Alabama Status

[luar]

Any word on our friends down in Alabama?

[Tripitaka of AA]

Have you seen this thread in the Members Lounge.

I hope our friends in the Southern States are safe and well enough to spare some time to update us. There is great media atention on this Natural Disaster here in the UK. If there is anything to be done, please let us know. Short-term, Long-term... you name it.

[Casey Raiford]

Hi there, I've been lurking a little while, being very new to SK. I grew up in Montgomery, Alabama. Everyone I've talked to back home says the storm was mostly spent by the time it hit there. Birmingham is about two hours to the north and Huntsville is near the Tennessee state line. Everyone *should* be fine; here's hoping they are.

Casey L. Raiford
DLI Monterey Shorinji Kempo

[Tripitaka of AA]

Thanks Casey, my geography is pretty horrendous, and my Atlas has all 50 states on one page...

President Bush said "the affected area is the size of Great Britain" but the TV maps talk about just three states.... your country is, ummm, a bit big, isn't it!

[Mark Barlow]

Alabama was spared the worst of the storm. The Gulf Coast area was without power and many of us had to boil water for a few days but I'm not aware of any significant damage or loss of life. The SK dojo is in Foley and everything is up in running there.

[Tripitaka of AA]

Thanks Mark. I'm sure that this goes without saying, but... of course we care for ALL the people affected and not just the Kenshi.

[jailess]

It's only natural, though, that you care for people who belong to the same groups as yourself, whether that's your family, your country, occupation, or people who train and follow in the same philosophy as you.

Ever notice how on the news reports that whenever a disaster happens, they always mention how many British people were killed? "200 000 people have died in the Tsunami, including 150 Britons." The numbers are ridiculous compared to one another, but they mention it anyway, as if those 150 lives are worth more than the other 199 850. We're just genetically programmed to care more for people who are within our social groups.

[JL.]

Gassho!

Our hearts go out to all the people suffering.
Over here in Germany the news coverage of the helping efforts are VERY critical and especially the PR tour of Mr. Bush was seen as nothing but a show - hundreds of helpers arriving hours before the president and leaving right after him! But on CNN I saw nothing of that. My question is: how is the news coverage in the UK? Is it critical, too?

Kesshu,
______ Jan.

[Shorin Ryuu]

My family lives in Guntersville right now, and they said they were just fine.

All the same, if you all have any information regarding any school or individual that might need help, please send me their info so I can get their permission to post it on the site.

There still isn't a whole lot, but it is gradually expanding.

Thanks.

I don't plan on getting too much into politics. I don't want to turn any one off my relief site...but don't let the media circus fool you. And yes, CNN and people on CNN have been very critical. Most main stream media networks have been very critical, and unjustly so. But that's only typical.

Bush was the one who ordered a state of emergency and started relief efforts on the 26th of August. He had to personally step in and order the full evacuation of New Orleans on the 28th because the mayor was refusing to do so up until that point. I am firmly of the opinion the failure had more to do with local government than federal...it's just the nature of how the system is in the USA.

[luar]

It's only natural, though, that you care for people who belong to the same groups as yourself, whether that's your family, your country, occupation, or people who train and follow in the same philosophy as you.

Ever notice how on the news reports that whenever a disaster happens, they always mention how many British people were killed? "200 000 people have died in the Tsunami, including 150 Britons." The numbers are ridiculous compared to one another, but they mention it anyway, as if those 150 lives are worth more than the other 199 850. We're just genetically programmed to care more for people who are within our social groups.

Sorry but I couldn't help myself

Spock: "I've noticed that about your people, Doctor. You find it easier to understand the death of one than the death of a million. You speak about the objective hardness of the Vulcan heart. Yet how little room there seems to be in yours."

[luar]

Thanks Casey, my geography is pretty horrendous, and my Atlas has all 50 states on one page...

President Bush said "the affected area is the size of Great Britain" but the TV maps talk about just three states.... your country is, ummm, a bit big, isn't it!

Regardless of geographical precision the surrounding areas are deeply affected with refugees pouring into anyplace that can accept them and resources being stretched thin. In addition, I just read a a very disturbing article that many members of the New Orleans police force, who were highly demoralized prior to the hurricane, walked off their jobs during the crisis and two of which committed suicide. No people, this is true civil chaos and just plain sad.

Incidently I will simply add the mother of one our kenshi lives in New Orleans and has not yet been accounted for. We are all hoping for the best.