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If New Orleans sinks again

JamesRKJamesRK Member Posts: 25,670 ✭✭✭
edited August 2008 in General Discussion
the Corps of Engineers and Coast Guard should have a joint operation to put out buoys to mark it as a Navigation Hazard and go on to the next problem.

When you know up front that any money sent to New Orleans goes straight to line the pockets of criminals and politician (I know, redundant), there comes a time when the people paying the bills have to make a decision.

The tax payers will support the survivors and their dependents from now to eternity anyway. I don't see how it would cost less after throwing billions into New Orleans again.

I know there are fine people living there who love the place and never want to leave it, but unfortunately it's difficult to live at sea without a ship or boat.

Take a portion of the billions allocated for reconstruction and relocate the port facilities, refineries and fishing industry. Los Vegas and Atlantic City are already capable of taking care of the other overflow.

If it were almost any other place I'd say give it the priority and money to do it right one time and stop farkeling around with stopgap fixit projects, but New Orleans will never allow the money to be used for its intended purpose. Why keep trying.
The road to hell is paved with COMPROMISE.

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    remingtonoaksremingtonoaks Member Posts: 26,251 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Sorry I can't remember who posted this on this forum.... I just c&p it a few months ago Who ever posted it originally... Please remind me and take credit...
    The next time you hear a politician use the word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about whether you want the politicians spending YOUR tax money. A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into some perspective in one of its releases.

    A. A billion seconds ago, was 31 years, 8 mo., 4 days, 17 hr., 31 min. and 12 sec. ago
    B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
    C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in caves.
    D. A billion days ago no one walked on the earth on two feet.
    E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our Countries government is spending it. And that DOES NOT include spending on our state, county or city government level!!!

    While these thoughts are still fresh in your mind, let's take a look at New Orleans. It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division
    .
    Louisiana (D) Senator Mary Landrieu, asked the Congress for $250 BILLION DOLLARS to rebuild New Orleans. Interesting number. What does it mean?

    A. Well, if you were one of 484,674 residents of New Orleans (every man, woman, child), you were supposed to get $516,528.00
    B. Or, if you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans, you were
    supposed to get $1,329,787.00 for repairs.
    C. Or, if you were a family of four, your family would have gotten $2,066,012.00

    Washington, D.C . HELLO!!! ... Are all your calculators broken?? (No
    one got anything, and they never rebuilt New Orleans)

    Tax his land, Tax his wage,
    Tax his bed in which he lays.
    Tax his tractor, Tax his mule,
    Teach him taxes is the rule.
    Tax his cow, Tax his goat,
    Tax his pants, Tax his coat.
    Tax his ties, Tax his shirts,
    Tax his work, Tax his dirt.
    Tax his tobacco, Tax his drink,
    Tax him if he tries to think.
    Tax his booze, Tax his beers,
    If he cries, Tax his tears.
    Tax his bills, Tax his gas,
    Tax his notes, Tax his cash.
    Tax him good and let him know
    That after taxes, he has no dough.
    If he hollers, Tax him more,
    Tax him until he's good and sore.
    Tax his coffin, Tax his grave,
    Tax the sod in which he lays.
    Put these words upon his tomb, `Taxes drove him to an early doom!'
    And when he's gone, they won't relax,
    They will still be after his inheritance TAX!!


    Accounts Receivable tax, Building Permit Tax,
    CDL License Tax, Cigarette Tax,
    Corporate Income Tax, Dog License Tax,
    Federal Income Tax, State Income Tax,
    Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA), State Unemployment Tax (SUTA),
    Workers Compensation Tax,
    Fishing License Tax, Food License Tax,
    Fuel Permit Tax, Gasoline Tax,
    Hunting License Tax, Inheritance Tax,
    Inventory Tax, IRS Interest Charges (taxes on top of tax),
    IRS Penalties (more taxes on top of tax),, Liquor Tax,
    Luxury Tax, Marriage License Tax,(taxes on our love),
    Medicare Tax, Property Tax,
    Real Estate Tax, Service charge taxes,
    Social Security Tax,(that they say we'll never see),
    Road Usage Tax (Truckers), Sales Taxes,
    School Tax, Well Permit Tax,
    Telephone Federal Excise Tax, Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax,
    Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax,
    Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax,
    Telephone recurring and non-recurring Charge Tax(no explanation of what they are),
    Telephone State and Local Tax, Telephone Usage Charge Tax,
    Utility Tax, Vehicle License Registration Tax, Recreational Vehicle Tax
    Vehicle Sales Tax, Watercraft Registration Tax,


    STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?
    Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt and the largest middle class in the world, Mom stayed home to raise the kids, and they weren't trying to take away our rights to bare arms. What happened? Can you spell 'politicians!, Federal Reserve Bank(sters) and The I.R.S.? Have you ever notice that if you put the word "the" and "IRS" together, it spells theirs? And we STILL have to 'press 1' for English. I JUST DON'T GET IT!!!!
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    trapguy2007trapguy2007 Member Posts: 8,959
    edited November -1
    We had a small flood 8 years ago ,and the gov. bought every house in the small flood plane and demolished the houses.
    No more problem.
    Lots can be leased from the state for $1.00 per year if you want to grow a garden.
    They are not for sale .
    We would have been better off if thih had been done to NO.
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    DBMJR1DBMJR1 Member Posts: 1,853 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    James:

    As a resident of New Orleans, I want to give an intelligent reply to your editorial. I however am currently not in the best of moods, and more than a little nervous. Therefore my response is "you knigit, you're mother was a hamster, and you're father smelt of elder berries. I fart in your general direction." Now: Don't make me taunt you a second time.
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    shooter4shooter4 Member Posts: 4,457
    edited November -1
    You decide to live below sea-level in a hurricane prone flood plain.

    And you want the rest of the Americans to keep bailing you out.

    You want it, you deal with it and pay for it and stop whining. Plain and simple.
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    remingtonoaksremingtonoaks Member Posts: 26,251 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by shooter4
    You decide to live below sea-level in a hurricane prone flood plain.

    And you want the rest of the Americans to keep bailing you out.

    You want it, you deal with it and pay for it and stop whining. Plain and simple.


    I agree... If you lie with a crack hoe... Don't expect me to pay for your aids treatment
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    agloreaglore Member Posts: 6,012
    edited November -1
    If it sinks again, let it stay sunk. People need to be responsible for their actions, not me or the other tax payers in this country of which the majority do not live in NO.
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    bigcitybillbigcitybill Member Posts: 4,895 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The lost city of Atlantis New Orleans, North America's largest waterpark and marina. Maybe some timeshare condos on stilts...[:p]
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    cbxjeffcbxjeff Member Posts: 17,452 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I posted this earlier on a different thread. My views haven't changed.

    "With all due respect to the folks that live in NOLA, look, we not only built below sea level, over the years, a town of 450K but then are trying to rebuild it. Is this just a make work project for the Army Core of Engineers? Is this some kind of game we are playing with mother nature? Mother nature doesn't play well with others. How many people will die before somebody steps up & says "this may not be a good idea"?"

    cbxjeff<P>It's too late for me, save yourself. <br>
    It's too late for me, save yourself.
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    dtknowlesdtknowles Member Posts: 810 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I live across the lake from New Orleans an as I live close but not there it gives me some perspective. There was a plan after Katrina that would have bought out the people who lived in low lying areas and turn it into green space. The mayor vetoed the plan to gain the support of the people who wanted to rebuild in their old neighborhoods, it worked for him, got him reelected. The plan was good and well thought out for the future of the city. The city is giving people permits to rebuild in flood prone areas without requiring that the houses be elevated. The state insurance pool is insuring them. Some of the same thing is happening on my side of the lake. Next time, and there will be a next time, I hope we learn the lesson and not issue permits to build where houses do not belong.
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    dolfandolfan Member Posts: 4,159
    edited November -1
    We rebuilt Europe and Japan after WWII.
    We are rebuiling Iraq and the Trade Towers.
    We must rebuild NO if the worst case scenario happens.

    Is it fair to use the same NO arguement and not rebuild, say San Franciso if a big quake levels it?

    We are the greatest country on Earth...we must take care of our own.
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    ZebraZebra Member Posts: 5,762
    edited November -1
    I'm not knocking NOLA because I've lived there years ago. I personally think that they purposely build the levees to only withstand a Category 3 storm is because it creates jobs for the rebuilding phase and lines the pockets of crooked polititians with cash that was meant for its residents. New Orleans will be rebuilt regardless, because it's the 4th biggest port in the United States.

    Huey P. Long is probably turning in his grave right now!
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    n/an/a Member Posts: 168,427
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by dolfan
    nWe rebuilt Europe and Japan after WWII.
    We are rebuiling Iraq and the Trade Towers.
    We must rebuild NO if the worst case scenario happens.

    Is it fair to use the same NO arguement and not rebuild, say San Franciso if a big quake levels it?
    We are the greatest country on Earth...we must take care of our own.






    that to me would be solid proof God exists and a flat San Fag-sissy-co would be A-OK in my book[:)]
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    moonshinemoonshine Member Posts: 8,471
    edited November -1
    quote:If New Orleans sinks again

    AND YOUR POINT???
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    dheffleydheffley Member Posts: 25,000
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by JamesRK
    If New Orleans sinks again

    stock it with fish and we'll have a place to catch dinner!
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    youngsparkeyyoungsparkey Member Posts: 398 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Boy time flies wasn't Katrina a once in 500 year storm.[:0]
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    JamesRKJamesRK Member Posts: 25,670 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I started this in reaction to hearing some news dudes talking about how tragic it is that the people still living in FEMA trailers are having to evacuate those trailers until they can return to a new FEMA trailer. At what point does your status change from victim to deadbeat?

    And for those who refuse to leave New Orleans, when does their status change from rugged individual to dumb *?

    The governments, all of them, Federal, State, Parish and city, have an installment payment mentality when it comes to disasters and wars.

    Instead of committing the necessary funds and resources to fix the levies so this wouldn't happen again, they chose to spread the reconstruction over a period of years and hope another storm doesn't put them back to zero before they finish. Well, it didn't work. New Orleans might survive, but if it does it's a matter of luck, not planning and action. If the storm is as bad as forecast all the money and effort expended until now is wasted.

    Either fix the place or quit farkeling around with it.

    If you choose to build your house in a place where houses have a tendency to fall down, you shouldn't look for a second bailout.
    The road to hell is paved with COMPROMISE.
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    BeeramidBeeramid Member, Moderator Posts: 7,264 ******
    edited November -1
    Same should apply to all the morons who live in california, any where that has bad wildfires, earthquakes, volcanoes, or places in tornado ally. Even NY city is at risk of hurricanes and quakes.

    San Fransisco has been rebuilt more then once, looks like they reached their limit.
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    River RatRiver Rat Member Posts: 9,022
    edited November -1
    I don't care how "well-built" the levees are, parts of the dang city are below sea level. The sooner those areas are converted into parkland, which is their highest and best use, the better for all of us.

    Either that, or hire a bunch of farmers from the Des Moines area to teach NO residents how to recover from a flood event.
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    helicopter_pilothelicopter_pilot Member Posts: 1,145 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Beeramid volcanoes,


    There's a volcano about 50 miles from my house. Stupid thing doesn't even erupt. [:(]

    At least when I lived in L.A. we had an occasional earthquake.
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    footlongfootlong Member Posts: 8,009
    edited November -1
    Where's GayRay going to sit this storm out[?][?][?]
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    Queen of SwordsQueen of Swords Member Posts: 14,355
    edited November -1
    NO is an amazing city. Spent my honeymoon and I loved it very much (okay, excet for the part about almost getting mugged). She is an amagalmation of culture, art, and debauchery.
    Sure, she's below sea level. Sure, she's rife with corruption, she's the "Big Easy." She was also an American city well before anyplace west of the Mississippi, and many cities east.
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    agloreaglore Member Posts: 6,012
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by rcrxs old lady


    She was also an American city well before anyplace west of the Mississippi, and many cities east.




    She was a French city until 1803.
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    Queen of SwordsQueen of Swords Member Posts: 14,355
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by aglore
    quote:Originally posted by rcrxs old lady


    She was also an American city well before anyplace west of the Mississippi, and many cities east.




    She was a French city until 1803.


    She still beats most of the cities west of the Mississippi.
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    n/an/a Member Posts: 168,427
    edited November -1
    I have NO problem with NO being rebuilt.
    Hell rebuild it EVERY year if you want.


    I won't pay for it though. WHY isn't this a "landowner" problem? LET those that OWN it, PAY for it. Why should I care what they do with their land?

    Where the hell is personal responsibility in this matter?

    Would someone please send NO a clue.
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    helicopter_pilothelicopter_pilot Member Posts: 1,145 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by aglore
    She was a French city until 1803.


    New Orleans was founded by the French on 7 May, 1718.

    It was ceded to the Spanish in 1763 under the Treaty of Paris; and it was under Spanish control until 1801 when it was returned to the French, who sold it to the U.S. in 1803.

    Most of the surviving architecture in the Vieux Carr? is from the Spanish period.
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    agloreaglore Member Posts: 6,012
    edited November -1
    And Los Angeles in 1542.
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    bigt7mmbigt7mm Member Posts: 4,705 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    James,
    I agree with what you stated. Having said that,I also feel compassion for DBMJR1 and others who are in the path of such destruction,having been there myself in '89 when Hugo whipped our *.

    However,I DO NOT feel it is the responsibility of our federal government to protect these people from said destruction. Especially when they have a lying,hypocritical,racist,POS mayor who wanted to rebuild NO as a "Chocolate City",not to mention the gun confiscations,etc.

    I say let 'er sink and become a nice "Seafoam green". Provided,they get all the good folks out.

    Nagin should be in prison.
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    ElMuertoMonkeyElMuertoMonkey Member Posts: 12,898
    edited November -1
    New Orleans is still a vital port for the United States - allowing it to become a shipping hazard for the entirety of traffic that traverses the Mississippi just to spite the inhabitants would be the height of foolishness.
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    MossbergboogieMossbergboogie Member Posts: 12,211
    edited November -1
    Building in New Orleans was a mistake. Development has screwed up the natural process that the land once coped with the excess. We have since destroyed that.
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    JamesRKJamesRK Member Posts: 25,670 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by ElMuertoMonkey
    New Orleans is still a vital port for the United States - allowing it to become a shipping hazard for the entirety of traffic that traverses the Mississippi just to spite the inhabitants would be the height of foolishness.

    Galveston was well on its way to being the major Gulf Port until a hurricane wiped it out. Trying to keep the sea bottom afloat may be a losing fight. However, the Netherlands is an example of how it can be done, but not on the cheap.

    The first thing that needs to be done is make a decision whether to save it or let it sink. If the decision is to save it, the resources need to be committed and then do it. All this half assed crud is only throwing good money after bad.

    A Corps of Engineers General was on TV this afternoon saying they think they hope maybe it's possible that they might have done enough to mitigate it a little bit maybe.
    The road to hell is paved with COMPROMISE.
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    bigt7mmbigt7mm Member Posts: 4,705 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by JamesRK
    quote:Originally posted by ElMuertoMonkey
    New Orleans is still a vital port for the United States - allowing it to become a shipping hazard for the entirety of traffic that traverses the Mississippi just to spite the inhabitants would be the height of foolishness.

    Galveston was well on its way to being the major Gulf Port until a hurricane wiped it out. Trying to keep the sea bottom afloat may be a losing fight. However, the Netherlands is an example of how it can be done, but not on the cheap.

    The first thing that needs to be done is make a decision whether to save it or let it sink. If the decision is to save it, the resources need to be committed and then do it. All this half assed crud is only throwing good money after bad.

    A Corps of Engineers General was on TV this afternoon saying they think they hope maybe it's possible that they might have done enough to mitigate it a little bit maybe.



    We all know that will never happen because Demoncrats,particularly Nagin,are in charge.
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