Anyone else watching the army trucks landing by sea in Galveston

[malaise]

I think the marines have come to pick up bodies. Those look like portable morgues. Others weigh in please. There's a massive navy ship in the Gulf.

http://www.maroonspoon.com/wx/ike.html

[DS1]

1. Are they AAVs?

nope, nevermind

[Cleita]

2. I wonder how they are going to cover it up if that's in fact what

they are doing? People eventually are going to start wondering where missing friends and relatives are?

[malaise]

10. People are already wondering

and some stations have carried interviews with people looking for family members who were prevented from going to the island. One mother was in tears over her 21 year old son.

[KoKo]

62. Is this the "Clean Up Crew" of "Final Resort?" Enquiring Minds want to know...

[ColbertWatcher]

3. Nice catch. I wonder how long it will be before Blackwater shows up? n/t

[KoKo]

64. well...the "Black Hawk Helicopters" have been there since "Day 1"...if you want to know...

Coast Guard was following them on the first reports from our "American Coast Guard" on the flights last Monday posted on a Houston TV Station.

Everyone knew the "Black Hawks" were there. The Coast Guard "Op" said...must be "delivering a dignitary out here."

nuff said.

[Regret My New Name]

115. blackhawks are helicopters that the military (and coastguard, no?) uses...

They doesn't mean blackwater. Does blackwater even own blackhawks?

[Captain Hilts]

4. It's a standard beachcraft. They use them ALL the time in Va. Beach. nt

[malaise]

5. Not the beach craft

the stuff in the back of the big trucks. The beachcraft is impressive.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

8. OMG TRUCKS!

TRUCKS, I TELL YOU! WHAT HAS BECOME OF THE WORLD?!?

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

6. I think you have no idea what you're talking about.

Please substantiate your comments.

[malaise]

7. I posted what I saw and asked others to weigh in

if they were watching. Were you watching?

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

9. What happened to the media blackout?

I thought there was a media blackout. So now they're letting them videotape them bringing in the secret death morgues?

[malaise]

11. I'm watching local TV in Texas

http://www.maroonspoon.com/wx/ike.html

It sure isn't on CNN, GEM$NBC et al. I gather you were not watching. Nice change of subject...NOT.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

12. So local media isn't subject to the fictitious media blackout of the death morgues?

That would seem to be a terrible oversight.

[MiniMe]

14. Try turning in to the maroon spoon site given above

They are landing craft, and they are coming ashore now.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

15. I think that proves my point, doesn't it? n/t

[MiniMe]

18. It proves the OP that the Marines are landing on Galveston

And they have some kind of water trucks, that turn out to be landing craft. You wanted proof that it was happening, turn on the link.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

19. No, the OP said they were landing portable morgues.

Not water trucks. Not happy fairies. I'm assuming he had some reason for stating this but so far I haven't seen one.

[malaise]

21. Wow you could work for McPOW and Palin

The OP never said that. "Those look like portable morgues". You can make your point without being dishonest.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

30. "I think the marines have come to pick up bodies. Those look like portable morgues."

You still haven't posted a single goddamn reason why you think this, in any of your spam topics/subthreads on the subject.

[EFerrari]

33. And you haven't posted a single bit of useful information.

malaise has been on the forefront of covering this event for DU.

What have you contributed?

[Name removed]

38. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[malaise]

46. I think; those look; others weigh in please

The entire OP
I think the marines have come to pick up bodies. Those look like portable morgues. Others weigh in please. There's a massive navy ship in the Gulf.

http://www.maroonspoon.com/wx/ike.html
--------------------
Rational posters would read that as asking others who were watching to weigh in on what they thought they looked like or what they were.

You want to know why I would think that they have come to pick up bodies Perhaps you haven't heard that people are missing. I've been hearing that from officials and family members since Saturday and Sunday.

[tnlefty]

72. Jeeze, don't you have some Tories to go out and try to elect?

A Thatcher clone, another poodle?

[uppityperson]

75. Thanks for continuing to kick this topic!

:hi:

[Ghost in the Machine]

28. No, she said they **LOOK** like portable morgues...

malaise (1000+ posts) Thu Sep-18-08 06:30 PM
Original message
Anyone else watching the army trucks landing by sea in Galveston
I think the marines have come to pick up bodies. Those look like portable morgues. Others weigh in please. There's a massive navy ship in the Gulf.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Try some reading comprehension skills before you blather off about things you know nothing about, ok?

[Sal Minella]

35. delete - dupe

[TheWatcher]

54. No but it seems we will be subjected to your assholish behavior

As long as this situation continues to develop.

[readmoreoften]

73. I'm in Texas and my relatives are evacuees. All the evacuees I've spoken to call it a blackout

so why don't you STFU. You're not the one trying to get information. It's easy for people who just sit on the internet and call reality "a conspiracy theory" and make excuses for the Bush cronies while other people are trying to find their fucking families and figure out if they have jobs.

If you don't realize Bush's people around here are hushing up information to make Idiot Son look like "the decider" and you don't realize that *YES VIRGINIA, NOT EVERYONE SURVIVED* then you're a fucking fruitcake living in a fantasy world of late night TV reruns.

So how about you shut up and let people try to figure out what's going on. Yeah there's going to be some hyperbole, but that's to be expected because the Republicans are doing a poor job of stage managing their bullshit.

[malaise]

85. Couldn't say it better

I hope you and your folks soon hear something. :hug:

[babylonsister]

13. I'm watching locally, too. They're supposedly Seabees sent here

via USS Nassau to bring in equipment, set up PODs, and to help clean up Galveston.
I don't know about bodies...

[malaise]

22. Thanks n/t

[EFerrari]

23. The thing that is weird is that Galveston mayor and friends announced today

that they'd be searching the debris today. :(

That was this morning.

Why did they say that if they were planning not to update the information? :shrug:

[malaise]

24. And that's why people are speculating

Well at least the Navy and marines have arrived with equipment.

[EFerrari]

27. And the Small Business Administration is there with loan applications!

KHOU is alive with the small business opportunities! Just what people need right now!

I don't care, malaise, about the static. I'm listening to the coverage and this is bullshit.

[malaise]

50. Don't forget the insurance agents either

and the contractors. They can go in but the owners aren't allowed. Amazing isn't it. They're immune to all diseases.

[KoKo]

106. The timing is odd. It was supposed to be a ship with supplies, surgical teams for medical help....

yet, no one is allowed on Galveston Island or the outlying areas where the worst damage was. So why is that ship there? Who is left that needs Med Treatment? It may be that Houston's Hospitals are still without power and there are pressing needs from the population that this ship might help alleviate, though.

But, I read last night here they don't even know where the bodies and the missing houses might have washed up in the currents yet. Doubt anyone is alive that would need to be medivaced out to a ship...

[babylonsister]

26. I've heard the search is complete, now it's clean-up time.

They've apparently already searched every building on Galveston. I did not hear the mayor today though. I'm kind of experiencing hurricane overload after having listened to it for 5 days straight, so I did try to tune it out for awhile.

[EFerrari]

29. No. Today (and I'm sure there is a video clip somewhere)

county judge Yarbrough said they would start searching the debris piles. They just started that today.

And, good for you for taking care.

[babylonsister]

39. Gotcha; there are some huge piles. After almost a week, you'd

think any bodies would be easily found (not to be too vulgar about it). So very sad.

[uppityperson]

Found bodies over a yr after Katrina hit. The amount of debris is huge.

Many flattened buildings and piles of stuff that will take a long time to search. Cadaver dogs would help for sure though.

[KoKo]

107. tons of mud..sand, debris ...plus bodies drifted out to sea to land somewhere else...

Gross, I know. But, looking at those pics on the Houston Web sites..tv...there's nothing left in some places. And who knows what happens to bodies floating around in the gulf..with sharks, etc.. But, many are probably under debris or tossed somewhere that first search rescuers didn't see when they were just searching houses... It's really dreadful there, in many ways. But, lack of Mainstream Coverage is very disheartening. Unless there's massive loss of life or "floating bodies" they don't even bother...

[babylonsister]

56. I stand corrected: per my DH, they have only searched the

buildings for survivors. This is going to be some undertaking. :(

[malaise]

59. I feel sorry for the poor marines and navy men

Most of them have already faced Iraq. Six days after - this will be horrific. :cry:

[EFerrari]

113. . . .

:hug:
:grouphug:

[EFerrari]

20. So, have you not been paying attention at all?

Good grief.

There was no media allowed on the island until Monday and on Monday the mayor said no officials could talk to the press.

The video black out was somewhat lifted on Monday -- the air space was somewhat opened up and some people were let on the island.

Get a clue. Read something.

[Ghost in the Machine]

25. Why don't you answer the question and say whether you're watching or not..

It wasn't a hard question, only three words: "Are you watching?"

Answer the fucking question and quit obfuscating...

[Subdivisions]

32. Okay! Okay! I wasn't watching! Sheesh!

[Ghost in the Machine]

37. LOL!!

:hi:

[lifesbeautifulmagic]

48. Texas-

that is some kind of awesome Palin graphic you have there. :applause: :applause:

[malaise]

43. Don't hold your breath n/t

[Ghost in the Machine]

97. Oh, I know better than that with that one...

I know the MO of the BBC* (Bellicose Bloviators Club) around here...

:hi:

[TheWatcher]

58. That's a really interesting self-assesment of yourself

But if you are going to talk to yourself in this manner, shouldn't you do it in private?

I mean, personally I don't mind, but.....

[hootinholler]

16. CBs or SeaBees n/t

[old mark]

34. Same-same. CB= Construction Battalion = SeaBees

It is the Navy group that builds and maintaind on shore military installations or constructions.They are transported by the Navy to where they are supposed to work on a project.
CB=SeaBees (their insignia used to have a cartoon bee with a nasty grin and an old white sailor hat).
They are a pretty tough and competent group, generally for sailors, anyway.

mark

[fla nocount]

65. Yep, Marines with marketable skills.

Go in with them, dress like them, act like them. In fact if you can't read insignia there is no difference between a SeaBee and a Marine except that the SeaBee won't be using hand me down equipment. Marines love to be deployed with SeaBees, better food, ice, running water, flush toilets, etc.

[malaise]

67. I learn something new on DU every day

Thanks to both of you.

[hootinholler]

74. How dare you imply the navy is incompetent.

They are competent even with trash like McCain in the officer corps.

Otherwise, yes, I put the proper form first. BTW, the hat is a dixie cup. The silly flap collar was initially button on and was to prevent tar from soiling the shirt of the uniform. Sailors used to braid pony tails and coat them with tar to afford a little protection from a cutlass.

-Hoot

[MiniMe]

17. Brian Williams just said it reminded him of what Normandy must be like

[slackmaster]

31. The only portable morgues I've seen look like ordinary tents

Is that what you saw, and if so how would you distinguish it from any other tent?

Were they accompanied by people wearing "I'm with morgue" T-shirts?

[malaise]

55. No they looked like the drawers you see in morgues

There is no way I would call tents on the back of a truck portable morgues.

[slackmaster]

57. Interesting

Thanks for the clarification.

[malaise]

61. I wasn't sure

that's why I asked others who were watching to weigh in.

Check Sebastian Doyle's post at #49

[cwydro]

36. Please explain the reason for a cover-up.

I am asking as nicely as I can.

People were told by a government agency to evacuate. If they did not do so, and are now dead - what is the purpose of the cover-up? The government and the media could be having a fine old time saying "I told you so".

No one has answered this question and I have seen it asked on the other threads as well.

What is the reason for the cover-up?

[Th1onein]

41. They've answered this and answered this and answered this.

You are just not listening. Just do a search for Galveston and I'm sure you will find many reasons for covering the death toll up.

[cwydro]

44. I have not seen any answer.

Why? It is not a reflection on the government if people defied a government evacuation order. SO why the cover-up?

Explain it to me.

[pacalo]

63. Texas officials don't want any comparisons to what was seen after Katrina.

Like floating bodies.

I've read, also, that the death toll from Ike is quite low, considering the number of people who refused to leave.

[Th1onein]

112. You apparently have made up your own mind, have you not?

Is this, perhaps, why you have not "seen" any arguments to the contrary?

[malaise]

117. Check this thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x4039821

[Imagevision]

53. cover-up? repugs can't afford bodies in the streets, it's an election year and

for this administration to blow it again after Katrina McCain would be hopeless to win. The government learned a lot from allowing video footage showing bodies floating in the streets of new Orleans made Bush look like a loser! -> it's an election year!

[cwydro]

60. Again I ask. The government could not be held responsible

for this; they told people to leave. What do you folks not get about that?

The government has a strong position here...they can say they warned people and look what happened.

I guess you conspiracy folks are just ignoring that annoying little factoid.

[pacalo]

66. You seem to be ignoring how dishonest politicians & the media can be.

Especially in an election year, & the politicians themselves will tell you public perception is everything when it comes to winning & losing their jobs.

[bsdetector]

68. I've been wondering that too...if there's a 'cover up', cui bono?

As much as I despise this administration, it's not as if they can prevent or divert hurricanes. As you say they warned people in the strongest possible terms to evacuate...hell, if anything they would more likely take the opportunity to say "look, your government TRIED to protect you and you refused our help" (not that I support that position but it seems like something they would do as politically beneficial.)

:shrug:

[malaise]

78. A couple points

1. Links have been posted here of people who needed assistance to leave

2. Some people worked on Thursday - one couple the wife reached home, packed up stuff and waited for her husband to come off his shift. When they set out Friday morning, the sea surge had already flooded the road and they had no way out. Others were rescued attempting to leave. Do you think it's easy to take a day off regardless of the circumstances. Why didn't the employers send everyone home from those mandatory warnings were given. Is it not possible that employers wanted staff to help secure plants, etc.

3. A Corpus Christi couple said they were following the hurricane on Jeff Masters blog and based on his comments and warnings they left from Wednesday. They asked whether the mandatory evacuation warnings should have been given since Wednesday. So those orders may well have been a day late.

4. Clearly there were people who simply decided to stay. Their fate was in their hands.

A lot of people appeared to have died - I am judging no one. They're fellow human beings - someone's mother, father, brother, sister, child, friend and someone is in horrific pain wondering about them.

If as you suggest the administration could be taking credit for having warned people to leave, why haven't they. Why the hints and dropped comments about people thrown into the sea and missing - why not simply say - we fear the worst and have just begun to search for bodies. Why all this unnecessay secrecy.

It's a Katrina reminder in an election year.

add

[bsdetector]

84. Well I certainly can't dispute any of your 4 points but I don't see an answer to my question

"who benefits" from a possible cover-up of massive casualties? I sure haven't seen them ever fail to seize every opportunity (deserved or not) to pump sunshine up their own skirts...as to why they haven't done that is anybody's guess but the fact they have not renders the suspicion about secrecy a little hollow. Whatever they are, politically stupid isn't generally one of their attributes. I suppose anything is possible, I just don't see how they or anyone else could imagine hiding bodies is beneficial to them...that's all.

[malaise]

87. I haven't seen anyone here suggest that they are hiding bodies

They are simply not allowing coverage and refuse to state what they know - lots of people are dead.
Do you think it's OK for them to tell us they seen lots of dead cows, but they haven't seen any dead bodies? Bodies float in the same amount of time as cows. That's bullshit and that's why people are screaming cover-up.

[bsdetector]

96. Okay not hiding the bodies, hiding the -existance- of bodies. Better?

I think it's OK to talk about dead cows, of course...and I see no reason to believe that refusing to report dead humans would be of any benefit to the authorities (or why they would suppose it would be.) Maybe I'm just not nearly cynical enough...which if true would shock me beyond belief. :eyes:

[cwydro]

80. Exactly.

And welcome to DU.

[uppityperson]

77. It. Will. Remind. People. Of. The. Katrina. Mess. Election yr,

mccain having cake with mrbush, bodies, now this.

[malaise]

79. Bingo

:hi:

[uppityperson]

83. I. Found. The. Period. On. My. Keyboard. Thank.You. nt.

[halobeam]

104. L.O.L.

[Bigleaf]

40. Are they ours or are we being invaded by Spain?

I know it is a catastrophe but I had to ask. Forgive me.

[cwydro]

42. Lol!

Well played.

[malaise]

109. Very well played indeed

Spain or Ecuador - please ask McPOW.

[MadrasT]

45. Here's an article about this mission

USS Nassau Responds at 'Best Speed'
USS Nassau Responds at 'Best Speed'
September 17, 2008
Navy News|by MC2 Elizabeth Merriam

USS NASSAU, At Sea - Amphibious assault ship USS Nassau (LHA 4) has been directed to take station off Galveston Island to provide maritime emergency response assistance to citizens affected by Hurricane Ike and to assist responders supporting local citizens.

Nassau was already at sea conducting routine operations when Hurricane Ike struck the Texas coast. Ike was first directed south to operate off the Florida coast and then received orders to move into the Gulf of Mexico.

Nassau traveled more than 1,500 nautical miles in three days, stopping only to bring members of Amphibious Squadron 6 and Tactical Air Control Squadron 21 on board with the help of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28.

-snip-

Nassau brings with it diverse assets and capabilities, including two MH-60S Nighthawk search and rescue helicopters, four landing craft utility, a beachmaster unit, a disaster relief team, a fleet surgical team, and a significant amount of water, food and other emergency relief supplies. The ship is also equipped with a 300-bed hospital, four medical operating rooms and three dental operating rooms.

http://www.military.com/news/article/navy-news/uss-nassau-responds-at-best-speed.html?col=1186032311124

On edit: snipped out some text because I have a funny feeling I'm not supposed to post entire articles.

[maddezmom]

49. Thanks for posting

I heard a snippet on the local news but this gives the bigger picture.

[malaise]

51. Thanks for this n/t

[Sebastian Doyle]

47. Just heard this on one of those TV feeds linked below

"What they are doing in Chambers county is looking for BODIES".

Now I don't know the area, so those of you who do can interpret that however you like, but that is a direct quote as to what is going on there.

[malaise]

52. Thank you

So I am not blind or stupid.

[pacalo]

69. Of course you're not. Most of us get it. Your OP certainly hits upon something I read

today in regard to the unseemly low death toll that's being reported. There were thousands of people in the low-lying shorelines who refused to leave. Thousands. With only 17 (at the time I read the article) being reported dead, plus the fact there was a temporary fly-over ban for these areas to prevent any news coverage, there's plenty of reason to suspect extra help needed in recovering a large number of fatalities.

[fla nocount]

71. Hey, it's not like you to be thin skinned.

I've been wondering the last couple of days why the half dozen or so of rabid nay-sayers are so willing not to wonder about information being denied them by federal order and a complicit press. Worse, they don't want anyone else wondering either. They're probably old enough that their wants won't hurt them.

[MadrasT]

76. "Worse, they don't want anyone else wondering either."

That's the bit I don't get... :shrug:

[malaise]

82. Not in the least

I'm a toughie. Some people don't wonder about anything and then suddenly wonder why rights have disappeared, how the greedia have become so complicit and how we tolerated eight years of increasing secrecy. :hi:

[Name removed]

70. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[pacalo]

81. If that's your idea of trying to make a good first impression, you've failed.

I'm not amused or impressed.

[TheWatcher]

86. Are we supposed to be amused by this? Is this an attempt at humor?

Because if it is, you've done nothing more than compose a breathtaking example of mindless stupidity that is neither wanted or called for.

Get. Fucking. Lost.

Moran.

[uppityperson]

88. Search shows posting same sort of stuff on other threads too

watching

[malaise]

90. That moron is sick

off to get that wreath.

[malaise]

89. Here

a Wreath - You'll need it shortly.

[cwydro]

91. Ike hit Cuba and Grand Inagua as a Cat 4.

The death toll in Cuba is in the single digits last I heard. Grand Inagua and Grand Turk, tiny little flat islands like the Keys where I live were both hit with a Cat 4 and have NO deaths.

Why do you think we should have sustained so many deaths with a landfalling high Cat 2?

Yes, there is much destruction and the people there are going through a terrible time. I have been there and done that. But I don't understand this belief in a huge death toll.

Why would we have more deaths in the U.S. than small island nations hit with a Cat 4 landfalling hurricane?

[fla nocount]

94. Why lock down coverage?

Why isn't isn't there a brouhaha about the devastation at least, the area is devastated, whole communities are homeless, insurance companies are going to take a tremendous hit or fold. Thousands of our fellow Americans are effected...give us our brouhaha.

[cwydro]

98. There is not the coverage that Katrina got for the very reason

that there are not the same casualties.

We were hit with Hurricane Georges in 98 and never saw one single news crew down here, becuse Georges had already gone and hit someone else after us. Just because there is not coverage, does not mean there is a cover-up.

If it bleeds, it leads. If there were deaths, there would be stories.

We were devastated after Wilma, but there were no news stories. None.

Almost all of the lower Keys were under water, but the reporters were elsewhere.

[malaise]

101. Cuba has the least number of deaths by hurricanes in this

hemisphere. That is documented. Where have you been?

[fla nocount]

103. Yeah, yeah but they feel like they're all in the same boat...

pulling on their oars in the same direction, mind washed commie bastards. They probably love and care for one another as well, friggin faggots. And that feel for the environment and their place in it, hippie elitists.

If the cost of human life is being a mind-washed commie, faggot, hippie-elitist then leave me out. I've got mine, you get yours.

[malaise]

105. LOL

Profound - You have a way with words. :D

[UTUSN]

92. For other dial-up impaired: This amphib is a long way from mine

in Vietnam. My LST (bottom, left) was a bit less than a football field, and the crew was about 200. This one has a crew of 800+ PLUS 100 marines. We CRAWLED at 10 knots!1


*******QUOTE*******

http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&ct=4&tid=400


Description
The largest of all amphibious warfare ships; resembles a small aircraft carrier; capable of Vertical/Short Take-Off and Landing (V/STOL), Short Take-Off Vertical Landing (STOVL), Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) tilt-rotor and Rotary Wing (RW) aircraft operations; contains a well deck to support use of Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) and other watercraft (with exception of the first LHA(R), LHA 6, which has no well deck). ....

The Tarawa-class LHAs and Wasp-class LHDs provide the Marine Corps with a means of ship-to-shore movement by helicopter in addition to movement by landing craft. Three LHAs — which have extensive storage capacity and can accommodate Landing Craft Utility (LCU) and Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) boats — were active during Operations Desert Shield / Storm. Since that time, LHAs (and later LHDs) have been participants in major humanitarian-assistance, occupation and combat operations in which the United States has been involved. Such operations have included participating as launch platforms for Marine Corps expeditionary forces into Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001 and 2002, Iraq in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and humanitarian support after the catastrophic Tsunami in 2004. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, two LHDs served as “Harrier carriers,” each launching an air group of AV-8B attack aircraft against targets inside Iraq. In 2004, LHAs and LHDs were used to transport thousands of Marines and their equipment to Iraq and Afghanistan for combat operations. Most recently, critical post Hurricane Katrina support was provided in New Orleans by LHD 7 (IWO JIMA) where thousands of police, fire and rescue personnel were hosted onboard during recovery operations and IWO JIMA operated as the central command and control hub. ....

Propulsion: Two boilers, two geared steam turbines, two shafts, 70,000 total shaft horsepower.
Length: 820 feet (249.9 meters).
Beam: 106 feet (31.8 meters).
Displacement: 39,400 tons (40,032 metric tons) full load.
Speed: 24 knots (27.6 miles per hour).
Crew: Ships Company: 82 officers, 882 enlisted
Marine Detachment 1,900 plus.
Armament: Two RAM launchers; two Phalanx 20 mm CIWS mount; three .50 cal. machine guns; four 25 mm Mk 38 machine guns.
Aircraft: 12 CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters; 4 CH-53E Sea Stallion helicopters; 6 AV-8B Harrier attack aircraft; 3 UH-1N Huey helicopters; 4 AH-1W Super Cobra helicopters.

********UNQUOTE*******

We actually CRASHED ("beached") into the, uh, beach. The ship on the right is my 2nd, different.

[malaise]

100. Thanks for this

:hi:

[bdamomma]

93. there is a cover up going on.

definitely.

[liquiddaddy]

95. Conspiracy Theories

I haven't heard anyone mention the issue of coastal evacuation policy failures as a possible motive for covering up an inestimable amount of victims. Personally, I went to board up property 90 miles west of Houston because until Thursday night the weathermen were calling the storm into Matagorda Bay. Galveston was only hinted at. The day prior, the media had Ike plowing into Corpus Cristi. On the previous weekend, many were evacuated from the Rio Grande Valley.

However, a look at forecasters blogs, like Jeff Masters, or the National Hurricane Center in their forecast model summaries, a hit on Galveston was estimated about 50/50 on Wednesday - plenty of time to evacuate Galveston as a precaution. They never were willing to guess at an ultimate land-fall. The decision not to order an evacuation of the entire Texas coast was criminally negligent.

As it happened the storm surge was over Galveston by mid-morning Friday and the Triangle left inadequately warned and taken by surprise, never even stood a chance.

I'll bet a tasty do-nut that decisions when and whom to order to leave was essentially a money-driven concern.

[malaise]

102. Very good post

I quoted a Corpus Christi couple mentioned in Jeff Masters blog. Their view was that coastal mandatory evacuations should have begun on Wednesday.

Welcome to DU. :D

[KoKo]

108. But remember, many interviews with Galveston Survivors has shown the Rita Evacuation was so

horrendous with folks being in traffic for 17 hours...running out of gas on road...terrible heat..no bathrooms or food left at the road stops and hotels/motels already filled..that folks just couldn't do it again. The stories about Rita evacuation were horrendous. Does anyone remember the busload of Senior Citizens that caught on fire on the road and all of them were toast? Lots of older folks just don't have the energy or ability to deal with moving to "unknown" nor the money to deal with finding rooms, etc. No car...no driver...don't want to be put on a "bus to nowhere" without anything familiar around them.

[malaise]

111. No one will forget how those old people died

People will never understand why folks don't move.

[countryjake]

121. You've hit the nail on the head there...Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[Texasgal]

99. Why is is it so difficult to comprehend

that perhaps some people died riding out this storm?

[KoKo]

110. Some folks seem to want to blame anyone who stayed as stupid...so if they were stupid

who cares about them. That's what I've gotten from many posters here on DU who reply on these threads calling folks "conspiracy theorists." Either that...or they are just trolls...which sometimes is a strong possibility given we are in election season. :shrug:

[malaise]

114. Maybe they should read some of the message boards with people looking

for friends and relatives - they might buy a clue about respect for all life.

[countryjake]

120. At least one of the gals who responded with frustration...

saying she was plum sick and tired of the conspiracy nuts, happens to be someone who survived the storm, herself. I think that we have to realize that most who are down there are primarily concerned with the living, rightly, and after the shell-shock that came with the Ike hit, stress-levels have reached their limits, everyone affected is seeking information yet trying their best to be patient, and this site has normally been a place to find good factual truths of the matter.

I really think some understanding of that frustration is necessary, in those cases where a profile indicates they're from the Houston area, instead of jumping to the "troll conclusion". It's been a week now and some survivors have been pushed to their breaking point while others are doing their best to maintain and hold themselves together, barely...we, who are not there, need to cut some slack, I think.

[Ilsa]

116. I wonder how many people are buried in mud and muck. nt

[malaise]

118. Check WIlliam Pitt's thread

He has two good links

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x4039821

[Regret My New Name]

119. Well either way, if there was any massive deaths then it will come out.

I mean if all these people are missing then after a few more weeks there isn't much they can do to hide it... Then it just goes to show that the government went through lengths to "hide" it. Which would thus make their whole reason of hiding it useless anyways, in fact the backlash would be far greater than it would be if they didn't... Also, if many bodies were swept out to sea, wouldn't it make sense that they would be washing ashore for miles around? I dunno. I agree that it's weird that they seem to be wanting to keep people out, but some of the information about that is sketchy and I know that sometimes people like to twist things to fit what they want to hear... Then again, I'm not there so I can't say. As of right now, I don't really understand what benefits they would have for covering it up. There is simply no way they could possibly cover it for any period of time. People will be wondering where their missing families members are. If there are thousands of families going "wtf?", then it's just gonna come back even more than the alternative of not covering it up.