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

Here in Tennessee I escaped hurricane Katrina pretty much intact. Had a tree down in the back yard, that is all. But I am overwhelmed by the reports of devastion in New Orleans and along the coast. New Orleans is almost completely flooded. Hundreds, maybe thousands, have died. The city is being evacuated entirely. The few people left are without drinking water, ironically, and endangered by looters. New Orleans is just a few hours drive from here. I've visited before, and loved it, it was truly beautiful, and very European feeling for an American city. They also had the best food of anywhere in the states - beignets, muffelettas, gumbo, red beans and rice, and spicy fried chicken. I can't believe it has been more or less wiped out. I will contribute what I can to the relief effort, which is not much, but something. Makes me grateful for the electricity and home and computer, food, and water I still have.

I wish I could help

Thanks Uncharted.

I'm really pretty freaked about the whole thing too! Media here had osed the phrase "America's tsunami" but I think due to population density it's very possibly even worse than the Indonesian tragedy! And the levees givung way just magnified the tragedy. My thoughts are with those who've lost EVERYTHING...I doubt the city'll ever be quite the same.

I regular watched cnn...I was shocked...

sorry, but an "America's tsunami" is bit of the top I think, because people were warned, but in Indonesia there was no time warn at all. another thing is Americans are rich compared to Indonesion people. In America recources to rebuild are there, but Indonesia there are not.

a lot of "Katrina huricane" people will feel like the people of Bangladesh about less than month ago and going thru each year during floods in rain season.

do not get me wrong distaster of nature are bad.

my thought go to displaced people and people who lost some one...

Yes you are right pheloxi, the Indonesian people were not warned...& yes America has resources to rebuild. I think the term "America's tsunami" was used to describe a very similar devastation.

I know....

http://www.boingboing.net/2005/08/31/_a_tale_of_two_photo.html

one other thing:
the Americans should rebuild on so called "terp" or "ward" they are man made higher places for group of houses. in the Netherlands we still have villages and cities build on these "terp" or "ward" it is even there names: Leeuwarden.

A trully dreadful aspect is that, while those with cars and somewhere to go got out beforehand, little seems to be getting done for the elderly, disabled and poor who remained. From an outsider's point of view, the 21st century US appears to be a particularly disorganised and backward place. Something to do with the minimum state ethos?

We do take our home comforts for granted - I'm certainly grateful for the roof over my head, clean water, food and toilet facilities, basic human rights never mind electricity supply and feeling safe in my own home.

My heart goes out to those suffering and I hope and pray the American Government gets organized in helping the survivors return to a semblance of a normal life - although they will all have awful memories and lost friends/loved ones.

Yes. Truly horrendous. They keep saying "Ah, so & so has gone back to their family in XYZ" Er....what about those who don't actually have family elsewhere? What about those with no money to pay for hotel rooms? What about those with no cars? Are the Social Security offices going to be open tomorrow for those on benefits? Somehow i doubt it.

They are wittering on about the looting & undoubtedly some are making a fast buck, but i bet many are simply trying to stay alive; this can only get worse.

All those thousands in the Superdome, hey, where is the food coming from? Do they have to pay? Er...what happens when the food runs out? 20,000 people = quite a lot of burgers to drop from a helicopter.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4203360.stm

zdt

JEllen I don't blame you for being freaked out about this. New Orleans was often on US travel programmes, the food and jazz. Isn't that where there is a French quarter and voodoo and where some of the vampire books have been based? It has a fascinating culture, if I got that last bit right. I am sure even if I didn't, it was still a wonderful place for those who lived there and those who visited there.

I have read that 80% is under water, will they rebuild? Is it worth the risk knowing that these events are likely to become more common?

What with that and the stampede in Iraq, the world is a sad place these days.

When was it ever a happy place?

Sorry, my cynicism is showing *adjusts clothing*



I'm just happy New Orleans wasn't hit as bad as they thought. And in the end, they are only buildings and they can be rebuilt. I hope there aren't too many casualties? I last heard 50-something, but I worked through the news today.

Even if they rebuild, it will probably never recapture the atmosphere. I've not been there but people I know have, and where they stayed in private houses, these were beautiful and quaint with overgrown gardens and really old furniture and in early 1900's style.

No wonder Hollywood catastrophe films are so successful - you can see how near to reality they are at times like these.

If the Social Security could pay out benefits - what would people spend them on? - there can't be much in the way of food supplies at the moment.

There but for the grace of God..

For those who've never been to New Orleans, it is a really interesting and diverse place- I've been dozens of times. The French Quarter has beautiful architecture, awesome food (the best shrimp on earth!), great music, etc. (The only bad thing about the French Quarter is that awful Anne Rice and her series of books for teeny-bopper goth girls. ) However, the city, overall, has long been one of the most impoverished cities in the US. This kind of destruction, and subsequent looting, will destroy a lot of people financially.

The mayor of New Orleans said yesterday that once all of the water recedes (most of the city is below sea level), they expect to find thousnds of casualties.

The city will rebuild, and restore as much of its grandeaur as possible. But I wonder how much recovery is really truly possible.

I also wonder if the government feels even the slightest bit guilty for not investing all of the money allocated to building levees, to the building of the levees? I wonder if the job had been done right, if the extent of the damage would have been so devastating.

Frankly this whole thing has made me think that maybe the US isn't as developed as I thought

When I first heard that there was going to be a hurricane I didn't get too worried, cos they had like a week's notice to get out of the way. Someone said what about the people who can't leave and I said that they'd get out somehow - they wouldn't just be left there to die, either the government would evacuate them or there would be like, free buses or something. I honestly didn't think that anyone would stay in New Orleans When I saw and heard that 1000s of people were just being left to die cos they were too old or poor or sick I was horrified. I really don't think that that would ever happen in Australia or New Zealand. I think it's disgusting.

I have read many articles on a whole vampire interest culture based there. I know many people who read Anne Rice, including myself. If nothing else it opened the eyes of people not in the US to the interesting range of cultures in New Orleans. People have visited the area solely on the strength of those books. Fair enough if you don't like them, but to paint everyone who reads them in such a way, insults many people.

I know that subject was only a small part of New Orleans but it was a real part for many who visited. This is not the place for insults though, sorry JEllen that my original mention of the vampire-interest culture of New Orleans lowered the tone of this convo.

Incidentally, and not to detract from the devastation in New Orleans (and Biloxi, which is supposedly pretty much washed off the map), this *will* have an effect on all USAians, and soon. The price of gasoline, already close to $3 a gallon average (it's $3.70 a gallon here in Chicago) is expected to increase to at least $4 a gallon now that an estimated 20%-25% of US oil reserves have "disappeared" in the Gulf of Mexico. Aside from the possible ecological effects, what an ever increasing burden economically. I wonder what the cost of heating gas will look like this year (last year I averaged $170 a month with the thermostat set to 66)?

Hi Uncharted, it's actually fairly common for people to stay behind willingly- that doesn't include the sick or elderly and others who have no way to leave- during hurricanes, etc, even during mandatory evacuations. I'm not sure how I would feel in that situation, but it doesn't seem worth it.

I've never lived in an area that required evacuations, but my parents do, and it's not common for rescue vehicles to come in and get people out where my parents live.

I just saw on TV a group of about 50 people (all black) who are camped on the top of a free-way thing. One's 9 months pregnant, and they were all asking the TV people for help. Admittedly I don't know the whole story but it just upset me, that's all.

BTW, what's a gallon let's say in cans of coke

Petrol's $1.50 a litre (3 coke cans) here which is $1.04 American