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The wake of N8's Hurricane.

Changleen

Paranoid Member
Jan 9, 2004
14,335
2,448
Hypernormality
(N8 caused the hurricane, I have proof, and it's twice as solid as Lisa's rock.)

Slightly more seriously, I am suprised at the extent of the looting. Really. I'm not being snide or sarcastic like normal, I am actually suprised.

What happened there? Why is there so much disorder? Is it like some crazy thieving Betty's Mad Dash(tm)? In a civillised society does the lack of Police automatically mean lawlessness? If so, that sucks ass.

The highest estimates of the death toll are also slightly suprising, and I doubt the highest I heard (600) is close to true - I think most people are saying 100-150, to be honest I can't imagine in the US it'd be too much more.

To me I am more suprised that in the US, with modern media coverage and the extensive warning availible for N8trina, that anyone was left exposed in the path, or even potential path of the edge of the eye, let alone the hundreds, if not thousands who apparantly were.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,232
20,016
Sleazattle
I heard them interview a lady on the radio who was looting a grocery store. She was crying her head off and said it was the only way she could get food and something to drink. Nothing was open to actually sell such items. I wonder how much of the looting is just a matter of survival and how much is about greed.
 

Echo

crooked smile
Jul 10, 2002
11,819
15
Slacking at work
Westy said:
I heard them interview a lady on the radio who was looting a grocery store. She was crying her head off and said it was the only way she could get food and something to drink. Nothing was open to actually sell such items. I wonder how much of the looting is just a matter of survival and how much is about greed.
For every starving mother stealing food for her children, there are 200 asshats stealing Fubu pants.
 

Changleen

Paranoid Member
Jan 9, 2004
14,335
2,448
Hypernormality
Westy said:
I heard them interview a lady on the radio who was looting a grocery store. She was crying her head off and said it was the only way she could get food and something to drink. Nothing was open to actually sell such items. I wonder how much of the looting is just a matter of survival and how much is about greed.
I'm sure that's happening too, but I'm talking about the massive amounts of consumer electronics and other high value luxuries that went in the first five minutes. People running away with 50 pairs of slacks and Plasma TVs. We've all seen the footage of that stuff, cops pointing rifles at punk kids and so on.
 

N8 v2.0

Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Oct 18, 2002
11,003
149
The Cleft of Venus
I'm waiting for the rescuers to make into some isolated cajun neighboorhood where there are mutilated bodies of looters strung up medieval style at the front entrance...

Cajun good 'ol boys are not to be messed with, haven't you ever seen the movie Southern Comfort?
 

N8 v2.0

Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Oct 18, 2002
11,003
149
The Cleft of Venus
New Orleans is pretty much the crime ridden murder capitol of the US, so this isn't a shock to people who have ever been there. Besides remember who was largely left in New Orleans after most normal folks evacuated.
 

Changleen

Paranoid Member
Jan 9, 2004
14,335
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The best stat I can find for that is the 'South' as one of four areas of the US, with 35.8% of the population accounts for 41.1% of all crime. That seems to back your claim, N8, Just :D
 

Ciaran

Fear my banana
Apr 5, 2004
9,839
15
So Cal
N8 said:
The poor criminal element dorkboi...
Just because you're poor doesn't mean that you are a criminal. I understand what you're saying but you're saying it with a blanket statement. :nope:
 

N8 v2.0

Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Oct 18, 2002
11,003
149
The Cleft of Venus
Ciaran said:
Just because you're poor doesn't mean that you are a criminal. I understand what you're saying but you're saying it with a blanket statement. :nope:

Obviously you've never spent much time in the Big Sleezy have ya's?

:monkey:
 

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
63
behind the viewfinder
hey, i was just answering genpowell's question. seems like i struck a nerve!

that throbbing vein in yr forehead made you mis-spell a couple of words...
 

mack

Turbo Monkey
Feb 26, 2003
3,674
0
Colorado
narlus said:
let's hope it doesn't spread to mack or priceseliger14 levels...
Oh god that would be bad.


Its amazing how all those poor people in the projects did not evacuate.

The looting however does not surprise me at all, basiclly every one left except the ghetto, and what are ghettos known for? Especially in new orleans.

What i want to know is how the hell are they going to fix the levys and drain all that water. :think:
 

Echo

crooked smile
Jul 10, 2002
11,819
15
Slacking at work
johnbryanpeters said:
It should be abandoned and not rebuilt. It's in a stupid place.
Seriously. At what point did some genius look at a swamp and think, "gee, let's pump all the water out and make a city here!" :help:
 

Inclag

Turbo Monkey
Sep 9, 2001
2,750
439
MA
mack said:
Its amazing how all those poor people in the projects did not evacuate.
Of the poor in New Orleans only 1 out of every 6 had a vehicle. Personally I find it really sad that of all the people these natural disasters hit, it is ALWAYS the poor whom are hit the hardest.

As for the looting, it sucks, but then again I almost feel that it is a little payback to society.
 

Changleen

Paranoid Member
Jan 9, 2004
14,335
2,448
Hypernormality
The lucky poor. Now they can have a nice 52" Pioneer Plasma in the living room of their... er... OK, maybe they could sell them on EBay... Oh wait...
 

Silver

find me a tampon
Jul 20, 2002
10,840
1
Orange County, CA
Changleen said:
The lucky poor. Now they can have a nice 52" Pioneer Plasma in the living room of their... er... OK, maybe they could sell them on EBay... Oh wait...
Pioneer doesn't make a 52...

61, 50, or 43. I can't think of anyone that makes a 52 off the top of my head.
 

Reactor

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2005
3,976
1
Chandler, AZ, USA
Echo said:
Seriously. At what point did some genius look at a swamp and think, "gee, let's pump all the water out and make a city here!" :help:
Yep, That sounds like a bet between two engineers.

Frenchman engineer: "mon ami, I can build a city anywhere!"

English engineer: "You bloody well can't!"

Frenchman engineer: "Sacre bleu, I can too!"

English engineer: "Prove it you bloody frog wanker!"

Frenchman engineer: "Wee, pick ze spot"

English engineer: "The swamp right there!"

Frenchman engineer: "Fuque a moi!"

{later}

Frenchman engineer: "she is done!"

english engineer: "Bugger me!"
 

valve bouncer

Master Dildoist
Feb 11, 2002
7,843
114
Japan
Reactor said:
Yep, That sounds like a bet between two engineers.

Frenchman engineer: "mon ami, I can build a city anywhere!"

English engineer: "You bloody well can't!"

Frenchman engineer: "Sacre bleu, I can too!"

English engineer: "Prove it you bloody frog wanker!"

Frenchman engineer: "Wee, pick ze spot"

English engineer: "The swamp right there!"

Frenchman engineer: "Fuque a moi!"

{later}

Frenchman engineer: "she is done!"

english engineer: "Bugger me!"
You forgot the rest
Frenchman engineer: "now watch I sell it to zee dumb Americans" ;)
 

Changleen

Paranoid Member
Jan 9, 2004
14,335
2,448
Hypernormality
Reactor said:
Yep, That sounds like a bet between two engineers.

Frenchman engineer: "mon ami, I can build a city anywhere!"

English engineer: "You bloody well can't!"

Frenchman engineer: "Sacre bleu, I can too!"

English engineer: "Prove it you bloody frog wanker!"

Frenchman engineer: "Wee, pick ze spot"

English engineer: "The swamp right there!"

Frenchman engineer: "Fuque a moi!"

{later}

Frenchman engineer: "she is done!"

english engineer: "Bugger me!"
:D :thumb:
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
1. The crime problem in New Orleans is intense. I believe just 10 years ago it had the highest murder rate per capita in the country, and it is rather high every year.

2. Living there, I felt like street crime (and worse) was all around me. I had my soft top jeep searched a hundred times (one time someone slashed my window panel only to realize there are no locks). I was attacked once and held up at gun point another time.

3. The looting was not a surprise, but it is shocking. I also don't want to hear they deserve it. I have friends that work in local businesses, and I don't think they want to come back to see their place of work broken into. Also, what about the stories about looting at hospitals?

4. The Superdome was the emergency location for anyone left in the city. Obviously it did not hold to Katrina, but it did for the last two hurricane evacuations. And now everyone there is being moved to the Astrodome.

5. Is there an element of racism? For me, yes. I am not blind and I see the race of almost every looter. I also know the city is 70% black, and obviously the majority of the poor there are also black. Still, it is jarring to see under the biggest disaster, it is a me-first attitude.
 

MikeD

Leader and Demogogue of the Ridemonkey Satinists
Oct 26, 2001
11,669
1,713
chez moi
Inclag said:
As for the looting, it sucks, but then again I almost feel that it is a little payback to society.

Dude, I have a lot of respect for you, but that is such a load of BS I don't know where to start.

Been reading Howard Zinn lately?

MD
 

Changleen

Paranoid Member
Jan 9, 2004
14,335
2,448
Hypernormality
sanjuro said:
1. The crime problem in New Orleans is intense. I believe just 10 years ago it had the highest murder rate per capita in the country, and it is rather high every year.

2. Living there, I felt like street crime (and worse) was all around me. I had my soft top jeep searched a hundred times (one time someone slashed my window panel only to realize there are no locks). I was attacked once and held up at gun point another time.

3. The looting was not a surprise, but it is shocking. I also don't want to hear they deserve it. I have friends that work in local businesses, and I don't think they want to come back to see their place of work broken into. Also, what about the stories about looting at hospitals?

4. The Superdome was the emergency location for anyone left in the city. Obviously it did not hold to Katrina, but it did for the last two hurricane evacuations. And now everyone there is being moved to the Astrodome.

5. Is there an element of racism? For me, yes. I am not blind and I see the race of almost every looter. I also know the city is 70% black, and obviously the majority of the poor there are also black. Still, it is jarring to see under the biggest disaster, it is a me-first attitude.
Good post.
 

Inclag

Turbo Monkey
Sep 9, 2001
2,750
439
MA
MikeD said:
Dude, I have a lot of respect for you, but that is such a load of BS I don't know where to start.

Been reading Howard Zinn lately?

MD
Yeah, I should probably clarify.

Personally, In the case of some of these "looters", some of these people have nothing. And not nothing in the terms that the hurricane destroyed their houses and it will be a while until insurance rebuilds their homes etc. They need to do it as a means of survival until they are evacuated. Honestly what human being would deny someone in this situation the opportunity to get a food and water by breaking into a grocery store as a means of survival for themselves or family, or a hospital to try to find insulin.

One TV analysts said something to the effect that it's situations such as this where we get to see the human reaction with respect to the ideals of our society and the laws we live by. This is what makes me a bit disgusted with ourselves, because if this even holds a little truth it shows how big a problem we face with helping the poor and the needy.

However I totally disagree with the looting of shoes and clothing, vehicles being stolen from used car lots, and the acts of violence that are getting out of control. I should have been more clear with that.

I just think that this disaster is painting a VERY scary picture of how our society treats one another.
 

MikeD

Leader and Demogogue of the Ridemonkey Satinists
Oct 26, 2001
11,669
1,713
chez moi
Inclag said:
Yeah, I should probably clarify.

Personally, In the case of some of these "looters", some of these people have nothing. And not nothing in the terms that the hurricane destroyed their houses and it will be a while until insurance rebuilds their homes etc. They need to do it as a means of survival until they are evacuated. Honestly what human being would deny someone in this situation the opportunity to get a food and water by breaking into a grocery store as a means of survival for themselves or family, or a hospital to try to find insulin.

One TV analysts said something to the effect that it's situations such as this where we get to see the human reaction with respect to the ideals of our society and the laws we live by. This is what makes me a bit disgusted with ourselves, because if this even holds a little truth it shows how big a problem we face with helping the poor and the needy.

However I totally disagree with the looting of shoes and clothing, vehicles being stolen from used car lots, and the acts of violence that are getting out of control. I should have been more clear with that.

I just think that this disaster is painting a VERY scary picture of how our society treats one another.
You talked about it being 'payback to society.' That's entirely different than the (justifiable by any intelligent moral code) appropriation of necessities to survive. We're talking about the guys with a brick and a storefront, carrying away plasma TVs and 9 pairs of Nikes who do, indeed, think of ít being time to 'get what's theirs', even bringing their families in on it. There are so many threads on this, though, that I guess we need not start this argument here. All I think is that it's a shame that scarce resources have to be devoted to quelling violence rather than saving lives, and it's sad to watch the Lord of the Flies situation develop, as you said.

MD