New Orleans

[justen]

I'm wondering. I just saw on the news that hurricane Gustav is a catagory 4 hurricane already. I'm starting to wonder if the New Orleans people should have rebuilt. Or moved somewhere else. Or move New Orleans to higher ground. On the history channel they said in some spots New Orleans sinks 10 feet a year. Other places a foot or less a year. I think they should have moved the town like Minnesota moved Hibbing for mining. But if New Orleans floods again. I just see that spot a hopeless place to build and to rebuild. The land it's self is lower then sea level which is not so good. We will see monday night or tuesday mourning I guess. The new Levee's they been working on are not done yet. The engineer on tv said he need 2 to 3 more years to finish them. What you guys think about all this? Are people just being dumb to build in such a place and asking for trouble? I mean the way global warming is, these hurricanes aren't getting any better. And the sea level is rising. From what my parents told me, before katrina it was a pretty town. But now I don't know seems like playing russian rolet.

[carsandcycles]

The South and East have the potential for hurricanes, The West has their chances of earthquake, flood and fire, the Midwest the greatest chances for tornado and annual flooding. My feeling is that you make your choices and take your chances. (I know it's not that simple but you have to 'prepare', not 'scare'; here I'm referring to the media coverage.)

[jayharold]

I think they should move New Orleans. I don't know my history but I do not know why they built below sea level in the first place.

[Saltmine]

I never saw the attraction. (been there numerous times) Most of the city is below sea level. But, people live there, get nearly washed away, and still return.

Some of the residents have made a career out of losing everything they own (some of it not paid for) and sitting back, letting the government hand out checks to "help them rebuild"...

I remember when Katrina came through. The authorities went around and warned all of the residents that the city was going to be flooded....Even had buss es and cars to help people evacuate. They went empty, for the most part. Shelters didn't get used, and when the excrement hit the rotating air circulation device, most of the people who refused to leave ended up sitting on their roofs waiting for the National Guard to haul them to safety (at the taxpayer's expense). What I found unbelievable was the number of looters, some swiming around in the floodwater, trying to haul off anything they could get their hands on.

I think they ought to just let it flood, and don't let anybody go back in there. And no, don't "move New Orleans" at the US taxpayers' expence....

[justen]

Maybe I'm being selfish thinking this way. But If my house flooded because of some reoccurring disaster. You bet I would move. Maybe the wife would stay here But I would find a new place on top of a big hill LOL.

It was interesting on the history channel. They showed a map of New Orleans back in the 1800's. Then they showed a map of today. If you compare the two. Alot of land has disappeared completely. Not sure if it washed away or sunk. But jeez there is a big difference. I wonder how much land will be gone in a hundred years from now.

I agree with you guys. I just kind of find it crazy to rebuild on swamp land.

[vetteonr]

Watching news coverage today it looks like most of the folks have left the area with the help of many organizations. Why people live there, who knows. Why do people live in the desert? Why do they live in the snowy North? Why live in an earthquake area? Nobody should tell anyone where they can and can't live whether it's smart or not. But seeing the way this country has been going lately, don't be surprised if that becomes a reality.

[dougbfresh]

Stupid place-government should say-you want to live in a swamp-your on your own. How many billions get poured in before we all say "don't call us, we'll call you".

[Porcupine]

Yes, most have left town but CNN reports that there's still about 10,000 people that refuse to leave. There was one guy (being a contractor ) that said he built his house to deal with any hurricane. The major is staying because he and others are in a bunker type of building, for obvious reasons location not disclosed. Looters will go directly to jail and be heavily prosecuted and so they should.

I think what really gets me is why the general population or even the city planners would not bypass anything to do with grade level or below grade housing. If nothing else at least move to higher ground and because of surrounding circumstances upgrade your type of housing to be able to withstand any (or almost any) diaster situations..
Then there's the low income group. Governments should work together to get the unemployed back to work and learn what it takes to survive. I know there are the stubborn types and the uneducated but this gives the levels of governments, city, state and feds to invest into their populous to better themselves. This is the perfect opportunity to show and teach that those of the have-nots to be able to have..Just a thought.

[justen]

LOL I was watching cnn for a bit and there was three pickups towing FEMA campers behind it. Must be some folks that still live in a FEMA camper and decided to take their home with them.

I gotta hand it too them.. I could never live or be cooped up in a small camper for 3 years. Sometimes my living room feels small. My garage definitely never have room in there to begin with. Whole attic is full.

[vetteonr]

Stupid place-government should say-you want to live in a swamp-your on your own. How many billions get poured in before we all say "don't call us, we'll call you".
You know, I agree with this. The government shouldn't be able to tell folks where or where not they can live, but, they should do it at their own risk. It's just like the people that build on the California coast. If there's a land slide, they can be blamed for building there in the first place.

[vetteonr]

Then there's the low income group. Governments should work together to get the unemployed back to work and learn what it takes to survive. I know there are the stubborn types and the uneducated but this gives the levels of governments, city, state and feds to invest into their populous to better themselves. This is the perfect opportunity to show and teach that those of the have-nots to be able to have..Just a thought.
This will never happen because there are to many people looking for a hand OUT instead of a hand UP.

[danny]

This will never happen because there are to many people looking for a hand OUT instead of a hand UP.

agreed. and it is not the government's job to make a person successful that is the responsibility of the individual.

[Daniel Wood]

I was born in Slidell right across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans. Yes, I'm a Coona.s.s and proud of it.

Many years ago, New Orleans was a wonderful place especially The French Quaters. Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) and beautiful homes that were built 100s of years ago and are still here today.

Even a funeral is something to see (New Orleans style) people walking down the streets playing their instruments celebrating that person's life. And sometimes, a small party or barbecue is thrown in memory of them. I truly hope that the same happens for me when I leave this world. It's ok to be sad for a little while, but have that party and drink a cold one for me (Budweiser or Dr Pepper LOL)

About 15 or 20 years ago, (maybe longer) the place just started going downhill. To say that crime rate was high would be an understatement. The jobs that were there, people didn't want because they could sit on their a.s.s and let the government take care of them. I was ashamed of my home state.

As far as these hurricanes goes, I have been through several while living in Slidell and Hammond. Camille was the worst for me but we also had enough sense to go to higher ground or a strong storm shelter. Just like the people in Ohio with the flooding. You didn't see them standing around on their rooftops saying please help!

Now, for the so called chocolate Mayor of New Orleans (Nagin) who is acting so responsible this go around should have done the same D.A.M.N thing before Katrina hit. He's not fit to work on the back of a garbage truck.

You can say all you want too about New Orleans. But one thing is for sure, 48% of the people living there are pretty smart because 52% voted Nagin back into office for his 2nd term. New Orleans had a little over 400,000 people before Katrina and only 280.000 before Gustav hit. But they didn't have that many when the election was run. So that means that a lot of people voted for him absentee ballot because they were living all over the United States at the government or taxpayers expense however you want to look at it and people are still living outside of the State of Louisiana doing NOTHING! Yes, I'm pulling the race card, I'm not afraid to when it comes to something like this the low life #%$€¢§.

[vetteonr]

I was born in Slidell right across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans. Yes, I'm a Coona.s.s and proud of it.......


Now, for the so called chocolate Mayor of New Orleans (Nagin) who is acting so responsible this go around should have done the same D.A.M.N thing before Katrina hit. He's not fit to work on the back of a garbage truck.


First of all, I've never heard the term coona*s*s, but if you're proud of it, more power to you.

As for the mayor, as a Northern observer, I think he got elected again because most of the blame went to Bush and his lack of response and action during Katrina. He was kind of looked at as the only politician who was doing anything about it. I may be off base here, but that's the way a lot of the country saw it.

[Porcupine]

First of all, I've never heard the term coona*s*s, but if you're proud of it, more power to you.

As for the mayor, as a Northern observer, I think he got elected again because most of the blame went to Bush and his lack of response and action during Katrina. He was kind of looked at as the only politician who was doing anything about it. I may be off base here, but that's the way a lot of the country saw it.
Oh, I heard that term many times before but only from you-know-who :D.
I think because the New Orleans area was considered a lower income area that it was not high on their list. The think the blame game could be passed to several entities. I think Nagin did a good job because he fought the system higher than himself.

Another source of blame could be some of the spin created by the CNN types. While watching CNN with Gustav and then the Republican Democratic spatts, I sense a little media bias. Our federal election is just coming into play as well and I'm watching for our own media spins.

Oops, we just broke our own cardinal rule. Oh well sometimes we just have to say something.

[vetteonr]

Another source of blame could be some of the spin created by the CNN types. While watching CNN with Gustav and then the Republican Democratic spatts, I sense a little media bias. Our federal election is just coming into play as well and I'm watching for our own media spins.

What type of media bias? Did they blame the hurricane on the Republicans?

There are three types of media outlets here in the states......

1) Republican politics......Fox News (Hannity, O'Reilly)

2) Democratic politics.......MSNBC (Olberman, Matthews)

3) CNN.........They tend to play it right down the middle. They have commentators and guests from both sides of the aisle and display both points of view.

Sometimes people see what they want to see (I'm guilty of that sometimes) but that's why you see Rove and Gingrich as contributors on Fox and guys like Carville on MSNBC.

[Porcupine]

What type of media bias? Did they blame the hurricane on the Republicans?

There are three types of media outlets here in the states......

1) Republican politics......Fox News (Hannity, O'Reilly)

2) Democratic politics.......MSNBC (Olberman, Matthews)

3) CNN.........They tend to play it right down the middle. They have commentators and guests from both sides of the aisle and display both points of view.

Sometimes people see what they want to see (I'm guilty of that sometimes) but that's why you see Rove and Gingrich as contributors on Fox and guys like Carville on MSNBC.
Point taken. I did notice that Carville plays no favourites and I did see that there are a few counterparts that do the same.
The rest in an email so we don't get too carried away (I'm guilty).
BTW I don't watch FOX all that much and only a little MSNBC. Any major event is usually CNN. Plus our own local stuff.

[Daniel Wood]

First of all, I've never heard the term coona*s*s, but if you're proud of it, more power to you.
A lot of the upperclass Cajuns (who has lots and lots of money) believes that the word coona.s.s is a dirty word but it's not. Just click here (http://www.louisianausa.com/TeamCoonass/coonass.htm) and read for yourself.


As for the mayor, as a Northern observer, I think he got elected again because most of the blame went to Bush and his lack of response and action during Katrina. He was kind of looked at as the only politician who was doing anything about it. I may be off base here, but that's the way a lot of the country saw it.
Al, I'm sure you saw (as well as others) that Bush didn't do anything at first. But even our local news had people in New Orleans and were telling us things that CBS, NBC and ABC evening news was not telling everyone. And why they didn't, I'll never know.

But George Bush contacted Nagin three different times asking him if he needed help. Nagin's reply was that I got everything under control. When New Orleans was finally flooded, Nagin still said he had everything under control. When he realized that it was out of his hands, he blamed Bush in the media for not sending help.

Now before I finish this post, I'm going to call my friends in Lake Charles and Mobile to see if my story is right. If I'm wrong, I will admit so.

Well it appears that my story is not quite correct but pretty close so I stand corrected. I have a friend that lives in Lake Charles LA that's 200 miles west of New Orleans. He sent me an e-mail (if this was an adult forum, I would use his exact words but I cleaned it up a little bit)

Daniel:

As I recall, George Bush was in touch with Kathleen Blanco the Louisiana Governor (a school teacher) and offered her help at least three times. Kathleen, being a Democrat, refused any federal help thinking that a Republican coming to the aid of a Democrat would "not look too good".

Therefore, somewhere between Nagin (the mayor of New Orleans) and Blanco (the governor of Louisiana) both of which were Democrats, they conspired to refuse any federal (Republican) help during Hurricane Katrina.

Later when Katrina destroyed New Orleans, they both piped up when the Republican administration just did NOT offer to come to the aid of the "po people of New Orleans". Everything that went wrong was George Bush's fault...etc. etc....on an on...finger-pointing and blame galore...all of which was from the Democratic governor and Democratic mayor toward George Bush.

DGP
Now this is common from a guy that writes programs for computers for a Sun solar company among other things. And he's also interested on what's going on in politics.

If Lake Charles local news heard this story and our local news broadcasted the same thing, then there has to be some truth to it.

Now I know that some won't believe this because it wasn't publicized by the huge media, but that's ok, people can believe what ever they want too.

Don't forget to check out the Coona.s.s part! :D