Katrina info thread II

[Locutus]

Dutch PM Balkenende decided to not to await a formal request for help from the US government and sent in the Dutch navy to assist in the relief efforts. Of course, it'll take them several days to get to the scene, but this is the first good thing he did in his entire time as prime-minister

[aneeshm]

Is the city still submerged ?

[lightblue]

Yes, and it will be for upto 3-4 months supposedly. The water can't flow out so it will have to be pumped out and the pumping system doesn't work when there's no power.

Then they'll have to clear all the mud, debris, bodies, chemicals, oil etc and only then will it be feasable to start tearing buildings down and rebuilding the city.

[Chemical Ollie]

Swedish newspapers are now saying the death toll is likely to exceed 10 000, and quoting Senator David Vitter as the source.

[CapTVK]

The Corner offers a stream of insights in the current NO events. While everyone not involved in the rescue efforts is playing the blamegame there's a lot happening in the background.


The insight below is quite informative, I've highlighted a few parts.

MORE NO BACKGROUND [Rich Lowry ]

I asked my Louisiana professor guy who wrote in yesterday two questions: 1) why seemingly so little preparation in NO?; 2) what to make of the mayor down there? Here's what he wrote back:

1) I think no one in the area ever thought that a storm of this magnitude would ever really strike New Orleans. A friend of mine at Tulane usually rode these storms out by opening his front door and sipping bourbon while watching the waves of rain pass. Fortunately he did not stay this time. The problem with planning is the same as the problem with flood control that I wrote to you about yesterday. There are simply too many competing agencies asking for the same dollars and jealously guarding their political turf. More importantly, no one anticipated the complete social breakdown that has occurred among those who refused or were unable to evacuate. The breakdown appears to be the culmination of decades of weak, at best, law enforcement with Orleans Parish that looked the other way at a lot of the crime that occurred in areas like the Ninth Ward, because the officers themselves were scared to go into many of the housing projects. Also, until within the last ten years the state police were not allowed by the city government to operate within the parish (the city's boundary is contiguous with the parish boundary). Some of this goes back to when Huey Long amended the state constitution to take control of the city from the elected city government; most, unfortunately, is the result of much more recent corruption (witness the recent indictments of many close aides, including family members, of the administration of former mayor Marc Morial). There were rumors flooding the state yesterday (Thursday) that the unrest and looting had spread to Baton Rouge and Lafayette, where many of the refugees who fled prior to the storm were located. I even received a forwarded email written by a Rapides Parish Sheriff's deputy (the parish I live in) that warned about the flood of refugees heading our way from the Ninth Ward and to be prepared for anything. The rumors were false, and the Sheriff has said to disregard the email; it was unofficial and the sender will be dealt with when the Sheriff returns (he spent the day in New Orleans observing the deputies he sent to aid in rescue efforts. *

2) People outside of New Orleans had high hopes when Nagin was elected. He was not a part of the competing political machines in the city. His background was as an executive in a cable company. He has done a good job at ferreting out corruption and trying to change the system, but he had not been able to really change the culture of the police force. When he took office the New Orleans Police Department had only just quit accepting convicted felons as officers. Unfortunately, he appears to have been overwhelmed by the force of events and the complete loss of the city's infrastructure. After 9/11 New York City, outside of Lower Manhattan, still had all of the basic city services; New Orleans as of Monday afternoon essentially had none, and neither he nor the governor exhibit the leadership needed. I was never a fan of the former governor Mike Foster, never voted for him, but I want him back. He would have taken his own boat to New Orleans and personally arrested the looters on Monday, shooting those that ignored him. That may sound callous, but it is what is needed. Governor Blanco this morning finally realized that, declaring war on the looters. That should have been done Monday afternoon.

Sorry this is so long, but in Louisiana there are no quick easy answers, due to the nature of politics here. I hope this was helpful.

*And get that Sheriff a medal was once this is all over!

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
sorry, I've been away - any new of regular posters like Chegitz and John T? I hope they're okay. I saw Chegitz posting but not John???

We're good, thanks for asking. JohnT lives in Knoxville, TN, well away from the storm.

[Gangerolf]

Cuba offers to send 1100 doctors and 26 tonnes of medicines

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=2376190&PageNum=0

[chequita guevara]

Good, but I can't imagine we'll accept.

[Colonâ„¢]

Nobody else from poly living in one of the struck areas?

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
sorry, I've been away - any new of regular posters like Chegitz and John T? I hope they're okay. I saw Chegitz posting but not John???

There's also DinoDoc. IIUC, he was displaced by the hurricane, but he posted and is ok.

[Bereta_Eder]

Originally posted by Spiffor

There's also DinoDoc. IIUC, he was displaced by the hurricane, but he posted and is ok.

No! Monneypenny!

[Sprayber]

Originally posted by Colon
Nobody else from poly living in one of the struck areas?

I live in Arkansas and the only flooding we have is people coming in. This is likely to change the state significally. There are many people already stating that they aren't going back even when things get better.


Anyone see the black leaders get pissed when the word refugee was used? Is that an offensive term. Should we use something else. Couple of nights ago a reporter got all upset about the word to.

[chequita guevara]

I imagine pretty soon we will have a new synonym for Okie.

What the hell, they are refugees!

[SpencerH]

Originally posted by Sprayber

Anyone see the black leaders get pissed when the word refugee was used? Is that an offensive term. Should we use something else. Couple of nights ago a reporter got all upset about the word to.

Self censored

[Ming]

Again... let's stick to the news and stay away from opinions and discussion... there are MANY other threads for that.