New Orleans

[DaGaffer]

Actually tell a lie

Its 19% direct spending on Military and 18% Nonmil Discretionary Spending..thats ...umm...37%

Taken from one of the anti war sites www.warresisters.org/piechart.htm

Bit dodgy putting 'Interest on National Debt' into the Military spending pot. I'm pretty sure other nations don't do that (I know we don't). Oh, and bear in mind, that percentage is share of the Federal Budget which is not the same as GDP, and big chunks of what we would consider 'government' spending are actually done at the State level.

The Septics actually spend more on Military spending than the next 15 biggest spenders, not more than the whole world put together. While its obvious the US spends an obscene amount of money on defence, its not as black and white as 'America military spend = bad'. Other countries are probably not spending enough and actually have some of their defence spending subsidised by the US; the Nato countries (UK - 5th, Germany - 7th, Italy - 8th, Turkey - 13th, Canada - 16th) have all underpaid their dues to Nato over the years (as a % of GDP they've all committed to shoulder more of the burden over the years and then failed to do so); Taiwan (10th), South Korea (11th) and Israel (15th) all get subsidies and direct support from the US.

Part of the reason why America has such huge military spending is because the rest of us are often all to happy to let them. I'm no great fan of the US' recent overseas adventures, but I don't think Europeans have much to get pious about; witness Kosovo (and the other Balkan wars); it was a problem in Europe's back yard and we pretty much failed, both through lack of military will and lack of military resources.

 

[Delboy]

I just think the New Orleans should be flattened and let nature have it back. It's going to cost a lot to rebuild and mantain it against the water levels with hurricanes passing over it year after year.

 

[DaGaffer]

I just think the New Orleans should be flattened and let nature have it back. It's going to cost a lot to rebuild and mantain it against the water levels with hurricanes passing over it year after year.

So would you suggest the same for Venice? Piss away centuries of history and relocate millions because its too much hassle?

 

[Delboy]

Do you have Hurricanes passing through Venice every year?

The same Applies to Norway, they have reclamined land, but you dont have extreme weather conditions going through there each year.

It's not the nicest thing to suggest, but it's simply an opinion.

 

[Delboy]

Dear Yahoo!:
Why isn't New Orleans under water since it's below sea level?
Johanna
St. Petersburg, Florida



http://ask.yahoo.com/20041005.html

 

[Delboy]

Right now, it's the wrong time to be suggesting stuff like that. From accounts on the ground at NO, you only have to listen a short while to be distressed at the tragedy.

I recall the Harvey Jackon account on CNN, that was very sad and unfortunately very typical.

 

[Delboy]

Feed here on NO

http://wss-vip.adv.xc.advection.net...n/0250?ext=.asf

 

[Brynn]

My mum used to work in a building overlooking the superdome, and lived in a htel just next to it. She worked in the building that had the shots of the windows being blown out.

The reason that NO is completely flooded, is that the levvys used to try and control the water, totally failed. The whole city is under sea level, its crazy to see the coast, then drive down into a dip but then not even drive out.

 

[dysfunction]

The reason the Levvys broke was because they were long over due for repair but not enough money was given to do these repairs. And i think a lot of the water pumps didnt work either...

If it had been then the tragedy that has occurred probably would not have happened.

For pinching the pennies its going to cost them greatly in many ways

 

[Delboy]

Dys: from what I understand there is also the isue of silt deposit.

Also, here's a worthwhile read:

http://www.physorg.com/news6173.html

 

[Ning]

Will the arrogant USA finaly sign the Kyoto agreement ?

 

[dysfunction]

whats that got to do with this thread?

 

[weevil]

why do biscuits have holes in them?

 

[Tom]

Slightly off-topic, but whilst debating with somebody on the net if the USA can be described as "rich and powerful" I looked up a few websites on their military spending. Apparently the US military budget is the same as the rest of the worlds military spending added together. I was, frankly, astounded.

What matters more is the percentage of GDP compared to other states. I think you'll find that the USA is well down on the list of top spenders.

 

[Tom]

Will the arrogant USA finaly sign the Kyoto agreement ?

Like the Kyoto agreement makes more difference than a fart in a high wind.......

 

[Calaen]

Like the Kyoto agreement makes more difference than a fart in a high wind.......

They can still smell bad

 

[Furr]

Oh wel, Im just gratefull its not us, from what i've read its like the whole of Great Britain getting smashed to bits....

But i live on top of a hill in an english victorian house built from good ol fashion Bricks and mortar, with a fresh water resevoir just 10 mins and lots of baked beans in the cupboard.

 

[Tom]

Bricks and Mortar would last about 10 minutes in 180mph winds tbh.

 

[Delboy]

So many websites springing up in response to what's happened. some interesting viewpoints here.

http://www.nukefreezone.net/

 

[OrreBorre]

Just shocking; the lack of initiative and action from the goverment, the behaviour of the people, it's disgusting - all of it!

 

[balkeriz]

it will cost 600 Billion dollors i think it was to rebuild the city.

And Bush is considering to let the city New orleans stay as a ruien and not build it up.

What a guy huh??

 

[supersaint]

When things like this happen you get rappers to get the point across,it helps

http://mediax.muchosucko.com/movies/george_bush_hates_black_people-03-09-05.mp4

 

[Poag]

I was just reading the news and i found this article.


Read it through, frankly i find it absolutly sickening.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4212526.stm

 

[dysfunction]

This is an extract from the news link Gale put up...

This isnt really that surprising seeing as though this community has been neglected for decades and nothing has been done to clean up this city.

And then the hurricane hit...well....its a free for all then isnt it....

Many survivors have witnessed scenes of violence, including rapes and murders at the shelters, mainly carried out by criminal gangs.

"There is rapes going on here," Africa Brumfield, 32, who was staying at the convention centre, told Reuters news agency.

"Women cannot go to the bathroom without men. They are raping them and slitting their throats," she said.

A National Guard soldier described a similar incident. "We found a young girl raped and killed in the bathroom [at the arena]," he said.

"Then the crowd got the man and they beat him to death."

I wonder if these murders/rapes etc will go unpunished...

 

[Turamber]

We'll be seeing the fall-out of this for years to come. That the USA's worst natural disaster happened during the presidency of their most ineffectual president for years is a tragedy for America.

Yet Bush supporters are already trying to put the blame for the deaths, murders and rapes on the people of New Orleans and the local government.

I do wonder what would happen in this country if a disaster of that scale was to hit it. The days of the 'stiff upper lip' and the community spirit of the Blitz era seem to be well and truly over, I fear that people here would act very similarly to those in New Orleans.

 

[Chilly]

They need to get some dutch engineers into New Orleans, they know the score about keeping water out, been doing it for fucking years.

 

[~Yuckfou~]

I volunteer to put my finger in a dyke whenever required.

 

[Munkey]

http://www.fluxt.org/gallery2/d/1771-1/Hannity-Colmes-Smith-Rivera-freak-in-NO.wmv

Even the reporters are rebelling, they've gone through the bullshit and they just cant take it anymore. Jesus :/

 

[Aada]

It's sickening to think about women being raped and stuff inside the stadium BUT thats what happens when there is no law.

But i suspect if we had a natural disaster we would be in the exactly the same situation at the end of the day it would be very man for himself. The only people who would matter are family/friends/gfs/bfs etc etc.

Anarchy would spill out into the streets there would be looting/killing/raping our country aint no better.

 

[DaGaffer]

http://www.fluxt.org/gallery2/d/1771-1/Hannity-Colmes-Smith-Rivera-freak-in-NO.wmv

Even the reporters are rebelling, they've gone through the bullshit and they just cant take it anymore. Jesus :/

Wow. The debate between the suits in the studio toeing the government party line (Fox is the Republican Propoganda machine) and the journalists on the ground was fantastic. Made the studio guy look an ever bigger tool than he obviously is.

To me it also shows the real danger of letting your government make all your decisions for you; all those people in the Superdome are suffering because they listened to officialdom, who put them in there and now won't or can't let them get out.