Katrina pool table

[dr_dave]

I just spent a week in New Orleans visiting my large extended family. It was my first time back since Katrina hit. Fortunately, most of my family lives in Metairie (the suburb of New Orleans across the 17th Street canal, which suffered the levee breach), and they safely evacuated before the hurricane hit. But even on the "dry" side of the canal, there was significant damage. For example, my brother got 1-2 feet of water in his house and had a tree crash through part of his roof. It will still be many months before he can even consider moving back into his house. He's still waiting to receive a FEMA trailer and an insurance settlement.

Anyway, I didn't mean to give a complete family report. (Actually, I just scratched the surface ... I have four sisters, a brother, and lots of aunts, uncles, and cousins, all of whom still live in the New Orleans area.) My main purpose for the message is to share a photo I took of the pool table of one of my uncles (see below). Unfortunately, their house was on the "wet" side of the canal, only a block from the main breech. Their home is totaled. It was especially emotional for me to see their house and neighborhood, which will probably be bulldozed. The pool table in the photo below is the first table I ever played on (in the early 1970s), and I have many childhood memories from that house. To me that's the biggest tragedy of the hurricane (besides loss of life) ... the loss of places and things that hold memories.

Regards,
Dave

http://www.engr.colostate.edu/~dga/pool/Katrina_table.JPG

[Jal]

Sorry to hear about your family. Apparently your uncle has lived there a long time. Having everything that you're familiar with wrenched away so suddenly is not one of life's better experiences. I hope that their situation eases up soon, but it seems that this is probably just an idle wish at this point.

Jim

[dr_dave]

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote Jal:</font><hr> Sorry to hear about your family. Apparently your uncle has lived there a long time. Having everything that you're familiar with wrenched away so suddenly is not one of life's better experiences. I hope that their situation eases up soon, but it seems that this is probably just an idle wish at this point.

Jim <hr /></blockquote>
Jim,

Thank you for your kind words.

On the positive side, the "Big Easy" spirit still lives in New Orleans, and many parts of New Orleans are well on their way to recovery.

Regards,
Dave

[theinel]

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote dr_dave:</font><hr>
On the positive side, the "Big Easy" spirit still lives in New Orleans, and many parts of New Orleans are well on their way to recovery.<hr /></blockquote>
I'm really glad to hear that Dave. I see the pictures and think about what's involved logistically and I struggle to believe the city can ever recover. It's good to hear, from someone who has been there recently, that the recovery is progressing.

Happy New Year and best wishes to you and all of your NO family.

[Fran Crimi]

Wow. That must have been very sad for you. I heard on the news a few weeks ago that the people who lost loved ones are furious over the fact that the state of LA still hadn't even begun the DNA matching process to identify their loved ones. They were told it would take 6 to 8 weeks after they provided DNA samples and when they called back after 12 weeks, they were told that nothing had been done yet. I'm sure many of them are waiting to collect life insurance money, which they probably desparately need. The governor had no comment on the issue.

Fran

[dr_dave]

Fran,

Thank you for your message. You are right ... the government response (local and federal) has been very disappointing throughout the whole ordeal. The thing my family is most upset about is that Jefferson parish shut off and abandoned the pumping stations. Understandably, the officials were concerned about the workers and the equipment (which would take a long time to repair if it were damaged). However, if the pumps had not been abandoned, my parents' and brother's houses would have had no water damage whatsoever.

Regards,
Dave
<blockquote><font class="small">Quote Fran Crimi:</font><hr> Wow. That must have been very sad for you. I heard on the news a few weeks ago that the people who lost loved ones are furious over the fact that the state of LA still hadn't even begun the DNA matching process to identify their loved ones. They were told it would take 6 to 8 weeks after they provided DNA samples and when they called back after 12 weeks, they were told that nothing had been done yet. I'm sure many of them are waiting to collect life insurance money, which they probably desparately need. The governor had no comment on the issue.

Fran <hr /></blockquote>