Katrina

[CreativeChaos]

For those of you who don't know and weren't around to see my Mardi Gras thread, I'm from New Orleans. The atmosphere is not so party, party around here anymore. Most people in the New Orleans MSA are really quite affected.

Well, we just had the first year anniversary of Katrina. I didn't join any of the activities. They really weren't that advertized or well attended here. Most people are still just too shocked and devestated.

Most of my freinds here were deeply affected by Katrina. Everywhere you go and meet new people, the discussion of how it affected you comes up. It's talked about all of the time here.

I lost my 15 year job as a result of Katrina. I still haven't found a new one. Professional jobs are scarce. The city is still really a mess. I go to a variety of discussion groups here, and know many people who have lost everything. Others, still have there jobs, but no house.

Did you happen to see the news report on ABC? (That's my favorite news place) Charlie Gibson was down here. We get a lot of famous people here for various reasons, but this was a sad one. I knew that things were bad, but that report really captured the true nature of the situation here. Wow!

I could really sympathize with so much personally. Charity Hospital here is non-existant. Poor souls with no insurance can't even get adiquite care. And there are more and more people, like myself, who need it, because they lost their jobs and no longer have insurance. I am paying $275 a month for mine, but I don't know how much longer I can keep that up.

Crime is rampant in my area. I live on the West Bank, that was less affected and much of the crime that was in the central metro area has moved over here. Ugh!

And hopefully we won't get another hurricane even near us this season. A second blow would really bring the city that is already on it's knees, to the ground.

Cindy

[kuranes]

Is anybody doing anything down there related to setting up Barter systems at all ?

[CreativeChaos]

Is anybody doing anything down there related to setting up Barter systems at all ?

Wow! That's an interesting question Kuranes. I haven't seen any, or heard of anything of that nature. There are a lot of people who have come down here and donated their time and given things. But barter? Hmmm... that's a great idea. Maybe some things like that are going on, but not on any kind of scale.

Many, many businesses have just closed up shop. Period. In the most affected areas of the city: MidTown, Central New Orleans, Chalmette, River Ridge, East New Orleans, etc., there are few restaurants, few gas stations, and few of everything.

My discussion meeting places for example are in some of the badly affected parts of town. You have to make sure you have gasoline. EVERY restaurant that I have been too has reduced their menu. They have like a one page menu, compared to the usual large fold up kind. Slowly, some are beginning to increase their menus.

The school that I go too is a huge medical complex, where the first floor flooded. There is still no access to that. The school lost a lot of professors and had to meet in Baton Rouge for a while, but their back. They are really hurting for professors and students. Which is how I got in. ;)

Anway, nothing is normal around here like a city of this size would be and was. Nothing.

[cryingmime]

i know it's your home, and all...but if i were unable to find a job in over a year, i might think about moving. (*note, i'm not thinking in a shitty tone of voice*)

mind you, i don't know your situation, so i'm in no way able to tell you what to do...and i'm not saying, either, that i'm not sympathetic to your situation (because i am)... but at what point do you just give up the old life and start anew?

does anyone else on the forum have a similar experience of "starting over"? how did you do it?

r

[CEOofRawness]

For those of you who don't know and weren't around to see my Mardi Gras thread, I'm from New Orleans. The atmosphere is not so party, party around here anymore. Most people in the New Orleans MSA are really quite affected.

Well, we just had the first year anniversary of Katrina. I didn't join any of the activities. They really weren't that advertized or well attended here. Most people are still just too shocked and devestated.

Most of my freinds here were deeply affected by Katrina. Everywhere you go and meet new people, the discussion of how it affected you comes up. It's talked about all of the time here.

I lost my 15 year job as a result of Katrina. I still haven't found a new one. Professional jobs are scarce. The city is still really a mess. I go to a variety of discussion groups here, and know many people who have lost everything. Others, still have there jobs, but no house.

Did you happen to see the news report on ABC? (That's my favorite news place) Charlie Gibson was down here. We get a lot of famous people here for various reasons, but this was a sad one. I knew that things were bad, but that report really captured the true nature of the situation here. Wow!

I could really sympathize with so much personally. Charity Hospital here is non-existant. Poor souls with no insurance can't even get adiquite care. And there are more and more people, like myself, who need it, because they lost their jobs and no longer have insurance. I am paying $275 a month for mine, but I don't know how much longer I can keep that up.

Crime is rampant in my area. I live on the West Bank, that was less affected and much of the crime that was in the central metro area has moved over here. Ugh!

And hopefully we won't get another hurricane even near us this season. A second blow would really bring the city that is already on it's knees, to the ground.

Cindy



As I right this right now we're being hit by tropical storm Ernesto. It's not all that bad though, certainly not nearly as bad as it might seem. I remember Katrina last year, it his us too, only it was a CAT 1 instead. I was outside in my car in nothing but sandals and boxers enjoying my car's AC and charging my phone in the middle of the storm. Cops were nearby patrolling and I was shitting myself. Not that I was doing illegal, I just didn't know how to explain sitting in my car in the middle of a hurricane in my boxers and sandals.

I feel bad for the people over in New Orleans, Here in Florida we're used to hurricanes and we're prepared all the time. But it was poor preperation of the governer and a poor levy system. It was designed to withstand up to CAT 3 hurricanes, Katrina was a CAT 5.

That being said, global warming is causing more hurricanes and more intense ones at that too. Meterologists predict that most of the hurricanes will hit the NE of the US this year. I heard that NY getting hit by a CAT 3 hurricane is the same as a CAT 5, because the infratstructure of the buildings aren't meant to withstand hurricanes (obviously, it was never a problem in the past). So for those of you in NY... prepare yourselves. I don't think Katrina was the last time we were scheduled to have a massive natural disaster. It might not be a Day After Tomorrow scenario, but it might be close.

[charred_heart]

what happened in New Orleans is one of those things that reminds me I live in a screwed up world. That's why I feel blessed that I have no illusions about life :)

has anybody even hinted at stepping up to start restoring the city CC?

[kuranes]

Wow! That's an interesting question Kuranes. I haven't seen any, or heard of anything of that nature. There are a lot of people who have come down here and donated their time and given things. But barter? Hmmm... that's a great idea. Maybe some things like that are going on, but not on any kind of scale.



I know a lady that just started working for an organization called Time Bank in Maine, that is a way for people to exchange their labor for the labor/services of others. Maybe there is one in your area, or something like it. Or maybe you could get government funding as the female owner of such a start-up.

[omnirook]

i know it's your home, and all...but if i were unable to find a job in over a year, i might think about moving. (*note, i'm not thinking in a shitty tone of voice*)

mind you, i don't know your situation, so i'm in no way able to tell you what to do...and i'm not saying, either, that i'm not sympathetic to your situation (because i am)... but at what point do you just give up the old life and start anew?

does anyone else on the forum have a similar experience of "starting over"? how did you do it?

r
My mate, Nicki. What did he do? Liquified as much as possible into cash and dumped the rest as excess baggage, too much to carry. He then went where he thought he could make it or at least get ahead - first to Poland, then to Germany, then to the United States. He always made sure that he had a nest egg and learned to live w/o most of what other people consider "essential" - you would be amazed to find out what is really essential. Cell phones, for instance, are not; neither is cable or even tv. Beans are as good a source of protein as meat, and one does not waste money on fashion: buy a few, quality-made outfits for all different weathers, and to hell w/keeping in style. Even when he had a car, if he could feasibly walk to where he needed to get, he did so - saved on gas, after all - and tires - and brakes, etc. He didn't give a damn what he had to do - he was just determined to survive. Cash. Forget credit if you are really poor. Cash is easily hidden and does not create bills. It's not easy - he suffered a good deal, but he made it. Most who really want to make it, can and do.

[Heleuiski]

CC do you think that the city will ever fully recover?

[attila_the_hunny]

I remember when Katrina happened, my step-father offered his three bedroom house completely free of charge for 6 months or something for displaced victims. No one even responded.

[CEOofRawness]

I remember when Katrina happened, my step-father offered his three bedroom house completely free of charge for 6 months or something for displaced victims. No one even responded.

Everyone's cell phone was out of service.

[attila_the_hunny]

Everyone's cell phone was out of service.

It was through a relief agency. It was advertised. For four months.

[rainfall]

I remember when Katrina happened, my step-father offered his three bedroom house completely free of charge for 6 months or something for displaced victims. No one even responded.
Was he wearing a skirt and stockings or had some other creepy behaviour at the time? I found out with practise that imitating normal behaviour for a little while helps me lure my victims better.

[attila_the_hunny]

Was he wearing a skirt and stockings or had some other creepy behaviour at the time? I found out with practise that imitating normal behaviour for a little while helps me lure my victims better.

He's the vice president of an insurance company. And an ESTJ. Highly unlikely.

[cryingmime]

hearing the crime statistics in some of those cities and apartment complexes that did take in those displaced by Katrina, i wonder if it's a better thing that he didn't end up having his house rented out.

r

[attila_the_hunny]

hearing the crime statistics in some of those cities and apartment complexes that did take in those displaced by Katrina, i wonder if it's a better thing that he didn't end up having his house rented out.

r

Probably. I was glad he didn't [I'm sure my mother and him would have made me mingle or do something with them], but he was disappointed.

[rainfall]

He's the vice president of an insurance company. And an ESTJ. Highly unlikely.
Being a corporate crime lord does not rule out such little fun things like wearing stockings or inviting strangers to stay at your house to accommodate them in more than one way. You'd have to keep it very hush hust, though.
I have to admit that being a J and E would probably rule out perversions, unless they are the ones of worst kind - the ones even their owner is denying.
But back on topic. I wonder, did the US guvmnt set up some sort of fund to help victims of future disasters like katrina?

[immortalmack]

the coldest thing I've heard about all of this is when media will ask questions like "why should american tax payers pay for rebuilding N.O.". But I do remember vividly (because i watched it live) even before and after and all through the trade tower deal People were like "og og we will rebuild og og we rebuild" then when it comes to an totally un-orchestrated event theyre talking about what should tax payers should pay for. Ask us do we want to pay for Iraq!

[ptGatsby]

Ask us do we want to pay for Iraq!


Oh come now, its not like they would spend more federal money rebuilding Iraq than New Orleans. That wouldn't make any sense.


The transfer marks a significant refocusing of the year-old, $18.4 billion effort to rebuild Iraq.



So far, the city has collected only $117 million to start the repair work in what has been billed as the largest urban restoration in U.S. history.

...

FEMA has signed off on $4.8 billion worth of rebuilding in Louisiana and $1.7 billion in Mississippi so far, said Darryl Madden, a spokesman for FEMA's Gulf Coast recovery office

...

Louisiana eventually expects to get at least $25 billion in federal money for rebuilding projects, including everything from levee repairs to homeowner assistance.


See? <_<

[Zephyrus055]

For those of you who don't know and weren't around to see my Mardi Gras thread, I'm from New Orleans. The atmosphere is not so party, party around here anymore. Most people in the New Orleans MSA are really quite affected.

Well, we just had the first year anniversary of Katrina. I didn't join any of the activities. They really weren't that advertized or well attended here. Most people are still just too shocked and devestated.

Most of my freinds here were deeply affected by Katrina. Everywhere you go and meet new people, the discussion of how it affected you comes up. It's talked about all of the time here.

I lost my 15 year job as a result of Katrina. I still haven't found a new one. Professional jobs are scarce. The city is still really a mess. I go to a variety of discussion groups here, and know many people who have lost everything. Others, still have there jobs, but no house.

Did you happen to see the news report on ABC? (That's my favorite news place) Charlie Gibson was down here. We get a lot of famous people here for various reasons, but this was a sad one. I knew that things were bad, but that report really captured the true nature of the situation here. Wow!

I could really sympathize with so much personally. Charity Hospital here is non-existant. Poor souls with no insurance can't even get adiquite care. And there are more and more people, like myself, who need it, because they lost their jobs and no longer have insurance. I am paying $275 a month for mine, but I don't know how much longer I can keep that up.

Crime is rampant in my area. I live on the West Bank, that was less affected and much of the crime that was in the central metro area has moved over here. Ugh!

And hopefully we won't get another hurricane even near us this season. A second blow would really bring the city that is already on it's knees, to the ground.

Cindy
Why dont you move in with me?

[rainfall]

Oh come now, its not like they would spend more federal money rebuilding Iraq than New Orleans. That wouldn't make any sense.


The transfer marks a significant refocusing of the year-old, $18.4 billion effort to rebuild Iraq.



So far, the city has collected only $117 million to start the repair work in what has been billed as the largest urban restoration in U.S. history.

...

FEMA has signed off on $4.8 billion worth of rebuilding in Louisiana and $1.7 billion in Mississippi so far, said Darryl Madden, a spokesman for FEMA's Gulf Coast recovery office

...

Louisiana eventually expects to get at least $25 billion in federal money for rebuilding projects, including everything from levee repairs to homeowner assistance.


See? <_<

I happen to be an evil person and know how these things work and I would like to comment: It would make sense to send more money to iraq to rebuild it because more money could be stolen and signed off. Money goes there, we can rebuild houses that did not exist, or we can "build" houses only on paper (on paper: workers got hired, house got built, then it gets "destroyed" by insurgents - while in reality: none of it happens. Money dissapears, though.)
It's a very profitable business.

[ptGatsby]

It's a very profitable business.


Nonsense! I'm sure everyone is perfectly honest and every dollar is accounted for.


As little as 27 cents of every dollar spent on Iraq's reconstruction has actually filtered down to projects benefiting Iraqis,



See! 27% effectiveness is far more than most governments achieve. <_<

(I fear that I can only bring up sarcasm for this particular topic... it gets me too upset otherwise.)

[rainfall]

Nonsense! I'm sure everyone is perfectly honest and every dollar is accounted for.


As little as 27 cents of every dollar spent on Iraq's reconstruction has actually filtered down to projects benefiting Iraqis,



See! 27% effectiveness is far more than most governments achieve. <_<

(I fear that I can only bring up sarcasm for this particular topic... it gets me too upset otherwise.)
Ah, cmon - you're an INTP - push those feelings away! They are nothing but a small hinderance to the logical thinking.

[Mountain_Recluse]

Katrina was just a warning.

All of New Orleans which is below the level of a Cat 5 storm sturge should be turned into public parks, golf courses, and green zones. All that which is below sea level should be turned into fish farms.

For gosh sakes folks, get out of there!
Move up the river or somewhere out of Hurricane alley.

[CreativeChaos]

Quote:
Originally Posted by cryingmime
i know it's your home, and all...but if i were unable to find a job in over a year, i might think about moving. (*note, i'm not thinking in a shitty tone of voice*)

mind you, i don't know your situation, so i'm in no way able to tell you what to do...and i'm not saying, either, that i'm not sympathetic to your situation (because i am)... but at what point do you just give up the old life and start anew?

does anyone else on the forum have a similar experience of "starting over"? how did you do it?

r

Sorry my dear INTPs :D
I haven't joined your swaree(sp?) in a while. Been busy. ( I bet Mely-Pooh really missed me. Lol!)

Uh, yeah cryingme. That's exactly why the city has lost about one third of its population. I certainly gave it some serious thought. But, I'm now enrolled in a Speech Pathology program. Decided to change careers. Easier to get degree here. Don't have to pay out of state fees.

Quote:

Originally Posted by charred_heart
what happened in New Orleans is one of those things that reminds me I live in a screwed up world. That's why I feel blessed that I have no illusions about life

has anybody even hinted at stepping up to start restoring the city CC?


Oh yeah! There are lots of movements. I just got emailed about a big one. The damage is just sooo great. It's a monumental task. (That reminds me, they are extending unemployment benefits for those who lost there job as a result of Katrina. Damn! I have to find that little article a freind gave me. I was going to give stats, but there are like 80,000 people still unemployed here.)



CC do you think that the city will ever fully recover?

No. I really don't think so. It will come back, but it will be much smaller in population. The racial tensions are very high for a variety of reasons.

The elite whites that own multi-million dollor homes and so-forth along St. Charles and elsewhere (there are a lot of very expensive homes in NO) are said to have felt that it was a nice little purge to get the poor blacks out.

I don't know how true it all is, but there is a prevailing attitude among blacks that they are not wanted here, they were treated poorly, and there's a lot of famous blacks trying to help get the "soul" back into New Orleans.

When the mayor (and I won't name his name, spiders are everywhere) said NO will be a chocolate city once again. He totally meant black. There are some heavy duty politics among the very rich white elites in NO and blacks. It wasn't that bad before because the blacks had the upperhand due to being the majority. Now... it's a battle.

Quote:

Originally Posted by immortalmack
the coldest thing I've heard about all of this is when media will ask questions like "why should american tax payers pay for rebuilding N.O.". But I do remember vividly (because i watched it live) even before and after and all through the trade tower deal People were like "og og we will rebuild og og we rebuild" then when it comes to an totally un-orchestrated event theyre talking about what should tax payers should pay for. Ask us do we want to pay for Iraq!

Yeah!:thumbsup:

Posted by PtGatsby:


Quote:
Oh come now, its not like they would spend more federal money rebuilding Iraq than New Orleans. That wouldn't make any sense.


The transfer marks a significant refocusing of the year-old, $18.4 billion effort to rebuild Iraq.



So far, the city has collected only $117 million to start the repair work in what has been billed as the largest urban restoration in U.S. history.

...

FEMA has signed off on $4.8 billion worth of rebuilding in Louisiana and $1.7 billion in Mississippi so far, said Darryl Madden, a spokesman for FEMA's Gulf Coast recovery office

...

Louisiana eventually expects to get at least $25 billion in federal money for rebuilding projects, including everything from levee repairs to homeowner assistance.


See?

Thanks for the stats PT. Gee! : My freinds will love to hear this!

[CreativeChaos]

Why dont you move in with me?

Oh sweetheart!:wub: You knowI want to. But what would your mother say? (I'm sorry, I couldn't resist):sorry:

[CreativeChaos]

Katrina was just a warning.

All of New Orleans which is below the level of a Cat 5 storm sturge should be turned into public parks, golf courses, and green zones. All that which is below sea level should be turned into fish farms.

For gosh sakes folks, get out of there!
Move up the river or somewhere out of Hurricane alley.

I know. And all of those people in California should get the hell out of the way, because you KNOW the big quake is comming!

Yep! That kind of logic, just won't work. People stay and live in the whackiest places.

New Orleans however is a world wide known city. Like Paris, Venice, etc. Lots of original culture stuff came out of New Orleans.

Wish I could come up with stats as fast as you PT. :)

End of spam session. That's all. :sorry:

[Heleuiski]

Katrina was just a warning.

All of New Orleans which is below the level of a Cat 5 storm sturge should be turned into public parks, golf courses, and green zones. All that which is below sea level should be turned into fish farms.

For gosh sakes folks, get out of there!
Move up the river or somewhere out of Hurricane alley.

I have to say.. I agree. I think that the flooding and hurricanes are just going to get worse.

:(

[Heleuiski]

Have you seen this CC?


On 1 September 2005, New Orleans mayor, Ray Nagin, held a high-profile radio interview on the relief situation in his city with Garland Robinette, on radio station WWL in which he bluntly criticized the delays in aid to the city following the devastation brought on by Hurrican Katrina a full 3 days earlier.


The following is a transcript of WWL correspondent Garland Robinette's interview with Nagin on Thursday night.

Ray Nagin
.... and to give me executive powers.
To authorize me to dictate
and to manage military resources down here and I'll fix this for you.
You call him right now, and you call the governor,
and you tell them to delegate the powers that they have
to the mayor of New Orleans, and we'll get this damn thing fixed.
It's politics, man, and they're playing games and they're spinning.
They're out there spinning for the cameras.

Garland Robinette
But- but can't- can't they just
if nothing else look at twenty-five percent of their energy coming from this state
is not flowing through the pipelines,
we're on the verge of anarchy,
can't they understand that they're if nothing else they're gonna be hurt politically?

Ray Nagin
I don't know what they're doing, I mean the air conditioning must be good, because I haven't had any in five days.
Uh, and maybe it's ((cl-)) maybe there's some, some smoke coming out of the air conditioning units that's
clogging some folks' ju-, uh, no their vision.

Garland Robinette
Have you talked with the president?

Ray Nagin
I've talked directly with the president. I've talked to the head of the
Homeland Security, I've talked to everybody under the sun, I've been out there, man, I flew these helicopters,
been in the crowds, talking to people
crying don't know where their, where their relatives are.
I've done it all, man, and I tell you, man, d- Garland,
I keep hearing that it's coming.
This is coming, that is coming, and my- my answer to that
today is B.S., where is the beef.
Because there is *no* beef in this city.
There's *no* beef anywhere in south-east Louisiana,
and these goddamn ships that are coming,
I don't see 'em.

Garland Robinette
What did you say to the president of the United States and what did he say to you?

Ray Nagin
I- I basically told him we had an incredible
uh crisis here, and that his flying over in Air Force One does not do it justice.
And that I have been all around this city,
and I am very frustrated because we are not
able to marshal resources and we're outmanned in just about every respect.
You know the reason why the looters got out of control?
Because we had most of our resources *saving* people, thousands of people,
fo- that were stuck in attics, man, old ladies,
when you pull off the doggone ventilator vent and you look down there and they're standing in there,
and in water up to their fricking neck.
And they don't have a *clue* what's going on down here.
They flew down here,
one time, two days after the doggone event was over,
with TV cameras, AP reporters,
all kind of goddamn - excuse my French, everybody in America,
but I am pissed.

Garland Robinette
Did you s- did you say to the president of the United States, "I need the military in here"?

Ray Nagin
I said I need everything. Now I will tell you this, and I give the president
uh some credit on this.
he sent one John Wayne dude down here that can get some stuff done.
And his name is General Honore.
And he came off the doggone chopper
and he start((ed)) cussing and people started moving.
And he's getting some stuff done.
They oughtta give that guy, if they don't want to give it to me, give him full authority
to get the job done. And we can- we can save some people.

Garland Robinette
What do you need, right now, to get control of this situation?

Ray Nagin
I need reinforcements, I need troops, man.
I need five hundred buses, man, we're talking about,
you know, one of the briefings we had they were talking about getting uh uh y'know, public school bus drivers to come down here and bus people
outta here, I'm like, you gotta be kidding me, this is a national disaster!
Get every doggone Greyhound bus line in the country
and get their asses moving to New Orleans!
That's they thinking small, man, and this is a major, major,
*major* deal.
And I can't ((e-)) emphasize it enough, man,
this is crazy!
I've got fifteen to twenty thousand people over at the Convention Center
it's bursting at the st- the seams,
the poor people in Plaquemines Parish,
they're at- they're they're airvacing people over here in New Orleans,
we don't *have* anything, and we're sharing
with our brothers in- in Plaquemines Parish.
We w- it's- it's- it's- it's awful down here, man.

Garland Robinette
Do you believe that the- the president is seeing this, holding news conferences on it,
but can't do anything until Kathleen Blanco
requests him to do it, and do you know whether or not she has made that request?

Ray Nagin
I have no idea what they're doing, but uh I will tell you this.
You know God is looking down on all this,
and if *they* are not doing everything in their power to save people
they are gonna pay the price.
Because every day ((an-)) that we delay,
people are dying.
And they're dying by the- by the hundreds of them, I'm, I'm willing to bet you.
They're ((uh)) we're getting reports and calls that is breaking my heart from people saying
"I've been in my attic.
I can't st- take it any more.
The water is up to my- up to my neck.
I don't think I can hold out."
And that's happening as we speak.
You know what really upsets me, Garland?
We told- we told everybody the importance of the 17th Street Canal issue.
We said, please, please take care of this. We don't care what you do, figure it out.

Garland Robinette
Who'd you say that to?

Ray Nagin
Everybody. Governor, you know, Homeland Security, FEMA,
you name it we said it.
And, you know, they allowed that pumping station next to it, Pumping Station 6,
to- to go underwater.
Uh our Sewage and Water Board people,
Marcius Saint Martin[??] stayed there and endangered their lives.
And what happened when that pumping station went down,
the water started flowing again in the city.
And it started getting to levels that probably killed more people.
In addition to that,
uh we had uh water flowing through
the pipes in this city. That's a power station over there.
So there's no water flowing anywhere
on east bank of Orleans Parish. So,
a critical water supply was destroyed
because of lack of action.

Garland Robinette
Why couldn't they drop the three-thousand-pound sandbags or the containers
that they were talking about earlier? Was it an engineering feat that just couldn't be done?

Ray Nagin
It- it they said it was some pulleys that they had to manufacture, but you know
in a state of emergency, man, you- you- you are creative, you figure out ways to get stuff done,
then they told me that they went overnight and they built
seventee- seventeen
concrete structures and they had the pulleys on them and they were gonna drop 'em -
I flew over that thing yesterday and it's in the same shape that it was
after the storm hit.
There is nothing happening.
And they're feeding the public a line of bull
and they're spinning,
and people are dying down here.

Garland Robinette
If- if some of the public called,
and they're- and they're right that there's a law that the president, that the federal government can't do anything
without local or state request, would *you* request martial law?

Ray Nagin
I've already requ- I've already called for martial law in the city of New Orleans.
We did that a few days ago.

Garland Robinette
Did the governor do that too?

Ray Nagin
Uh I- I don't know. I don't think so.
Uh but we called for martial law when we realized that the ((l-))
looting was uh getting out of control, and we redirected all of our police officers back to patrol in the streets,
they were dirt- dead tired from saving people,
but they worked all night because we thought this thing was gonna blow
wide open last night.
And so we redirected all of our resources and we held it under check.
I'm not sure if we can do that another night,
with the current resources.
And I am telling you right now, they're showing all these reports of people
looting and- and- and doing all the weird stuff, and they are doing that.
But people are desperate.
And they're trying to find food and water. The majority of 'em.
Now you got some knuckleheads out there,
and they are taking advantage of this lawless -
this situation where you know we can't really control it, and they're doing some awful, awful things.
But that's a small majority of the people.
Most people are looking to try and survive.
And youse guys, one of the things people have, nobody's talked about this:
drugs flowed in and out of New Orleans and the surrounding metropolitan area
so freely, it was scary to me.
And that's why we were having the escalation and murders.
People don't want to talk about this, but I'm'a talk about it.
You had drug addicts
that ((of)) now walking around this city
looking for a fix.
And that's the reason why they were breaking in
hospitals and drugstores.
They're looking for something to take the edge off of their Jones, if you will.
And right now they don't have anything to take the edge off.
And they'd find - they've probably found guns,
so what you're seeing is drug-starving, crazy addicts,
drug addicts,
that are wreaking havoc.
And we don't have the manpower to adequately deal wi- we can only target certain sections of the city
and- and form a perimeter around 'em
and hope to God that we're not overrun.

Garland Robinette
Well you and I must be in the minority because there've been apparently, there's a section of our
citizenry out there that thinks uh because of the law,
that says the federal government can't- can't come in unless requested by the proper people,
that everything that's going on to this point has been done as good as it could possibly be.

Ray Nagin
Really?

Garland Robinette
I know you don't feel that way.

Ray Nagin
Well, w- did- did the tsunami victims request?
((G-)) go through a formal process to request?
Uh you know did Iraq, did the Iraqi people request that we go in there?
Did they ask us to go in there?
They - what hap- what is more important? This is - ((uh)) you know I- I'm'a tell you, man, I- I am-
I'm probably gonna get in a whole bunch of trouble.
I'm probably gonna get in so much trouble it ain't even funny, ((if I))[??] won't even wanna deal with me after this interview is over.

Garland Robinette
Well you and I'll be in the funny place together.

Ray Nagin
*But*
we authorized eight billion dollars
to go to Iraq.
Lickety-s- quick.
After nine eleven, we gave the president unprecedented powers,
lickety-s- [snaps fingers] quick,
to take care of New York and the other places.
Now you mean to tell me
that a place where most of your oil is coming through,
a place that is so unique, when you mention New Orleans anywhere around the world, everybody's eyes light up.
You mean to tell me,
that a place where you probably have thousands of people that have died,
and thousands more that are dying every day,
that we can't figure out a way to authorize
the resources that we need? Come on, man.
Y'know, I'm not one of those drug addicts, I am thinking very clearly.
And I don't know whose problem it is,
I don't know whether it's the governor's problem,
I don't know whether it's the president's problem.
But somebody needs to get their ass on a plane
and sit down, the two of them, and figure this out. Right now.

Garland Robinette
What can we do here?

Ray Nagin
Keep talking about it.

Interviewer 2
((Okay))

Garland Robinette
We'll do that. What else can we do?

Ray Nagin
Organize people to write letters, make calls to their congressmen

Garland Robinette
Emails...

Ray Nagin
to- to the - to the president, to the White- to the governor.
Flood their doggone offices with requests to *do* something.
This is ridiculous.
And I don't want to see anybody do any more goddamned press conferences.
Put a moratorium on press conferences.
Don't do another press conference until
the resources are in this city.
And then come *down* to this city
and stand with us
when there are military trucks and troops
that we can't even count. Don't tell me forty thousand people are coming here!
They're not here!
It's too doggone late.
Now get off your asses and let's do something.
And let's fix the biggest goddamned crisis
in the history of this country.

Garland Robinette
And I'll say it right now,
you're the only politician,
that's called,
and called for arms like *this*.
And if, whatever it takes- the governor, president, whatever law precedent it takes, whatever it takes,
I bet
that the people listening to you
are on your side.

Ray Nagin
Well
I hope so Garland, I am just -
I'm at the point now where it don't matter.
People are dying,
they don't have homes,
they don't have jobs,
the city of New Orleans will never be the same.
In this time.
[14.4 seconds silence]

Garland Robinette
[voice faltering] We're both pretty speechless here.

Interviewer 2
yeah, I don't know what to say
uh

Ray Nagin
I gotta go.

Garland Robinette
Okay. Uh keep us, keep in touch, keep in touch.

[Zephyrus055]

Oh sweetheart!:wub: You knowI want to. But what would your mother say? (I'm sorry, I couldn't resist):sorry:
Because she is tired of my philosophising, she would without hesitation say yes to having someone, almost anyone, occupy me with my abstract tastes. The only question is how long you could last.

Do you need me to help you pack?

[CreativeChaos]

Yeah, Helenski, I heard that while it was happening. A radio was all we had to communicate with the outside world. And he was saying this over that one radio station that was broadcasting from their closet. That chat reminded me of how freaky things were. The mayor was just as freaked out as the rest of us.

But Yeay!! We had a game in the Superdome!!! Everybody was so excited. There were mixed emotions. Some people didn't want to go becuase they were reminded of what happened there. I didn't go, because I could care less about football, and the Saints. But, I think it's a good thing.

It's like, at the airport, I was right above the terminal area in a glass section. This was shortly after 9/11. This guy comes in with a turbon on and pulls out a shot gun, and starts shooting. I saw it all. He shot this lady, who later died. From that point on, I couldn't pass by the area without seeing her there. Freaky! He was an American from California, who was trying to keep his wife from leaving him. THe women he actually shot and killed was an innocent bystander.

[CreativeChaos]

Because she is tired of my philosophising, she would without hesitation say yes to having someone, almost anyone, occupy me with my abstract tastes. The only question is how long you could last.

Do you need me to help you pack?

Lol! Yeah right! You mean you want me to come and live with you and your mother? I think not! ;)