Ya know, it's sort of funny...

[Purogamer]

It's sort of funny how we've had an earthquake overseas that's killed 20k people (so far), we've got a bird flu problem that we're completely unprepared to deal with, and you guys are bumping old katrina topics for no reason.

You know who you SHOULD donate money to? The VICTIMS OF NATURE in Indonesia and Pakistan. Who DO you donate money to? The VICTIMS OF IGNORANCE in New Orleans. Is it due to pseudo-patriotism or what? No matter how you like or dislike people of pakistan (who you don't know...), they're more deserving of money than the people in New Orleans. I live in hurricane-free Ohio and I KNOW TO NOT STAY. The people in pakistan had no warning while the people in new orleans had days.

Can't wait until bird flu shows up and kills a relative so I can read the "We weren't prepared" posts that we SHOULD be seeing now. It's one thing to realize these things AFTER, but you should educate yourself on bird flu now, it will be coming up in shortly.

I'm American, I love America, but let's stop the nonsense already. I realize we're kind of stuck in a rut until 2009, but c'mon. Victims are victims, just because it doesn't happen on U.S. Soil shouldn't diminish the impact. If you want to focus on something, focus on how unprepared we are for a flu epidemic that most "experts" feel is upon us.

Senate just approved ANOTHER 50 BILLION for the wars ( http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/10/07/congress.defense.ap/index.html ), as we're nickel and diming this. Sounds less dramatic to steal 50 million from americans right? Meanwhile we can't stop counting the new cash in the checking account to organize a flu epidemic plan ( http://www.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/10/08/flu.pandemic.ap/index.html ). Great, just great.

It's stuff like this that makes other countries hate us. We say how great we are, but all the facts in the papers and on the news seem to directly contradict that to anyone with an open mind.

/end rant

 

[NightRyder]

I suggest you re-direct your rant at China. While that country spends close to two hundred billion per year on their military, their rural residents live in squalid poverty. Pigs, chickens, waterfowl and humans all living under one roof, with no means of sanitation. That is where a disease like the "bird flu" is bred. Until they and similar countries address those kinds of problems, we will not be able to escape this viral Russian roulette. Of course if a pandemic does happen, I'm sure the rest of the world will find some way to blame us for it.


NightRyder

 

[Van]

I understand your rant however I dont understand your thinking on just where the damage from Katrina was centered. Katrina's path of distruction went from the New Orleans area east to pensacola florida and north into the ohio valley region with places in Indiana getting flooded from heavy rains. Some area's of lower Alabama took extensive damage to structures both from 120mph winds and storm surge and these locations were a 3 - 4 hour drive away from New Orleans, they sustained damage from a storm that was 200 miles wide and was a lower category storm than that of chamile. Getting out for many was not an option, low income, gas prices already high, poor or no transportation, and a country with no idea of what was coming because it had been over 50 years since chamile.

I'd like to think that if every single person down there had had say $100 in theyr pockets and a well running vehicle that all but save a few would have evacuated, but thats a fantasy and the reality is that many people live in abject poverty in this country. I'd also like to think that the people of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India would leave these countries having the knowledge that they are sitting ontop of a majour earthquak fault line but India's population is one of the highest in the world, you'd also think that no one would live in India considering its ground water is laced with cyanide from underground deposits in many area's.

So who should I give my money to to help out then, India I would consider but its a dilema when so many of this countries jobs are farmed to India for cheap labour, but I digrese because many Indian's Ive met have been very good people. Pakistan and Afghanistan wont see a penny of my money, both harbour and foster terrorism and for that I say they should be left to theyr own care. But that is my feeling, others disagrea and as we speak our country has already extended its hand in help and is sending equipment and money to help out these regions, you did hear about this in the news today Im sure.

 

[vurbano]

You know who you SHOULD donate money to? The VICTIMS OF NATURE in Indonesia and Pakistan. Who DO you donate money to? The VICTIMS OF IGNORANCE in New Orleans. Is it due to pseudo-patriotism or what? No matter how you like or dislike people of pakistan (who you don't know...), they're more deserving of money than the people in New Orleans. I live in hurricane-free Ohio and I KNOW TO NOT STAY. The people in pakistan had no warning while the people in new orleans had days.

Im sorry but you are showing a bit of ignorance as well. Those people in India and pakistan live on the edge of two techtonic plates. They should know better given your arguement. They too are victims of ignorance given your logic. They are sitting there just waiting to be destroyed with no advance warning just like the idiots living on a fult line in California. http://www.crystalinks.com/tectonicplates.html

So whats more ignorant? Living in a place like India that lies on the edge of two plates where there WILL be earthquakes and NO advance warning or living in a bowl next to the sea where you will get 8 hrs notice from an idiot Mayor?? Even in that case living on the fault line is still the more ignorant thing to do. SO why give your money to them?

 

[Purogamer]

I really wasn't going for the "They know it's under sea level" aspect because you live where you live. If they can't afford to get away, how do they afford to move somewhere? There's NO safe place to live in this world.

Huge earthquake and because it wasn't in america, america doesn't care. Huge Tsunami (remember that?), and america barely cared. This is the point, that anything that doesn't happen to americans doesn't get a response from americans, but we go apeshit about any little thing going on here. Whether it's hurricanes, Terry Schiavo, people intentionally showing their breast on television, etc...

Where's the logic? What happened to this country? Why can't we see what the rest of the world sees. I don't even know what my point is anymore, i'm just frustrated with everything I see and read, all the lies and stupidity and corruption, it just seems to be everywhere instead of in smaller portions like it used to be. Local, state, national, it's everywhere and it's sad.

 

[riffjim4069]

What's really funny is how generous Americans are to other Countries whenever they experience a natural disasters; we send food, money, medical supplies, security forces, etc. However, when something bad happens to us, like Katrina, these people are the first to sling sh*t at us and, according to their logic, celebrate that the Great Satin is being punished by God. I don't know about you, but I think I'll take this opportunity to write another check and help OUR OWN ignorant people down in the Gulf.

 

[mperdue]

Huge Tsunami (remember that?), and america barely cared. This is the point, that anything that doesn't happen to americans doesn't get a response from americans, but we go apeshit about any little thing going on here. Whether it's hurricanes, Terry Schiavo, people intentionally showing their breast on television, etc...

1) $350m in US Government donations thus far; it'sexpected to rise to $650m.

2) Military assistance involving 12,600 personnel, 21 ships, 14 cargo planes and more than 90 helicopters

3) Approximately $200 million in private donations.

Grab your ears and pull until you see sunshine.

Mario

 

[riffjim4069]

1) $350m in US Government donations thus far; it'sexpected to rise to $650m.

2) Military assistance involving 12,600 personnel, 21 ships, 14 cargo planes and more than 90 helicopters

3) Approximately $200 million in private donations.

Grab your ears and pull until you see sunshine.

Mario

How dare you support your argument with facts! :shocked

 

[CPanther95]

What happened to "Think Globally, Act Locally"

 

[voomvoom]

If you want to focus on something, focus on how unprepared we are for a flu epidemic that most "experts" feel is upon us.

O.K. Let's do just that. How do the experts know this epidemic is upon us? They created it and have let it loose upon us. How else will the pharmaceutical companies stay in business? If know one gets sick. Tsk...Tsk...

Al

 

[cdru]

You know who you SHOULD donate money to? The VICTIMS OF NATURE in Indonesia and Pakistan. Who DO you donate money to? The VICTIMS OF IGNORANCE in New Orleans.

See, there is where you are wrong. Your making the presumption that I'm not donating to Indonesia and Pakistan and that I'm donating to Katrina relief. I'm donating exactly the same amount to both disasters. $0. It's my choice who I do (or in this case don't) donate to. Don't get up on your high horse to tell ME who I should donate to.

Last I check, humans are part of mother nature as well, making Katrina just as much a NATURAL disaster as the earthquakes in Pakistan or the birdflu in Asia.

 

[Tom in TX]

If you want to focus on something, focus on how unprepared we are for a flu epidemic that most "experts" feel is upon us.

Kinda like the one we were facing at this time last year? The one the Democrats blamed Bush for, because there was no vaccine, and the same one that wasn't that bad after all?
Tom in TX

 

[vurbano]

There's NO safe place to live in this world.

Maybe not but I would guess that your odds of living to an old age are a hell of a lot better not living where two techtonic plates come together or below sea level on the gulf coast.

 

[CPanther95]

If you want to focus on something, focus on how unprepared we are for a flu epidemic that most "experts" feel is upon us.

Are these the same experts that warned us of SARS being an epidemic like the world has never seen - then forgot to tell us that it was way overblown?

Now we have "Bird Flu" that has infected an insignificant number of people among those working and being intimate with chickens on a daily basis. The "epidemic" that is fast approaching is based on the assumption that it mutates into an airborne, more deadly variety.

Seems to be a possibility with thousands of viruses out there.