h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

When the President first spoke of the disaster he spoke of people being inconvenience and uncomforatble and without airconditioning in the heat. People were dying , already and worsening by the hour. It was life and death not a messy inconvenience. They needed food and water and shelter.

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FEMA the National disaster program was put into the Department of Defense which is also handling Terrorism and the War in Iraq.
It was part of the Bush plan to combine more agencies.

There was enough confusion and too large of a beaurocracy unable to communicate before 9-11which made for more problems.
It was a very bad move to make Fema part of homeland security.

The money that was handed out for National security was done so without needing approval or accounting. In fact it was ok'ed to be kept secret Sme agencies have voluteered the information and it was not suitabe IMO.
There should have been some minimal requirements. A priority set in place for Communications first of all.

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That is the fastest way eo evaluate and send support where needed. It was a huge problem for many departments before Terrorism and it seems there was not enough attention paid to it afterwards.

I think that Microsoft should donate laptops and wireless set-ups in these instances. The computers have been one of the most helpful pieces of equipment in finding family members. The communications always seem to be a problems yet they are among the richest comapnies in the world.

Communication and time saves lives.

There was grumbling avout the paper work from state to Fed and back not getting done with the proper signatures!!
I do not understand such things at these times.
Signatures?

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The first buses to arrive in NO to take people to Texas were halted while taking out the people trapped in the dome and the other large event center to allow the people whom had been paying customers in the hotel next door to get on the buses ahead of those less fortunate ones in dire need. The basic essentials were supplied to the hotels guests all along so they should have not been put ahead of the line!
Although they did not have the usual luxary they had more life saving supplies.

It is was a travesty to report whites taking survival needs from stores while the blacks where said to be looters, the ones taking survival needs.

I was insulted for our own people to be called refugees!
They are our own displaced citizens.

The head of FEMA was not qualified and it was no secret when he was chosen by Bush. I feel less secure than ever with his decisions.

The Red Cross has always been the first on the sites of disaster with the exception of the locals that pitch in.

I realise a certain element was not humane and that was well reported so I will not go there. Feast or famine the bad guys are around.

A city bordered by three large bodies of water and a swamp on the other end did not have an evacuation disater plan? Millions were spent on studies that were put out to the public. Besides NO ,New York City would be in a terrible condition if a Hurricane or tsunami were to hit it. That study was done at the same time. It is far more unlikely to hit that far north but not impossible.

I do not understand why one pr more of the bases they want to close is not a storing area for the most basic emergnecy supplies. It seems that Helicopters are the most importnat first line of help needed for rescues and drops no matter the problem. Why can't there be a fleet on standby?

I have to hand it to the NY city fire and police department for going down especially with the anniversary of 9-11 being tomorrow

NO ( not to diminish the other areas hit) knew it had that many poor folks in their city. They should have been part of the moblitity considerations from the start for any evacuation or emergency plan.
All the available city and school buses should have been on the coastal area when the first evacuation was ordered.

The latest figures I saw for immediate funds had the most going to Texas! 60 million to NO and 75 Million to Texas, lesser amounts to the other states.

All the first politicians to speak ( ones outside of the affected areas) made remarks about the ongoing questionable ethics of Louisianna politicians. It is a given in their history ,sad but true.
All the more reason the powers at the top who said such things with a wink should have known the Feds would need to step in.

I have not heard the remark rumored to be insulting that Mamma Bush made in NO - I will have to look for that.

The army core of engeneers has said for decades our infrastructure needs help. It would be so sensible to have a work core like after WW2 to fix the bridges and dams and other things across the Nation.
Having a strong infrastructure is surely the best defense for homeland security.


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The President made the executive decision - backed by the Senate to suspend the wage requirements while re-building NO. That means they will undercut the overall "average minimum fair wage" of 9 an hour to the workers

I am guessing they will have no benefits , especially health insurance for their families OR it will be more than half of their monthly income so they will be forced to do without.

Haliburtion has had the Fema contracts to do rebuilding for Fema.
I do not know if they are the only ones but interesting it will be their contractors again. Not to have to pay a normal salary is criminal in my mind.


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The military copter that fled when fired upon was baffling. Isn't that what they were there to do? Defend against such anarchy and get the weakest - sickest- and youngest out of that hospital?


There was grumbling avout the paper work from state to Fed and back not getting done with the proper signatures!!
I do not understand such things at these times.
Signatures?

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I am so dissapointed in my country.
Just when I thought it should not get much worse, it did.

On the goverment site for helping victims had Pat Robertsons charity listed second only to the Red Cross. His numerous "charities have been known to help with elections and policy. It vaguely fit into his definition of helping the less fortunate. He is being investigated finally.

The other reputable pages for giving had quite a different order to their preferred list of charities.

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As many people stated you would not know the US from any other place during the midst if the disaster.

I Did notice so far, during the clean-up, there has been no attempt for anybody to sort through the useful materials as you see in other areas before the bulldozers come in. There was no thought to re-cycling the usuable items. Maybe with health concerns it is not wise but I did take notice.


Shew Glad I got that off my chest!
Too tired to keep editing, exhausting and depressing to contemplate.
I do not balme any body for ignoring this
Ranting for my own mental health.

There's not much I can say, really. I can certainly understand your frustration.

Hi, Abbi,

Well you sure offloaded a weight there didn't you I understand your feelings but you really mustn't take the problems to heart quite so much. You cannot change things that have happened but perhaps you can use what energy you have to change things in the future.

America has had two massive wake up calls in recent years, and I agree that the response has not been good. Perhaps now they will look more closely at things, and set up the emergency plans etc. without so much attention to cost. After all the money wasted in most countries would cover all eventualities if channelled properly.

Those in charge of flood defences in London are taking a long hard look at our defences in light of what has happened, but I have no doubt that cost will prohibit much work being done. The costs of the aftermath of such a tragedy do not seem to be factored in to the equation either in the US, the UK or other countries

The big story here in the UK is that one doctor in NO has admitted to giving morphine to sick and elderly patients rather than leave them to die alone in dreadful conditions. It has once again raised the issue of euthanasia - illegal here - but with a strong lobby to make it legal. I used to think it should be made legal with all the necessary safeguards, but now I tend to think it should remain illegal, as it makes people, especially doctors and close relatives, think very hard of the consequences.

Incidentally the head of FEMA has gone I understand. Reading his employment history I seriously wonder how he came to be appointed to such a desperately important job in the first place. We can all make assumptions on that one

You make so many good, and obvious points about what should have been done, so perhaps you should put yourself up for head of FEMA, Abbi? It annoyed me too, that nothing seems to be salvaged for use, but perhaps the risks of disease are too great.

I agree about <> but I suppose someone is going to have to be held accountable afterwards. It's like us in the UK having to give chapter and verse on ourselves and the sick person when trying to get an ambulance or doctor out, when all you want is an immediate response - the rest could come later.

<>

It seems to me that it could also mean that less qualified people might be used, as a cheaper option, which is dangerous when dealing with collapsed buildings, fractured gas and water mains and electricity cables, not to mention oil and chemicals etc.

Anyway, Abbi, lets hope we are both just pessimists, and that things will recover more quickly than we expect. In the meantime we can only hope that things will improve, and that the governments of all countries will look with more care and compassion on future disasters.



Websailor

Abbi,

I found strange that your country does not have depots with basic food and basic medicine around US. another thing when they renew the food and give to people who can use it and renewing medicine could go to cliniics who help same I meantioned before. you do 2 things at same time.

the NO / Gulf ecology is already bad why not build higher dykes around place and fill up low parts. in The Netherlands we had big flood in 1953 150,000 people lost their lives. they Delta plans to rise dykes, dunes and build amazing stucture to hold wate back when it stirmed, but when it was quiet it was open.

I was expensive, but more than 50 % of the Netherlands is also below sealevel.we have centuries old fight against the water.

now a days the authorities have permission of farmers to let water go into their meadows, when it reains hard with change of floodings or lots of water comes from Germany thru the Rhine.

Barbara Bush's comment, Abbi, to save you some searching time. I am quoting from here: http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001054719 .

"In a segment at the top of the show on the surge of
evacuees to the Texas city, Barbara Bush said: 'Almost
everyone I’ve talked to says we're going to move to
Houston.'

Then she added: 'What I’m hearing which is sort of
scary is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is
so overwhelmed by the hospitality.

'And so many of the people in the arena here, you
know, were underprivileged anyway, so this--this (she
chuckles slightly) is working very well for them.'"

Pretty ing ignorant, but it sounds like something a Bush would say. Explains a lot as to why the underprivileged were left behind to fend for themselves to begin with.

Bush jr already said something like that on friday 2 september
he was going New Orleans. he said "he was looking forward to" go to New Orleans and "he was looking forward" meet so and so. he repeated the "he was looking forward..." atleast 4 times each time he mentioned different department/person/

I find that . he could use more apropiate words. if this happen in first term he would be elected second term. the power that a second term gives: to good or to do realy bad!

Hmmmff! Yes, they were "under" priveleged before, right now they seem to have pretty well no priveleges whatsoever.

Wonder how many folks have been personally invited to stay at the White House huh?

*hiss*spit*snarl*

zdt

did you know that I saw some where that Bush family is the Royal Familu of the USA?

Hi, Pheloxi,

The floods you mentioned in 1953 also badly affected the UK. I think that was one of the reasons for London's Thames Barrier, though I do wonder if that would be sufficient now with the changes in climate and weather intensity.

At least the Netherlands is flat. I think the main trouble with NO was because it is just a big basin, so the water can't get away as it would anywhere else.

As for the Bush comments - tact is not their strong point - I have never figured out whether they are insensitive or just tactless. As for being the US royal family . The Kennedys tried that and look where it got them. Rich and powerful is not a happy state - many of the richest "dynasties" in the world have a record of family tragedy that takes some beating.


Websailor

Thanks for all the comments about my rant.
As usual I felt better after purging some of it.

Me the Head of FEMA?
If I had the health and energy I do believe I might have wandered into politics by now. Sounds like a nightmare but it might be easier than watching!

Nice to know what Barbara actually said.
Thanks.
I did not want to watch anymore coverage just now but it was being referred to without actually repeating it. That was both irritating and sparking curiosity - typical of the so called news. Now I know so thanks!

It seems now that all those who needed to be rescued have been, and thankfully, they are leaving those who wish to stay;GOOD for them given up on forcible evacuation.

The problems facing those who are physically safe, but homeless, lost everything, jobs, friends, the lot can't be underestimated; It happened to me; i know. it's very very difficult to keep a sense of "yourself"; when everything you lived with & for has gone.

One of the things that got me furious was when people said "oh, weren't you lucky? You didn't get taken hostage, you didn't die!"

Would YOU feel lucky if you lost your home, pets, posessions, job, friends,income....just like that; right now & had no choice but to move in with inlaws? But you can't say that; you are suddenly put in the position of "poor thing, poor survivor" so you lose your pride as well.

The WORST was finding a bag of clothes outside the door; realunstuff; Yes, practical; we had left with bare minimum; but honestly, i was trying to re-establish my identity, very difficult to do that in someone elses cast offs. If they had given me £5 i could have had a happy day going round the charity shops & choosing a new wardrobe.

Displaced. NOT refugees.

zdt

I knew it would hit home ( so to speak) with you Terri.


The other silly thing I noticed but forgot to mention was the evacuation route procedure.
Living near the mountains there are often evacuation situations due to avalances,mud and rock slides, forrest fires. Even for really bad accidents...

When you have six lanes of traffic. 3 in each direction. The usual plans make the lanes into(towards) the evacuation area down to one and that is for emergency vehicles and other assistance going into the disaster area. You evacuate much quicker that way.

You also normally have to be stopped to get permission to go into an area if it is being evacuated and you are not essential personel.

I never did see a photo of 4 or 5 of the 6 lanes being used in this "normal evacuation" style. Maybe they eventually did do that and it was just never shown.

F96332?thread=969502&post=10779537#p10779537
Pedboy has a good post

The Molly Ivans post ( forget who posted it)is good.
The people who like Molly Ivans would agree with most of her thoughts on all of this.

F96827?thread=950171

It was Hypatiawith the Molly Ivans article

"At least the Netherlands is flat."

more than 60% would dispear and more 70% of Duth live there. (there about 16 million Dutch people). Amsterdan, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht (the four biggest towns).

Dutch Delta plan costs billions, but we are saver. we have gained more knowlegde about fighting the water. you need spend money to make your world saver! you can not put a limit on saving lives before it happens.

New Orleans dykes were money releasing to the open sea. they knew that and did nothing!

I have just had CNN NEWS on television!!!I am at a loss for words,the poor officer cried as he explained that they were now checking 911 calls that were made TWO WEEKS ago.

My dear abbi,

I know how passionately you feel about justice for all, so can understand your extreme frustration.

I wrote something about the Hurricane the day after it happened saying that I was thinking of all of you. Not one response.

But I too have been deeply disappointed in the events that have unfolded.

the only thing one can do is not to become bitter and to go on talking doing and writing about what one believes in. Thank goodness the USA has people like you. And |Justice will prevail.

With much affection and admiration.

Christiane
Also Ran1

AR1 I read and appreciated your post but could not get into h2.
I probably was not ready to talk about it yet even if I had at that point. Odd how I go without a computer for what ever reason and when I am ready to come back h2 is *often not working for me!

I am happy all , including my body is cooperating at the moment

Thank you for your comments AR1.
I always read your journals whether I have time (energy)to say anything or not and you are an important member of this site for me.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200509120009
Katrina mis- information put out by the press in many directions (much of it from FOX)is corrected.

Hi Abbi, I am glad that your body is cooperating and that you're doing OK.