Yep!  Exactly 2 people in St. Bernard Parish have received the "Road Home"
funds that have been so highly touted by our government (but already 6
politicians have been indicted in Louisiana for pocketing money ear-marked
for Katrina victims - that's just the ones who were caught, that's not
counting the ones who were smart enough to get away with it, and believe me,
they've had years and years of practice getting away with it).  Bush had the
nerve to visit N.O. yesterday and say "we haven't forgotten you" - oh yeah,
really?  When did you ever remember us??!  Oh yeah, after *SEVEN DAYS IN
HELL FOR N.O. SURVIVORS WHO WERE DYING OF THIRST, STARVATION, AND HEAT
STROKE IN THE OVER-CROWDED SUPERDOME WITH NO PLUMBING OR ELECTRICITY - where
the dead were covered with a piece of plastic and left to lie where they
died, can you imagine the smell of that after 7 days in triple digit
heat?!!!!*

Of the *HUNDREDS* of *MILLIONS* of dollars collected by the American Red
Cross, all any Katrina survivor got was $300.  After *SIX MONTHS*, FEMA gave
each person $10,000 and each family $25,000 (as a gauge of how far that
went, my daughter's family had to spend about $350,000 to rebuild their home
and their lives* - they'll be in debt for the next 30 years, and they're one
of the few *lucky* ones who were even granted a loan because my SIL still
had a job - those people who lost their employment as well as everything
else in their lives have been denied loans by the SBA).

Yet, as Bonbon noted, our government is spending *$7 BILLION DOLLARS A WEEK*
on the war in Iraq.

*In one way, they were extremely lucky - they are both very "handy".  Most
people in St. Bernard are on a contractor's waiting list that is now 5 years
long!  Erin and Greg (with the help of their three girls) did *EVERY*
*SINGLE* *THING* in that house, including putting on a new roof (did you see
*those* grandmother-scaring pictures?? ;>), laying floors, wiring the
electricity, laying the plumbing, running the gas lines, adding insulation,
and floating sheetrock (along with more prosaic tasks like painting) with
their own two hands.  So they saved about $100,000 because they didn't have
to pay a contractor to do the work.

What's really hard is for people (even me) to comprehend the *scope* of the
obstacles they faced/face in the recovery process.  Every single mordern-day
convenience was gone (some places in New Orleans and St. Bernard still don't
have electricty even now, two years later).  In the entire parish there was
no clean water, no electricity, no gas, no convenience stores (or hardware
stores, lumber suppliers, etc.), there were no grocery stores, no
restaurants or fast-food joints, there was no medical help (no hospitals, so
you had to pray you didn't injure yourself during the clean-up).  There was
no place for anyone to stay while they were trying to clean out their
homes - the closest open motel was over 60 miles away.

Also, most of the people there had/have no income since their place of work
was also destroyed.  So with no jobs, no insurance pay outs, no donations
from the Red Cross, no government aid, they had to replace their entire
lives from the ground up.  They had only the few clothes they brought with
them when they evacuated.  They had to replace all of their furnishings,
every dish rag and bath towel, every appliance (thousands of dollars for
that alone), the central air conditioner ($5,000 for that alone), every pot
and pan and plate and fork and, and, and...

It's just mind-boggling.  Had it been me I would have done like 98% of the
people there and just walked away from it all and try to make a new life
somewhere else.

Hugs,

CatNipped

I haven't forgotten, and I thank you for this update, because it
is not that easy to find them.

2 years after the horror still has hundreds of animals having to be
rescued and moved to shelters that can take them in. This is
because while those who loved them dearly took care of them, they
didn't have them spayed/neutered. The animals coming here from
there are young ones.

Thank you for all of the answers that you provided C.N. I still find
it shocking. Especially the bit about not being allowed to take your
pets with you. That is simply dreadful!

I can't blame communities taking multiple law suites against the
insurance companies either.. I think that I would be inclined to do
the same thing. they are all too happy to soak up the premiums, so why
shouldn't they pay out when the need arises. I have to be honest.

I am dumbfounded that the government is allowing this to continue. I
am shocked that no one has brought this to the presidents attention.
If this Mr Bush wanted a few brownie points, or any hope of his party
being re elected for the next term, he would be doing something to
ensure that the precious votes they are going to need, went his way.
Still, having said that, it isn't his problem, is it? He has finished
his term, almost, so I guess that makes this someone Else's problem,
not his? On this side of the pond,. he will be remembered for his war
mongering ways & his uncaring manner towards his own people. He is not
liked very much over here, for those two very reasons. We blame our
own Prime minister for becoming involved in the Iraq war. Tony Blair
couldn't jump high enough when Bush said jump!
I will tell you what we have noticed over here- Mr Al Gore (Is that
his name?)... He seems to be making himself a BIG name over here. I
wonder, is he running for re election? If his promise is as good as
his word, then maybe he would be the right choice. Still, I have also
heard that Hilary Clinton is running this time too. It would be
interesting to hear from people who have to live by their decree, what
would be best for them. As you say, if your area was one of his prime
assured voting areas, he would be more inclined to do something to
help those that needed him so badly in their greatest hour of need.
These sorts of things come back to bite politicians up the bum though!

I think my lingering memory of Katrina, was press conferences with the
Mayor(? He looked hispanic or mixed race??), begging & pleading for
intervention & help from the outside world...& the day that Mr Bush
came to town, he looked like someone had hit him in  the face with a
paddle, & nailed his tongue to the roof of his mouth!! He looked So
Angry!!!!!!!
God Bless you all two years later! We still think of you....
Sheelagh>"o"<