It has probably been a week since Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. I did not pay much attention to it initially but after a few headlines and thoughts of my online buddy & her lil baby in the US, I decided to get updated. I am not familiar with the locations of each US state and I am hoping so damn hard she is not near New Orleans or any place affected by the hurricane. Yesterday, I finally decided to check out proper the different states of US (hey Sean, i noe where u are located now) and thank God North Carolina is few states away from Louisiana & Mississippi!
Upon seein photos of the aftermaths in ChannelNewsAsia's gallery & more pics in Multiply, i felt so guilty, guilty of bein nonchalant, guilty of bein ignorant n guilty of bein passive. It was juz 9 months ago that we Asian's had our very own calamity and the sights were devastating. And to think, such similar sights can be seen comin from the US, the powerful n mighty country. major floodings, lost of properties, deaths, refuging...And looting n lawlessness are at high when each and everyone is tryin their best to survive. And the military ppl seemed to be providin relief at a disappointingly slow timing. I wish I could help out but i'm incapable to, at tis point of time. I could only offer my prayers for the victims to be patient & live strong amidst the chaos they are in now.
The pictures comin from the affected area kinda humbled me. Even though America is a powerful country, yet when the forces of God hit them, they fall too n succumb to the Greatness of Almighty juz like the affected islands of Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka & Maldives, juz like in the Movies...the effect of Hurricane Katrina reminds me very much of the movie "Day after Tomorrow". Will more of such attacks, crumble America? Economically? God knows...I just hope the people caught in the calamity will emerge stronger & united & bounce back to their normal life, juz like the people in Patong. It is gonna be tough, but if the Thais can do, why not Americans? God bless...
The Americans humbled by the power of nature. The power of God. Superpowers? Not for the past few days. Don't think so.....
ReplyDeleteI second that... Doesn't that fell that we are just lucky? But we aren't safe either so, we can't be too proud of ourselves. There's nothing much we can do, except to pray. Yeah, I believe, they can bounce back to.. Only in matter of time. Anyway, the price of oil will be high as a result.
ReplyDeleteMind you, luv, I think the moral of the story is never reply on the politicians, instead rely on yourselves.
ReplyDeleteThe US is not immune to natural disasters. I grew up in earthquake country and survived some big ones-the Loma Preita earthquake of '89 was 7.1 on the scale, pretty big indeed. It looked like the end of the world but it wasn't. We simply rebuilt everything and went on living.
My grandparents survived the famous 1906 San Francisco earthquake and lived to be in thier 80's.
Also in 1906, Galveston, Texas was hit with a huge hurricane that killed 6,000 people. But if you looked at Galveston today, you would never know it had happened.
What's not being shown is this; Long before the "Dopes in DC" made up their minds to do something, ordinary citizens from all over the US were driving to New Orleans to help out in any way they could. It was real "People Power" at work.
New Orleans will be rebuilt and life will go on. The people of New Orleans wil talk about this for generations to come, but life will still go on.
Also, I'd like to thank you and your nation for helping us out during this time of crisis:).
So you found my hometown?:) Cool, when ya gonna visit?:)
LOL, not likely:). I think if anyone was humbled, it's those currently running the US.
ReplyDeleteRemember, the US is a huge nation of regions and states and attitudes; I grew up in earthquake country-California-you can't prevent an earthquake nor can you predict them, so you'll find us Californians to be an oddly fatalistic people, we hope for the best and prepare for the worst and are always willing to take a chance, you have to when you grow up knowing that every day may be your last.
What truly angers me about the New Orleans situtation is the most amazing lack of preparedness (New Orleans had a 30 advance warning of the hurricane moving in), the utter lack of response, and the utter inability of the victims to take any sort of positive initiative. Several San Francisco Bay Area residents were in New Orleans when the hurricane struck and almost all of them fared quite well and are back in California.
"People Power"...Tat reminded me of a documentary abt a quake in mexico many years, where ppl worked hand in hand to do the rescuing. It was very touching.
ReplyDeleteSean, I haven't done any thing to help but i hope our lil Chinooks are doin a great job in the relief distribution.
Haha yeah i found California, u r from the West Side...when am i visitin? hmmmm not anytime soon i guess ;b
maybe the victims underestimated the hurricane?? oh well, it has already happened, i guess if any hurricanes or earthquakes are to happen anytime soon, those who observed or been in Katrina's disaster will be more alert & paranoid now. glad to hear that ur fellow Californians made it back safely to their hometown :)
ReplyDeletemaybe the victims underestimated the hurricane?? oh well, it has already happened, i guess if any hurricanes or earthquakes are to happen anytime soon, those who observed or been in Katrina's disaster will be more alert & paranoid now. glad to hear that ur fellow Californians made it back safely to their hometown.
ReplyDeletePsst i like the Californian attitude :)
Yes i was refering to those running the country.
ReplyDelete>>>>>Sean, I haven't done any thing to help but i hope our lil Chinooks are doin a great job in the relief distribution.
ReplyDeleteAnything is always appreciated. Again, I thank you and your nation:)
>>>>Haha yeah i found California, u r from the West Side...when am i visitin? hmmmm not anytime soon i guess ;b
Damn!:)
That part of the US has been dealing with hurricanes for over 200 years, about as long as we have been dealing with earthquakes. But often there are those who believe they can "ride the storm" and stay behind and they usually regret it.
ReplyDeleteOn Galveston Island, Texas, the evacuation routes are marked out and they have volunteers who stay behind long enough to make sure everyone has left when there is a hurricane.
Mind you, most of the West Coast is still considered a frontier by the rest of the US, so we have a certain pioneer attitude;
A: We don't obey laws we think are stupid, in fact, we tend to just ignore them.
B: NO ONE tells us how to think or act. We are very independent that way.
Hmmm i see i see, it's all in the attitude ballz!!
ReplyDeleteHey ya, is the Red Cross going to collect donation for the victims?
ReplyDeleteI think about 99.9% of the US is collecting right now.....
ReplyDeleteOhh okie, I'm not sure if they are collecting here, in Singapore as well.
ReplyDeleteU can make donation using the link given on Multiply's welcome page when u log in, that's linked to the American Red Cross Society.
ReplyDeleteDearie, u must remember that I don't own a credit or debit card.
ReplyDeleteCan always transfer money to me, i can help u to channel it thru ;)
ReplyDelete