MERGED ==> Ugh! Hurricanes! + A True Hero

[jay canseco]

I suppose it's possible that Ritz Carlton flew them out? Sorry that I missed part of that report.

 

[Pearl]

I'd like to know why Doctors Without Borders isn't in New Orleans, or anywhere in the south. The conditions and needs there are no different from that of a third world country, and whenever there's a crisis in places like that, DWB is there in an instant. How come they haven't come to the US? Is it because they can't believe this is happening to the world's richest country?
Well, its not an excuse. Its website hasn't mentioned the hurricane at all. I'm disappointed, especially since I usually donate to DWB.

 

[enggirl]

I heard the report about the people at the Ritz--she said that 18 buses turned up, instead of the 8 she was told would turn up...and that they had armed guards.
Um, watching the concert/telethon. Don't know who the guy was with Mike Myers, but he was PISSED! He sort of went off on a tangent about how black people were being treated in NO, being shot at, etc....and then Mike read his bit from the teleprompters...and then the guy said "George Bush doesn't care about black people." Um, they cut away instantly to Chris Tucker backstage near a fridge or something. Does anyone know who that was?

 

[Teta040]

PPS. Fats Domino was in the Superdome?!?! I sure hope they got him the heck out. To add to the list of scandals....didn[t he have a way to leave?!?!? Maybe he stayed behind for the artistic inspiration. I doubt that. But if any artist didm, I think they got enough to produce another The Scream.

And DAve C.. that Mogadishu comment...I think you said much more than you think there, my friend. All today how it;s been on my mind how those people trapped in the Superdome etc, are thinking, "Africa, again, here. It never changes..."

About BWB...maybe it's a little of both. Bit somany other countries have pledged aid....just now hearning about the hospital ships on the way. Funny, we can get them to other coutries faster, they should have been on route by Wed night. Better, they should have been routed to NO on Saturday, just in case....

 

[jay canseco]

Fats Domino may have refused preferential treatment. He will be interesting to listen to after the recovery gets underway.

 

[kellyahern]

I heard the report about the people at the Ritz--she said that 18 buses turned up, instead of the 8 she was told would turn up...and that they had armed guards.
Um, watching the concert/telethon. Don't know who the guy was with Mike Myers, but he was PISSED! He sort of went off on a tangent about how black people were being treated in NO, being shot at, etc....and then Mike read his bit from the teleprompters...and then the guy said "George Bush doesn't care about black people." Um, they cut away instantly to Chris Tucker backstage near a fridge or something. Does anyone know who that was?

I didn't see it, but my sister said it was Kanye West.

 

[trevster2k]

Canadian warships to sail to Louisiana
Last Updated Fri, 02 Sep 2005 18:20:41 EDT
CBC News

Three Canadian warships, a coast guard vessel and three Sea King helicoptors will be sent to Louisiana on Tuesday with relief supplies for the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Defence Minister Bill Graham made the announcement from Moscow, Russia.

The Canadian Coast Guard Ship Sir William Alexander will sail along with the Canadian Navy vessels, HMCS Athabaskan, HMCS Ville De Quebec and HMCS Toronto.

Naval crews were busy loading gear on to the ships in Halifax Friday as 1,000 personnel prepared to head to waters off New Orleans.

Commodore Dean McFadden, who will command the deployment, said they were consulting with their American counterparts to determine what they will do during the expected month-long mission. He suggested duties would involve reconstruction, health care and humanitarian aid.

"We will have the capacity to move people. We'll have the capacity to bring medical supplies and fuel capabilities," McFadden said as he stood on the dock next to destroyer HMCS Athabaskan, the command and control ship for the mission. "The specific jobs we're going to do, I'll wait until the Americans tell us what help they need."

The vessels will work with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard and carry Canadian Forces personnel, some of them military engineers who might be able to help restore power and generate electricity.

About 40 navy divers from both coasts were also expected to deploy with the mission, which got clearance after American officials accepted a Canadian offer of help.

Rear Admiral Dan McNeil of the Joint Task Force Atlantic said organizers of the mission, dubbed Operation Union, were compiling a list of what's needed as U.S. officials continued to assess their requirements.

The ships are expected to arrive in the Gulf of Mexico three to four days after they leave Halifax.


Canucks are on the way.

 

[Teta040]

You know, in a week the media will be filled with these heartwarming images of ships, food, supplies, daring rescues etc. How many will remember the first week of hell. And the poor mayor who led it all and cried out for help. He was the only leader..he and that general.

I hate to say it, but he is black himself, and a Democrat. Will he be knighted and lauded the same way white Republican Guliani was? He is just as much of a hero as Guliani. But Bush doesn't like black people, esp of the other party, and the Iraq comment will not help. Bush will not foget. In his interview this afternoon, he said, "I will not forget.." or something like that. Sad.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

I have never seen the US media so confrontational with the bullshit coming out of the politicians mouths until now.

No kidding. It's kinda...refreshing. And interesting.

This whole thing is interesting. True colors of many people are being displayed now, which, depending on your view, can be good or bad. Me, I'm seeing a lot of disturbing colors being shown. I don't doubt there's good colors, too, but they're not getting nearly the press. I just see shootings and rapes and apathetic people and stress and fighting and blame and desperation.

Just read all this thread so far...the storm surge in MI,about 30 ft?!?!? Whole towns wiped out...one town of 7000 wiped off the map....who knows if they evacuated??/They haven't even BEGUN to count a death toll.

Good god... A town of 7,000 completely gone.

My town has 30 some thousand people in it. I'm trying to imagine our town getting something strong enough to wipe it clear off the map for good.

*Shudders*

Angela

 

[echo0001]

Canadian warships to sail to Louisiana
Last Updated Fri, 02 Sep 2005 18:20:41 EDT
CBC News

Three Canadian warships, a coast guard vessel and three Sea King helicoptors will be sent to Louisiana on Tuesday with relief supplies for the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Defence Minister Bill Graham made the announcement from Moscow, Russia.

The Canadian Coast Guard Ship Sir William Alexander will sail along with the Canadian Navy vessels, HMCS Athabaskan, HMCS Ville De Quebec and HMCS Toronto.

Naval crews were busy loading gear on to the ships in Halifax Friday as 1,000 personnel prepared to head to waters off New Orleans.

Commodore Dean McFadden, who will command the deployment, said they were consulting with their American counterparts to determine what they will do during the expected month-long mission. He suggested duties would involve reconstruction, health care and humanitarian aid.

"We will have the capacity to move people. We'll have the capacity to bring medical supplies and fuel capabilities," McFadden said as he stood on the dock next to destroyer HMCS Athabaskan, the command and control ship for the mission. "The specific jobs we're going to do, I'll wait until the Americans tell us what help they need."

The vessels will work with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard and carry Canadian Forces personnel, some of them military engineers who might be able to help restore power and generate electricity.

About 40 navy divers from both coasts were also expected to deploy with the mission, which got clearance after American officials accepted a Canadian offer of help.

Rear Admiral Dan McNeil of the Joint Task Force Atlantic said organizers of the mission, dubbed Operation Union, were compiling a list of what's needed as U.S. officials continued to assess their requirements.

The ships are expected to arrive in the Gulf of Mexico three to four days after they leave Halifax.


Canucks are on the way.

Yay for Canada!



BIG for Canada.

And about damn time Bush accepted some help.

 

[trevster2k]

Teta40, that is good observation regarding limiting driving during this Labour Day Weekend. Actually, come to think of it, this disaster has directly affected over a million US citizens, an entire city is being evacuated and abandoned, hundreds of thousands of people have lost their homes, jobs, livelihoods, belongings, yet there seemed to be a much bigger reaction and effort to sacrifice for 9/11 than to this which IMO is way more devastating to your country. I guess 9/11 was more psychologically damaging than this disaster.

Regarding the Doctors Without Borders Pearl, I would think they already have their hands full with the over 1 BILLION people whose everyday existence is similar to the tragedy ongoing on the Gulf Coast during as a result of the hurricane.


Kudos to CNN and other networks for letting some people use their networks as a method of attempting to contact loved ones. Some of these stories are just heartwrenching.

 

[Axver]

I'm wondering if Doctors Without Borders don't have the established infrastructure in the US that, say, the Red Cross has.

Not that it seems like there's much established infrastructure for disaster response to speak of from anyone at the moment ...

 

[Pearl]

Regarding the Doctors Without Borders Pearl, I would think they already have their hands full with the over 1 BILLION people whose everyday existence is similar to the tragedy ongoing on the Gulf Coast during as a result of the hurricane.[/B]

But I would think they would help out anyway considering the desperation that's happening. And they say they respond to crises from natural disasters.

 

[BonosSaint]

Yay for Canada!



BIG for Canada.

 

[lmjhitman]

Canucks are on the way.

nice.

 

[zooropanator]

Ugh, Hurricanes!

Speaking of all this hurricane business, has anyone heard of U2 doing anything relief effort with regards to Katrina? Seems if they can jump on to do all the other stuff they do and have done, something here seems appropriate as well. I dunno, just a thought from a schmo in Arizona.

Cheers!

 

[kellyahern]

I have never seen the US media so confrontational with the bullshit coming out of the politicians mouths until now. Good for them, people are sick and tired of politicians and bureaucrats dodging questions and spinning their answers. .

Good article about this:

http://slate.msn.com/id/2125581/

 

[kellyahern]

Re: Ugh, Hurricanes!

Speaking of all this hurricane business, has anyone heard of U2 doing anything relief effort with regards to Katrina? Seems if they can jump on to do all the other stuff they do and have done, something here seems appropriate as well. I dunno, just a thought from a schmo in Arizona.

Cheers!

I just received this e-mail from the One campaign:

"Dear Friend:

In the wake of the destruction brought on by Hurricane Katrina, hundreds of thousands of Americans are facing an uncertain and challenging future.

We've all watched together as increasingly dire reports have come out of the hardest hit areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, and right now our nation is trying to find its footing as it responds to one of the worst disasters that we've ever faced.

We all see the pictures on TV. Right now, they need water, food, clothing, shelter and medical attention, and soon they'll begin the long process of putting their lives back together... hospitals, sewers, schools...all the things that we take for granted every day.

As members of ONE, we must believe that Americans can't help people around the world unless we also take care of urgent needs at home.

You can visit the ONE.ORG blog to find a list of ONE partners and other groups working right now to help those in most need.

In the same way that our fight against poverty is both urgent and diligent, we now have a new challenge with the same rules, to help stop people from dying today and help rebuild their infrastructure for tomorrow.

In July, you answered the call of the poorest countries in the world, and now perhaps we can help you find a way to participate at this important time. Please visit the ONE.ORG blog and take action today.

Thank you,


George Clooney


P.S. You can also help by taking part in the "ReAct Now: Music & Relief" benefit concert that will air on MTV, VH1 and CMT, planned for Sept. 10th at 8pm ET/7pm CT. Please visit www.think.mtv.com for up to date information."

 

[Axver]

Re: Ugh, Hurricanes!

Speaking of all this hurricane business, has anyone heard of U2 doing anything relief effort with regards to Katrina? Seems if they can jump on to do all the other stuff they do and have done, something here seems appropriate as well. I dunno, just a thought from a schmo in Arizona.

Cheers!

Well, U2 haven't done anything even remotely public lately, so I'm not shocked nothing's been said.

I'm sure it'll come up in concert once the third leg begins, though.

 

[zooropanator]

Ugh Hurricanes!

Thanks for the info Kelly

 

[trevster2k]

A few people have mentioned this but I have failed because of all my bitchin!

Anyway, thanks to all the soldiers, volunteers, helicopter pilots, police especially the ones in New Orleans who didn't desert, physicians, nurses, and everyone down on the coast who are doing their best to help the people down there despite the confusion in dispatching assistance. And at least now, finally, there is some signs of help at a grand scale. Although, more is still needed until everyone is safe. Then another problem begins regarding the relocation of hundreds of thousands of people who have lost everything. Hopefully, that will be more thought out and planned more efficiently.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

A few people have mentioned this but I have failed because of all my bitchin!

Anyway, thanks to all the soldiers, volunteers, helicopter pilots, police especially the ones in New Orleans who didn't desert, physicians, nurses, and everyone down on the coast who are doing their best to help the people down there despite the confusion in dispatching assistance.

Amen. Way to go, guys-you are all a definition of a hero .

Originally posted by trevster2k
And at least now, finally, there is some signs of help at a grand scale.

That's great news .

Originally posted by trevster2k
Although, more is still needed until everyone is safe. Then another problem begins regarding the relocation of hundreds of thousands of people who have lost everything. Hopefully, that will be more thought out and planned more efficiently.

*Nods* Yes. That would be absolutely wonderful.

Angela

 

[hiphop]

Maybe this is a stupid question and idea but I was wondering about the U.S. aircraft carriers.. I mean if all NO is flooded and a carrier located in the Gulf would just go near there and stop near NO so they can take rescue boats and quickly get the people out of the Superdome and onto the carrier where some doctors are waiting? Or is that just a stupid idea because it wouldn´t work for a couple of reasons -but why shouldnt it have worked this way, just to get a couple of thousands out quick and easy?

If I was the commander of an aircraft carrierl that´s what I would have asked the Navy officials at the Pentagon or wherever: hey guys, you know we have this emergency, can I go there to rescue our people?

also it´s a little latenow, that should have been done Tuesday,..

 

[trevster2k]

Aren't they all somewhere else in the world right now? I have no idea but I thought of that initially too but figured they were all over in the Middle East region.

 

[hiphop]

Aren't they all somewhere else in the world right now? I have no idea but I thought of that initially too but figured they were all over in the Middle East region.

I don´t think so.. I think two are always located around the Middle East (one in the red sea, one around Kuwait, probably one near Turkey/ Mediterranean) but the U.S. has six or seven, and sometimes in summer they go down from Chesapeake to the Gulf to test new weapons etc.

 

[trevster2k]

I don´t think so.. I think two are always located around the Middle East (one in the red sea, one around Kuwait, probably one near Turkey/ Mediterranean) but the U.S. has six or seven, and sometimes in summer they go down from Chesapeake to the Gulf to test new weapons etc.

Well, in that case, this is an excellent question.

 

[hiphop]

http://www.ne.jp/asahi/gonavy/atsugi/gonavy604.html

I don´t know how official this source is, but if it is, the last known locations are as follows:

WestLant = West Atlantic, from which it would probably be possible to get near NO in few days.
WestPac = West Pacific, means far off

CV-63 Kitty Hawk:
Aug.23 2005,
departed Yokosuka to evade Typhoon Mawar
Aug.23-Aug.26 2005, WestPac
Aug.27 2005, returned to Yokosuka

CVN-65 Enterprise
Aug.3-Aug.8 2005, WestLant
-------[ Schedule ]-------------------------
is scheduled to be in Northrop Grumman Newport News
until mid-summer of 2005

CV-67 John F. Kennedy
Jun.6 2005, WestLant
Jun.7, 2005, returned to Mayport
Jul.26-Jul.31 2005,
carrier qualifications in the WestLant

CVN-68 Nimitz
Aug.9-Aug.14 2005, anchored at the Kingdom of Bahrain
Aug.15-Aug.30 2005, Persian Gulf

CVN-69 Dwight D. Eisenhower
May13-May27 2005, WestLant
Jun.1-Jun.16 2005, WestLant

CVN-70 Carl Vinson
Jul.31 2005,
returned to Norfolk
for a RCOH (Refueling and Complex Overhaul)
at the Northrop Grumman Newport News Ship Yard

CVN-71 Theodore Roosevelt
Jul.3-Jul.7 2005, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Jul.8-Jul.29 2005,
JTFEX (Joint Task Force Exercise)
in the WestLant
Jul.30 2005, returned to Norfolk

CVN-72 Abraham Lincoln
Jun.20-Jun.22 2005,
EastPac,
readiness training
in support of Fleet Response Plan
Jul.14 2005, EastPac

CVN-73 George Washington - not assigned
Jan.28 2005,
arrived at the Newport News shipyard
for a 10-and-a-half month DPIA
Mar.29 2005,
completed refurbishing a living compartment

CVN-74 John C. Stennis- not assigned
Jan.19 2005,
DPIA (Dry-Docked Planned Incremental Availability)
at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton
-------[ Schedule ]-------------------------
Dec.2005, DPIA is expected to be completed

CVN-75 Harry S. Truman
Jul.12-Jul.20 2005,
carrier qualifications and operations
in the WestLant
and is also participating in a JTFEX with CVN-71
Jul.27-Aug.5 2005, WestLant

CVN-76 Ronald Reagan
Aug.8-Aug.18 2005,
carrier qualifications
for Fleet Replacement Squadrons in the EastPac
Aug.19-Aug.22 2005, Santa Barbara, CA.
Aug.23-Aug.24 2005, EastPac

 

[hiphop]

Update: I just found this article and it seems the Truman is gonna be there on Sept. 4th. Ok it started on Sept 1st, which is probably two days late, but a carrier like that needs its time to get supplies on board, take fuel etc. so that is understandable.

I just wonder stuff like if they send so much water and food there, why not take some people out of the Superdome? Guys, you will be there tomorrow - and we still have reports of thousands of people waiting there - think about it.

Truman En Route to U.S. Gulf Coast in Support of Hurricane Relief Operations
Story Number: NNS050902-28
Release Date: 9/2/2005 6:43:00 PM

http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=19900

From USS Harry S. Truman Public Affairs

USS HARRY S. TRUMAN, At Sea (NNS) -- USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) departed its homeport of Norfolk, Va., Sept. 1 in support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and state disaster relief operations following the massive devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

The ongoing hurricane relief operations are an intensive humanitarian effort that involves many federal agencies, Department of Defense assets and all military branches. Truman expects to be on station off the U.S. Gulf Coast by Sept. 4.

Truman will serve as a command and control platform for hurricane relief operations, as well as provide a rotary wing forward operating sea base, provide carrier onboard delivery (COD) service and provide additional medical support, in addition to supporting the refueling of dozens of military aircraft flying in the area.

“We will be a forward floating support base, running relief articles into any area required. We will also serve as a refueling point for the large number of Navy and Army helicopters operating in the area,” said Truman Commanding Officer Capt. James P. Gigliotti.

“We are unsure of how many helos will come aboard,” said Truman’s Air Boss, Cmdr. Doug Carsten, “but it will probably be between 30 and 40. We talked with our counterparts on the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), who helped in a similar mission during the tsunami relief. They were doing up to 90 missions a day. I think we can match that on board Truman.”

Truman’s Supply Officer, Cmdr. John Palmer, said the ship brings with it 20,000 bottles of water, more than 17,000 Meals Ready-to-Eat (MRE), 9,000 frozen meals and is awaiting 50,000 empty liquid containers. The jugs will be filled with fresh water made aboard Truman.

Truman, responding to U.S. Fleet Forces Command tasking, put to sea with only 48 hours' notice, after loading tons of supplies. Having returned from a six-month deployment in April, Truman's crew is skilled at helping others, having participated in various community relations (COMREL) projects in foreign countries.

“I want to get off the ship and help out,” said Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Dantrell Chaplin, from Beaufort, S.C. “I’ll pass out water, food...just help the people.”

Gigliotti added that the crew has always been told to be ready on short notice, assuring, “the crew is ready; they’ve been briefed, and they want to help out. Truman and other [Navy] assets are on their way to help.”

Truman will join a growing number of U.S. Navy ships and units operating in, or en route to, the U.S. Gulf Coast.

 

[trevster2k]

to the USS Harry S. Truman.

Now once they get the people out of the Gulf Coast region which could still take a while. The federal authorities have to have a support system for all the states in the surrounding region especially Texas which rocks to assist with the care and relocation of the hundreds of thousands of people who are without homes or jobs. They have to reunite families and find the dead victims. They also have to get the electricity back on line which could take weeks or months. They have to get the oil rigs and refineries back to normal production levels. They have to drain New Orleans of the water and examine and fortify the remaining levees to minimize the chances of this kind of thing happening in the near future. They also have to clean up the entire Gulf Coast region, tear down condemned buildings, examine the water sources to ensure they are still safe, and eventually rebuild the communities which were destroyed in the Gulf Coast region. Whew! Hopefully, there are teams of experts, who know nothing about search and rescue, already brainstorming on methods of achieving these enormous goals. Hopefully.

 

[hiphop]

I have just phoned and emailed FEMA to explain the idea of getting hurricane victims on the aircraft carrier. I mean, that´s a floating city with 4.5 acres of flight deck.