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Sept. 27, 2005 In anticipation of Hurricane Rita, three million people had to evacuate their homes and except for the twenty-four frail elderly casualties of an accidental bus fire, there were very few casualties as compared to Katrina where eighty per cent of New Orleans voluntarily evacuated the city resulting in around eight hundred victims, very startling and thought provoking statistics since it is clear that the way public officials now look at emergency preparedness for massive storms has changed. Before and after pictures of Cameron and Lake Charles, Louisiana and elsewhere in the region show that where once nice homes and buildings stood only debris remains meaning that anyone in those structures during the storm were not likely to have survived, making the need for a proper evacuation clear. Similar scenes of devastation were left by Katrina in Mississippi and Louisiana. President Bush is now suggesting that the U.S. military, the guys with the guns, should be put in charge of future evacuations, something I guess I have no problem with since I was critical of the handling of the Katrina situation in the first place. This should mean more trucks and other vehicles and more supplies and more strong men and women able to help get things done will be available for the next disaster. The national guard has now ordered one billion dollars in new communications gear to help rescue and protect people and property. Perhaps putting Mayor Ray Nagin’s call for the cavalry to rescue New Orleans in a better light, although he clearly was being melodramatic. Thus far, no mention of using trains to help evacuate danger zones has been made because I believe there are a lot of politics involved, something I would prefer to skip until the issue is raised in the future. Remember I have been saying that this should have been done and that should have been done, things that come under the category of criticism. Politicians do not like criticism, even correct, polite comments. They are obsessed with power because they think this impresses people and this excuse allows them to get away with things, somewhat explaining to a large degree why I am having problems catching on as a writer. The fellows in Washington consider themselves bosses of everything they survey and can domineer and they, despite reports to the contrary, look to empower people like Michael Brown, former head of FEMA, who clearly had little or no Coast Guard, fire fighting or military expertise, not that that was a job requirement prior to Katrina. Ironically, he was a lawyer, like many Members of Congress. The start of the investigation makes all this clear since it is what "they" don’t tell you that counts, as the old saw goes. Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco wants thirty two billion for reconstruction. President Bush has said politely and encouragingly but also not specifically that "it will cost what it will cost, " Like everything else that matters here, this will have to go before the Congress. In this light, I find the objections to mobile home communities that they are subject to crime, including drug dealing, to be intriguing since there is some official approval of qualifications involved, apparently limited to alleged party loyalty and not much else. No wonder government officials have been so quick to make sure an Inspector General was appointed to limit fraud. Again, do they know something and are they keeping mum? Do tell. Local utility Entergy New Orleans has declared bankruptcy and expects to ask for a significant rate increase in the future and the State of Louisiana has decided it has money problems. No real surprise in light of what has transpired. Everything that gets done in the future is going to be expensive and will have to be authorized by Congress from new levees to other plans for future construction and whatever gets replaced, rebuilt and paid for with the Advice and Consent and Approval of Congress. Need I say more? This is my forty-eighth essay for useless-knowledge.com, a matter I continue to be proud of since I continue to hope I will be allowed to turn pro, as they say. I also expect to continue contributing to thespoof.com. ------------ About the author Neil Levine: If you want to check out my satires on thespoof.com, click here: http://www.thespoof.com/profile.cfm?uID=2595 Email: neillevine3@aol.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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