Hurricane Katrina

[ZephyrZodiac]

I'm sure a lot of people would like to build more resilient homes, but not everyone has the money!  Why else do you think people living in earthquake zones keep returning to the towns and villages that were devastated?  The only money they have is probably tied up in the land, which they can't sell, so their only options are either to live as refugees in a shanty town or go back and try to get on with their lives while they can.

And for people who live in safer areas of the world - it's not really their place to criticize, in many cases it's fate that placed them where exactly they are!

[breyerii]

And for people who live in safer areas of the world - it's not really their place to criticize, in many cases it's fate that placed them where exactly they are!

I concur.

Sure, the locals had been warned to leave the area in advance, but... not everyone has the means to afford to leave home for weeks. Someone just had to stay at home and cross their fingers.

[ZephyrZodiac]

Exactly,  and elderly people in particular often can neither afford to leave nor are they even capable of doing so without help.

[Trubble]

I second all the well wishes. My heart goes out to everyone touched by this event.

[vecki]

Living in Australia, where we seem to alternate between years of drought and sudden floods washing away whole towns, with the occasional massive bushfire thrown in around Sydney almost every Christmas (I REFUSE TO SUCCUMB TO THE 'WILDFIRE' WORD THAT THEY'RE (THE SUITS AT THE METRO FIRE SERVICE)[/i] TRYING TO PUSH ON US), has made me rather grateful I live where I do, in Adelaide.  We're not as extreme as the rest of Aus, it sometimes seems.

So glad you're safe, reggikko.

You guys have no idea though, with my real name being Katrina, how weird it is to constantly see headlines telling me how much damage I've done.

[Trubble]

Sorry to derail the topic a little... but you're not supposed to say bushfire anymore? Is that because of it's double meaning?

[vecki]

They've been pushing for 'wildfire' because it 'properly conveys the out of control behaviour of fire', rather than the 'romantic images' one conjures up with bushfire.

It's had a pretty negative reaction, generally perceived as being an attempt to force an American word on the true-blue Aussie Strine lingo.

EDIT: The double meaning probably doesn't rate much over here given we don't really attach the 'other' meaning to the word bush.

[Trubble]

Thanks for the explanation

Re-reailing the thread now...

[reggikko]

I'm glad you save thought about you for the last few days, when you see the devastation on TV you wonder how anyone can escape that, but the human spirit is really resilient,  I know they will rebuild that city again and make it stronger.

I don't call that "spirit", I call that "stupidity". I mean, look at Florida. This shit happens EVERY FRIKKEN YEAR. The entire state is razed to the ground practically on a yearly basis, but they never learn and always build the same crappy buildings and wonder why they all sink into the sea every year. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Then again, how much do you expect from people who have problems operating a voting machine, anyway?

These people live in willful denial of the obvious fact that anything that happens once happens ALL the time, and you should plan accordingly. Remember: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Reggikko may have lucked out this time, but that doesn't mean she should get complacent. Start installing that pressure dome right now.

Well, it's certainly better than living in a freaking HOLE in Montana.

BTW, Pescado, you can kiss my fat New Orleanian Ass.  BASTARD.

[Zeljka]

I've been watching this with complete horror. I can't even imagine what it would be to live it when it's so heartbreaking just to see it on CNN.

There is very little I could say that hasn't been said (besides thank God I grew up in a place where we seem immune to such disasters, if any, it would be the city falling into the mine holes underneath it)

My heart goes out to you, I hope this gets under control soon and that you find everyone safe and sound.

Please keep safe Regg, we're all thinking of you.

[Sandilou]

Hi Reggikko - it's good to know you're safe.  Re: JM's comments, I would like to think that what he was trying to say was "thank goodness you are okay, just make sure you stay that way by building yourself a stronger home - or move to a safer area."  (That's how I read Montana-speak anyway). 

My blessed mother is from the Caribbean and grew up beside the sea.  When she was a girl their home was half a mile from the coastline.  Some 30 years later, after repeated hurricane damage, the coastline has moved up to less than 20 metres.  (Basically across the road and walk 7 strides, then your feet will be  in the ocean).  Having lived through hurricanes, (big and small) while still a school girl, she swears that she would never live by the sea and cannot believe the naivety of hoteliers that build right on the beach front. 

The house my mother grew up in was built by her father, and survived over 70 years of hurricanes before finally caving in.  It wasn't a dome, but it did have really strong foundations.

[lindaetterlee]

Reggiko how is it in shreveport? I am in Alexandria. Normal resident but you can go anywhere in the city and tell we have quite a few extra people.  Have you thought about any longer term plans, with then reporting that that will be months until residents can even come back to clean up.

[Kitiara]

I'm glad you save thought about you for the last few days, when you see the devastation on TV you wonder how anyone can escape that, but the human spirit is really resilient,  I know they will rebuild that city again and make it stronger.

I don't call that "spirit", I call that "stupidity". I mean, look at Florida. This shit happens EVERY FRIKKEN YEAR. The entire state is razed to the ground practically on a yearly basis, but they never learn and always build the same crappy buildings and wonder why they all sink into the sea every year. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Then again, how much do you expect from people who have problems operating a voting machine, anyway?

These people live in willful denial of the obvious fact that anything that happens once happens ALL the time, and you should plan accordingly. Remember: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Reggikko may have lucked out this time, but that doesn't mean she should get complacent. Start installing that pressure dome right now.

Well, it's certainly better than living in a freaking HOLE in Montana.

BTW, Pescado, you can kiss my fat New Orleanian Ass. BASTARD.

    Chalk one up for Reggikko.

Anyway. We are all glad to hear from you and know that you are safe. I would theorize that Pescado is just the gruff kind of person that insults people he likes. But I won't say that, because I could be wrong, and then he might kick me and rip my lips off, again.

[Zeljka]

Hi Reggikko - it's good to know you're safe. Re: JM's comments, I would like to think that what he was trying to say was "thank goodness you are okay, just make sure you stay that way by building yourself a stronger home - or move to a safer area." (That's how I read Montana-speak anyway).

While I don't expect to see him agree here, I like your interpretation and think it's probably fairly accurate.

[SJActress]

It's kind of pointless to have a historical society when nothing in the area can be more than 2 years old because it gets destroyed every other year.

Well, yeah, every city in America is like that (I live in Houston, so every building's life capacity is measured in minutes), except New Orleans (well, a great deal of it anyway).

Regg, I think Nolas is the best city on the planet!  I know you guys will recover, and when you do, I'm gonna fly my happy ass over, get a room at Monteleone, and sit at the Chart Room to people watch!

You're in my thoughts, Creoles...


Woohoo, post #100 for me!

[Myth]

Reggikko I am really glad to hear that you made it to safety. I could not fathom living through this scenario.   My thoughts are with you and your family.  I had a close friend that barely made it out and still does not know what has happened to family members that she was separated from.  My friends and I have her heading here for shelter. 

Morgan Freeman was talking about some relief effort he was setting up and said that you shouldn't sit and try to think of ways to help you should just stand up and do it.  I was sitting here watching the news crying and thought that that was exactly what I was doing, wanting to help but not really doing anything.  So I called one of my company owners (we have a distribution dept.) and asked that if I could raised finiacial aid, get water and get any other necessities donated would she donate a truck to take it down.  She's donating as many tractor trailers trucks as I can fill.  We currently have a fleet of 8.  She also promised to help me call radio stations and local wholesale businesses to solicit donations.  Also I am the artist for the Naval Aviation Monument here, so I called the Admiral and asked if he can get the local bases to donate any RMEs and maybe get in touch with someone at the national guard that can help my drivers distribute these items without causing riots.  He pledged his support and the support of the committee which includes retired master chiefs, other admirals and many high ranking retired Naval officers.

I hope that this blossoms into something huge and I can fill all those trucks and get them down there in time to help.  I just wanted to let you know that people do care and are truly heart broken over what has happened.  I really hope that something that I do here will benefit you and your family.

If you want to contact me personally, please send me a message through this forum or my GB on the BBS (themythchick1969) and I will respond to your email address or give you mine.

Sincerely,
Crista

[Kitiara]

Themythchick - Bravo!

That's all I can say.
Whether your efforts turn into a huge endeavor, or a small piece of a larger picture, feel proud of your efforts! I am one of those sitting on the sidelines feeling horrrified and helpless to do anything. I commend you.

[Marvin Kosh]

This is reality, this is not a movie or a tv drama , this nightmare is real for the people of New Orleans, not to mention what losses were in incurred in Mississippi and Alabama. If anyone can find fodder for amusement in that... Well all I can say is God help you.

If there's one thing I have learned it is that you should never lose your sense of humour, no matter what is happening.  Otherwise, you are paralysed by all the suffering that happens in the world on a daily basis, whether it's on the news or not, whether it's in your own neighbourhood or in another country.

As I probably should have pointed out, when the proper amount of energy and money is invested in making buildings (or entire cities for that matter) resistant to the elements, it pays dividends.  Certainly I'm not making fun of the people who are, even now, fighting for survival without enough food and water to go around.  Rather, I'm saying that when we get complacent and aren't expecting (or are prepared for) a disaster to strike, Sod's law says it will.

[witch]

Otherwise, you are paralysed by all the suffering that happens in the world on a daily basis, whether it's on the news or not, whether it's in your own neighbourhood or in another country.

I often do feel paralysed by the suffering in the world. Sometimes I become quite insular and don't read the news, too much news, too fast, mostly bad. When I was following the hurricane Katrina I read about the stampede in Iraq, poor bastards, like they haven't enough to deal with. The dead are mostly women, children and elderly. I've never learned to be hard about others' suffering. I can use black humour, but still feel for the tragedy.

[striker]

I'm glad your ok Reg and I hope things are back to normal for you as soon as they can be.

What's happening in the gulf coast is tragic.  The major problem was the levies breaking.  Everyone knew that they could go but all thought that something that bad could never happen to them.  Because they broke, it will be years before New Orleans is back to the way it was.  More than half of the buildings in NO will have to be torn down because of the damage and flooding.

In time's like these, you get the best of people and the worst of people.  The problem is, the worst of people is more newsworthy.  Right now, you aren't hearing about all of the hoards of individuals that are desending on the area trying to help any way they can.  What you read and see on TV are the stories about the looters, the anarchy, and all the bad things that are going on. 

Yes, everyone was caught unprepared, city, state and federal leaders.  Assigning blame at this point is useless.  What happened, happened.  The focus now needs to be the welfare of the people in the area and getting help to them as soon as possible.

[Oddysey]

Indeed. I've stopped watching the news. My dad watches CNN every night, when he gets home from work (Why? I don't know. He already gets enough of it while he's on the job, as he's a retired Coastie who now works as a civilian for the part of the Coast Guard that does water-borne pollution cleanup for Superfund, so he's been spending the last couple of days co-ordinating with FEMA and getting disaster relief and cleanup teams into New Orleans.) and I just head upstairs and turn on some music. I read the paper cover to cover, but TV coverage is not good for my depression. I get very nihilistic when massive environmentally-related disasters hit and all the news and politician people start screeching for more of the same.

Papers and reports from my dad and his friends are good, though, and I can't really avoid them. Once a Coast Guard brat, always a Coast Guard brat. I'm very glad you got out, Reggikko, and glad that everyone else who has gotten out has done so. There are sharks in the water! Not many, but a few, washed in from the Gulf. (I don't think the press knows about it, but if anyone sees anything about it on the news, it's not just reporters exagerating.) And toxic chemicals, and oil, because things like drycleaning products and gas tanks are all above ground in New Orleans, and thus just get sort of washed away. And toxic household chemicals, too. I think I'll stop now.

It's a nasty situation down there, but I'd be very much surprised if New Orleans actually rolled over and died. Badly wounded? Yes. Dead? Far from it. Those people are insane. (In a good way, of course.)

[ZephyrZodiac]

If there's one thing I have learned it is that you should never lose your sense of humour, no matter what is happening.

I agree you need to keep your sense of humour, but you should not exercise it in joking about tragic situations!  Joke about anything else, but not that, it causes even more distress to those who are victims of that situation!

[veilchen]

While I have a few minutes (a rare occurence lately), I'll post about what we are doing on my end. My University is gearing up to receive students from the Gulf Coast that have lost their Unversities and Colleges so that they can at least have a place to continue their studies and have a place to stay - in short trying to normalize a horrible situation. We (the counseling department) are getting ready to take them under our wings, the problems these students have will unfortunately make the trip with them. We are worried about Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome and Survivor's Guilt, which usually kicks in when a hellish situation stabilizes.

I have been in touch with Reg; she is physically fine, as is her immediate family, but she has a deep love for New Orleans and is devastated by the ever increasing disastrous news. New Orleans is not only a place to live, but rich with history, deep community ties, and a source of pride for many. It is her home, her love, and her history; to suggest abandonment is tantamount to loosing past, present, and future.

Reg's worry is for the many that have lost absolutely everything, and her suggestion to give what you can to the Red Cross should be passed on. Just beware of the scum of the earth scam artists that seem to be crawling out of the woodwork to enrich themselves on human misery. Personally, I am getting ready for a yard sale this weekend. All the proceeds will go directly to the Red Cross; at least all the stuff accumulated over time will be put to good use.

[ZephyrZodiac]

Criminally fraudulent profiteering from situations like this should carry double the normal penalty, I think!

[veilchen]

I agree completely ZZ, especially when one considers that the beneficiaries of the genuine aid are human beings that have lost absolutely everything but their life. The more helpless such as babies, children, the people with disabillities and the elderly are particularly in dire straits, and every penny scammed or stolen means more hardship for that part of the stricken population.