Flooding?

[shmoov69]

Have you seen the pictures from Iowa, etc. of the people looting the liquor stores, carrying away televisions from retail stores, sitting on the roof begging for someone to take care of them, collected in the baseball stadium complaining about the food and shelter being provided?


Neither have I.

BTW- Anyone here affected in IA or MO or MN?

[Young Gun]

huh?

[Jim Nilsen]

It's been flooding in Illinois too. I haven't heard of looting going on, where did you get the idea about those fear tactics in the news and which network?

[megaladon6]

either i'm reading things wrong or you're missing the sarcasm.
after katrina there was looting and complaining/bitching. now people in the midwest are in the same situation and no looting or bitching.

[Jim Nilsen]

"where did you get the idea" Sarcasm too !

It's so hard to make those sounds of sarcasm on a pc.

Fear tactics are dividing us all and Katrina is a perfect example. The media promotes it and we all need to question it especially after Feb. 2009 when it can all reach people digitally reproduced after it leaves the station and before it gets to you via satellite.

[Kenova]

Have you seen the pictures from Iowa, etc. of the people looting the liquor stores, carrying away televisions from retail stores, sitting on the roof begging for someone to take care of them, collected in the baseball stadium complaining about the food and shelter being provided?


Neither have I.

Oh man, that has to be the sharpest barb I've seen in a long time!

Quite frankly, I doubt very much that you will ever hear any whining. I would bet that the people in the mid west aren't much different than the rural population in my neck of the woods. When disaster hits, you roll up your sleeves and get to work. If you can't help yourself, then help someone else.

Ken

[shmoov69]

BING, BING, BING!!! We have a winner!!! LOL!

Oh man, that has to be the sharpest barb I've seen in a long time!

Quite frankly, I doubt very much that you will ever hear any whining. I would bet that the people in the mid west aren't much different than the rural population in my neck of the woods. When disaster hits, you roll up your sleeves and get to work. If you can't help yourself, then help someone else.

Ken

[MrQuick]

that and a lot less people and a very big familly value system. I have familly in Iowa (Lisbon) and I've been there a number of times. They are 800 ft above sea level so they are dry. Great area, nice people and ethics. People help each other when times are down. Help was there very quickly.

After visiting Cedar Rapids is hard to see the pictures of it under water.

LA and New Orleanes is a very largely populated city. Most of the poulation was near the poverty level and when times are down they take advantage. Simple survival mode.
They were told to go to a specific area and help would be there. Help came too late for many because of leadership issues. No food, water or leadership for several days. Hundreds died where they sat.

[SatisTraction]

. Hundreds dies where they sat.

less sitting and more work is the key to survival.

[zbugger]

Looks like they may need a few of these...

[MrQuick]

less sitting and more work is the key to survival.

Your not seeing my point. The two disasters are very different. Its not fair to compare the two.

Katrina disaster:
Large Hurricane that left a lot of injured/disabled people stranded. Roads blocked by debris and cars left by citizens evacuating too late. Bridges destroyed and gas stations locked down.
No relief effort till a few days later. No emergency infrastructure. Most police and governor retreat.
Most citizens have been through hurricanes before and they thought they could wait it out like they have before. Fatal mistake.

Mississippi flooding:
Larger run off from series of big storms. Non hurricane force. Small number of tornadoes. Floor water rose slow at the beginning. Damage localized.
Relive efforts already in place. Evacuation plans already established. National guard deployed early. Governor stays in town.

I can only assume that the Katrina failure taught a few agencies a valuable lesson and it appears we may have learned from it.

I see the sarcasm and understand the original statement but without knowing the actual situation on the Katrina fiasco, I will not be un sensitive to the breakdown of a civilized community and the senseless loss of life.

[steemin]

Your not seeing my point. The two disasters are very different. Its not fair to compare the two.

Katrina disaster:
Large Hurricane that left a lot of injured/disabled people stranded. Roads blocked by debris and cars left by citizens evacuating too late. Bridges destroyed and gas stations locked down.
No relief effort till a few days later. No emergency infrastructure. Most police and governor retreat.
Most citizens have been through hurricanes before and they thought they could wait it out like they have before. Fatal mistake.

Mississippi flooding:
Larger run off from series of big storms. Non hurricane force. Small number of tornadoes. Floor water rose slow at the beginning. Damage localized.
Relive efforts already in place. Evacuation plans already established. National guard deployed early. Governor stays in town.

I can only assume that the Katrina failure taught a few agencies a valuable lesson and it appears we may have learned from it.

I see the sarcasm and understand the original statement but without knowing the actual situation on the Katrina fiasco, I will not be un sensitive to the breakdown of a civilized community and the senseless loss of life.

With all due respect I am going to have to disagree.
Certainly these were different types of disasters.
And surely there were many hard working and honest people that suffered tragic losses by Katrina.
On the other hand it was down right disgusting to see and hear the (I have a close friend that went down to help and witnessed this first hand) stories of the looting. And the able bodied young men and women sitting on their asses waiting for someone to unload
thier food and drinking water for them.
I realize that it is not very warm and fuzzy and certainly not PC but it is ridiculous the level of laziness and entitlement that Katrina brought out

Scott

[Young Gun]

With all due respect I am going to have to disagree.
Certainly these were different types of disasters.
And surely there were many hard working and honest people that suffered tragic losses by Katrina.
On the other hand it was down right disgusting to see and hear the (I have a close friend that went down to help and witnessed this first hand) stories of the looting. And the able bodied young men and women sitting on their asses waiting for someone to unload
thier food and drinking water for them.
I realize that it is not very warm and fuzzy and certainly not PC but it is ridiculous the level of laziness and entitlement that Katrina brought out

Scott

unless you saw it yourself you have no idea how bad it was...i was there for the clean up...the only way you could get around was on lifted 4 wheel drive trucks...yah people looted, cant argue with that, but much of the "looting" involved good they needed, im not talking about the tvs...batteries, clothes, guns (they opened the jails and let people out since they couldnt move them, you want crimanls coming into your house?) yah there were people who did take tvs and washing machines, and that is beyond wrong. but unless you were there i dont think its fair for any of you to judge that situation. believe it or not there are still alot of people who cant swim today, those people who were "sitting on their ass" were doing so because they had no way to leave, they couldnt swim in 8 feet of water (that was extremely contaminated by the way and not fit for anything to be in)... to compare these two events is unbelievable, they are completely different, and honestly, there is no point in it...people died, people lost their homes, people have been displaced. It is extremely unfortunate that it happend, as opposed to saying we dont wine when a flood comes and hits our part, you are all just babies, how about we just offer a helping hand to somebody that has been affected by the storms.

/rant

[steemin]

I think that the point that the OP was trying to make is that
there were many documented instances of people that took advantage of a horrible situation.

I am not trying to diminish the loss of life and the tragedy that took place in New Orleans (or any other place that suffers such a disaster).
My close friend that went down there to help spent much of his time in the Superdome. The stories he shared with me about
able bodied 20 and 30 something men and women
"sitting on there asses" watching while 50+ something men and women would unload trucks with their food and water. Then they would sit on their asses while the food was being prepared,delivered to them and then cleaned up...
This would never fly where I grew up!
Please realize that I understand that not everyone behaved in this manner... And once again I know that it is unpopular to point this out but the fact of the matter is that some people believe that the world owes them a living. In this awful situation these are the bad guys. Not me for pointing out their abuse of their neighbors and the system.


Scott

[Tony_SS]

Well maybe everyone can agree in both cases that FEMA is a joke.

[Young Gun]

Well maybe everyone can agree in both cases that FEMA is a joke.

Definately...

When I read the "sitting on their asses bit" I assumed you meant people stuck at home, I was in disbelief that you would say that haha... but yes I heard about the superdome, It blew my mind that only volunteers were doing anything, people just sat around and watched, then happily took what they could get and some.

[MrQuick]

Well maybe everyone can agree in both cases that FEMA is a joke.

thats all im going to say about that.

[Tony_SS]

The goon squad hard at work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONAud...rs.com/?p=2722

[Magntik]

I live in Cedar Rapids, and even though my family and I are high and dry, I am very proud of the efforts put forth by the citizens and even Major Companies here in town.
There was 1 report of theft, but the guy claimed he was suposed to be "helping". It got dropped by the media so I don't know what came of it.
People here went way out of their way to help sandbag homes, businesses and even city wells that provide water to the city. I never in all my life hope to see the river that high again. The City Government claims we flooded in to the 500 year flood plain and beyond.
Big companies like the one I work for (General Mills) donated big chunks of cash to the Red Cross, we donated food that we make here at our Plant to Volunteers, Red Cross, and Emergency Shelters. And they let the Red Cross use part of the BRAND NEW warehouse we just finished building for the Red Cross relief efforts. General Mills gave employees the option to take time off work to Volunteer in the community, and some companies that shut down b/c of flood waters PAID their people for the time they spent vlounteering. Rockwell Collins ( aviation company) reportedly gave $2 million to the Red Cross.
What is amazing is the support from accross the Country. The newspaper said the CEO of GoDaddy.com gave money to the relief efforts. Employees at sister plants of General Mills, sent a semi load of "stuff" to help out their fellow employees affect by the flood here.
It's just amazing.
The City is estimating 5 years before things are back to "normal". And they are already tearing down 2500 of the 4000 homes the were flooded.

[69protour]

I live in between Ames and Des Moines and no problems in my area, but Des Moines got hit pretty hard, with the flooding, taking roads out and many homes and business'. The amount of people helping was phonominal! Spelling sucks sometimes. We didn't hear of any looting, or destoying of other peoples things at all! Iowa,,,, what a great place to live, with great people! The weather do suck sometimes though!