Vronsky, of all the people in the world, you and your countrymen understand what it means when a levee gives way. Interestingly, one of our leading research geologists at LSU (state university) is from the Netherlands. Typical leftwing nut, but a great guy and a first-class scientist.

Bot

I agree, Vronsky. I think that international aid is unnecessary but that the offer of aid might help salve some rough spots in comity between the USA and Europe.

Bot

If I can rid rid of my remaining houses in the next month I'm seriously thinking about spending the winter down there, I have already been offered a pretty good position but one of my conditions is a good hotel and they don't think that can happen. Now their offering to buy a suitable travel trailer or motorhome.

I keep saying warmer warmer warmer, I wish I could go do it on my own as a charitable contribution but I have to retire again somehow.

There will be billions of dollars spent on NOLA. An honest entrepreneur in the construction busiess will get rich.

If I were you, I'd look at the north shore of Ponchartrain.

The North Shore, from Slidell west to Mandeville/Convington is where the middleclass and wealthy folks from NOLA moved during the 1970's to the rpesent time. There was MASSIVE white flight to the burbs. Like Detroit. Those areas are totally devastated and they have the means to privately rebuild. Whole developments were flattened. No waiting for gov approval. Scam artists will be preying on these people. Roofers, plumbers, electricians over-promising and failing in timely delivery.

The quickest money will be made by somebody with lots of liquidity and a couple of semi's.

Go to your nearest lumber yard and fill a flatbed with lumber and sell it off the tailgate.

Or buy a flatbed of portable generators and sell them off the tailgate.

And ice! OMG, selling ice in the south when the electricity is down for a few days is a sure-fire winner.

Folks did that in my town after Lili for maybe a week and they sold every generator and stick of wood they brought. What impressed me was that those guys did NOT jack the prices exhorbitantly. That spread by word of mouth and hundreds of people showed-up, cash in-hand. No credit cards, no checks.

Bot

Look, we are teh richest, most powerful nation in the world. I, for one, do not want aid, from France, China, Venezuela, etc. What I don't want, is the freaking Germans (God, I love their cars, but the country itself, the people there and their government, has been a major pain in the butt for the last few years) making political hay out Katrina by stating that maybe the U.S. will "finally learn its lesson about global warming!"

I've lived through two hurricanes and the scary part is not the hurricane itself, but the aftermath. Weeks w/o electricity, water, and other essential services.

Should we, as members of this site do something to help out? Maybe set up a fund at a local bank and make donations directly there? Or collect money for the Red Cross.

I live in California, and here we are just one plate tectonic "hiccup" away from facing a similar or worst disaster. We are all brothers and sisters and we should/must help each other out and forget about the international community.

What do you all think?

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Not in this weather!

This is sorta my problem with fuel prices I'll have to jack the price a bit unless I can fit some serious product into a 24 ft trailer, Home Depot has pulled the generators from the shelves up here and is sending them south. I have a couple of my own back ups that I'm offering to nar if he needs em.

and again I'm deeply sympathetic to the situation down there and wish I could send a couple crews down but work up here time and money seem to get in the way. I think I will have some free time at the end of the month so we'll see what happens. I would go down and sell stuff just to cover my expenses but with prices I don't think I could avoid being percieved as a gouger.

You sound very proud. Kinda like an old woman with a cane denying help when crossing the street.

It would be nice if the offer were made. Of course, an offer made with strings attached is no offer.

I'm also in CA, wondering what myself and my family can do to help out. What charities would actually get things to the area without siphoning off substantial admin costs. I know catholic charities runs very low margin of this. Perhaps you folks who are close by or on scene could let us know who is providing support and we can do likewise with those charities/organisations?

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-livin' in the terminally flippant zone

Catholic Charities, Baptist Men, Salvation Army, all are excellent faith-based charities with low overheads. They make decisions quickly and on teh ground where help is needed. Gov requires all manner of authentications while charities just look for people who need help. They are MUCH better at helping people than the gov is. Gov does infrastructure and massive projects very efficiently, but gov kets slaughtered on the modest and small problems of real people. I need water, my baby is sick, I can't find my mommy: these are where charities have no equal.

If you are Roman Catholic, by all means contact your parish priest and tell him that you want to dedicate your donation to the relief. I believe they will accommdate that request (after trying HARD to talk you out of dedicating it). Other faiths have their own relief orgs. ASK.

Secular donors should seek out Red Cross or United Way. Both have excellent reps and will make sure your money gets where it is needed. FEMA has a list of organizations that they have had especially close relations--meaning low overhead and dependable. Check their website.

Bot

I saw where shrub flew over in AF1 today at an altitude of 5k feet. I imagine he is counting his $$$$$$$ in regards to the friends/families oil ties.

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Jim

he should get his butt down to -5ft and see WTF those people are facing. Not that it would do them any good, but for what Clinton would know is extremely important--to represent the people of America in expressing sympathy, compassion and determination. Say what you will about Clinton, the guy exuded compassion. Bush needs to get off his a$$ and do what a head of state is supposed to do, represent the body politic.

Bot

It is simply amazing ain't it Bot.

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Jim

Agreed. Interesting that he was in NY on the ground on September 14, IIRC. I'm betting that the gets a closer look when the Secret Service will let him in there. Too many people walking around with guns right now.

I don't really want help from other nations, mostly because we'll just get grief over it in the future.....we don't really need it....and on a related note, we shouldn't give assistance to other nations expecting anything in return anyway.

BUT..... It would be nice to at least hear an offer from SOMEONE, since we HAVE been the world's piggy bank, police force, and babysitter for the past few decades. It would be a nice gesture.... but....

I'm not going to hold my breath.

Mike

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After watching the event unfold of the aftermath for the last couple of days, I am amazed that its this bad. I knew this will be a bad one, but didn't expect it to be this bad with the amount of loss of lives. I would have never imagined that a city such as New Orleans would me in so much *****. Its truely a tragedy.