Noticias

In the news this week, two things are causing me concern.
First is hurricane Katrina, there is a saying that there is nothing worse than a womans scorn and with the behavior of Katrina yesterday across the U.S. gulf states, she must have be vengefull of something those states did to her, because she created total havoc and destruction in the area. But that's not my major area of concern. What concerns me is the amount of deaths and rescues that had to be taken place.

OK, we know that when Mother Nature strikes in all her fury, that it's inevitable that there will be death, but I think that some of these deaths and rescues yesterday probably and note I said probably, because I wasn't there and can't be for sure. But I think they were probably avoidable.
First, the hurricane came accross Florida and took them by surprise. OK if we had a high number of deaths or rescues in Fl, then it would be understandable. But, the people of the U.S gulf states had ample warnings of Katrina's arrival. She picked up speed and punch as she crossed the waters again. The people were told to evacuate the area. The President came on the air waves and told the people to take heed to the emergency warnings and seek shelter and safety on higher grounds. Get out, get to higher grounds and to safety. They had as much as 3 days to accomplish this feat. Shelters were open to accomodate those who could not leave the area entirely. The superdome with it's leaking roof was available to shelter others. So why then did people not heed to the warnings.

If you know that you live in the area that is way below sea level, what were you thinking trying to brave out a Cat 5 hurricane with storm surges as much as 20ft? Where is common sense and reason in these times? I just don't get it. I saw so many people floating through water waist deep, people hanging in trees and some of them children. I am still amazed of what there were thinking when they decided that they won't seek shelter or try to leave the area. I just have to sit and pray for those people and the aftermaths of the cleanup for the area.

Another thing that annyoed me with the hurricane was the eddiat reporters. how bad do you want a story that you risk your life and that of your camera crew just to say that, "hey, I got the story" I saw ignurant reporters, trying to run against the wind, hardly can stand up, just so they can say, hey, look how strong the wind is...idiot..I can sense how strong the wind is, I don't need you to physically show me.... Then fool Tom (Bajan for Idiot) try holding on to a flimsy piece of mailbox, and the wind carh way piece of the mailbox he did holding on to..chuupse

One female reporter, was getting blown away. As soon as I saw her stupid stunt of trying to stand in winds of 140 mph wid she blastid lil boney 120lbs self, widout holding on to anything. I said, I wish she would get blown tuh de other part ah town, and no sooner than I said that the wind picked her up and tumble her upside down. But the sad thing is that her whole report was bleeped out cause all she did doing was cussing up a storm. Now this is probably a reproter, who on a normal day, would be all prim and proppa, and here she was cussing up de airwaves, just to get a story. Ah hope dem fire she backside... eddiat dem.


Next news story, the Paris fires. Two fires in about as many weeks. The first fire, 17 African immigrants dead, 14 of them children. This latest fire, 7 more immigrants dead, 3 of them children. What a terrible situation.

The African community in Paris are complaining about the cramped housing situation. They held a protest march to get the government to do something about the lack of housing and over crowding in the old Apt buildings. But my question is this? Is the Paris government and the French authorities responsible for the cramped living conditions in these apartments?

I mean, if the building didn't meet the building codes of the city, yes, then they are responsible. but are they responsible for how many people choose to live in one particular apt. I may come of as sounding critical or judgemental, but I really don't think it's the French authorities fault. Let's fae it. First how many of these immigrants may have been illegal immigrants? How many of them were living according to traditional african values? Values, where the entire family lives together. I don't know about Paris, but I know that having grown up in the Big Apple, we saw the same situation. The family comes from Africa and they bring more family members and all of them live in the same Apt, some apts contain as mucha s 10 people or more. They choose to live that way. We even see it amongst the Caribbean communities.

The concept in their minds, is that you come to the land of opportunity, be it Paris, London, Canada or U.S. You try to help each other along the way, come stay with us, share this bedroom or living room sofa/floor. get on your feet and then you can move on. The problem is that many people don't get on their feet or move on. They stay and enjoy the relatively low cost of living and rent. They get caught up with life in the big city, the urban sprawl. They end up in situations in which by their own means or not, they get caugh up in a cycle and hence are forced to continue living in cramped, unaccomodating conditions.

Can you blame the governments for this? The country gave them the liberty of migrating and the offer of a better life. What you choose to do with that life is your business. I find it hard press that the African community in Paris, should cry outrage for the old Apt bldgs. Instead, I think they should look at theirselves and their living habits to ensure that such tragedies don't occur again. But not only the Africans in Paris, also, the Latin American, Carribeans and Asians, in all big cities, who have the customary habit of continuing to live like they were in their respective homelands. Apartment living is a far cry different than living in a free standing house in your homeland.

Lets just pray for these two news stories and all the people involved.