Free Republic

Indeed, the Prez has apparently thrown down the gauntlet(s), ... long overdue. Now, he has to complete the process, ... pick the gauntlets up, put them on, and take up the sword. The cause is just, to do otherwise is to invite a defeat from which there will be no recovery, ... it's now or never.

Jai Hind! As time goes by, India will indeed prove to be a dependable friend, partner, and ally, be it in times of peril or times of growth and progress, ... this is something that cannot be said of some of the old European malcontents.

You've got to wonder how much time, money, and effort have been wasted on Mardi Gras prep by city of New Oleans, Parrish Gov't, and State of Louisiana ... time and money that should have been spent on disaster preparedness. Nagin, Blanco et al were obviously laissez-faire and asleep at the wheel, ... they gambled - their constituents lost, ... and the rest of us are having to pay for it.

I agree with the contentions in the article. I lived in New Orleans in the early '70s ... and it is apparent that things haven't changed.

After seeing and hearing some of the evacuees and other so-called personalities drop the f-bomb and otherwise sully efforts to attend to the relief operations, I have decided that I will not be compelled by such trash to contribute one cent more, my taxes are sufficient.

You've got to wonder just how much time, money, and effort New Orleans and the state of Louisiana spent on Mardi Gras ... that should have gone to emergency preparedness.

Sadly, the infamous laissez-faire attitude may have come back to bite New Orleans big time.

And another sad note, ... there are far too many unattended children being found at the shelters and evacuation centers, ... makes you wonder how many are truly separated, ... and how many were conveniently abandoned? I know for certain that no child of mine could be pried from my clutches unless I was dead or otherwise incapacitated.

Show me the money!!!!

If there is any way that it could be researched, it would be interesting to see just how much time, money, and effort the City of New Orleans, the Parrish, and the State of Louisiana have spent each year on preparation and support for Mardi Gras activities - as opposed to what they have spent on disaster preparedness.

It wouldn't be much of a surprise to find out that they have had their priorities upside-down for a long time. They gambled, ... and they lost. Nagin and Blanco are typical Dem charlatans, and their "it's my turf" attitude jeopardized many lives, ... but then again, they are products of an infamous political culture.

Um, ... almost not worth commenting on other than to say that Rev.(?) Jackson ceased being relevant a long time ago, ... too many skeletons in his own closet. He should park his jet and donate the fuel money, ... a lot more would be accomplished. ... Jackson Lee is a Maxine Waters wannabe, ... the Rep. job is not so much about service as it it about ego stroking, circulating in certain circles, and "stylin'" in D.C. But that could be said about most of the D.C. politicos.

If there are any who should be subject to charges of criminal negligence, ... it is Nagin, Blanco, and their irresponsible cohorts.

The Feds did trumpet the emergency declaration as far in advance as the meteorological info could provide for in light of the relative accuracy of projected landfall, which is by no means a perfected art/science.

It is in fact the unpredictable nature of these tempestuous sea monsters that complicates pre-positioning and pre-mobilization of response assets. ... Many of the ignorant talking-heads in the media and their agenda-driven malcontented accomplices just don't get it. You don't put your disaster response assets in the bulls-eye for the sake of being close, ... doing so risks losing them as well, ... it's a no-brainer. You have to stand off far enough to be able to survive the fall-out, and that may mean hundreds of miles.

The Katrina scenario, had it taken place almost anywhere else, most likely would not have been as devastating, ... primarily because NOLA's unique geography is not duplicated in any other major metro area, ... and secondly, because most other coastal target areas are perhaps more attentive to their liabilities and have addressed them - federal assistance or not.

You have to ask the question, ... did Nagin, Blanco and their local/state bureaucratic cohorts spend as much time and effort on disaster preparedness as they do/did on preparing for Mardi Gras, ... hmm?

Yes indeed, if there are any who should be subject to charges of criminal negligence, it is Nagin and Blanco.

The Feds did trumpet the emergency declaration as far in advance as the meteorological info could provide in light of the relative accuracy of projected landfall, which is by no means a perfected art/science.

It is in fact the unpredictable nature of these tempestuous sea monsters that complicates pre-positioning and pre-mobilization of response assets. ... Many of the ignorant talking-heads in the media and their agenda-driven malcontented accomplices just don't get it. You don't put your disaster response assets in the bulls-eye for the sake of being close, ... doing so risks losing them as well, ... it's a no-brainer. You have to stand off far enough to be able to survive the fall-out, and that may mean hundreds of miles.

The Katrina scenario, had it taken place almost anywhere else, most likely would not have been as devastating, ... primarily because NOLA's unique geography is not duplicated in any other major metro area, ... and secondly, because most other coastal target areas are perhaps more attentive to their liabilities and have addressed them - federal assistance or not.

You have to ask the question, ... did Nagin, NOLA, and Blanco spend as much time and effort on disaster preparedness as the do/did on preparing for Mardi Gras?

If there is a "take 'em to task" sentiment growing with regards to the handling of the situation, ... Blanco and Nagin should get "front of the line" privileges to be called on the carpet.

Nagin's spews are obvious attempts to divert/deflect attention from NOLA's lack of will to follow-up or facilitate the tardy evacuation order. It was incumbent upon him not only to say "get out," ... but to also marshal the means to move those without independent ability to do so. This should have all been in writing and would have been triggered by the utterance of the evac order.

Likewise, upon word that NOLA was being evacuated, Blanco and Co. should have been able to make one or two phone calls to have "boots on the ground" and wheels rolling in order to head 'em up and move 'em out. Having said that, you could bet that probably more than half of the designated evacuees would have, ... or did, ignore the order to go. There is an attitude among some folk in the area that because they have escaped in the past, they could ride this one out. They gambled, and many lost.

While there were no doubt many innocent victims, ... there were probably just as many who chose to tempt fate, either because they felt they were "inconvenienced" or because they thought that whatever happened "the government" would save their posterior. In this case, the sad truth is that many abandoned common sense.

Disaster preparedness just becomes plain "disaster" if it isn't taken seriously.

If there is a "take 'em to task" sentiment growing with regards to the handling of the situation, ... Blanco and Nagin should get "front of the line" privileges to be called on the carpet.

Nagin's spews are obvious attempts to divert/deflect attention from NOLA's lack of will to follow-up or facilitate the tardy evacuation order. It was incumbent upon him not only to say "get out," ... but to also marshal the means to move those without independent ability to do so. This should have all been in writing and would have been triggered by the utterance of the evac order.

Likewise, upon word that NOLA was being evacuated, Blanco and Co. should have been able to make one or two phone calls to have "boots on the ground" and wheels rolling in order to head 'em up and move 'em out. Having said that, you could bet that probably more than half of the designated evacuees would have, ... or did, ignore the order to go. There is an attitude among some folk in the area that because they have escaped in the past, they could ride this one out. They gambled, and many lost.

While there were no doubt many innocent victims, ... there were probably just as many who chose to tempt fate, either because they felt they were "inconvenienced" or because they thought that whatever happened "the government" would save their posterior. In this case, the sad truth is that many abandoned common sense.

Disaster preparedness just becomes plain "disaster" if it isn't taken seriously.

While some of the criticism of the response to the Katrina situation may indeed be warranted, much of it is being spewed by pompus media types, political opportunists, and those who have no understanding of the unique complexity of this particular situation, i.e. the geographical time-bomb that has been ticking for decades and left to smolder, nor do they have experience in disaster preparedness/response, crisis management, military logistics, or communications, command and control across multiple jurisdictions.

And as harsh as it may sound, many of those who are now in dire straits may have gambled and lost. They will not admit it because it is much more convenient for them to shift blame from their own stubbornness or faux bravado - to officials who in fact did sound warnings. I doubt that less than half of those who are now the otherwise able-bodied refugees would have heeded evacuation orders even if they had been provided transport. That would have "inconvenienced" them, and they would have been raising hell and criticising the government entities for "interfering" in their lives and denying them their individual rights and freedoms, ... that is the sad truth.

The bottom line is that while there are many who are true victims of these tragic circumstances, ... there are perhaps far too many more people who were too willing to abrogate personal responsibility and common sense.

As a result, I can foresee the future implementation of far more coercive preemptive actions to be taken by all echelons of government when dealing with similar situations, ... and as I said before, the bitching and moaning will reach critical mass, ... it's a damned if you do - damned if you don't paradox.