Katrina victim sues the U.S government for 3 quadrillion.

[Inagi]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080109/...lood_lawsuits\

Despite the fact that even 1 quadrillion would dwarf the U.S gross domestic product.

Wat.

[Meier Link]

yeah i read this article earlier today, man people take advantage of their situations. dont get me wrong i feel pity for the victems but look whos going to pay for it. The american tax payers

[Sasquatch]

(The Yahoo link didn't work for me, but this one did -- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22571349/ .)

This is so wrong, on so many levels. First, you can't blame the government for your bad decisions -- like living in a hurricane-prone, flood-prone area. Do Los Angeles residents sue the federal government for trillions every time an earthquake hits? Would an Arizona resident try to farm corn in the middle of the desert, then sue the federal government when his crop burns up?

Second, and more importantly, it was the local and state governments, not the federal government, that were responsible for peventing and dealing with catastrophies of the magnitude of Katrina. The fedaral government provided funding year after year marked for levee construction, reconstruction, and upgrading. Where did that money go instead? Mardi Gras. Because the city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana considered it an investment -- the more money spent on Mardi Gras, the more money made off Mardi Gras. Every year, the money for the levees was "reallocated" somewhere else, without regard that the levees were only designed for a Class 3 hurricane. Who deals with natural disasters first? Local and state governments. If an area needs military relief, who gets activated? The National Guard -- which is state-controlled. While the federal government, of course, could have handled it better, it's taking way too much of the blame, while the local and state governments of New Orleans, Louisiana are truly at fault more than any other entity.

And third, the victims of Katrina have had billions upon billions of dollars wasted on them. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for helping them out, but some of the programs set up to do so have been plagued by fraud, waste, and abuse. Not to mention that the programs weren't regulated enough in the first place, which is why we had people guying multi-thousand dollar purses and outfits with their relief money, provided by the taxpayers -- and I doubt it would be too much of a leap to assume that those who wasted the money they already got are among those trying to suck more money out of the American taxpayer.

Yet another unfortunate thing about Katrina is that some people are using it as an excuse to steal from others, so that they can live better than they ever did before Katrina hit.

[Sinister]

I need to physically meet the lawyer that backed this case. The man is a genius and needs a pat on the back. No mere mortal could sell this case the way he obviously must have. But on the downside, he is riding the sensationalist wave and that pisses me off.

What do I think of this? I think that something is due to Katrina victims...but 3 quadrillion just isn't it. Maybe they need to live in a socialist paradise...Hell, maybe we all do...

-Sin

[Walter Sobchak]

This is why I love America.

The legal system, paid for by my tax money, will have to hear this case in some form or another. And, since these people would likely appeal, the victims will all receive something that, again, is from my tax money.

The mind reels.

[Pete]

I like Sasquatch's line of thinking for this one.

While it is absolutely terrible that the people in New Orleans had to suffer and endure what they had, I'd have to say that 3 quardillion is just a tad bit much.

At the same time, common sense dictates that maybe living in New Orleans isn't the best of ideas, geographically speaking. For starters it's in the hurricane-prone Gulf Coast, which says something already. Combine that with the fact that to the north and south, New Orleans is surrounded by water. And let's not forget that nice little tidbit that the city is several feet below sea level. So yes, if you look "uphill" you'll see water above your normal sight line. Combine those three major factors, and you can see how New Orleans isn't exactly prime real estate (not to mention the crime and murder rates).

On top of this, it is nobody's fault that this storm hit (shut up hippies, with your global warming related theories on this). You can't go and sue nature, or put "Mother Earth" on the stand for what would be murder and billions of dollars in property damage. You can kiiiiind of blame the Army Corps of Engineers, and even that is questionable, because only some of those levies broke... while yes, only a few held.

Plus, several billions have already been donated. It's nobody's fault but the victims if they choose to keep living in their FEMA trailers, but blow their money on Versace bags. Those people have no right to bitch that they're still living in trailers, and I get the feeling they're the ones suing.

[Joe]

Even if by some weird minuscule chance that the plaintiff won the full amount, how in the heck would we pay for it? We're already apporimately 9 trillion in debt! Not even the taxpayers could cover it, we can't finance a war! It was that person's choice to live several feet below sea level in a hurricane prone zone. Idiocy, that's what it has to be.

[Usagy]

Damn that website expired ;_;
Me not being US haven't heard of this before, but it cracked me up.
Seriously, that amount of money is retarded...hell I'll donate something to them, a couple of $ for some bullets so they can **** off.

Peace out

[Sasquatch]

http://www.nypost.com/seven/01152008...uit_711353.htm

Apparently, some schmuck tried to jump off the Empire State Building observation deck, and is now suing the security guards that stopped him -- for thirty million dollars -- saying that they "endangered his life" and caused him "severe emotional distress".

Here's another article about it -- http://www.nypost.com/seven/01072008...vil_141092.htm

This idiot climbed over a ten-foot-high security fence, then, when security guards and police officers attempted to restrain him, fought violently with them.

I say take the parachute and let him jump anyway. It'll save court time, won't endanger anybody else, and should be easy to clean up with a water hose.

There needs to be some type of judicial backlash against frivolous lawsuits. We already have ambulance-chasers out there, and all of these people are leading a cultural revolution of thinking we all have the right to do whatever we want, without restraint or offense.

Another question is ... how the hell did this guy get into the Empire State Building with a parachute? "Hey you there, with the big, bulky backpack, in one of the tallest buildings in the world and a huge terrorist target. Yeah you. ... Enjoy the view, have a nice day."