| THIS IS A READ-ONLY ARCHIVE FROM THE SORABJI.COM MESSAGE BOARDS (1995-2016). |
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You guys seeing this? This could be it. it looks like it is up to 145mph, and heading straight for new orleans |
"If it came ashore with the intensity it has now and went to the New Orleans area, it would be the strongest we've had in recorded history there" (Ed Rappaport, deputy director of the National Hurricane Center in Miami.) j- czarina is nearby? |
to miss new orleans, katrina? and miss it each night and day i know I’m not wrong this feeling's gettin' stronger so, bitch, won't you just stay the hell away miss them moss covered vines the tall sugar pines where mockin' birds used to call and I'd like to see that lazy mississippi hurryin' into fall the moonlight on the bayou, a creole tune that fills the air i dream about magnolias in bloom and i'm wishin' you won't be there, katrina |
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Funny how the water's so warm there these days. I wonder why that is... |
I'm reading they expect 80% of the homes in NOLA to be destroyed, floods will remove coffins from graveyards, lots of stuff, but havent really seen much of how it'll compare to Andrew... I havent been watching CNN. are they hanging out in New Orleans anyways? Most hurricane coverage is the same but I picture this one being particularly bizarre and just plain wrong. |
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upwards of 100,000 people who can't leave because they have no way out, no transportation, no money. So, if you're poor, get to the superdome and pray it holds. I'm glad I've been able to see the town. New Orleans is one of the most interesting cities in America, and the fact that people aren't really freaking out over the fact that a major American city is going to be basically destroyed is troubling. Of course, I have to get off my high horse and admit to not looking forward to helping Kazu move during hurricane remnant-weather, and hoping that my flight home from ATL on weds isn't too bumpy. |
how much has been done to help get people out of town? as in free transporation, buses, trains, anything? |
on their main page. |
The Motherfucker make sure your browser is able to auto-shrink pictures, its HUUUGE |
anybody who can't get out of new orleans (or jefferson parish in general) under their own power is being sent to the superdome earlier this evening i met one of my new neighbors. he asked me if i was living here when the two tornadoes ripped up the city. i was. when he asked me what it was like, i said it was cool. mostly because it sounds better than "fucking scary." |
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"there was nothing to do about him. it was easter sunday and the fascists were advancing toward the ebro. it was a gray overcast day with a low ceiling so the planes were not up. that and the fact that cats know how to take care of themselves was all the good luck that old man would ever have." |
And I would be a lot more worried about the large animals (like carriage horses)...who would extremely difficult to get to safety. |
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It is kind of a wierd thought that an entire city is probably being wiped out, right now. |
it hasn't land yet, has it? i'm not exactly getting up-to-minute reports. |
somewhere in America writers are scrambling for a way to turn this guy heel. http://www.neworleanssaints.com/ somewhere in America a stadium is being upgraded for their new football team |
http://i.somethingawful.com/news/2005/08/29-dome.jpg |
downgraded to a category 4 |
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the CNN woman meant to say "daybreak" and it came out mucked up, sounded like "date rape" a nice 3:55am chuckle |
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I'm about 120 miles due west of New Orleans.Hurricane Lilly went through my to my town a couple of years ago,and it was a nightmare,and it was only a catagory 1 when it hit. I will not leave my animals, so we were hunkered in.Have too many horses and the rest of my menagerie to consider evacuating,but I do not live in a low lying area. The Fair Grounds race track in New Orleans is not open until around Thansgiving, so there shouldn't have been any horses stabled there[it has to do with racing rules,can't have more than 1 track racing within x amount of miles,and the track here is still open],but there are many horse farms in that area,and I hope they had the foresight to evacuate,but as Droopy [:)]pointed out,it is difficult to move large amounts of livestock,and WHERE do you take them? Not to mention,that horses can't tolerate the hidious heat and humidity, riding in metal horse trailers,in bumper to bumper traffic,inching along at a snails pace. On the upside, we won a race Satuarday night. I might go with the Red Cross on my days off,but what a nightmare it will be.The heat,and the HORRIBLE amounts of mosquitos that will hatch,carrying all kinds of hidious diseases. I am sure that many people simply didn't have the financial means to evacuate,with the rampant poverty here in the south,and had to stay. I cannot imagine the horror they went through,and will do whatever I can to help. |
i'm just glad you're ok, czarina. |
The pictures that I have been seeing look quite intense. I was talking with a friend last night about how I found it odd that an entire city was devastated overnight, but no one here really seemed to care. It seems like terrorism is the only thing that gets people out in the streets milling around in shock these days. It's especially unnerving to think about the high poverty rate in the south, as well, and how that probably made the effects even worse for a lot of folks. My friend J was just about to move to New Orleans to join the police force there. I'll be he's glad the deal on his house hasn't closed yet... |
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LA bowling alley used in the Big Lebowski- torn down. New Orleans- detroyed. Look out Savannah GA, you're next :( |
im trying to talk her out of going as soon as they let people back in the city. |
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new orleans will never die. wisper is stalking you, patrick. |
i've had a stalker before. |
She doesn't have a phone yet, so now I don't have a way to reach her to see if her family's okay. Ugh. |
evacuees are filtering into the dallas/fort worth area. reunion arena is one big refugee camp. new orleans coffins are washing ashore on the gulf coast. |
1. is anyone really bothered by the looting? i think its more stupid (unless its food/clothing/meds) than it is disturbing, considering they cant exactly bring this shit to the Astrodome with them. 2. what are other things you could get away with in this type of situation? you could literally get away with murder. |
Apparently, Bush's EPA no-nos made the hurricane happen, and his lust for oil is what made everyone live in New Orleans and die. goddamn lame. I had Air America on at like 4am this morning while I was working and she and Randi Rhodes were basically tattering on about the same thing. anyone who uses the hurricane for politics is on auto-ban |
2. fuck hypothetical questions 3. fuck cindy sheehan |
But I agree now is not the time for political talk. But how about some facts, like "In early 2004, as the cost of the conflict in Iraq soared, President Bush proposed spending less than 20 percent of what the [Army] Corps [of Engineers] said was needed for Lake Pontchartrain..." |
I think that it's ok to be pissed at a president who works on his golf swing while people are suffering throught the worst storm to hit the Gulf Coast in decades. |
people are shooting at helicopters. good god. |
http://rudepundit.blogspot.com/ |
http://www.livejournal.com/users/interdictor/ |
does he have to fully understand and live their lives before he can say that he understands that people are anxious to get the fuck outta there? I can see people getting upset about levee budgets, but most of the stuff I'm hearing seems to be really grasping at straws to find a way to bash Bush. |
http://www.illwillpress.com/kat.html |
makes me think about what would have happened had the Millenium Bug boogeyman had been real. fuck hypothetical questions? its anything but hypothetical. if you can picture it, its happening |
its what they're doing to each other now to get this stuff thats done it. lord of the fucking flies. |
it was two pics of people wading through water with food items. one showed two black people and the Yahoo images/AP cited the people in the pic as "looters" where as the other picture, with white people wading through water with some food items said they "found" the items. mildly interesting for a minute. the thing is, you could have predicted this. it's one of the poorest major cities in america, with one of the highest crime rates. people who couldnt leave the city because they couldnt afford gas or didnt own a car...they probably didn thave much to lose so looting a store for a pair of sneakers or a loaf of bread.......ain't a stretch. now shooting at a rescue helicopter or at police or firemen......thats fuckin stupid. |
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http://yahooracists.ytmnd.com/ the way people are acting is a poverty/desperation/insanity thing, not a race thing. at the same time you are mostly seeing black faces, so for a lot of people the end result is that this is making black people look as bad or worse than the LA riots did. |
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some people are being really callous about how you shouldnt help people who didnt leave, and if you want to associate that with a Republican "tough shit" mentality and attack that, well go ahead, but blaming Bush specifically? Did the mayor of New Orleans give the president a ring and beg for help before the storm? Did the governor publicly come out with fingers wagging about the lack of help beforehand? |
no. anyone who is borderline or outright racist is pointing at this thing going "SEE? SEE?".. |
hurricane shot vaguely looks like fetus. cue pro life groups saying this is Gods punishment. |
no, he didn't cause it. he may have made it worse with his budgeting but that's conjecture and monday morning quarterbacking. his failure is one of having to be dragged by his ear back to washington to address this disaster. fuck bush. |
i'd dare say the majority of the poor in New Orleans are black. Most of the people who couldnt leave the city were comprised of the poor. do the fucking math. I just heard some random official basically chide those who disregarded the call to evacuate. now while many were dumber than sin not to heed that warning, the very fact is, many COULDN'T leave. Did the city organize city buses to drop zones outside the city for the poor and those who couldn't afford to leave? those who didnt have a car? no. so hearing some asshole chide the general public via a radio talk show about how they should heeded the warnings and now are paying the price. you wanna fucking slap him. |
asshole. |
i've had good managers and bad managers. the good ones proactively recognize when help may be needed and offer support. the bad ones have to be asked. |
not my president. you can have him, rowlfe. |
when CNN is sending Anderson Cooper to hang out downtown and run back and forth to look at debris, how is that going to a) convince people to leave and b) convince people outside the sitaution that its a major catastrophe? while CNN and FOX adn the other cable stations were covering this nonstop, the regular networks stayed on regular programming... i'm not saying Bush didn't have the tools to find this stuff out, but I think the people around him are supposedly smart enough that they would have forced him to get on the phone beforehand.. do we know for sure they didn't? "i may be stepping out on a limb here but what the hell... i'd dare say the majority of the poor in New Orleans are black. Most of the people who couldnt leave the city were comprised of the poor. do the fucking math. " precisely. but this isnt stopping dumbass radio show hosts from showing a lack of sympathy to those who didn't leave. they tell everyone that the people who didn't leave are just plain stupid, and then everyone sees that all the people on TV are black... |
if everyone immediately jumps at his throat about this, of course he's only going to end up playing to his base, relying on the platitudes, "say a prayer", "we will overcome", "this great nation", etc.. you don't think with the rut he's already in politically he (either by his own accord or by his advisors) wouldnt jump at the opportunity to be the hero? To me what he did/how he budgeted things before isnt anywhere near as important as how he handles things from here on forward. |
i also heard an account of an individual, a nola highschool teacher that gave what little money he had to some parents of his students so they could buy gas to leave. like the pundit says "that ounce of prevention will cost far, far less than the cure" of course hindsight is always 20/20. that aside. some people just couldnt leave. not because they wanted to. |
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it's not perfect but, y'know, is it really that hard to be a leader? who the hell is sterling newberry other than a smart feller? i'd be willing to bet that bush's deplorable response yesterday was drafted without any of his own input and that he merely read it. i can just hear him yelling, "just fucking write something so i can go out there and make my statement! tired of this shit!" fuck bush. |
http://www.tpmcafe.com/story/2005/9/1/123536/7907 there are so so many people saying exactly what i said up there. i never got any memo. it's merely ironic that wes clark's editorial is on talking points memo. it's obvious to anyone not blinded by faith-based politics. worst president ever. |
What the fuck can you blame him for, if not the actions of his administration? Isn't he, like, the Chief Executive? Doesn't that mean that he's responsible? You're just trolling, Nate. Either that or you've finally gone batshit crazy. |
"I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees." His own FEMA team anticipated it. We know his administration's response to that. Folks have known it could happen for years. And still he says this shit? |
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maybe right now I just can't accept he could be so unconcerned about his own citizens. to me this thing is so big, and its only a few days in. so I dont see why people expect, well, frankly, competence. I dont understand what 'leadership' means to you in dealing with something like this. so Clinton or Gore or Kerry might look more like a statesman in the public, but how much does that really mean? if Bush had an amazing speech would that make you think things were running smoother behind the scenes? in one sentence, to me when theres a tragedy like this at this stage what people did in the past is nowhere near as important as what they intend to do about it. i could very well be joining you in the fray a couple weeks from now, i just think any leader dealing with this deserves some stay of execution. |
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"Not a single tourist caught in the tsunami was mugged. Now with all this happening in the U.S. we can easily see where the civilized part of the world's population is." i need to go practice my french. |
i've already discovered that i'll never be able to speak french. i'm thinking about a small hut in patagonia. |
asshole. he's totally irrelavent. completely fucking lame duck. useless and moot. the lack of sincerity and conviction in this individual who cites conviction as a cornerstone of our country is just nauseating. what i dont get is how anyone elese doesnt see right through it. |
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AOL poll on Bush's response to Katrina is at 61% poor |
Has anyone heard of Czarina's plight? I can't seem to find her. And if she or any one displaced by the storm reads this, needs a safe place to stay, I have food, swimming pool, extra beds, and a prayer circle in the middle of the woods. Oh, and guns. |
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so many people in the media are pissed off becuase theres "no Giuliani" in Louisiana. theres no good reason to be comparising this to 9/11, for the people directly affected by this, it is way different. |
http://movies.crooksandliars.com/Kayne-West-Bush-Black-People.mov |
New Orleans is gone. |
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PRESIDENTIAL PRAYER REQUESTS FOR SEPTEMBER 2, 2005 --------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.pptkids.org/? --------------------------------------------------------------- Hey PPT Kids! This has been an incredible week for America. The Gulf Coast of our cou Hey PPT Kids! This has been an incredible week for America. The Gulf Coast of our country has been hit by a fierce hurricane, and as you know, many, many people have been left homeless. Many have been evacuated and there are still all kinds of needs to be met. Most experts are saying that we've never experienced anything like this. While many people have been helped, there are still hundreds, if not thousands, who need all kinds of help. It might be tempting to look at the news and think about what's happened and be discouraged. It is very sad to see people suffering. But as kids who pray, we have a source of strength and hope in our mighty God. It's definitely okay to feel sad for the people who are suffering and going through so much. But the very best thing we can do is to pray. And get others to pray. We can also give to relief groups who are on the ground helping--groups like the Salvation Army are great because they bring the Good News of Jesus right along with food and water and other kinds of help. So please, set aside some special time to pray for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. And think about getting other kids to pray--maybe at your home or your church or school. If you want more helpful information, visit our other website,www.presidentialprayerteam.org. And remember that our God has answers and help that we can't even begin to comprehend, because He is the mighty God, our Lord and Provider! Because we've had so much extra going on with Hurricane Katrina this week, we won't be providing a special edition of The Presidential Prayer Team for Kids this week. So watch for another great edition of the Update next week. We do want to tell you about the special resources we have for you and others as you pray. Be sure to tell your mom or dad about these resources and then check them out. 1. Ways to pray: http://www.presidentialprayerteam.org/editor/20050901-s2.php? 2. Specific prayer requests: http://www.presidentialprayerteam.org/editor/20050901a.php? 3. Great Scriptures on prayer: http://www.presidentialprayerteam.org/200edition/200Great_Scriptures_on_Prayer.php? 4. Post a prayer request: http://www.presidentialprayerteam.net/comments/comments.php? Fill your heart with love and hope for those who are suffering from Hurricane Katrina, and remember to keep on praying! Our country has been hit by a fierce hurricane, and as you know, many, many people have been left homeless. Many have been evacuated and there are still all kinds of needs to be met. Most experts are saying that we've never experienced anything like this. While many people have been helped, there are still hundreds, if not thousands, who need all kinds of help. It might be tempting to look at the news and think about what's happened and be discouraged. It is very sad to see people suffering. But as kids who pray, we have a source of strength and hope in our mighty God. It's definitely okay to feel sad for the people who are suffering and going through so much. But the very best thing we can do is to pray. And get others to pray. We can also give to relief groups who are on the ground helping--groups like the Salvation Army are great because they bring the Good News of Jesus right along with food and water and other kinds of help. So please, set aside some special time to pray for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. And think about getting other kids to pray--maybe at your home or your church or school. If you want more helpful information, visit our other website,www.presidentialprayerteam.org. And remember that our God has answers and help that we can't even begin to comprehend, because He is the mighty God, our Lord and Provider! Because we've had so much extra going on with Hurricane Katrina this week, we won't be providing a special edition of The Presidential Prayer Team for Kids this week. So watch for another great edition of the Update next week. We do want to tell you about the special resources we have for you and others as you pray. Be sure to tell your mom or dad about these resources and then check them out. 5. Ways to pray: http://www.presidentialprayerteam.org/editor/20050901-s2.php? 6. Specific prayer requests: http://www.presidentialprayerteam.org/editor/20050901a.php? 7. Great Scriptures on prayer: http://www.presidentialprayerteam.org/200edition/200-Great_Scriptures_on_Prayer.php? 8. Post a prayer request: http://www.presidentialprayerteam.net/comments/comments.php? Fill your heart with love and hope for those who are suffering from Hurricane Katrina, and remember to keep on praying! --Your PPK Editor |
video of Mr. Bill (of SNL fame) in a "save New Orleans" activism commercial from a year ago. |
i've finished my entire bottle of hungarian wine. you know, i'm more than just pissed by all this, more than sad. I'm completely bitch-slapped by the past several days. it's good to see there are calm, rational people like y'all around. |
Remember New Orleans. |
Fuck Bush. |
Salon editorial fellow Aaron Kinney takes another look at the "looting" in New Orleans. At least one aspect of the racially tinged media coverage of looting in New Orleans has become clearer. Chris Graythen, a freelance photographer for Getty Images, explained in a post to an online photographers’ forum why two white people were described in the caption of one of his images as having "found" items from a grocery store in the flooded city. Graythen’s image of the white couple caused a stir this week when it was juxtaposed on Yahoo News with a similar photo of a black man who was described in that caption as having "looted" a store. In a post to SportShooter.com Wednesday evening, Graythen angrily defended his choice of words, saying that he saw the couple, who were captured wading through chest-deep water, in the vicinity of a flooded grocery store. "[T]here were other people in the water, both white and black," Graythen wrote. "I looked for the best picture. There were a million items floating in the water -- we were right near a grocery store that had 5-plus feet of water in it. It had no doors. The water was moving, and the stuff was floating away." The photographer who took the other controversial shot, Dave Martin of the Associated Press, said he saw the person in his photograph and others loot an abandoned grocery store, AP representatives told Salon. But the "looting-finding" drama promises to be the beginning, not the end, of racial controversies stemming from the flood of New Orleans. Most of the people who were left behind in the city were poor black residents without the means to escape. And though blacks aren’t the only ones who have taken advantage of abandoned stores, they’re the ones featured in repeated video loops on television news coverage. Given calls by Fox News host Bill O’Reilly and others for looters to be shot on sight, it’s no wonder that racial tensions are flaring. President Bush exhibited his fundamental ignorance of what was happening in New Orleans when he told ABC’s Diane Sawyer Wednesday morning that he supported a "zero-tolerance" policy for looters, even for those merely seeking food and water. White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan reiterated that stance on Thursday. "We understand the need for food and water and supplies of that nature," McClellan said. "That's why we have a massive effort underway to continue getting food and water and ice to those who are in need. There are ways for them to get that help. Looting is not the way for them to do it." Let’s pose a hypothetical: A man searching for water for his wife and child, both suffering from heat exhaustion up on the freeway, comes across an abandoned grocery store, where he can grab a couple bottles of water and a bag of potato chips. He’s supposed to wait a couple more days until the National Guard arrives? Some in the news media have not made it clear enough that there are three types of “looters” in New Orleans. First, there are those obtaining items like food, drink and clothing that are critical to their survival. These are not looters at all. They are human beings with functioning survival instincts. Second, there are the people walking out of stores like Wal-Mart with televisions and other non-essential goods. They are opportunists and looters, but given the devastation in New Orleans, they’re not even worth a second thought. Third, there are the people who are roaming the streets with guns and terrorizing and robbing other needy citizens. These are criminals, and they should be met with force. It’s time to put the looting issue to bed. New Orleans is a disaster area, and people who were taking food and water before the government showed up with relief were perfectly justified. If the slums of New Orleans had been filled with white people, they would have done the exact same thing. |
Bush ought to spend the night on I-10, or shit in a box in the dome; thanks for the thought. Why are the troops guarding Harrah's casino? instead of evacuating the mass of humanity from the striken city "refugee" drop points. Dropping cases of water out of helicopters onto pavement where only the brazen and armed can actually get them seems the height of stupidity. Dropping "rescued victims" at the side of a highway with no where to go and no help and nothing awaiting them -- and letting them die in the heat for two or three days -- this is genocide. Where are the tent cities we threw up in other countries' disasters? Why not within our own borders. And with Bush and Cheney profiteering at the gas pumps, there might be ancharists lurking in corners of every municipality just a-awaiting the chance. What bullshit. No takers on the free room and board as yet. Any one who is an A&D counselor CSAC or such, there's a job here too. I made extra potato salad just in case. |
NG troop response. They were ready to go, but were waiting for authorization from the White House. They could have been authorized from day 1. also. Al Gore took a freakin' JET to LA and is bringing back critically ill people to TN for treatment. How many people is Bush bringing back? At least the press corps finally found their spine. God help me, they better get the reins in their teeth and run like crazy with this. |
(link again: http://www.livejournal.com/users/interdictor/ ) "I have reports from 3 different police sources that 2 police officers have committed suicide" |
Cooper is actually starting to look like a reporter. the Red Cross is apparently being blocked from entering with aid. Outrage rising. |
so here comes the blame from the administration on the local officials |
Marylee Orr, director of the Louisiana Environmental Action Network--a coalition of over 100 grassroots citizens groups throughout the now devastated state of Louisiana. I got to know her on the Department of Environmental Studies' field studies trip to Louisiana last March when 13 of our students got up close and personal with environmental justice issues in "Cancer Alley." Marylee helped our students out a lot during our trip and I have been fast friends with her ever since. Here is why I love her. Marylee hasn't been up late every night out for the last week out of aimless worry about the many victims and the environmental tragedy left in the wake of the hurricane and official mismanagement of both the disaster prevention and response efforts. She's been up late because she is working hard to do something about the situation. As she told me on the phone on Friday afternoon, the federal government is not really on the ground doing much yet and, in some of the hard hit parishes in the state, even the Red Cross is not much of a presence yet. In the time honored tradition of grassroots citizenship for the common good, this gutsy woman is using the local contacts with grassroots activists, local officials, and Louisiana faith communities she has built up over 20 years to help close the dramatic gap between the intense need of the people of the Louisiana and the official response so far. Just this Thurday, LEAN members provided an airdrop of food, water, and medical supplies to the trapped residents of St. Bernard and Plaquemine Parishes, two of the most inundated areas in the state. Saturday, LEAN dropped more supplies for stranded people in Washington Parish. LEAN is also working hard now to raise more funds to allow local people, working with local government leaders to provide direct, immediate assistance with all the efficiency that comes from not being a bureaucrat or an outsider. I've already made a contribution to the Red Cross to offer some assistance to the hurricane victims in Louisiana, but I've decided to write a check for ten times that amount to the Louisiana Environmental Action Network in order to support people that I know have both the big hearts and the local knowledge needed to help meet the crying humanitarian needs in Louisiana. I also know that LEAN won't just leave the area when the immediate crisis is over. LEAN will also work to address the toxic cesspool and chemical contamination that will be left behind when the water finally recedes. I’m asking everyone I know to join me in contributing money directly to LEAN for their local efforts in disaster relief. Every penny will be used well. I would trust Marylee with my life and I know her effort will save lives. Please dig deep and give as much as you can to: LEAN, 162 Craydon Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70806. At the very end of our phone call on Friday, Marylee thanked me for pledging money and for my offer to encourage other folks to contribute to LEAN's disaster relief efforts, but she also asked for one more thing. She said, "We need financial contributions from all our friends around the country for sure, but we could also really use your prayers. It means so much to know that people around the country care." For people who want to send good wishes as well as their checks, please write to Marylee's group at lean@leanweb.org. She likely won't have time to write back, but it will mean a lot to this hard working, non-sleeping group of local heros to know that our hearts and prayers are with them. Below is an email I received from Marylee after our phone call. Best, Steve =================== September 2, 2005 Dear Friends of Louisiana, Due to the catastrophic event of Hurricane Katrina there is an enormous need for life-saving and life-sustaining supplies. At this time, the most needed items are tetanus shots, insulin, IV fluids, as well as financial resources to purchase and transport medical and food assistance directly to victims. Louisiana Environmental Action Network (LEAN) is working closely with the Office of Representative Brasso of St. Bernard Parish. Our contributions are being immediately given to the residents of St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parishes, two of the most inundated areas. LEAN feels that by working directly with the parish representatives we are best able to assist in meeting the critical needs of these victims and addressing the crisis in our communities. The situation in Louisiana is heartbreaking and we hope that by working together we can help save lives and improve the lives of those who have survived this disaster. We would appreciate donations of medical supplies, food and water, or funds to purchase these supplies. For example, yesterday, September 1, 2005, we purchased medical supplies such as aspirin, neosporin, syringes, hand sanitizer, gloves, tylenol, bandages, and so forth. These supplies were directly air dropped down today on September 2, 2005, to people stuck in St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parish. We can not thank you enough for caring about what is going on in our region. Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated. Words can not describe the suffering and courage of the people here. Please help us help our neighbors in our home state. May God bless you for all your support, concern and prayers during this tragic time. With warmest regards, Marylee Orr Executive Director Louisiana Environmental Action Network 162 Croydon Ave Baton Rouge, La. 70806 |
http://michellemalkin.com/archives/003458.htm |
....hot. |
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DIRECTLY OVER NATE..." |
oh yeah. |
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I would recommend donating to either the Humane Society of the United States here, IFAW, or American Humane, all of whom are getting in as fast as they can with food, vet services, and shelter. |
" I'd put a check in the mail. Telecommunications to La. still seem iffy." For animals, EARS is also a good choice. They are working with IFAW and United Animal Nations... http://www.uan.org/news/083105.html http://www.uan.org/ears/index.html They are also looking for foster homes anywhere, and are transporting the animals wherever they need to go for foster care. |
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help disabled evacuees |
here's to your ring nate. get better! |
More from this tremendous editorial here. http://www.laweekly.com/ink/05/42/on-powers.php |
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WEAKEN LATER TONIGHT OR FRIDAY. |
big problems with Brown's resume |
this is crazy: The Army are recruiting Hurricane victims at the Astrodome from the Wall Street Journal OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS: Ten U.S. Army recruiters are offering volunteer help for Katrina vicitms at Houston's Astrodome. But the recruiters, struggling to keep enlistment up during Iraq war, are also available with options for the jobless. "Our intent is to approach the evacuees at the right time for them,'' says Army spokesman Douglas Smith. |
Laura Bush doesn't know the name of the hurricane. |
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I don't think there was any more to the story than what I cut/paste here, it was one of those "in brief" items I think. |
the entire column: WASHINGTON WIRE Louisiana Lawmakers Aim To Cope With Political Fallout By JOHN HARWOOD Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL September 9, 2005; Page A4 LOUISIANA LAWMAKERS aim to cope with political fallout. Sen. Landrieu, in spotlight now, could find margins squeezed if thousands of Democratic-leaning African-Americans don't return by her 2008 re-election. Louisiana political analyst John Maginnis says state could even lose one of seven House seats in next redistricting. Two shaky House incumbents, Democrat Melancon and Republican Boustany, hope response to hurricane rallies voters behind them. House Republican campaign chief Reynolds touts chance to market conservative social-policy solutions; Rep. Baker of Baton Rouge is overheard telling lobbyists: "We finally cleaned up public housing in New Orleans. We couldn't do it, but God did." Baker explains later he didn't intend flippancy but has long wanted to improve low-income housing. KATRINA ROILS trade debate over shrimp tariffs. The U.S. International Trade Commission next week considers whether shrimpers from India and Thailand, saddled with tariffs after complaints of unfair competition from domestic producers, still pose a threat. Last winter's tsunami has fueled calls for lifting the levies. But now the hurricane has given the U.S. industry a new argument for retaining tariff protection: An estimated 40% of domestic shrimpers and processors suffered some Katrina damage. "It's going to take awhile for that to recover," says Sal Versaggi of the eight-state Southern Shrimp Alliance. SPOTLIGHT ON POOR increases opposition to planned Medicaid cuts. A bipartisan group of senators urges Finance Chairman Grassley to delay slicing $10 billion from Medicaid and other entitlement programs serving many of those displaced by Katrina. "We must remain focused on the relief efforts and ways to deliver both short- and long-term aid," write Republicans Smith and Snowe, joined by Democrats Bingaman and Lincoln. Administration officials mull ways to deliver more Medicaid funds to states such as Texas where rolls will swell; House Democrats urge HHS Secretary Leavitt to assume all costs of the state-federal program in affected areas. But conservatives like Rep. Barton of Texas warn Katrina shouldn't become an excuse to block Medicaid overhaul. "Let me repeat, so that everybody hears me -- evacuees from Hurricane Katrina would not be hurt!" he says. OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS: Ten U.S. Army recruiters are offering volunteer help for Katrina evacuees at Houston's Astrodome. But the recruiters, struggling to keep enlistment up during Iraq war, are also available with options for the jobless. "Our intent is to approach the evacuees at the right time for them,'' says Army spokesman Douglas Smith. PR BONANZA? U.S. adversaries draw wide attention by joining international effort to offer help with Katrina relief. The Bush administration rebuffs Iran's conditional offer of 20 million barrels of oil while remaining mum on Cuba's pitch to send 1,500 doctors and nurses. Venezuela's Chávez, deriding Bush as "king of vacations," mixes offers of aid workers with oil shipments. DUELING CAUSES? Grass-roots charities sending items to troops in Iraq worry they'll lose out to Katrina relief. "It will be even harder to ask and receive donations when there are so many needing help," says Connie Riecke of the Oregon-based Marine Corps Family Foundation. FAMILY TIES: Bush's Katrina performance draws fire, but Texas universities eagerly compete for his presidential library in bid process ending next week. Contenders include University of Texas, which has the LBJ library; Southern Methodist, Laura Bush's alma mater; and Baylor, near the Crawford ranch. Library executives say bidders must accommodate "an institute inspired by the principles of George W. Bush's administration," a museum, a cafe and gift shop. NEW FEMINISM: Conservatives tout female court pick to block Gonzales. Right rallies around antiabortion appeals-court judges, including Edith Jones and Priscilla Owen; Janice Rogers Brown, an African-American, would meet post-Katrina calls for Bush to appoint a minority. All are seen as more conservative than Attorney General Gonzales, who'd be the first Hispanic pick. Some close to White House predict Bush won't announce O'Connor's successor until Roberts clears Senate Judiciary Committee. Meanwhile, liberals battle for seats in next week's Judiciary hearings, but find themselves outnumbered by Roberts backers. The hearing will "look like a Republican town hall meeting," one activist grumbles. MINOR MEMOS: Trial lawyers' association calls on Republican Rep. Pryce to "stop scaring volunteers" after she says some would-be aid workers feared lawsuits. ... Tom Gallagher of ISI Group says posthurricane congressional spending makes it "Katrina Bar the Door" on fiscal policy. Write to John Harwood at john.harwood@wsj.com |
Ref. Titanic. Chief Compass just alibied on 60 Minutes that HE left town to take his son to college at Texas A&M. Schoolyear started 8/29 eh Chief? Police chief analagous to captain of ship who tells crew to flee for their lives leaving the passengers with no lifeboats. Mayor Nagin de-mobilized the NOPD prior to storm then expected them to return to the anarchic situation that ensued and was certainly forseeable in the abscence of any law enforcement on the ground. Forty out of 1700 stayed behind to loot. I saw it with my own eyes. |
Nagin was missing and invisible to his citizenry first 2 days post storm. Then he came out of hiding to bitch about Bush who he should have known only does one event per week when he's on vacation. 8/26 Bush was at the Little League World Series. The next Friday the Shrub finally made it to the disaster zone. |
"Schoolyear started 8/29 eh Chief?" My sister left for her school even earlier than that. |
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From I heard, directly and from people I know who have lived in NOLA with Nagin as mayor, Nagin is a mouthpiece, but if there ever was a time to be a mouthpiece lighting rod.... |
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Bill Maher put it very well on HBO the other night: "Mr. President, this job can't be fun for you any more. There's no more money to spend--you used up all of that. You can't start another war because you used up the army. And now, darn the luck, the rest of your term has become the Bush family nightmare: helping poor people. Listen to your Mom. The cupboard's bare, the credit cards maxed out. No one's speaking to you. Mission accomplished. "Now it's time to do what you've always done best: lose interest and walk away. Like you did with your military service and the oil company and the baseball team. It's time. Time to move on and try the next fantasy job. How about cowboy or space man? Now I know what you're saying: there's so many other things that you as President could involve yourself in. Please don't. I know, I know. There's a lot left to do. There's a war with Venezuela. Eliminating the sales tax on yachts. Turning the space program over to the church. And Social Security to Fannie Mae. Giving embryos the vote. "But, Sir, none of that is going to happen now. Why? Because you govern like Billy Joel drives. You've performed so poorly I'm surprised that you haven't given yourself a medal. You're a catastrophe that walks like a man. Herbert Hoover was a shitty president, but even he never conceded an entire city to rising water and snakes. "On your watch, we've lost almost all of our allies, the surplus, four airliners, two trade centers, a piece of the Pentagon and the City of New Orleans. Maybe you're just not lucky. I'm not saying you don't love this country. I'm just wondering how much worse it could be if you were on the other side. "So, yes, God does speak to you. What he is saying is: 'Take a hint.' " Bill Maher HBO-Real Time |
http://movies.crooksandliars.com/Real-Time-George-Must-Go.mov not having cable, i haven't really watched the daily show or real time aside from the clips like this i get from the net. but is maher trying to challenge stewart and the daily show format? i'm used to seeing him with the panel format, not the late night host emcee format, ala letterman, et al, with the big desk and the monologues. |
the power thing was such a non story. the lights flickered, then office's generators came on. |
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at3+shtml/153924.shtml?5day?large yesterday, this was forecast to make landfall around brownsville. now it appears to be aiming for houston. what a difference a day makes. where will it be headed tomorrow? |
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it won't be that bad for you or prarie chapel ranch, droop. probably 50-60 mph winds and a shitload of rain. |
http://ritads.ytmnd.com/ |
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I'm on the east side of the storm. I am not comfortable. I sat in a stupor for awhile this morning.Just felt overwhelmed. Thankfully,my usual resillence re-awoken, and I snapped into action. Got to the store before everything was sold out. And am now relatively stocked up on basic survival goods. Tanked up, x-rta ciggs, animal and people food, and h2o. For anyone interested, I live in Rayne,La. About 60 miles east of Lake Charles,I'm due north of Vermillion bay. It now appears the storm will hit between Galveston and Lake Charles,La.Everything is closing here.The roads are highly congested.[not as bad as Texas,yet] I have to work Friday night.It will not be a pleasant night.We are already at capacity,with the evacuees from Katrin. This patients are EXTREMELY sick, VERY psychotic.Twice this week in 2 seperate incidents, patients attacked and stangled 2 employees. I hope these patients will be evacuated, but hope it will not be my shift that has to go with them.We can barely contain them,even within the locked doors of our facility,and I cannot imagine having to travel on a slow moving bus with them. We do not use restraints, and often are fearful for our and other patients saftey.Many of these patients are from prisons,and we have essentially NO security.Mostly a staff of about 8 females,and if we are lucky,we have 1 or 2 male staff members. Better go back to my preparations. Good luck Droop! I hope it doesn't hit you! |
now i'm worried |
good you got cigs. seems those are currency right after these storms. From Yahoo/AP news- As many as 500,000 people in southwestern Louisiana, many of them already displaced by Hurricane Katrina, were told to evacuate. And for those who refused to leave, Gov. Kathleen Blanco advised: "Perhaps they should write their Social Security numbers on their arms with indelible ink." What I hear in the governor is "don't make us work any harder than we already are. If you're going to stay in light of this new storm, just climb your the coffin and shut the lid yourself you dumbfucks" |
Thanks for the encourgement guys.It helped bolster my spirits.The hardest part is the waiting. |
Lessons learned from surviving a hurricane... My car gets 23.21675 miles per gallon, EXACTLY (you can ask the people in line who helped me push it). Kids can survive 4 days or longer without a video game controller in their hand. He who has the biggest generator wins. There are a lot more stars in the sky than most people thought. TV is an addiction and the withdrawal symptoms are painful. A 7 lb bag of ice will chill six 12-oz Budweisers to a drinkable temperature in 11 minutes, and still keep a 14 pound turkey frozen for 8 more hours. There are a lot of damn trees around here. People will get into a line that has already formed without having any idea what the line is for. When required, a Lincoln Continental will float; it doesn't steer well, but it floats just the same. Some things do keep the mailman from his appointed rounds. 27 of your neighbors are fed from a different transformer than you, and they are quick to point that out! If I had a store that sold only ice, chain saws, gas and generators...I'd be rich. Price of peanut butter and bread rises 200% in a storm MATH 101: 30 days in month, minus 6 days without power equals 30% higher electric bill????? The only good thing about not having telephones---you haven't had a call from a telemarketer lately, have you? Keep safe, czarina! |
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wish you were here, czarina. be safe. |
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http://www.radioparadise.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=1497 |
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http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/09/22/national/main878583.shtml |
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CNN confirms our month-old eye-witnessed looting reports by rogue de-mobilized N.O.P.D. "officers." According to CNN 10 of them were holed up in a high-rise old folks home downtown. They stole a generator from a helipad atop Tulane Hospital to power their beer cooler. Tulane confirmed that that' generator was their property and the one that Tulane hospital staff left behind on their roof after their evacuation had been completed so that communications equipment could be re-powered to facilitate and co-ordinate continuing aerial evacuations from Charity Hospital. My friend's sister was stuck in an AIDS ward as a supervising RN with 15 out of 17 patients. For 8 days. Two were evacuated, 15 were left behind without food, water or any night-time illumination except for flashlights. He can't wait to tell her why. |
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jeb: "why us?" my advice, read your fucking bible and see if you can't figure it out. with apologies to all the floridians. stay safe. |
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I hadn't heard. (until today) ____________________________________________________ Dave, I just drove back into town from a one day . . . departure. Met my Mom, sister and a friend of the family at Middendorf's on way back. The friend told me that Johnny Cash is not on this earth anymore . . . ? I hadn't heard that.! Furthermore, they told me about a song written by the fellow that . . sort of Is "Nine Inch Nails" . . . ? That there will be a Voodoo festival for the policemen, firemen, civil servants. . . . in Audubon Park. . . only they can attend. . . That's what I heard anyway. This man will be there to play music. After June Carter Cash died . . . a different manager approached Johnny Cash and wanted him to "get back to his roots" . . . like the ??? album, I can't recall the title. . . I do remember him as "The Man In Black ." Here is a link to the Real Player video of Johnny Cash performing this song. "Hurt" http://www.losthighwayrecords.com/e/cash11403.html I am sort or blown away by it . . . though in the original song it's not "crown of thorns." "pf" --- "Dave" <xxxxxxxx@.com> wrote: > This is the Miami Herald piece on what was going on > at FEMA while New Orleans drowned and burned. The TP > story in today's paper was much longer, but this one > gets right to the point. > > > Posted on Fri, Oct. 21, 2005 > > HURRICANE KATRINA AFTERMATH > FEMA official rips agency > > A FEMA official described 'a systematic failure at > all levels of government to understand the > magnitude' of the problems in New Orleans after > Katrina. > > BY HOPE YEN > Associated Press > > WASHINGTON - In the midst of the chaos that followed > Hurricane Katrina, a Federal Emergency Management > Agency official in New Orleans sent a dire e-mail to > Director Michael Brown saying victims had no food > and were dying. > > No response came from Brown. > > Instead, less than three hours later, an aide to > Brown sent an e-mail saying her boss wanted to go on > a television program that night -- after needing at > least an hour to eat dinner at a Baton Rouge, La., > restaurant. > > The e-mails were made public Thursday at a Senate > Homeland Security Committee hearing featuring Marty > Bahamonde, the first agency official to arrive in > New Orleans in advance of the Aug. 29 storm. The > hurricane killed more than 1,200 people and forced > hundreds of thousands to evacuate. > > Bahamonde, who sent the e-mail to Brown two days > after the storm struck, said the correspondence > illustrates the government's failure to grasp what > was happening. > > ''There was a systematic failure at all levels of > government to understand the magnitude of the > situation,'' Bahamonde testified. ``The leadership > from top down in our agency is unprepared and out of > touch.'' > > The 19 pages of internal FEMA e-mails show Bahamonde > gave regular updates to people in contact with Brown > as early as Aug. 28, the day before Katrina made > landfall. They appear to contradict Brown, who has > said he was not fully aware of the conditions until > days after the storm hit. Brown quit after being > recalled from New Orleans amid criticism of his > work. > > As Katrina's outer bands began drenching the city > Aug. 28, Bahamonde sent an e-mail to Deborah Wing, a > FEMA response specialist. He wrote: ``Everyone is > soaked. This is going to get ugly real fast.'' > > Subsequent e-mails told of an increasingly desperate > situation at the Louisiana Superdome, where tens of > thousands of evacuees were staying. > > On Aug. 31, Bahamonde e-mailed Brown to tell him > that thousands of evacuees were gathering in the > streets with no food or water and that ``estimates > are many will die within hours.'' > > A short time later, Brown's press secretary, Sharon > Worthy, wrote colleagues to complain that the FEMA > director needed more time to eat dinner at a Baton > Rouge restaurant that evening. ''He needs much more > that [sic] 20 or 30 minutes,'' Worthy wrote. > > ''Restaurants are getting busy,'' she said. ``We now > have traffic to encounter to go to and from a > location of his choise [sic], followed by wait > service from the restaurant staff, eating, etc. > Thank you.'' > > In an Aug. 29 phone call to Brown informing him that > the first levee had failed, Bahamonde said he asked > for guidance but did not get a response. > > 'He just said, `Thank you,' and that he was going to > call the White House,'' Bahamonde said. > > > > © 2005 Herald.com and wire service sources. All > Rights Reserved. > http://www.miami.com |
a guitar autographed by Johnny Cash in the wreckage of some fast food joint on the Gulf Coast somewhere, maybe Biloxi, and it was immediately purchased by some Johnny Cash museum somewhere, all very peculiar. |
'Flower people' feeding hurricane victims, winning over skeptics 12:00 AM CDT on Sunday, October 23, 2005 By ALLEN JOHNSON Jr. / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News   MONA REEDER/DMN Nobody speaks for the Rainbows, the Rainbow Web site says, including Twilha Deer, whose pantomime and religious dancing provide entertainment outside her group's dining hall for hurricane victims in Waveland, Miss. The Rainbows are feeding folks in New Orleans as well. Shortly after U.S. Attorney General Al Gonzales announced a crackdown on Hurricane Katrina-related fraud here last week, a small procession of stoic federal agents in dark SUVs glided out of the French Quarter. Led by a wailing police siren, the convoy curved onto a wide boulevard near Washington Square. A conspicuous sign, posted by a group of colorfully dressed campers in the park, beckoned: "Welcome home New Orleans, Community kitchen, free meals." The federal cavalcade pressed on, en route to Mr. Gonzales' scheduled tour of a disaster relief center. Unlike other law enforcement and military personnel, the federal agents in New Orleans passed up a hot meal cooked by the Rainbow Family of a Living Light, a unique disaster response team on the Gulf Coast. A loose-knit network of about 50 long-haired organic apple farmers, medics, midwives and peace activists, members of the Rainbow Family were among the first relief groups to reach hard-hit Waveland, Miss., after Katrina struck on Aug. 29, a police spokesman confirmed. Operating under colored tents in a parking lot across from the Waveland Police Department, the group cooks and serves three hot meals a day to as many as 5,000 people in Waveland. The kitchen in New Orleans, set up about three weeks ago, can serve an estimated 500 people. In Mississippi, the Rainbows are gaining a reputation among law enforcement and county officials for hard work and tenacity. "They have been here pretty much since the beginning," says Lt. Brett Ladner, patrol commander of the Waveland Police Department and a 20-year veteran of law enforcement. "They are flower people, but they are busting their butts," Lt. Ladner says with a chuckle. Various church groups and relief organizations have come and gone, Mr. Ladner says. The Rainbows endure, and their tenure has not been without hardships. "When we pulled into Waveland, there were dead animals in the street," said Felipe Chavez, 67, a long-haired Yaqui native of Arizona and tattooed veteran of the Marine Corps. "There was a big boat right next to the kitchen, and we had to move it." Rainbows proudly note the food they cook is donated, fresh and often organic. Yet, they cringe at any suggestion they are organized, competitive or otherwise structured. "We're not really an organization; we're just people," says Richard Rawski, 49, an organic apple farmer from Wisconsin, wearing a bright yellow T-shirt, purple sweatpants and sandals. The Rainbow Family itself defies easy description. The group has a Web site (www.welcome home.org), but no leaders or spokesman. The Rainbow Web site cautions: "It is a long-standing Rainbow Family consensus that nobody has ever, or ever will, represent the Rainbow Family." However, Rainbows acknowledge some common characteristics: They are pro-environment, accept alternative lifestyles, believe in nonviolence and worship God, whose definition is left open to interpretation. They advocate health and hygiene. Diners are asked to wash their hands in portable foot-pump-operated sinks. The Rainbows encourage peaceful dialogue and communal gatherings. Their tented dining room in Mississippi – dubbed "The Waveland Cafe" – is an example. "It was good to see the police and the firefighters sit down with people from the community," says Mr. Chavez. Since 1972, Rainbow "tribes" around the country have gathered during the first week of July for prayer meetings and fellowship at various national parks. "We try to be the true ideal of a hippie," Mr. Rawski says. That ideal includes freedom from material values and a "9-to-5 job.' " Mr. Chavez rejects any perception that Rainbows practice "free love." "We are not here to fornicate. We are God-loving people," he says. "We are here to serve." Near the entrance to the park, the Louisiana state flag hangs next to a rainbow flag of equal size. They are strung together between two crepe myrtles. A kitchen wish list is taped across a tree, near the buffet serving tables. "I'm very impressed by the whole situation here," says Gwendolyn Ciniard, 55, a New Orleans painter who sells her works on Bourbon Street. "I had the chicken and rice and squash and apple. It was good. The pasta I wasn't too happy about." She politely adds that New Orleanians are epicurean critics, then sighs wearily. "In times like these, it's great to have a little sense of community." Allen Johnson Jr. is a freelance writer based in New Orleans. |
"I'm kind of worried about the future, but I'm optimistic also. You have to take it one day at a time." -- Gregg Stafford, Central City resident, leading the Young Tuxedo Brass Band in a recent jazz funeral for Katrina victims It's both rare and inspiring to see people come together to stop violence -- without police. I saw it happen one night, years ago, in Central City, one of the city's poorest and toughest neighborhoods. I had just picked up a first-time visitor to New Orleans at the airport. I decided to take a shortcut through Central City, an area roughly bounded by Louisiana Avenue, Carondelet Street, the Earhart Expressway and South Claiborne Avenue. I stopped for a red light at the corner of Louisiana Avenue and Freret Street, across from the Original Brown Derby bar. Suddenly, two men in white T-shirts burst out of the lounge, shouting and swinging pool cue sticks at each other. In no time, one man had his stick hard against the throat of the other man, who was bent over backward -- on the hood of my car. Five more men rushed out of the bar and struggled to separate the two fighters. Just then, the light turned green. I leaned out the window. "I got the light," I said. One of the five peacemakers looked at me, then up at the light, then back at me: "It's cool!" he said, apologetically. And it was. They hustled the two fighters back into the bar and the door closed quietly behind them. It was over in seconds. I drove on, full of civic pride at the speedy, peaceful outcome. My guest was stunned, speechless. Gregg Stafford -- one of Central City's most accomplished residents -- laughs at my story, clapping his hands. "'I got the light!'" repeats Stafford, 53, a nationally known musician and a math teacher in the Orleans Parish school system. Born and raised in the Magnolia housing project, he is a trumpet player and leader of the generations-old Young Tuxedo Brass Band. He has traveled the world, playing with such jazz greats as Art Blakely, Dizzy Gillespie and New Orleans' own Dr. Michael White. Looking out on a deserted Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard toward the Central Business District, Stafford admits he is ambivalent about post-Katrina Central City. "I'm kind of worried about the future, but I'm optimistic also," says Stafford, who has been laid off from his teaching job since Katrina. "You have to take it one day at a time." Most of Central City did not flood, though there was wind damage and some businesses were looted. A mandatory evacuation followed. However, most of the residents of Central City still have not returned since the city reopened. Ê On a recent Friday afternoon, a brightly colored mural of Dr. Martin Luther King had few admirers. Up Oretha Castle Haley, a knot of activists stood talking outside of the temporarily closed AshŽ Cultural Arts Center. A few people darted inside Cafe Reconcile, a popular nonprofit restaurant that has trained some 300 at-risk youth for culinary jobs since opening in 2000. What makes Central City special is its people and community, Stafford says, seated inside the cafe. Michael White sits just a few tables away. "You have a lot of hard-working people" in Central City whose history and culture have been overlooked because of public attention to Treme and other neighborhoods, pre-Katrina, Stafford says. Central City was home to music greats Buddy Bolden and Kid Ory, whose homes are unmarked, and the famous Dew Drop Inn nightclub. In addition to schoolteachers and working-class people, numerous Mardi Gras Indians reside in three housing developments in Central City that have been temporarily closed since Katrina amid safety concerns. Stafford fears that those folks will not return and that other longtime residents will be forced out by private landlords seeking higher rent. "The future depends on the leaders of the city and how they allow people to come back and not allow gouging by landlords," he says. Jobs, education and adequate housing are keys to recovery, Stafford says. To keep drugs and crime from making a comeback, he says, discipline must be restored to the police department, which has been beseiged by investigations of alleged brutality and corruption in the wake of Katrina. Others who work in Central City say the neighborhood's future will hinge on community effort and the characteristic resilience of its residents. Craig Cuccia, executive director of Cafe Reconcile, says leadership of the neighborhood has typically come from City Hall. "However, (Katrina) is going to be the event that helps real leadership emerge," Cuccia predicts. Pre-Katrina, area merchants were developing the neighborhood as a cultural tourism district, an alternative to the French Quarter. Today, Cuccia says, "[Central City] is the land of opportunity all over again. It will depend on entrepreneurs and risk-takers willing to dig in." Judy Watts, executive director of the Agenda for Children, a child advocacy group, warns that the neighborhood needs more kid-friendly environs. "The kids obviously are not going to come back until we have schools and child care," Watts says. There were only 10 child-care centers licensed to operate in Orleans Parish last week, including Clear Head day-care center in Central City. On a recent sunny Saturday afternoon, Gregg Stafford led his Young Tuxedo Brass Band in a symbolic jazz funeral honoring the memories of 1,055 people who died as a result of Hurricane Katrina. A horse-drawn carriage carried an empty white casket inside a glass-enclosed case, from Treme into the French Quarter. The band struck up a joyous song. Second-liners twirled yellow umbrellas high in the October sun. They seemed relieved to dance again. This time around, they got the light. |
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pics to come. unbelieveable and encouraging at the same time. |
right off the bat i have to gush about the two celeb sightings in the hotel, both at breakfast on consecutive days. paul schaeffer was at the table next to us on one day. not too big a deal. However the next day, waiting for the host to seat us, i turn at the british voice standing behind us and fucking A its ELVIS COSTELLO!!!!!! In LA you're trained to not approach in these situations, its just not right. not at 10 am in the morning presumably when he (and us too) just got up. He was seated a few tables from us. The GF had an amusing exchange with him at the buffet waiting for the honey to drip but otherwise there was no interaction. moving on.... i took some digital snap shots, in addition to film. these are my snap shots. part of the trip involved removing belongings from the gf's house to come back to LA. A friend of ours, who'se house was under 6 ft of water in midtown was there. the CBD, french quarter, garden and uptown areas (where we spent most of our time) are somewhat alive. bars and restaurants are open on a limited basis. when you leave that area for places like midtown where more heavy flooding occured they become ghost towns. they still dont have power, as our friends neighborhood didnt. she was probably the only resident for blocks to actually be staying (in the 2nd, undamaged floor) there using a generator and kerosene heat. what was encouraging is the struggling tourism and hospitality industry, battered and bruised struggling to its feet. the food we had while there (except the really bad mexican food on magazine) was out of sight. Though limited menus, they were making do. http://www.printroom.com/ViewAlbum.asp?userid=waffleboy&album_id=205522&curpage=2 |
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we got a deal on the new convertable mustang at the airport so having a muscle car in a desolate city can be fun. it can also be slightly scary as it draws major attention and in parts of town in an already poor town, with limited law enforcement (there were still HUMvs and a 2am curfew). we had protection. yes, it was amazing. i heard this morning that 80% of the residents still havent returned. being in a million person city with have the city gone...yeah its a very post-apocolyptic indeed. |
nice pics. i remember driving a guy from new york down to my family's ranch - through the hill country with the gnarled trees and caliche roads. he said "christ man, we could be in beirut for all i know!" |
It sorta looks like a war zone, except for the condition of the streets them selves. Did you get out of the city at all? I'm wondering what the surrounding country side looks like. |
didnt leave the city. the streets are littered with personal items like the barney doll...dvd's, tv's, books everything. i took that because it sorta tweaked a nerve in me. looking around, you wonder who's house and child it belonged. i can tell you from the air, at least 60-70% of the homes in the surrounding area have blue tarps. |
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hey guys, got a favor to ask. senor really wants to see this show that's airing on HBO tonight. we don't have HBO and oddly enough, we've emailed all our friends in austin, and they either do not have HBO or if they do, they don't have a way to record TV shows. so i want to ask if anyone can tape or otherwise record this show for senor. http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/whentheleveesbroke/ it's the Spike Lee documentary about New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina. senor lived in nola for 8 years and has family and friends there. maybe you can look up on your cable TV guide to find out what time it's airing in your area? does anyone have the ability to record/tape it? if not, no big deal, just thought i'd ask. i'd owe you one. |
but i don't think i can get it to you. i can out to VCR, i guess, and i might have a vcr somewhere, but it is HD and i don't know what that would mean. to out HD to vcr. anyway. if tiggy or dave. or someone has a solution, i can definitely do that. |
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sarah, if you don't already have a bittorrent client, download azureus -- http://azureus.sourceforge.net/download.php and then get the files from here -- http://www.mininova.org/search/?search=when+the+levees+broke if you're behind a firewall/router, you may have to open a couple ports to get azureus to work properly. the app should let you know which ports it needs to use. |
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thank you! awesome! |
i do like this picture of rob -- http://static.flickr.com/77/225007837_b4f91e9f49_o.jpg i'd still see them live, and probably will in tacoma in a month or so. |
the new album is waaay better than i expected. |
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tacoma loves nomeansno. |
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tacoma is punk rock in a way that seattle tries really hard to be, or wishes it could be. |
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sem, have you heard the hanson brothers? you have to get this: gross misconduct. hockey. ramones. totally rocks. |
i just found some vids of them from the cbc. "just concerts". i don't know if that's a tv show or something more like aol videos thing that you can get from winamp media library. (or aol, of course). anyway, imagine if the ramones were all technical and shit. that's the hanson brothers. |
I've been checking out nomeansno concert footage on Youtube, as well. |
