Hurricane Katrina

[OkieMan]

... in response to Re: Hurricane Katrina, posted by doombug on Sep 2, 2005

Doombug,

When you said that Keesler AFB is gone now, are you referring the hurricane damage, or was it closed down before the storm?  Unfortunately, I have not been able to get any updated info on that; but I have noticed that the news media has never mentioned it during their coverage of the Biloxi and Gulfport damage.  So, it makes me think that it might have already been shut down.  At any rate, I have some happy memories of the time that I spent there.  It was a training base, and at the time I was stationed there, I met many good looking girls.  Needless to say, I was a much younger man then.  In fact, I turned 25 while I was there.  After that, I returned home for a short time, and then shipped out for RAF Lakenheath, England for 2 years.  Boy, that was some good times there too.

                                 OkieMan

[doombug]

... in response to Re: Re: Hurricane Katrina, posted by OkieMan on Sep 2, 2005

An earlier report I'd read made it seem as if the base was completely obliterated.  But, this isn't the case.  The base did appear to receive the worst punishment of those in the region, though:

"Military bases in the path of Hurricane Katrina and its resulting floodwaters were continuing to assess damage today while reaching out to affected servicemembers and their families to provide support.
Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., appears to have received the heaviest damage after taking a direct hit from the Category 4 hurricane."

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Aug2005/20050831_2580.html

[Georgina]

... in response to Hurricane Katrina, posted by OkieMan on Sep 1, 2005

I guess if I were in a place for over 4 days without food, water, a place to sleep, corpses rotting, love-ones missing and sleeping in filthy places to name a few, I too would think the response time is damn slow.

It seems we are more worry about the looting than getting the help out to the people, the babies that are living on those conditions, the old. Hey, too bad for us eh? We have to deal with the gas price while others just lost every thing they had including their families. Look at the pictures. It looks like a third-world country for God’s sake.

Yes, I am disgusted and mad. I am mad at the time response given by authorities. I am mad at we being able to help other countries and we can’t help our own. I am mad at us being so selfish.

But I am going to do a little something to help. I am going to do just like Patrick did. I am going to go online and donate more money than I already did since it seems our government doesn’t have the resources to help its own people. Sorry. I am just very frustrated with all this. Please just get out your wallets and help.

[Pete E]

... in response to Huh, posted by Georgina on Sep 2, 2005

These people need immediate assistance,much faster than money can be collected.Only the federal government is capabell of that.
Charity money will be usefull later,but is not the immediate solution needed now.

Pete

[Georgina]

... in response to THe problem with charity , posted by Pete E on Sep 2, 2005

Donating money right now is the most effective way for us to help since obviously we can't all go over there. The American Red Cross uses this money right now to provide immediate assistance like shelter and food. Also, of course, people are more willing to provide monetary help when things just happened. A month from now every body will forget about the suffering of those people and it won’t be on TV anymore, but the need will still be there. That’s why is so important to encourage people to donate right now to provide that much needed long-term relieve right now.

[doombug]

... in response to Not so true, posted by Georgina on Sep 2, 2005

[This message has been edited by doombug]

The downside with relying strictly on the Red Cross and/or donations to other charities is that people and charities can't be pressured to stick it out for the long haul; you don't know for certain where your money will go; and administrative costs (and graft) eat up a big chunk of what you give.  On the other hand, the Feds will be pressured by the affected cities, states, and their respective citizens to aid with redevelopment for years to come.  

Recall the WTC attacks.  Here's how Red Cross donations were processed in some parts of the country by a few selfish (possibly even corrupt) chapters:  

"In the wake of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Towers, American citizens responded generously with over $1 Billion in donations received at over 1,000 local chapters of the American Red Cross. Donations intended for the victims and their families. According to documents obtained by CBS News, a dozen of the Red Cross chapters audited were making, or 'coding', donations as local funds. This means that chapters like San Diego, Southwest Florida, and Gateway Area, Iowa would keep the money instead of sending it in for Sept. 11 victims.  What’s more, the Savannah chapter 'could not provide information regarding cash (and) checks collected'. In the LosAngeles chapter there had been 'no accurate accounting for the funds received after Sept.11, believed then to total at least one half $1 million.'"

http://ngowatch.org/Mastrodonato.pdf

However, despite those exceptional cases, Red Cross holds an overall rating of "60.36" on a scale of "70".  Program expenses (your donations at work) hover around 91% of utilization, and administrative costs are 5% of utilization.  The charity has earned the trust of most people/organizations, and is an excellent benchmark by which to judge other charities.

Still, I'd be extremely careful with donations in general.  Make for certain no one will skim off excessive amounts beyond what is "normal" prior to such funds reaching their intended need.  To find out what is normal, and to see what charities are legit., check out this site:

http://www.charitynavigator.org/

[Patrick]

... in response to Hurricane Katrina, posted by OkieMan on Sep 1, 2005

I hope everyone will pitch in and help out with a donation.  I think this event eclipses 9/11 by a huge margin in terms of relief effort needed.

I donated $500 to the Red Cross an hour ago.

www.redcross.org

[Hoda]

... in response to Re: Hurricane Katrina [support needed], posted by Patrick on Sep 2, 2005


5, 50 or 500...we all can contribute something. Besides money, one probably can go down to thier local Salvation Army or Red Cross & help load goods...

This tragedy CANNOT slip to Page Six in our lives! Whatever you give, will be more than welcomed!

[CelticUrge]

... in response to Re: Hurricane Katrina [support needed], posted by Patrick on Sep 2, 2005

Quite a few people are donating. Have you seen the donation numbers?

[Onephd]

... in response to Hurricane Katrina, posted by OkieMan on Sep 1, 2005

Huh?  with all due respect and I'm trying to start a fight, but you said, that  "help must seem slow"? Man, the effort to save New Orleans is in fact too slow. I am from New Orleans and My family is still there(all safe thank God) There is no one in the US government that will  disagree with the fact that response has been way too slow.  In fact, the only person not claiming so is Michael Brown head of FEMA.  He is blaming the delay on the looting and violence. That is striaght BS.  If you go to any New Orleans based website(www.nola.com or local TV stations websites) and get the daily reports from local officials, they state clearly that the violence and looting is only a minute population.  I don't condone stealing but if you saw the early images from CNN, overwhelmingly, most of the people were stealing food, pampers, things to drink.  Remember people evacuated as early as Saturday evening.  Looting didn't really start up until about Tuesday evening with it esculating during the last 36 hours. Those individuals that are stealing clothes, electronics would be stealing those things regardless of of a flood and they are not indicative of the vast majority of people from New Orleans.

There has been failure at every level of Government, local, state, and especially Federal.  If you watch the news as I have, you will pick up bits of pieces of things and understand what is happening there.  There is policitcal infighting, posturing compounding by lack of communications, water, and electricity.  I hope the America realizes how severe this situation really is and shows the support it has shown for other national disasters.

[OkieMan]

... in response to Re: Hurricane Katrina, posted by Onephd on Sep 2, 2005

I wrote the first post late last night. As of this morning, President Bust is on his way to assess the situation, and kick up the response time.  I don't claim to know or understand all the situations.  The main thing is that I was trying to simply comment on this terrible natural disaster.  Instead of being in some third world country, we now have this catastrophe on our own shores!  How sad and tragic!

                             OkieMan

[Kiltboy1]

... in response to Re: Re: Hurricane Katrina, posted by OkieMan on Sep 2, 2005

President Bush
Man, we do not have a President , we have a total idiot running the country and i am a republican. This guy is not capable of getting things done. Thanks George for coming off your MONTH LONG VACATION 2 DAYS EARLY

FRIGEN IDIOT

[Keith NC]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Hurricane Katrina, posted by Kiltboy1 on Sep 2, 2005

Kiltboy1

Are the city and state not responsible at all?  Are they not idiots? I smell a rat.  You sound like one of those democratic operatives that blames Bush first for everything.  The guy can't get a break.  

He went on National televison to declare a state of Emergency before the Hurricane hit.  It is not his fault if alot of these people stayed behind.  The Mayor got his incompetent ass out of the city and went to Baton Rouge.  Where is the Mayors leadership.  

Bring Rudy in there.  I am sure he would have handeled the situation a hell of alot differently.    

Keith

[Heat]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Hurricane Katrina, posted by Kiltboy1 on Sep 2, 2005

You must be engaging your emotions before your brain.  There is no vacation if you are president.  H's working all the time.  Get a grip.  It's always a state and local problem.  The feds have very little disaster management talent.

[Bubba]

... in response to Re: Hurricane Katrina, posted by Onephd on Sep 2, 2005

I think the delay is intentional, they know if they had dropped food and water on tuesday (and we all know they could have) the people would want more and not want to leave the city. They want everyone out so they are waiting until today and they will send in LOTS of buses today. The people will be fighting to leave and that's what they want. Then they will declare martial law and send the reporters home saying, "We have evacuated everyone, now we need to collect the bodies, go home no one wants to see that". Then tell will send in the military to clean up the few that are left.