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_Clare_BRONZE Member
Still wiggling
5,967 posts
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)


Posted:
For those of you who haven't seen the news in the last few days, the US states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama have been devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

Thousands of people are thought to have been killed, many more are missing and thousands remain stranded without help, food or water.

Info from BBC site here

If you have seen the news, it's really quite horrific to watch.

These people who have grown up in a country of relative wealth and stability have seen their worlds crumble around them... and now, four days after the hurricane ripped through, help has still not arrived.

Many of the National Guard are in Iraq, and god knows what's happened to the army helicopters and emergency relief, because it's currently not getting through.

And so, after four days without aid, the people have turned to looting and violence to stay alive.

My thoughts and sympathies are with the people going through this disaster.

grouphug

Getting to the other side smile


StoutBRONZE Member
Pooh-Bah
1,872 posts
Location: Canada


Posted:
That's the spirit Doc, sometimes it's that easy.

I've been wondering why most of the media coverage I've seen has focused on the situation in New Orleans when, quite clearly, it's only a small portion of the whole area affected by flooding. I can't help feeling that the sheer scope of the disaster contributed significantly to the delays in rescuing those trapped in the Superdome. Things sure got political quickly,,,didn't they?

squarexbearSILVER Member
....of doom!
585 posts
Location: Hastings, UK


Posted:
the coverage of the tsunami almost completely ignored the fact that hundreds were killed on the african coast. it happens. the media finds the biggest, meatiest and most accessible story and run it..and run it..and run it.

we are getting more newspaper coverage of communities outside new orleans here, but a lot of the reports emphasise the fact that reporters were in N.O before katrina and then had trouble getting to outlying areas..i know thats no excuse but it might go some way to explain it.

_Clare_BRONZE Member
Still wiggling
5,967 posts
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)


Posted:
I think that would go quite far to explaining it lozzley bear.



I know the media aren't perfect... but with everything else going on, would you really expect reporters to take up valuable resources getting to the outlying areas to get that fuller picture?



Personally, I think the media concentrated on New Orleans because they were there already and because they thought (as anyone would) that if they showed the world (and the US government) these images often enough, then maybe something would be done. They were caught up in this too!



Everyone likes to vilify the media, but more often than not, these people are doing what they can with the resources they have.

Getting to the other side smile


BansheeCatBRONZE Member
veteran
1,247 posts
Location: lost, Canada


Posted:
The part about media that really gets me is how in a very short time, you wont see any of this in the media.... none of the debacles that are to come, the misplacement of resources, the diversion of funds, the sturggles people have to rebuild, it goes on, for years. Where is the coverage, and thus where is peoples engagement and involvement? After the tsunami, it was like people thought it all resolved itself in around three months. At six months they did a 20 min recap on the news... Well, it is still a huge disaster, and it is shocking the state of some areas, how basic needs are still not consitantly provided, and plans are not stabilized, and people left out. By the time I returned from my work , no one realy even wanted to talk about it( that was a bout four months after the tsunami, there was this assumption that with all that money, everything would be fine, and fine fast. NOT>

The reason I post that in this thread is that some of the same assumptions are being made by the US public in particular, that because their country is wealthy this will be, or should be easy to deal with.... NOT. And yet, bet a short time from now, we dont here hardly anything, anything at all, in the media about what is happenning for the thousands of people effected...

Sorry, bit of a rant.!!!

It is just frustrating to know that media could be such a useful tool for motivation and information, and so rarely is used at all, and certainly little opportunity for use by the right hands...

"God *was* my co-pilot, but then we crashed, and I had to eat him..."


squarexbearSILVER Member
....of doom!
585 posts
Location: Hastings, UK


Posted:
yep, i often wonder what is happening in tsunami affected areas, and the occasional look back documentary (mainly involving lots of rehashed footage of the waves hitting, people dying etc) just dont cut it.

_Clare_BRONZE Member
Still wiggling
5,967 posts
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)


Posted:
I totally agree Andrea... it is a criminally underused resource.

But (and playing devil's advocat here), the news media have a very limited time to get their message across - whether it be within a limited number of pages or a half hour slot before we are returned to our diet of soap operas and reality tv shows.

I agree that such big stories should be constantly referred to... but what about the new stories that happen in the meantime? They need to be reported too, along with the news happening in the rest of the world, and the business, environmental and sports news (for the lads).

Reporters are often just as frustrated at being part of a system that cannot adequately convey the story... but what are the alternatives?! Since the internet, the role of the media has changed completely - we expect more information, the full story, immediately... this is just impossible.

Anyways... I do understand what you're saying. The media could be doing a much better job of flagging up important stories, rather than being sidetracked by hysteria or celebrity.

Getting to the other side smile


Dragon7GOLD Member
addict
625 posts
Location: Aotearoa (NZ), New Zealand


Posted:
The media is in league with the Gov't. I watch Fox and it is sooooo biast! Its no wonder Bush won.

Lucky I get BBC and NZ news also. The difference between what they are showing on fox and the truth (what ever that really is) is stupid.

One thing I saw last night (it sliped through before they could cut it) was a reporter saying the mayor had given orders to the police/ national guard to NOT GIVE FOOD OR WATER to people who wont leave! WTF!!! that was after a number of shots of elderly people and chlidren STILL trapped. One elderly lady had 1/2 a bottle of water left eek It makes me feel soooo ubbloco

Like not feeding them is guaranteed to make them leave!.. censored the next reporter was at a station where they were trying to move the food to those in the most need. shrug

I mean, i have pets, i wouldnt leave without them... unless I... frown I dont want to say...

Julie2022member
145 posts
Location: Little Rock, AR


Posted:
*shrug* I also vaguely remember someone saying they weren't going to send in troops. - Everything changes second by second, and when It comes to the actions of the military, the media can be completely unaware. and vise versa.

"I'm your Huckleberry."

The muse spake her thought and then there was silence. Thy spiked tongue had melted, only a bitter heart remained.


s1owpokeSILVER Member
Member
11 posts
Location: USA


Posted:
Written by: Birgit



Am a bit confused s1owpoke... you're saying just what I was saying, aren't you?

Don't get me wrong, but your post sounds as if I'd said something to upset you (ignoring people's ignorance etc) - if I have done so, sorry, but I have no clue what you're referring to!




Hey man,

I was not in the right state of mind man. I did retype what you said and I appoligize if I came off wrong.

S1owpoke

lasersurgeGOLD Member
member
100 posts
Location: no home, between homes, always at home, Germany


Posted:
I know there is a whole buncha stuff to read about the nastyness that's gone on, but i found on www.nin.com the nine inch nails website a bunch of links, and it's all quite disgraceful really
Trent reznor lives in new orleans when he's not touring, and there is an article written by Anne Rice (interview with a vampire) who also is from new orleans
so yeah, just some more stuff to take in

people are people


BirgitBRONZE Member
had her carpal tunnel surgery already thanks v much
4,145 posts
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (UK)


Posted:
no probs s1owpoke, I just thought I might've said something stupid smile hug

Hope you are doing alright over there!

"vices are like genitals - most are ugly to behold, and yet we find that our own are dear to us."
(G.W. Dahlquist)

Owner of Dragosani's left half


BirgitBRONZE Member
had her carpal tunnel surgery already thanks v much
4,145 posts
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (UK)


Posted:
"A spokesman of the government in Berlin has confirmed that US officials have stopped the last of four deliveries of food packages from Germany.



News magazine "Der Spiegel" reported according to US military, the Bush government was trying to avoid the embarrassing picture of food deliveries from Europe.



According to the report, the US agriculture minister had officially forbidden the transport to avoid Mad Cow Disease." The packages had been checked to international standards, and they are the same that are shared with US soldiers in Afghanistan.



(sorry for the crap translation! But if this is true, it's really disgusting frown)



In addition to that, a plane full of water purification devices didn't ever leave Sweden because they never heard back from the US officials as to where they were supposed to go.



And US citizens wonder why Europe doesn't help...



on a side note, even Sri Lanka had offered to help! Not sure what the news is in the US right now, but if you didn't know that already, the international community was quite willing to give support.
EDITED_BY: Birgit (1126525465)

"vices are like genitals - most are ugly to behold, and yet we find that our own are dear to us."
(G.W. Dahlquist)

Owner of Dragosani's left half


GlåssDIAMOND Member
The Ministry of Manipulation
2,523 posts
Location: Bristol, United Kingdom


Posted:
Whats wrong with America?

https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4230372.stm

Very well written article in this weeks BBC
smile

KyrianDreamer
4,308 posts
Location: York, England


Posted:
have any americans seen pictures of floating corpses on their news? Because I havn't.....

its mentioned in the bbc as something which will affect us, which i'm sure it would, but....

maybe i'm watching the wrong news channels? I've only seen abc mostly, I admit, I don't have cable or anything....

Keep your dream alive
Dreamin is still how the strong survive

Shalom VeAhavah

New Hampshire has a point....


Julie2022member
145 posts
Location: Little Rock, AR


Posted:
I haven't seen much in the way of that - the press is trying to hide it, I think.

here's a link to a timeline that someone's worked up about everything that happened around the hurricane - everything, good and bad. It's a better scoop on the tid bits than the "he said she said" game that the press is playing.

https://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1477255/posts

"I'm your Huckleberry."

The muse spake her thought and then there was silence. Thy spiked tongue had melted, only a bitter heart remained.


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