Hurricane Katrina

**Cindy Hamlin** · 08-31-2005, 11:20 PM

To all the OB'ers affected by Katrina:

I cannot get over the pictures of the devastation and destruction. :o I think back to Hurricane Isabel when I was without electric for 7 days, but still had a home and my belongings. It is unfathomable the destruction I am seeing.

I hope that all of you are safe and as well as can be expected. Please let us know as soon as you can how you are doing. We are a mighty community and perhaps we can arrange to get you some of the necessities you may need if you can tell us where to send them. Let us know as I am sure we all agree that we would be happy to help.

And everyone, remember to make a donation to the Red Cross!

**Leo Hadley Jr** · 09-01-2005, 06:30 AM

The destruction is incredible, I doubt they will ever recover fully. I wonder if they will try to rebuild New Orleans. Insurance will be impossible to obtain there. The same thing could happen again next year.I think its a bad idea to build a major city below sea level.

**Jubilee** · 09-01-2005, 09:22 AM

Please know our thoughts and prayers are with you. If there is any way we can help.. please let us know.

There are several relief efforts going on. One of the local tv stations here is teaming up with the Red Cross to raise funds. NBC is doing a relief concert on Friday night, and MTV is doing one on Sat. The Labor Day telethon for MDA is also going to ask for hurricane relief, and the MDA is donating a million dollars to the efforts as well.

One of the local radio stations and several churches are gathering goods to take down to the gulf. Non Perishable food, water, clothing, toys, etc to be delivered this weekend, and hope to do another run next week as well.

We as an optical community can come together to help the people with their visual needs. We could organize and donate time, goods, and services to replace glasses etc.

Cassandra

**ikon44** · 09-01-2005, 05:36 PM

the tv pictures we are seeing are absolutely heart breaking, there seems to be a lot of people without food or water. I cant understand why the military were not used to drop aid packages by helicopter. the feeling here is that your federal goverment has been slow to respond and recognise the scale of the disaster.

**chip anderson** · 09-01-2005, 06:47 PM

Appearently the citizens in N.O. would rather have electronics than food. These things break if they drop them by helicopter.If you drop food into putrid water with dead bodies in it, cholera breaks out very fast. N.O. was nearly wiped out by cholera in 1913.

Chip

**rbaker** · 09-01-2005, 07:34 PM

In addition to Chips comments you have to have fuel, maintenance and other logistics in place. You also have to have a facility in place to operate from. The storm destroyed all of this stuff and it will take a little time to reestablish these things. Move in too soon and the rescuers become part of the problem rather than a solution.

**ikon44** · 09-02-2005, 04:56 AM

i appreciate there are logistical problems, but surely helicopters could drop bottled water off at least.i think you need a senior military person in charge,someone like norman schwartzkoff,who is used to organising large complex multi layered operations.
chip from what i have seen on tv a lot of these people are breaking into stores to get basic survival items,i know there are people who are also stealing what they can from electronic stores, jewellers etc,martial law should be declared and these people should be treated like scum, however you have to differentiate with people trying to survive.

**jediron1** · 09-02-2005, 06:07 AM

chip anderson
Appearently the citizens in N.O. would rather have electronics than food. These things break if they drop them by helicopter.If you drop food into putrid water with dead bodies in it, cholera breaks out very fast. N.O. was nearly wiped out by cholera in 1913.

Chip[/QUOTE]

Just heard on TV that there are roving gangs with guns and what ever going through and taking what they will and raping women. Is this the Sudan? Come on get the Army in there shoot those Bas****ds and get this under control.
Also just heard there was a huge explosion in N.O. they think it's a chem plant.
Gas has already topped $4.00 per gal. can't remember where I saw it but it's going up faster then I can pump the gas into my car.:hammer:

**rbaker** · 09-02-2005, 07:32 AM

Some days, you just can’t win.

If the National Guard shoots the looters they will be accused of neglecting rescue operations and if they concentrate on rescue operation they will be accused of neglecting to shoot looters. Let’s face the fact that this event exceeded the scope of any plans that were in place. As usually happens in these cases we are going to see mankind at its best and at its worst.

For all of us sitting at our computers with an adult beverage, safe, sound and dry, it’s a time for thanksgiving, prayer and large donations. There will be plenty of time for analysis of what should have been done and who should have done it and when it should have been done later.

**Spexvet** · 09-02-2005, 07:44 AM

Originally Posted by chip anderson

Appearently the citizens in N.O. would rather have electronics than food. These things break if they drop them by helicopter.If you drop food into putrid water with dead bodies in it, cholera breaks out very fast. N.O. was nearly wiped out by cholera in 1913.

Chip

Chip,
You've stated on more than one occasion that the role of the federal government is to deliver the mail and protect the borders - and that's all. What do you feel the federal government's role should be in response to this catastrophe?

**Jubilee** · 09-02-2005, 08:02 AM

I heard yesterday on the news that there were some air drops. The preferrable method is to deliver on ground, but the violence is too much in some areas :(

Personally, if I were down there.. and I needed to provide for my family.. I might be desperate enough to break in to a store to get food and water. I don't think those who are getting neccessities should be treated as scum.

Some people probably even feel that the guns are necessary to protect the supplies they have from the rest of the mobs.

It is hard to say what any of us would do if we were forced to live in that situation. Lets just hope we never do.

Instead of analyzing the pros and cons of the response, how about seeing what you can do to help. Open your pocketbook to donate money... open your home to a family.. donate time to answer calls for the Red Cross.. donate optical goods or services for those who lost glasses, contacts...foster animals who aren't allowed at the shelters...

Take action

Cassandra

**chip anderson** · 09-02-2005, 08:20 AM

Spexvet: Obviously the federal government must and should respond to extra ordinary circumstances (this is and invasion of the coastline, albeit from God) and the coast must be protected. I have been down to Wiggins, Ms. (30 miles from the coast) to find my daughter, grandaugters and great grandson that I had no word (other than a tornado was destroying the building next door and pulling out a wall of her dwelling) since the storm. Found them alive and in good health, thank God. Evacuated them.
Chip

And yes from what I have heard and see all government bodies concerned (I am especially proud of our Govenor) both state, local and federal are doing everything possible. Is it enough, no but enough isn't possible.

Chip

**Spexvet** · 09-02-2005, 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by chip anderson

Spexvet: Obviously the federal government must and should respond to extra ordinary circumstances (this is and invasion of the coastline, albeit from God) and the coast must be protected. I have been down to Wiggins, Ms. (30 miles from the coast) to find my daughter, grandaugters and great grandson that I had no word (other than a tornado was destroying the building next door and pulling out a wall of her dwelling) since the storm. Found them alive and in good health, thank God. Evacuated them.
Chip

And yes from what I have heard and see all government bodies concerned (I am especially proud of our Govenor) both state, local and federal are doing everything possible. Is it enough, no but enough isn't possible.

Chip

I'm glad to hear that your family is safe.

**chm2023** · 09-02-2005, 09:19 AM

It's amazing how thin the veneer of civilization is. This illustrates how critically important investment in infrastructure is. The communications among the various government bodies is awful, this morning the folks at the AstroDome announced they will take only half the original number of refugees--very unfortunate for the people who were in buses at the AstroDome or en route.

I cannot imagine being in this situation, particularly with kids. I'm surprised more violence hasn't occurred.

What is particularly disturbing is the racial and class makeup of the refugees, this should give us all pause.

The Red Cross phone line is impossible to get through, try the website or your local bank may accept donations.

**chip anderson** · 09-02-2005, 11:07 AM

Sorry CHM but I couldn't resist, bet if you broke the demographics down further (you mentioned this) they all voted Democrat, Democrat, Democrat!

**chm2023** · 09-02-2005, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by chip anderson

Sorry CHM but I couldn't resist, bet if you broke the demographics down further (you mentioned this) they all voted Democrat, Democrat, Democrat!

Now Chip, how hard did you try to resist???:p Glad to hear your family was not affected.

**ziggy** · 09-02-2005, 02:43 PM

The ball was droped in a very big way! There is a emergency plan in place for almost everything. All the science/weather/CE guru's have been saying for at least 30 years that WHEN a cat4 or cat5 hit that the levee's would fail.... this whole thing makes me sick. It matters not if your on left or right. The people of N.O. have been failed for years!:angry:

**jediron1** · 09-02-2005, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by rbaker

Some days, you just can’t win.

If the National Guard shoots the looters they will be accused of neglecting rescue operations and if they concentrate on rescue operation they will be accused of neglecting to shoot looters. Let’s face the fact that this event exceeded the scope of any plans that were in place. As usually happens in these cases we are going to see mankind at its best and at its worst.

For all of us sitting at our computers with an adult beverage, safe, sound and dry, it’s a time for thanksgiving, prayer and large donations. There will be plenty of time for analysis of what should have been done and who should have done it and when it should have been done later.

Amen to that

**chip anderson** · 09-02-2005, 07:20 PM

Da' Revran Jessie Jackson done said the whole reason people is bein allow to die in New Orlans is da' color of dey skin.

What you says to dat!

**spartus** · 09-02-2005, 08:21 PM

What an unbelievably horrible thing to say.

**Steve Machol** · 09-03-2005, 12:12 AM

I'm glad your family is safe Chip. :)

**Joann Raytar** · 09-03-2005, 01:57 AM

I thought the same thing when I heard Jackson. There were stories of a number of people saying nobody cares and I believe one of the papers is going to run a story titled "Shame on Us" which I feel is really uncalled for.

If only the folks affected by the storm knew how much everyone really does care. I know we heard from one of our patients who works in construction and helped during 9/11; he cancelled his appointment because they were leaving for the South tonight. The CT National Guard is supposed to start flying supplies down today as well. The business next door to us is donating 100 percent of this weekend's sales to the Red Cross.

Here's FEMA's list of how to help: http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=18473

Like Chip said, people care but right now nothing is going to be enough.

PS, Chip, so very glad to hear your family is allright.

**rbaker** · 09-03-2005, 05:38 AM

Jessie Jackson checked in. Michael Moore checked in below. Now where is the good Dr. Dean and Splash “I’ll drink to that” Kennedy.

Friday, September 2nd, 2005
Vacation is Over... an open letter from Michael Moore to George W. Bush

Friday, September 2nd, 2005

Dear Mr. Bush:

Any idea where all our helicopters are? It's Day 5 of Hurricane Katrina and thousands remain stranded in New Orleans and need to be airlifted. Where on earth could you have misplaced all our military choppers? Do you need help finding them? I once lost my car in a Sears parking lot. Man, was that a drag.

Also, any idea where all our National Guard soldiers are? We could really use them right now for the type of thing they signed up to do like helping with national disasters. How come they weren't there to begin with?

Last Thursday I was in south Florida and sat outside while the eye of Hurricane Katrina passed over my head. It was only a Category 1 then but it was pretty nasty. Eleven people died and, as of today, there were still homes without power. That night the weatherman said this storm was on its way to New Orleans. That was Thursday! Did anybody tell you? I know you didn't want to interrupt your vacation and I know how you don't like to get bad news. Plus, you had fundraisers to go to and mothers of dead soldiers to ignore and smear. You sure showed her!

I especially like how, the day after the hurricane, instead of flying to Louisiana, you flew to San Diego to party with your business peeps. Don't let people criticize you for this -- after all, the hurricane was over and what the heck could you do, put your finger in the dike?

And don't listen to those who, in the coming days, will reveal how you specifically reduced the Army Corps of Engineers' budget for New Orleans this summer for the third year in a row. You just tell them that even if you hadn't cut the money to fix those levees, there weren't going to be any Army engineers to fix them anyway because you had a much more important construction job for them -- BUILDING DEMOCRACY IN IRAQ!

On Day 3, when you finally left your vacation home, I have to say I was moved by how you had your Air Force One pilot descend from the clouds as you flew over New Orleans so you could catch a quick look of the disaster. Hey, I know you couldn't stop and grab a bullhorn and stand on some rubble and act like a commander in chief. Been there done that.

There will be those who will try to politicize this tragedy and try to use it against you. Just have your people keep pointing that out. Respond to nothing. Even those pesky scientists who predicted this would happen because the water in the Gulf of Mexico is getting hotter and hotter making a storm like this inevitable. Ignore them and all their global warming Chicken Littles. There is nothing unusual about a hurricane that was so wide it would be like having one F-4 tornado that stretched from New York to Cleveland.

No, Mr. Bush, you just stay the course. It's not your fault that 30 percent of New Orleans lives in poverty or that tens of thousands had no transportation to get out of town. C'mon, they're black! I mean, it's not like this happened to Kennebunkport. Can you imagine leaving white people on their roofs for five days? Don't make me laugh! Race has nothing -- NOTHING -- to do with this!

You hang in there, Mr. Bush. Just try to find a few of our Army helicopters and send them there. Pretend the people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast are near Tikrit.

Yours,

Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
www.MichaelMoore.com

**jediron1** · 09-03-2005, 05:55 AM

rbaker what's the point? We all know Moore is a Bush hater! While things have been going slow maybe we don't have all facts even though it's been on TV almost 24-7. One fact they have to contend with is ramdom shootings and roving gangs of thugs with guns. From one report I heard even the rescuers were being shot at. So before BIG MOUTH MOORE shoots off his mouth maybe he should try and get it least some of the facts. But then again maybe he does not want the facts. At least if he had some facts more people would be proned to believe him. Just my 2 cents

**jediron1** · 09-03-2005, 06:08 AM

With all the TV coverage why can't some of these reporters take in food and water? And what is Harry Connick Jr. doing? He goes to the BIG EASY and starts to get angry with the situation. Harry do something! Use some of your millions for good for once. But again you have a star not lifting a finger except to point a finger. Samo Samo with hollywood people!