Katrina

[halfnhalf]

Somehow in this case Katrina hit a lot harder then expected and was then flooded.

Katrina was a class 5 hurricane, the levee was made to with stand a level 3, so you are going to get a flood.

My friend's father works as an engineer for the core. The core wished to up grade the levee to withstand a level 5 hurricane months before it hit. There was no money to do it though. According to this man, (and I am going to add some fuel to the political fire here) about 2 weeks of time spent in Iraq would have payed for the improvement.

PS - Did I spell Levee right? The spell check button says it is ok.

I was just about to mention that. What if that Levee was was able to withstand class 5 and prevent this whole debacle? This incident just shows that the government decided not to interact and try to prevent things from happening. I'm pretty sure weather experts knew what the damage was gonna be and nobody took the initiative to put together a plan to at least minimize the damage. All in all I hope my 100 bucks gets put to good use.

[oneofakind]

About the help:
Whole Europe is providing oil (gas, fuel), food, blankets and first aid kits the fastest way possible.
We are doing what we can

[psi29a]

Much appreciated.

[isse-pisse-päron-pung]

I sent one of my private hercules aeroplanes with people on to go and help.

I think many other countries are really shocked how the worlds migthiest country is standing helpless at a situation like this.

[psi29a]

US is just like any other country in dealing with Natural Disasters, throwing money at the problem won't make the relief go any faster but it will help those that need it to get on their feet. However, I do think this will make USA citizens more thoughtful about their environment and that the Government (no matter which one) can't stop mother nature.

Current estimates is that it will be 3 months before all the water can be pumped out. Imagine if Holland's dikes where to have busted.

Isse: you make a good point, even the mightiest has to deal with disasters. We as a nation I believe are drunk on our own kool-aid and I think it is comforting to know that the USA citizens will be more sympathetic to world plights in the future because of it. At least, that is my hope.

[Devil_Dante]

Anybody else noticed there is lots of crap happening in the world? I mean like lots of plane crashes, tsunamis, earth quakes, tornados etc.

[Shaka Zulu]

Other countries not giving us a hand is another one. It's not shocking, but it is disappointing. We did what we could during the tsunami, I'm amazed people can't be as generous.

I guess we cannot rely or expect any help from asshole countries for such situations.

Whats shocking is your ignorance in this.Just because you dont bother to find out what other countires are offering,it doesnt mean they arent.Even frickin' Sri Lanka who still is hurt badly by the Tsunami,helped out with Financial aid.And its not even the state,people still rebuilding their houses help out and collected 30 000 us dollars(its alot for them).

I consider that to be slim glimmer of hope, with countries like Cuba, Venezuela(these two who are enemies of america,still offered), Sri Lanka, Thailand,Indonesia etc(countries who have more urgent problems with the Tsunami)... offering to help?

Alot of countries offered aid and to help in day one(when it took Bush 5 days to go down,not blaming anyone,and its hard to be prepared to these kind of things,but this has been handled beyong poor,really apalling) but USA said to them to wait,before they could assess the citaution,and see what can be done,or just flat out turned down some etc

Well,if here you can see some of the countries that offered:

The State Department said offers of help had been received from:

Australia, Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Belgium, Canada, China, Columbia, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Germany, Guatemala, Greece, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Philippines, Portugal, South Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela.

International organizations also offered help ranging from medical teams to tents to cash donations. They include NATO, the Organization of American States, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, and the World Health Organization.

A State Department official said a needs assessment was being done to determine which offers would be accepted.

The United Nations has offered to help coordinate international relief. Following is a list of some of the aid offered by governments.
Asia

AUSTRALIA: "We're going to provide A$10 million ($7.6 million) and the bulk of that money, if not all of it, will go to the American Red Cross," said Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. The Australian government said there may be up to 24 Australians trapped in Louisiana in the aftermath of Katrina.

CHINA: China offered $5 million in aid for victims of Hurricane Katrina which devastated the Gulf Coast ahead of President Hu Jintao's U.S. visit. If needed, the Chinese government is also prepared to send rescue workers, including medical experts, officials said.

JAPAN: Will provide $200,000 to the American Red Cross to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said on Friday. Japan will also identify needs in affected regions via the U.S. government and will provide up to $300,000 in emergency supplies such as tents, blankets and power generators if it receives requests for such assistance, the ministry said.

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Armed Forces, responding to requests by the United States Texas Army National Guard, has sent three Chinook helicopters to Fort Polk, Louisiana, to help in relief efforts. The government said the Chinooks will help to ferry supplies and undertake airlift missions.

SOUTH KOREA: Has pledged aid and is waiting for a U.S. response, a government official said. "We have sent our intention to offer recovery aid," a Foreign Ministry official said on Friday.

SRI LANKA: Will donate $25,000 to the American Red Cross.
Americas

CANADA: Offered to help in any way it can and the navy is preparing a ship full of emergency disaster relief supplies to be sent when a request comes.

CUBA: Cuban President Fidel Castro offered to fly 1,100 doctors to Houston with 26 tonnes of medicine to treat disaster victims.

MEXICO: The country is sending 15 truckloads of water, food and medical supplies via Texas and the Mexican navy has offered to send two ships, two helicopters and 15 amphibious vehicles.

VENEZUELA: President Hugo Chavez, a vocal critic of the United States, offered to send cheap fuel, humanitarian aid and relief workers to the disaster area.
Europe

EUROPEAN UNION: EU countries are ready to give the United States oil if it requests help, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said on Friday. But British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said this was not what the EU had in mind when it discussed how to help.

FRANCE: Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said France was ready to offer support, telling TF1 television: "We have rescue teams based in the Caribbean and we are naturally ready to provide aid to the Americans, and that is what we have told them."

GERMANY: Has offered mobile units to provide clean water, military hospital facilities and medical aid.

ITALY: Has offered to "immediately" send aid and evacuation specialists, Italy's civil protection unit said. Authorities have prepared two military transport planes to fly amphibious vessels, pumps, generators, tents and personnel to New Orleans and other areas. They were awaiting word from U.S. officials, the unit said.

NETHERLANDS: Will provide teams for inspecting dykes and for identifying victims if there is a formal request from the United States. It will also send a frigate from Curacao to New Orleans shortly to provide emergency assistance, the government said.

RUSSIA: Has offered to help with rescue efforts, but is still awaiting a reply from Washington. "Above all with heavy transport planes, which can be loaded with helicopters and generators -- as there is no electricity in the area of the catastrophe," Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said.

SPAIN: Expects to receive a formal request to release gasoline stocks to the United States and is prepared to grant it, an Industry Ministry spokesman said.

SWEDEN: The Rescue Authority said it was on stand-by to supply water purifying equipment, healthcare supplies and emergency shelters if needed.
Middle East

SAUDI ARABIA - Saudi Refining, a Houston-based subsidiary of state oil firm Saudi Aramco, will donate $5 million to the American Red Cross to support relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

[Devil_Dante]

Belgium: a group of 10. 1 doctor, and 9 military's. Well better than nothing I guess.

[Oro]

Anybody else noticed there is lots of crap happening in the world? I mean like lots of plane crashes, tsunamis, earth quakes, tornados etc.

We are destroying the eco system and the eco system is destroying us and again Usa is to be blame for this for its the worlds largest polluting country.

[Shaka Zulu]

Belgium: a group of 10. 1 doctor, and 9 military's. Well better than nothing I guess.

Countries dont offer their all because is not needed and because the US administration has alot on their hands,and has not time to plan in everything, or dont want to accept everything.Instead some countries offer practical resources that are much needed right now.For example,sweden offered a team of scientist who would help out with draining and purifying the water ,and other help if needed etc.But USA turned down Swedens aid.

[isse-pisse-päron-pung]

Hehe. You know pollutions is like nothing compared to millions of years ago.

Good post by the way .

You a F.M. Mulikitas fan?

Good thing anyways countries help each others. Next time it might be for example Sweden that are in need of help.

[Skullkracker]

Anybody else noticed there is lots of crap happening in the world? I mean like lots of plane crashes, tsunamis, earth quakes, tornados etc.

very much like
Mark 13:8

makes me wonder...

[Edit - Killfile]

Mark 13:8 for those too lazy to look it up.

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these [are] the beginnings of sorrows.

[End Edit]

edit: thx Killfile, it seems you are on an edit spree

[psi29a]

Shaka: point on, I'm fed up to _HERE_ with this list FEMA has about who they will allow to help. All [of] these countries want to help and are being turned away. This is our own fault, and hopefully the rest of the country will wake up.

As for Cuba and Venezuala, they are pratical jokers of the international community. They offer aid as a way to twist the knife, knowing that we will refuse their aid and thus [they] offer tons of relief. If their doctors actually came to the US, the[y] would not return.

[Fixed Grammer - Killfile]

edit: ... err, thanks Killfile? -- psi29a

[Killfile]

Anybody else noticed there is lots of crap happening in the world? I mean like lots of plane crashes, tsunamis, earth quakes, tornadoes etc.

We are destroying the eco system and the eco system is destroying us and again Usa is to be blame for this for its the worlds largest polluting country.

I'm not going to disagree with you in respect to the impact of global warming on hurricanes, there is some very strong evidence to suggest that hurricanes are getting stronger because of global warming.

That said, I think you're oversimplifying this. The USA may well be the world's biggest polluting nation, but the destruction caused by Katrina was as much freak accident as anything else. Sometimes when you roll the dice you come up short. That's just the way the game works.

Despite that, the behavior of the US government during this crisis is unconscionable. The refusal of aid from 99% of the sources Shaka listed, the steadfast incompetency with which we responded, and the continued disconnection between the Bush administration and cold hard reality have only exaggerated an all ready nightmarish scenario.

We knew this could happen. A hurricane like this one hitting New Orleans was #3 on FEMAs list of worst possible disasters.

We knew it was coming. Katrina deviated less than 20 miles from her most likely course. Every mathematical model depicted a head on impact with New Orleans.

We knew what would happen. The levees in New Orleans were designed to withstand a category 4 hurricane (which is what Katrina was when she finally hit the city) but the Army Corps of Engineers as well as the New Orleans municipal authorities had long protested the federal budget cuts on the New Orleans levee projects. The degraded levees weren't rated to take a Cat 4 hurricane.

We knew, and we did nothing. In any other context this would be an example of criminal negligence, perhaps negligent homicide. Heads should roll, but I've become sufficiently jaded with the Bush administration as to expect nothing more than a vanilla "mistakes were made" comment.

[Shaka Zulu]

As for Cuba and Venezuela, they are practical jokers of the international community. They offer aid as a way to twist the knife, knowing that we will refuse their aid and thus [they] offer tons of relief. If their doctors actually came to the US, the[y] would not return.

[Fixed Grammer - Killfile]

edit: ... err, thanks Killfile? -- psi29a

Haha I know about the Cuba(Cuba for really obvious reasons:D) and Venezuela.Its just political games,a little funny charades.For example when it comes to Chavez,USA offered(don't know how sincere it waits,they want him out,and tried a "coup" to oust,by financially aiding his opposition) help when Venezuela was hit by that huge Mud slides that killed almost 1000 people,but Chavez refused just to prove a point,and he didn't even have enough resources to safe the victims of that disaster.

If the Cuban doctors go US to help out(I believe they are on their way,no?),because alot of them are frauds,fake doctors who just want to rip people off.The good ones aren't that willing to live Cuba nowadays because of the resources they have(top notch) and have a decent living opportunities.So the hacks or and the desperate ones leave Cuba,and portray themselves of being excellent ones(Cuba has one of the best doctors in the world,educationally wise at least).They have ripped off alot of poor people in Southamerica.

And yeah,its sad that they turn down so many countries help,even its not the only reason,or the primary reason,their pride is standing in the way of helping the victims.And regarding Cuba and Venezuela,even if the reasons for it is not honest,they should accept anyway,everything they can get their hands on are needed.And that probably baffle them,and make them look bad if they did not hold their promises(Imagine Chavez actually giving aid to the country that tried to oust him out in a democratic election,would lose face if he was forced to go through with it).


P.S Its Grammar not Grammer

[MrFelony]

well considering the correlation between the temperature of surface water and a hurricanes power, the gulf of mexico is practically designed to create powerful hurricanes. any one actually know why bush had such a delayed response time to the disaster?

[Shaka Zulu]

Even though I dont agree with what a Drama queen like the Jesus lover,Kanye West said,what do you think about this kind of media coverage?Not that all of media is like this is.But its pathetic and sad to still see this kind of racial profiling.

I'm not even counting racist conservative bullshitters like Mike O'reilly or Pat Robertson etc.Who said look at the black savages who looting,and that only blacks are looting(according to what the media shows,who is pretty selective sometimes).But not even bother with thinking about(why should they) with the fact that most of the people who are behind are poor,and most of them are black because of that,due to the huge class differencies in USA.Not to mention 68% of NO is black(not entirely sure how accurate this is,but its around that figure).Its from Yahoo,and yeah, it doesnt matter that much because it cannot speak for how the whole of media are(even though Fox is 10 times worse).

[Shaka Zulu]

well considering the correlation between the temperature of surface water and a hurricanes power, the gulf of mexico is practically designed to create powerful hurricanes. any one actually know why bush had such a delayed response time to the disaster?

Any actually know why he thought it was even appropiate to go party and enjoy the sun in San Diego,when its was the third day of this natural disaster?

[Killfile]

Any actually know why he thought it was even appropiate to go party and enjoy the sun in San Diego,when its was the third day of this natural disaster?

I think you're misunderestimating his strategery.

.
.
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I just had to say it.

[psi29a]

Thats unpossible!

[Shaka Zulu]

Edit: Why would someone turn this down? even if its from Cuba.

"Cuba: Fidel Castro, an adversary of the United States during his decades in power, has offered at least 26 tons of supplies and mobilized 1,586 doctors experienced in disaster assistance, each of whom would bring 27 pounds of medicine."

[Ayanami]

Shaka Zulu, you did teh double post....

[Shaka Zulu]

Wooh,never seen anyone falsely accuse me of double posting before I feel molested

[Femto]

P.S Its Grammar not Grammer

pwned.

As for the rest of that other post, I admit I've been a little in the dark about the situation and I might've jumped the gun a little bit. Everything I know about the situation in New Orleans is from word of mouth from different people I've talked to about it. I don't really watch the news anymore as it just pisses me off and I tend to think that word of mouth is just as reliable as a news channel or at least more personal.

Those are just excuses in the end but regrardless, I'm glad things aren't the way I thought they were.

As for people 'looting' food, screw that. It's not looting if it's for survival.

[Killfile]

P.S Its Grammar not Grammer

P.P.S. It's "It's" not Its.



It's == It is
Its == Belonging to it