Has no one ever seen a hurricane before?

[theboss]

I'm not being callous. This is a catacylsmic event for those in the Gulf States. But why are people acting like this is the first natural disaster they ever witnessed?

The thread comparing it to 9/11 was the topper. I've personally been through three hurricanes. I've seen and heard of .. dozens ... hundreds?...more in my lifetime.

I've never seen two of the most famous building in the country destroyed in a matter of minutes on national tv before.

[shoelace414]

1. how bad is this one compared to the other three you've been through?

[Clark2008]

2. You can't do that on television.

OT - but I remember that show. :)

[theboss]

20. It's worse by far

I think they were two category ones and a category two. And I was always above sea level.

It's a really bad one. No doubt.

[madeline_con]

22. Touche!

Our roof blew off and the ceilngs collapsed in Frances last year.

BUT, we could drive through the streets, the water wasn't up to the roof, EMS could get through. Florida Power & Light could drive their trucks in...

It was NOT as bad as this is ANY way. :hi:

[DJ MEW]

3. I saw that thread too

I don't think the thread comparing it to 9/11 was intended to say that it was the same type of big deal. I think they were more comparing it to 9/ll to illustrate how much damage was done and how much the cost of rebuilding would be.

[SteppingRazor]

4. Certainly no comparison to 9/11...

And anyone who says otherwise is a sensationalistic prick (read: broadcast journalist). However, a Cat-4 hitting a populated area like New Orleans IS a big deal. This is probably the worst natural disaster to strike the States in 13 years (i.e. since Andrew)

[Minstrel Boy]

5. "9/11, 9/11, 9/11..."

This is happening now, and getting worse.

What's so hard to understand about it?

[htuttle]

6. But how would you feel if Al Queda blew up the levees?

What exactly are you trying to say? That this is all no big deal? We should shut up about it?

:eyes:

[Thtwudbeme]

7. This is one of the most devasting storms in recent US history.

No, you didn't go through a hurricane like this...I went through Hugo, and it wasn't this fucking bad.

The population explosion alone along coastal areas in the past few decades, combined with a loss of wetlands pretty much mean that unless your behind was right in the middle of Camille, Hazel, Andrew, Hugo or Galveston at the turn of the century, you have not "experienced" this.

IF you went through the storm in Galveston, I commend you for still being able to type and read.

Stephanie

[K-W]

8. So we value tragedies based on how novel they are for you?

What matters is the human toll, not whether you have seen it before.

[Fenris]

13. Hear hear!

Excellent point.

[NYC]

9. The possibility of an entire city being destroyed within a few days

is more "dramatic" to some of us than the destruction of two building within a few minutes.

New Orleans was not struck with the category 5 strength as it appeared would happen, but the damage continues. We are not receiving current information about what is happening there.

[tavalon]

38. Plus

Why does this have to be a contest? 9/11 was horrifying. Katrina is horrifying.

[MostlyLurks]

10. I'm not alone! I'm not alone! Thank God!

I just about pitched my politics when I saw the 9/11 = Hurricane thread.

Ahhhh, it's nice to know there are people out there who won't call me a Freep because of it. Thanks Boss!

Mostly

On Edit: Hey, I just saw some of the recent "you're the Devil" replies and I'd just like to say: OH. FOR. CHRIST'S. SAKE. I've said it before, I'll say it again: if you don't get how and why a hurricane is completely different from 9/11, the left is truly done.

[stillcool]

11. ...i take it your safe...

and your family's safe. Good for you.

[soup]

12. What's your point?

[madeline_con]

14. It's pretty bad, and we had two through here last Summer.

Some of us have NEVER seen devastation like this. It can be compared to tsunami hit areas. It's absolutely unbelievable how anyone will "get back to normal" anytime soon.

It's just a tad callous, BTW. (IMO.) Thank Zoroaster it's not you.
:hi:

[Modem Butterfly]

15. Unless you remember Camille, I don't hink you have much base here

I agree, the 9/11 comparison was over the top. But Katrina was not much weaker, and considerably larger, than Camille. This is not Dennis or Opal, or even Hugo or Floyd. I daresay it's not even an Andrew. This is really fucking big and it's really fucking bad.

[Minstrel Boy]

16. You're in luck:

Bush is talking live right now about 9/11 on Fox. Tune in.

[madeline_con]

24. LOL!

He's big into back patting on his own hunched posterior, no?

[Connie_Corleone]

17. New Orleans is below sea level. It's a different situation.

It's a friggin' bowl! 80% of the city is underwater and the water is still rising. I don't think any of us have witnessed this before.

[quiet.american]

18. Personally, the pain of each disaster is always new for me

I can see what you're saying, but....

If I were to experience another 9/11, just because I've been through a similar experience already (and I am a New Yorker who was working at the World Financial Center at the time and was personally impacted), still, I'd have the same reaction to the pain and upheaval that those affected are newly experiencing.

[hatrack]

19. Pardon me - a major metropolitan area is filling up with water

Is it that the flooding of New Orleans is not happening quickly enough for you?

Is it that that made-for-TV 90-minute length of the catastrophe at WTC 1 and 2 and the Pentagon was the optimum time for massive destruction and loss and didn't tax your attention span like the nearly 36-hour catastrophe now in progress?

And I would say that unless you lived through Camille, no, you haven't seen anything like this.

:shrug:

[theboss]

35. But the world's not going to end

I knew I was going to get a lot of angry replies. But it's the Internet. Without angry replies, it would just be a couple of defunct 98 Degrees websites.

I should also point out that I have a weird natural disaster fetish. (I visited Johnstown once just to get the mental picture in my head correct).

These things do happen and happen fairly often. It's part of the rish we take in living on coastlines. To act like every hurricane is the first one ever is, to me, the height of naievete.

[sundog]

21. you're right, it's being blown out of proportion

things will return to a level of normalcy for those families in a day or too

hope you get your money's worth out of this thread

[madeline_con]

26. Some people...

and I don't mean you, "dog". :hi:

[sundog]

32. are trolls...

;)

[sniffa]

27. .

:thumbsup:

[Thtwudbeme]

33. A day or two? I am shocked...the storm has passed, right?

Everything should be OK now...

Carry on.

[sundog]

37. i can't believe they're still making such a big deal out of this

:eyes:

[Thtwudbeme]

41. Yep. One big icky thunderstorm, and next thing you know

People want out of work...those slackers that took a permanent vacation by getting killed are the ones that really work my nerves...hell, even Bush is going back to DC early. He is going to miss his annual bbq....

[bj2110]

23. Jesus man... uncalled for....this will be the worst natural disaster in US

history, mark my words... the water is rising now from the Lake. It will continue to rise as the rainwater makes its way to the Mississippi River and right back down to the area. We are looking at a year long problem... the media will forget about it, but people will still be recovering years from now...

[tavalon]

36. Unfortunately

as bad as it is, this season (because of global climate change) will likely bring us a couple more of these mega hurricanes so Katrina may only go down in history as only one of the three or four hurricanes this year that destroyed the gulf coastline.

[bj2110]

42. That's a little unlikely, I'm not one for fear mongering. It can't get

much worse than a Cat 4 hitting the New Orleans area. The city is flooding, water is rising as we speak. It will continue to rise until it is at the level of the lake. No one can stop it. We haven't even seen flooding from the river yet, either...

[Karenina]

45. Bingo!

3 storms forming off the coast of Africa as we type...

[shraby]

25. This is a disaster of immense proportions....

and apt to become even bigger if those levees don't hold. We are all concerned about what happens to those people as we would if it were a smaller hurricane.
We know how long a human being can go without water, we all know there are many many still trapped in the attics of their houses and we also know what will happen if the levee disintegrates. What we need is more information about the situation. Some of us have relatives in there.
Don't denigrate our concern. When you went through those hurricanes people were just as worried about your safety at the time.

[Not_Giving_Up]

28. This is not your average hurricane

I've seen plenty of hurricanes, but not like this.

[nini]

29. because it's personal on many levels

there are posters here who haven't been heard from.

When you know something is coming there tends to be a buildup of stress vs those who happen in an instance.

either way... good for you to not get freaked out about this stuff. I'm not as wound up as others BUT considering the deaths and damage - there is no perfect way to react to such a disaster.

I say let anyone who needs to vent, cry, etc.. go for it.

[tavalon]

30. Um

I've been through three myself but never has a catagory 5 hit where it hit. We are about to lose all of NOLA because a two block section of a levee has now been breached.

Yes, the twin towers was very dramatic and quick. But this will likely end up costing as much in human life and we may well lose NOLA forever.

NOLA is full of history and fame. Turn on your TV and you can catch it being destroyed in a matter of days.

[LSK]

31. you see those thousands of homes with water up to the roofs??

Im pretty sure they ALL have to be rebuilt. That means many thousands of people homeless and thats assuming they all escaped. I dont recall flooding like this from other hurricanes.

[theHandpuppet]

34. "I'm not being callous"

I beg to differ.

[eyepaddle]

39. There was nbo question that New York iself would survive

I'm not so sure about New Orleans. I've never seen a Great American City destroyed before. 80% is underwater--how many of those neighborhoods are so devastated they will be abandoned and not rebuilt?

Hnag on to your hat--this ain't over yet. Not by a damn sight.

[charlie]

40. Why yes

Been through over a dozen, myself.

Is this the part where we take our dicks out and compare now?

[crispini]

44. LOL

Thanks for the laugh. I needed that.

[prolesunited]

43. Has no one ever seen an asshole before?

Just wondering.

[Moderator]

46. Locking this

In light of the devastation, this thread is inappropriate.