It's gone swimmingly!  OK, bad choice of words.

I still here a lot of blaming and fingerpointing in the media, but I think they just don't want to let a good story die.  Look, it was hard for a while.  Some people lived in FEMA trailers.  But all the federal funds were distributed in a timely fashion.  The government helped the folks rebuild.  Low income folks who had no capital got provided adequate new housing from the government.  Private corporations all contributed above and beyond what anybody could have expected.  Everybody pulled together to help re-start the economy down there.  The feds made sure all the displaced residents of New Orleans got to return.  They made sure everybody got registered to vote.  They made sure those without means got the healthcare and nutrition they needed.  Bush personally made sure the government cut spending in Iraq and delayed tax cuts for wealthy people in order that the the effort to clean the muck and debris out of hurricane-damaged areas was accomplished with all speed.  They made sure there was comprehensive power restoration and sanitation so no environmentally-born illnesses spread.

Where the state and local governments failed, the feds made sure the job got done.  After all, that's the philosophy of the GOP, serve the most needy first.  Bush didn't take any vacations at his Crawford ranch.  He spent his time overseeing recovery efforts in the Katrina-devastated regions.  His superb diplomatic abilities with the Europeans helped him recruit the best Dutch engineers to direct the building of new and improved levees. 

The week of the one year anniversary, life is pretty much back to normal down there.  What's everybody griping about?  Bush did say that the one year anniversary was "just that and nothing more."  And he noted that "some folks are still hurtin.'"  This is a clear indication of our President's great care for the American people and how in touch he really is with the average guy.  There are a few hurricane victims who still don't have the things they need, and Bush is going to help 'em out if he has to go there in person and do it!

http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/13/icon_thumright.gif  http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/13/icon_sunny.gifhttp://www.inthe00s.com/smile/13/icon_thumleft.gif

^ fascist.

Here's my review: New Orleans is still a hell-hole and will be for a long time.  It took Dade County in Florida quite a long time to recover from Hurricane Andrew, and Katrina was many times more powerful.

Here's my review: New Orleans is still a hell-hole and will be for a long time.  It took Dade County in Florida quite a long time to recover from Hurricane Andrew, and Katrina was many times more powerful.

Andrew (1992) and Katrina (2005) were about the same strength.  Difference was Andrew's main incursion was primarily rural.  Katrina nailed urban areas, and more heavily populated coastline.  They have this in common:  after the media storm died down, the poor folks were left to fend for themselves.

Andrew (1992) and Katrina (2005) were about the same strength.  Difference was Andrew's main incursion was primarily rural.  Katrina nailed urban areas, and more heavily populated coastline.  They have this in common:  after the media storm died down, the poor folks were left to fend for themselves.



Hence why I said it was more powerful.

your real heroic moment from hurricane katrina

http://youtube.com/watch?v=JlJAL3s8AfA

your real heroic moment from hurricane katrina

http://youtube.com/watch?v=JlJAL3s8AfA



I'm at a computer with no soundcard, but I think I remember this one.

Here's a picture I like--
http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/_/f/bush_guitar_superdome.jpg

Mind you, it's a Photoshop fake, but I like to think of it more as a "photographic editorial."
^Possible caption:
"Man, that's the worst take on "Oh! Susannah" I ever did hear!"

http://paleblue.us/archives/bushdisaster-thumb.jpg
(that's not what we meant, wiseguy!)

Here's my review: New Orleans is still a hell-hole and will be for a long time.  It took Dade County in Florida quite a long time to recover from Hurricane Andrew, and Katrina was many times more powerful.


Yep.

But for people watching from the peanut gallery -- if you want to know what post-nuclear-strike America is going to be like, Katrina was it. 

As near as I can tell, FEMA ran a playbook that was written for an NBC strike:  contain the area, limit exposure to the residents, prevent further injuries by preventing civilians from accessing the target area.  Let the wounded triage themselves for a week or two to reduce load on refugee camps.

It's a cold playbook, and I loathe FEMA for playing it, but I'm grateful that they tipped their hand early.  When the fit hits the shan, at least we know what to expect.

Yep.

But for people watching from the peanut gallery -- if you want to know what post-nuclear-strike America is going to be like, Katrina was it. 

As near as I can tell, FEMA ran a playbook that was written for an NBC strike:  contain the area, limit exposure to the residents, prevent further injuries by preventing civilians from accessing the target area.  Let the wounded triage themselves for a week or two to reduce load on refugee camps.

It's a cold playbook, and I loathe FEMA for playing it, but I'm grateful that they tipped their hand early.  When the fit hits the shan, at least we know what to expect.

If Katrina had nailed, say, Jupiter Island instead of N.O., you'd see a whole different list of relief priorities from this Republican administration.

"It's not that I can't help these people. It's just I don't want to."
--Lawrence Bourne III (Volunteers, Tom Hanks, 1985)

Here ya go, boys and girls--
http://www.counterpunch.org/quigley08222006.html

The scary part about it is that it looks like Ernesto is heading streight for N.O. to finish the job that Katrina started.




Cat

The Gulf coast will never return to pre-Katrina life.  Only rich people, casinos, and the entertainment industry will be able to afford to the insurance to build there....especially if there is another Katrina/Rita stortm there. 

Even if Ernesto hits the Katrina-affected areas as a category one, there will be renewed devastation.  How do FEMA trailers do in floods?

The government's post-Katrina policies, lies, and deceit mirrors the GOP's vision for America in general.

The Gulf coast will never return to pre-Katrina life.  Only rich people, casinos, and the entertainment industry will be able to afford to the insurance to build there....especially if there is another Katrina/Rita stortm there. 

Even if Ernesto hits the Katrina-affected areas as a category one, there will be renewed devastation.  How do FEMA trailers do in floods?

The government's post-Katrina policies, lies, and deceit mirrors the GOP's vision for America in general.
it's so funny how much flak mayor nagin got for his chocolate city comment when it's pretty much obvious there's a neocon agenda to do to new orleans what disney did to times square.

make it a rich white agenda and pour millions of dollars behind it and people don't notice. but in response if one guy says something about a chocolate city everybody freaks. some liberal media! let me run it for a week, i'll show you a goddamn liberal media.

it's so funny how much flak mayor nagin got for his chocolate city comment when it's pretty much obvious there's a neocon agenda to do to new orleans what disney did to times square.

make it a rich white agenda and pour millions of dollars behind it and people don't notice. but in response if one guy says something about a chocolate city everybody freaks. some liberal media! let me run it for a week, i'll show you a goddamn liberal media.

The Right is always on the attack. Always, always, always!
Liberals, Leftists, whoever, try to meet them on their terms.  They don't realize the Right in the media has mastered polemical judo.  They hold all the energy and all the power in the corporate media.  When the Left puts up a fight, the Right just uses the energy the Left expends against them.  The Left cannot win in the corporate media.  Destroy Nagin, destroy Rather, destroy Dean.  Roger Ailes asks, Karl Rove asks, and it shall be done.  It is time for the Left to stop bickering with messengers and leapfrog right over them.  Guerilla warfare, in a manner of speaking.  Destroy the message makers, not the messengers.  It is time for all people of patriotism and conscience to stop replying to the Limbaughs, the Coulters, and the Hannitys.  No use screaming at these clowns any longer.  I hear the guys on Air America ranting or chuckling about something Bill O'Reilly said.  Waste of time.  Of course O'Reilly said something bigoted and stupid.  A devastating strategy might be for the Left to ignore the fascist mouthpieces.  Stop responding the right-wing's worldview and profess only their own.  You can assume everything the Right has to say is utter garbage.  This was not true fifty years ago, or even twenty years ago.  It's been true since 1994.  Time to wake up to the fact.
I'm afraid it will take more than ignoring the war criminals, the corporate criminals, and the fascist pharisees....I'm not advocating anything in particular, I'm just stating what it will take to get the job done:

"You wanna know how you do it? Here's how, they pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That's the Chicago way, and that's how you get Capone! Now do you want to do that? Are you ready to do that?"
--Officer Jim Malone
(The Untouchables, 1987)

I had an epiphany just now, you see, about the attacks on Nagin, a traumatized mayor made confused statements after the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history, compared to the complete indifference our government shows to the working class...not just those living in abject peril along the Gulf Coast, but the working class on all coasts and everywhere between.

it's so funny how much flak mayor nagin got for his chocolate city comment when it's pretty much obvious there's a neocon agenda to do to new orleans what disney did to times square.

What's wrong with what they did to Times Square? It was filled with crime and filth, before.

What's wrong with what they did to Times Square? It was filled with crime and filth, before.
well, this is kinda a distraction but not everything in america can be a disneyfied strip mall, is my point. in a couple years new orleans is probably going to be a white bread theme park imitation of what it used to be.

times square used to be awesome. they showed kung fu movies on 42nd street. now there's nothing of interesting going on there at all, not a thing. it's a tourist hole.

well, this is kinda a distraction but not everything in america can be a disneyfied strip mall, is my point. in a couple years new orleans is probably going to be a white bread theme park imitation of what it used to be.

times square used to be awesome. they showed kung fu movies on 42nd street. now there's nothing of interesting going on there at all, not a thing. it's a tourist hole.


I couldn't agree with you more. You hit it square on the head. Times Square still had an unique flavor despite what it was before. Now it's a tourist trap.

well, this is kinda a distraction but not everything in america can be a disneyfied strip mall, is my point. in a couple years new orleans is probably going to be a white bread theme park imitation of what it used to be.

times square used to be awesome. they showed kung fu movies on 42nd street. now there's nothing of interesting going on there at all, not a thing. it's a tourist hole.

The "filth" was part of the fun of Times Square, it was an adventure!  If you wanted to go to a kung fu movie you could, if you wanted to watch a peep-show, you could do that too!  There were all kinds of characters to see, it was much the carnival atmosphere.

However, the fascist mandate is everything most be family-friendly (except domestic policy) and cater to corporate leviathans.  They decided Pluto wasn't a planet, 'coz he's in Times Square!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6d/Plutodog.gif

A cult movie from 1980 that documents some of the now-deceased
old Times Square.  I recommend it highly:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00004Y6AU.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

The Gulf coast will never return to pre-Katrina life.  Only rich people, casinos, and the entertainment industry will be able to afford to the insurance to build there....especially if there is another Katrina/Rita stortm there. 

Even if Ernesto hits the Katrina-affected areas as a category one, there will be renewed devastation.  How do FEMA trailers do in floods?

The government's post-Katrina policies, lies, and deceit mirrors the GOP's vision for America in general.



If Ernesto does hit N.O. the FEMA trailers will hold up just fine because they are in Hope, Arkansas.  ::)




Cat

cool, i added times square to my queue. thanks for the tip!

I think giving the medias habit of rerunning and rerunning sound bites, maybe we should have a week of mother Babs bush saying "This should work out well for them" played over and over again.  That still sticks in my gut.

I think giving the medias habit of rerunning and rerunning sound bites, maybe we should have a week of mother Babs bush saying "This should work out well for them" played over and over again.  That still sticks in my gut.



That was actually in our local paper this morning because "mother Babs" (as you call her) is coming to Vermont to help campaign for the Repub running for Congress (Ret. Gen. Martha Rainville-from Ver. Nat. Guard). The paper basically said that maybe it is not a good idea for Martha to have Babs campaign for her because of those statements she made last year.




Cat

A cult movie from 1980 that documents some of the now-deceased old Times Square.  I recommend it highly:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00004Y6AU.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg


I see your "Times Square" and raise you Mondo New York.

A cult movie so strange that the uncensored Karen Finley performance probably isn't the most Mondo bit of late-80s New York.

A cult movie so strange that the uncensored Karen Finley performance probably isn't the most Mondo bit of late-80s New York.

Oh, I've seen "Mondo New York."  I never cared for Karen.  You know, "the canned yam jam," and so forth.  She used eject people from her performances for talking.  Can you imagine?
"No talking while I'm rolling naked in chocoalte syrup!  Hey, I'm not kidding, this is my job!"
;D

I've seen most of the John Waters movies, and some of the Andy Warhol's, if we 're talking kitschy bad taste!

Anyway, what do you expect from the elder Barbara Bush?  She's the nastiest piece of work in the whole lot!  "She's the brains behind Pa," if you know what I mean.

"Now there's a woman who knows how to hate!"
--RM Nixon on Barbara Bush

All I know is Clinton would have handled Katrina (the hurricane!) a whole lot better.

All I know is Clinton would have handled Katrina (the hurricane!) a whole lot better.




Bill would have handled everything better.

Bill would have handled everything better.

As I say, I wasn't the biggest Clinton Administration fan, but I sure do miss those guys sometimes!
Speaking of Tricky Dick, I've seen the footage of Nixon going down to survey the damage of the 1974 Super Outbreak of tornadoes.  About 150 tornadoes devasted the South and Midwest over a few days in April of that year.  Tricky Dick did his best to comfort the survivors for photo-ops.  He wasn't very good at it, but he was a couple of notches above Dubya.  Clinton was absolutely terrific with that stuff.  So was Reagan, I'll give him that much credit!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWfb9gy7vq0

this was another heroic moment. i remember this guy being one of the first people who actually put a voice to how horrible and flagrant the government's neglect of new orleans. it's hard for me to find superlatives sufficient to summarize how repugnant i thought the administration's non-response was to katrina. this dude summed it up nicely.

i think he's doing a lot of commentary now, he wasn't then. this was the moment that kinda put him on the map, i'm guessing.

A cult movie from 1980 that documents some of the now-deceased
old Times Square.  I recommend it highly:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00004Y6AU.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg


oo..that was great!featuring 'walk on the wild side' by lou reed.. 8)

oo..that was great!featuring 'walk on the wild side' by lou reed.. 8)
it's totally on the top of my netflix queue now. if i ever get through flying nun and mary pppins and season 2 disk 3 of buffy it'll totally be next.

i can't believe i'm procrastinating watching television. i have an actual television-watching backlog.

i can't believe i'm procrastinating watching television. i have an actual television-watching backlog.


i'm not sayin' a word