Sadness and Joy in the News

[lizzytysh]

MSNBC just showed in 'blackboard' form [a list] that:

More than 20 countries have now offered aid to the U.S., since seeing the extent of the devastation. This aid is in the form of:

* Seacrafts [or boats, can't remember which] and aircrafts
* Money
* Supplies
* People
* Food and water

Bush has been sorting through the offers, and has yet to formally accept any of them.

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The New Orleans hospitals are confused by the lack of response. They have an accumulation of about 2,000 people [dying and extremely ill] patients; staff; and some refugees they initially let in. The food is running out. They are storing dead bodies in the stairwells. Sewage is overflowing. Disease is growing. They have no means of giving people the medical help they need.

What they say is most confusing is that at least one of these hospitals is not even hard to get to ~ it's within 1/2 mile of the National Guard station, the State Police station, and the emergency operations center.

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People in Gulfport, Mississippi are asking where is the food, where is the water, where is our help?

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President Bush spent his day yesterday in meetings related to the disaster. The government is trying to determine the priorities.

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One aid agency [perhaps, the Salvation Army?] said they are trying to do what they're doing [in Mississippi?] alone. They are used to going in early, but having other agencies come in right behind them.

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Some of the looters [and gang members?] are shooting at anyone in uniform. There has been a shoot-to-kill order issued regarding looters in New Orleans.

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Some of these blurbs need emoticons. I'll leave it to the reader to guess which.

[Tchocolatl]

"Thank you, O Great Unconsciousness! !"

Are you talking to yourself YdF?

"What would I do without your errata notices. O.K., Category Three when Katrina hit land. Happy?"

No.

"The rest is still bullshit. "

I agree if you mean the rest of your posts, or if it refers to why the army could not have taking measures, before or quickly just after, all what they can say about it is bullshit.

Just like what they say about the necessity to brake into Iraq, the necessity of the war.

Oh! Sure they use the national strings in people US were in danger, blablabla. You know it : don't believe what it is SAID believe what THE ACTS ARE TELLING YOU. As you put it so sophistically : what they are saying is only bullshit.

[lizzytysh]

When I talked with my brother night before last, two people he knew in the New Orleans area had died. I was waiting until he had heard for sure, for sure, as to the whereabouts and safety of another, even though he's confident the man is somewhere safe.

One of the people was a shrimper, in his 40s, who was crushed between two boats. My brother and his shrimper friend, that he would visit and go shrimping with, shrimped alongside this man.

The other person was a woman about 60 who had a honey stand near where my brother's friend lived. She was swept away.

My brother's friend will be 50 and has 2 boys and a grandson, and is the one I earlier mentioned, in another post, awhile back. He lived in Buras[Burus?], Louisiana, on Highway 23, about 85-90 miles south and east of New Orleans. It's very remote and located on a land mass that's approximately 1/4 mile wide, with levees on each side. Highway 23 used to be a 4-lane, until Hurricane Camille wiped out two of its lanes. It's never been repaired back to a 4-lane. He is a local, born and raised in that general area, and weathered many storms. He's self-reliant and bull-headed and wasn't going to leave. His wife, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law [a deputy sheriff in the area, and she's still down there] finally convinced him to leave, which he did with them and the rest of his family, at the last minute.

His boats were not in New Orleans [my earlier error], but near his house. The news footage he's seen shows what he's certain is one of his two boats, smashed up against a pier, sandwiched with another boat. They are also certain they recognize just the top part of their house, but the house is in the wrong place of where it should be. They know they've lost everything, and don't intend to return. He had no insurance on anything.
Buras is reported by one news network as having been the first place in Louisiana to take the first, direct, full-force hit of the storm. Another network names the town 10 miles down the road [Venice] as being the first. It's really a moot point. The small towns which dot this narrow highway are Port Sulphur, Empire, Burus, and Venice. It's all swamp and marshland. The last 'town' is called Pilot Town, and is out on the water on stilts. It's where the pilots who service the rigs, etc. lived. When they evacuated, it took them 13 hours to take a normally 5-hour trip to Alexandria. I believe it's Burus that my brother said is under 31 feet of water.

On the other end of the economic spectrum is the friend he hasn't heard anything about, yet. He's a well-educated, well-spoken, black man, now in his 60s, who was raised in the general area and left, became vice president of a company, and had lived in Maryland up until 3-4 years ago, when he decided to "move back home." He built a million-and-a-half dollar home east of Biloxi, on Highway 90 in Ocean Springs. My brother is certain that he is okay, as "he's a very sensible man," though his house may certainly not be. I'll believe he's okay after someone has spoken with him.

They are all friends. The shrimper has lost the only livelihood he's ever known. If he is safe, the VP will probably manage okay, no matter what. I'm certain he was insured.

[lizzytysh]

The lack of management, the lack of anyone in charge on these sites, the lack of organization, the lack of help is being questioned by FAR more than just local politicians, corrupt or otherwise. Even if they were/are corrupt, it's the people who are needing the help. The politicians are in safe zones. Harry Connick, Jr. walked into an area this morning and said that as desperate as people are, help can still be brought to them, safely. This morning, two helicopters came into New Orleans and distributed water. Two!?!

[lizzytysh]

There was a chemical plant explosion in New Orleans this morning. No one knows if the billowing smoke is toxic [hard to imagine that it's not].

A store is now ablaze in downtown New Orleans. It will have to continue burning out of control, until it burns itself out, consumes the building, or spreads. They don't know why it started, but "untapped gas lines"[?] apparently can end up creating fires. The commentator said that this is a scene we may continue to see repeated there.

Children separated from their families are beginning to be raped. A 12-year-old girl was one.

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New Orleans has been under sea level ~ forever. Hurricanes have been hitting Florida and the south coast for many years. Hurricanes have been increasing in frequency and power for years. New Orleans, and the low-lying, coastal areas have long been known to be under dire threat with a catastrophic storm. Where have the planners been until this week ~ post hurricane landfall? Mobilization should have been immediate, as soon as the hurricane hit the Gulf and was a Category 3.

My confusion, frustration, and anger have no evacuation route. Nothing is rescuing them, and bringing them to safety. I am here, safe. Dry. At my desk. G~D how must it be to be those people there ~ starving and dehydrating to death, and dying from lack of medical care.

Biloxi still has no power, no food, no water, no medical care. When will the government decide that the cost of gas for the helicopters and boats outweighs the 'benefit' of search-and-rescue operations?

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Just had to leave for a 5-minute meeting in our office. Our company will be going to 4-day workweeks [10-hour days], to help conserve gas for the gas supplies, as well as for our personal costs. Some people live long distances. It costs me approximately $7 USD/day to go to work and back.

[lizzytysh]

I'm very, VERY sick of hearing that the Red Cross and FEMA cannot go into New Orleans because of the shooting that has occurred/been occurring.

It has already been said MULTIPLE times that FAR more National Guard troops are needed to bring the anarchistic situation under control. So, GET the troops there! Then, LEAD with the troops ~ GET it under control ~ and bring in the Red Cross and FEMA! This is not an endless supply of criminal looters that are there shooting at people. The guns are limited. The criminals are limited. Some people are looting out of greed. Other people are looting out of starvation and survival needs. This is not terrorism, where the country has many willing to take up arms, and where people are coming in from other countries to take up arms with them. The MAJORITY of people are stranded and starving and dying.

No, I would not take the high road with regard to food and water, either, Paula. That is the pure and simple nature of survival. Life-threatening dehydration and hunger are the driving forces of the vast majority of what is happening on the Gulf Coast.

[Young dr. Freud]

Lizzy,

The MAJORITY of people are stranded and starving and dying

No-one is dying of starvation. Nobody is going to die of starvation. That takes a long time.

YdF

[lizzytysh]

Your comment would be more apropos had I said "People are dying of starvation." I said, "People are stranded and starving and dying." I did not make that link.

Let the coroner decide at which point someone did, or will be. Infants succumb sooner, for less reason, than adults.

Let's say you're right on that, though, and I should leave it at exposure, exhaustion, dehydration, cardiac arrest. Lack of aid is lack of aid. What was it you said awhile back about corrections made on your detail of Category 5 vs. 3? You sure don't seem to learn your own lessons well, do ya?

[Young dr. Freud]

Dear Lizzytysh,

You did say this:

Other people are looting out of starvation and survival needs.

And anyone who has an infant and didn't get out of town should be prosecuted for child abuse.


YdF

[Tri-me]

Young dr. Freud what the HEdoublehockey sticks is your problem anyway? Why do you want to spread your toxic additude around, DO YOU NEED A HUG

[Tri-me]

Lizzy this is a very sad situation, the loss of life is heartbreaking, the conditions people are in is desperate. I was talking with a client today. We were talking about how people were expected to go to the Super Dome and why some people would have opted out on that. I for one would have the ability to buy a plane ticket to Montreal if I had to evacuate. There are many who could not, not even on credit. These may be the same people who were left behind. If I were to be one of the people stuck here going to the local Aitken center would not be very appealing, I can see how conditions would deteriorate quickly. So I can see why some decided not to go there.

I hope things turn around soon, from what I have seen in the news this is out of control. They keep repeating on the radio the interview with the Mayor, he made a reference on how fast rescue happened in NY. I know this is a different situation, but I agree with you Lizzy, it is shameful how slow the aide is coming.
There is a boat filled with food in Halifax ready to go.

[lizzytysh]

The body is reportedly designed to go only 3 days without water, and 5 days without food. Looting to stave off starvation is a legitimate statement. It remains a "starvation and survival need" ~ just as I said.

Tri-me has asked you a legitimate question. For someone devoid of compassion, focused solely on nitpicking details, expressing no concern whatsoever for the human tragedy of this, it does seem you must be bereft in the needing-comfort department.

I honestly don't have time to keep answering your absurd comments. So, if you find yourself being ignored, just remember the key word these days is ~ "TIME."

[lizzytysh]

NPR will be playing New Orleans music all day on Labor Day. For anyone who is interested, I believe you can stream it.

There is a jazz and blues singer, with last name of King [not B.B. and no mention of B.B.], who is missing. They played some excerpts from his songs and from an interview with him. That is the same last name as the 80-year-old jazz and blues musician I heard interviewed, who said he was returning to his home. This one was also supposed to be in his home. I'm wondering if it's the same person.

A jazz and blues musician who was being interviewed today by Terri/Terry Gross, when asked by her if there was a particular song he'd prefer to close out the segment with, thought a second and replied, "Yes. 'When the Saints Go Marching In' because there will be a lot of saints marching in when the death toll comes in." They played the song, sung by Mahalia Jackson at the Newport Jazz Festival.

[Young dr. Freud]

Lizzytysh,

Absolute rubbish. You do not starve after five days without food. Where are you getting your voo-doo "reports?"

These looters are not loading up on pampers and beef jerky.

Tri-me has asked you a legitimate question. For someone devoid of compassion, focused solely on nitpicking details, expressing no concern whatsoever for the human tragedy of this, it does seem you must be bereft in the needing-comfort department.

More BS. You and (others of your ilk) think that compassion is getting on the internet and nattering on and on about how much compassion you have and how terribly concerned you are and how you've never felt so bad. Sorry, but that kind of compassion is easily worked up and easily gotten over. It's cheap, it's sentimental and it cost nothing. The upside is you get a feeling (more feelings!) of moral superiority. But without actually having done anything. So keep on posting.

YdF

[lizzytysh]

Oh, my ~ amping it up now, eh? Have you made your first, financial donation to help with the rescue and care of the refugee? I have.

It doesn't matter whether the 5 days that I learned in years gone by is accurate at this point. They're out there. They're suffering. They're dying. Many elements are coming together for that to be occurring. Choose your poison.

It's ironic that you find what I say and do so irrelevant; yet, your pointing out this semantic and that semantic to be ~ presumably? ~ so helpful. Particularly, when you unabashedly come from a position of moral superiority, and any other superiority that's lying around the trash pile.

Moral superiority ~ as superiorities go ~ is not a difficult one when considering and contrasting with some actions of our Administration.

Yes, I will definitely keep on posting. Lovely of you to invite me.

YdF ~ Do you have a crush on me ?

~ Lizzy