How secure are the levies in New Orleans today ?
461542
I live in Slidell, LA on the northshore of Lake Ponchatrain and can tell you that the levies are barely up to the standards before Hurricane Katrina.  While politicians in the state and on the federal level complain and bicker, time is being wasted as the huirricane seaon is only a couple months away.  I have never lived in New Orleans directly but would advice people that it is not a safe place environmentally or sanitarily.  Basic power and water are not available to 35-50% of the New Orleans East and most of that area is virtually untouch since Katrina!!!  my career has directed me toward the MS Gulf Coast where I am seeing vast improvements to the area as opposed to New Orleans.  Please remember the Mississippi Gulf Coast when thinking of Katrina.  The devestation here is something that needs to be seen to believed.
76514
I do not think so.  I think it is only for those families that lived here prior to the storm.  The city is currently looking to re-vamp 10,000 aprtments for rent.  Be patient.  There is plenty of rental property on out lying areas.  The suberbs that I live in have plenty to offer and it is only 30 mins from New Orleans without traffic.  With traftic it is about an hour.
336186
None really. In theory there is some gold in Fort Knox and every time money is printed it's secured by the gold. In truth, the treasury can do whatever they want. They have a theoretical endless amount of money. Of course, if they print/use too much money - they'll cause inflation that that in turn will lower the purchasing power of that money so the government should be cautious about that.
1148706
Texas has the advantage of being without a state income tax. I hear housing prices are starting to get high there,however. Louisiana is a tad humid for me. I'm sure If you want some type of construction or post disaster work you'll find it there. It's still quite a mess down that way. don't know about Georgia. Sorry.
1165504
i  would  rather   my  tax   dollars  be  wasted   on  the   blacks  in   new  orleans  than   being   used  to   keep   up   all   these   illegal.at   least   this   people  are   citizens.its  the  goverments  stupid   fault,  that  all  this   happened. wish  they  would  send   me  a   credit   card.see  what  all  i   buy.
860123
Yeah, parts of New Orleans can still be fixed.  A lot of the Mississippi Gulf Coast just looks like a bomb went off.
1079677
pay taxes (check)\njoin the guard (check)\nhelp katrina victims (check)\nimpeach certain liars.....*sigh*
384892
It is not just the cost but the quality of living. Many stores are still short of help and have to limit hours. To some extent goods are limited and the fun of living in New Orleans is not quite the same.
879089
Sorry, no bashing from me. This year, our community suffered a devastating flood. We were a Federal Disaster Area and had over 100 million in damages. The community immediately set out to repair our own damages. We cleaned out mountains of trash, mud, silt, raw sewage, waste products, etc... No one sat down and said, "Poor me, where is my government check?" We just took care of our own and got on with life. \n\nToday, less than 4 months later, many of our businesses and homes are open and livable. Tell the people of New Orleans to stop sitting around waiting for government handouts and clean up their own messes and renew their own lives.
478749
Im from Louisiana and im very nervous about it.Been putting up money for months saving for a evacuation fund.Things are still in shambles from last year, I dont know how we can handle anymore.Its very scary.
499086
There is no assurance that New Orleans will be hit by another hurricane, just as there is no assurance they won't be.  While I'm not a psychic, from previous years and studies of hurricanes, it's very unlikely that another hurricane will hit them this year and even more unlikely that a large hurricane will hit.\n\nMany younger adults, mostly people in their twenties, are taking advantage of the large amount of homes available for sale.  While the homes need much repair, a recent college graduate who was looking at a small house in another large city can afford to buy a big house in New Orleans and then renovate it for the same price.  While home insurance is expensive in the city, the price of the home, repair, and insurance still doesn't meet what you'd pay somewhere like California.\n\nThere's also the fact that many people don't have a choice to live somewhere else.  While many people have moved out of the city, most of the people that were displaced by the storm are extremely poor.  They didn't own their homes, many didn't have insurance, and Fema has drastically cut the amount of aid they are giving to people.  However, many of the cities they have been living with are also cutting off aid and so they are forced to return to their broken homes, the only thing they own, and attempt to rebuild (they certainly can't sell their homes in the state in which they are in). \n\nFinally, New Orleans is still a major shipping and oil port and people are needed to work the jobs to get things on and off ships.  My mother's oil company has actually offered large amounts of money and incentives to get people from her KY office to move down there and work.  Hope this helps explain things.
315651
First, let me say that if you lived on the other side of the canal, you are NOT from New Orleans, you are in fact a Metairian from Jefferson Parish.\n\nSecond, the politics are so bad b/c of the political framework that has developed primarily since Huey P. Long which supports patronage and a welfare state.  These two components have been in place and supported by the electorate for so long, no one knows how to think differently.  This is obvious by the #2 vote winner in last week's mayoral election.\n\nTrue change cannot come overnight and will be very painful for those who most gain from the existing system.  This includes the politicians, their buddies in the businesses which are required to keep government going, the poor who depend on the state to help them by giving out money and equivalents, the list goes on . . .\n\nYou can fix it by doing two things: First, move into Orleans Parish.  If Orleans Parish does not succeed, your precious sheltered life in Metairie will quickly follow.  Second, get involved on city politics. You don't have to run for office,  but be informed and participate where you can.\n\nThe greater New Orleans area will recover but everyone has to make some sacrifice and also participate in the rebuilding of the arguably greatest city in the country.\n\nFollow Up: Point well taken!  I believe that the interconnectedness of the area still has its centerpoint in the economic health of Orleans Parish.  More power to you if you support Orleans with your actions, as you mentioned.  But,  your vote only counts if you live in the parish.  If you want to fix the politics, you must live in the parish so you can vote there.  Thanks for being someone who is committed to the rebuilding of the city, even if you won't live in it.
93169
It's a waste of our tax dollars. New Orleans is 60-65 feet below sea level. And is basically an island in a sense (picture a bowl in a bath tub full of water). Not to mention this is not the first time they had this storm. I feel no pitty for most of them down there. Nor do I support the fact my tax dollars are being wasted in New Orleans.\nI really think New Orleans and the the state it resides in. Should pay back money from tax payers over a period of time. Why you may ask? Because Stupidity is not an excuse.
87215
No I don't think so and I am so sick of hearing the race card get played.\n\n1st of all Mayor Nagin had the power to evacuate his City before even bothering to contact the President but Mayor Nagin failed.\n\n2nd of all a lot of residents of New Orleans chose to stay in their homes when they were warned.
133541
Below is the link to the city of New Orleans.
97889
hopefully it stays in new orleans
120343
Yes !!! I live in New ORleans (one of the ports). My family has been hear long before the LOuisiana Purchase. We are Americans rather that French today only because the America of 1803 had enough sense to realize the port of New ORleans was critical to the survival of the United States. During the War of 1812 we fought the Battle of New Orleans to stop the British from taking the port. During the Civil War the the first move of the Union Andaconda Plan was to seize the port of New Orleans and during WWII the first place combat occured between the U.S. and Germany was with German submarines trying to close off the port of New Orleans. Now, in 2006, we sell our ports to a country which helped produce the 9/11 highjackers? What is going on in Washington these days?