Frequently Asked Questions about New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina with Politically Incorrect, but honest answers.

Question: What is the current situation?

Answer: The city is vibrant. Visitors will sense that from the moment they arrive. New Orleans has hosted major conventions, sporting events including the New Orleans Bowl, Sugar Bowl, BCS Championship, NBA All-star Game, Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, and many other events since the hurricane. Unfortunately for New Orleans, the national news media has not told the story of the rebound of the city; they only seem to report about the area's that are still rebuilding

To visitors coming in from the airport the city will appear normal with few visible signs of the damage. If you drive in from the east, you will see areas that suffered some of the worst damage. The parts of the city that are tourist destinations such as the French Quarter, Garden District, Royal Street, Magazine Street, D-Day Museum, The Art Museum, Audubon Zoo, Aquarium of the America's, etc., were all relatively unscathed and any damage they may have received has long been repaired. The city is very vibrant with the usual day to day activity. You can take a tour of the disaster area's, which are the neighborhoods closest to the Federal Levee System, which failed and caused the flooding.

Question: Are parts of the city still under water?

Answer: No. The flooding was drained years ago, within weeks after the hurricanes (Katrina and Rita) in August and September of 2005.

Question: Is the water safe to drink?

Answer: Yes, the water is fine.

Question: What about the high crime rate?

Answer: The national news would have you believe that New Orleans is one of the most dangerous places in the country when in fact, the "rampant" crime often reported is primarily concentrated in specific neighborhoods with high influences of drug culture. The majority of the victims are those who participate in that culture. These are area's of the city you would generally have no reason to be in. If you were to extrapolate out the crime numbers from those specific area's, which are away from the tourist area's, then our crime rate would barely make a blip on the radar, meaning that crime is no worse than other cities of comparable size.  Basically, use the same common sense and caution you would use anywhere you are unfamiliar with and you can expect a very safe and enjoyable visit.

Question: What is up with your Mayor and the outrages things he says?

Answer: Mayor Ray Nagin is an idiot. A race baiting, pandering, egotistical idiot to be precise. Please do not judge us by the imbecilic ranting that comes out of his mouth and certainly do not let his statements discourage you from visiting New Orleans. Mayor Nagin thinks he is being clever and funny when he goes "off the script" but he has yet to learn that more times than not he will say something stupid. It would be one thing if he were an effective leader, but he is not. He is a divider. He is an embarrassment.

Question: How did he get re-elected?

Answer: The majority of voters are idiots.

At the time of the election, which was shortly after Hurricane Katrina, many, if not most of the voters that were actually back in New Orleans after the flood, rebuilding their homes and doing all the heavy lifting in regards to rebuilding the city, voted for a change in leadership. But because satellite voting was made available to the displaced residents and many were bused in to vote, Ray Nagin was able to pull off the election.

The same idiot constituency re-elected Congressman William Jefferson, who prior to that election was videotaped by the FBI taking a $100,000 bribe and after a search of his home, was found to have $90,000 of the bribe money in his freezer. Jefferson has stated, however, that when the time is right he will offer an "honorable explanation" for having $90,000 in his freezer. We eagerly anticipate the "right time." His nickname already was "Dollar" Bill Jefferson (not because of his generosity) but he is now referred to as William "Cold Cash" Jefferson.

Question: Are you worried about another hurricane?

Answer: Yes, we are always concerned during the hurricane season just like people in Florida and along the Gulf Coast, and just like people in the Midwest worry about tornadoes or people in the West worry about earthquakes, wildfires and mudslides. Many area's of the country have weather and nature related events to be concerned with. It comes with the territory and it is something that we accept. What happened in New Orleans, contrary to popular belief, was a man made disaster caused by the failure of the Federal Levee System.

It has been almost three years (August 29th is the anniversary) since the hurricane that caused the Federal Levees to fail and make no mistake, it was not the hurricane that caused all of the damage to the City of New Orleans; it was the failure of the levees built by the Army Corps of Engineers. Hurricane Katrina was a Category three hurricane by the time it reached New Orleans. The levees were rated to withstand Category three force winds. They did not. The United States Army Corps of Engineers has accepted responsibility for the failure of the levees.

Question: Are you worried about rebuilding being below sea level?

Answer: Approximately 50% of New Orleans is below sea level, the other half is at or above sea level. My house, located in the Mid-City section of New Orleans, ten minutes from the French Quarter, is two feet above sea level. We are zoned as being outside the Federally defined flood plain and are not required to carry flood insurance. Our house took on two feet of water, which sat for a week due to the failure of the Federal Levee System. The actual hurricane damage to our house, that being everything above the flood line, was less that $1,000. The damage caused by the flood, $150,000. We have rebuilt and so long as the Federal Government repairs and strengthens the levees as they have committed to do, we have no apprehension about rebuilding. That is not to say that all neighborhoods should feel safe rebuilding. Certainly, those that remain in a flood plain have much to consider.

Question: Is everything open?

Answer: Yes. There are now as many restaurants open as before the flood - over seven hundred, and every venue that was available before, from music clubs to golf courses, museums, etc., are up and running. Plus, new businesses of all types are opening up that were not here before.

Question: Is New Orleans going to make it?

Answer: Absolutely. The citizens of New Orleans, all of those who have returned to rebuild their homes, and their city; and the thousands of volunteers from across the country, and world for that matter, who have helped in the recovery and rebuilding, will make it work and already have to a large degree. The big lesson we have learned from this is that you have to do everything yourself, even the minimum amount you are able to do without assistance. If you cannot afford to do things necessary to move on there are volunteers to help, but you have to do the research to get the help. They don't just walk up and knock on your door. Waiting for the local, state, and federal government to assist is an exercise in futility and the least likely to happen in a timely manner.

Question: How can I help?

Answer: Come visit and enjoy New Orleans. Stay in our hotels, eat at our world renown restaurants, play golf on our courses, enjoy our world famous night life, shop in our local stores, and have a great time while knowing you are contributing to our economy, which is what we need desperately to help speed up the recovery.

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