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http://www.windsofchange.net/archives/007432.php
By my count, America has lost not one city, but nine of them.... My purpose in being deliberately blunt today is twofold.

One, I do not believe that officials are being blunt with us or the media, for several reasons. They do not wish to start a panic, they do not wish to admit that they do not have a viable plan for dealing with between 40 and 410 thousand corpses, and they do not know how to house, feed and clothe one million people for even one week, let alone several months. Finally, I believe that their experts are telling them the exact same figures I am telling you, and, just like you, the officials do not want to believe something this bad could ever happen.

Two, I am being blunt because the scope of this disaster, the biggest disaster in the history of the United States, not one of the worst, the worst, has yet to be reported. Many, no even the majority, are pointing the finger of blame in various directions, without even barely comprehending the true scope of this event, while people who we know will die haven't died yet.

For those individuals I respectfully ask that you recalculate your priorities...."

Martin,

Good post. I have wanted to post something but did not know what to title it. I am sure you have trained, as I have, in MCI drills. Nothing I have trained in comes close to this disaster.

This is what I want to post: What if this situation was multiplied 3,4 or 5 times? By a terrorist attack, natural disaster, economic collapse whatever. What is the governments response going to be? They seem to be throwing everything they have down to the Gulf. What if something happened up in Wash. state? or my area, New England? WHat is going to happen? I guess I am just on a rant, don't really expect an answer. I think I will se something worse in my life. Thats why I prepare and come to sites like ETS. This site is by far the most rational, educated, well spoken group of people I have encountered on the net. Thanks to all who post and contribute.

I reckon the answer is likely' "Who controls the treasury, who can make more money to pay the bills that will cover such an event?" Where do you suppose all this money is coming from that is paying for disaster relief? If our taxes aren't going up, and we are in debt nationally, then there is only one other option. That is to go deeper in debt by devaluating the currency. De facto when you are paying a lot of money for no economic returns. FDR got that little ball rolling during the depression, and it just keeps on a rolling. No more social security fund, what next?

People want to "invest" their income in more money. You know how many millionaires lose all their financial assets because someone controlling the funds screwed up, and now their life savings is gone? I've seen it enough to know that there's only so much value in things like a "retirement plan". Buying Gold isn't any better. You want real wealth, buy something that other people will value, especially when the chips are down. You may not realize big returns in the long run, but you will have security. Some things are inflation proof, too. Hmm, kinda a hard assignment there eh? Lessee what are people valuing highly these days, maybe security....

A futures fund devoted to AA batteries?

One of the problems in FEMA, as in most organizations, is the whistleblower phenomenon. As with the space shuttle, nobody wants to hear that the big plan won't work. The yes men get promoted and the people pointing out flaws are fired or transfered as "not team players".

That phenomena is far more widespread than should be allowed. Unfortunately, it isn't as profitable to do the right thing if you are pretty sure you can get away with less.

There are so many factors to the failures involving NO. People can point fingers all they want....there's just not enough fingers. In a way, it was a comedy of errors. I think the part that really bothers me though, is the ungratefulness the "victims" have shown those that have done their best to help. The scams that are running rampart through Wal-mart right now are just heartbreaking. I can tell you this much for sure.... NO will get re-built faster if the citizens of that city start working for themselves. Now before you call me a cold-hearted wench, I'll step up and say that I realize that it's not everyone from NO that acts this way. But there's more than you realize. I have seen people come into the store with their FEMA cards and buy 4 or 5 big tvs instead of food. I see thieves that have been caught crying about being "disaster victims" and they weren't even from NO! I'm trying to keep a positive attitude about this...but it's getting harder and harder.
As far as survival goes....if you were stuck at the convention center with people starting to die around you....would you stay there? Would you call for help from the government and then wait there until they finally showed? Or would you start walking? There were still ways to get food and water. I'm just becoming more and more cynical as far as the "victims" are concerned. I just keep thinking to myself....if it were my kids that were hungry and needing food and water...I sure wouldn't be sitting there in front of a news camera looking unloved. I'd have to get up and and start working to ensure their saftey and well-being as well as my own. Having equipment in a situation like this will only go so far as your will, drive, and brain power. If you want help....get up and help yourself first.

I apologize for this rant, ya'll. I've just finished another long day at Wal-mart and it infuriates me to see someone buying jewelry with a fema card instead of food and truely needed items.

Good night everyone...I've got to get some sleep.

Wyn

As an Warrant Officer-Infantry during the Ice Storm that hit the Montreal-Canada region in 1998, I had to coordinate supply to refugee shelters. For me, it was unimaginable, the helplessness of certain people in our society. Unfortunately many are incapable of the smallest initiative to help themselves. The evacuees had all the time they wanted to pack before leaving their homes. Yet, some came with nothing. Toothbrushes, diapers, you name it they didn’t have it. When my men asked the refugees for help serving meals or other tasks, none volunteered… These were not elderly or infirm but able bodies individuals.

It has led me to believe that some people are incapable of acting on their own behalf to save their hides or help themselves when the going gets tough.

Please tell me they were all Americans...

If not, there goes another misconception of mine. I always thought of our neighbors to the North as, among other things, self reliant. I would have expected an ice storm up there to be a non event.

The story referenced in the original post pegged my "BS-O-Meter". The "author" and his "reliable numbers" from 41,000 to 410,000 fatalities sound a lot like "Minister" Farakhan's "witness" who "saw a 25 foot crater beneth the breach in the levee".

It sucked that NO's and LA's plans were bad, it sucked worse that mayor "Run-Away" Ray Nagin, Gov. "Blank Stare" Blanco and her EMA head are incompetent and didn't even follow the plans they DID have, but it sucks the worst that so many people chose to do nothing. Almost everybody who went to the Superdome wanted to go there. Fully one-half on those drove their own cars. They could have self-evacuated but chose not to. Not surprisingly, many who did evacuate, even though they had time to prepare, left with little more than the clothes on their backs. (Sound familiar?)

I live in the Jackson Mississippi metro area, 200 miles north of the gulf. By Saturday, 27 August, I had filled my vehicle with gas, purchased batteries, food, water and ice and got my nearby family to do the same.

Hey Duh, people!!!

/ end rant

Jim

I don’t think there were any US citizens in our shelters. The problem with the ice storm is that it occurred in early January and knocked out power for several weeks in certain areas. The temperatures varied from 32F to -15F making it impossible for people to stay in their unheated houses or appartment buildings.

Interesting reading:
Storm

I agree...I think we we have seen played out here is a real life situation of the old fable the Grasshopper and the Ant.

The Ant's planned ahead..they left town, made other arrangements and generally prepared for what was upon them. The Grasshoppers...did nothing and now expect the ants to provide for them, rebuild their homes and take care of them.

This was a terrible tragedy. I feel for all the affected victims in the coast region, this situation would have been far less critical if the disaster plan already in place would have been followed, if money to fix the levees wasn't diverted to casinos and if the state officials would have done a better job. I do understand that many people did not have transportation... and I am sure not everyone in NO thinks like the majority of people on this site....but if I had small children..NO WAY would I be taking a chance...I would have walked my family North to avoid the storm..that's the disturbing thing for me. Many of these people had small children and make the decision to stay behind and chance it.

I'm just glad the body count has been gratefully lower than Mayor Nagins original projection of 10,000.

Blank Stare Blanco vs. Bambi Goat Book Bush in '01?

OOps. Politics. But how do you avoid the obvious?

Also, I gather that government benefits get paid at the beginning of the month, so a lot of folks who receive/depend on those payments were awfully low on funds when Katrina hit on the 29th.