September 2005 Archives Thursday, Sep 1 2005
September 30, 2005
State Police promote gambling
As I was making my ill-fated trip to New Orleans today, I listened to the “official emergency broadcast station” to see about road conditions.
Not long after I got on the Interstate, sure enough about 11:00 AM, State Police Spokesman Omar Landrum was calling in on the hot line. Must be my lucky day, huh. A report on traffic just as I get in the car. WRONG AGAIN!
Trooper Landrum was calling in to promote the Boomtown Casino in Harvey. I’m not making this up. Trooper Landrum called in for the sole purpose of announcing that the Boomtown Casino would open at Noon (today) and would remain open until 2 AM on Saturday. However, Trooper Landrum reported that Boomtown would once again be open again, 24 hours a day, beginning Monday. Even the hosts on the radio were floored about this commercial announcement for the opening of a casino by a member of the LA State Police.
I’m a little hazy on my law since August 29 and didn’t have time to do any research on the matter, but prior to August 29, the LA State Police were involved in REGULATING casino gambling in LA. Apparently, there must have been some emergency Executive Order by the governor that now put the LSP in the business of promoting the casinos.
It seems that the casinos like all other businesses should be required to purchase an ad on the radio stations instead of having the LSP pimping them for free.
C.B.
Refugee from New Orleans, currently living in the woods of North Tangipahoa Parish
P.S. To Trooper Landrum if anyone can get this note to him: Trooper, if this is all you have to do, please come up here and help me cut up some the fallen trees. I could use a good man with time on his hands. Email ASAP.
September 30, 2005
Small businessman not wanted in New Orleans
For the last few weeks, I have been hearing public officials talk about the need for businesses to get back into operation in New Orleans. I’m supposed to be a cynic, but as a very small business owner, (sole practioner) I actually believed them.
Apparently, there are business people and then there are business people. I must fall into some other category that is not wanted back in the city. Today, I loaded up a generator, food, water, etc., drove 85 miles to my dry part of New Orleans wherein my office is located. I wanted to get some important records to begin rebuilding.
I was also armed with my business cards showing where my business was located and additionally had been given a pass into the city by the LA State Police. Every time, I attempted to exit there was an NOPD officer standing guard. No problem, I thought, I’d show him my pass and business card and would be waived through, especially since the area where my business is located has been dry for several weeks.
Was I ever wrong!
Each time the officer told me that there was no way that I was going back to my business. When I asked about the State Police pass, I was told in no uncertain terms that the NOPD were in sole control of the city. So much for us very small business people.
C.B.
Refugee from New Orleans, currently living in the woods of Northern Tangipahoa Parish
September 28, 2005
Please explain
I am not as well educated as many of you and not as well-versed in the law as most of you, but I simply cannot understand what is happening to the law-abiding citizens of New Orleans. Apparently, looters and others are having no problem returning to the City of New Orleans, but law-abiding citizens are not be allowed to go back to retrieve what may be left of our lives.
What makes New Orleans citizens unique from those in Jefferson, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, St. Tammany, St. Charles, St. John?
We deserve an explanation for how this can be happening in the United States of America.
If you agree with me, I encourage you, like I am doing to send this to all the public officials that you know in America.
C.B.
Refugee from New Orleans
September 26, 2005
Our neighborhood in New Orleans
Some have asked about the area where we lived in New Orleans.
This was home to most of the lower middle to upper middle class homeowners in New Orleans. It was populated by retired people whose life savings was their homes and young families raising their children, professionals and working people of all ilk who were either buying their homes are were living in homes left to them by their parents or grandparents. In other words, it was a bit of America in New Orleans.
All homeowners and renters who received water in their houses are being denied coverage by their homeowners’ insurance companies. The insurance companies, despite the breaches in the 17th Street Canal Flood walls, are claiming that “rising water” was the cause. Less than 40% of the people in the affected areas of our state have Federal Flood insurance. Even those which such insurance, even if they purchased the maximum amount, are limited to $250,000 including possessions. Prior to Katrina, builders were purchasing even the smallest cottages for $200,000 and above and tearing them down just for the lots.
Early reports are that most, if no all, of the homes will be bulldozed. Neither flood nor homeowners insurance pays for the lots which are worthless without flood protection.
These losses are no more an Act of God than were the attacks on the Twin Towers in New York. It was the result of incompetent and corrupt public officials that have deceived the public for decades.
The report does give a fairly realistic idea of the fact that rebuilding is highly unlikely, if not totally impractical, without the flood protection system being totally rebuilt (15 to 20 years).
C.B.
September 26, 2005
Week 5 of the “information vacuum”
Today marks the 5th week that many people have been refugees from New Orleans and elsewhere. However, unlike other cities, parishes and states, there is worse than no information for the residents of New Orleans. We get hourly conflicting reports.
We hear talk of the need to quickly re-populate the city. That indicates that those who previously populated the city are needed to return. However, there is zero factual information for us on when we can return and how we get there. I get hundreds of emails a day from fellow refugees asking me for information. I’m in the woods, literally, in Northern Tangipahoa Parish. If they are contacting me they are obviously, DESPERATE.
Last week, I listened to a press conference my Mayor Nagin where he said what he would “like to do” (that meant to me assuming it was safe). Within 30 minutes I heard reporters on our “emergency broadcast” station WWL Radio reporting as an absolute that the mayor was letting people back into the city and listed certain zip codes.
Today, one of the latest reports is that the mayor is going to let people back into the “drier areas” of the city today and Tuesday. The next report this morning is that there is NO REPORT on the mayor’s plans.
A week ago we heard that things would be back to normal in New Orleans in a matter of weeks. Now, those exact same politicians are saying years. Reality is more like the report from the U.S. Corps of Engineers, yesterday — 5 to 30 years.
All the bravado, spin, hype and wishful thinking that we are hearing from the elected and appointed officials in New Orleans should be reserved for campaign time. We know to expect lies then. We don’t expect them to do such things in a crisis such as we are in now. It reminds me of the Great Flood of 1927 when the business people of New Orleans didn’t want anyone outside of LA to know the actual damage for fear that their companies’ stocks would drop.
I understand (don’t know for certain for obvious reasons as outlined above) that there is some type of “command center” in the ballroom of the downtown Hyatt Hotel in New Orleans. It seems that with all the modern technology there should be one place that the media and refugees could tune into to get accurate up-to-the-minute information. By information, I don’t mean human interest stories and wishful thinking by our public officials.
After 5 weeks of an “information vacuum” its time for the truth. I mean the truth no matter how bad it is. We need dates, times and routes. We need the truth about safety. Lives are literally at stake.
C.B.
Refugee from New Orleans, living in the woods of Northern Tangipahoa Parish
September 25, 2005
Describing the indescribeable
I read the brief in today’s Baton Rouge Advocate about the automated message to citizens who were in harm’s way from Hurricane Rita. It was sent to people in Jefferson Parish rather than the intended Jefferson Davis Parish. (A natural mistake when one uses out of state services. Assuming that was the source of the calls.) It finally dawned on me how to describe the situation where nothing has gone right in LA since August 26.
LA’s current situation can best be described as ” Murphy’s Law” being addressed by those who result from the “Peter Principle.”
C.B.
Refugee from New Orleans living in the woods of Northern Tangipahoa Parish.
September 24, 2005
LA rewards costly failures
As noted in my previous email, the Orleans Parish Levee Board has primary responsibility for flood protection in New Orleans.
Only in LA would someone be so greatly rewarded for being a total failure who is responsible for hundreds of lost lives and billions in lost property of the citizens he was supposed to protect. The reaction of the failed one? Outrage that he would even be questioned about something as trivial as his payment to himself of $96,000 in taxpayer money.
Rewarding failure in LA, is not unique. Look at the lists of rankings of LA in comparison to other states for proof. What is unique is that this is the first time that the failure cost so many lives and property.
Wake-up LA
If the people of LA continue to allow failure by our public officials to be rewarded, expect more failures as witnessed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Every parish is subject to being devastated by a hurricane. Wake-up! Your life and certainly your property may depend on your reaction to rewarding failure.
C.B.
September 24, 2005
Who is responsible?
Many of you have asked who is responsible for flood protection in Orleans Parish.
LA R.S. 38:307 gives the primary responsibility for flood control in Orleans Parish to the Orleans Parish Levee Board. However, final approval of any projects proposed by the Levee Board lies with the State of LA per the following:
All final plans and specifications covering and relating to works of a permanent nature shall be submitted to the office of public works or its successor for approval as to soundness of engineering practice and feasibility, but not as to form, extent of area, or detail and such plans and specifications shall be approved by the office of public works prior to their adoption by the levee board.
NOTE: The Office of Public Works is in the LA Department of Transportation and Development (”DOTD”).
Contracts
Awarding of contracts for construction of flood control projects in the responsibility of the Orleans Levee Board. Thus one would assume that after the contracts are awarded, the supervision of the construction and inspections of the construction are a responsibility of the Orleans Levee Board.
Perhaps another lawyer with some drier law books will explore the role of the U.S. Corps of Engineers. Therein, I believe lies a huge story.
I hope this helps splain things.
C.B.
September 23, 2005
What’s going to fail next?
The taxpayers of LA and the U.S. spent $45 Million building a brand-new state-of-the-art pumping station to make sure that Interstate 10 at Metairie Road in New Orleans would stop flooding and blocking a major evacuation route out of the city as it has done for 26 years whenever we had a big rain. In the most crucial time in the history of New Orleans the new pumping station failed, not once, but twice.
The day Katrina hit, for some yet to be explained reason, the station failed and flooded the highway making it impassible. Today it was intentionally flooded.
In the first case, it appears to be result of negligence. Today, it was intentional, but it was a result of negligence.
Whoever designed the pumping station obviously failed to anticipate that the 17th Street Canal might one day become impaired and thus having only one outlet for the water became a $45 Million useless piece of concrete and machinery along side the flooded evacuation route. Whoever, bought and installed the pumps must explain why they failed on August 29.
What else that the citizens of LA depend on for their safety is going to fail next? The Mississippi River bridges? Levees? Highways?
C.B.
September 23, 2005
LA officials are stuck on stupid
I just saw the following report about the comments from LA’s DOTD:
The reported Industrial Canal levee breech is not from a new break in the levee, said John Bradberry of the Louisiana Department of Transportation. The waist-deep flooding today in the 9th Ward is caused by Hurricane Rita pushing waters over the top of the levees, he said.
“The 17th Street Canal and the London Avenue breaches are secure. We do not see any flooding in New Orleans proper.” New Orleans CityBusiness, September 23, 2005 9:37 AM
Obviously, the head of LA DOTD doesn’t know that the 9th Ward is a part of New Orleans proper!!!
Little wonder that there has been no assistance in LakeView, Lakeshore and the 9th Ward which comprises the largest portions of the city. Our public officials don’t even know they exists!
LA public officials are not only INCOMPETENT, but STUCK ON STUPID!
C.B.
September 23, 2005
This is what they mean
We keep hearing people in the media saying that the levees in the Lower Ninth Ward (It’s in New Orleans proper) in New Orleans were breached. Others say, not so, the water merely over-topped the levees.
The U.S. Corps of Engineers says it cannot confirm any flooding in the Lower Ninth Ward because they can get there to confirm the rumor due to high water. Therefore, until they can see it for themselves its not officially flooding.
I cannot explain any thing about the Corps, but I think I know what the media means. Both media reports, though seemingly contradictory, are correct. Here’s why:
Many of the Hurricane Protection Levees (floodwalls are included in the definition of “levees”) initially failed and thus were breached while Katrina was in North Mississippi. The water flowing into the city (both proper and improper parts) because of the levee failures wore the breaches down to sea level or below. Then the levees were patched as opposed to repaired. Thus, the latest flooding, (that the Corps has not confirmed) was apparently caused by the over-topping of the worn-down levee breaches and patches.
Ergo, the breaches have been over-topped.
C.B.
September 23, 2005
WWL Radio does it again
I just heard a report on WWL Radio. According to the state’s emergency radio station, there was no breach of the flood wall along the 17th Street Canal. When I was there over a week ago, it was breached. It must have healed itself retroactively.
Where are we supposed to get factual information in this 4th week of an information vacuum.
C.B.
September 22, 2005
We didn’t get the message the first time
Just when you think it can’t get worse in LA according to LA Political News Service it does.
Apparently, the Speaker of the House has appointed a Select Committee to oversee the rebuilding of LA.
All of the members of the committee, with the exception of Rep. Jim Tucker have one thing in common. They all believe that more taxes and fees on the citizens of LA are the solution to all problems. All have records to prove what I say. Unfortunately, my website is still down and you cannot access the records, but trust me they are there.
As Albert Einstein said: “Significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.” Does anyone believe that these people have suddenly adopted a new government philosophy. If you do, I have some property in East Lakeshore in New Orleans to sell you.
No wonder God is sending Hurricane Rita to our state. We didn’t get the message the first time.
C.B.
September 22, 2005
Deja vu all over again
The current madness surrounding state and local governments’ demands of more cash to fix LA’s problems reminds me of Yogi Berra’s comment: “This is like deja vu all over again.”
How many years have we see our leges and other public officials tell us if we just spent more money on public education, it would improved. Well we did and it didn’t. Now the exact same people are telling the public to give them more money and they will fix the devastation from Katrina and re-build LA.
The current money grab by local and state governments as well as the threats by public officials, especially those in law enforcement, to withdraw services from those they are sworn to protect and serve is at best disgusting and at worst criminal.
While I still have my life, I have lost most of my material possessions, including my house. Yet, I DON’T want the Feds to trust our local and state officials. That is the primary reason that our state was last in all the good categories and first in all the bad categories BEFORE Katrina. We trusted our public officials.
I don’t know about the rest of the people of LA, but enough of this deja vu all over again. It’s insanity to continue to expect different results.
I simply don’t think that the Feds could possibly make any greater mess of our state than it already is. Even if they do, perhaps they will not waste as much money in doing so.
Finally, as I hear all the chest-pounding, finger-pointing and self-righteous, indignation from our public officials I am reminded of a quotation from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “The louder he talked of his honor, the faster we counted our spoons.”
C.B.
Refugee from New Orleans
September 21, 2005
LA’s state of corruption slows aid
Today, I heard a lot of chatter (not information) on the radio stations from New Orleans bemoaning how aid to LA is being slowed by our long-standing perception of corruption. It seems that the Feds want accountability for all the money they are pouring into the state. Accountability? That’s must be one of those “inside-the-beltway” terms of which we are unfamiliar.
The public officials are using the Federal paperwork (designed to provide a paper trail of accountability) as the excuse why they can’t do their jobs. That, of course, begs the question why they were incapable of doing their jobs prior to and during Hurricane Katrina.
One of the radio station personalities wondered aloud why the Feds couldn’t just investigate the flow of money after it was stolen. I’m not making this up. He just couldn’t understand why they couldn’t trust LA officials just one more time.
In any case, the money-hungry officials are pointing fingers. Not all public officials in LA are corrupt. The odds are simply against that. However, non-corrupt public officials have allowed the corrupt public officials to run amok in LA for decades. Only the U.S. Justice Department (other than EBR Parish D.A. Doug Moreau) seems willing to even investigate much less prosecute the corrupt officials.
It’s not just perception
Corruption in LA is not merely some perception created by long ago misdeeds. That is, unless one considers yesterday as long ago. There is a story on the AP wire about a public official in Kenner who was ripping off needed supplies bound for the people he works for and is supposed to serve. Of course, this is just anecdotal evidence, but it does seem to confirm the Feds concerns.
If the public officials in LA don’t wake up and start kicking some butt on their colleagues, we can forget rebuilding LA. The Feds simply aren’t going to keep sending us money only to wind up in the pockets of corrupt public officials.
A double-steal
The money the taxpayers of LA paid to the Feds to pay for these emergency necessities are being stolen and the people most responsible either by commission or omission for the stealing are now threatening to withdraw their services. Thus, it is a double steal. The supplies and money destined to the needy are being stolen and because of thievery other public officials are threatening to eliminate the services (steal them) for which the taxpayers already paid.
If those public officials who are bitching, threatening to discontinue services and pointing fingers would look into the mirror they would find the source of their problems.
C.B.
September 21, 2005
LA — a backwards state?
A few days after Hurricane Katrina passed through LA, I suggested the need for information and traffic patrols on the major highways and particularly the Interstates. One of my suggestions was to put some of LA DOTD’s portable electronic signs along the sides of the highways to advise motorists of blocked highways, traffic jams, etc. They did finally put the signs out after about 10 days and several multi-fatality accidents.
Today, I ventured out of my refuge to purchase another chain saw. On Interstate 55 I saw a couple of those bright orange informational signs on the side of the Southbound lanes. To my amazement, the signs were backwards. In other words, motorists going Southbound on I-55 would have to look in their rear view mirrors after passing the signs to get information.
And, we wonder why LA has a reputation for be backwards.
C.B.
September 20, 2005
4th week of information vacuum
Today marks the beginning of the 4th week as a refugee from Hurricane Katrina and the beginning of the 4th week in an information vacuum in LA.
Do not confuse a “news vacuum” with an “information vacuum.” There are plenty of media reports; some actually containing information. Little is useful, however. Most media reports, whether print or electronic, are at best confusing and at worst life-threatening.
I realized just how bad things were yesterday, when a former high level state official contacted me to find out if he could get back to his residence in New Orleans. Another retired New Orleans city employee contacted me to ask if the power was back on at his home in New Orleans. If these refugees who have contacts in the highest levels of government at the Federal, State and Local level feel the need to contact another refugee for critical information, then there is certain an information vacuum.
Currently, it’s easier to get factual information about the situation in Baghdad than it is about SE LA.
Suggestion to the media: If you haven’t personally tried an 800 number or a website that you “were told” is the place to get whatever it is that someone needs, don’t give it out. It’s the same reason that hearsay is not allowed in court. It is not reliable and it only serves to waste the time of refugees.
C.B.
September 20, 2005
God help us, if true
It was just reported to me that Gov. Blanco was on WDSU-TV last night. She said two things that are more than troubling regarding the approach of Hurricane Rita.
As reported to me Gov. Blanco said: “We are working on a plan for evacuation.”
This is clear evidence that no plan existed prior to this despite what we have been told by our state officials.
As reported to me Gov. Blanco said: “We will weather this storm as we did Katrina.”
If that is the best we can do, then we just as well give up. It’s every man and woman for themselves. Forget any government help.
To paraphrase Dante: “Abandon all hope, you who enter LA! ”
C.B.
September 20, 2005
Playing high stakes chess with human lives
The lack of a “central command” for New Orleans and other hard hit areas of our state is doing more damage to the people of LA than Hurricane Katrina and the negligence of those responsible for flood protection in New Orleans.
People who used to live in New Orleans are being treated like chess pieces in a high stakes game of political chess by our elected officials.
One “commander” tells us to return to New Orleans and even gives specific zip codes. Another “commander” tells us that we can return, but there is no electricity and no water fit for anything except flushing one’s commode (The result of which likely will end up in ones back or front yard, because the sewer system is not working.); then another “commander” says they don’t think it is a good idea to return.
Then all the “commanders” decide they need to have a meeting of the “high commands” on Monday afternoon after people begin streaming back into the city. The meeting is schedule after many people spent hours loading up, driving toward New Orleans, sitting in traffic, going through check points and finally arriving at their homes. Suddenly, one of the “commanders” notices Hurricane Rita which has been on the radar for days. Apparently, the only ones who didn’t know about Rita were the commanders. Then after sitting at the table with the human chess board before them, the commanders decide to move all the human chess figures off the board until further notice.
We keep hearing reports in the media about things returning to normalcy in SE LA. This type treatment of traumatized citizens is not only wrong, but “cruel and inhuman.”
If the “commanders” want to show who’s the smartest (none at this point) by playing chess, I strongly recommend that they use traditional chess figures and leave the human beings out of their games.
One doesn’t have to be a combat veteran, to know that one cannot survive, much less win a battle without one single commander at the head of a chain-of-command.
I don’t care which “commander” wants to lead, but it’s long past time to select one and everyone else needs to follow him or her. Lives are at stake!
C.B.
September 18, 2005
Reality on a Sunday Morning!X-Keywords:
In his column today Jim Beam of the Lake Charles paper outlines the plight of thousands of the working class, backbone of the LA economy who were affected by Hurricane Katrina’s waters.
Who will return
It is not politically-correct to say this, but the indigents from the Katrina effected areas of LA have been taken care of by government agencies before the storm, during the storm and after the storm. In the future, they will be returned, by the government, to the cities and parishes where they were previously domiciled. They will be provided free or subsidized housing and food stamps and free or subsidized utilities. In New Orleans, for example, of all the residents of the city, only 49% were employed before the storm.
Who won’t
However, those non-indigents who paid taxes to provide for the indigents and a bloated government bureaucracy, have received little but bad news from government. Most evacuated on their own. Have found refuge on their own. Many even found refuge in hotels thinking that their Homeowners’ insurance would pay under the “living expenses” coverage. They comprise those who do the work in LA. They are the “average man” in LA who worked hard, paid a mortgage and bought insurance on their homes. Their homes comprise their entire life savings. Their homes are gone and the flood insurance coverage in most cases will not even provide enough money to reimburse them for the equity in their homes.
We see that the Attorney General of Mississippi has already at least begun trying to address the issue of homeowners with insurance, but without coverage. Charlie Foti, LA’s Attorney General, is still trying to figure out what to do. The leges hold hearing to learn the obvious, but have no plan to do anything. Same for all our other public officials from the Governor on down.
Even if there is successful litigation, how long will it be before the displaced working class see the proceeds? What will they do in the meantime? Who’s going to pay the taxes in LA to continue to provide for the growing number of indigents and the ever-expanding government.
What they are facing
There are limited government programs for the able-bodied, working class. Those that are, are for limited duration. We hear lots of political rhetoric about rebuilding New Orleans and other parishes in the New Orleans area that were devastated by flood waters. Yet, until today, nobody seemed to recognize that there are no resources available to the working class to begin again.
Even if the working class wanted to rebuild, how could they possibly build back in areas with substandard levee protection due to nothing, but political corruption. It would only mean that the next storm and there will be a next storm will bankrupt them again.
Yes, I count myself as a member of the working class whose property was destroyed by the negligence of man, but for whom the insurance companies have declared that it was a result of rising waters. But don’t cry for me or for the others. Cry for all those who will remain in LA thinking that things will soon be back to normal. Cry for those who will pay all the taxes to make up for the loss of a huge working class tax base.
I now know what it must have been like to see Nero fiddle while Rome burned.
C.B.
September 17, 2005
How many will die from wishful thinking?
Monday will begin the fourth week of wishful thinking, retractions, clarifications and down right lying by public officials in LA. There is a good story currently running on the AP about how wishful thinking and reality and public safety are running perpendicular.
One can only ponder how many people who survived the Hurricane Katrina will return to New Orleans to die as a result of wishful thinking by our public officials. I’ve often said that if it wasn’t for wishful thinking in New Orleans, there wouldn’t be any thinking at all.
Government let us down before the hurricane, during the hurricane and now they are now telling us everything is okay. How many times can we believe the same people. The old saying goes: “Fool me once shame on you; fool me twice shame on me.” I have no intention of being made a fool of by government in this lifetime.
C.B.
September 16, 2005
Some firsthand observations of New Orleans and the future
For all those who aren’t familiar with the city of New Orleans, there is no natural drainage. All water from rain or whatever source must be pumped over the levees into Lake Pontchartrain or the Miss. River. To accomplish this at the rate of an half an inch an hour massive, ancient, pumps unlike any elsewhere in the U.S. are used.
There is a story in today’s Shreveport paper that finally provides some facts instead of spin by politicians. It gives one a better idea of how so much of the damage in New Orleans is because of the negligence of man rather than an Act of God.
New Orleans has 174 pumps to drain all water from the city. Only 23 are currently working. Fewer than that were working during and right before Katrina hit the city. Why? Because the people that were supposed to man them and turn them on decided not to come to work. All the major pumping stations, not only have their own power generating source, but quarters for the people who man the pumps. The largest pumps have 12-foot diameter discharge pipes. The pump water (When they are turned on.) at the rate of 880,000 cubic feet of water per second.
In the weeks since the storm, pumps have been flown into New Orleans all over the country and world. These 40 plus pumps only pump water at the rate of 910 cubic feet of water per second. I did not leave out some zeroes. That is 880,000 cubic feet per second vs. 910 cubic feet per second.
From my own personal observations yesterday on the ground in New Orleans: The water that needs to be pumped out of the LakeView area of New Orleans is a mixture of sewer and salt water plus gasoline, oil, etc.. The longer it stands, the less likely anything can be salvaged.
If you want to try to picture what my house is like and what those in LakeView will be like whenever the water is pumped out, look around your house. Picture everything from eye level down placed in a septic tank of human waste and salt water for over 2 weeks. Picture every drawer and every door frozen shut because water has swollen everything. Locks and hinges don’t work. Drawers containing your important items must be broken open with a maul or sledge hammer. Picture furniture that it takes four men to carry tossed around your house like Styrofoam ice chests. Then think of 95 plus degree heat, the stench of an open sewer and the air so putrid that you cannot move around for more than a few minutes without stopping to catch one’s breath.
Finally, picture all the devastation and then your insurance company tells you that they will not cover anything because the damage was caused by “rising water.” Of course in my case, the rising water was a result of the negligence of man and man’s corruption that resulted in substandard construction performed by man.
The above is what is facing most of the non-indigent, working men and women of New Orleans and the surrounding area. Then try to imagine how everything will be rebuilt.
C.B.
September 15, 2005
WWL Radio continues to mis-inform
At 5:00 PM today WWL Radio (the emergency station) reported that the Lakeview area of New Orleans HAD BEEN DRAINED and that troops were there.
Here’s the facts:
At 1:10 PM today I exited the Lakefront area right across Robert E. Lee Boulevard from Lakeview. Lakeview is still a huge sewer! There is still standing water on Ring Street in East Lakeshore (north of Lakeview). The shopping center at Robert E. Lee and Canal Boulevard still has at least 4 to 5 feet of standing water. The emergency services have set up a BOAT LAUNCH on the lake side Canal Boulevard at Robert E. Lee.
I listened for hours today to WWL Radio with all the politicians coming on giving false hope while they should be trying to get the city drained and continue to rescue people. After getting safely away from the city, I began trying to call WWL Radio at 3PM until I arrived back at my refuge at 5PM. The number they are giving out to call is a cellphone number that just rings until one gets a recording saying there’s nobody there.
I simply cannot get through. If anyone who gets this email can get through to anyone on our EMERGENCY BROADCAST station please tell them that misinformation is going to endanger lives and prevent help for desperate people. Or if you know anyone who knows anyone at WWL please tell them to either report facts, not political rhetoric or simply switch to elevator music. At least nobody will be hurt by the music.
Thank you for your help.
September 14, 2005
Week Three in an information vacuumX-Keywords:
What seems to be escaping the media and thus the America people is that despite all the spin and wishful thinking coming from our local and state public officials, things still remain very dire for many people in LA. I’m not letting the Feds off the hook, but if anyone is not spreading false hope it is the feds. The feds and bureaucrats are merely finding more hurdles to those of us who are not indigent, but displaced from helping ourselves.
I have already been getting notes from friends, family and acquaintances that are assuming that I’m back in my house in New Orleans and out raking up the leaves. Three weeks into this disaster there is absolutely NO source of accurate information. I listened to briefings by public officials on WWL Radio yesterday until I wanted to puke. Why did I listen? Because I attempting to drive somewhere in LA to attempt to get some private sector help and was curious about what people were being told. I couldn’t believe my ears.
There’s a huge difference between being optimistic and giving out formation to give false hope. False hope is never preferable to the truth. I only heard one person tell it like is. That was Dan Packer, CEO of Entergy New Orleans. He was very clear and articulate in telling everyone that not only is most of the city without power, but his troops cannot even get an accurate assessment of what is needed to bring power back to most of the city until the ground is dry in the affected areas.
The media either is either suffering from shock or thinks it is politically-incorrect to challenge obvious ridiculous statements by public officials at the state and local level. Additionally, for those in the media not familiar with New Orleans, please get on the Internet and download a map. The CBD, the French Quarter, the Garden District and Uptown are at best 25% of the land mass of the city. Only the Garden District and Uptown represent any significant number of residences. The vast majority of the residences (where people used to live) have no power and standing water.
Don’t get me wrong. After over two weeks, steps are finally being taken to begin draining the water in New Orleans. But please don’t forget that New Orleans is not just bricks and mortar covering 25% of the city. New Orleans is people and hundreds of thousands are still displaced with no end in sight for our refugee status. Until the people are back in New Orleans, New Orleans only exists on maps.
Finally, many of us realize (based on our own research) that we will never be allowed to live in city again or at least not for decades until real hurricane protection levees and real pumps are built. But then we don’t know for sure because government, not us, will make that decision and there is no source within government at any level to get the information.
I don’t know about the rest of the public, but after living behind the flood walls in the city of New Orleans for 25 years thinking they would protect our property, I don’t need anyone false hope. Perhaps there are those of us refugees who don’t want to know the truth. That’s their choice. They can continue to read the newspapers, watch tv and listen to the radio. However, for those of us who want to know the facts, we need a source.
C.B.
September 13, 2005
More erroneous radio reports exposed
For several days, I have heard on the radio stations (WWL-AM, et al) that are supposed to be informing us about the situation in the aftermath of Katrina in LA and especially in the New Orleans area erroneous information. On Sunday, they begin telling us that the passes were being issued to allow those with businesses in the CBD in New Orleans to return to pickup vital records. I believed them, but since my office in not in the CBD didn’t apply. Just as well. It wasn’t true. Below is a report that I received from Rep. Steve Scalise.
Steve Scalise’s Hurricane Katrina Update for Monday, September 12, 2005
Today I participated in a meeting with Mayor Nagin. He reported that there was another breach at the London Street Canal in New Orleans and it is currently being repaired. Earlier reports in the media that New Orleans businesses can get passes to return were issued by mistake. That process does not exist yet. He’s waiting on a report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) before he will make a decision on people returning, and he expects that report in the next two days. Mayor Nagin committed to me that he would begin establishing a timeline for people to return by Thursday of this week. He said Algiers would probably be opened soon, though some services may take some time to be fully restored.
Kudos to Rep. Scalise. He is the only member of the lege that has been trying to keep constituents informed. I’m not even one of his constituents and he is keeping me informed.
If the people on the radio can’t inform instead of misinform, they should start just playing some good old Rock and Roll music and leave it to others to inform.
C.B.
September 13, 2005
Questions that will help us
A story in today’s Times Picayune outlined the questions that I have raised since reaching civilization one day after Katrina pass through our state. Specifically, it raises the issue of whether the damage to parts of New Orleans was due to an Act of God or merely the negligence of man. These are not merely academic questions. They are financially and mentally relevant to all of us who have lost property in the area.
Are we being denied the right to live in our homes by water or by government orders?
Regardless of whether one has homeowners and flood insurance our losses, because in most cases will be total losses, will not be covered even by insurance.
In New Orleans, we are displaced indefinitely by order of our government. Even if one wanted to go back to a dry house in New Orleans, there is unlikely any power and one is denied access regardless. Living away from one’s home is expensive. As I write this, insurance companies are denying living expenses provided in homeowners policies because they are alleging that our being kept away is due to “rising waters.” That may explains parts of Southeast LA, but not all.
What support is there to return and rebuild?
Additionally, while homeowners and flood insurance may reimburse us for the cost of rebuilding our houses, it will not reimburse us for the land should we be unable to rebuild. In the case of the Lakeview area of New Orleans a majority of the houses are worth less than the land.
As we hear our politicians talk about us returning and rebuilding, I see to no actions to make that financially feasible. Nor are there any plans to insure our safety if we want to return and rebuild. There are still no security plans in place for the protection of our property from this day forward.
Finally, the big question in New Orleans is: After the water is finally pumped out, how long will it take to provide security not only for individuals, but for property. One estimate is that it may take as long as two decades to build and rebuild a levee system that can withstand hurricanes above a Cat. 2. If the rebuilding of one bridge on the 17th Street Canal on the Old Hammond Highway is any example of the latest best work of the U.S. Corps of Engineers and the New Orleans Levee Board, it will more likely take TWO CENTURIES.
If one really wants to help
At least one reporter is finally asking some relevant questions. That’s a start. The ability for us to return to our homes and some semblance of normality in our lives would be much more enhanced by getting answers to these questions than a bunch of “talking heads” and politicians debating which political party is most to blame. Translation: Which party will control Congress after the next round of elections.
From the perspective of this refugee neither party cause the flood nor is it helping do anything about damage as a result. The politicians should start getting us some answers and start making provisions in the law to assist us instead of impeding us from helping ourselves.
America was founded by people not government. It was built by people not government. Government in some form is a necessary evil. At this point government insofaras LA is concerned is merely evil. If anyone in LA drawing a paycheck from government is not totally focused on the protection of our citizens then they are guilty of malfeasance.
C.B.
September 12, 2005
Advice to government agencies and businesses that are not underwater or blown away
Most people that were not directly affected by the Katrina disaster don’t seem to understand what the situation is of those who were/are.
Some suggestions:
1. We are constantly asked for contact information. Unlike storms in other states, many of us in the New Orleans area, including a major part of N.O. that the media still does not seem to know even exists is still full of water. Many do not know where they will spend the night much less where they can be contacted. People of staying in parking lots and pastures. Muncipal addresses are hard to find. Most Internet website that I have tried to access require information that make it impossible to use the websites.
2. Telling us to just go here and there is not always feasible. In some places those with vehicles have limited access to fuel. Many don’t have vehicles. Public transportation is weak at best.
3. If you are a government agency or business where you know you will have an usual amount of people waiting long periods of time, if you don’t want them to use your bathroom, rent a port-a-let.
4. If you refer someone to an agency give details. Phone numbers, website addresses and physical locations. Everyone does not have regular access to means of communications much less computers. Try to picture a person drowning, details are unimportant; help is important. Try doing a bit more to assist people than you normally do in your daily jobs.
5. The radio talk folks seem to forget that something as simple as getting a piece of paper to write down a phone number is difficult. For example, I wanted to call in to correct some information on WWL-AM radio yesterday. It was almost 4 hours before an announcer came on the air who would talk slow enough, repeat it often enough and articulate enough to even give the station contact number. Instead of joking around to fill dead air, talk a bit slower and announce phone numbers often and do your best to articulate important information. Access to radios is problematic. You may have announced vital information on time the last hour. It doesn’t mean that the people who need it were able to tune in at that specific moment.
6. Government bureaucrats and those businesses that are in business for which we are customers are going to have to find a way to assist in non-traditional ways. About all information most people have is their social security numbers. If you can assist them in filling out forms please do. Most are suffering from mental trauma (like shell-shock) and while they may look normal, they aren’t.
BOTTOM-LINE: Many of us are us butts in alligators (many literally). Start finding new ways to assist your constituents and customers. Stop using he traditional list of questions that have no relevance and only serve to waste our time. Bend over the little farther to help than you ever have in your life.
Finally, of all those trying to help, the only real help is coming from the private sector. If government can’t get its act together quickly (It’s been two weeks today) please don’t continue to help those in the private sector who can and will help.
I would appreciate you passing this information on to anyone you may think it is appropriate.
C.B.
September 11, 2005
A refugee report from a foreign land
It seems like all the big-time newspapers are only interested in “who shot john.” They are losing focus on the real human issues. The public is being bored into a deep sleep reading about what they see as just another fight among big shot politicians in D.C. As such without public pressure, nothing will get better here.
As to the local media with press releases being churned out by the state agencies at the rate of 25 per second, it’s all a reporter can do to just put their by-line on them and scratch out the letterhead.
Here’s some reality from one of the fortunate refugees:
The lost city of Atlantis ( formerly Lakeview and Lakefront)
After two weeks my house is still not out of the water. It is in one of the high spots. The U.S. public doesn’t understand (because they aren’t being told) that unlike in FL, the water doesn’t merely recede in a few hours. It has to be pumped out by ancient pumps that still aren’t working.
The media happily announced (and many people called to tell me) that a big levee break near my house was fixed Friday a week ago, oops, Saturday a week ago, oops, Sunday a week ago, oops. Well someone announced the levee was fix one day last week - well sorta - except for a 20 foot gap. I mean how much of the lake can pour through a 20 foot gap in the levee. (Forgot to tell us why it needed fixing in the first place.)
More cheerful news from the media. Since the levee was fixed, THE PUMPS had started. Well, a pump had been started somewhere. Not THE PUMPS with 20 foot diameter discharge pipes. Industrial pumps that are more like irrigation pumps for the rice fields in LA were transported in.
The public officials are elated that the water has already dropped quit a few inches. Today, the media gleefully reported that unlike previous reports, it was not going to be a matter of months before the water was pumped out of New Orleans. It was only going to be a few weeks. What they failed to note is that after 4 weeks, the time is considered a month.
If all THE PUMPS were working, the water would be receding at the rate of an 1/2 inch an hour. Based on my non-scientific opinion, the water is receding more due evaporation than any pumps. We haven’t had much rain since the storm and there is lots of sunshine and 90-plus degree heat. Hopefully, we won’t have any significant rain because the industrial pumps will likely go under water as they cannot pump as much in dropped in one of our regular summer after showers.
Still hadn’t heard why all the pumps weren’t turned on during the storm. Especially that new $45 Million baby on I-10 at Metairie Road.
Ben Franklin would be shocked
In the area of the state where I hope to move soon, the utility company’s PR person was giddy on the radio this afternoon announcing that after 2 weeks, almost A THIRD of their customers have power. As usual, I wasn’t one of THAT third.
On being FEMA-ed
It is impossible to contact FEMA via the 800 number. One of FEMA’s PR persons was also on the radio this afternoon urging everyone to call ASAP. To give her credit, she said very clearly that one could not get through and not to be discouraged. Not very compassionate, but these FEMA folks have a great sense of humor.
A few nights ago, after hours of trying to log into the FEMA self-help website registration site, I dialed an 800 number for computer technical assistance. The good news is that I through. The bad news is that I got through. The FEMA site has all types of weird hieroglyphics of parts of words that a person such as me with only two colleges degrees (neither in computer science) can get past.
The tech treated me like some dumb-witted southerner from a large public college with initials like, say LSU. He talked in circles and make lots of cryptic remarks trying wear me out so I’d get off his phone. I finally asked him in what country he was based. He said the U.S. I don’t believe it, because I believe that there is anyone in the U.S. that is such a jerk. I then asked to talk to his supervisor. He put me on hold for an hour.
The best advice that I’ve gotten so far (other than don’t be discouraged if you can never make contact) is to drive to the FEMA office in Nashville, TN and wait in line for 5 hours. There I might be able to get my name on a list whereby one day I might actually be able to talk to someone about registering so that my losses might be consider for payment by the flood insurance policy for which I pay premiums each year.
Now I know why they always have these last minute appeals when the prescription (statute of limitations) is about to run out for filing FEMA claims. It for all those dummies who got discouraged because they could never get through, as opposed to those who were not discouraged and never got through. Of course, it is even more frustrating as the tease one with the fact that time is running out, but one still cannot get through. Remember: DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED!
The insurance Catch-22
I can’t get a rental car because an adjuster has to see in person that the car is not driveable. However, the car and house are in a part of the city of New Orleans that law enforcement will not allow humans into, legally. Even if an adjuster could get in, he’d need scuba gear to inspect the car.
I’m told that while I’m in Nashville, standing in line to get a number to talk to FEMA that I might also be able to pickup a rental car there provided the insurance adjuster has Homeland Security clearance and is a certified scuba diver.
Banking
Spent about an hour at the branch of my bank in Lafayette last week only to be told that they were out of checks. First time in my life I have money in the bank and no checks to get it out. Had to threaten to call the CEO of the bank to get them to let me use the bathroom. Couldn’t go to the service station next door or I would lose my place in line where I was told they had no checks. I can’t believe they fell for my bluff. They had to know that I could never get a line through in the 504 area code where the CEO was.
Communications
Also, been trying to make sure that my primary means of communication, a cell phone isn’t cut-off. When I try to contact the company, I have to leave my phone number for them to call me back. Can’t get that done because my cell phone is in the 504 Area Code that is clogged 24/7.
Tried to Contact BellSouth to make sure my Internet service stays on and the land line at my next haven, (if they ever get the phone working there), isn’t disconnected before it becomes habitable. The only response, thus far was offering not to charge me for my DSL service that is underwater and offering me a great deal on dial-up service when I get a working land-line if they don’t cut it off before I can pay my bill with my checks that the bank is out of.
Following the law
I’m one of the lucky ones. I evacuated without having to be told by some elected officials that I should. Having evacuated timely the looters had a crack at my house before it became partially submerged in now toxic water. Yep, got out of their way and didn’t have to call on government to rescue me because I was stupid for staying behind to guard my property which government promised they would guard if I just obey the law.
All that said, I’ve been very lucky — I’m alive. However, I’m still trying to find out what country I am in. There is no American Embassy where I am so that I can apply to be deported back to America.
Finally, HOW BOUT THEM TIGERS! And HOW BOUT THEM NOTRE DAME OF CROWLEY PIONEERS. Both kicked butt. I hope to get back to America to see them one day.
C.B.
September 8, 2005
A blue print for rebuilding N.O
There’s a lot of talking out there about Katrina and her short-term and long-term affects on our lives and our state. What still seems to be missing are any real plans. The best I have heard (and I do mean the best) is that there will be a meeting in the future to get some people together to decide what to do. I’m 60 years old. I’m not sure I can wait that long. Despite my lack of credentials into the vacuum I walk with some plans.
Questions are being raised in the media, by politicians and ordinary citizens regarding whether money for flood protection in SE LA was stolen and if it wasn’t whether there was sufficient amount allocated. At the moment whether there was enough money or not is not the most immediate question. Our tax dollars are often used as I would not like them to be used.
The question is whether enough of money was used to provide the level of protection that the citizens had been promised or had reason to expect. Until we get to the bottom of why the levee system failed, there is no way to rebuild New Orleans or at least 80% of it. Who in their right mind would expend a dime until they have some assurances that the exact same thing is going to happen again. I don’t believe the Titanic was replicated.
To that end, I offer the following blueprint:
–I am informed that the levee system in New Orleans was supposed to be designed (and built) to take a DIRECT hit by the wind and water (including tidal surge) of a CAT 3 Hurricane and hold, not fail as I have been heard being said.
–When a levee is DESIGNED to withstand a CAT 3 Hurricane, the design is supposed to be on the “high side” of that limit or more than a CAT 3.
–I keep hearing and reading about a Cat. 3 or 4 Hurricane hitting New Orleans. They must be talking about LA and not New Orleans. (A lot of media people from outside the state confuse the two.) As I am told, New Orleans was hit by Katrina when she was packing winds of Cat. 2. Additionally, New Orleans was sideswiped, not hit directly, by the Hurricane on its weakest side. The Mississippi Gulf Coast as well as some of the Northshore parishes received a much more direct hit.
–This begs questions which must be answered before we can even think of rebuilding the city:
1. What was the wind speed and direction of Katrina when it actually hit the city of New Orleans?
2. What was the height of the tidal surge and where, if anywhere, in the city did the surge top the Hurricane Protection Levees?
3. Were the Hurricane Protection Levees (which includes those along the major drainage canals into Lake Pontchartrain) DESIGNED to withstand a direct hit by a CAT. 3 Hurricane. In other words, do the building specifications support that level of protection promised.
4. Regardless of the answer to Question 3, were the levees, in fact, built to those specifications?
5. Were the levees regularly and properly inspected and maintained?
My suggestions are certain not definitive and far from perfect, but at least it is a part of an overall plan. I am weary of waiting for the emergence of a leader from the established authorities to start acting.
C.B.
September 8, 2005
Security issues
Based on news accounts it appears that there might of been some document somewhere that indicated that the established authorities had a plan for hurricane evacuation in SE LA and for dealing with the worst case scenario. It is certain that a great amount of our tax dollars were spent for a plan.
Regardless of the existence of a plan, one thing is certain. If there was a plan, it was either inadequate or poorly executed. Anecdotal evidence of that is already overwhelming. That said, some things need to be done now.
Security issues
When law-abiding citizens in America are told by the established authorities that they should or must evacuate an area, it is the responsibility of those established authorities to provide some measure of security for property left behind including until normality returns.
I do not know for sure that the above security was lacking and is lacking everywhere in the affected areas, but it certainly is in my neighborhood in New Orleans. Since the storm and as of this writing there is no security. One of those established authorities has informed me that there may be a meeting at some point at which post-storm security will be discussed. That is further anecdotal evidence of the lack of a plan.
Action needed
This missive as my others have will offend a great many of the established authority. Voltaire said it best: “It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong.” That said I will accept and am gladly accepting their wrath if it means action instead of rhetoric.
If you agree with me and understand the consequences of what Voltaire wisely noted, I would urge you to immediately contact the established authorities to demand action.
C.B.
September 7, 2005
A plan for travel in LA during the crisis
After several failed attempts LA seems to have gotten contra-flow to evacuate people from SE LA right in the Katrina evacuation. Apparently, they forget the plan to get people back in an orderly fashion should the hurricane actually hit.
I was wrong.
Due to simple ignorance, this morning I attempted to get to Baton Rouge on 1-10 via Lafayette. I got as far as Grosse Tete and the traffic came to a complete stop. Granted I am a refugee (It doesn’t bother me for anyone to call me that.) and don’t have very good access to information about critical things going on in the southern part of LA. I had been listening to the radio for almost an hour (emergency station) and never heard one word about any travel problems on I-10 going east.
The traffic jam impeded hundreds of vehicles from all over the country that were obviously heading to SE LA for purposes of aiding with disaster relief. There were 4 trucks with crews taking portable cell phone towers to help re-establish communications in the affected area. All of this was being stopped on the highway because (I much later learned) of a fatal accident somewhere between Grosse Tete and Baton Rouge. Additionally I encountered vehicles like a ragged truck with a cherry picker on the back (no identification on the vehicle) cruising at 22 MPH in the left hand lane impeding all traffic down to one lane going west. The driver seemed oblivious to problem he was creating.
I called into Moon Griffon’s statewide radio show to report the obvious, but of course it was too late for all those critical vehicles and I turned off the highway and went back west to avoid exacerbating the situation.
What’s needed
There must be a PLAN for such situations, but since there is no evidence of execution of a plan, here’s some here’s bit in the way of common sense suggestions:
1. A recognition the state officials that travel in South LA is a problem. Among other things almost 400,000 evacuees of Jefferson Parish have a very limited window of time to go into the parish to gather vital personal and business items before going back out for a month or so.
2. Some warning to non-essential traffic to stay off, if at all possible, the Interstate highways along with suggestions of alternate routes. Similar to the information provided during the contra-flow used to evacuate SE LA.
3.. Traffic control personnel from either the State Police or local law enforcement agencies posted along the major arteries used to get supplies to SE LA.
4. Constant radio broadcasts alerting people to problems and potential problems on the major arteries. I see reams of press releases from state agencies all day long. I have not gotten one regarding possible traffic conditions in LA.
5. Deployment of electronic signs that are used by DOTD in construction areas to warn people of heavy trafficked areas giving constant updates.
6. If manpower permits, some screening of those vehicles getting on the highways to make sure that their travel is urgent and their vehicle is at least capable of keeping up with normal traffic flow without breaking down on the highway. Wrecker services for those that break down anyway.
C.B.
September 6, 2005
Perhaps the BIG LIE will awaken us
“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.” Joseph Goebbels, Adolph Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda 1933-1945
Those of us who used to live behind man-made flood walls in New Orleans and other parts of Southeast LA were told by government that we were protected against flooding especially flooding caused by hurricanes of a certain level. That was a lie. We were told that our material goods would be safe if we had to abandon them. That was a lie. We were told that if the impossible happened, we would be rescued because there was A PLAN. We now, know, after thousands of needless deaths that THE PLAN was the BIG LIE.
Hopefully, as outlined in the quotation above, the failure of our government to “shield” us will awaken us. We cannot allow history to repeat — AGAIN.
C.B.
September 6, 2005
The truth is hard to find
The Russian Communist Lenin said: “A lie told often enough becomes the truth.”
Public officials in LA are known for, and I’m being kind here, their failures to properly inform the public. The current time of crisis in SE LA, unfortunately, has fail to change those decades old, if not century old habits.
There is a whole lot of ass-covering going on by our public officials at every level of government, but there is not one single reliable source of factual information.
EXAMPLES
Something as simple as learning whether the levees on the 17th Street Canal between Jefferson and Orleans Parishes had been fixed cannot even be determined. On Friday afternoon people were being informed that the levees had been fixed. Absolutely not true. The lake under which is all my worldly goods is nearby and I cannot find out for certain.
We are told that order has been restored to New Orleans and that it is once again safe. A few hours later, hoodlums shot at civilian engineers. Of the 8 shooters, 5 were killed by the police.
Yesterday, a high ranking military officer said New Orleans was safe. On the 6 PM news a reporter, at the supposedly deserted Morial Convention Center, was wearing body armor to report live. As the camera panned the area, there stood a member of either the military or police force fully armed with an M-16 constantly sweeping the area to protect the reporter. Having not been in the military perhaps I do not know what safe is. But if that is what is considered safe we definitely need civilian translators to make sure all non-military people know the meaning of safe requires body armor and a trained bodyguard to proceed.
I’ve seen reports about the lack of water in the French Quarter, CBD, Garden District and Uptown areas. For those that don’t know, that entire area probably represents less than 1/5 of the city. The rest appears, from the satellite images, to be under some amount of water.
WHAT’S NEEDED
Those million of so of us who are “refugees” (whether Sen. Cleo Fields likes that term or not, I’m beyond caring) need one place where we can be given some reasonable assurances of factual information about the situation. Government at all levels is failing to provide that at this point.
Since government has once again failed it people, we need some group in the private sector whether it is the Red Cross or the Boys Scouts to setup a place where factual information can be obtained. If the answers to the questions are not known for a reasonable certainty then just simply tell us.
STOP IT NOW
I’ve already had enough false hope, outright lies and circular finger pointing to last me a lifetime. If one is unwilling to responsibility get out of from in front of the cameras, stop issuing press release and simply get out of the way. False hope and denial is not saving lives nor helping people cope.
Despite what Lenin said, the fact that a rumor has been repeated twice does not make it into the truth. Surely, Americans can do better.
Now, for all those that don’t like what I have to say, as our President would say: BRING IT ON!
C.B.
September 5, 2005
Question 2 re the LA Armageddon
We have been told over and over that the local and state governments had “a plan” for hurricanes.
1. Where are the plans?
2. Were the plans adequate?
3. Were the plans feasible?
4. Were the plans implemented and if so, were they implemented properly?
This should not be hard to answer. If there are plans, they are Public Records. Professional (non-government, private sector) can assess their adequacy and feasibility.
Too many times we have relied on our government at every level in the U.S. to provide basic protection. Even those among us who consider ourselves to be independent and have never asked government for a hand-out have erred by assuming that government would protect us and our property or when it was unable, to save us. They failed us on every count. NEVER AGAIN!
C.B.
September 5, 2005
Question 1 re the LA Armageddon
My questions will not be in any particular order. Frankly, I am not smart enough to be able to see the entire situation from beginning to end.
The hurricane protection system in Orleans Parish:
We were told that the hurricane protection system was designed and built to withstand a direct hit on New Orleans by Category 3 Hurricane. New Orleans was not hit directly, but by a glancing blow from the least destructive side of Katrina which was packing winds of no more than a Category 2 Hurricane at the time of impact.
Was the levee system DESIGNED to withstand a Cat. 3 direct hit?
Was the levee system BUILT to withstand a Cat. 3 direct hit?
The answers to these questions CAN be determined by forensic engineers.
C.B.
September 5, 2005
Questions must be raised
There are questions that must be raised and answers gotten regarding the tragedy in Southeast LA. I will begin rolling them out for the national media to consider. They will not bring back one life or one home, but the answers may prevent a similar tragedy from happening to anyone else in America. I will roll them out in small does so as not to overwhelm anyone.
I am supposed to be a world-class cynic, but I was too trusting. I simply could not believe that public officials would allow greed and corruption to cost lives. I also never would have believed that in the U.S.A. petty political bickering would have stopped the saving of one life. I was a Polly-Anna!
In hindsight, I now realize that after decades of not being held accountable for their actions, that was no longer a consideration. What has happened in SE LA is proof positive of what happens when people in the U.S. become dependent upon government. I will let others better qualified raise all the social issues that allowed this to happen. I will simply begin trying to raise the questions that will make those responsible accountable.
Many of you have far greater writing and analytical skills than I. I welcome your input. You don’t have to even be willing to sign your name. I will keep all confidential and take the rap for all the wrath. I truly have nothing material left to lose.
C.B.
September 4, 2005
Jefferson Parish vs. OrleansX-Keywords:
I am told that on Monday residents of Jefferson Parish will begin being allowed back to their homes and businesses to gather vital records and things. They then will have to leave again for some extended period while emergency work is done. Compare and contrast that to the situation in Orleans Parish. Broken levees, standing water, looting, stranded people and dead bodies, etc.
While I am truly happy that my fellow Louisiana citizens are able to return to their homes and property, it is like a knife twisting in my ribs to see the plight of New Orleanians. I used to live within spitting distance of Jeff Parish, but don’t even know when the levees will be repaired so that perhaps the pumps can be started so perhaps the standing water can be removed so that perhaps we one day can return to the site of our former homes to see if the looters left anything for us to remember it by.
Same lake, same river, same hurricane, DIFFERENT government. How can anyone not see what is going on? How can this be happening in America?
C.B.
September 4, 2005
NEVER AGAIN!!!
I am truly grateful to those who have been willing to join in the effort to expose what really happened in LA. I am appalled by the willingness of the LA media to be led by the nose by the exact same public officials who are responsible for a man-made disaster. I’m tired to being told that I what I see with my own eyes is not there.
All our losses were not caused by an Act of God. They were caused by human actions and inactions. The damage we suffered was no more an Act of God than was the attack on the Twin Towers in NYC. Thanks to the National media the truth may come out.
Those of us who have not become dependent upon government will survive. We have already made it for a week despite the roadblocks place in front of us by those who we trusted to protect us. It was the BIG LIE! As they say in Israel — NEVER AGAIN!
On another matter
Thanks to the Herculean efforts of my huge IT team, my domain server has been re-established. The server is no longer in LA. It is now safely in America. I only wish local and state officials were as dedicated as Paul who calls himself my “computer geek.” Paul is a giant of a man (in every way; he doubles as my bodyguard) who evacuated his family from Jefferson Parish to another state and has already gotten back into business. If each public official in LA had accomplished 1/10th as much as Paul, LA would not be the “war zone” it is. By next week my website should be back. I don’t want our elected officials to think that their voting records for the list of slush funds are lost.
Our efforts will not be easy, but the cause is just. Let’s all become Americans again in the same way that were our forefathers who founded this country and made it independent.
C.B.
September 3, 2005
Getting down to the basics
A lot of folks from around the country and even around the world have been contacting me to ask what they can do to help. The following is all that I can think of at this point given my current state of outrage.
LA has one hope to survive the ravages that are being inflict on the citizens of LA, not by Hurricane Katrina, but by the government incompetence or unconcern in the aftermath. We need the assistance of the people of the United States to bring pressure to bear on the Federal government to make a top priority the protection and saving of lives here in America.
We don’t want much. We just need the basic services that are being provided to the people of Irag, i.e. protection from being killed by criminals, water and food. Just those things necessary to sustain life in a civilized society. As long as we are alive, we will eventually save ourselves. We might as well cut to the bottom-line none of us any longer longer have faith in our local and state government to even save lives much less protect us.
We appreciate all the efforts of the volunteer agencies and generosity of our fellow citizens. However, Southeast LA is a war zone. Volunteers cannot even come in until the shooting and looting has been stopped. Until the military is sent in with orders to restore order, no saving of lives can begin. It’s just common sense. If the military would just restore order, the people of LA will do the rescue work. They have been trying for days only to be stopped by either gunfire from the criminals or the state authorities who do nothing.
I cannot break it down any more simply. Either the people of the U.S. will respond or they won’t. What they do will determine what our government does. It’s just grass-roots for survival.
C.B.
September 3, 2005
Government is now the problem
Government (A loose term meaning people who extract half of my income for which I receive nothing but failure, disappointment and heartbreak in return.) continues to fail us.
The fact that government at all levels failed miserable to provide basic public safety before and during the hurricane is well-documented. However, the failures afterward are an international embarrassment to we Americans.
Americans, like those that built this country, living here in Acadiana have bent over backwards to assist us and thousands of other refugees. No government employees or programs are involved; not one. These Americans sent thousands with their own equipment to the New Orleans area to assist with saving jobs. They were stopped and sent home by our government. Yet, government did nothing but stand there.
Lead, follow or get the hell out of the way! Let the Americans take it from here.
We hear stories of NOPD officers either AWOL or turning in their badges and walking off the job. Same for the State Police. At least they are getting out of the way. If a few more “public servants” would get out of the way perhaps the Americans living in LA can save the remainder of the state.
After 5 days and still seeing nothing, but government chaos, I’m beyond caring exactly who is at fault. The efforts of our elected officials at the local and state level continue to blame each other and the President are only making the chaos worse by proving that NOBODY is in charge. Now opportunists from around the country are in our state turning a tragedy into a partisan political and racial football. They might as well be lighting fires in the CBD. In effect, that is exactly what they are doing.
At least the President is not blaming anyone and is admitting that his troops aren’t getting the job done. Hopefully, there will be a major investigation into how this tragedy was handled and those responsible will be held accountable.
Meanwhile, if our public servants (elected and appointed) have one ounce of decency left in them, they should stop with the media stand-ups. Stop with the posed photos handing out water in your nicely coifed hair, pressed shirts, pants and dresses. It is disheartening beyond words. Action requires no words. If you can’t do something useful, then just like the NOPD officers did, turn in your resignations and stop drawing a paycheck from Americans.
Finally, I hope that all the politicians will be as willing to make themselves available to the media when responsibility for this disaster is handed out.
C.B.
September 2, 2005
America gets it– LA officials don’t
Below is an editorial from yesterday’s big New Hampshire paper. Apparently, the only people who don’t see the problem are the LA public officials and the LA media which is becoming a willing accomplice in the denials. I’m sick of seeing the local and state officials refuse to accept the blame and passing it all on the President. There’s more than enough blame to go around, but until the local and state officials in LA step-up and assume their portion of the blame, the media needs to stop helping them cover their collective asses.
If this had been a plane crash, the resulting investigation would have determined that the sole cause was “pilot error.” Yes, God sent the storm, but the public officials IN LA’s failure to properly act and react is what caused the massive carnage. To continue to insist otherwise is like blaming the guns instead of the shooters for murders.
C.B.
September 2, 2005
Hope is fleeing
I haven’t even talked to him in years, but note the comments of retired Lt. Col. Ronnie Jones of the LA State Police in a story in today’s Baltimore Sun:
Ronnie Jones, the former chief spokesman for Louisiana State Police, had left his home in the New Orleans area and taken refuge in a Houston hotel, where he watched the frightening events unfold on television.
“There has been a total breakdown in the local, state and now federal response,” he said in an e-mail. “Nobody at the state/local level was prepared for this scenario.”
In his e-mail, Ronnie Jones took a more cynical view. “Now we understand that what the storm hasn’t taken, the looters will. … It’s not enough they are stealing what they want, they trash or burn what remains. This hasn’t taken my life, but it has consumed my soul.”
Yesterday in response to question posed to a LA State Senator about why the legislature does not come into emergency session to deal with freezing the budget and other such responsibilities he said and I paraphrase: “With all that is going on in Baton Rouge, there aren’t enough places for us to stay.”
We certainly wouldn’t want to make some of the leges bunk together in the 40-something luxury apartments in the Pentagon. We certainly couldn’t ask our Lt. Gov. to share his space because “where would his children lay their heads.”
Yesterday, I appeared on the Moon Griffon Radio show. One of our Congressman in effect told Moon that his and my negativity is the problem.
Yesterday, when I wrote my Rising Tide message, I had faint hope that this disaster would move LA in the right direction. After hearing the above reactions I realized that it is truly hopeless.
The refusal of our state and local officials to accept any responsibility is ….. I can’t think of the word, you fill it in.
C.B.
September 1, 2005
Rising Tide, the sequel
From every tragedy comes opportunity. LA has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change itself for the better.
The John Barry book “Rising Tide” outlines the dramatic political and socio-economic changes that occurred in LA after the Great Flood of the 1920s. State and local government failed the people in its one primary responsibility — PUBLIC SAFETY. At that time the people rose up and took government away from the “Plantation Aristocracy” that had sacrificed the people for its own selfish interests. That gave us Huey Long and Populism that has endured to this very day.
We now see what Populism and our complete dependence on government has wrought. Government has failed us. A definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, but expecting different results. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want more of the same.
The legislature should immediately go into emergency session as provided by LA Const. Art. III, Section 2(C). An immediate assessment of the actual cost of the loss of revenues from the storm must be made. All state spending except for emergency services must be stopped. Clearly at least 40% of the total state revenues estimated for this fiscal year will not materialize. All laws precluding the federal government from taking charge in LA must be suspended. State and local government has failed us. Our only hope for survival is the U.S. government.
Law and order must be returned to the affected areas. Those charged with law enforcement in LA have joined the law-breakers. Justice Louis Brandeis summed it up when he said: “If the government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law: it invites every man to become a law unto himself: it invites anarchy.” New Orleans is already in a state of anarchy.
If LA was like most foreign democratic-based governments, the entire leadership would step-down and new elections would be held. We don’t have that luxury.
If enough people agree with changing our state’s direction, it can and must be done. If not, LA remains a democracy (for now) and we will continue our decline. For years we have talked about our economic “death spiral.” Metaphors like “vortexes” have been used. Now that we have likely whole parishes sweep away because of a failed government, the death spiral and vortex are literal.
Please let me know you wish to be taken off my mailing list. Communication is challenging as it is. I don’t want to burden those who still do not want to hear dissenting opinions in LA because, I AM MAD AS HELL!!!!
C.B.
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