Our thoughts are with those of you who have lost so much in the aftermath of the hurricane that devastated the southern states of the USA. We've heard that New Orleans may be abandoned and that the death toll is appauling. America, you are in our prayers. We know you don't give up. God Bless You.

I for one thank you for those that can't and I also thank you and your countrymen for being with us in all things that matter. We are fortunate to have friends such a you and yours.

meant to say 'as', hate computers that can't spell!

Thank you for your thoughts...I hope that all will keep us in their prayers... nature is our master, too soon we forget that it's not the other way around.

Thank you Bryster,............I have just been watching CNN's continuing coverage and am overwhelmed by the complete and utter devastation I witnessed. I would encourage any who have the resources to contribute to the American Red Cross and other disaster relief agencies as soon as possible. The situation is dire. The need is most urgent in nature. Thanks for your prayers,.........please keep praying.

Oh dear, I havn't seen any news yet. My thoughts go out as well to those affected. Thank you Chris. Angela

I have caught snippets of the hurricaine in the news now and then, but I had no idea it was as bad as it is. I, in the UK, am too used to hearing about hurricaines in the US. They seem normal, obviously not to those who suffer from them, but this one seems extraordinary. I am so sorry for those affected. I hope New Orleans will not be abandoned, such an old city, it would be a shame to loose it....

Fran has said we get used to hearing about the US having hurricanes as a normal sort of event, but this one is certainly not normal. It is heartrending to hear of the destruction. My thoughts are with all who may be affected by this.

They say it'll take six months to pump all the water out. It's like a scene out of a Jerry Bruckheimer movie. For me, its still beyond comprehension. I wish a swift recovery and return to normality for the people of southern Louisiana.

Jeez, Im glad I live in England. The news pictures are horrendous. I cant even blame looters if theyre grabbing food for the future. Its going to be hard. At least its not a poor country. Lets hope the government divert enough money from other things to help these poor people. My thought`s are with them.

It will take a while to remove all the water from the area. At least they are removing all those that still trapped in the area, living on their house roofs. I just hope for the better. Eryt from here on Rendo is stuck in that area, and he's gone thru some rough time in the last couple of days, no water, no electricity, lost all his work, etc etc. Hope he will get back on his feet soon. Communicated with him and he said the electricity finally came back in today. Still a matter of job, water, etc etc. Hard times, very hard. Hope FOR THE BEST...

heh..last hurricane to hit us was named Fran..;) Yeah, it's a lot worse than the 2 I've been through..been to the Big Easy..it would be a crying shame to lose the city..but I doubt it will come to that. I predict that Mardi Gras will be a little smaller this year, but they won't give up on it. Hope everything turns out ok.

Stupid me. It just dawned on me why we haven't heard from any Cajun Brycers.

It woudl be a shame to loose one of the most colorful cities in the states. I lived in that area fo ra few years in the 80's. Great place. Looting is terrible but if you need to find food and bottled water I won't blame you.

I have an uncle that lives 25 mile north of New Orleans and 2 cousins that live in New Orleans. They all got out before the Storm hit, My 2 cousins, houses are gone. My uncle has no idea about his home. But they are all ok including kids, dogs and cats. Their staying with other family members in Texas. I've come to the conclusion, that no matter where you live on the earth...there's some sort of natural disaster that can devastate your life. I thing mother earth is telling the people of the world to quit using fossil fuel....or maybe I'm just losing it....

To those outside USA, thanks for concerns. To those of us in USA that have been witnessing the chaos I say, "give until it hurts."

Jeez... It's just ugly down there. Apparently people are still waiting for the relief effort. If it doesn't start picking up momentum soon, I'd suggest that the survivors who get out start heading for Washington instead of Houston or wherever.

Attached Link: http://www.redcross.org

My family lives on the other side of the river from New Orleans, the flooding there was no worse than normal (ie the streets flooded but the houses are relatively dry). The y also ran Sunday to get out of the area. The place (even the surrounding areas) will be unlivable for some time. The West Bank where my family lives may be OK as soon as power and water are restored (water mostly, you can live without power).

The thing is like the Dutch and the citizen's of Venice, everyone in the New Orleans area knew this is what would happen if NO ever took a near hit. NO managed to dodge the bullet many times for decades, the odds ran out this time.

The people have FINALLY gotten supplies but I'm seriously angry and disappointed with how things were handled by the different agencies. 4 days without water is inexcusable! we got supplies and help to the tsunami victims faster than that. The excuse that the flood waters made it difficult is BS. Before I forget, my family and I thank everyone for thier support, either physically, financially or spiritually.

Message edited on: 09/02/2005 19:48

Having watched the news bulletens(SS) for the last week I am amazed that the US Gov couldn't order fleets of Choppers (big or small) to ferry supplies into NO or Biloxi. Christ knows they have enough of them. We had a disaster here a year ago at a place called Boscastle - a coastal village in a narrow gorge that was almost washed away by a flash flood. A coast guard officer who happened to be in the area saw what was going to happen and his call had choppers on the scene just as the worst of the flood hit and saved dozens of people. Not one life was lost. OK, so compared to recents events this was a miniscule incident, but if you scale things up to USA events it was exactly the same. The US Gov KNEW what was coming. Hundreds of thousands left the Southern US States. WHY wasn't a relief effort in place BEFORE Katrina hit for those who couldn't get out? I heard a US Army Colonel say that they had to get the buses from all over the US and that was what took time. OK, so why didn't they start before Katrina made landfall? This and other serious questions will be need to answered BEFORE Bush goes up for re-election. Again, the thoughts and prayers of us Brits are with you all.

Totaly agree with all sentiments expressed the US government should have done so much more...These people are living in hell and there doesn't seem to be and end in sight. The pictures we are getting in the UK are horrendous. My thoughts are with you all.

Thank you all for your kind sentiments I am sure they are much appreciated. My heart goes out to all those affected by this terrible natural catastrophe. God knows theres enough blame to go around for everyone. My beef is not as much with the federal government as it is with the local government who have known for years of the impending disaster, scientific studies suggested that it wasnt a matter of if but when the disaster would occur. Natural Geographic had a special on such a disaster occurring there a few years ago even. It knew full well the conditions the levies were laboring under, knew that the federal government had rerouted funds intended for the repair of those levies some time ago and did nothing to retrieve and replenish emergency funds to supplement and finance the repairs. I further blame the local government for being advised by weather agencies before the storm made landfall and doing nothing to place emergency services on high alert mode and mobilizing emergency plans to include medical personnel, police and law enforcement agencies, emergency repair crews, rescue operations, fire emergency services and the National Guards. These agencies should have all been put into motion and placed on high alert from the moment they received news that eminent danger was pending from this or any other hurricane. The loss of life has been horrendous, the human suffering immeasurable and unbearable and unacceptable. The local governments should be made accountable for their short sightedness and ineptitude in the face of danger. I hope that the city will heal itself and rise again on its feet to an even greater splendor.

@ the bryster,.........Bush can't run for re-election,.......no U.S. President can run for more than 2 consecutive terms,.......prohibited by the U.S. constitution,........22nd amendment I believe. Emergency preparedness studies were done by the Federal and local governments to gauge the effect of a direct hit by a Cat5 hurricane on N.O. and the Gulf coast or a levee break, not both at the same time. Why ? In the end perhaps it will be just plain old incompetence that is the culprit. Government work does not always attract the best and brightest individuals. The U.S. Army corps of engineers may have culpability to some degree also. Some of their projects were not up to speed with ever-changing natural elements in the area. I would however, place more of the resposibility on the Federal system,.........these are not the most affluent areas in the U.S. and the Feds knew this,.......the localities involved have limited resources available,......able to meet only the most modest of circumstances. More resources should have been in closer proximity to the site. Also,....when the storm hit Florida it was only a Cat1,........even the best meteorological experts were taken by surprise when it grew so quickly into a Cat5 storm. Chalk it up to the unpredcability of nature. Local governments did send numerous warnings to the federal agencies concerned,.........these warnings were not heeded with the alacrity that they should have been. It has always been the federal policy to take a wait and see attitude. Perhaps this will chandge in the future.

I totally agree with you, Quest.

Hey do not blame Bush. It fell on the govenor of Louisiana . She had the rule over the National Gruals in the state of Louisiana. and she felled. Bust waited for her to act. When he saw she was not doing her job he actrd and that is when the people got the help. Louisana had spent a lot of money on plans for this to happen and look at the Louisiana Plan a big failer. I live here in Louisiana and I know a lot of what going on in the goverment and it a joke. They just have they hands out for the U.S. Goverment to do the work that they plan for years [most like a 100 years ago this started or at lest when Hugh P. Long got into office] the lost Governor got millions of $$$ to come up with plans and to buy stellight phones. He did nothing but put the money into his pocket with his friends pockets too. Wonder how he feel now as he watch the news??? So I mad at the news for not reporting this. Moon Report on the radio [he on the web to somewhere] ande Bill O Reilly too had reported this I live in Lafayette La west of N.O.

Fair comment, Jocko500! But the buck stops with Bush. Shouldn't he have been keeping his eye on the ball instead of keeping his eye on the ball (golf joke) Still, who am I to criticize? The latest news over here tells us that most of those who need help now have it. Sadly, as always, it's too late for some.

Attached Link: http://www.bayou.com/~kmlb/

Yes Bryster when in 1969 when the Gulf Coast was hit by an cat.5 Nixion call out the Arm Forces to get law and order fist thing. Guess he know what the heart of many people is. Rape and murder and robbey and drugs ;just evil in many people hearts. Yes the good people. Bust did say the rules change for the future things like this. Guess the U.S. mility will take over as they did here in N.O. and other recutals as they do around the world. That why it works around the world so good. N. O. is a very voilit[ misspelled means bad to the bones] place to be I been there and saw a lot of those place in N. O. I was in a place if you was white you die area. I was on a tour of the tombs in N. O. and they had a lot of cops around us. I find out later by a black friend who told me he would not go there. He was there one time and saw with his own eyes a man danceing in the street and he ws blocking cars one man in the car yell for the dancer to get off the road . He did not and the man in the car got out and shot him with people looking on. The man got back in the car and drive around the man who was dead in the road. And no one cared. that the city in many places in N. O. I talk to others who was shot at there in N. O. years ago

Attached Link: http://www.moongriffon.com/

My thoughts are with you guys too, NO was one of those places my wife and I have always wanted to visit and haven't managed yet. It sounds like the devastation and loss of life is horrendous. I was shocked by how slow the relief was in getting in place, there are lots of grim stories appearing in the UK press :(

Bryster, Im sorry, but it is the Presidents job to keep his eye on the nations well being and the governors job to keep an eye out for his/her own state. Federal government cant steer the whole boat. Thats why we have governors and mayors. Otherwise, the President can do it all and well have no need for governors and mayors and not a very well balanced government in general.

Quest: I'm sure that's the way it's supposed to work, but isn't it the case that when the sh*t hits the proverbial the chief drops everything and picks up the phone? Don't get me wrong here. I'm just thinking that the Prez should have been kicking butt (Politely asking if there was anything the Governers wanted) BEFORE the event.

I would like to think that if I were the President and thank God Im not, Id be on the phone making sure that the governor in charge of the endangered province knew full well that all our resources were at their disposal. Generally speaking this goes without saying but the individual governors have to request assistance from the federal government in order to receive it. But thats about all the President can do in a situation like this. A, hurricane, tornado, blizzard or other naturally occurring meteorological phenomenon doesnt necessarily fall under the category of National security, although I can see where one of this magnitude can come close to destabilizing National security. Perhaps its time to reconsider the Presidents role in such matters? Im sure this whole catastrophe will go under close scrutiny and wouldnt be surprised if new guidelines are instilled. But as it stands now, there are clear lines of separation, and this is as it should be, between the federal, state and local governments.

Quest you right of what you say and happy you say it I just got back on line and was going to clear this up for people that do not live in the U.S. to understand this and how our goverment works. Our governor was to do this . She know the storm was going to be bad. And it been know the levewls of N. O. could and would break at any time. Plans was in place and what happen you see it on the news. The Mayor was cut off to tell ther N.O. police what to do. all lines was cut. But the Governor was not cut off and she just did not do her job as she should have. She drop the ball even when she saw the level break. The mayor of New York on 911 did a super job. The Mayor of San Franciso Findshine at the time some one came and told here if a earthquake hit and a lot of people was at Candlestick park the roof would fall dow. She told them to fix it now. No 2 years study on it just fix it now. Her action saved 20,000 people for they was a ball game the day the earthquake hits. Now that is leadership.