I saw that on the news DC. Also, some of the water is being pumped out. Although, it will probably be weeks until it's complete. Maybe some light is peaking through the tunnel now?

It's good to see some positive things are begining to happen. This whole thing has just been a very sad thing.


DS

Did anyone read or hear the story about the man who was living in a WINN DIXIE who was fishing in the parking lot and actually caught a striped bass?


Don Cardi

Never heard that one Don Cardi. Truly amazing.

Here is what the hospital that I work for is doing for the relief effort.

1. The Medical Center is working with the United Way and the Red Cross to ascertain need & coordinate assistance.

2. The School of Nursing in partnership with the Medical Center will be sending 2 fully stocked Well Mobiles to New Orleans. The Well Mobiles will have a full team of nurses. The team will depart on Wednesday, September 7th.

Was it glowing? or full of sewage? I hope he did not try to eat it? [/b][/quote]Actually Part, he cooked it using candles and ate it.


It was in the New York Post today.


Don Cardi

When you are in that kind of situation , you'll do what you have to to survive. God bless 'em.

I just finished watching the Oprah special on New Orleans. With the exception of the commercials, I was in tears the entire time. It was so very moving, so very sad. Oprah's Angel Network has given $1 million for food and water, and she had celebrities distributing some of it and meeting with people. She also had interviews with the survivors.

Each and every story was heartwrenching. I have never seen such devastation. Although it broke my heart, it also made me very angry. To see a teenage boy crying because they wouldn't let him take his dog (Nate from Oprah's show arranged for some people to get their pets) to the man who doesn't know where his daughters are, to the woman who was reunited with her sisters and brothers on the air, to the descriptions of the convention center, to the doctor who walked around covering the dead bodies, to the man in Houston who volunteered not just his time, but his home as well, it was just story after story that ripped you apart.

I am so sad for these people, and also so angry. These are Americans, our citizens. How did we fail them? How did we let them die in front of our eyes? One point that Oprah made is that we should NOT be calling these people refugees. They are survivors. It may seem like semantics, but it is a valid point, and one I will be adopting from now on.

If anyone missed this special, try to see it if they rebroadcast it. Part Two will be aired tomorrow, and I plan to watch it if I can.

By the time I got home from work I only watched the last half our of it. But I, like you, was moved by all the stories. The doctor covering all the dead bodies was too much to watch. I felt like clapping when Oprah said to stop calling them refugees. The victims have been traumatized enough, let's not stick that label on them on top of it. Survivors hits it right on the mark.

Shoot, I missed it. Here I had the day off too. I do know nearly all of the stories I hear from victims are heartwrenching and sad.

It finally seems that at least some progress is being made. I would imagine however, in spite of being thankful to be alive, the reality won't set in for these people until they actually start to rebuild their lives and realize the impact of losing everything you own.

TIS

Isn't it sad, that after almost two weeks, progress is only just starting to be made? I'm sad, and I'm angry. The governer of Louisiana and FEMA should be held accountable. This is completely unacceptable. There is absolutely no reason something like this should happen (not the hurricane, but the lack of preparation). I'm shocked, and I'm disappointed.

The really scary aspect of this is going to be identifying the bodies. Just think about it. I'm watching a news program now with patholigs on their stating things like they usually rely on toothbrushes or hair brushes for DNA. Well, it's safe to say you're never gonna find those things. And with dental records, if your dentist's office was damaged or underwater those records are gone. Just HOW are they gonna ID all these people?

I just saw on CNN that they now plan to demolish the Louisiana Superdome.

That's just so sad. When you think of it, who is really ever going to want to go to that stadium again to watch a football game. It was the scene of too much heartache. It's probably the best thing.

It's just awful. This has been such a heartache, and I don't know when it will end. Although the folks are at least getting food and water now, thousands are still sleeping on cots in centerfield, although that is a vast improvement on their former state. However, now they're talking about the diseases in that water, and the thousands of dead that they expect to find. And, if the Superdome is going to need to be torn down because of damage, what about the homes? Is the entire city going to be razed? I remember when they asked Giuliani to estimate the number of dead on September 11th, and he gave the most honest answer: More than we can bear.

And, boy, is that the truth!

We were discussing this today. I imagine that many diseases will develop in that city from this, in addition to the wreckage, rot and the mold that has developed. Something tells me that what is left of many of those neighborhoods will eventually be bulldozed and burned. That's really sad when you think about it, but it probably is the only thing that can be done.

On a postive note, the second pump has begun to work and they think that the third and biggest pump will be up and running very soon.


Don Cardi

I watched a 48 Hours special just now and they had some personal stories. One reporter was shooting scenes around town and took aim at a newspaper box on the street. The last paper that was printed was still in the box. The headline said "Katrina takes aim". It seems like so long ago now.

What I don't understand is why are some of these people not wanting to leave their home even after they came to rescue them? They have no food,water,electricity. Oprah came to Charleston to do her show after Hugo hit. Lets just hope and pray that there are no more hurricanes this year.

I think that in order to understand what these people are thinking, we must remove ourselves from OUR lives and try to put ourselves in the mindset that these people have been in and are now in. Many of these people were poverty stricken people before this hurricane hit, and really had nothing but the homes that they live in and the clothes on their backs. And now they are staring in the face of reality in that the little that they have will be lost and taken away from them and they just do not want to let go of what they think they still have left. All they have left is what IS left of what used to be their homes. And they refuse to let go. Very sad. Very understandable.

Don Cardi

Hi everybody!

I haven't read the entire thread, but I hope everybody here is allright. God bless you all!

Edit: The link about Mrs. Bush is moved to the "After Failures"-thread.

Al Neri,

Thank you for your concern regarding the American people.

As for this link that you provided, well several days ago we all agreed that THIS topic would be kept for discussion of the actual hurricane and progress of the rescue efforts. We agreed to keep all political controversy out of here and post anything of a political nature over in the other topic.

Thanks again for your concern.


Don Cardi

Well, isn't she sweet? I'm sure that the survivors are all quite grateful for her visit and will be able to thrive on their cots. Perhaps she would like to house a few of them in Kennebunkport?

Edit: Of course, after I posted this, I read DC's post and wish to say that I couldn't help myself, and will refrain from further comment. Sorry!

Don Cardi

Why are the lyrics from that John Mellencamp song going through my head: "Hurts so good, C'mon baby, make it hurt so good..."

Fires are raging out of control in New Orleans. I understand that there is a possibility that these fires are being set on purpose by the owners of these structures because many were NOT insured with flood insurance, but are insured for fire.


Don Cardi

Given that the entire world has been watching, wouldn't the insurance companies sort of know by your address that you sustained flood damage?

Yes, that may be true, but there are some legitimate explosions which are causing many fires so I guess that it will be very hard for them to distinguish which have been set and which started legitimately in all this mess.

Hey, if it's true that some of these people are starting the fires themselves because they don't have flood insurance, well I guess that they really have nothing to lose and are taking a shot. They are desperate. And understandably so.


Don Cardi

Is anyone catching the late night comics gags on this. While none of this is funny and shouldn't be laughed at, sometimes a little fun here and there is what is needed to lift the mood. Jay Leno joked about Dick Cheney going to New Orleans saying, "Great..just what they need there. Someone else in need of medical attention". The other night he joked he was sitting at his home watching tv when there was a knock at the door. He said it was FEMA there in reponse to his request for aid for the 1998 earthquake. In the middle of all the tears, sometimes we just need to chuckle at ourselves.

I've been hearing this a lot these past few weeks, and it sounds crazy to me. Sorry if this sounds insensitive, but if you live in an area that gets hurricanes every year, doesn't it seem a little foolish not to have flood insurance? I live in Los Angeles, where it rains like 10 inches the whole year, and most everyone I know has flood or water damage insurance. Come on!

If they can't afford any kind of homeowner's insurance, then sure, that's sad. But to be able to get fire insurance, and not have the common sense to also get insured for water damage... I don't know.

Flood insurance costs A LOT down there, much more than fire insurance. I doubt the poor or even middle class in New orleans could've afforded it. And in many cases flood insurance is SIMPLY NOT available.

I've been hearing this a lot these past few weeks, and it sounds crazy to me. Sorry if this sounds insensitive, but if you live in an area that gets hurricanes every year, doesn't it seem a little foolish not to have flood insurance? I live in Los Angeles, where it rains like 10 inches the whole year, and most everyone I know has flood or water damage insurance. Come on!

If they can't afford any kind of homeowner's insurance, then sure, that's sad. But to be able to get fire insurance, and not have the common sense to also get insured for water damage... I don't know. [/b][/quote]From what I understand the cost of flood insurance is astronomical because of the location of that city. And many could not afford those high premiums for flood insurance.


Don Cardi