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MayB, I want the crazy Reverend Al Sharpeton to go down there, hold a
dead baby in front of the cameras (and there are too many of them to choose from) and say something scathing to the President about his policies and plans and actions. Nothing else, just the one sound byte, so that they must play it on t.v. I am disgusted.
Dekshak's blog says that the NYT reported that the President CUT spending on keeping the levees safe and strong down there, BY HALF.
He has called up 1/3 of the personnel from my city's airbase, Davis Monthan, to go to Iraq, but couldn't get them to New Orleans in one day. SHAME.
posted by
benzinha
on September 3, 2005 at 12:30 AM
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Military wife, I hope so. It was poor communications. He should have said that he was being constantly briefed and had thrown the full weight of resources to reach everyone in need and that initial priority would be given to the most serious casualties. It is saying the same thing as he said but also giving reassurance.
posted by
Azur
on September 2, 2005 at 10:05 PM
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Cumulative effect of mosquitos...yikes!!
Geez, you're making my skin crawl just thinking about it.
You ever think of writing.....
And, hey, maybe the water will do something about the leeches, termites, and fire ants too.
And Kudzu!!!
posted by
majroj
on September 2, 2005 at 9:20 PM
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Yes Ma'am, time is of the essence.
Harkening back to the call-up for Desert Storm my unit started calling people 36 hours before the reporting time. I weas reached eighteen hours before time. Of our approximately thirty-two person unit, only two missed the reporting time of noon the next day; one was an IMA cming to us from Delaware (!?) and another was in Hawai'i , made it the next day, and couldn't go because he had slammed his bare foot in a car door liaisoning with a wahini in a cane field somewhere.
The point was we were able to muster our folks pretty damn fast, issued their mobility gear in good order within three hours of starting that (one hour driving to and from, an hour getting paperwork done and stuff loaded, another hour offloading and checking bag contents). If we could have been picked up we could have been wheels up by the end of the muster day; as it was, we waited around six days for assignment on our base, spent a day getting told where we were going (or not going) to, then released.
Pre-situated equipment, food, water and operating supplies in pallets and a dedicated transport unit closer than 2000 miles away would have snapped us out of there like a rubberband.
posted by
majroj
on September 2, 2005 at 9:16 PM
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While they probably weren't the best words
it does appear that everyone is doing what they can to help the people there. Unfortunately time is of the essense right now.
posted by
Bel_
on September 2, 2005 at 8:55 PM
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majroj, I meant the cummulative affect of the mosquitos. Sorry that was not clear.
posted by
Azur
on September 2, 2005 at 8:20 PM
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tigerprincess, some of their police are allegedly resigning on the spot.
A New Orleans politician was on the radio this afternoon, and said that it was lack of funds. Money for natural disasters was siphoned away for counter-terrorism measures. Money to keep stream depth gauges and other monitors has been cut; data from sites monitored for over fifty years has been interrupted. Tax payers voted down a bond measure to fix the leves, property owners fight theiur property being covered with levee, and environmentalists fight them as artificial and wasteful of resources. She sounded "for-real"; tired, slightly exasperated and just plain edgy.
And now the huge expense of this (along with the Iraqi expedition) wiull be underwritten by (contemplated) further tax cuts.
posted by
majroj
on September 2, 2005 at 7:59 PM
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MayB...ever been forced to stay out in thick mosquitoes?
This could be worse than "irritating". It could be directly lethal to some individuals.
And crazy wouldn't even describe how I would be like that.
posted by
majroj
on September 2, 2005 at 7:54 PM
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While I agree that George Bush could have done more a lot sooner, I also wonder what is wrong with the local authorities. The local authorites have been virtually absent, and not helping their people.
posted by
tigerprincess
on September 2, 2005 at 7:29 PM
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You're right Majroj, it is those little discomforts which push people over the edge and there are no shortage of mosquito-linked diseases
posted by
Azur
on September 2, 2005 at 5:29 PM
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A scientist brought up one factor we all forget...skeeters.
Hard to be "patient" when, as the scientist said on NPR, they are stranded on roofs and levees being "eaten alive" by mosquitos. Some with West Nile. Hope no one around there has any other insect transferable diseases like yellow fever, etc.
Maybe the shots at helicopters are stray shots at the mosquitoes? Or they mistook the "choppers" for "skeeters".
posted by
majroj
on September 2, 2005 at 4:52 PM
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Ann, it is indeed. Societies are unraveling
posted by
Azur
on September 2, 2005 at 3:23 PM
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This is a very traumatic time even for those of us who are watching.
Ann.
posted by
A-and-B
on September 2, 2005 at 3:21 PM
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yep
I agree with you totally. I was struck by similar thoughts yesterday as the Press Guy (sorry, I have a temporary name block) for the White House was speaking. I can't imagine how horrible it is down there, and I know they're trying to help, but it all atill comes off sounding hollow somehow.
posted by
amberg914
on September 2, 2005 at 2:52 PM
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Hope
Our thoughts are with you from over here.
Jo
posted by
brisbane_artist
on September 2, 2005 at 2:42 PM
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Majroj, I acknowledge what you say. I think he should acknowledge that for some it is not a matter of patience but of fading hope. The urgency of reaching them should have been imparted
posted by
Azur
on September 2, 2005 at 12:47 PM
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MayB--
How much more patience does he think they have left anyway??
posted by
Julia.
on September 2, 2005 at 12:38 PM
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He has such a way with words...
What else can we expect from a spoiled, sheltered little rich boy, who still pretends to be a cowboy...this disaster wouldn't be turning into such a horrific event had Katrina hit Crawford.
posted by
LifeByLisa
on September 2, 2005 at 12:17 PM
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You said so much in a few words MayB...
...why the hell should they even want to be patient! How can they be patient? They have no idea when or if help is on its way.
posted by
ginnieb
on September 2, 2005 at 12:07 PM
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Top-down command and the overreach/be patient.
Top-down management with overeach by top command past their echelons to the area commanders can slow things, misdirect them, or speed them considerably. We will never know how frustrated GWB is over the deliberate response his forces can muster to this, but I hope they start now to employ the same level of command and control use in battlefields so we can get the right stuff to the right places right now, instead of waiting for for data to crawl up and down the chain of command.
And as for "be patient"...for many, that IS the correct thing to do. Save energy, quit running around and emoting for the cameramen, holster your arms, and quetly get to higher ground. Panic is propelling many many people on the ground (or water) to do desperate things, when what they really need to do is sit down, get their shit together, and get to safer territory. Not shoot at helicopters as a means of hailing a ride.
I'm open to our international bretheren (and sisteren) commenting. Good on ya!
posted by
majroj
on September 2, 2005 at 8:13 AM
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Fuck this Bitch President...
I hate Bush more than ever!
posted by
Marshallengraved
on September 2, 2005 at 8:06 AM
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MayB
Some people only have concept of "self" and can't see outside of the box....his box must be tall and deep
posted by
MiaElla
on September 2, 2005 at 7:56 AM
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That's the thing Joe_Love...
Things should have already been moving. Help should have been there way before police officers were drowing from trying to just patrol the streets and do their jobs....people are dying of dehydration....people having eaten in days....the streets in New Orleans are a war zone. They should have had military, FEMA, and Red Cross on the ground days ago like they did in other states, and like they did in other disasters. This exact scenario was predicted days before in New Orleans, the Governor talked about it. So, the Federal Gov't should have been ready. They weren't even close.
posted by
Temple
on September 2, 2005 at 6:16 AM
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I don't know WHAT to think about President Bush
I'd like to think he's perfectly capable and will get things moving down there. But, at the same time, you just look what's going on. . , on the streets down there, and you can't help but want to point fingers.
posted by
Joe_Love
on September 2, 2005 at 6:10 AM
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Uh, lemme just first say....
In response to comments....Australia? NOT going through at all what we are going through here. Totally different system of government and citizens have much more protection. Plus, last I heard, Katrina hit here in the states. You are not suffering at the moment, so find some compassion or at least some tact. Second, just because Iraq had Saddam doesn't mean we are supposed to be happy with the way that our so-called President is allowing people to die in the streets when help could have been there days ago. Are you angry, October, or do you just not like Americans? We help in every natural disaster in the world, always. In spite of our horrible other flaws, we don't deserve any hostility now. Our President is an incompetent, self-absorbed, mindless ass. This situation has gotten so far out of control it's insane.
posted by
Temple
on September 2, 2005 at 6:02 AM
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I shouldn't be so shocked and dismayed
at his inaction, but I am. Well said May.
posted by
Katray2
on September 2, 2005 at 5:42 AM
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Probably unkind but tragically true
posted by
Azur
on September 2, 2005 at 5:36 AM
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May, he meant 'Be a patient' - or is that too unkind.
posted by
_dave_says_ack_
on September 2, 2005 at 5:23 AM
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Some complicated political agenda is at stake. It will be an expensive winter for the entire country as prices increase.
Ben.
posted by
A-and-B
on September 2, 2005 at 4:15 AM
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I just can't believe whats happening over there. Its far too surreal.
posted by
Ca88andra
on September 2, 2005 at 3:25 AM
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It sounds as if George Bush is a complete dick. if George Bush had his way it would sound like this. "If your in labour, with your child. Give birth tomorrow not now." Let me just say one thing. Who the hell Voted Bush in the first place. I may not be American, but the Prime Minister of Australia, is basically a replica of George W Bush. Our country is suffering just like America. So don't think that you're the only people who go through this. Imagine if you were living in Iraq. Who would you prefer to have as a president. Saddham Hussain or George W Bush. Just think about what you have and Iraq do not have.
posted by
October--Angel
on September 2, 2005 at 2:44 AM
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