Post Hurricane Katrina

[ital8]

I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but I read an article on-line that said many NO residents are leaving the city or are deciding on leaving because the recovery for Katrina has been agonizingly slow. It seems like the media has all but forgotten about the clean-up in NO. It appears that not much has changed from a year and a half ago. The murder rate has sky-rocketed past the level of the pre-Katrina era, and many of the wealthy and educated people are fleeing. Has anyone visited NO or live in NO who can assess the condition of the city? It's ashame that our government does not provide more relief for these people. Some parts still look like a third world country. It's embarrising that this can happen in the U.S.

 

[meatpackingbubba]

The local government shares a lot of the responsibility for the current situation in New Orleans. Although the initial federal response was inept, and the follow-up has also suffered from bureaucratic inefficiency, billions of dollars in federal assistance has been provided nevertheless.

It cannot be expected that full recovery from a natural disaster of the extent of Katrina will occur immediately. In addition to public sector involvement, it takes the private sector to have the determination to make it happen. That was severely undermined when the mayor called for New Orleans to be a "chocolate" city. That is not exactly throwing out the welcome mat to investors that may not fit that definition.

Add to all of that the fact that the situation in New Orleans prior to Katrina was not exactly idyllic. Corrupt local government and law enforcment, rampant crime, and a failed public school system do not make for a good environment in which a community can thrive.

 

[SpeedoGuy]

Nearly everything to do with Katrina should serve as a sobering reminder of just how dysfunctional so many aspects of the United States really are.

 

[B_big dirigible]

I expect that Ray Nagin will devote the rest of his career to blaming everybody else for his grotesque ineptitude. And since the good voters of the city just re-elected him to the same post, one might be forgiven for concluding that they don't give a shit that he's such a klutz. So why, exactly, should anybody else give a shit either? Obviously it will be up to Nagin to convince us in the outside world that we should be doing the job he can't and won't do. Good luck with that.

He really needs some better excuses. He's currently whining about disadvantaged people who couldn't leave the city. You know, those ones Nagin didn't have transported out in those school busses which were later flooded. Ray was really busted there by the arial photos. And he's bitching that only half the Federal money thrown at Louisana actually gets to New Orleans. Well, no shit - it's not for nothing that it's considered the most corrupt state in the Union. (That's not Ray's fault, but he's surely to blame for his current claims that it's all due to racism.)

I can't blame anybody for wanting to bugger out. The idea that a bunch of Federal money thrown at the city is all it will take to fix things like an excessive homicide rate is a bit odd. If the town's the pits, it's asking a bit much to expect Washington to fix it. At best it would end up like Washington DC - another town with a catastrophic murder rate, and a town which the rich or educated shun.

 

[Heather LouAnna]

How close do you guys even live to New Orleans?.........lol...ever been to New Orleans? got to know the place? None of the entire affair is that surprising.

 

[madame_zora]

Well, they could have thrown those millions of dollars in federal aid at someone other than Halliburton, whose gross ineptitude is already the stuff legends are made of.

AlterNet: Hurricane Katrina: Bush Helps Disaster Profiteers

Halliburton Watch

But of course, I'm just bush-bashing again.

 

[southern_stud]

Well let me give you the low down from an experienced point of view. My state got hit my two major hurricanes within a month apart. I live in the southwest part of the state in Cameron Parish south of Lake Charles and we two got hit. Speaking of the media losing interest in N.O. or the name Katrina how often do you hear the name Hurricane Rita? Not very often. It seems that the name Rita got lost in the aftermath of Katrina. Rita was stronger than Katrina it was just Katrina hit a major city that is it. It wasn't the storm that done the damage directly. It was the levee's that failed due to the rising water. On my end there was a town wiped off the map literally. Do a little research on Rita and see.

As far as the money it has a lot to do with the contracting company that is distributing the money. There was a poll taken a couple of days ago on our local news that considering Mississippi and Louisiana money distribution is this. Mississippi had distributed federal funding of 68% while Lousiana had only 1% distributed at the same time. You got to understand my state is in chaos right now and has been for a while due to the hurricanes. My state has to deal with two hurricane damage areas while Mississippi only has a small area but deadly in damage. All this takes time but on the other hand, I need the help the government is dishing out and I can't get it. The rules is that you have to be a home owner to be eligible to receive anything. I had two feet of saltwater in my house along with wind damage and it had to be torn down. I was a renter and the money given out does not go that direction. All the rent houses and nearly all homes were destroyed where I live. Without people rebuilding rent houses I have no where to go. There are worried about where they are going to live first. Then maybe someone else. I live in a FEMA trailor and let me tell you it is small. I thank God that I have a place to stay but I would rather have a house to live in. Now FEMA is telling us to hurry up and move out of the trailors but where are we suppose to go with nothing to go to. I am caught between a rock and a hard spot. You don't know what you have until you lost it. I found out that the hard way. Luckily so far we haven't had the crime like N.O. has had. Here is a pic of my home.


Go to this website to download a slideshow that I put together from Hurricane Rita. Make sure you have your volume up since it has music to go along with it. Free File Hosting Made Simple - MediaFire I hope you like it I put a lot of hard work and tears into it.

 

[Principessa]

ital8
I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but I read an article on-line that said many NO residents are leaving the city or are deciding on leaving because the recovery for Katrina has been agonizingly slow. It seems like the media has all but forgotten about the clean-up in NO. It appears that not much has changed from a year and a half ago. The murder rate has sky-rocketed past the level of the pre-Katrina era, and many of the wealthy and educated people are fleeing. Has anyone visited NO or live in NO who can assess the condition of the city? It's ashame that our government does not provide more relief for these people. Some parts still look like a third world country. It's embarrising that this can happen in the U.S.
Honey are you not from here? I love my country but that damned, drunk cheerleader has run it damn near into the ground.
I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but I read an article on-line that said many NO residents are leaving the city or are deciding on leaving because the recovery for Katrina has been agonizingly slow.
Sadly, this does not surprise me.
It seems like the media has all but forgotten about the clean-up in NO.
The clean up of New Orleans is not the medias' responsibility. I understand what you meant in that last sentence; but there are other news stories that while mundane must be covered.
It appears that not much has changed from a year and a half ago.
Correct. Why is that? Halliburton, poor management of funds and people on the local, state and national level. Maybe because Mayor Ray Nagin is a buffoon (I'm Black I can say that:tongue
The murder rate has sky-rocketed past the level of the pre-Katrina era, and many of the wealthy and educated people are fleeing. Has anyone visited NO or live in NO who can assess the condition of the city?
I have not been there, so perhaps my 2 cents doesn't count.

I do have friends that visited 2 weeks ago on holiday and they said Bourbon Street looked good; but not as good as they remembered it. But go a few blocks in any direction and it was flat out scary. I asked because I am considering a career change and had considered going down there to teach as I am certified K-8 and I know they are desperate for good educators. My friends who know me well said, "Absolutely not! It is not safe."

It's a shame that our government does not provide more relief for these people.
It's beyond a shame; but I can't think of appropriate words to descibe this travesty of humanity and justice. I knew as soon as I heard Hallibuton would get the contract to re-build that all hope was lost.
Some parts still look like a third world country.
Umm, if memory serves correct parts of New Orleans looked like a third world nation prior to Katrina. :frown1:

It's embarrising that this can happen in the U.S.
Yes, it is. What's really embarassing is that people are still allowed to build in a flood plain. It's a flood plain people! Don't build there! They should never have been allowed to build a city below sea level in the first place. That's the Army Corps of Engineers for you.

 

[b.c.]

I laugh (though not from amusement) whenever I read lines like a city should never have been built below sea level. There are cities in various parts of the world that are protected by levees or dikes. No one questions why they were built. Nor why cities are built on a fault line, or homes on mountainsides, or resorts within easy striking distance of the next tsunami, or towns along "tornado alley". There are many places for making the (absurd) argument against having things built there.

Also (pathetically) amusing is the somewhat skewed perception of the situation here, in the city where I live, was born, and grew up most of my life.

Misperception 1: Ray Nagin is to blaim. Frankly, I didn't vote for Nagin. Not the first time nor this time. But the reason why I didn't had nothing to do with his "Chocolate City" comment. Much ado has been made of it. It was a political moment - a statement geared to a particular audience/voter for a particular reason, and it apparently worked. Prior to that he had been wishy-washy at best on his plans for redevelopment of parts of the city, in particular the East. What most of America doesn't seem to know is that his closest supporters are not so "chocolate" white conservatives.

Misperception 2: Business is staying away because of (see above). This city's economy is based largely on tourists and conventions. In order for those to be attracted to the city there has to be other attractions and services (food, restaurants, etc.) The number of such places that are up and operating are reduced because many of the people who worked in those capacities haven't yet returned: either because they have no homes to return to (many public housing locations have closed, some never to reopen again, amidst much turmoil and conflict between HUD and the people who lived there) or they've found other work.

Misperception 3: Corrupt local goverment and police, rampant crime, failed school system. Local government is no more "corrupt" than in many other big cities, crime not that much worse, only more publicized, it seems. The severly reduced police department has encounted difficulties in enforcing the law mainly because those arrested aren't being sentenced severely enough or being incarcerated long enough, the problem partly caused by severely reduced detention facilities, (though not an entirely valid excuse).

The public school system was failing (like in a number of large cities) for a variety of reasons, primarily gross mismanagement and theft of funds (in the millions) prior to the storm. Many of the buildings that already were in need of repair were decimated by the storm. The bright side is that a number of new schools with independent charters have sprung up, providing much needed innovation (and alternatives) in public education.

Misperceptions 4: Many of the "wealthy and educated" are fleeing. And many are staying or returning. Don't get me wrong. For those who have chosen to leave and start a new life, perhaps there are many good reasons and we wish them good fortune. I was in Houston for about 6 months. It's a great city (though choking in a stranglehold of freeways), but it wasn't home.

For some of us, even on our worse days being home is better than being (somewhere else). So some of use have gutted out our homes, rolled up our sleeves and slowly (yes, very slowly sometimes) we are putting it back together (once again). By gradual degrees one can see things slowly returning (in some places) though admittedly going nowhere in others. There are obstacles to overcome and it's going to take some time. There are long delays just in getting contractors, inspectors, builders, etc. to show up, keep appointments, do the job (and hope you don't get ripped off or cheated by a fradulent contractor or someone who has done shoddy work).

In between it all we go about our lives, or small amusements and diversions, we go to work, we thrill to following our Saints (billed as "The team that carries more than a ball")... and in time I think we'll manage just fine, thank you very much - at least until the next "big one". But such is life here in the Big Easy. Piece of cake, eh?

 

[Heather LouAnna]

Ignorance and stupidity, a feeling that you have no control in the way the world is run, should not be tolerated.

I'm green. I don't like gas guzzlers. I don't wear fur. I buy organic fruits and vegetables. I shop locally and support fundraisers.

I worked at a state mental hospital here in Austin when Katrina hit. The influx of patients was expected and still horrifying. We got some of the worst. We got people who'd been wondering around in the water for days, hungry and dehydrated, schizophrenic and suicidal, meandering around with no medication or aide..

and stilll I have no sympathy for the victims of Hurrican Katrina.

Don't cry "charity" at me. If you live in a shit hole, and you know you live in a shit hole, you rise above. Plain and simple.

 

[Hatched69]

edited by H69, apologies to Heather..
Ignorance and stupidity, a feeling that you have no control in the way the world is run, should not be tolerated.


.....and stilll I have no sympathy for the victims of Hurrican Katrina.

Don't cry "charity" at me. If you live in a shit hole, and you know you live in a shit hole, you rise above. Plain and simple.

Amen!!

A good friend of mine runs a contracting company and DONATED almost $200K in time and materials to rebuild homes in NO. What did the residents do? SHOT at my friend and his workers!! No one was seriously injured, but he packed up and left town immediately.
The only souls I had sympathy for were the children, the elderly and the pets left behind to "fend for themselves". Unfortunately, it appears the bad eggs are outnumbering the good eggs down there...

 

[B_big dirigible]

They should never have been allowed to build a city below sea level in the first place. That's the Army Corps of Engineers for you.

The city predates the Army C of E by a bit. In fact it predates the United States. It was a Spanish port, then a French one, then became American when it was bought by Pres. Jefferson. The Corps of Engineers was stuck with the job of trying to make a bad location at least partially workable. NE's continuing practical importance is not as a social disaster, a bit of color, and a tourist trap, but as a port. And the major port facilities aren't actually in the city.

 

[B_big dirigible]

Mississippi had distributed federal funding of 68% while Lousiana had only 1% distributed at the same time.

So maybe the bottleneck is local and specific to the State of Louisiana, and not the fault of our favorite whipping boy Halliburton after all.

Unless, that is, we suspect that Halliburton is the hidden power behind the state government.

Given time, I could get attached to this conpiracy stuff.

 

[B_NineInchCock_160IQ]

I like one of the graphic segues they've been using on Fox News lately.. it goes something like...



Immigration

Hurricane Katrina

America has problems

America's not the problem.




I guess.. implying that people who focus on our government's horribly shitty response to Hurrican Katrina are missing the fact that if not for the hurricane, the complete and utter ineptitude of the administration would never have been exposed? The same way that if only immigrants would stop coming to the country, then we wouldn't have anyone trying to point out what racist intolerant jackasses most Americans are?

Anyway, moral of the story: that hurricane had a lot of damn gall. FEMA was working just great until Katrina showed up, back when they had nothing at all to do. The liberal mainstream media always ignores that fact.

Using this same kind of logic you can also conclude that funneling the majority of funds from the department of homeland security into back water red states where no terrorist is ever going to think twice about attacking obviously is a good strategy, because no planes have been flown into buildings since 9/11.

America's perfect the way it is just so long as nothing ever happens, ever. Great conservative motto if I ever heard one.

 

[meatpackingbubba]

The city predates the Army C of E by a bit. In fact it predates the United States. It was a Spanish port, then a French one, then became American when it was bought by Pres. Jefferson. The Corps of Engineers was stuck with the job of trying to make a bad location at least partially workable. NE's continuing practical importance is not as a social disaster, a bit of color, and a tourist trap, but as a port. And the major port facilities aren't actually in the city.

Well put, Big Rig.

 

[b.c.]

Ignorance and stupidity, a feeling that you have no control in the way the world is run, should not be tolerated.

I'm green. I don't like gas guzzlers. I don't wear fur. I buy organic fruits and vegetables. I shop locally and support fundraisers.

I worked at a state mental hospital here in Austin when Katrina hit. The influx of patients was expected and still horrifying. We got some of the worst. We got people who'd been wondering around in the water for days, hungry and dehydrated, schizophrenic and suicidal, meandering around with no medication or aide..

and stilll I have no sympathy for the victims of Hurrican Katrina.

Don't cry "charity" at me. If you live in a shit hole, and you know you live in a shit hole, you rise above. Plain and simple.

We here don't particularly give a damn whether you (or yours) have sympathy for Katrina victims or not. As for "living in a shit hole" as you put it, there are a significant number of people (and visitors to the city) who probably wouldn't characterize it as such, even now. Furthermore, whether a place is a "shit hole" or not is perhaps relative. Perhaps some would consider Austin as such.

But then, a classy lady such as yourself would know that already, wouldn't you?

 

[dags]

I don't know where all the money went that was sent down there. Two of my relatives are Rn's here in Rochester, MN working for the Mayo Clinic and they recently came back from New Orleans where they went to help out with basic medical needs. I was shocked with what they had to say, one day they treated around 500 people, coming in for basic needs like high blood pressure and diabetes meds. These people hadn't had any medication for months, apparently they were giving out outdated meds because thats all they had. And they said they are still cleaning up and finding dead victims.

 

[Heather LouAnna]

We here don't particularly give a damn whether you (or yours) have sympathy for Katrina victims or not. As for "living in a shit hole" as you put it, there are a significant number of people (and visitors to the city) who probably wouldn't characterize it as such, even now. Furthermore, whether a place is a "shit hole" or not is perhaps relative. Perhaps some would consider Austin as such.

But then, a classy lady such as yourself would know that already, wouldn't you?

ok.

 

[Principessa]

Ignorance and stupidity, a feeling that you have no control in the way the world is run, should not be tolerated.

I'm green. I don't like gas guzzlers. I don't wear fur. I buy organic fruits and vegetables. I shop locally and support fundraisers. How nice...for you.

I worked at a state mental hospital here in Austin when Katrina hit. The influx of patients was expected and still horrifying. We got some of the worst. We got people who'd been wondering around in the water for days, hungry and dehydrated, schizophrenic and suicidal, meandering around with no medication or aide..

and stilll I have no sympathy for the victims of Hurrican Katrina.

Don't cry "charity" at me. If you live in a shit hole, and you know you live in a shit hole, you rise above. WTF! What planet do you live on that this statement could pass for sense ?!?
Plain and simple. Yes, you are. That's your opinion and you are surely entitled to it; but it seems to me that you need to climb down out of your organic green tower and get a taste of reality. Big deal you don't wear fur and drive a Prius! Such an egalitarian statement could only be made by someone who is either to the manor born or an idiot. Clearly you are the latter.

 

[Heather LouAnna]

Ignorance and stupidity, a feeling that you have no control in the way the world is run, should not be tolerated.

I'm green. I don't like gas guzzlers. I don't wear fur. I buy organic fruits and vegetables. I shop locally and support fundraisers. How nice...for you.

I worked at a state mental hospital here in Austin when Katrina hit. The influx of patients was expected and still horrifying. We got some of the worst. We got people who'd been wondering around in the water for days, hungry and dehydrated, schizophrenic and suicidal, meandering around with no medication or aide..

and stilll I have no sympathy for the victims of Hurrican Katrina.

Don't cry "charity" at me. If you live in a shit hole, and you know you live in a shit hole, you rise above. WTF! What planet do you live on that this statement could pass for sense ?!?
Plain and simple. Yes, you are. That's your opinion and you are surely entitled to it; but it seems to me that you need to climb down out of your organic green tower and get a taste of reality. Big deal you don't wear fur and drive a Prius! Such an egalitarian statement could only be made by someone who is either to the manor born or an idiot. Clearly you are the latter

ok.