Thinking of New Orleans
The TV is scaring me.
CNN’s Aaron Brown just asked Ivor Van Heerden, Deputy Director of the LSU Hurricane Center, a terrifying question.
Brown asked Van Heerden what he thinks the odds are that we’ll look at New Orleans tomorrow afternoon and realize that we’ve just “lost a city.”
Van Heerden’s terrifying answer: “50-50.”
It’s sickening to contemplate.
Our Metblogging colleagues from New Orleans are sharing their thoughts and relating their personal experiences. I encourage everyone to at least give them a look.
And don’t forget — we can all do more than just watch, worry and sympathize. The American Red Cross’s web site accepts donations as small as $5 for disaster relief.
The scariet quote comes from National Hurricane Center Director Max Mayfield “There’s certainly a chance it can weaken a bit before it gets to the coast, but unfortunately this is so large and so powerful that it’s a little bit like the difference between being run over by an 18-wheeler or a freight train. Neither prospect is good.”
As of 6:00am, it looks like the hurricane will pass to the east of the city, which is good for New Orleans. Not so good for Gulfport, but they aren’t as vulnerable.
That dude scared the sh*t outta me too, Dish! I’m glad he was wrong.
The one thing that struck me as ODD in that segment (besides the tone of Ivor’s voice) was the statement that the pumps used to keep water out of NO would take 120 days to assemble and put in place. It’s almost as if they know they will not be prepared to bounce back from a catastrophe even before one hits them. That doesn’t strike me as the best course of action for a major metro area.
Thanks for the link to the Red Cross!
“lost a city”.
all so overblown.
give blood!
NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 30 – With parts of this city under 20 feet of water and a death toll in the region that is reported at 55 and certain to climb , the Gulf Coast began today to confront the aftermath of one of the most devastating storms ever to hit the United States.
Floodwaters from a canal were sending more water into already flooded areas of New Orleans, and Mayor C. Ray Nagin said in a television interview that the city was 80 percent under water, with some of it 20 feet deep
the methaphoric ‘overblown’ comment was in response to the “we’ve just ‘lost a city'” comment of Aaron Brown, who i generally like because of his print journalism approach to broadcast media. But occasionally he, like many others, goes overboard for the sake of 24 hour news sensationalism (consider your comment “the tv is scaring me” … no, not the reality of the situation but tv). . . anyway, this tragedy doesn’t need overblown conjecture for sensationalism…the accounts, the deaths, the losses speak for themselves.
btw, what outlet are you quoting above…seems poorly written (“With parts of this city . . ., the Gulf Coast”)
also, i believe 80 people or more are expected to have died in Harrison County, Miss. alone. Consider this account:
“Thirty-five people swam out of their emergency operations center with life jackets on,” neighboring Harrison County emergency medical services director Christopher Cirillo said Monday. “We haven’t heard from them.”
Stop contemplating,
Give Blood!
reality is scary…a compelling story on aaron brown, with jeanne meserve. i remember jeanne openly weaping when she covered the DC sniper case and it seemed neither sensational or put on…she’s genuine to say the least…
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds23929.html
I’m still waiting to hear the numbers from Louisiana concerning the death count. Mississippi has given theirs, but with reports of bodies floating on top of the water (heard this on CNN around noonish), they may not have lost a city, but they damn sure lost a LOT of people.
I’ll have to donate — the Red Cross likes my money, but not my blood.
Bummer.
>>jehad khamis said “all so overblown.”
no wonder you post anonymously.
I and you both post my name and you say I’m doing so anonymously. Don’t make this personal. I explained the overblown comment, fine if you disagree. And it really doesn’t matter what I, Aaron Brown or anyone else said previously. Shall we move on? Stay focus. Give blood, donations, shelter, and yes, money to the red cross is probably the best course of action. I also saw people on craigslist offering shelter from as far away as NYC…although I’m not sure how people affected will be going online to find out about that.
btw, aaron brown last night…top notch.
>>And it really doesn’t matter what I, Aaron Brown or anyone else said previously.
It takes a big person to forgive himself for his own stupid remarks.
the header of this post, which you wrote, is “Thinking of New Orleans.”
Do you want to change it to “Mr. Nouraee Thinking of New Ways to Dwell on a Stupid Remark, Be Petty and Not Move On?”
I liked you better when you were Idna Norom.
so “Thinking of Idna Norom” is what you’re going with? I think that’s fitting.
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