September 07, 2005

Observations On New Orleans

(3pgs, 1,446 Words, 8,056 Characters)

The following is an observation from someone who has not done in-depth research into exactly what has and has not gone on minute to minute with Katrina. I have only listened to snippets of news and have only the wits about me to guide my judgment on this. I'm sure as soon as this article is posted some enlightened individual will explain how Bush has some super secret weather machine that made Katrina and planned the deaths of a bunch of black liberals because he's a racist and because he's trying to play politics even though he can't run for a third term as President. Barring this let me begin.

The city of New Orleans is below sea level. It has been under sea level for several years. It wasn't always under sea level. It used to be at or above sea level, just as the French Quarter is. Somewhere along the line the main portion of the city started sinking. Something else interesting happened at the same time. People started putting up skyscrapers and various other large buildings in downtown New Orleans. Now I'm not the best on math here but my reasoning explains that the silt bed was compacted under the increased weight of the buildings causing the city to sink. Are people actually that stupid they don't realize this?

The bigger question I'd like to ask is why was this allowed to take place? The city planners obviously understood that the city would sink under the increased mass but for some reason was either not heeded or chose not to speak up. Some would scream corruption. Some would blame greedy politicians. Some would put on their tin foil had and say my assessment is completely ludicrous because everybody knows it was the aliens doing it.

Church busses were used to evacuate people before the hurricane came. The church leaders were very good about collecting those parishioners and non-parishioners that they could carry out of the city. Can anyone explain why the transit authority wasn't bussing people out of the city? What happened to all the school busses that were getting ready for the new school year? Would you like a direct answer? My good buddy D.C. has an answer. Let's see what he has:

Hmm, a bunch of Twinkies lined up all nice and pretty? Oh, my mistake. Those are a bunch of school busses that the mayor never called into action and ended up causing the deaths of thousands of his residents. I don't think he'll be reelected. Do you? Sort of makes you wonder exactly why he's trying to point blame at everyone beside himself?

What took the reconstruction equipment so long in getting into the city? My guess is that it was they fact that if they left the equipment in the city during Katrina they would have had no equipment to do the rebuild with. They moved it out of the city prior to the hurricane to keep it safe. We don't have a magic teleporter machine so two days to move it all back into place will have to do instead of never getting any.

Something else that delayed things further was the breaking of the levy. Many of the helicopters that were set into motion to try and repair the levy had to be taken away from daring rooftop rescues. Sure, people walking out of their homes onto dry land is much less dramatic a scene but in the end saves a few more lives than those you could randomly pluck from the rooftops you can still see. Reducing the floodwaters has priority.

Speaking of the levies, who's responsibility is it to maintain them and keep them up to code. Who has the authority to reinforce the levies if they have been determined incapable of supporting a level three hurricane? I don't believe the federal government has jurisdiction in this arena but I could be mistaken.

Anyway, on to a different topic. I've heard rumors of this but I don't know 100% for sure this is true. The day Bush landed in the area on Air Force One, the second day after the disaster, he spoke with the L.A. Governor. He provided two options to the governor and reminded him he had not yet formally asked for aid nor declared it a disaster area. According to normal procedures the President does not have the authority nor jurisdiction to act until called upon officially by the state for help. What boggles my mind and the part I'm trying to understand is that the Governor left the meeting stating he needed 24 hours to weigh out his options. Did this really happen or is it just another case of horrible journalistic integrity by the media?

Today in the media we hear how this is entirely race based. Since all the people are black it's racist and if white people would have been in danger we would have acted faster. If white people had been needed to evacuate there would have been transportation available. This is all well and good until you realize the Mayor of what once was New Orleans is black. Unless this is racism against his own people then Jesse Jackson and others are barking up the wrong tree. If anything this is purely classism, not racism. It is the haves and the have nots if you will. Go look at the smoking gun busses again to know exactly what killed thousands of people.

Something else I have noticed is the inability of FEMA to act in an effective manner. The people try hard and work long hours only to complete little to nothing by days end. I've seen the same song and dance in other disaster sites managed by FEMA. I don't believe the problem lies with the people of FEMA. I believe the problem may lie with the management of FEMA. Is it true that the director of FEMA has never really had a disaster recovery job prior to being appointed to the position? Inquiring minds want to know! Who would appoint such a person?

I haven't given a dime to the disaster relief efforts. This is the first time I have written anything on the subject even though it makes my blood boil. I've just sat and done nothing. You can cry me a river about how I'm a bad human being for not contributing and whatever reasons I have are too miniscule to matter but in the end you can just kiss my white hairy ass. I have basically two reasons for not helping.

First, the Red Cross does not always do what it says it is going to with the money. I would be remiss if id didn't mention what they had intended to do with the money they had raised for the 9/11 victims that somehow got rerouted to other charitable causes. Who can guarantee that they won't try this again? I will never give them another red cent for the rest of my natural born life.

The other reason I'm giving is the residents of New Orleans themselves. Every depiction of these people are screaming about "What are you going to do for me?" Nobody can tell me to just give them stuff for no reason...except the government. There have been episodes of people shooting at the rescue helicopters or people working construction. Is this how you treat the people that are trying to help you? They are net representing themselves in a good light whatsoever. Why should I care about them again?

All the while they are stuck in this horrible place with no food or water and squalid living conditions. They keep waiting for the busses but they never come or no one is there to drive the busses. Maybe they should do what one 16 year old did. Maybe they can hotwire a bus, load it with people and drive them to Huston of his own accord. From what I hear he is pending trial for driving without a license. Way to treat a hero. He should be getting a medal.

I'm sure much of what I depicted is skewed of misguided or just plain wrong. I'm sure there are other important facts I have left out. There are simply too many things going on and too many politicians positioning their political game for us to ever know the full truth about what went on. In the end it will be the same crap about the dems pointing to the pubs and vice-versa. In the end nothing will happen and more people will be killed for politics. God bless America.

Posted by aakaakaak at September 7, 2005 08:10 PM | TrackBack
Comments

I donated to a specific hospital where they take care of children.... I don't like the ARC either.
And yeah, I heard about the govenor not signing off the rescue/relief efforts to the NG- check out Wizbang I think they are on top of this....
I watched some videos of the people looting the stuff...what a bunch of selfish pigsnots. LOL
And now I'm reading about the government doing a big investigation into this....we'll never know exactly who did what at what time...the players in this game will cover their own asses for sure.
Good post my friend! Good to have you back.

Posted by: Raven at September 7, 2005 09:19 PM

The picture of the bus graveyard really says it all, doesn't it. We all react to emergencies differently. Some of us panic and become almost paralized. Some react quickly, but without much thought. There are very few people that can think quickly and rationally in an emergency situation. That is why it is so important to always have a plan. It's why there are fire drills at schools. It's why we know where the water shut-off and the breaker box are in our homes.

Posted by: Patty-Jo at September 8, 2005 01:21 AM

Let me know what those specific charities are Raven.

Posted by: Jeremy at September 8, 2005 03:01 PM

I'll get the info from the docs at work tomorrow.
It was a direct donation though, not through a charity.

Posted by: Raven at September 8, 2005 04:18 PM

Patty Jo, have you been to Wizbang to see the updates?? OMG..that govenor down there sure sounds like a loser. Word is out that she told the ARC NOT to come with the aid packages...her police force blocked truckloads from entering NO.
Awful stuff if it is true.

Posted by: Raven at September 8, 2005 04:19 PM

I lived in NOLA for two years; my last active duty assignment. With only that much experience living and working in the "Big Easy," I am not at all surprised that state and local officials so completely ignored their solomn responsibilities. LA politics is rotten to the core, and nothing gets accomplished unless it benefits one of the power brokers directly.

But this is where I am surprised: that citizens keep putting the same kinds of people into elective offices. Granted, the average voter in the city of NOLA is not a rocket scientist, and of course the uniformed voter, or the individual who is too disgusted to vote in the first place, plays in to the hands of these jackels.

The Katrina disaster is very sad at many different levels, is it not?

Posted by: Mustang at September 9, 2005 08:34 AM

Mustang!! How nice to see you here. :)

Yes you're right about people getting what they ask for by way of who they vote for...I have to wonder though, how many of them will place blame upon others (like Bush...) and not those who actually added to the turmoil (by their inAction)

Posted by: Raven at September 9, 2005 05:11 PM

But this is where I am surprised: that citizens keep putting the same kinds of people into elective offices.

Hi Mustang. I have the same question about New Orleans, and a lot of other places. There is so much corruption in government it's getting more and more difficult at election time. I think most people are afraid to trade the evil they know for the evil they don't know.

Posted by: Patty-Jo at September 10, 2005 03:45 AM

This is no time to play The Blame Game.

Posted by: Cameron at September 10, 2005 09:26 AM

The actions of the Army Corps of Engineers starting about 150 years ago are the primary reason for the river being higher than most of the city of New Orleans. Before the levees were built, the river would periodically flood the entire region, but not very deeply, and silt and sediment would be deposited over many square miles- it is a flood plain, after all. This would help fertilize the soil- great for farms. Houses in such an area would always need to have the ground built up with rocks and fill dirt, and blocks or pilings to elevate structures. The Army Corps of Engineers unwisely decided to "control" the river and prevent all flooding by a "levees only" system, which even at the time was known to cause problems. But that was what they decided. With levees, the river is confined, does not broaden out, and the silt and sediment is deposited in the bottom of the river, instead of being spread out over miles. Layer after layer of sediment is deposited, and literally raises the river up! The river becomes deeper AND taller, and over time, the levees were built taller to accomodate the taller river. When the levees were started many years ago, they were only 2-4 feet tall. They are now as tall as 38 feet!

Posted by: jim at October 3, 2005 10:00 PM
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