(Vanity) Katrina & Rita - 1 year later

Multiple Blogs ^ | August 13, 2006 | Liberty911

[Liberty911]

Katrina & Rita - 1 year later - Appeal for help from a resident near Ground Zero...

Let's see what the power of Freep can do to motivate the United States Government and it's legislators and beauracrats for 2 small Parishes (counties) in the United States of America compared what it can do for a hostile country roughly twice the size of Idaho (Iraq)

[Liberty911]

I am a resident of Plaquemines Parish, can someone whom has been regularly participating here please post this here on Freep in an area where it will get maximum exposure.

I have been away from Freep for some time (I originally joined Sep 15, 2000) and have been deeply involved in other matters related to this clustermess we have down here, I personally assembled a facsimile database of all 535 members of the United States Congress and put into a comma-delimited text format for easy import into a FAX application among MANY other tasks I have quietly undertaken to try to help those more affected than myself.

I'm in Plaquemines Parish and have personally launched my boat MANY times to fish the backwaters of Grand Bayou.

I also recently travelled down the road to the end of Plaquemines Parish for the first time since K-Day and our little water-bombing party and took a LOT of photographs. I just couldn't bring myself to do it before now and I wasn't really whatsoever surprised at what I observed nearly after K-Day. Completely pathetic IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Here are several threads on my forum that summarize the situation in Plaquemines, and I am also confident it pretty much is the same situation over in St. Bernard Parish.

Do we need to ask the United Nations for help?

Articles and threads:

Miseries of Hurricane Katrina continuing http://www.louisianaway.com/forums/index.php?topic=600.0

LOUISIANA STILL PAYING FOR PEREZ GREED TO THIS DAY http://www.louisianaway.com/forums/index.php?topic=491.0

TWINS KAT & RITA LET GO 10,500,000 gallons of oil, Exxon Valdez was 11 MILLION http://www.louisianaway.com/forums/index.php?topic=588.0

PORT SULPHUR GOT 40 FT OF WATER ACCORDING TO MODELS http://www.louisianaway.com/forums/index.php?topic=429.0

Wind gauges broke at about 185 mph during Katrina at Empire http://www.louisianaway.com/forums/index.php?topic=549.0

Debris, despair plague bayou Six months after Katrina, many still left stranded http://www.louisianaway.com/forums/index.php?topic=502.0

[HAL9000]

Good luck to you folks in Plaquemines. I went fishing with a well-known family in Venice many years ago.

But spamming this message into every category is not a good idea.

[Darkwolf377]

What, specifically, are you asking for?

[Liberty911]

Sorry, here are clickable links, like I said, I've been away from Freep for quite awhile.
Thanks in advance

Miseries of Hurricane Katrina continuing

LOUISIANA STILL PAYING FOR PEREZ GREED TO THIS DAY

TWINS KAT & RITA LET GO 10,500,000 gallons of oil, Exxon Valdez was 11 MILLION

PORT SULPHUR GOT 40 FT OF WATER ACCORDING TO MODELS

Wind gauges broke at about 185 mph during Katrina at Empire

Debris, despair plague bayou Six months after Katrina, many still left stranded

[Liberty911]

Delete it then if you think it demmed warranted and "spammed"

These people need help while our bubble head politicians are more interested in debating cockfighting durinf legislative sessions than they are Americans in total misery HERE in the United States of America...

[backhoe]

For whatever help it is, here's what I have:

HURRICANE KATRINA- archive of links
various FR links & stories | 09-02-05 | the heavy equipment guy
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1475443/posts

HURRICANE RITA-- archive of links
various FR links & stories | 09-21-05 | the heavy equipment guy
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1488785/posts

[Nathan Zachary]

What exactly is the problem? Boat ramp still broken? pinic area a mess? what is it?

[Liberty911]

Yeah, that's exactly the problems there Mr. Zachary.
And I could tell by the obvious fact that you read the threads I posted...

[bobbyd]

yawn

[Liberty911]

Oh, and one more thing or relevance Mr. Zachary,

When you're paying $6 for a gallon of gas and the cost of natural gas quadruples, maybe then you will understand what the problem is down here, because it will be your problem wherever you are...

[Nathan Zachary]

No, I haven't read the threads you posted. The LEAST you can do is give a summary of what the problem is if you want people to take interest.

If it's a envirmental problem, what we do here is organize people and clean it up ourselves, instead of waiting for someone else to come clean up our backyard.

Hw many barrels of pilled ooil have YOU mopped up?

[HAL9000]

"Delete it then if you think it demmed warranted and "spammed""

Only the moderators can do that.

"These people need help while our bubble head politicians are more interested in debating cockfighting durinf legislative sessions than they are Americans in total misery HERE in the United States of America..."

You folks have local political problems, starting with your governor. After the hurricane, we sent the Arkansas National Guard into New Orleans with shoot-to-kill orders, and stabilized the situation. But we can't change your politicians.

I don't want to sound insensitive. I posted any articles and photos about Plaquemines Parish I could find after the storm because I'm concerned about the place, and it was hard to get any news from down there.

Plaquemines Parish is what it is - a sea-level marsh on the Gulf Coast. Katrina changed it forever. The next big hurricane will change it again. Let's face it - it will never be the way it was before. That's just the sad reality of the situation, and it's not the fault of the U.S.A.

[HAL9000]

One other thing - we've absorbed a huge number of displaced persons from Louisiana, and welcomed them as new Arkansans. Per capita, we've taken in more Louisianians than any other state. So we're bearing a lot of your burden already.

[Liberty911]

I'm more focused on the beauracrats than mopping up oil, and if you knew my background and current disposition, and had and compassion and understanding whatsoever, I seriously doubt you would have even asked me that question.

*Please*, read the threads, and let's see if Freep can help these people that FEMA and the beauracrats ARE FAILING...

[Nathan Zachary]

Spilled oil

You'd think with all the unemployed in the area, there wouldn't be a problem finding people to do the work. I'm sure there are plenty of empty barrels and mops available.

[Nathan Zachary]

As I said, the least you could do is summarize the problem, then maybe people would go read your threads.

The reason I come to Free Republic is to read summaries of the news, if a story interests me, then I go read the whole thing.
That's how it works here.

[Liberty911]

Plaquemines Parish is the heart of the US oil and Natural Gas infrastructure in the US and the marine gateway to the world for 30 US States.

300 years of development and of even more interest is the last 100 years and a LOT of infrastructure development in our oil, natural gas and chemicals infrastructure which has been developed during that time, which is definitely a matter of National Security...

Like I said just a bit ago, $6 a gallon gas and quadrupled natural gas is in your future... And I do know about the oil and gas industry...

[Twinkie]

Tennessee here and this state has also absorbed many Louisiana storm victims, as well as many other states have done. Many people got jobs, moved in with relatives in other states and will not go back to Louisiana and continue trying to live in a futile situation. People get tired after a while and just choose to live elsewhere.

[HAL9000]

Plaquemines Parish is the heart of the US oil and Natural Gas infrastructure in the US and the marine gateway to the world for 30 US States.

We certainly need the oil and gas, but some new alternatives are opening up. Congress is moving to allow more oil drilling offshore, and a huge new shale play reserve of gas has just been found in Arkansas - bigger than Barnett.

As for the marine gateway - Seems like I heard that a new canal may be built from New Orleans to the Gulf, a new route that will bypass lower Plaquemines. That may be a more economical, storm-resistant solution than restoring the Plaquemines passages every time a storm hits.

[Liberty911]

While I do sincerely appreciate the contributions that have been made to date, abandoning the region given it's infrastructure relevance is NOT the answer.

For example, relative to your claim and others that MANY have moved and abandoned the place, the last refinery built in the US from the ground up in the 70's, the Gulf facility at Alliance in Plaquemines Parish which is now owned by ConocoPhilips, just gave their workers an approximate 30% across the board pay increase to keep them here.

I'm going to print this thread as it stands right now, so I can come back in 18-24 months when gas is $6 per gallon and natural gas has quadrupled, and I will then repost the scans and replies I received to my appeal for assistance and action as the public helplessly and futily screams and complains, and wonders why, gas is $6 per gallon...

[ChessMan]

I have to agree some with Nathan on this. I can repsect you are upset at the govt for things (they are not perfect, which is why we want to shrink em instead of grow em) but I think it would do your cause more good to say something like:

"Hey, we have the follow issues needing fixed in X area. So far pleas to govt officials have not helped so we are turning to the folks here to help us" - WHICH, btw, is a good way to say if you are for smaller govt and more folks helping each other out, this is your chance to put your money where you mouth is while also quickly summarizing the problem.

The local/state govt should take a lead on this. Local taxes, tolls, etc were used to build and maintain the infrastructure there - any federal roads, parks, etc should be handled by the feds. They can, and often do, help out on issues as well - but the state govt needs to do it's part as well.

It would also behoove the senators from the state to push to get them help (that is why you put em in office), get on talk shows, bang some pots and pans etc.

Your post seems to whine that the US govt is spending more on Iraq, et al, while not detailing in a simple way the issues so that one could focus on whose repsonsibility it is to handle them.

So let's start over. What is/are the issue/s, what is the solution you see as best, and how can we assist you in getting said solution implemented?

[carmenbmw]

I have the most concern for you and the area, I think we all do. I am not sure what you want me, as an individual, to do to help out.
I dont have any more $$$ to donate, what else?

[Mad Dawg]

Sir,

You are coming here and telling us that we have some kind of moral obligation to do what you want. I clicked on your link, clicked on another link and there was referred to some more links.

I don't like being told I am failing in some moral obligation by someone who makes it hard for me to find out just what moral obligation he thinks I'm failing at and then criticizes me further for not following his maze of links.

As to Louisiana generally: First I went there and worked for 10 days for no compensation after Katrina and Rita. I would have stayed longer but the ARC seems to be run by jerks and I have a low BS tolerance.

Second, Louisiana has been the beneficiary of Federal funds both before and after the twin hits. Lousiana's own elected officials squandered the money. While I can see that it may be in the national interest to help repair some of the port facilities and the infrastructure to support them, I don't think there is a debt to people who have squandered previous funds.

There is always a moral obligation, as it were a debt to God, to help the needy. But the needy who have made themselves needy do not have the claim. We owe it to God, not to the poor, to help the poor.

Recently NPR or some other socialist radio station had a series about hwo simply marvelous Louisiana is and what a gem of cultural diversity and blah blah blah. And I personally find many aspects of Louisiana completely captivating.

But, damn it all! A whole culture develops below sea-level and in hurricane country. Federal dollars are poured in to build, raise, and maintain levees. Those dollars end up being controlled by corrupt boards and incompetent local politicians. When the inevitable disaster comes, the beneficiaries of those dollars come to us and tell us we owe it to them to give them MORE? Nagin is still mayor and I owe New Orleans a DIME?

I don't think so.

Make your case clear and accessible to those of us so far in the backwoods that we're still on dial-up. Show clearly how it is in our interests. And give some assurance that future aid will not go into the pockets of incompetent whore-mongers, and I'll listen and consider.

But tell me I HAVE to negotiate a rabbit-warren of high bandwidth links to find out that I OWE it to someone to subsidize the continued "roulant" of "les bons temps" and you've sure as shooting lost my attention.

What's the murder rate in the big easy these days? Is that my fault too?

[Liberty911]

There is so much, I as an individual don't know where to begin.

The primary thing is total waste and mismanagement by FEMA and lack of taking the controls of our locals.

For example, there are literally thousands if not tens of thousands who need FEMA trailers right now, STILL YET, and there has been approximately 10,000 FEMA trailers sitting in storage at some leased site (I think at an airport) in Arkansas since a month or 2 after the water-bombing, and these trailers are now rotting and infested with termites and insects from reports in the media. Also, They need to give more control to the locals over the logistics and what actually gets done (but at the same time watch them like a hawk because many are EXTREMELY greedy and outright dirty thieves).

I'm just trying to do what I can, it is very difficult to cope with but I am just trying to help people whom I know and have worked with for many years. I am a 20 year transplant here, but I have spent most of my adult life here and knew this day would come and warned many people whom pretty much blew me off, but now they know I knew what I Was talking about...

Again, I SINCERELY appreciate all that the people of this country have done for us, but our bureaucrats are making a mockery of all the volunteer efforts that have been put into recovery and reconstruction through total incompetence and back room dealings that in the end get little, if much at all accomplished for those whom are most in need of something as simple as having a trailer that has already been purchased by FEMA and just sits dormant many, many miles away from where it is most needed, all the while it is costing a LOT of $$$ to just keep it sitting there rotting and unoccupied...

[Liberty911]

Sir, *PLEASE* do not misinterpret me, I am not saying the people themselves have not done enough or owe us ANYTHING.

What I am saying, is YOUR bureaucrats are making a mockery out of the monies and physical efforts and volunteer efforts that people unselfishly made under some VERY extremely harsh and rancid conditions, I am merely pleading for help (how and exactly what I am unsure), but I just know the bureaucrats are miserably fumbling the reconstruction and recovery efforts, and a lot of politically connected people are getting rich while people such as a recent episode wherein a blind woman whose home IS GONE cannot even get a FEMA trailer after repeated requests for almost a year now while others whom obviously do not need them are repeatedly offered these trailers and other aid.

[poobear]

I keep hearing your mantra of $6.00 per gallon. Listen, having taken several direct hits from hurricanes during my lifetime in Florida I suggest you get your local and state reps to get off their @sses with our tax dollars (over $200 BILLION) so far. Almost a year after this tragedy and they are still haggling over closed bids, who gets what, whatever!

Frankly, and I'm speaking for myself, the passion drys up after I keep hearing "we need more money" from you guys in LA. The problem is LOCAL!

[Larry Lucido]

So how does increased government spending alleviate "$6.00 a gallon gas"?

[Liberty911]

I have personallly loaded probably 50-75 million of gallons of propane and butane in the disaster zone which was delivered to, FLORIDA! AND also, I worked for 3 years at the *Tampa Electric* (TECO) Coal transfer terminal in Davant, LA in Plaquemines Parish that ships nearly all of the coal your power plants burn in Florida.

Is that getting a little closer to home for you now?

Your propane, butane and electricty are going up too my friend...

[carmenbmw]

It does sound as though the problem is more local as anything else. Yet Nagin, et al, were voted back in. ???
Perhaps the issue of what in LA will be restored (only to be destroyed again?) vs. what can be done to make the best of a bad situation, regroup, and rebuild in a different, better way needs to be addressed.
I know that you are frustrated and that you have been through so much. Continue to focus on what we need to do to help.
I cant come down and clean up the local politics myself, but....
Suggestions?

[Liberty911]

By protecting the infrastructure.

[StAnDeliver]

"What I am saying, is YOUR bureaucrats"

No sir, the problem is your bureaucrats, a coterie of insatiable grifters all the way from Leander Perez to the present with the incompetent Gov. Gramma and the Landrieu Mafia.

[StAnDeliver]

"Also, They need to give more control to the locals over the logistics and what actually gets done (but at the same time watch them like a hawk because many are EXTREMELY greedy and outright dirty thieves)."

As if FEMA could ever dissuade the history of lagniappe grift that runs deep in the bone. Forget it.

[Liberty911]

I agree with you TOTALLY on the locals, and if you only knew what has been done to me in fighting these dirty people and what they do AND DID TO MY CHILDREN IN RETAILIATION FOR EXPOSING THEM.

BUT, since the citizens of this state cannot seem to come together and effectively overcome the political mafia down here (and the people are even more fractured and disorganized now), I honestly think and believe, after MUCH AND LONG study and analysis, that the Federal Government needs to do more in taking control of the situation, or giving more control to lower level people and local officials, but at the same time watching them like an extremely hungry bear or American bald eagle and when they catch them stealing or dealing, whack them as hard as they can with a Federal gavel...

[poobear]

Liberty, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your help during our crisis' in the past. Personally my family and several others made 3 caravans to MS & LA last year with full trailers of food, money, clothing, generators and building materials. That's what good neighbors do. You sound spent on telling me that if we don't do more for LA it is our fault if petroleum prices go up. BullSh*t! You could build a small nation with the tax dollars allocated for LA. Deal with your problems locally. Florida did!

[carmenbmw]

With all of the problems that we have going on all over the world I wonder if LA alone could drive up the price of gas to 6$ or whatever.

[Mad Dawg]

What I am saying, is YOUR bureaucrats are making a mockery out of the monies and physical efforts and volunteer efforts that people unselfishly made under some VERY extremely harsh and rancid conditions,

You're not a citizen of the US? They're not OUR bureaucrats?

I'm leaving this thread. You tell us we have to help, we have to wind our way through link after link to find out how to help, if we don't help gas prices will go up, and blind women will be homeless. It's incoherent, or at least I'm not smart enough to understand it.

I'm not sure that almost a year after the disaster FEMA should be involved any more. I'm not sure that we shouldn't cut out losses on at least part of the port capabilities. I AM sure that if New Orleans can reelect Nagin, they can kiss my enthusiastic cooperation goodbye.

My advice, free and worth every penny, is take a deep breath, wait a day, CLEARLY articulate your concerns, your argument, and your appeal, and then try again. All you've done today is make me angry.

[Liberty911]

poobear, I go back 6 years here on Freep, and MUCH longer elsewhere, and I have responded MANY times to people in distress and crises all over this country.

Your claim to "deal with it ourselves" could have VERY easily given me a very selfish impression of Floridians, but then I am above that mentality and know better...

MANY times in the past, knowing the effects of hurricanes, the people of Plaquemines Parish have sent funds, supplies and people to hurricane stricken areas MANY times in the past, because we knew first hand...

[poobear]

If you'd bother to read my post Liberty, you'd know that I too am a charitable neighbor and friend. Your constant whining for more money has me and the entire nation losing interest.

Something about 'Give a man a fish and he eats for a day...'. I suggest you and the local authorities spend the federal money wisely. If LA fails to do so, this FReeper won't be the only one with harsh words for the good people of LA.

[poobear]

Now this guys giving me a lecture on charity. He's barking up the wrong native Floridian tree! Is there something in the water in LA? Is it really my fault the place is a natural swamp? The native Indians knew better than to build their villages there!

[Liberty911]

"I suggest you and the local authorities spend the federal money wisely. If LA fails to do so, this FReeper won't be the only one with harsh words for the good people of LA." That's one of the primary issues I would guess we need help with, that the Federal Government (whom should be vigilantly overseeing the spending and handling of Federal monies) and the locals are pilfering the monies and resources that are being sent, BUT ONE point in case:

St. Tammany Councilman Joe Impastato indicted AGAIN (AFTER THE FACT)

[carmenbmw]

I am in Virginia, and have not been as close to what happened in LA last year as you have. But we have had our own disasters here too, so I have an idea....
I am still not sure what you and I are supposed to do about it now. We have a pretty lousy local political situation here, but several of the crooks (and I do mean FELONS) were just voted out.
Why cant LA vote the crooks out?

[been_lurking]

On the one hand you say you want the federal government play a much larger role in LA. One the other hand, you blame federal government agencies for the problems.

You say the local government is unable to do the right thing, so you ask the nation's help to convince the federal government to take over control of LA.

It is clear that you are on a severe pity jag. As another poster stated earlier, you need to stop, take a deep breath, wait a day or two to organize and formulate your thoughts, then try again. Because right now, your whole thread is incoherent and just plan silly.

[poobear]

Same ol' same ol' sounds like to me in LA. You guys have a situation that has been breeding corruption for decades. It's going to take more than a year and a lot of 'hollering' to change it. Hell, at some point you have to wonder with all those dead voters if it CAN change there. Loving your state is an honorable thing. If I had lived there my entire life, I would have been gone years ago. I mean after 30 years of paying taxes only to see this level of corruption, what's the point? I'm very sorry for the good people of LA. Just try to get one crook out of politics at a time. Oh, and pray!

[Liberty911]

Well, thanks all...

[carmenbmw]

I hope that our discussion may have helped to crystalize your concerns. I know that there are many problems in your area. We want to help. Please feel free to ping me when you would like to talk some more.

[HurricaneWatcher]

From East Texas here.

Part of the problem you haven't had help is 2 fold. First of all, your name isn't New Orleans. Seems New Orleans was the only ones who suffered during Katrina and Rita.

Second, our politicians were in such a hurry to try to point fingers and blame the President and Mr. Brown and everyone else involved for something "mother nature" did to us. You want to know why you haven't had help, the media has forgotten you. The government has forgotten you. Because your name is not New Orleans. The politicians sitting in their DC homes have no idea what you've been through and frankly are thankful it wasn't their state that got hit.

Here in East Texas we have had our fair share of disaster from Hurricane Rita but to see the news, you'd never know. Thankfully for us in Texas, we have a great governor, senators and congressmen/women who helped us out.

Sad to say but whoever said your politicians locally are to blame, they are right.

One last thing, its hard to rebuild and cleanup when 1/2 of the residents (in Louisiana) have not returned to their homes and communities.

[Sail The Blue Sea]

In reading your screeds I have come to notice that you might be able to apply for federal funding for periods. You are either enamored with the run-on sentence or else you feel that using periods with great economy is wise.

[Deepest South]

When New Orleans focused on Mardi Gras and it was pulled off in the fairly undamaged French Quarter most of the country thought "I guess they have it all back together down there"

New Orleans was the focus after Katrina and getting Jazz Fest running and Bourbon Street flowing was the focus of the media. It's and lot more fun to do a story with a bunch of drunks in the Quarter than with bunch of devastated fishermen (or the entire oil and gas industry in Plaquemines Parish)

WWL radio broadcasting on 50,000 watts and the internet spent a whole bunch of time discussing parade routes and who was unhappy that their "krewe" did not get to "roll" at the same schedule as in the past

You see most of the country does not understand the "culture" of New Orleans. Generally most work and complete the job before they play.
When the parties started most decided all was well

The focus of Lousiana's rebuilding should have been forced on the MSM to be oil and gas and shipping, and the commercial, economic significance of New Orleans, and the region.

The nation can understand the importance of Louisiana in shipping and oil. It has difficulty however understanding why the oil industry also needs Jazz Fest in order to pump petroleum.

On another note:

I've lived in the South for a long time and thought that Louisiana considered Mississippi, Alabama, Texas and Florida as neighbors that they would welcome to assist in the rebuilding. What many of your Southern state neighbors discovered when they showed up to help is a local and state government that fleeced the helpers. We also experienced a bunch of Louisiana residents who had the ability to pay for help but stiffed the rebuilders. There is a limit to how much free labor and materials one can provide to the destitute. Even a more severe limit you can provide those same items to the wealthy

I worked in Mississippi and Texas after Katrina and Rita and felt welcomed and appreciated. In Louisana an out of state license of a car (from Alabama even, a state that got whacked by Katrina too) is a notice that locals should screw over the occupants.

By the way my business was and still is in demand in Louisiana but I won't be going back. Attitude is everything and Louisiana has a bad one.

I wish you well, not everyone in Louisiana can possibly be like everyone I ran across while there.

[Recovering Hermit]

I am a resident of Plaquemines Parish...

Move somewhere else.

[Liberty911]

Qute: "Move somewhere else."

"Like a fool standing in a violent windstorm, I still yet try to keep the candle of Liberty burning..."

I guess Freep has changed considerably since I was pro-active here in years past, but I wouldn't say for the better.