This is an absolutely different problem related to the increasing life expectancy of European population. In France there are more than 1.2 milllion people of age over 85 whose health is obviously very fragile (same for Spain), and those 10000 deaths (other sources claim 3000) happened only among that elder people.
Furthermore, it's a known fact that most of the people that died were already suffering from severe chronic illness, particularly hearth disease. Same thing happened in Spain.
This is not a matter of money, when you are over 85 years old even an unexpected flu may kill you, and very little could be done to save you.
Anyway, French government accepted its responsability and its lack of prevision, and promised improvements in public health care system in order to be able to send social assistants to visit the homes of elder people periodically during heat waves.
I wonder what would have happened if USA suffered a heat wave like the one we suffered in Europe. I bet that not less than 100.000 poor people would have died.
PD: Cuba has also recently suffered a tremendous hurricane and it produced huge material losses but there were almost no reported deaths. Several cities were evacuated by the government, though.
Furthermore, it's a known fact that most of the people that died were already suffering from severe chronic illness, particularly hearth disease. Same thing happened in Spain.
This is not a matter of money, when you are over 85 years old even an unexpected flu may kill you, and very little could be done to save you.
Anyway, French government accepted its responsability and its lack of prevision, and promised improvements in public health care system in order to be able to send social assistants to visit the homes of elder people periodically during heat waves.
I wonder what would have happened if USA suffered a heat wave like the one we suffered in Europe. I bet that not less than 100.000 poor people would have died.
PD: Cuba has also recently suffered a tremendous hurricane and it produced huge material losses but there were almost no reported deaths. Several cities were evacuated by the government, though.
SY said:
Where do you evacuate to during a heatwave, especially one that covered a vast chunk of Europe?
There's a serious point there- where do you send 100,000 people? Anyone familiar with the area knows there's nothing nearby with even remotely sufficient infrastructure. At this point, we've been trying to get people to Texas.
N.O. is an unusual city, and not just because of its geography. It has 10 times the national crime rate, a century of astounding corruption, and has been long-abandoned by businesses who don't want to deal with constant political shake-downs. That said, it has been a vibrant center for music and cuisine, and I don't know how it will ever recover from this disaster. One of my friends has three restaurants there; he says that they're all above water, but he despairs of being able to keep them going after all this.
N.O. is an unusual city, and not just because of its geography. It has 10 times the national crime rate, a century of astounding corruption, and has been long-abandoned by businesses who don't want to deal with constant political shake-downs. That said, it has been a vibrant center for music and cuisine, and I don't know how it will ever recover from this disaster. One of my friends has three restaurants there; he says that they're all above water, but he despairs of being able to keep them going after all this.
Eva said:
there was one in Chicago a few years ago (last 5 years I think). I believe like 20-30 people died. a few things may have contributed to this:
a) the US tends to be less populated.
b) more airconditioning seems to be available.
c) people can travel longer distances easier in the US.
Eva said:
I don't think you understand the situation. As SY commented there is no were left to go in that region and that is why so many people are being put up in the Astrodome in Houston TX, over 300 mi away. The whole area is destroyed. There has been no way to get to these people, most of whom have no idea how extensive the damage is. Why do you think not only the national guard from many states are deployed, but the US navy also has recently been deployed to try to save these people. Most of the people needing rescue reside in the gettos. That is why these people can't get out, they have no means to do so. I was working throughout NO last month and I know what areas were hit the worst. If you have never been in the Bayou, then you have no idea.
Interesting that no other country in the world has offered help in any way that I have seen. The American people have donated countless billions of dollars to natural disasters around the world, but I have not heard a peep from anyone else in the world that offers help for this situation. When disasters like this happens somewere else, America is blamed for not contributing enough funds, even if our contribution is larger than any other country in the world when you consider private donations. Yet I guess we are alone on this one.
Well, you know what, I say the next natural disaster to happen in the world is THIER problem as far as I am concerned. Screw 'em!If it were possible and easier to get all these people to Key West, they would have done so.
Heat wave? What is a heat wave in New Orleans in August? Have you ever been to New Orleans in August?
If you think that New Orleans is bad, southern Mississippi is even worse. If it weren' t for the levy breaks, New Orleans wouldn't be so bad off.
I don't care how socialized your government is they would not have been able to get to these people any faster regardless.
Germany has offered help.
In reality, 80% of NO's population was successfully evacuated, and that was done in less than 2 days. It's still a huge disaster, but it could have been a lot worse.
In reality, 80% of NO's population was successfully evacuated, and that was done in less than 2 days. It's still a huge disaster, but it could have been a lot worse.
Amen to the German People
, I have not heard this.
Generally southern Louisiana and Mississippi, for those of you who have not ever been there, is certainly not the richest part of this country. Life and relation to others is unusually different there than most of the "citified" US, and I don't mean in the sense of povery. Wonderful people and of course, best food in the country!!! 😉
, I have not heard this. Generally southern Louisiana and Mississippi, for those of you who have not ever been there, is certainly not the richest part of this country. Life and relation to others is unusually different there than most of the "citified" US, and I don't mean in the sense of povery. Wonderful people and of course, best food in the country!!! 😉
On poverty: I have traveled quite extensively in the states and around the world (when i am off my waste management jobs), and some parts of the Us are surprisingly poor vs. other countries. i remember driving through easter part of north carolina (in the swamps) and you could drive miles seeing no factories, not even a wal-mart. run-down houses with 1960's beat-up cars on the front yard, etc.
The best you will come up to would be a self-service gas station with a small mart.
The south is surprisingly backward, especially LA and MS.
The best you will come up to would be a self-service gas station with a small mart.
The south is surprisingly backward, especially LA and MS.
Hey, don't forget east Tennessee....in the smokeys, western N Carolina, and Northern Georgia. Lots o' rednecks in these parts.
back to THAT situation, I believe that the government's role, other than imeadiate responce, should take a backseat position and be there only to support the private sector and trust that they will be able to perform better and more efficiently in dealing with these people for the months required, than a secular government buracracy. They will.😉😎
After all there is money to be made by someone in it somehow....
After all there is money to be made by someone in it somehow....
CBS240 said:
That's because you watch CNN. Many countries have offered help, Canada included. We have very sophiticated search and rescue (aka recovery) teams at your disposal, ready to fly out in a few hours notice. We simply have to be given the word.
I know it's a very emotional time but please...keep those sorts of thoughts to yourself.
Cal
I'm puzzled on how USA news media is manipulated and censored by government to fool citizens into thinking that everything is going fine, and that the government is making the right decisions.
Actually most European countries have offered help even before the hurricane striked, but Bush and his friends have just kindly rejected it arguing that they are able to solve the problem by themselves (how stupid and arrogant they are).
Furthermore, our news say that New Orleans major is desperately asking Bush government for help without any reply. The government is not sending food nor potable water, they are just sending armed troops in order to kill those poor, hungry and thirsty USA citizens.
A good government must be much more than just police and armed troops. That's something that you learn when you live in a socialistic environment. Unfortunately USA government is void, they only have police, troops and judges.
Actually most European countries have offered help even before the hurricane striked, but Bush and his friends have just kindly rejected it arguing that they are able to solve the problem by themselves (how stupid and arrogant they are).
Furthermore, our news say that New Orleans major is desperately asking Bush government for help without any reply. The government is not sending food nor potable water, they are just sending armed troops in order to kill those poor, hungry and thirsty USA citizens.
A good government must be much more than just police and armed troops. That's something that you learn when you live in a socialistic environment. Unfortunately USA government is void, they only have police, troops and judges.
You should be puzzled because that's absolutely untrue. Have you ever actually been in the US? Do you ever actually bother to read the New York Times or the Washington Post or do you pick up your ideas about the US media via psychic means?
Oh, here in Europe we understand English and we can read your news on the net pretty much like you do. I thought this point was quite obvious, I'm sorry if it wasn't.
I like the ironic open letter that Michael Moore has wrote to Bush and his friends (see the link).
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?id=183
Also, here there is a lot of people laughing because Bush government is asking European countries for oil because they don't want to use their precious national reserves... just after arrogantly rejecting the humanitarian help that most European countries offered... Is people more important than oil?
I like the ironic open letter that Michael Moore has wrote to Bush and his friends (see the link).
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?id=183
Also, here there is a lot of people laughing because Bush government is asking European countries for oil because they don't want to use their precious national reserves... just after arrogantly rejecting the humanitarian help that most European countries offered... Is people more important than oil?
I know you CAN read, say, the New York Times- you have me at an advantage because I cannot read Spanish fluently- but it is clear from the bizarre things that you say (type) that you don't actually do so.
Eva said:
If you have actually read anything the leftiest media has said about the government's handling of the aftermath, you would have known how wrong you are.
Eva said:
I have yet to hear that. What are your sources?
Eva said:
He is. And you don't think it has anything to do with shifting the blames for his inability to handle the crisis? Are you aware that he is also a politician?
Eva said:
The least informative source of information in this world, TV, would have told you otherwise. The amount of mis information you have is staggering.
Eva said:
There is no doubt that the Bush administration handled this situation extremely poorly. A lot of lives would have been saved. And I hope a) something is being done very quickly right now to save as many people as possible; and b) a thorough investigation is done on how and who mis handled the situation and hold those people accountable. If I were Bush, I would fire the head of FEMA on the spot - the guy is just totally incompetent.
But first of you, you have to get your facts right.
This is from a major newspaper from Spain:
http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2005/09/04/sociedad/1125832838.html
Fusté-Díez family is from Spain and they were in New Orleans during the hurricane and the next few days, this is what some of them said:
"Había policía y tanques, pero no había comida ni agua, ni vimos a una sola persona de Cruz Roja"
"no había coordinación, ni autoridad, era como si fuera una guerra y no la organización de una ayuda humanitaria"
That translated means something like:
"There were policemen and tanks, but there was no food nor water, and we didn't see even a single people from Red Cross"
"there was no coordination, it was like war, not like organizing humanitarian help"
That's all that USA government is able to provide to its citizens: policemen and battle tanks. Then again, what else could an anti-socialistic country lacking a public health care system provide to its citizens?
In comparison, Dennis hurricane killed only three people in Cuba, they refused to be evacuated and they died crushed by a wall. Cuban government provided the required resources in order to evacuate everybody from the places under major risk, and this is a socialistic feature, that's why USA government will never do that.
Funniest part is that Cuban government now is offering 1,100 medical professionals, trained for that kind of situations (obviously by the government), to help in New Orleans. Will bush accept from Cuba government what his government obviously lacks?
And it's even more puzzling to see Bush government now asking Europe for help after having said that they dindn't need any help some days ago.
http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2005/09/04/sociedad/1125832838.html
Fusté-Díez family is from Spain and they were in New Orleans during the hurricane and the next few days, this is what some of them said:
"Había policía y tanques, pero no había comida ni agua, ni vimos a una sola persona de Cruz Roja"
"no había coordinación, ni autoridad, era como si fuera una guerra y no la organización de una ayuda humanitaria"
That translated means something like:
"There were policemen and tanks, but there was no food nor water, and we didn't see even a single people from Red Cross"
"there was no coordination, it was like war, not like organizing humanitarian help"
That's all that USA government is able to provide to its citizens: policemen and battle tanks. Then again, what else could an anti-socialistic country lacking a public health care system provide to its citizens?
In comparison, Dennis hurricane killed only three people in Cuba, they refused to be evacuated and they died crushed by a wall. Cuban government provided the required resources in order to evacuate everybody from the places under major risk, and this is a socialistic feature, that's why USA government will never do that.
Funniest part is that Cuban government now is offering 1,100 medical professionals, trained for that kind of situations (obviously by the government), to help in New Orleans. Will bush accept from Cuba government what his government obviously lacks?
And it's even more puzzling to see Bush government now asking Europe for help after having said that they dindn't need any help some days ago.
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