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

One gallon is $3.785 liters. (If you've ever heard the term "fifth" applied to a 750ml bottle of liquor, it's because it's 1/5 of a gallon ) I don't drink soda, so I'm not sure how cans of soda are measured.

Looks like you guys pay more for gasoline than we do. But we're not used to doing so! While I was driving (I don't bother anymore since public transport's so good where I live), I was paying $2.29 a gallon, and that wasn't that long ago, only a few years.

If you guys are used to paying so much for gas, are there other cost of living offsets? I'm just curious, not trying to drag this too far off topic.

Petrol's way too expensive here - my dad has stopped taking his car to work cos it's costing him $100 a week ($70US)

Makes me kind of glad I don't have a car.

In New Zealand?

I'm sorry, I'm under control now I swear

This place sucks. I work 20 hours a week for $150 ($104) and it all goes on necessities. I'm taxed at the lowest rate - 19% Everything is really expensive here There's a 12.5% tax on everything, I can't afford to go to the dentist, I've never gone to the doctors in my life, I could go on but I'm depressing myself

If you ask if there are cultural or recreation or lifestyle benefits I'll probably burst an artery laughing

I really really really want to live in America. Maybe I'm odd.

I grumble about America all the time, but I know we're better off than lots of people. Sounds like your cost of living is way high! Your dollar is worth about 70 American cents, I don't know how you manage on what you earn.

Our sales tax isn't quite that high here, either.

Still I guess we're both better off than the folks in New Orleans, and in Mississippi and Alabama, who lost their homes and everything. Sure, in some cases, people are insured. But the payout for insurance benefits, the federal aid, etc., it all comes from somewhere, and it sets people right back just as it's helping them get back on their feet.

And that's the ones who have those things insured. I don't won my home, so I haven't got insurance on my things. I'd bet a majority of folks who rented down in New Orleans won't have any way to recoup their losses.

Fats Domino among Katrina missing
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4206622.stm

Thanks for the posts everyone. It helps to talk about it. I keep remembering more and more things about New Orleans -- the beautiful parks, the trolleys. Those poor people. *sigh*

PS I rather liked the Anne Rice books, very sensuous.

Quite apart from the thousands missing, probably dead, who won't be discovered until the water recedes, there are 25,000 (not a typoo) in utter misery at a supposed rescue centre.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4206620.stm

How do you supply such huge numbers of people with bottled water?

How do you feed the babies?

What about those on medication?

How many hospitals are still functioning?

What happened to all the pets?

Is there a zoo in New Orleans, did the animals get evacuated?

To be honest, i don't give a f**k about the picturesque bit, norbooks or films. It's an area the size of UK that has been devastated & i reckon cutesiepoo architecture is the last thing on the mind of some poor soul who is still clinging desperately to the roof of their house praying a helicopter arrives soon.

I have been in floods, i have been evacuated in emergency situations. Survival is all that matters at the time; only later do you get the luxury of going.

Do we have an appeal fund going yet on hootoo? If not, here's a link. these people need help NOW not tomorrow.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4204066.stm

zdt*GLOBAL F***ing WARMING; hah, they said it couldn't happen!* DITCH YOUR CAR

I loved riding the trolleys. The last time i stayed in New Orleans, I stayed at an inexpensive little hotel opposite the viaduct from the French Quarter- about 7 minutes away from the thich of it. I remember the HUGE statue of Robert E. Lee.

It pains me to think of how different things will be should I ever go back. I'm sure there's buildings and stuff that won't be able to be fixed.

Not to mention all of those people. I wish I could help.

K was telling me about some Bible-thumping ***hole who was correlating the gay pride parade that was scheduled for next week with the timing of the hurricane, claiming that their "god" had destroyed the city for being so sinful, and to prevent the parade from taking place. I am utterly disgusted that anyone could think or say such reprehensible things when so many innocent people have died and are suffering.

Heard about Fats Domino at work this afternoon. That sucks.

And all of the looting going on is only going to drive the insurance costs up... driving up premiums, sales taxes, cost of living, etc., for the residents, whenever they are actually able to repair/rebuild a bit. Sigh.

One of the health concerns facing the area is the dead animal carcasses in the water. I'm sure many who were able to evacuate, took their perts. I've read that many who stayed in their homes instead of going to the Superdome, stayed because they didn't want to leave their pets. Pets aren't generally allowed in emergency shelters, for practical reasons I can kinda understand (allergies, possible bites, etc.). I don't recall if they had a zoo or not, but I've never heard of a zoo being evacuated of animals in an emergency- saving human life takes precedence.

I know the loss in devastation and human causalty is more important... but it is a real pity that such a beautiful, historical city has been through this kind of devastation. New Orleans was one of the most gorgeous cities I've ever seen, in parts. And even the most pverty-sticken people in the Deep South are hospitable, gracious, and generous, regardless of race. The last time I visited New Orleans, I almost didn't come home.

Here's what happened to the animals in Kuwait during the Gulf war. Personally i lost 2 Siamese cats (one blind), 2 full grown mating Terrapins & 2 budgies.

It hurt, it really really hurt.

http://home.ecn.ab.ca/~puppydog/gulfwar.htm

There were a pair of Kuwaiti guys who did lots of rescues from the zoo at great personal risk, i will see if i can find a link.

zdt

PCandy, you said exactly what I was feeling. Terri, I think it is fair to mourn the loss of a beautiful culture along with the loss of life. Of course the people are more important than the buildings, but New Orleans had a special magic to it, and the architecture and art and cuisine and trolleys and everything were a part of it. And yes, I am donating what I can.

I never made it there myself , and now I'm not sure it'll ever be the same

Terri, you did have a point, sorry if I snapped at you. And sorry about the loss of your pets in Kuwait. I know if I lost Micio I would be inconsolable.

Murray, maybe they'll be more stubborn and successful at rebuilding than we even dare hope.

France is apparently organising some immediate aid stuff, obviously they feel a special link because of the "French quartier" being basically totally wiped out; i feel really helpless because i can't do much physically (ie: can't actually walk to Croix Rouge right now) & certainly don't have even a few centimes to give as a donation.

I see they are pulling out troops from Iraq & deploying them in New Orleans with a "shoot to kill" policy.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4206620.stm

Great stuff. This is really going to help; ask the innocent Brazilian shot 11 times in London.

I despair of this world, i really do.

zdt

Hi Terri. Did you see post 34?

Ah, no, sorry, i didn't, we simulposted. Sorry, i am just very very right now, this gets to me very much, the world seems so horrific at the moment, when we are not deliberately blowing each other into little bite sized pieces, nature is fighting back with stuff like this.

And of course "who" got left behind to cope as best they could with the full blast? Ah, quellle surprise, the old, the infirm, the blacks, the poor, those without families....and they wonder why there is looting? I doubt many of these people had emergency rations lined up & they don't seem able to cope with feeding the thousands stranded in the Superdome, let alone the poor souls on the streets; ah sorry, rivers.

zdt

I wish I had something useful to say, but I don't. So I've made some tea instead.