I agree with most everything you've said. Now when it comes down to it, ther were VERY few people who could not leave of their own means and locomotion.

 

I've said what I had to say in other posts... But I will say this. The Federal response was, in a word: Bull$h!t...

Even "W" said the Federal response was unacceptable, and I agree, it was...

Katrina is no more than a whist from a butterfly's wing today, but Monday- she was a REAL b!tch... The reason why so many people got hurt/killed/maimed is because New Orleans, and all the Gulf States hear the same thing every year; and the big one rarely hits... Even I thought N.O. would be sparred watching the coverage. Our weather people were on it like a hornet- we saw every step the storm took (If you were watching KDFW-Fox 4 news) they showed the storm turn, and the eye didn't come within 25 miles of New Orleans proper... Good news for them, bad news for Slidell, Gulfport & Biloxi... But, storm surge took out the levees 0 and you know the rest...

What this has shown is the incredible level of unprepared ness of F.E.M.A. and the US 'gubment' to handle a major catastrophic event in this country... FEMA and Homeland security, not to mention the National Guard (Under the Governor's control) and the military (Federally controlled) will all be scrutinized by this colossal failure.

Yes, 5 days isn't bad- but it's not good either. Us folks sitting at home watching this unfold on our TV's have NO CLUE, what HELL those people are going through. It's easy to sit there and say- "Well, they should have left"; none of us really know why they didn't leave...

There are dumbasses with the means to leave that CHOSE to stay; for others I'm sure there are reasons why they didn't, or couldn't.

But, what this will mean is that those guys & gals at F.E.M.A. making the big money and who are supposed to be able to handle this country (Via asset management) should an event cause it to descend into anarchy; got a virtual kick in the nuts on Monday showing how ill-prepared they really are to handle a cataclysmic event in a timely manner.

And guess what- as stupid as the residents were that could have left and didn't- the same warnings they got that this storm was coming; the same evacuation call they received was also given to F.E.M.A.. I'm sure they saw it coming too. If they didn't, we have the wrong people working at F.E.M.A..
We haven't needed FEMA in my 36 years; but when they were needed, they didn't have a plan in place...

Then again- Who on this board TRULY expected that storm to wipe out the entire Gulf Coast, from New Orleans to Mobile? Not me, not many (if any) of you, and seemingly- no one in a position of power to make things happen down there... Besides- you can't MAKE a US citizen do anything (Like evacuate) if they aren't committing a crime and marshal law hasn't been declared...

That's why so many people are dead; that's why many more will die before they get aid> and, that's why the state and federal responses were so slow...

Be honest with yourselves and answer the question in bold honestly. If you can do that you will be able to answer all of your own questions...

Oh- and for getting on the TV/Radio- etc.. showing his @$$, and cursing- losing his professional bearing; indeed- the Mayor lost “validity” points.. But of all the ignorance spewing from his college-educated mouth; one thing he said was true…

The relieve effort must be realized on a grand scale… This isn’t a flooded town in Eastern Missouri with a population of 5,000… This is a major US City with a metro population of over 1,000,000.

As they say at Casual Male clothing store: You gotta ‘Think Big’.

 

I think every one who heard the news sunday saw it coming???

They flat out told these people that the levees wouldnt hold, almost all wooden structures will be destroyed, and that there would be flooding in the range of 10-25 feet.

The government said VERY CLEARLY, " have enough food and water to last you at least 96 hours" (4 days).

The first releif convoy arrived at the convention center after 4 days 5 hours and 38 minutes after the hurricane hit.

Granted the Superdome and civic center are both total disasters, but their in a race against time. Sure they could fairy in food and water by helicopter. Sure they could be air lifting refugees from the super dome to other areas, But when this first started there was about 80,000 people stuck on their roof tops and only so many helicopters to get them off?

This is a race against time, People are going to die....Nothing can change that. I think the first few days the priority was saving lives, not keeping survivors well fed and watered.

I know things went to the breaking point at these shelters and help arrived too late for some, but I think its a very small number that have perished at these shelters. There are still an estimated 8-10 thousand people still stranded in their homes. I think FEMA is trying to use all the boats and helicopters they can to save them.

 

But the levee didn't break until Monday night when most people were asleep...so Tuesday morning is when all hell broke loose.

Oh, check this out. One of the reasons why I don't watch things like this anymore. Mike Myers should have walked off camera.

http://www.juiceenewsdaily.com/0605/...?1125709350109

http://entertainment.tv.yahoo.com/en...572168000.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9177352/page/2/

I don't think enough was done soon enough, but it sure as hell can't be blamed on the federal government. They were there in great numbers in 3 to 3.5 days. What aggravated me was (first of all) the violence that stopped the aid workers...and then the workers not wanting to go in. They should have went in regardless. It was a unique and desperate situation with people dying.

By the way, I don't blame people for staying knowing the hurricane was coming. I understand some couldn't leave (sick, old, etc). Even if they wanted to, does anyone believe they would have had enough buses for the thousands and thousands of people that we're talking about? I seriously doubt it. No one expected it to get like this.

 

Precisely...

And Podunk, I can appreciate your opinion- but you are way up there in Nebraska. All you guys have to worry about up there is the Bol Weevil and if the University of Miami's football team will ever meet the Huskers in another televised bowl game.... That's the only Hurricane's you guys will ever face, and you remember what happened last time!! (I think that had to be a level 5 can of whip @ss)

But seriously- if you live along the Gulf coast- and you haul @$$ everytime there's a hurricane warning; even one like this.. 9 times out of 10, you'll have run for nothing...

This time, the non-believers got their butts kicked... If you go through those drills over & over, and nothing ever happens- you get a little numb... That's why many stayed...

For the record though; my family and I would have been gone. If I knew about it that is... I work my **** off, and my wife hates to watch the news- so we had about a 10% chance of gettign jacked up too; had it happened to us..

 

Sorry, The Bol Weevil is strictly a southern problem.

We do have Tornados, Prairie Fires, Floods.......? I even got caught in a stampede once? Still your right, we have never had a hurricane.


Since your down there you probably have a much better idea of whats going on, but then again......You didnt even know a Hurricane was coming?


As far as your football comment??? Stick this in your trophy case and smoke it


Besides, your Latitude / Longitude address doesnt put you in Miami.

It puts you in Northern Texas, Some where around Greenville.

Look where Texas ranked on the list...... I cant beleive you even brought football into this???

 

Touche`, Podunk.
Hey Hersh, you better check your ****. I think Podunk just owned a piece of it!

 

Podunk: What's your point with this top 10 team of all time list? That's history bro.. the earliest being 10 yeas ago- Personally- I think the Cornhusker teams from the 80's were the really good ones (It wasn't unusual to see them put 62-64 points up, per week) They still got their @$$ handed to them by the 'canes a few years ago. Over the last 20 years; the Huskers and Canes have 3 outright, and 1 co-national championships each... (That's a wierd irony)

Yet, history matters not; especially in a subjective ranking like that: If it did, OU wouldn't have gotten pimped by TCU yesterday...

I used football as an analogy (The only hurricane that Nebraska will ever have to worry about): I thought you would have deciphered that though; my bad...
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I have been a Hurricane's fan since 1985; even through their "almost" dismantling of the football program due to drugs in the early 90's..

Yes; I live in TX, and I'm from Louisiana; but I like a lot of college teams. Of course, LSU; but I also love Grambling, UT, Baylor, U of Miami, Florida State, Florida and- the Cornhuskers (When it comes to football) and LSU and North Carolina for basketball. State residency isn't required to like a certain team I dont believe...
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Living in Dallas- I'm relatively safe from hurricane's too; plus- you generally don't know about (and can't run from) tornado's; so watching the local weather- I didn't pay a lot of attention to Katrina after she hit Florida, and was predicted to make landfall again on the Florida panhandle; quite aways from New Orleans and even further from Dallas.

 

Thank goodness someone else has realized it...

 

LMAO! I love it when self-righteous morons show their a$$....
Sean Penn pretending to help

 

Yes, but I must give Sean Penn credit where it is due. Unlike Michael Moore, Mr. Penn accepted his Oscar at the Academy Awards (a massive forum to lay personal issues and feelings for actors whose opinions I don't care about) he simply thanked those necessary and moved on. For that one classy move he gets credit from me.