NOLA
 

I did not suggest anything was excused. I suggested that some things had reasons for them that go beyond the immediate situation. If we have such poor class relations in this country that people use opportunities like this to kill, rape, steal and maim for the pleasure of it, we need to investigate why that is the case. Doesn't mean that the perpetrators shouldn't suffer swift justice; just means that proaction is better than reaction.

NOLA
 

The context was the Gulf Coast and specifically New Orleans, where people are dying in the streets. So it seems just a tad callous to get on your soapbox about people who haven't done everything they could have done to have fixed their situations. And in the context of the people on TV (who I'm sure are poor) being upset about not having food, your comments denigrating people as expecting handouts seemed kind of pointed and, well, mean.

It was perhaps not the best time to bring it up.

But whatever. And it's nice that you are helping with relief efforts.

ETA christ, the subject line of your rant about the undeserving ungrateful poor was NOLA. Though, people do ignore subject lines a lot. But it probably contributed to my feeling you were referring to the people stuck there.

OTOH, I am a big bitch and your comment about making other people look stupid was on target. Some make it easier than others, oc.

NOLA
 

How is stealing a TV from Walmart protecting your family? And what about the assholes who set their own city on fire? I dont get that. They did it in LA too. What gives?

NOLA
 

People are inherently bad.

NOLA
 

I'm sorry, but how do "class relations" lead to rape, etc? Are they checking bank balances before raping now? The opportunity to kill, rape, steal [in my book, taking stuff necessary for your survival doesn't count as stealing in this context]
, etc. wasn't caused by poor class relations, it was caused by the combination of a natural disaster, lack of police presence, and the complete lack of a moral foundation.

NOLA
 

I was referring to people looting food and basic shit they need for survival. They have to survive. I think thats acceptable. Shit, its necessary.

Stealing TVs and DVD players is not acceptable. And stealing from another person's home is lower than low. The people doing that deserve to get killed by homeowners and business owners defending their stores and homes.

This is not the same as LA.

NOLA
 

Where are you on taking food/water from homes whose occupants have managed to get out of the city? I don't have a problem with it.

CNN
 

The Newshour on PBS had excellent coverage tonight. Around here, there is a late-night repeat.

NOLA
 

I don't take issue with people breaking into empty homes for food. But breaking into empty homes for tvs is disgusting. And raping someone or beating someone for his or her stuff in these circumstances should get you shot between the eyes.

NOLA
 

I would be OK with holding someone who was clearly hoarding food/water at gunpoint to take some of their stuff. It seems like a time to share.

I am not condoning in any way, but given the state of communications about what is going to happen (apparently pretty nonexistent even where large groups are congregated) to help people/get them out, and the heat (I have not checked the weather reports, but I'm betting hot and un-fucking-believeably humid), and the fact that people have nothing to eat but have found liquor, it does not surprise me that they are setting shit on fire and generally running rampant. The stress has got to be unbelievable, and after 3 days with no information about what is going to happen, there's got to be a lot of panic. Some people don't cope with panic so well.

As the city appears to be a total loss, and there's nothing to do with the stolen TVs, so I don't really care all that much about that -- it seems pointless.

The shooting at/attacking rescue people is fucked up, and rape is inexcusable.

NOLA
 

For a poofy little nancy boy, you're so dark!

NOLA
 

I would wager that most of the people in the city are not shooting at helicopters or raping and looting, but the media doesn't seem to want to get its feet too wet, so all the poor, black people there get lumped together as "them."

NOLA
 

Ty, please. There are tons of stories on those poor people in the Superdome. Why the hell can't more buses be sent????

On a lighter note
 

10000 people shitting on the floor for 4 days is only marginally worse than what happens when 70000 people go to a game. The roof panels are made to be replaced.

They'll put up a statue and have a moment of silence at next year's home opener. Do you really think this City springs for a new stadium, or gives up a potential source of distraction.

NOLA
 

I was thinking instead of posting here, and especially posting about what expense cars to buy, he should go work with poor people and give someone $$$ to make their lives better. I mean, you can waste time here, or spend time helping solve this problem. mmm5607 what road will you travel?

NOLA
 

From where? There isn't a repository of busses just sitting around for an event like this. The rest of the country is pretty much humming along. Commandeering busses by the government would be, um, frowned upon by many.

Round trip to/from Houston, in the best of circumstances, is about a 12 hour affair.

I think they're going as fast as they can.

CNN
 

One positive about Fox TV right now is that Greta's bad plastic surgery really stands out in the middle of a natural diaster. Make up may be unseemly right now, but she needs to put on something. Burka maybe?

NOLA
 

Actually, I just saw a piece about a poor guy who saved family of well to do tourists.

BTW, liberal suburban white guilt is a tad passe (U2 wore it out sometime around their fourth record). I generally find that everyone's better off when we stop describing people by their race or offering it as a distinction. Really, if liberals are so damned progressive, why are they still defining people by their race/ethnicity/sex? Its a total comedy act to hear screaming liberals debate - everybody's an "African American gentleman" or "Mexican American," etc... They love highlighting their heritage - "Tom's of Ashkenasi Jewish descent" or "Mary's the product of a lesbian household."

Try forgetting about people's backgrounds for a while and just thinking of them as people. We're all fucking mutts.

Who wants the soapbox next... I'm done.

NOLA
 

Temper that wish. remember a lot of home owners in NO bought their home with money made from horn playing.

NOLA
 

The people of Houston seem quite generous, which is very nice of them, and I would think if Greyhound and the transit system were asked they could give over a few buses each.

It's just frustrating. Somehow they are getting a zillion helicopters there, but they can't get buses, which there seem to be more of in the world than busses.

I just find it frustrating.

Matching
 

I am hereby extending Ironweed's donation program.

If board posters give another $500 past the initial $1000 to the Red Cross (or Noah's Wish), I'll donate a month's support to the Board. Another $500 past that is another month.

For people who would for various reasons (tax purposes, receiving matching from their companies/firms, etc.) prefer to donate directly to the charities rather than through Law Talkers, I'm fine with that so long as you forward to RT (or to me baltassoc (at) justice.com) a receipt showing the donation.

Additionally, if we make it past $2000, I will match dollar for dollar donations to the Red Cross in excess of $2000 up to $2500 (I'll donate up to an additional $500 - sorry, it's all I can afford. I've already donated a significant amount.).

NOLA
 

Yay! They got it together.

From NYT

"The federal government's other priority was to evacuate New Orleans, Mr. Chertoff said. To that end, some 200 buses had left the Superdome for the Astrodome in Houston by midday, he said, adding that another 200 buses were expected to start loading passengers later Thursday and that Louisiana was providing an additional 500 school buses."

NOLA
 

I read that they are using school busses from around the whole state and have basically shut down schools throughout LA. The trip is about 7-9hours right now.

Nice that upper Harris County pols almost refused use of the Astrodome, though, for feal of liability issues, etc.


ETA - oops, too slow with the mouse.

NOLA
 

penske penske

NOLA
 

I feel so much better about life and the world in general.

NOLA
 

Eh?

NOLA
 

I remembered someone getting a sept-fecta, but I thought it was Penske. Good work Hank, I hope you enjoyed those magical 5 minutes.

NOLA
 

Who got the octet?

NOLA
 

Penske, boc.

NOLA
 

Who knows? Who cares? Who was the second person to break 4 minutes after Roger Banister? exactly. This one the future gives to Hank.

NOLA
 

Otoh, more people probably know who Jim Ryun is than Sir Roger.

Nonette?

NOLA
 

Metric K?

SWIM!!!!!
 

You're correct, but I'm guessing Gord is more Canadian, in that the ratio of Canadian Gords to American Gords would be higher than the ration of Canadian Dougs to American Dougs.

Of course, I'm just talking out my ass here. And who can forget "Doug and the Slugs"?

SWIM!!!!!
 

You are so cute.

CNN
 

Greta... What about Natalie Holloway? Who will think of Natalie!? Oh, my God! We may forget about the ongoing tragedy in Aruba!!! Nooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NOLA
 

It's good to see ya'll tellin em, but you know those Yankees won't understand. I say chain gangs and sharecropping for those who won't join the Army. And for those poor ole' single mothers out there, I've got a little shack on the plantantion...

NOLA
 

No. You need another ~4500 posts for an imperial K.

NOLA
 

Sebastian has a dream!

NOLA
 

You, sir, are Part Of The Problem.

Pride>Lick My Love Pump>Streets No Name
 

I'm the Bono of the boards...

"For the Reverend Martin Luther King... SING! In the name... of... love... In the name..."*

We need him in NO. Where is he? We need someone to cure us with a song.

*Rattle & Hum is almost as good as This is Spinal Tap. But they needed Christopher Guest. They should've fired larry Mullen and replaced him with Guest.

I can see Guest doing a great interview bit now:

"You see, the record has a flow. Its quite ingenius. First you're in a place where the streets have no name, which causes you to be unable to find what you're looking for."