Costa Maya and Hurricane Dean discussion (merged)

[GoinCruisin]

Not at all. I think it's wonderful that you're concerned and want to help. I don't think complaining about the news coverage or what is or is not on the International Red Cross website is helpful, though. And I'm no news junkie, yet I have heard several news stories about this tragedy, including interviews with leaders in Mexico and Jamaica pledging that the people in the affected areas will get all the help they need. Doing what you can to help is great. Getting ticked off about what you find on the IRC website is wasted energy.

 

BTW, check out the lead story here:

 

http://www.ifrc.org/

 

I know, I have paid very close attention to that website over the last several days... and still nothing about Majahual, Costa Maya, Chetumal, etc... the places that took the direct hit. All they mention is that it hit NEAR Belize... I just find it strange that the area NEAR Belize actually has a name. Do a search for any of the names on the site... I have yet to find anything. It does remind me a bit of Katrina, where some of the places that were hit the hardest were never mentioned at all, and when they were mentioned, it was still overshadowed by NOLA.

 

I've heard plenty of stories out of Mexico and from the leaders in Mexico, but not on the major news outlets.

[Barbiegator]

Steve- Totally agree with your comments. We were so looking forward to going back in January. Not the touristy pier but the village!!People were so friendly. We enjoyed sitting in our beach chairs in the water with drinks and food and a beach side massage.

[zackiedawg]

Yes the US news will not cover the Peru equake that extensively just as I'm sure the example you used of the Utah miners has gotten little if any mention in Peru.

 

I guess the crux of my argument would be that 6 missing miners would typically be the type of story considered to be of 'local' significance and not of a catastrophic world event - so one wouldn't expect it to be covered in Peru. Whereas an 8.0 earthquake, which destroys several cities, kills more than 500 people, injures over 1,500, and leaves nearly 200,000 homeless, might be the type of event considered of 'global' importance. Just about anywhere else on the globe, this was the case...but in the U.S., between 3 major national news stations, the Peru quake received several hours of total coverage over a 3-day period, while the mine incident was covered by all three networks around the clock, nearly 12-14 hours a day, for several weeks.

 

I don't want news agencies to NOT report incidents like the Utah mine tragedy...but I wouldn't mind if globally-impacting events received equal or greater coverage.

 

Signdaddy...while I agree with the gist of your post, I would at least mention that part of the controversy over those in New Orleans who had not evacuated was that evacuation notification may not have been given early enough, public modes of evacuation not made available to a large population without personal transportation, and that in general these poverty-stricken areas may not have been as well versed with hurricane procedures through print and broadcast sources as a wealthier, higher-education population typically would be. I don't feign to have any inside knowledge of whether the people or the infrastructure is to blame - but I felt sorry for them anyway maybe just because I lived in New Orleans for 4 years and loved the people.

 

Back on topic with Costa Maya, that is also the concern of many here - that while I think anybody can accept that Dean can be considered a major tragedy averted, given that it did not strike a major civilian population center at Category 5, they are still concerned for the smaller population that did live there and were affected, as well as the poor, less educated, and non-publicly connected indigenous population whose fate may never be known. It is a small thing, but it does make one feel better to see an organization like the IFRC at least mention each town or area where aid is being dispensed, just because no community deserves to be forgotten no matter how small the population. I'm sure the Red Cross is helping in the area, as they usually do around the world...but alot of CCers would feel more relieved to get confirmation of that.

[GoinCruisin]

I guess the crux of my argument would be that 6 missing miners would typically be the type of story considered to be of 'local' significance and not of a catastrophic world event - so one wouldn't expect it to be covered in Peru. Whereas an 8.0 earthquake, which destroys several cities, kills more than 500 people, injures over 1,500, and leaves nearly 200,000 homeless, might be the type of event considered of 'global' importance. Just about anywhere else on the globe, this was the case...but in the U.S., between 3 major national news stations, the Peru quake received several hours of total coverage over a 3-day period, while the mine incident was covered by all three networks around the clock, nearly 12-14 hours a day, for several weeks.

 

I don't want news agencies to NOT report incidents like the Utah mine tragedy...but I wouldn't mind if globally-impacting events received equal or greater coverage.

 

Signdaddy...while I agree with the gist of your post, I would at least mention that part of the controversy over those in New Orleans who had not evacuated was that evacuation notification may not have been given early enough, public modes of evacuation not made available to a large population without personal transportation, and that in general these poverty-stricken areas may not have been as well versed with hurricane procedures through print and broadcast sources as a wealthier, higher-education population typically would be. I don't feign to have any inside knowledge of whether the people or the infrastructure is to blame - but I felt sorry for them anyway maybe just because I lived in New Orleans for 4 years and loved the people.

 

Back on topic with Costa Maya, that is also the concern of many here - that while I think anybody can accept that Dean can be considered a major tragedy averted, given that it did not strike a major civilian population center at Category 5, they are still concerned for the smaller population that did live there and were affected, as well as the poor, less educated, and non-publicly connected indigenous population whose fate may never be known. It is a small thing, but it does make one feel better to see an organization like the IFRC at least mention each town or area where aid is being dispensed, just because no community deserves to be forgotten no matter how small the population. I'm sure the Red Cross is helping in the area, as they usually do around the world...but alot of CCers would feel more relieved to get confirmation of that.

 

Well said!!!

[In the Pink]

I want to thank Lucy and all the others who have mentioned Cliff and his dog, Tan. I had never heard of them before and after reading so many people being so concerned for him I had to go see what it was all about. I'm now reading through his "Starfish Trek" stories from the very beginning (although I'm at work!) and can't quit! He is so funny and interesting and really makes you want to just quit and move there too (and he was apparently from my very neck of the Houston woods since his friend Bill owned the dive shop right down the street; in fact, I think I even remember seeing "Ole Blue" around town.) I think they ought to make a movie out of his writings.... Tom Hanks would have nothing on him!

[GoinCruisin]

I want to thank Lucy and all the others who have mentioned Cliff and his dog, Tan. I had never heard of them before and after reading so many people being so concerned for him I had to go see what it was all about. I'm now reading through his "Starfish Trek" stories from the very beginning (although I'm at work!) and can't quit! He is so funny and interesting and really makes you want to just quit and move there too (and he was apparently from my very neck of the Houston woods since his friend Bill owned the dive shop right down the street; in fact, I think I even remember seeing "Ole Blue" around town.) I think they ought to make a movie out of his writings.... Tom Hanks would have nothing on him!

 

Is he not the most amazing man?? I swear... I read for hours one day... I laughed, I cried... He is an amazing writer. And yes, I don't know how many times I said "that's it, I'm moving there", but then he would mention the scorpions, or snakes, and I would quickly change my mind :eek: I agree, a movie indeed!! And he would have to play the lead... you can just tell he is a fun person to be around, and the stories!! He is just all heart, and you have to love someone like that. And looking around at the other message boards, he is well loved by all who meet him. And watching the sunrise from his house, I have watched that video many times... he really captured the true beauty of the caribbean!!!

[MakinGold]

I guess the crux of my argument would be that 6 missing miners would typically be the type of story considered to be of 'local' significance and not of a catastrophic world event - so one wouldn't expect it to be covered in Peru. Whereas an 8.0 earthquake, which destroys several cities, kills more than 500 people, injures over 1,500, and leaves nearly 200,000 homeless, might be the type of event considered of 'global' importance. Just about anywhere else on the globe, this was the case...but in the U.S., between 3 major national news stations, the Peru quake received several hours of total coverage over a 3-day period, while the mine incident was covered by all three networks around the clock, nearly 12-14 hours a day, for several weeks.

 

I don't think several hours of coverage over a 3-day period is all that inappropriate, though. Trying to compare it to the Utah mine accident is not really a good comparison. The coverage of and interest in that situation was all about the drama of an attempted rescue. If a mine accident killed six people, they were confirmed dead and a funeral was able to be held, you would hear about that on the news, but it would not be the kind of round-the-clock coverage we saw in this case. It's not just about the magnitude of the impact.

[Mrsg324]

My thing is, we saw lots of coverage of Jamaica, Grand Caymans etc when Dean hit. All the news has said about Costa Maya is

Dean came in at a Cat. 5, 14 miles south of Chetamual where the cruise ship pier is located.

 

That alone leaves everyone wondering. Obviously it was important enought to mention the pier but not important enough to mention what it is like there.

[GoinCruisin]

My thing is, we saw lots of coverage of Jamaica, Grand Caymans etc when Dean hit. All the news has said about Costa Maya is

Dean came in at a Cat. 5, 14 miles south of Chetamual where the cruise ship pier is located.

 

That alone leaves everyone wondering. Obviously it was important enought to mention the pier but not important enough to mention what it is like there.

 

That is my point too... we heard about every place other than the place that was hit the hardest... I don't get it. I guess because there were less residents it is not as newsworthy, but it's sort of a big deal that the cruise ship pier is gone... but really, if you watched the news you would think that the only effect Dean has had, has been the flooding in the midwest (which is significant, don't get me wrong... but the news has enough CRAP in it, that they can afford to add a few minutes on a story like this... I'll take one less Britney Spears story, or Paris Hilton story)

[MakinGold]

Maybe I just watch/listen to different news than you guys. (My usual news sources are my local CBS news, Weather Channel and NPR radio.) I haven't felt that the Costa Maya area was slighted in coverage vs. other areas. There was maybe a bit more coverage about Jamaica, because it did affect some bigger cities there, but I've seen mention of Costa Maya, Mahahual and Chetumal, as well. To be honest, even though I have heard mention of effects in Belize, you don't here much mention of specific small towns that were affected there, nor do you hear much about the many smaller communities along the south coast of Jamaica that were hit hard. Most of the coverage is about Kingston.

 

I'm not really trying ot be argumentative, though. I just think there's no point in bemoaning the news coverage being different than you think it should have been.

[jetskier]

That is my point too... we heard about every place other than the place that was hit the hardest... I don't get it. I guess because there were less residents it is not as newsworthy, but it's sort of a big deal that the cruise ship pier is gone... but really, if you watched the news you would think that the only effect Dean has had, has been the flooding in the midwest (which is significant, don't get me wrong... but the news has enough CRAP in it, that they can afford to add a few minutes on a story like this... I'll take one less Britney Spears story, or Paris Hilton story)

 

As morbid as it sounds, I will tell you why it not being covered. NOONE has died there. Who in the hell gives a crap about how many minutes Richie was in jail. That is not newsworthy. Here you have folks whose livelihood has been taken from them. Folks who mostly live off the land who will now be dependant on someone helping them until their crops and trees are re-established.

Dave

 

Dave

[GoinCruisin]

Maybe I just watch/listen to different news than you guys. (My usual news sources are my local CBS news, Weather Channel and NPR radio.) I haven't felt that the Costa Maya area was slighted in coverage vs. other areas. There was maybe a bit more coverage about Jamaica, because it did affect some bigger cities there, but I've seen mention of Costa Maya, Mahahual and Chetumal, as well. To be honest, even though I have heard mention of effects in Belize, you don't here much mention of specific small towns that were affected there, nor do you hear much about the many smaller communities along the south coast of Jamaica that were hit hard. Most of the coverage is about Kingston.

 

I'm not really trying ot be argumentative, though. I just think there's no point in bemoaning the news coverage being different than you think it should have been.

 

Perhaps so... I watch local ABC, Fox News, CNN and Good Morning America... I have not seen the words Costa Maya mentioned ONCE... not one time. I have not seen Majahual mentioned once. So in my opinion, they were slighted... one mention would have been nice and I'm sure made these people feel good that at least the world knew they had been hit. I would expect it on the weather channel... but that isn't really a channel I watch for news. Had I heard any of those cities mentioned a single time, perhaps I'd feel different.

[GoinCruisin]

As morbid as it sounds, I will tell you why it not being covered. NOONE has died there. Who in the hell gives a crap about how many minutes Richie was in jail. That is not newsworthy. Here you have folks whose livelihood has been taken from them. Folks who mostly live off the land who will now be dependant on someone helping them until their crops and trees are re-established.

Dave

 

Dave

 

THAT is what pisses me off :mad: You are right, why in the world would Nicole Richie spending 82 minutes in jail be more important than this? I can't believe what this country has come to... the things we think are newsworthy.

 

You are right... had hundreds died it would be different I guess. And sadly due to the nature of this area, we may never have a number. Everyone who lives there knows there was loss of life, but nobody will ever know the total. But it is sad that these days, we do equate tragedy with death toll... when truth be told, this storm will likely end up to the suffering and starvation of many people...

[PJTN66]

Amazing video...My thoughts and prayers go out to these people...so very sad. I really had hoped to see their part of the world.

[PJTN66]

I don't think there's any relief in that thought. That it only affected hundreds of homes.... I believe, not that I counted each one, but that there was only a few hundred homes. It was sparsely populated, not very developed. So what seems like a relief, isn't.

I totally agree with you...we tend to forget, because we are so spoiled, that they can't just run down to Lowe's or Home Depot for supplies...think about it...they are in a jungle, if I understand it right...I've not been there but WOW what a sad situation they are in at the moment. Prayers centainly go out.

[gaviota]

The first look from 7 km south of Mahahual - The satellite webcam is back online. Looks like many palms are gone.

 

http://http://www.margaritadelsol.com/toppage2.htm

[gaviota]

http://www.margaritadelsol.com/toppage2.htm

always get those links wrong

[peachcrek]

my heart sank when I heard my costa maya was doomed by Dean, I booked our jan 21 cruise around her Itinery as I was there once before and wanted to share her with friends, as it is my fav besides cozumel, I am hoping that they do not sub Belize, 2 times there, second time did not even bother getting off the ship, or Roatan been there once and do not care to revisit, lets hope that the rebuild will be swift and we can get those folks back in business as I loved the sleepy little fishing village and my favorite little bar on the beach the one with the swings and the second story massage area sweet!! Our prayers are with everyone in costa maya, wish we could help somehow!!

[FloridaCouple05]

Bad things happen every day all over the world in a thousand little towns and villages that most people have never heard of. Because they've never heard of them, couldn't locate them on the map, and can't relate in any meaningful way to the inhabitants or their lives, events there are of no consequence. We have a limited capacity to feel a sense of immediacy from such things. Our next door neighbor's house burns down, we see one of their family members being placed in an ambulance, and we want to know everything we can about how they're doing and what we can do to help. If we see the same thing on the news, only the house is 2,000 miles away and we don't know anyone affected, we just don't care as much. The events in Majahual are important to us because we've been there, we've met the people, we know what a treasure the world has lost. But for most of the world, it just doesn't matter, because they don't know. It's not right, or wrong, it just is. No sense getting upset about it. We'd be constantly paralyzed by grief if we had to really really CARE about every bad thing that happens everywhere in the world all the time in places we've never been and to people we've never met. And that would be neither healthy nor productive.

[peachcrek]

So grateful for the link for donations to Costa Maya as I was able to make a donation to the Hurricane fund, I imagine if every cruiser who has experience costa may would donate to the fund, it would be a god send and a great gesture of how much we love this port, and want it back ASAP

[peggyg]

http://stormcarib.com/reports/current/mexico.shtml - I found this site it has some pictures of Mahahual and the dock in Costa Maya.

[jetskier]

http://www.margaritadelsol.com/toppage2.htm

always get those links wrong

 

Thanks for the link

Dave

[cruzinstew]

I must say that I have seen Majahual mention numerous times. Lots of on site reporters, too...

 

 

Perhaps so... I watch local ABC, Fox News, CNN and Good Morning America... I have not seen the words Costa Maya mentioned ONCE... not one time. I have not seen Majahual mentioned once. So in my opinion, they were slighted... one mention would have been nice and I'm sure made these people feel good that at least the world knew they had been hit. I would expect it on the weather channel... but that isn't really a channel I watch for news. Had I heard any of those cities mentioned a single time, perhaps I'd feel different.

[J and G]

http://stormcarib.com/reports/current/mexico.shtml - I found this site it has some pictures of Mahahual and the dock in Costa Maya.

 

OMG!!!!!! We were so looking forward to a visit to Costa Maya and Majahual next January! I am SO sad for those poor people....and I am also sad that we will not get to know them and their wonderful little village.

[DBXX]

Jetskier,

 

Everyone is posting links without problems, can you post the entire link for that pic of the port? I tried to right click on it like you said but still cant get it :rolleyes: If you still cant post it can you please email me the link?

 

DBX74@aol.com

 

Thanks so much,

Danielle