Well, I guess this affects most of you guys more than it affects me. You guys probably get a better news update too.

Whats the situation? Any of you got friends/family in the affected areas?

I think the situation is: quite a few deaths but -on a grander scale of things- nothing too dramatic. The whole city is flooded big time, looters are smashing stores and the poor ppl in the superdome are in a dire situation.


What's with the looting anyway? Seems like every time a big riot or natural disaster strikes in the US (i'm thinking of the riots after the Clippers-Lakers game) ppl go looting. It'sa repeated theme in the simpsons too, whenever panic strikes, looting ensues. What's that all about? Is it a US thing? Can't really say that looting is a part of European riot culture...smashing stuff and throwing in windows, sure, but looting? Think that's pretty rare.

It's Panic. People think that they are going to die. They need food, so they take food.

bah, BS. People see an opportuinity to take all the things they can't afford, and they take it. Looters are typically poor losers. Affluent people (and educated people) don't typically loot. The majority of crap being looted isn't food, btw...it's tv's and furniture and shit like that.

I think all looters should be shot.

What's sad is that tv here is calling this the "American Tsunami". Makes me sick every time I hear it. 50,000 people didn't die. It's screwed up, that's for damn sure, but it's nowhere near that scale.

Sure am glad I don't live in the affected areas, though.

Yeah that true. But I can understand taking supplies like clothes, food, bottled water etc.

I don't agree. It's not like the tsunami, where there was no warning. People knew what was happening. They should have evacuated. And anyone in possible storm areas should have water/clothes/canned food stockpiled anyway (at least enough for a week or so). IE, if they're really starving, it's their own fault ofr

a. not evacuating
or
b. evacuating with no food/water

Well, there are quite a few ppl caught that are there for general infrastructure and such reasons but I get your point and I agree. And of course, nothing like the tsunami. That was what, 250.000 dead?

They were warned, yes - But you forget that people are 100% stupid.

One day, the world will be one giant biosphere, with no way for natural water to go in or out, or natural weather, we'll be safe.

Untill we realise that recreating weather would be a nice thing to have inside the dome, and then realise that, Oh shit! we recreated weather, the very thing we are protecting ourselves from.

The people should have left - they told them to - not saying I don't feel for the people (and for those who know me more the poor animals left behind to die do to selfish bastards who could care less about them) but in the US those people will always be ok - we have so many aid groups and honestly our contry can take care of it's people should it want to. Those people will be fed, given government money to help restart their lives, etc. So..... the big thing is they didn't listen. You say that we should understand that people are 100% stupid, but.... maybe it is natures way of survival of the strong. Maybe we need to clean out the gene pool some. As for looting... the people that are looting are stupid, what do they plan to do with a tv when there is no power to use it, no way out of city with all the belongings? they'd be better off looting in an area not in the storm where they'd have a chance to at least ship it off somewhere. As is they loot and what carry it over to a puddle around the corner for it to get ruined in? Seriously the looting has to do with people's lack or respect for anything or anyone but themselves. Those are the same people who do not understand birth control, because they are to selfish to take the time to use it, and then to lazy to take care of the children they make, which breeds more future thugs or drains on a society. Ok I'm going off but it annoys me.

Looters are idiots. Plain and simple.

Well I live about 30 mins from the Lousiana border. I live about 4 hours away from New Orleans.

This situation is worse than you think. Right here in my town of Port Arthur where I work, there is a chruch that is housing 90 people.

The town next to us, Beaumont, has open a large arena type complex called Ford Park, which is maxed out.

Many churchs and other places are taking in refugees.

Rest areas along I-10 (major us highway connection new orleans to hoston) is flooded with people crammed in vehicles with no where to go.

This isnt like a tsunami in regards to deaths but it is in regards to aftermath.

The Superdome in Louisiana was holding 25,000 people and they are having to be moved to the Houston Astrodome.

They had to stop moving people in the Superdome because rescue heliochoppers where being SHOT at at the crowds below.

This is really bad.

And a lot people cant evacuate if they dont have a car or money. A lot of people that are left behind or still there had no choice but to stay. These are very poor familes. So , they did listen, but when you dont have any transportation how are you supposed to evacuate?

I personally know a guy and his wife who are trapped in a hospital in Chalmette(couple miles away from New Orleans). his wife worked at the hospital and they went their during the storm. I read on the news that in that hospital 350 people are trapped with 55 patients.

Rescue crews are only able to rescue patients, and babies and they are having to leave behind others.

Not only that but we have "Peak Oil" looming over our heads.

I agree it's a screwed up situation. But it's nowhere near the tsunami. We're not looking at hundreds of thousands of people starving to death as a result of this.

And I'll grant you that not everyone was able to evacuate. And even people that chose not to evacuate but were able to should be helped. But we make our own beds. Just like I don't feel sorry for the poor, I don't feel sorry for these people. Put aside everything else, and this is America...anyone can do anything. If you're poor, you chose to be that way, either through your actions or lack of them.

But anyway, let's hope the idiots stop shooting at their rescuers, let's hope the national guard massacres some looters, and let's hope oil prices go down for a change.

On a side note on the oil prices...the last time there was an energy crisis, there was massive innovation spurred on by it..fuel efficiency, economy, etc. Maybe the current oil problems will spur on development of alternative fuels. I would love to see a revolution in hydrogen-powered cars.

http://www.exitmundi.nl/oilcrash.htm <-- Peak Oil

http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/origina ... /main.html <-- A FX original movie that came out in June. Be sure to read the synopsis.

At the superdome

good point shiny, i bet most of those that were smart enough to evacuate decided that a week wasn't long enough to pick up their 'beloved' dog and left the poor sods there to drown.

Do you think these people care about their dog?

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/3334829











http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/09/01/K ... erdome.ap/



You know, when you shoot at rescue crews, your probably going to be treated like animals.


O and read this

http://service.spiegel.de/cache/interna ... 55,00.html