New Orleans needs our help!!!

[Gmachine]

I just got back from a one weeks stay in N.O. All I can say it wow! Our country has forgotten these people! We were the first volunteers they have seen since the National Guard left in Nov. I can't begind to describe the devistation and stench I saw. If anyone has the opportunity to go I would greatly encourge it. It changed my life and what I hold as important.

One awesome guy I met was a fireman that has lost everything and was so thankful for us being there. To see this tough man shed a tear for his community was tough. These people need our $$$ and our time!! Call your congressman or state rep. and encourage them to help these people.

Please take the time to send $ or just a card saying your praying or thinking of them to him and he will disperse the funds to those needed.

Armand Buuck
80 Cochrane Dr.
Chalmette, LA 70043


Thank you,
Ryan

 

[bishir]

Forgotton about N.O.? I think I hear something about Katrina every freaking day. I really feel for the folks that lost their homes and are not in N.O. They seem forgotton.

 

[DaJoker]

I live outside New Orleans and I would estimate that anywhere from 50000 to (maybe over)100,000 homes are vacant( just in New Orleans not counting surrounding areas). There are only so many contractors to do all the work needed, not to mention insurance problems. Plenty of neighborhoods are vacant and looters can just walk in to your home and steal whatever you have left. We can send billions upon billions to other countries yet we cant take care of ourselves(not Bush bashing) . Most of those people are just caught in the middle of a political tug of war, some politicians want to help but value their agendas more than the good of the country. I wonder sometimes if the gov't is trying to rid New Orleans of its "lesser income" population. Just my 2 cents!!!

 

[bishir]

All those problem on a smaller scale have occured in Pensacola during the last few Hurricanes we've received. I dont' think it's the government not wanting to help, I think it's the typical red tape that hinders progress. You just have it on a much larger scale considering the amount of people affect. Trust me, I had my home destroyed in hurricane Ivan and could have told everyone BEFORE the storm that FEMA would have dropped the ball. That flooded stuff isn't going to be good by now anyways. :frown:

 

[The Blob]

For years, a pre-hurricane season ritual with the news/weather departments of the local N.O. TV stations was to trot out the "worst case scenario" stories and try to scare everybody into being prepared.

So it's not like what happened was some big surprise that nobody ever anticipated.

 

[S10xGN]

Forgotton about N.O.? I think I hear something about Katrina every freaking day. I really feel for the folks that lost their homes and are not in N.O. They seem forgotton.

AMEN! Southern Miss was completely wiped away and you hear NOTHING about their situation. We got trashed by Rita and <yup> NOTHING about our situation. Only the people who cannot or will not help themselves get the ink. If you can survive on your own, the press is not interested. Sorry for the rant, I'm over it now (at least for the next day or two).

 

[dragonational]

Me and a lot of other guys from LRAFB went down to Mississippi and did some clean up and other work. The place was gone i mean there were whole neighborhoods that where gone. We went down for two weeks and cleaned up houses and yards. the people where really greatfull for what we did. I think that everyone just needs to calm down and try to keep there sanity. It will all come together soon. They did have Mardi Gras after all.

 

[DaJoker]

Gotta agree with ya s10xgn , alot of the people in New Orleans prefer to live "off" the system rather than work to contribute to it. Welfare is seen as a way of life, instead of a way to get back on your feet. You don't hear anything about Miss. and Tex. because they don't have the extent of the problems like La had before the storm, and they are getting things done on their own instead of waiting for someone to hold their hand.OK I'LL SHUT UP NOW!!!!

 

[strikeeagle]

The one lingering concern I have about pouring money into NO/LA or any other place built on (in?) the ocean for that matter is what's to prevent it from happening again? I really do feel the US needs to establish buffer zones in hurricane prone areas. If that means you don't see the sun setting over the ocean from your front porch, oh well. You can't reasonably expect folks to pour money into an accident waiting to happen. And I don't mean this in any sort of mean way.

strike

 

[85HOT-T]

I had a buddy come back from that area just a couple weeks ago. He was only down there for a month. I guess he said no one was getting paid for thier work, and if you had money it was dangerous as people would mug you right and left. Now I am going by what he said so I don't know how true it is, but I have heard the thing about people not getting paid by quite a few contractors.

 

[DaJoker]

Crime isn't that bad, New Orleans has always had a crime problem. I went down to the French Quarter for Mardi Gras and it was actually pretty tame from previous years. On the Mardi Gras subject- not all areas were destroyed by the storm only certain areas, so yes we did have MG.OK I lied I havent shut up yet ! PS Yes some people aren't getting paid and its a shame. All the big contractors got the fat contracts and then farmed the work out for alot less than they were paid!!

 

[bishir]

The one lingering concern I have about pouring money into NO/LA or any other place built on (in?) the ocean for that matter is what's to prevent it from happening again? I really do feel the US needs to establish buffer zones in hurricane prone areas. If that means you don't see the sun setting over the ocean from your front porch, oh well. You can't reasonably expect folks to pour money into an accident waiting to happen. And I don't mean this in any sort of mean way.

strike

I agree the amount of coastal consturction should be done smartly. Hotels on P'Cola beach now are being built so that the first few floors are parking.

The big counter debate is that where do you draw the line>? Should home in tornado alley not be built, should people not have houses in Earthquake prone areas, heck Seattle is just a volcanic eruption away from oblivion. Yes, I think their are calculated risks, but couldn't the people of N.O. say when is the last time this happened? Of course, it could happen this year again.

 

[bishir]

Crime isn't that bad, New Orleans has always had a crime problem. I went down to the French Quarter for Mardi Gras and it was actually pretty tame from previous years. On the Mardi Gras subject- not all areas were destroyed by the storm only certain areas, so yes we did have MG.OK I lied I havent shut up yet ! PS Yes some people aren't getting paid and its a shame. All the big contractors got the fat contracts and then farmed the work out for alot less than they were paid!!

Hmm, contractors not doing what they said they would do! Nothing new there!

 

[TURBO 6]

Let me tell you my problem with the storm and it's effects. I have been building a house since last Sept. and it's still not finished. My family and I have been living with my parents for almost a year because of the storm. My GN has been in storage since last May.
Yeah I know it dosen't sound that bad to you guys but I'm giving an example of how the storm effected everyone in the gulf coast area. If you didn't suffer from damage it still effected you in some way. This area won't be back to normal for a long time.

 

[strikeeagle]

Deleted.

 

[strikeeagle]

I agree the amount of coastal consturction should be done smartly. Hotels on P'Cola beach now are being built so that the first few floors are parking.

The big counter debate is that where do you draw the line>? Should home in tornado alley not be built, should people not have houses in Earthquake prone areas, heck Seattle is just a volcanic eruption away from oblivion. Yes, I think their are calculated risks, but couldn't the people of N.O. say when is the last time this happened? Of course, it could happen this year again.

Yup. There are problems everywhere. Not an easy call. I guess it's a matter of degrees...

strike

 

[bishir]

FYI, FEMA has a flood mediation program. If you have 4 claims of 5k each or more, or 2 claims that exceed the value of your home, then they offer to buy your home and you move. The land is then turned over to the government. If you refuse, you then will no longer have flood insurance.

One thing that N.O. people are fighting for is to have their insurance company to pay for the flooding. Im' telling you, if this happens we ALL will pay big time. Flood insurance is from the US government (FEMA) even though your State Farm Agent may sell it to you. State Farm as an example doesn't pay. If they set a precedent that flooding has to be paid by regular insurance too, they'll jack the rates so high no one will afford flood or hurricane insurance. All because people in N.O. didn't buy flood insurance even though they live BELOW sea level and surrounded by water on 3 sides. Flood insurance isn't expensive. Hurricane (wind) insurance is!