Question on Rebuilding NO LA.

[Mobeydick]

It looks like the Fed Gov. is going to bail out 1.5 million people in NO LA.

Question: Should anyone be allowed to rebuild where there house was flooded?!!

If so they should be required to meet FEMA Code.

FEMA Code (Basically) on the coast or flood prone areas is that if 50% of the value of the property is destroyed either by Wind, Flood, or even Demolition for improving the value of the property. The total property (Entire Structure) has to be brought up to code.

That might not mean much on the island where I work the First Floor has to be 13.5 feet above Mean Sea Level, Roughly 4 feet above grade. If the same laws apply, that means that all those that now are 12 feet below Sea Level will have to be built 25 feet in the air on piles!!

Should we really have to pay for that?!!!!

 

[JohnBoyToo]

While I feel for the depressed families and spent my holiday today gathering clothing, etc.. to donate tomorrow at the shelter...

You said the operative word....
Should WE .....

Given that I had to send the IRS about $8000 over and above the 20%+ they took out each paycheck...
and the local taxing vultures are asking for 10 to $12K for property taxes....

Do I have any say in where that money goes ????

I guess now we know where it's going....

And it is SO unfortunate that the headhunter media and some idjuts have already thrown out the race card !!!!!!! Damn them !

Since they brought out the race card....
have you seen even MINIMAL coverage of the outlying areas from New Orleans and Miss and Alabama !!!

They where hit too, but they are the wrong COLOR ......
and not on the government dole....
so THEY are ignored !

Please understand where I am coming from - I am NOT a bigot - just frustrated by the favoritism ...

Can you beleive it has come to this ?

 

[whatabudro]

While I feel for the depressed families and spent my holiday today gathering clothing, etc.. to donate tomorrow at the shelter...

You said the operative word....
Should WE .....

Given that I had to send the IRS about $8000 over and above the 20%+ they took out each paycheck...
and the local taxing vultures are asking for 10 to $12K for property taxes....

Do I have any say in where that money goes ????

I guess now we know where it's going....

And it is SO unfortunate that the headhunter media and some idjuts have already thrown out the race card !!!!!!! Damn them !

Since they brought out the race card....
have you seen even MINIMAL coverage of the outlying areas from New Orleans and Miss and Alabama !!!

They where hit too, but they are the wrong COLOR ......
and not on the government dole....
so THEY are ignored !

Please understand where I am coming from - I am NOT a bigot - just frustrated by the favoritism ...

Can you beleive it has come to this ?

you speek for at least two of us

 

[02SilverStroke]

I think the reason that New Orleans is getting all the coverage is because of the numbers of people involved (survivors and deaths), plus all the flooding. If New Orleans' levees had held (which they would have if they had been taller and stronger - and that's another story), then the flooding wouldn't have happened and the tragedy wouldn't have been so bad. I feel that there would have been more coverage shown in Mississippi and Alabama.

 

[02SilverStroke]

And speaking of New Orleans: Did anyone hear any stories about the cemeteries with the "above ground" graves? I'm assuming none of them were washed away.

 

[whatabudro]

And speaking of New Orleans: Did anyone hear any stories about the cemeteries with the "above ground" graves? I'm assuming none of them were washed away.

yes caskets are in the roads in some areas, baby caskets too. I've seen the photos

 

[02SilverStroke]

yes caskets are in the roads in some areas, baby caskets too. I've seen the photos

I haven't seen those. I'm watching Fox News most of the time. This afternoon, I was listening to Sean Hannity, he was interviewing Fox correspondent Rick Leventhal. Leventhal said that the TV pictures didn't do the area justice; you would have to be there to see how devestating it is. Later, he had Geraldo Rivera on. Geraldo was pretty p-o'd (as lots of people are) that Governor Blanco and Mayor Nagin didn't do much preparations ahead of time even with the predictions of what could happen. Hannity said that Blanco didn't even ask for a complete evacuation until President Bush told her to. Geraldo was so mad they had to bleep a few of his words . He said that if Rudy Guliani and Bernie Kerek were in charge, the confusion of the emergency workers wouldn't happen. He said there were FEMA workers coming to him asking directions to different places. Also, there were policemen from three different jurisdictions on the I-10 bridge where people were staying and each one was giving different directions, when they should have known what to do and work together.

 

[whatabudro]

prefer MSNBC myself but not for political biases just like the reporters and reporting better. I haven't seen those pictures in several days. But then again I can't watch anymore. I stayed up until 3-4am the first 5 days and I just can't look anymore. I needed the weekend to quit thinking about things. I think someone at MSNBC decided that they shouldn't show that just like they shouldn't show bodies floating in the street.

 

[BJS]

As sad as it is to say. Our tax dollars will go to rebuild a city that is awaiting a flood again. I don't see the city being built on piles when rebuilt as I'm sure they would oppose the asthetic problems inherent with a house on 25' piles. Not to mention the ground is not stable enough to provide support for a house with the minimal support that is given with piles.

While my heart goes out to these people who have lost everything. I do not feel that it is the place of the gov't to go in and restore these people's lives back to the way they were.

Honestly I can say that I think the populations will drastically decrease in these areas. Not simply as a result of the deaths. Those while a significant number are miniscule when compared with those who have evacuated and in reality are having to establish a life wherever they are now including finding jobs and housing. I believe that the population of NO will drop by at least 25% simply due to people not returning.

Atlanta has become one of the centers for distance evacuations. Several of the families that are being housed by members of my church or people I know have indicated that they have no desire to return to to what is no longer left. They will make a trip back down there to recover what can be salvaged and to sell the land with the remnants of their house. Using the insurance $$ to allow them to pay off the home loan giving them the ability to start a new life here.

 

[whatabudro]

The people here in Dallas are also planning on staying