this is a country with a population of 7 million people). I guess hundreds of years of neutrality gives you a bit of an advantage in matters like this.(reply to this comment

From Big Sister
Sunday, September 04, 2005, 13:13

Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)
As tragic and devastating the floods in Switzerland were, there is no comparison between the two events. A quick Google search turns up 43 dead in all of Europe, 1100 people evacuated in Switzerland and damages around $1 billion. According to today's CNN the damage to New Orleans alone will top $100 billion. The katrina wiki reports there are 29,000 people reported missing and estimates of dead is feared to go over 5,000, confirmed fatalities so far 1619. The area of destruction includes Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana, especially Greater New Orleans, strong impact on Florida and lesser impact on Texas, Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee and many other eastern US states, plus eastern Ontario, eastern Quebec and the Bahamas.

Switzerland has language and cultural diversity but nothing of the social and economic stratification that hurricane Katrina has revealed to all the world. Ultimately, we will see the amazing strength and compassion of the American people as we recover from this disaster. I just hope we have the fortitude to face and correct some of the weaknesses in our society as well.

More Google searching turns up the following email, attributed to a rescue worker in New Orleans: "The poorest 20% (you can argue with the number -- 10%? 18%? no one knows) of the city was left behind to drown. This was the plan. Forget the sanctimonious bullshit about the bullheaded people who wouldn't leave. The evacuation plan was strictly laissez-faire. It depended on privately owned vehicles, and on having ready cash to fund an evacuation. The planners knew full well that the poor, who in new orleans are overwhelmingly black, wouldn't be able to get out. The resources -- meaning, the political will -- weren't there to get them out.

White per capita income in Orleans parish, 2000 census: $31,971. Black per capita: $11,332. Median *household* income in B.W. Cooper (Calliope) Housing Projects, 2000: $13,263."
(reply to this comment
From Phoenixkidd
Tuesday, September 06, 2005, 15:46

(Agree/Disagree?)
Switzerland is used to dealing with disaster, The river's there consistently flood every other summer, they build their buildings with stone, brick and mortar, They just flood, clean out the mud and move back in. However, New Orleans is a completely different situation, you have the bayou's, coastal surge, The huge Mississipi river and a very populated area living under sea level! Plus they are not used to dealing with this kind of issue. Remember Hurricane Cindy last year? They predicted that this would happen and it just barreled in again, but veered to the East at the last minute and not much happened to New Orleans and Metarie, Unfortunately I believe it was this type of warning with nothing happening to cause city officials, local government and the very people living under sea level, to feel a sort of "Protection or faith that their levees would hold. What amazes me is how long it took the army core of engineers to block up these two dykes! If this was Amsterdam they would've had that fixed in a jiffy. (reply to this comment
From placebo
Monday, September 05, 2005, 13:17

(Agree/Disagree?)
Yes, in the States it was on a larger scale but isn't everything there bigger?As far as social and economic stratification, you can blame that on your two party system and the continuing dominance of rightist politics in the South.(reply to this comment
From Ne Oublie
Monday, September 05, 2005, 01:57

Average visitor agreement is 1 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)
Why must every disaster descend into a contest of 'mine was worse than yours'?(reply to this comment
From Mack
Sunday, September 04, 2005, 09:20

Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 3 out of 5(Agree/Disagree?)
Is there any racial diversity in Switzerland? I would think very little if any, certainly not enough to make a difference. Look at the UCR on the FBI web page. And when you do remember that over 80% of the "white" crimes are actually Hispanic I am sure of this because when you enter a Mexican into the crimes data computer system you have to put them in as white (of Hispanic decent) it’s the law. What you are seeing in New Orleans is what happened to Haiti after the French ruling class was over thrown from power by their slaves. And now Haiti today is over 60% HIV positive and in a constant state of civil unrest and anarchy. Go to any AIDS clinic in the US and tell me who the people are sitting in the waiting room. It’s sickening what truth about our society people don’t know or just refuse to believe. (reply to this comment
From Mao
Wednesday, September 07, 2005, 09:29

Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5(
Agree/Disagree?)
Mack you, I now some one that thinks like you, "savage blacks" you must be Bergs biggest fan.(reply to this comment
From Jedran
Monday, September 05, 2005, 01:48

(Agree/Disagree?)
I don't know about all of switzerland but Geneva is very culturally diverse. There are only about 50 families that are originally swiss in the city. Everyone else is from the rest of the world.(reply to this comment
From a big black-lipped lover
Sunday, September 04, 2005, 15:24

(
Agree/Disagree?)
the truth is not always obvious.. the sun appears to go the earth, but it ain't so.

*******

you're clearly a budding social scientist (as well as efficient killing machine) so what's the answer?(reply to this comment
From Ne Oublie
Sunday, September 04, 2005, 09:37

(Agree/Disagree?)
Aside from having one of the highest rates of immigrant population, Switzerland has 4 national languages - evidence of its multi-cultural heritage.(reply to this comment
From Curiousity
Wednesday, September 07, 2005, 11:58

Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5Average visitor agreement is 5 out of 5(
Agree/Disagree?)
How about the poverty rate? I think that is a more important factor than race. (reply to this comment
From Ne Oublie
Wednesday, September 07, 2005, 12:41

(Agree/Disagree?)
Switzerland has traditionally had one of the smallest gaps in average income levels, however that is changing these days - particularly as a result of the immigrant population.(reply to this comment
From placebo
Monday, September 05, 2005, 13:07

(Agree/Disagree?)

Well said Oublie.

In the company I work in we have people of at least 15 different racial and cultural backgrounds ranging from the neighboring countries to countries such as Angola and Sri Lanka, Your claim as to Switzerland not having any racial diversity is quite simply ludicrous.

However one interesting statistic is that 60 to 70 % of all criminal activity is done by foreigners.I guess you can interpret that however you want.(reply to this comment

From
Friday, September 02, 2005, 09:56

Average visitor agreement is 1 out of 5(
Agree/Disagree?)
I don't even think the same would happen in New York.(reply to this comment

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