Wow, I didn't know that. I was also thinking, even if they did all have that insurance, would insurance companies even be able to deliver on this degree of devastation?

Well that's another question in itself. The insurance that would have to be paid out will probably cripple the insurance companies, and we all know what that means right? Who are they going to pass those costs onto? You and I by raising our insurance premiums. This is one exam-ple of the domino effect that hurts our economy and causes us to fall into reccessions. A hurricane hits, people lose thier possessions, they need financial help, they need government grants, where does this money come from, the people, higher taxes. Then gas prices go up. This causes less people to go on vacations, which in turn hurts the airline, hotel and restaurant industries. People do not buy cars, hurting the automobile industry. Those in the automoblie industry are making less money, so therefore they are spending less money, anmd so on and so on. You get the picture. It affects us all eventually. But the sad bottom line still remains that so many people have lost everything, have become displaced, and have lost lives. I hate having to see these people suffer like this and hurt like this. I hate seeing these children without parents because of this disaster. This whole thing sucks big time.


Don Cardi

How depressing is that

Considering this is America, it is indeed sad.

Wow, anyone watching Bill Maher's show on HBO? Man, the pretty conservative Joe Scarborough from MSNBC is super-pissed at the White House administration. In a way, he makes a great point that as a Floridian like myself, Former Republican Congressman Mr. Scarborough, Don Andrew, and maybe a few others know.

In Florida, there are scares of a hurricane or more EVERY year, and pretty much you become conditioned overtime as to what to do and what NOT to do, and the same goes for emergency and rescue operations in the region. As Scarborough mentioned, there were THREE pretty nasty hurricanes last year in Florida, and the Federal government was all over it like bees to honey, with the President deep in the thick of things. Then again, Scarborough finally noted one thing: "It was an election year!"

Yikes...

WOW!!!!

That is very very sad. Goes to show you how so many of us take what we have for granted.

Don Cardi

I learned a little history lesson the other day while watching some of the coverage out of New Orleans - one of the flooded streets being shown was named "Desire", and the reporter mentioned that years ago the street had rails in it from a long ago used streetcar.

Ring a bell? Tennessee Williams wrote about it in "A Streetcar Named Desire". Maybe one of America's best plays ever. Made some kid named Brando famous.

I never knew that (about the street name) but it was very sad to see, nonetheless.

Although I can't say I have heard this in the local news, I did hear through the school district I work for that March Air Force Base (which is for the most part closed) will be housing about 500 families. I know there are many empty apartments that was used for housing. This of course will increase the population of our schools in the area, which most are already at capacity. My school is the "overflow" middle school, which means new middle school students would attend there.

Hopefully I will maybe be able to donate furnishings/household items along with money locally.

TIS

You know TIS, someone, I can't really remember who, had made that suggestion about using the closed down military bases and housing units for these people a week ago. It was a really good suggestion. At least these people will have some decent living quarters in place of a cot in the middle of a dome. I'm beginning to see some good stories and some heart warming stories every now and then while watching this thing on TV. It's nice to hear some positive things from time to time. Hopefully the positive stories will become more frequent in the news reports.


SC, in reply to your post. That's amazing. A Streetcar Named Desire. Never knew that it was based on that street in New Orleans.


Don Cardi

I've been seeing on news reports how New Orleans may still be planning on having the Mardi Gras take place next year. Would that be too soon? I'm kind of split on whether this should happen. There may be many residents who will still be suffering, financially as well as emotionally. They may still be rebuilding their homes and their families. It would be like we're saying, "So what you've lost everything, the rest of us still want to party". But then again, the logic in it is that New Orleans will need this revenue to get back on their feet. So maybe it would be the best thing to happen?

Beth,

I've heard that as well. I get the impression they want to have it, but not in N.O. I certainly can understand why they would want to skip it this year, but then again, if it's something the people of LA and especially N.O. "wants" to do, you're right, it will bring in revenue.
Does anyone know if Mardi Gras was ever cancelled for any reason in the past? (I don't really even know how many years they've been celebrating it, only that it's an old tradition).

TIS

TIS, in 1979 a Police strike caused the city to cancel the Mardi Gras. The festival originated in the 17th century, here is a story from The Daily Reveille, written out of LSU back in February of this year :

Mardi Gras has storied history
Festival originated in 17th century
By Sarah J. Gernhauser
The Daily Reveille

February 02, 2005

The celebration of Mardi Gras, for many revelers, is all about three things: booze, breasts and beads.

Some in society use these words to describe the sights, sounds and activities that take place in New Orleans throughout the carnival period of Mardi Gras. However, before the crowded streets of the French Quarter and Uptown were filled with intoxicated college students and their families, more than a century of carnival had taken place, rich with traditions that are still upheld today.

This contagious holiday has caught the attention of hungry eyes across the country as they yearn to be in the center of the party, but originally this week of “pagan celebration” was condescended by the original colonies of America.

Mardi Gras crossed the Atlantic when French explorer Iberville founded the Louisiana territory on Mardi Gras day in 1699. In honor of the French celebration, Iberville named the area 60 miles south of present day New Orleans “Point du Mardi Gras,” said Barbara Robichaux, founder of Native Tours of New Orleans.

New Orleans celebrated its heritage by emulating the societal celebrations of its European ancestors. Also, in “old world” tradition, New Orleans replicated French custom and also was under the rule of the Catholic church. Therefore the festival was strategically placed between All King’s Day and the season of Lent.

Mimicking their French ancestors, the Creoles of New Orleans celebrated a festival similar to the Italian carnival “Lupercalia,” an ancient Roman circus-like festival, by throwing a masked carnival in the streets of the city.

After years of celebrating, New Orleans came under Spanish rule and the pre-Lenten masked ball and carnival was banned by the conservative government. The masquerade was prohibited until 1823, when the Creoles convinced their governor to allow the celebration to resurface, and in 1827 street masking was legalized.

Throughout the early 1800s Mardi Gras gained a negative and violent reputation because of the behavior and actions of the street maskers and the celebration threatened to become extinct. In 1857, six New Orleanians saved Mardi Gras by forming what is presently known as the Krewe of Comus.

The Krewe of Comus brought about the innovation of setting each parade with a unifying theme and a royal ball afterward. Comus also originated the idea of having a secret and elite Carnival society. This tradition still exists today as many carnival krewes only allow white, Christian men to join their parade. A tradition that has caused an array of civil rights suits.

In 1872 Mardi Gras saw the debut of one of its most beloved parades, the Krewe of Rex. The parade was constructed for Russian Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff’s visit to New Orleans. The Krewe of Rex introduced the traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold at this parade and “If Ever I Cease to Love” as the Mardi Gras Anthem.

“The song ‘If Ever I Cease to Love’ was the grand duke’s favorite song,” Robichaux said. “They played this song at the Rex parade to impress him and in typical New Orleans style it caught on as a tradition.”

The secret society of carnival krewes continued throughout the 19th and into the 20th century along with the tradition of the maskers. However, the Civil Rights Act would impede on this tradition in the late 20th century.

In 1909 the Krewe of Zulu, an African-American carnival society, appeared as a parody of Rex. Zulu began the tradition of parading before Rex, causing delay in the krewe’s route and eventually, decades of protest.

A police strike caused the cancellation of Mardi Gras in 1979, and in protest against the police, angry tourists who lost their vacations began the over-popular idea of flashing the police.

In 1992, Dorothy Mae Taylor, a New Orleans politician, presented an ordinance at the New Orleans City Council demanding that the traditionally secret and selective krewes allow anyone who applies into the society.

Her argument, that tax payers support the upkeep of the streets, caused a huge battle between tradition and politics. This caused the original Mardi Gras Krewes of Comus and the Knights of Momus to cancel their parade routes because they refused to comply with Taylor’s ordinance.

Although an upsetting and compromising battle, the Taylor struggle brought about the toasting of the Zulu and Rex deities a symbolic means of compromise. Mardi Gras also has seen the creation of more krewes to meet the specific needs of anyone who wants to join.

The festivities have seen the country through its hardest times of war, depression, prohibition and economic boom, but through the years has stood firm in its rich tradition of “eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow is the Lord’s day!”

------------------------------------------------------------


Don Cardi

Thanks for the research DC. I knew it was around for a while, but didn't know the history of it.

Btw, at 8:00 both MTV & VH1 are having a tribute concert for Katrina, including, among others, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Dave Matthew Band. Maybe it's already aired there I don't know.

TIS

"Scores of Mississippi National Guard troops in Iraq who lost homes to Hurricane have been refused even 15-day leaves to aid their displaced families, told by commanders there were too few U.S. troops in Iraq to spare them..."

Unbelievable....

Has anyone heard the story about The Bonita Street House Of Hope in Houston?

From what I've found out so far, this house was once used for rehabilitation, and eventually it lost a lot of funding. So now the people that ran this house have decided to use it to house some families that have been displaced from Hurricane Katrina. So far there are 8 families living in this place and they average about 6 children per family. The people or person who is running this home is doing so without any subsidizing from the government. They are stricktly trying to run it on donations. So far niether FEMA or The Red Cross has been willing to donate any money to them.

I am trying to find out more information about this place and if they are in need of clothes, water, baby products, toys, or whatever. Would anyone here be interested to know once I find out more information?


Don Cardi

7. Bonita Street House of Hope
7347 Bonita Street
Houston, TX 77016

713-635-5470
Contact: Tyrone Evans, Executive Director

What may be a fitting tribute to the heart of the city of NO and it's football team, the New Orleans kicker hit a field goal with 6 seconds left to win the game for NO. It's just a little thing to give them something to cheer about in the midst of all this tragedy.

They are my adopted team this year.


Don Cardi

This might help put the flooding into perspective....there are pumps pumping the water out, some that are doing 30,000 gallons/minute others doing 1,000,000 gallons per minuter and they said if ALL pumps stay online they can have it dried out by early october

I just want to tell all my US friends all the people involved in the Katrina hurricane are in my prayers -- the dead and the survivors. This great country of yours will do it. No doubt.

Did anyone catch Chris Rock on the telethon this weekend? I didn't, but I saw replays of a couple of his gags. In an attempt to display humor in the situation he spoofed Kanye West's remarks. Here are the two I caught:

"George Bush hates albinos".

I think that was actually the second one he did. The first one was:

"George Bush hates midgets"

I thought, "What did I ever do to George Bush"?

When I saw these I couldn't stop laughing. It's all in the timing I guess.

Well while there is still a lot of sad news coming out of that area of our country, there also has been some good news.

A good protion of electrical power has been restored, and many people are being allowed to access their homes to try and salvage whatever is salvagable. And while any deaths that took place from this disaster are horible and sad, be it 1 or 1000, the good news, in it's own way, is that they believe the death toll will be significantly lower than they originaly estimated.

Also would like to tell everyone that our charitable foundation raised over $300,000.00 in one week with 100% of the proceeds going towards the relief effort. This was in addition to the monies that we raised two fridays ago from our dress down day.


Don Cardi

To kill numerous birds with one stone - I've received several notes from people here who know I have close family in New Orleans. Just to update (since I have been away for a while):

Everyone in my family is accounted for. Some are in New Orleans, some in Baton Rouge, luckily the ones in BR didn't have to evacuate, just had to go some days without power.

The relative I have in New Orleans is homeless. Family of 4. They are staying in Baton Rouge until they can figure out what they are doing. The inlaws of these people all lost their homes as well as they were only allowed in this week to assess the damage. The bridge from BR to NO is washed out so it is a little more difficult to get to and from NO.

I have one friend here who's father is unaccounted for from Chalmette. At this point, we are thinking the worst as noone has seen/heard from him since the storm and he is in his 70's. Good health, but probably was unable to get around easy when the storm hit.

A friend of mine here had some inlaws drive out here on Monday (after they evacuated to Houston) and since I had room in my house, I put them up here this week. A couple with a small child, they went back this morning. They live in Metarie. No telling what they will find there. That place was flooded badly.

So, when we all worry about bombs and plane crashes and crazy people with guns - it puts a perspective on how human we are when it comes to Mother Nature.

All it was to start out with was wind and water.

Thanks to those who took the time to ask about my family...

That's great news LDV. It's so lovely of you to invite that family into your home. Kudos to you. You are the hostess with the mostest.

My continued love and prayers to you and your family.

I'm glad to hear that your family are all ok. Nice to see some good news come out of this mess from time to time.

That is really sad about the 70 year old man. Heartbreaking.

Very nice of you and your family to take those people into your home. Very Honorable.

If there is any way that I can do something to help your relative from New Orleans who wound up homeless from this, PLEASE let me know. I sincerely mean that.


Don Cardi

While it is true I am typically the hostest with the mostest and have been known to take in a straggler or two...

(just kidding Bethie!! :p )

...this family was family of my family so it was more than just being kind-hearted. I wanted my step-brother and his family to come stay with us, but they went to my Dad's in Baton Rouge instead. I really want them to move here but his wife has never lived anywhere but New Orleans. She won't budge.

Out here it is dry and beautiful. Your occasional tornado, your occasional minor earthquake - you would die of melanoma before you would die of any other natural disaster out here...

And there's none stranger then me. Oh wait, you said straggler. :p

Just point me to the hot tub.

How is the Mighty Rio Grande doing this time of year Buffy?

Down south near Texas it's pretty mighty!

Up here, a mere stream. We got alot of rain in July and August so it might be up a foot or two.

We won't be worrying about any flooding up here any time soon!