tightloop Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 Man, ever since this storm there have been a series of things that really get my goat.. 1. Gas going up like a sky rocket with no end in sight. 2. Idiots in Louisiana NOT leaving when they asked them to evacuate. 3. Jake leg idiots hindering the efforts of those trying to help. 4. The Left Wing political pantywaists, Hillary, Jesse Jackson and the rest using this event to act as a photo opt when the people came to Houston to the Astrodome. 5. The Hollyweird people doing the same as the political people, Sean Penn, Oprah, Dr. Phil...Just stay the hell away from us, you don;t do anything but cause discontent and angst..not a Freaking thing that really helps. And NOW a question...after we ponied up all the aid for the tsumani relief fund, where are all the other countries to help us with the Billion dollar fires in the California mountains and to help with all the things they could do in the Tri State area after the hurricane...Just like always, sitting there waiting for the good old big hearted USA to do it alone... Well that just irks my ass...we need to STOP pouring money over everything foreign that looks like any kind of help for other countries till we have things under control here at home... Feel Better Now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 +1..... Actually, several countries have offered aid - including FRANCE, of all places (yes, this suprised me...). AFAIK, we haven't accepted aid from any of those countries, at this point. I'm still less than amused that we can get aid on the ground to Asia in 24-48 hours, but we couldn't get stuff to our own country in less than 5 days.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 Yes, a number of countries have offered significant aid. Even Cuba, for pete's sake, offered aid. Whether any of that money has been transferred yet is unknown (at least to me). I hope we have the sense to accept it. I, too, am irked beyond belief that we can fly off huge quantities of people and equipment to just about anywhere in the world for just about any reason in a matter of hours, but we let New Orleans rot for a heck of a long time before 'calling in the troops'. The jerks who WON'T leave their homes in New Orleans will likely get very, very sick and probably die as a result. Ignorance seems to know no limits. The real work is going to be the clean-up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 I, too, am irked beyond belief that we can fly off huge quantities of people and equipment to just about anywhere in the world for just about any reason in a matter of hours, but we let New Orleans rot for a heck of a long time before 'calling in the troops'. [/color] <{POST_SNAPBACK}> The blame game has started, and everyone is pointing fingers everywhere else, but... New Orleans had an evacuation plan that was not implemented. The state of Louisiana is apparently legally responsible for emergency management within New Orleans - they took 0 action. Legally speaking, the federal government couldn't intervene until aid was requested - but it seems like the *right* thing for the Federal leadership (ie, Bush) to do in this case would have been to recognize that the leadership in NOLA (mayor and governor) was completely incompetent, and move in anyway - let Louisiana or New Orleans sue later. I see this as a (completely expected, at least by me) failure of government to care for it's citizens.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carinab Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 I hate it when this sort of disaster becomes a political bitch! I listened to the gf of a dojo buddy of mine rip on the Bush administration for not sending in the National Guard/FEMA sooner. She has a friend in Michigan who works for FEMA who got notified to be ready to go the day before the hurricane but wasn't asked to go until 3 days after the hurricane hit. I explained that the LOCAL gov't has to REQUEST the aid before the feds can send in folks like the National Guard....That whole POSSE COMITATUS thing. And then there is that pesky States Rights bit so they can't be sent in without the invite. She just didn't get it. I'm also irritated about the beurocracy BS that the Red Cross seems to have.... News Story about not accepting aid forms. First Person: Nurse Caring for Refugees Shares Experience Friday, September 02, 2005 By Peg Shepherd, PhD, RN Fox news story Baytown, Texas — Peg Shepherd, a registered nurse who answers questions on WebMD’s Multiple Sclerosis message board, has been volunteering at a shelter in Baytown, Texas, that’s now caring for refugees from Hurricane Katrina. She filed this report. Spent hours yesterday again at the shelter here in Baytown. I know you are all seeing the horror stories from New Orleans and other points on the Gulf coast. I'm hearing them from survivors as well. A lot of what I've been doing has been just sitting and listening to people tell their stories. I don't know if it helps, but it's something I'm good at and people seem to need to talk. The shelter is a surprisingly calm place. It is a local community center and currently has about 250 people in it. One large room is set up for meals; the other is set up with wall-to-wall cots. When you enter the building, the noise level is the first thing that hits you. It is not a place designed for that size crowd on a sustained basis. It's not that people are shouting or making undue noise. It is just the sound of 250 refugees plus dozens of volunteers crowded together trying to live life. Many of the refugees spend some time outside, but with the temperature and humidity both in the mid-to upper-90s, no one stays outside for long. Plus, yesterday we had several thunderstorms and just plain rain. Soggy and soggier. <snip> I'm sad to have to report that yesterday, the political infighting became an issue. It became very unclear who was in charge (the city, which owns the building, or the Red Cross). Both groups became snitty and the Red Cross "reassigned" the two nurses who were supposed to be stationed at the shelter. Before they left, the Red Cross chased off an ER doc who had come to volunteer, saying that having a physician on-site was not "our protocol." So several local docs, EMTs, and nurses are setting up an impromptu clinic across from the shelter. They are meeting a real need as the Red Cross can only issue vouchers for drugs if the refugees have their prescriptions or med bottles with them-- which means that many people are unable to get needed medication through that route. The volunteer docs can at least do a history (and superficial physical if needed) and write new prescriptions. I'm sure that the issues are not only territorial but also liability. Regardless, it is making it more difficult to help the refugees. Perhaps things are going more smoothly at the larger centers like the Astrodome. I hope so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincent Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 I was suprised when many folks started talking about how it was taking too long for the Feds to show up. What about the city and state governments? They should be the first responders, not the Feds. The U.S. system isn't designed for the Feds to step into state issues really quickly. Part of the checks and balances stuff people often forget about. I don't think it suprised too many that LA government agencies didn't hold up under pressure. Probably only people who haven't been to LA/New Orleans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j2fast Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 5. The Hollyweird people doing the same as the political people, Sean Penn, Oprah, Dr. Phil...Just stay the hell away from us, you don;t do anything but cause discontent and angst..not a Freaking thing that really helps. [Tounge firmly planted in cheek] Come on look at all of the good Sean Penn could have done if his boat didn't spring a leak... It's a good thing he had his personal photographer (to document his heroics) and the rest of his entourage there to use plastic cups to bail out the water coming into their boat..... http://www.megastar.co.uk/world/news/2005/...jAwMjM2OTE.html [tounge our of cheek] Some place there is supposedly video of them bailing water but I haven't found it yet. Classic, couldn't have happened to a better person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincent Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 I'd also like to see people being more critical of how folks can't be self reliant in an emergency. Your safety is your responsibility. End of story. To use an old I.T. phrase - "Poor prior planning on your part doesn't turn this issue into an emergency when it hits my desk". The sad thing is that most won't learn from this at all. They won't recognize that disaster could strike again. If nothing else folks should put a few dollars into an emergency fund that can cover bus fare out of town. Then use it before it's too late. I'm still trying to help out with the relief effort with donations of many kinds. What's done is done. It's just too bad that we'll have to spend so much to fix the problems of so many people who got into trouble all by themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 I'd also like to see people being more critical of how folks can't be self reliant in an emergency. Your safety is your responsibility. End of story.It's just too bad that we'll have to spend so much to fix the problems of so many people who got into trouble all by themselves. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I totally agree that those of us who can have a responsibility to make preparations to look after ourselves in case of emergency and disaster. This does not absolve those of us who can, of our responsibility to assist those of our brothers and sisters, who are not capable of looking after themselves in every situation. Self reliance is great ---- but there are people who aren't capable of it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolan Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 5. The Hollyweird people doing the same as the political people, Sean Penn, Oprah, Dr. Phil...Just stay the hell away from us, you don;t do anything but cause discontent and angst..not a Freaking thing that really helps. [Tounge firmly planted in cheek] Come on look at all of the good Sean Penn could have done if his boat didn't spring a leak... It's a good thing he had his personal photographer (to document his heroics) and the rest of his entourage there to use plastic cups to bail out the water coming into their boat..... http://www.megastar.co.uk/world/news/2005/...jAwMjM2OTE.html [tounge our of cheek] Some place there is supposedly video of them bailing water but I haven't found it yet. Classic, couldn't have happened to a better person. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Photos of Sean Penn here Spicoli Bails Nolan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bountyhunter Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 France offered to send water filtration equipment, but King george was afraid that the peasants might get uppity if they got used to the taste of Evian.... a revolution would surely follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3quartertime Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 Great rant Tightloop... The stench of politicos sears my nostrils,,, I read this thread three times. Each time my muscles clenched tighter and my desire to rip and shred with a reply drenched in my personal bias grew exponentially... This is always a good sign to me that things are going badly... Closed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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