New Orleans: What an embarassment

[Phoenix1010]

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resize that pic it ruins the thread size

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Right click the image and click "Block image blah blah."

[Blarg]

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The only thing I can think of more disturbing then the federal response in New Orleans, is what it says overall about our 'readiness' to handle a major catistrophic event.

Just image if some idiot really did get ahold of a breifcase nuke or dirty bomb, like they have been trying to scare us about so much in the past years. Imagine they blew up a major city. Does what we have seen in NO mean that it would take 5 days to see trucks rolling in with supplies?

Sick and disgusting.

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Way longer than that. A major earthquake in L.A. could easily ruin the multiple overpasses on all our freeways, and they would take months to clean up and perhaps years to rebuild. It's got the biggest port in the nation and one of the busiest airports, nearby nuclear power plants, and far more population. N.O. could look like nothing compared to a disaster in L.A.

People couldn't even get to hospitals, and there would be too many to treat if they did. Cops, of which there are very few already, would disappear, just like they did in the L.A. riots. There are hundreds of thousands of gang members in L.A. and millions of poor. It would be utter chaos.

The truth is, there is no way to really be prepared for disaster. Things like power, clean water, sewage, and transportation are too complex and delicate to survive much stress. A tree falling on a power line in Oregon a few years ago plunged California into darkness. This is the level of our technology, and of our protection from being without it.

Our society is built on the basis of sustainability only in "good times." It's uncomfortable to think so, but it's really quite precarious.

[Broken Glass Can]

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Does what we have seen in NO mean that it would take 5 days to see trucks rolling in with supplies?


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The big levee break occurred on August 30th. Today is September 2nd. IT has only been THREE DAYS since the major flooding began.

If there hadn't been major flooding, these people would not have required all this help - they were prepared to wait out the storm, but not prepared for a flood.

It has only been 3 days. Lets be a little bit objective here.

[Supersetoy]

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The U.S. is a big country and some parts of the U.S. don't really give that much of a crap about what happens in other parts of the U.S.

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Exactly my thoughts. When the "big one" (earthquake) hits here (in Seattle) I don't expect any help from anyone else. I've got my insurance, I've got my papers locked up, and I've got enough wits about me to (hopefully) survive.

[censored] happens to everyone. How well prepared they are for it is completely up to them. (And yes, even those well below the poverty line). If life was "so tough" for them before, they should have MOVED/got an education/lived in the mountains of Colorado.

"Woe is me" Americans make me sick. That wasn't what this country was built on.

[MoreWineII]

Oh, what a relief. ONLY three days.

I'm not going to get into a Bush bash, but the reaction of our federal gov't to this disaster has been absolutely pathetic.

If this surprises you though, you haven't been paying attention.

[cadillac1234]

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Does what we have seen in NO mean that it would take 5 days to see trucks rolling in with supplies?


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The big levee break occurred on August 30th. Today is September 2nd. IT has only been THREE DAYS since the major flooding began.

If there hadn't been major flooding, these people would not have required all this help - they were prepared to wait out the storm, but not prepared for a flood.

It has only been 3 days. Lets be a little bit objective here.

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That's actually 4 days... Early Am Aug 30, Aug 31st, Sept 1, AM Sept 2

[ChipWrecked]

Looks to me like Americans are looking pretty bad compared to how Indonesia et al handled the tsunami.

I know there was looting, but I don't believe it turned all Road Warrior/Lord of the Flies as NO has.

[billyjex]

Indonesia doesn't have black people.

[Mat Sklansky]

These posts are really pissing me off. You want to make prejudicial statements about whole groups of human beings? Back it up [censored].

[newfant]

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"Woe is me" Americans make me sick. That wasn't what this country was built on.

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Good point. America was built on the backs of slaves on land taken from the Indians. Our country has certainly changed a lot since the good 'ol days.