Thanks a Heap, Uncle Sam

Currently on CNN.com:



I'm sure Air Force One flying overhead will make things so much better.

-- jj

if it makes you feel any better...

while waiting for the bus, i flicked off his motorcade as it passed by. one of the few perks of living in DC.

So, you would rather have the president and fema officials watch tv to survey the damage? There are many things in our government to bitch about but thats hardly one of em.

From the same CNN article:

This does make me feel better, thanks!

Dammit, Talen, quite making sense; I'm on a roll, here.

You're right, though...it may well be that the President can start cutting through some major logistical issues the way only a chief executive can, if he gets a little closer to the emergency.

Sorry for popping off...

-- jj

No...I understand what your saying...but times like these no one knows what to do...and everyone wants to go after the big guys....hell the Mayor of New Orleans is freaking out ( understandably ) and its hard even getting people in to help....everyone keeps saying we should've been prepared but how does one really prepare for a disaster? And even if there were preperations its human nature to freak out so there would still be a mess.

Supposedly by today the national guard will be there and there have been hundreds of busses already taking people out but now the astrodome isn't taking any more people....its gonna be a bad week and we haven't seen the worst of it yet.

We can measure the width of a bug's ass from space. I hardly think Bush will learn anything of value flying over a disaster area.

Meanwhile, I have no gas at my pumps and Bush is going to fill up AF1 for a road trip.

Yea, I'll bitch about it.

I know nothing about politics in that area - never been there in my life. But, if you look at how this is compared to last year's hurricanes, Andrews, even 9-11 - BIG difference in the way people are reacting. BIG difference in leadership. Maybe we should be looking at the mayors and governors too. The President and FEMA have an entire country to look after - for the most part it's up to our local governments to be #1 in charge. That's why we elect them. If they had a strong leader like Guliani (I know I spelled that wrong sorry!) perhaps things would be different. No one has mobilized to take control. People thousands of miles away are not in the best position to take charge of this. I dont' think it's unfair for Washington to expect local leaders to play at least as large a role as federal forces in taking responsibility and control. Sure, in terms of numbers that is impossible, but action is something anyone can take.

Not meant to be mean. My heart goes out to all affected by this - victim, aide, government and whoever else. But at this point complaining and yelling is not helping anything.

I just hope that people take these evacuation orders more seriously from now on. Seriously, it may be all you have but material things are just not worth this.

hard to evacuate when you have no car, and no disposable income to pay to get out of the city. just a thought.

and i totally agree with you about the local officials. it's amazing to me that new orleans did not have a plan in place for this type of event. i'm sure they had some general procedures they knew they would follow. but they had days to prepare even more for this. and had knowledge that there were still a good number of people in their homes. they should've been ready for the worst-case scenario.

Again - I have never been in a mass evacuation scenario but don't they have public transportation for these things and free shelters? Where my friend is in FL they bus people out for free. What I'm hearing on the news is many people decided not to leave - yes because they are poor - but because they were afraid to lose the homes and possessions. I can understand how scary that would be but compared to this it's got to be preferred.

I'm probably not the best judge tho - things, while I really enjoy them - don't mean much to me. But I have insurance and would have fun shopping for replacements. That may be the entire key right there.

What exactly do you expect the government to do? Do you want them to spend millions and provide meals for people? Do you want them to rebuild New Orleans? They're not omnipotent, and they never claimed to be.

I doubt many people would like extra taxes to rebuild a city.

You should learn about airforce one...it has its own fuel supplies and in case of emergency will fly non stop keeping the president in the air and refueled in the air.

Pictures are great....seeing it first hand is whats needed and what was the right thing to do....whether he flew or not you would still have the same situation at your pumps no mateer if Clinton was still in office.

The bus and train services out of the city were stopped on Saturday. Evacuation notice was made on Sunday. Basically the people were told to get out of New Orleans, but not provided with a method to accomplish that.

Well that is just the stupidest thing I ever heard! Seems the officials there are the ones responsible for that though.... Not that pointing fingers helps anything now.

Really heartbreaking to watch the policemen and National Guard and emergency workers and reporters cry as they try to help the people, especially the little ones who were sent to safety while their parents remained awaiting more help, and possibly have died waiting. The old woman in the wheelchair pushed against the wall to the side because she died waiting for help...and next to her an old man wrapped in a sheet who also died. It's just so sad, the images they show, and hopefully those images will result in massive amounts of help as more Americans and world citizens realize the seriousness of the hurricane damage in the Gulf coast area. It's been a bad year as far as disasters go, especially those in the US--hurricanes, flooding, mudslides, blizzards, tornadoes, wildfires, etc. It's like a whole year of "The Day After Tomorrow", but of course, the tsunami topped them all and those pictures were heartbreaking too. I've sent all the money I can and still wish I could just go there and DO SOMETHING. I'm helping host an event where I live to raise money for the homeless there, which gives me some sense of usefulness, but still...

prayers for all those in Second Life who find that this place is their only escape from their sorrow in real life, and for those who don't have either

And prayers that those who are from and/or know people there find relief from their sorrow in being useful helping those who survived.

(edited)

remind me not to share a foxhole with you.

Stream,

Congratulations. This posting is the most wise, empathetic, compassionate, intellectually stimulating and all-round wonderful statement I have seen since I have been in second life.

If you had been watching the television coverage perhaps you might not have made such a uniquely penetrating and supremely clever posting. And then we would all have missed out.

i can't believe someone actually thinks this way. you're right, they could've walked. if they had started walking on friday, they still wouldn't have made it out of the way of the hurricane. i try not to get involved in silly flame wars, but you sir, are an (edited).

They sure have spent BILLIONS on a war that should have NEVER taken place. Just so the neo cons can get richer.

Well think about it...look at Bush supporters. They are all a bunch of ignorant ppl who are out of touch with reality. They live sheltered lives. Out of sight out of mind. Shame on Stream for saying that about the poor ppl. Isn't it just sad that we are surrounded by such ignorant, heartless ppl.

Usually, I respond with humor. But this was truly the most disgusting thing I have ever read here.

Looking from Europe, for me it almost seems like a joke what the US government is doing.
How come food and water supplies were not started being delivered to refugees (like astrodome ppl) on the FIRST or SECOND day???

Does one of the largest nations in the world not have enough money? Soldiers? Planes? Buses? Boats? to save their own ppl?

And now it's around 3-4 days, people are starving, etc. Even I AM ashamed in place of the US Gov even though I'm not even a citizen, just a European...

as for the soldiers, a good amount of the national guard is in iraq. the national guard is supposed to be a part-time army that serves under the state officials. these are who would normally be there immediately in these disaster situations. but, with many of them over in iraq, they have limited resources to help with disaster relief.

more can be found here:
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N30539163.htm