Katrina may be 'our Asian tsunami'

[osaMABUSh]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/08/28/katrina.doomsday/index.html

"These chemical plants are going to start flying apart, just as the other buildings do," he predicted. "So, we have the potential for release of benzene, hydrochloric acid, chlorine and so on."

That could result in severe air and water pollution...

"So, imagine you're the poor person who decides not to evacuate: Your house will disintegrate around you. The best you'll be able to do is hang on to a light pole, and while you're hanging on, the fire ants from all the mounds -- of which there is two per yard on average -- will clamber up that same pole. And, eventually, the fire ants will win."

[Vincardog]

1. That is NASTY

[intheflow]

2. "imagine you're a poor person who DECIDES not to evacuate..."?

Perhaps your poverty prevented your evacuating.

Corporate media. :puke:

[journalist3072]

3. Exactly what caught my attention!

That is just a shameful comment, as if the poor had any choice in the matter.

[Endangered Specie]

8. Reason number 2546 not to watch the Conservative News Network

[DemBones DemBones]

12. For too many, the choice was staying at home or

being packed into the Super Dome. I can see why many would choose to stay at home.

There should have been better choices.

[JoFerret]

13. And now we don't need to imagine

.

[niallmac]

4. Correction: Some had no decision to make.

My take so far is that if you are poor you had few choices. Not a lot of planning on their behalf.

[wli]

5. I wonder how many blow up in the process. n/t

[AlGore-08.com]

6. There was an earlier story that many are heading to the football stadium

For shelter.

Heaven help them all.

[yellowdogintexas]

7. in context, "poor" may not mean financially poor, but

rather the much more general use of the word, in this case simply in bad circumstances.

The person on the light pole being eaten by fire ants could be from any income range, just sol because he stayed there with the fire ants.

If you read it with emphasis on poor, it sounds like it means without money

If you read it with emphasis on person, it takes a different connotation.

used as an expression of sympathy or empathy often, as in "That poor woman; her husband died and then her house burned"

Or "That poor ole cat don't know his head from his hindquarters"

[alphafemale]

9. The majority of people who had no option to leave...?

Are poor - in the economic sense.

This is going to be an ultimate leveler though.
True survival mode for all.

The fireants add another level to the nightmare.

[daleo]

10. The latest Harpers had an article about termites in New Orleans

Trillions of them, they came after the war. Who knows how strong some buildings really are? Plus, I wouldn't feel too good about sharing a light pole with them either.

[ang6666]

11. I just posted on this myself ...

but my issue was with this ...

I cannot believe he would even compare the two!! Those people affected by the tsunami had no damn fucking warning!! The people of Louisiana are evacuating right now. Before it hits. Not to mention the resources available between the counties affected by the tsunami and our country by this hurricane is quite a huge difference as well!

You cannot compare the two. Louisiana has had many studies showing this exact thing might happen. Those countries affected were slammed with no warning.

[DrZeeLit]

14. May? May? Helllloooooo -----> it IS...now...later...forever. n/t