Hurricane Gustav is looking pretty scary after all. I figured the early hype about him battering New Orleans with all the rage of Katrina was probably just knee-jerk worrisomeness, it couldn't be so bad. Understandable the Cajun concern, but I didn't expect so much, what really were the chances?Well, it certainly looks now that those chances are actually pretty good! Holy crap, here they go again. The hurricane pounded Cuba today as a category 4, I think it was, and is expected to even strengthen heading across the Gulf on a beeline for the Big Easy.
Mayor Nagin is calling this the "storm of the century," which I guess will then relegate Katrina to lesser status than she's held for nearly three years almost to the day before Gustav kicks her ass.
"You need to be scared," Nagin said. "You need to be concerned, and you need to get your butts moving out of New Orleans right now."I'm at least glad for the mandatory early evacuations this time around, and it seems that there is much more organization in clearing the coast before T-minus zero.
Crowded buses and trains already en route out of harm's way, not to mention of course the one-way highway traffic. Even air evacs underway. Although I did hear that some folks aren't too happy about that part, flying the not-so-friendly skies to undisclosed locations.
Can't say that I blame them, really, I'd want to know where to. WTF is up with that anyway? But at least they'll still be alive to appreciate being pissed off about it later on. I can't even find anything online explaining or even reporting this, but I saw some interviews with a few of the then soon-to-be evacuees today, they weren't so pleased.
Something that does piss me off, though, is that the police are bullhorning their way through the streets apparently blaring that if you're so stupid as to stay put, you'll have nowhere to go if bad turns to worse. No public shelters will be made available, the Superdome's doors locked up and the keys thrown away. Basically just either get the fuck out or maybe die, take your pick, but don't expect any help or assistance from us.
Anyway, here's what I wonder. If it does happen, what of the Republican National Convention set to kick off on Monday? I mean, the Republican administration that totally screwed these people over three years ago, and pretty much has continued to do so ever since, will they go on with their party?
Or will they muster enough common sense to put things on hold long enough to at least pretend, for awhile anyway, to give a shit about what looks likely to become a repeat of the same sort of devastation there and try to save face with the locals?
And if it is as bad as expected (Gustav, I mean, not the convention), I wonder too about the levees again. I remember after all the faulty engineering that came to light after Katrina, hearing someone on NPR say that it would take many years to not only repair but also to correct the problems ... is three years so many? It looks like we might well find out soon enough. I wish them all the best of luck.
" Basically just either get the fuck out or maybe die, take your pick, but don't expect any help or assistance from us."
ReplyDeleteI remember thinking this same thing before Katrina when we decided to "hunker down" in our apartment in the French Quarter. I was watching the local news the day before Katrina and they were interviewing families stranded in the 9th Ward. The buses were all gone and no more were coming. The reporter was asking people what were they going to do and they didn't know- they had no transportation and the city was done. N.O. also said at that time that there would be no shelters. One young mother said she was scared and hoped they wouldn't die. I couldn't believe the city would just abandon them like that.
"The city that care forgot." Very apt.
I hope to God it won't be a repeat of Katrina under a different name. All of it really, the event itself and the failures, and in my opinion atrocities, of not only the federal government, but the local as well. I just thought that part about telling them to get out or you're on your own was ludicrous, didn't know that happened too back with Katrina. What the fuck????
ReplyDeleteThe flying fickle finger of fate again demonstrates the unfairness of life. Here's hoping things are better this time around. But isn't it something, as you point out, about the timing of the GOP convention and Gustav? I hope it serves as a reminder to everyone of the shallowness of the GOP's "government IS the problem" mantra.
ReplyDeleteI hope everyone makes it out okay.
ReplyDeleteTiming of GOP convention and Gustav forebodes a bleak future for McCain and Palin. Have you ever heard of Palin before?
ReplyDeleteDoug, did you remove your podcast?
ReplyDeleteFirstly, Erika, yes the podcast is gone. I'm prone to do that. Regularly.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I agree with David that the timing of Gustav forebodes not so well for the GOP and with Doug that I hope it does serve as a reminder of the republican failings with Katrina. On the other hand, I am glad McCain and the RNC did have enough sense to respect what seems to be inevitable at this point and forego their festivities. If it's going to happen, the timing couldn't have been more perfect. Gustav will bluster, the Republicans not so much. Silver lining, kind of.
DBK, NO. I think McCain wants to lose.
ReplyDeleteThe one spot in levee is only 75% fixed. We have yet another chance to look like arrogant, selfish, FOOLS to other countries. Most powerful? We can't even fix a hole after THREE EFFIN YEARS. Well, at least Brad and Angelina can jet off until the flood stops. Didn't I read somewhere that the GOP religious right were saying it would rain during Obama's DNC speech in Denver and that would prove how God feels about Obama? Wonder how that group will spin THIS?
You know, I've been thinking about this and now with Diane questioning about how the right might spin this, I am concerned now. I thought like DBK the timing of Gustav's visit and all curtailing the neocon festivities might be a silver lining of sorts. However, here's what I hear tonight, that with pretty much a given that party-time is over before it even begins, McCain might well accept his nomination via satellite FROM New Orleans later this week, showing his most caring-for-the-people side. That frightens me, I think it might be good marketing actually. Also, that because Monday's planned opening night with Bush and Cheney now cancelled, well, that has to be a boon to keep from being associated with the idiot doofuses of the Republican nature who have brought the nation so much shame, and particularly timely to cause to remember the failures of this same administration with Katrina. Fuck, or per Diane, EF! I really don't know for sure which way this RNC Gustav thing might swing. I get afraid easily.
ReplyDelete