Hurricane Katrina and the media hype.

[joab]

but as i said before, i personally wouldn't go so far as to trivialize what's going on down there with an "it's not as bad as i looks" attitude. (i'm not saying thats what your doing. i just think it damn well could be as bad as it looks, maybe worse. i havn't seen any footage of what's going on there at night.)

No, not trivializing at all. just something I have learned through personal observation.

Just look at the two completely different stories coming out of Iraq.

If misery sells papers, bigtime misery sells papers bigtime.

Right now the newsies have NO completely leveled with armed bandits thwarting the rescue efforts with coordinated and widespread armed resistance

The police say that it is localized bands of resistance
Sound familiar?

 

[sterno]

I'm in Austin, Tx right now but we're going to move to somewhere near Jackson, Miss. monday so we can be closer to home.

As far as what anyone here can do...Pray. Pray for all those poor souls who didn't make it out.

 

[38splfan]

Veiwing the media.

but then it goes back to the question of how they're even seeing this media attention I'm sure some could've seen news reports but where are all these people with no power getting their news?

I have been considering the possibilities here, and have come up with three that I think are pretty sound.

1: battery powered radios. I'm sure there are some around with battery operated radios or shortwaves who have been keeping up with the news.

2: cell phones: I'm sure there are some still operating, especially satellite phones.

3: word of mouth: This may be the most widespread. Many people going in and coming out, wandering around, or communicating from rooftop to rooftop.
Who knows how the story turns out by the end of the chain?

These are just thoughts, I'm sure there are other ways. There is one post on here with a link to a guy with a laptop who's keeping a blog/journal and runninga webcam from a rooftop. I'm sure there are others out there who are improvising some means of communication.

To sit there behind your computer screen and pontificate about whether or not the media is makeing this out to be worse than it really is is sickening.

Although it has gone that direction, the original post had nothing to do with reporting the destruction. It was about the media not giving people hope, and making their outlook so bleak that they give up rather than try to help each other. It was about the media reporting the destruction and crime, which I'm sure is devastating, without telling them about people in little towns sending food and money, surgeons taking vacation time to go down and help, or rescue agencies across the country sending personnel and equipment to help these people.

We all feel terrible for what happened, and most of us want to help in some way, however big or little it may be. I've read your other posts and know a little about your situation, I wish that it were better. I think I speak for most of us when I say this, PM us with your needs (and the others around you) and I'm sure we'll be willing to find a way to help you out.

 

[sterno]

Thank you all for the kind words.

I do apologize for flying off the handle earlier. It's been a VERY stressful week, but that's not a really good excuse.

Just a moment of levity:

Now my wife is a nudge closer to being totally pro-gun. She still hates to be around while I'm cleaning them but I didn't get the usual "You're just a gunnut" speech when I said once I get back I'm going to buy an AK-47 and a bucket full of ammo.

I guess good things do come out bad situations sometimes!