Reconciling the impossibly low death toll

[Atman]

Look, I know there are still a lot of areas to be covered, but it is clear by the fact that Rove is in charge, and the 4 1/2 mile razor wire fence around hard-hit Long Beach, MS, -- not the mention Kenyon -- that there is a concerted effort to keep the "official" body count well below that of 9/11. A higher figure would be political disaster for Mr. "I'll protect you."

But, here is where they may get tripped up. I keep hearing about all the orphaned kids. Tons of 'em, scattered all over the place. Those kids had parents. If there are thousands of orphans but only a relatively small number of dead (which, remember, already includes some children), where did the kids come from? Immaculate conceptions? The math isn't going to add up if they try to pull the disappearing body bullshit that Rove apparently has up his sleeve.

[SmokingJacket]

1. I'm hoping they're telling the truth about the death toll, and the kids

are just separated from their parents.

Sheesh, though... after two weeks of phone calls you'd think most people would have found their families.

I'm finding it very hard to reconcile.

[MercutioATC]

2. Actually, early estimates were 200-300 dead in NOLA....

It's when people started to get exhausted and emotional that the estimates went WAY up. I think a couple of hundred would be on the low side, but I never believed the 10,000+ number.

[Atman]

3. Actually, the computer projections called for up to 61,000

While I don't believe that figure, either, I cannot help but feel the "hundreds" figure is impossibly low. Just watch the video of the damage. Total devastation for mile upon mile upon mile. Not just NOLA, but places like Long Beach, MS. The number of people reporters were seeing tied to lamp posts, floating down streets...what about the miles of streets and neighborhoods they were NOT reporting from?

Look, I don't WANT a high death toll. But those initial projections weren't made in a vaccuum, and they only seemed to change -- drastically lower -- after BushCo began taking fire for inaction. Not to metion the absolute political necessity for BushCO to keep the total below 9/11 numbers...I'm very concerned. Especially with Rove and Kenyon involved.

[TwilightZone]

4. The computer projections were based on a direct hit on NO

which this wasn't.

Keep in mind that most of the deaths weren't caused by the hurricane. They were caused by the flooding and the aftermath.

Also keep in mind that the counting is very likely not over yet. The final figure could be weeks away.

[EnfantTerrible]

5. The Government sent 25,000 bodybags!

They weren't expecting only a few hundred deaths. They were preparing for the worst because they know how bad it really is. The Medical Examiners office was told by officials to expect 40,000 bodies. I have heard tell of bodies being moved out of state on Semi's and brought to warehouses! It sounds insane, even as I type this, I realize it sounds insane.

[Atman]

6. Sounds insane? That's about right for BushCo

Only indicate to me that there is probably a lot of truth in it.

[tx_dem41]

7. I don't think anyone is calling those kids "orphans", yet...

most are presumed to be separated from their parents.

[soup]

8. Trying to find the page I was on when the browser crashed

earlier this morning. It was in a photo gallery of today's news.

In New Orleans - they'd marked the house one body inside. The caption included the info that the death had occured about 5 days ago and would not be considered storm-related as the body was found surrounded by empty liquor bottles.

just noted for what it's worth - still looking for the source. I'll add it when/if I find it.

Who knows how the toll is being figured...

on edit: found it. Can't get the pic to transfer. Here's the caption and the page:

Scenes from New Orleans

Photo by: Conrad Schmidt
A New York City police officer leaves the home on the right on Port Street in the Bywater District of New Orleans, where one body was found. A NYPD officer said the body appeared dead for only five days and the cause of death was not storm-related nor a homicide. The body was surrounded by empty bottles of alcohol, officers said.
http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=DG&Date=20050914&Category=HURRICANE&ArtNo=509140802&Ref=PH&Params=Itemnr=7

[Atman]

9. They'll play with numbers and semantics

They'll create all sorts of special categories of death, giving them one lower figure to use as "the official death toll." Like that in Iraq, it will be but a small fraction of the reality.

[never_get_over_it]

10. This is such bull shit

remember the parrish that had 152 bodies and they said 20 were storm related - so 132 died of natural causes in a few days in a small area - any body pulled out of there is storm related whether they drank themselves to death, shot themselves like the police office who came homw and found his wife and kids dead - however anyone died during this period it almost has to be storm related -or at least they should only subtract the normal number of deaths in the geo in say a five day period - I HATE THESE PEOPLE - I want the number to be low but I want the truth!!! God I hope someone finds it - I never thought it would be in the tens of thousands - but I know it is more than 3,000 - fucking liars

[soup]

12. Isn't it?

I'm thinking that with the length of time this is going to take, and other news taking front page - it will sadly fall to page 2, section D as the numbers increase - not unlike the death toll in Iraq.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

11. 2000 Children still missing. How many are with abusers, Mr Bush?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4791472