Hey Ed, I gotta disagree with ya on this one. Those guys in New Orlens NEED a party. I took a direct hit from Hurricane Charlie in '04 and that was just 140 mph winds, no flooding. We're STILL trying to get back on our feet. Not enough of anything. EVERYTHING is a hassle. And I feel bad about complaining after watching what Katrina did to those folks. It all wears on ya. Give 'em a break. They need it. Thanks for a great show.

The media claims "crowds are down", but that's only if you don't count the dead bodies still buried in the rubble.



Mac

That was a little RAW, Mac.

I think the locals needed the party-time. I also think it was good for any outsiders to visit the area as many did drive arounds and saw the reality.

I heard from someone who went and said the mess is worse than anyone can imagine.

I also think this port mess which will go thru no matter what anyone says or does, is a big distraction gimmick away from existing poblems like NOLA.

I agree, they need to do this at least their still getting attention. I'm in Florida and we are gearing up of a reply in '06.

..Say again. I cant tell what your last comment means, is....

I sent comments to MSNBC and CNN requesting they get offa their lazy butts and get new video of the 9th Ward and Gentilly and elsewhere in New Orleans, I'm so sick of the sight of roofs peaking up out of the water that drained 6 months ago. There are compelling current visuals of the damage.

Everybody, deluge them with requests, p-p-please?

I keep in touch with AC/KO. AC will cover this til the cows come home.
And good that he does.

Thanks!

RAW, but accurate.
Some of those bodies are of FRIENDS of mine.


Mac

I'm sincerely sorry for your loss, Mac, but death is not a major cause of the Mardi Gras crowds being sparse. The fact that 2/3 of the population of the city is currently out of town, with cause, is the major reason.

Countdown just did an excellent job!! Wow! Rainwater...you're GOOD!

I spoken with several people who have been there lately.
They tell of a sickening, "sweet" smell that permeates everything.
What they didn't realize is, it's the smell of death (rotting flesh).

It is NOT conducive to tourism.
The "reptile brain" recognizes it, even if the rational brain doesn't.


Mac

How are you doing in your situation?

Yesterday (Sunday) FEMA installed the temporary electric pole for the trailer we're waiting for! We might have in the trailer in a week or so.

The Small Business Administration Loss Verifyer (I'm glad I don't have that title), inspected and recommended that our house be torn down. That's good news. Bad news is I don't know where we'll find a builder or materials.

I finally got an arborist to come out and clean up my oak trees. He wants me to fertilize them when they start to leaf out, they're terribly stressed. I'm glad they didn't tip over like so many did.

I almost don't hear the industrial noises anymore, I feel them when the house shudders. Dining out is still a problem, not enough restaurants have reopened for the demand. Movie theaters are still closed. My drug store, set up in a trailer for the past 5 months, disappeared last week. Traffic is still hopelessly snarled, even *with* traffic signals working.

People are generally nice, polite, and patient. I'm okay, even if I'm not it doesn't do any good to not be okay. It's not like I can change anything.

I had forgotten that you were in NOLA.
I wont again. You've got friends here. I know you know that....

I'm across the lake in Slidell, but the surge made it here too. I know I have friends, y'all cheer me up.

Well it nice to know that you are getting close to getting your trailer. Pretty soon we might actually know that it can be done. People need to hear what the actual situation is and what is getting done. You should contact Holmey and let him know about it. Ed could do a weekly update. I think Ed's listeners would be very interested. If you want the word out, you may have to help it along yourself.

I tried so hard to take in some animals, large or small; lord knows Ive got the room.
Nothing worked out from this distance; it seems the only way to do rescue was to actually get down there, which I was not able to do.
If not for being responsible for this ranch I wouldve gone down to, volunteer, do something. Haul animals back here.
Keep me posted.....

I agree!
j740460....Will you be our representative from that area? Will you post here daily, as often as you can with updates, news, currrent info??????
I think that would be great. We'll keep the thread up and going, in the forefront.
what do you think?

Come on guys. Any party where women go around exposing their breasts can't be that bad.

But I'm not in New Orleans, only been there once since the storm to see the damage and grieve. Naw, I can answer questions, but updates and news and info is really beyond my capabilities at this time. Sorry.

Noah's Wish set up headquarters a couple of blocks from my house, they were very good at responding to reports of abandoned animals, and finding and caring for them, getting them back to their owners. They kept at it until about a month ago. Slidell is a tiny part of the devastated area. New Orleans animals had it much worse.

There is a small house similar to mine two streets over that had a really big pine cut right through the middle of it. I saw a big orange fluffy cat sitting on the peak of the roof, I stopped and stared, it stared back, then turned it's back on me. I moved on. I hope it belonged next door.

I just meant a little something like you posted above, just so we know what is really getting done.

Where in "New Orleans" were they? That description sounds like somebody barfed up one of Pat O'Brien's Hurricanes.

They were in the Ninth Ward, looking for relatives (found 'em, thank ghod).
They didn't know what the smell was from, so I DIDN'T tell them.
Also got whiffs of it in parts of the Quarter.
They may be going back in April or May.


Mac

I'll post what occurs to me, after 6 months what we have seems normal to me, isn't THAT a disturbing thought.

In the new arrangement, after we exit this moldy house, we'll be parked at a friend's house. I'll have free run of a rather large house that only got an inch of water and has been 95% repaired. Since I won't have much housework in the trailer I'll be able to cook dinner for 4 most days, something I will enjoy because I haven't had a stove in 6 months. The flood got it. I'll have access to a washer and dryer, and even a bathtub if I wish.

Two couples I know (and many more I don't know) purchased their own camping trailers, which they parked in their respective driveways. They have to go to the laundromat and cooking is a real problem...not to mention the bathroom facilities. Living shouldn't be synonymous with camping.

I'm glad the relatives were found. I wish FEMA would grow a little common sense and release the records of where they sent people.

It's probable that nothing much will have changed by April or May. The recovery is making gains by millimeters.

You guys have it all wrong about Mardi Gras. It's not about the party, it's about the following things:

1) The Revenue
This it the most important thing, because the city badly needs the money. Yesterday, the Picayune estimated that the revenue from Mardi Gras this year was about 200 million, which is down from previous years, but still much needed. Maybe now we can fund some of our basic services like stoplights.

2) The Perception
We have always suffered from an image problem in white bread America. Now it's been compounded. Thanks to a complete lack of journalism integrity by the corporate new$, our image is now of looters, rapings and murders in the Superdome and convention center, which have never been verified, and the "Chocolate City". We needed to have Mardi Gras to show the world that this city is still viable and can be saved.

3) The Healing
Since most of the obnoxious tourists decided to ride this one out, Mardi Gras this year was almost entirely local. Many people came back from where ever they were displaced from to participate. The crowd was predominantly New Orleanians, Lousianians, and Relief Workers. There was a great attitude that was present throughout the entire celebration. Everyone was cordial, arrests were down 75%. It was really wonderful.

On a personal note, this is the best Mardi Gras celebration I have ever seen in the city. I usually loath going down to the quarter, but I "got my shoes at Bourbon Street" twice during Mardi Gras. It was great. As I mentioned before, everyone was polite and having a good time. Even the debauchery was way down (which was nice).

To the CNN crew who were determined to portray this as some sort party reminiscent of the "Masque of The Red Death" where people were reveling on the backs of other misery; sorry that just wasn't the case. If the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club saw the necessity of marching and were happy to parade, as well as the Mardi Gras Indians, and bands from Treme, then everyone else should get in line behind them, because their members were the hardest hit in the city.

As to the poster who suggested that the smell of death permeates the city, I am sorry that is just silly. I have no doubts that there are many dead who are still unaccounted for, however, only the wackiest people would suggest that the number is in the three digits. Please don't contribute to the fear mongering and shoddy information flow that has been Katrina's calling card.

As for my personal bona fides, I live in Uptown. My residence turned into lakefront property during Katrina. However, the waterline stopped at 29 inches and my floorboards start at 36, so I am not even about to complain about my lot in life when so many more have lost everything. I love the city, and like so many others who also love it, refuse to let it go quietly into the night (sorry congress).

As a veiwer, I didnt see it that way at all.

Btw....thanks for your info.

OH MY GOD I HAVE A TRAILER!!! It's a trailer! Mine. *I* have KEYS!! It's got a microwave oven, a gas stove and oven, a fridge and freezer, an awning that rolls out, I have a bathtub...no matter how small I can still shave my legs...and a shower and exhaust fan, a medicine cabinet! Four bunk beds in one end of the trailer (cats will love them) and a queen size bed in the other end with a fold-down bed in the living/dining room. I have windows! A lot of the FEMA trailers have, like, 3 windows in the whole trailer. Mine has bunches! It's got central air cond and heating. I have a divided sink. And they gave me a coffee maker, set of cookware, set for 4 dinnerware, s&p shakers, sharp knife, collander, veggie peeler, veggie brush, flatware, sheets, pillows, bedspreads.

All I need is my toothbrush...oh, if it were only that simple.

Now they just have to hook up the electric. And the person who verifies it's inhabitable has to...verify it's inhabitable. <pant pant> Then we MOVE! Happyhappyjoyjoyjoy!!!

WELL COOL..... glad to hear it!!!!!
When do you get to LIVE inside???

Dunno. But I'm a step closer! I'll be sure to let y'all know when it happens!

Oh! And I found out today that the Parish got a grant to help up bulldoze homes that can't be saved! Good news for moi!

I guess it's all based on perspective.

You welcome for the info. Always happy to talk about my favorite city.

Party on New Orleans, they need something to feel good about

Update:

The trailer had to be inspected for occupancy, it's been inspected, but she didn't have a generator with her (couldn't get one) so she couldn't check the air conditioner or the microwave. Another inspector is supposed to be along in a few days.

I contacted the electric co to get power to the temp pole. I'm thinking we may be in the trailer in less than a week. Then I gotta get the phone moved. <sigh> Back on dial-up. Ghod, I'm so spoiled.

I was dreading using propane and I found out yesterday that of the fridge, stove, water heater, furnace, only the stove runs only on propane! When the trailer detects an electrical connection, those all switch automatically to electric! NEAT!!

Update: I signed the lease with (a contractor for) FEMA on Friday. Still don't have electricity, the nice contractor said he's holler at the parish office which is supposed to come out and buy off my power pole and contact the electric co so they can hook up the power. This snag makes me a little droopy.

I bought a doormat for the trailer, it features flamingos.

I was wondering about you! I finally got a CALL from a large animal rescue!!!!!!!!!!!
I may be, may, be getting a couple horses in to shelter.....Much red tape, many calls to go.....
Have you got any dates on when you can move in? Im sure you said, but where have you been holed up while waiting? I hope this moves for you soon....

Great news about the horses. There were a LOT of horses in New Orleans, it was weird to be driving along in a residential area and suddenly see a small pasture with horses(!).

Anyhow, Friday I was told that the parish was supposed to be out to inspect within THREE days of FEMA notifying them that the trailer was ready to inspect. I don't know if that includes weekends. If not, the parish has to be here by tomorrow, then the electric co has to come out and actually run the line to the temp pole.

Still in moldy home, no place else to be. A friend just quit his job in New Orleans and moved permanently to Dallas because he can't find a place here to live. It's so sad. First the diaspora from the hurricane, lost businesses, lost jobs, no place to come home to. And people WITH jobs can't stay.

I was in Houston last weekend. Being around "normal" people I realized just how disoriented I am. I mean, life hands you stuff all the time but you have a bedrock to stand on while you deal with life's stuff. I don't have a bedrock anymore. It's like having a bag over your head, being twirled around, and swatting at a pinata day in and day out, 24/7, and you never know when/if it's going to end. It's very disturbing.

I think the trailer will help immensely. We'll be able to pack up the house, winter clothes, kitchen stuff...I don't even know if I have a collander any more...everything. At least I'll know what I own. My husband stopped moving stuff on me. He was packing things in boxes, which on the surface is a good idea, right? But when you have a stack of boxes and you need something fetched out, and you don't know which box it's in...it's a lot of motion with no progress and it adds to the problems.

If you're still reading this....thanks for letting me dump on youse.

Whenever I moved (35 addresses in my first 35 years, just 1 since then), I always tried to limit it to one or two boxes per room and labeled the boxes (both room and what).
Always had 1 extra box labeled "junk drawer" for all those little items you need frequently (that usually end up in the kitchen junk drawer anyway).



Mac

NO Problem.
What are you going to do so as not to carry mold with you?

I cant imagine what you are dealing with.......

I wonder if it's a northwest thing. Grew up in Seattle, always had a junk drawer in the kitchen, only we called it a "monkey drawer". Go figure.

Can't do much, wouldn't matter anyhow, it's everywhere. Every house, every block, blows in the wind. Never really thought about it. Sure can't do anything. I guess time will take care of it.

What were the circumstances behind that?

I phoned the parish about the electrical inspection that was supposed to be completed within 3 days, and it seems the contractor never called them. <droop> I'm on the "fast" track again.

Lessee, the worst has already happened today....I'm bulletproof, I think I'll go play in the freeway.

Many and varied, some related to poverty (as a child).
Like the opportunity to move from sub-standard housing to slightly better (but still sub-standard) housing. Lots of job changes, and a few "break-ups".


Mac

.....You got any 'new' dates for this?

Btw...the horse thing was about contacting me to see if I was still available for shelter, with spring coming on and hay needs they wanted to know what I could do. Im on a list.....not a "fast track".... Probably just as well, with drought here and pasture grass looking bleak.

Nah, it's back to the "within 3 days" thingie. Today was Thursday, that means either Sunday or Tuesday. I have to leave for College Station, TX on Monday evening and won't be back until the following Monday, so....matters not. At least I won't have to think about it for a week.

I didn't know about your drought. Are "they" going to give you any assistance in feeding the horses?

They were only updating the CO list of those who offered shelter, Im still on it....If any horses do come here I can provide hay. But...it would be nice for some snow rain for pasture...