New Orleans

[toonertoo]

mannbrn, that is pretty ludicrous idea. I then guess we should suspend NFL games as in all the fuel people use to go to them, and the fuel their jets use to get the teams city to city, and Then we could suspend, NBA, and MLB play. Then we could suspend the right to travel unless on business. Oh the ways we could save money and preserve fuel are endless.

 

[toonertoo]

Sitting here watching the news. And I guess I developed what may be a dumb question. Houston has 26,000 refugees in the astrodome. Most of them got there by yesterday? How the heck did so many people get moved to Houston so quickly? It appears most were bused there. How many people does a bus hold? 200. Thats a lot of buses driving how far? 600 miles? Perhaps there has been more to this relief effort than we have thought about?



I heard there were 487 buses, plus church busses.

(Message edited by toonertoo on September 03, 2005)

 

[susiedriver]

I posted this link back on the morning of August 28, at the beginning of this thread. Take the time to read or listen to it, then ask your elected officials why nothing was done.
http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/wetlands/index.html

New Orleans was the largest port in the USA. Why was it left unprotected?

I fear that the effects of this disaster are only beginning to be seen.

 

[susiedriver]

tooner,

A lot of the people were moved by air, as well. C130 aircraft, I believe.

 

[dannyboy]

"*allows the government to mobilize civilians into work brigades under government supervision"

Darn that is illegal. The Goverment will not let you do that.

We had a Mayor that was trying to get the nerdowells to have to show up at city hall every morning to see if there were jobs that needed done. Like city employees that didnt show up for the trash pick up, school cleanup etc. They were told that this was to demeaning for them to do, and would be illegal.

So nope, they cant use these homeless people to cleanup and rebuild New Orleans, that would be too demeaning and cruel. I guess we will pull families appart and call out the national guard to do it.

As for the budget cuts and the money that was not lavished on the protection of a city built under the sea.

Each of us has a budget and must learn to live within that budget. It would seem that for some, they see the federal government as a rich daddy with no limits. WEll that government is you and I. And with tax rates as high as they are, we can ill afford the money spent each year on projects. Billions of dollars has been spent already on a wall system that is not good enough. So lets spend hundreds of billions more?

As for all the critisizm of the government that stood by and did nothing to protect? Give me a break.

A government that can protect you from everything can also protect you from yourself. That means no rights what so ever. And as seen in places like China, they dont even do a good job at it.

Your own personal protection is your own responsibility. Grow up people. This country was founded on personal responsibilty. If you didnt work, you didnt eat. If you didnt earn money for yourself or your family, you had no money to spend. IF you didnt store food during the harvest for the winter and early spring, you starved. Tough stuff, but it made for a self reliant country that was able to make a big difference in two world wars.

Then we got to letting feelings run the country. Rather than make fathers or mothers work to support the family, we gave them money to stay home and have more children. WE gave them food stamps, wellfare checks, and all sorts of government programs that have not produced a single positive result. Except to produce many more generations of gimmies that demand the government take care of them. That you and I pay for their lifestyle and their needs.

As I said before, they were told to leave, just like they were told when Ivan came. So why didnt they leave? Because they made that choice. And that is one of the last rights we enjoy, to make choices. And if we make one that is wrong, then it is our fault.

So why are they bussing all these tens of thousand of people to other states, why not get them to work cleaning up?

d

 

[dannyboy]

"New Orleans was the largest port in the USA. Why was it left unprotected?"

Maybe because it would be cheaper to rebuild than to fix what was there?

I guess you would call it a government conspiracy, allow the total destruction of an area that is not feasable to repair. That it might be cheaper to tear down and build from scratch? Urban renewal natures way?

Ever think that the patchwork of canals and dykes were not what they should have been? And the Army corps of engineers have a great track record of failures when it comes to water control, but yet they have no problem spending many billions of dollars pushing a lot of dirt around trying.

Another angle to the questions, had they removed everyone and the cane missed or was not as bad, the same armchair generals that are so critical would laugh at the millions of dollars spent saving people that did not need saving.

Kinda like the people of Naples when this storm was hitting miami, they were racing around trying to get their butts covered. And then they didnt even get any rain or wind at all. Just because the cane moved due south all of a sudden.

So if you self rightous perfectionists dont mind, lets focus on relief and rebuilding. Playing the game of what could/should have been has no value.

But one thing is for sure, there are many people now that for years have shrugged off each one as it came through as no big deal. Wont be quite as many next time now will there?

As for all the "information" that was there before the storm, I am sure all the people in NEw ORleans knew about it also. Why didnt they do something about it. If they KNEW it could be as bad as it has become, why did they stay behind? You blame the government for not doing anything, but yet the people that stayed are victims of a government that does not care?
Give me a break!

d

 

[susiedriver]

danny,

When FEMA takes over they can do just that. The mayor of Blountville cannot.

It seems as though you have a parochial view of America. Do you realize how much of the American economy moves through The Port Of Louisiana? Do you know how many of the oil refineries are located in that area?

You speak of choices. Some choices are easy to make, some not. Can you choose to be born into a doctor's family, or to be born to a barmaid in NO?
Some choices are made for you. The majority of the victims are good people that had limited choices. They were living honestly within their budgets, and the choice to leave was not one they had.

I hope you find it in your heart to donate as much money to the relief effort as you did to the Republican Party.

 

[susiedriver]

Danny,
""New Orleans was the largest port in the USA. Why was it left unprotected?"

Maybe because it would be cheaper to rebuild than to fix what was there?"

It would have cost less than two weeks in Iraq, minus the senseless loss of life.

 

[dannyboy]

"It would have cost less than two weeks in Iraq, minus the senseless loss of life."

Really, care to share the numbers with us?

"You speak of choices. Some choices are easy to make, some not. Can you choose to be born into a doctor's family, or to be born to a barmaid in NO?
Some choices are made for you. The majority of the victims are good people that had limited choices. They were living honestly within their budgets, and the choice to leave was not one they had. "

So what is wrong with being born to a bar maid? I know several and they are very good parents. I also know several doctors that might be good as doctors but are lousy as parents?

So what is your point?

Do you think the people in the photo stood a chance to get out? They didnt have a car, no insurance, no money?


d

 

[susiedriver]

danny,
Did they get out of NOLA before the hurricane? Or is that a picture of your immigrant parents from a time long past?

I never said there was anything wrong with being born to a barmaid, just that some choices aren't left to the individual.

As far as the cost of the war in Iraq, look it up yourself, it's not that hard. How much is the lives of 2000 brave Americans worth? Can you put a dollar figure on that for us? And for what? To set up an Iranian style theocracy with laws based on the Koran?


What's your point? friend'em all?

 

[dannyboy]

Now dear Susie, before you stick your liberal foot in mouth, let me share the information behind the photo.

The boy you see in the photo is me. The baby that is in the womans arm is my sister, and of course the woman is my mother.

I guess you could say I grew up poor. At least in every one elses eyes. Yes I do know what it means to go to bed hungry. I do know what it means to go without even the necessities of life. I was not born with what I have and am now. I earned it. Novel idea I know. One that many more people like you ought to grasp instead of poking fun at it.

By the time I was 10, my mother and father both working to support a family of now 6 children and myself working on tomato farms at 10 cents an hour. My father and mother decided that he should go back to school and become a doctor. That he did while still working to support the family. And my mother worked at Hon Industries making office furniture.

All my siblings have grown into tax paying, hard working, and self supporting families. My sister is the CEO of a multi million dollar international company, I have brothers that are doctor, fireman, one owns a print shop and the other a very successful business in Baltimore. I guess I would be considered the under achiever when I became a Ups man. But I did what I enjoyed.

We had a choice and we made it. We chose not to feel sorry for ourselves, work hard and accomplish our goals. It was never easy, we had to do without many things that others had. We NEVER asked or accepted any help from the government; we chose to do it on our own. And we never felt that someone owed us anything. And we sure as hell never demanded things from anyone because we wanted and didnt wish to put forth the effort to earn it. And guess what, it worked.

So before you pull out your one size fits all feely goody two shoes emotions, yes: I have a problem believing someone can not flee something like that if they wish. The price might have been steep, but if it was important to them, they would have made that choice. They could have gotten out. But they chose to stay behind. The reason is not really important.

I also believe this is a land of opportunity. If you want to be poor white/black trash, living in a home without floors, windows without glass, you have that right. And if you want more out of life, you can get it. And you do not have to be a criminal to do it either. Just because you are not born with a silver spoon in mouth does not mean you cant go out and earn it.

And while I dont think that Scum is a proper word for people, there are many that choose not to rise above the scum they find themselves in, so they become what they surround themselves with.

Remember the advice mom used to give about your friends? Hang around with trashy people and soon you too will be one. Hang around with losers, or winners, choice is yours.

As for donating to the Republican Party, I didnt, but believe me I will from now on to defeat the leaders that have formed people like you that govern by feelings instead of reality.

Best regards

d

 

[susiedriver]

danny,

This isn't you? The Somethingfishie guy?
{link removed by a mod, TOS violation}

 

[dannyboy]

"As far as the cost of the war in Iraq, look it up yourself, it's not that hard. How much is the lives of 2000 brave Americans worth? Can you put a dollar figure on that for us?"

I personally know and have spoken to many servicement in Iraq. Some from our company. You cheapen their services, goals and sacrifices with the dollar figure statement. The pride and satisfaction they have when they come home for the job they are trying to do is evident.

Yes it is a great loss when one service person dies. And maybe it could have been handled somewhat differently. But again, deal with what you have and go on. There are many ifs in life.

But then again, your position and view taints your objectivity to accept the truth.

"For the first time in 37 years, federal budget cuts have all but stopped major work on the New Orleans area's east bank hurricane levees"

AFter 37 years of spending my money they still didnt have it right? Why. And what the hell makes them think they could get it right in the next 37 years and many billions of dollars.

Its time to quit spending money on pork barrel projects that do not show any real investment return.

d

 

[susiedriver]

danny,

This isn't you? The Somethingfishie guy?
{link removed by a mod, TOS violation}

 

[dannyboy]

"just that some choices aren't left to the individual."

Some choices are not ours to be made. But we have the choice to act or not on those. To sit back and do nothing is a choice.

Grow up, the fact still remains, the vast majority of the people stuck there in new orleans made a bad choice. My heart goes out to them. And I think that we need to help. But for them to demand help, to sit there on their fat collective asses while others are risking their lives to save those that need it, to not take control of the situation and make the best of it, sorry. That is another choice they have made. And for people such as yourself to try and politicize this to further your political agenda sickens me.

You claim you really care, but in the vast bulk of your posts, you show this is only an attempt to cheapen the efforts of the people involved.

But you seem more interested in tearing down that building up.

d

 

[susiedriver]

danny,

This isn't you? The Somethingfishie guy?
{link removed by a mod, TOS violation}

 

[dannyboy]

Yeppers it is! Damn. Money I gave to the small business council to further the interests of small business found its way to the republican party. What do you know.

Well I guess I wont have to wait till next year to start giving to them, I got a head start and didnt even know it!

How funny is that.

d

 

[dannyboy]

I would guess that by your silence you are burning up the internet connection trying to dig up what ever you can find?

Shame you have so much time to try and trash things and people. Try posting positive things about people for a change. But then of course, that would mean things are or will be OK, and you cant stand that?

d

 

[tieguy]

"I hope you find it in your heart to donate as much money to the relief effort as you did to the Republican Party."

I resist the urge to engage in politics with this affair. This is one of the saddest outcomes of this disaster. I don't believe anyone has a plan for a cat 5 hurricane. If you wish to blame a democratic mayor or republican president for this mess then you're wasting your time. You have to start with the founders of new orleans who picked a crappy place to build a city.

 

[susiedriver]

Danny,

You seem to be remarkably close minded. In your world, everyone succeeds if they take control of their lives. You and I were blessed with parents that could provide the rudder that gives control. The simple truth is, there are many people in this wonderful country of ours that have no idea how to take control, and its not their fault. Those are the people that need our help.

The truth of the matter is, this is a disaster we could have and should have prevented. Its not a Democratic/Republican blame game. I would be just as upset if there was a democrat as the POTUS now, maybe even more so if their administration had cut the budget to the lifeline of America.

Have you read the stories of ordinary citizens, like the group of over 500 hunters and fisherman that took it upon themselves to organize a flotilla of flat bottom boats to evacuate Charity Hospital and who ever else they could? They were turned back and told to go home.

America is a wonderful place, but it sickens me that we are letting our citizens die on the streets of dehydration. Im not proud of that. There is an elephant in the room, and no one wants to admit it, as I heard a commentator say today. Yours, and others comments have made that evident.



My point to all of this, we, as a people, have been let down terribly by our government. There is no excuse for that. We deserve better.