Mayor Ray Nagin ordered an immediate evacuation Sunday for all of New Orleans

[mrmitchell]

But the next time I hear someone say "people rise to the occasion" on TV, I'm going to fly to CNN headquarters and strangle them. Is there a contest for the most awful cliche you can say in the middle of a natural disaster?

In the next hurricane:
Wolf Blitzer LIVE from Wherever, FL - "This storm is REALLY DANG STRONG"
CNN hq girl - "It doesn't look like it on the video feed! You must be PULLING MY LEG ar har har har har"
Wolf - "No, it's bad! This is a SINK OR SWIM situation ROFFLE"
CNN hq - "You know they say SWIMMING IS THE BEST FORM OF EXERCISE" *falls out of chair, has concussion*

Had some steam...

[Wiglaf]

To give you some perspective, the 17th street levee breach probably flooded out and destroyed my parent's home. They wanted to sell it anyway so don't feel bad for them.

With electricity and cell phones down, it is impossible to get much info out of the city. I have heard schools are closed until Dec 1 perhaps and that city is "closed" until Oct 1.

If the army can't clog the levees then the city - as in, every home in it and nearby - will not be the same for months..

Sidenote; I know a Colonel who is barricaded in his house with firearms, spooking or firing at looters, god bless his soul. He even has a samurai sword in case his guns jam, to give you an idea of the situation on the ground.

One thing that impresses me is how many people, who are safe from the storm, are concerned about Mississippi and Louisiana. It is not easy to be concerned about things that do not affect you.

[Edan]

Children's Hospital under seige
Tuesday, 11:45 p.m.

Late Tuesday, Gov. Blanco spokeswoman Denise Bottcher described a disturbing scene unfolding in uptown New Orleans, where looters were trying to break into Children's Hospital.

Bottcher said the director of the hospital fears for the safety of the staff and the 100 kids inside the hospital. The director said the hospital is locked, but that the looters were trying to break in and had gathered outside the facility.

The director has sought help from the police, but, due to rising flood waters, police have not been able to respond.

Bottcher said Blanco has been told of the situation and has informed the National Guard. However, Bottcher said, the National Guard has also been unable to respond.

http://www.nola.com/newslogs/breakingtp/index.ssf?/mtlogs/nola_Times-Picayune/archives/2005_08.html#075292

[DRoseDARs]

Originally posted by Wiglaf
To give you some perspective, the 17th street levee breach probably flooded out and destroyed my parent's home. They wanted to sell it anyway so don't feel bad for them.

Kinda a harsh way of looking at it. t

With electricity and cell phones down, it is impossible to get much info out of the city. I have heard schools are closed until Dec 1 perhaps and that city is "closed" until Oct 1.

If the army can't clog the levees then the city - as in, every home in it and nearby - will not be the same for months..

More like years with the extent of damage re:chemical pollution.

Sidenote; I know a Colonel who is barricaded in his house with firearms, spooking or firing at looters, god bless his soul. He even has a samurai sword in case his guns jam, to give you an idea of the situation on the ground.

What, does his sword double as a floatation device? Why is he bothering to remain, or does he not live that close to the worse off parts?

One thing that impresses me is how many people, who are safe from the storm, are concerned about Mississippi and Louisiana. It is not easy to be concerned about things that do not affect you.

Yes, because concern for the suffering of our fellow Human beings is such a difficult thing to muster up...

You are such an ass.

[Drake Tungsten]

You are such an ass.

That was really uncalled for.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by DRoseDARs
You are such an ass.

Yeah, but the important question is, is he a top or bottom?

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by mrmitchell
This disaster happened in the USA, where government and private charities can afford to give help...

True, but the question Americans should be asking is why did the levees fail and why wasn't New Orleans better prepared for flooding? Is it really fault of the U.S. Army Engineers as you suggest?

[lightblue]

Most of these kind of things are known to have a chance to be broken, I guess most of these levees were built awhile ago and they haven't been broken for decades. A relatively freak storm with very high water surges might be something they were not built to deal with.

[The Mad Monk]

Louisiana should have taken better care of its golden goose.

[Kull]

As always, TV barely hints at the magnitude of what you are seeing. By chance, my first visit to both New Orleans and Biloxi occurred a few months ago, and I spent a few nights at a hotel attached to one of those casino barges. That thing was so huge I actually laughed in disbelief when told it was floating. Seeing the TV images of those things tossed around like toys.....it is literally....and I do mean literally, unbelievable.

Our team had dinner at a locally famous restaurant near Biloxi's Hard Rock Casino, and just before the meal the owner came in and gave us a semi-charming little spiel about how he and his mom had hunkered down in one of the upstairs rooms to ride out Camille - even pointing to a line on the wall indicating the high water mark of the surge. This evening I was watching a news report, and the camera was set up right near the Hard Rock and panned several times to show the surrounding area, and it was almost nothing but empty slab.....and I just have a godawful feeling that our dinner host decided to ride out this baby just like he did the last "big'un".

A few prayers for the folks down there wouldn't be amiss.

[Dis]

Originally posted by Koyaanisqatsi

The difference is, you'll be coerced to leave now, and if you don't, the coast guard won't be dropping by anytime soon to give you a ride.

unfortunately that isn't true. The coast guard rescues stupid people all the time.

[Dis]

Originally posted by mrmitchell
But the next time I hear someone say "people rise to the occasion" on TV, I'm going to fly to CNN headquarters and strangle them. Is there a contest for the most awful cliche you can say in the middle of a natural disaster?

In the next hurricane:
Wolf Blitzer LIVE from Wherever, FL - "This storm is REALLY DANG STRONG"
CNN hq girl - "It doesn't look like it on the video feed! You must be PULLING MY LEG ar har har har har"
Wolf - "No, it's bad! This is a SINK OR SWIM situation ROFFLE"
CNN hq - "You know they say SWIMMING IS THE BEST FORM OF EXERCISE" *falls out of chair, has concussion*

Had some steam...

I hate it when the local people think they're the greatest because they help each other out. New Yorkers thought they were the best people after 9/11. I heard Londerners say the same thing after the bombings last month.

[Dis]

Originally posted by mrmitchell
I try to always be optimistic...

Things can't get worse...

The evacuation saved hundreds of thousands of lives...

This disaster happened in the USA, where government and private charities can afford to give help...

The Army Corps of Engineers is constantly trying to figure out "wtf are we going to do"

The Big Easy is just too big. It has incredible culture and history, huge economic significance, a million real live people...I'd say it's ****ed but it's not that bad, we will recover it, it is too necessary.

that's what I like to hear.

Another plus. Greta Van Sustrin has stopped covering the annoying Natalie Hollaway missing girl case in Aruba.

[Dis]

One more question. Where are you guys getting your information.

You guys seem to be getting better info than me. I've been watching Fox news. And they are the ones that said New Orleans was spared yesterday. Damn Fox News. . My fault for believing them.

MSNBC actually seems to have the best coverage right now. Or do they? And what internet sources are you guys using?

[DRoseDARs]

And that is why getting your news from Teh Internets pwns getting it from cable. The information passes quickly, is updated sooner, but you do have to take it all with a grain of salt: Verification of info takes a little more time.