Bush is saying the impact of Hurricane Katrina is worse than 9/11 'attack'

[terrace max]

I gather Bush is saying the impact of Hurricane Katrina is worse than 9/11 'attack' on New York.

Because the ferocity of the hurricane was exacerbated by warmer sea temperatures caused by global warming, can we look forward to a 'War on Climate Change'? Errm no...from today's NY Times:

The White House responded [to higher oil prices caused by the hurricane] yesterday by saying it would release oil from the nation's emergency stockpiles to meet shortages and would relax environmental standards nationwide so that refiners could produce more - but dirtier - gasoline

.

Ever feel like the whole thing is about to unravel?

[adam antichrist]

Awesome!

Hey, it was his first summer holiday after the election last time when 11/9 happened (his brief 4 week+ break ended September 10th)

i'M CONVINCED HE'S BEHIND IT...

oops, caps...

[Kevster]

According to the BBC anarchy has descended upon New Orleans, it hasn't, since people are running about looting, shooting at rescue helicopters and starting fires. If there was anarchy people would be organising and working together as best as possible to help each other. Anarchy may have some elements of lawlessness, but this doesn't mean people decide to act in a way that harms others.

[adam antichrist]

I just can't believe how disorganised the rescue efforts are in New Orleans. They knew this was coming, they told people to get out of the city. But there doesn't seem to be much help and now it seems that people may actually dehydrate to death (an utterly horrible death) because they are stranded.

I wouldn't be surprised if many of the dead turn out to have been murdered, by the sounds of it People who wouldn't dream of stealing are forced to loot shops for food and bottled water.

Apparantly the National Guard would normally be able to do something, but 33% of them are in Iraq. But why is it the poor are the ones to suffer? The only difference between this and floods in India etc is the coverage.

[snivelingchild]

This isn't very apparent, but the number one reason the rescue efforts are so disorganised is because there is practically no available form of communication. Even satellite communication with phones and such are very limited. There are some things they could be doing better, but the main reason is that they cannot communicate.

[kriz]

How are things where you live, Snivelingchild?

[snivelingchild]

Good. There are just tons of people everywhere. Restaurants are always full because so many don't have places to cook. Tonight, I went to see a movie to sort of get a break from the constant depressing news coverage, and there were about ten people in the theatre. Someone came out before the movie and basically said "we're not stupid. We know you're all probably expecting calls. Try to turn your phones on vibrate and keep the conversations low or in the lobby."

There are just people everywhere and it makes you wonder whats going on with them, and if everyone's alright.

[kriz]

I'm glad you're all right...and hopefully your family is too. Poor, poor people of New Orleans...Four days without food, water and shelter is just horrific! This is tragic on so many levels. Why did the federal government not respond earlier to citizens crying out for help? And why was resources not put in place to help prevent or ease such a tragedy?...I'm so sad and outraged.

[Roxy]

I am worried about all of the disease that is going to spread because of the raw sewerage that people are being exposed to as well as the decaying corpses that are floating around in the water.

[kriz]

Yeah, that's another concern...