Comments on: Ralph “Bucky” Phillips: Caught http://billmyerscreations.com/blog/2006/09/09/ralph-bucky-phillips-caught/ Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:12:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Bill Myers http://billmyerscreations.com/blog/2006/09/09/ralph-bucky-phillips-caught/#comment-155 Bill Myers Sun, 10 Sep 2006 19:27:46 +0000 http://billmyerscreations.com/blog/?p=52#comment-155 John, if I hadn't wanted an answer, I wouldn't have asked. So, no, I am not sorry in the very least. I'm glad to hear your family escaped the cataclysm with their lives. Nevertheless, I'm sorry to hear about serious property damage suffered by your parents and brother. I think people like me who are far removed from the area hit by Katrina (I'm in Upstate New York) tend to forget, however, that it's about more than just damage to homes. The storm wiped out important infrastructure, destroyed companies that provided jobs, and crippled an economy... and claimed the lives of many who couldn't get out in time. The U.S. Federal Government certainly deserves its share of the blame for not responding well to the disaster. But Louisiana's government has a reputation for alarming corruption (and for me to be alarmed by government corruption is saying a lot, given the dysfunctionality of the New York State Government), and Ray Nagin doesn't look like much of a leader from my vantage point. Those things can't help. But politics aside, the human element is the most important. People who lived through Katrina are still suffering. The help isn't coming fast enough. John, if you want to "ramble on more" about the city and its problems, go right ahead. Next to the title of my blog is the text to the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. That's there for a reason. I believe in more than just the mere concept of freedom of expression. I believe the concept is meaningless unless people have channels through which to freely express themselves. I'm therefore using this blog to put my beliefs into practice. To put it more simply: you're pretty much welcome to write what you want here. John, if I hadn’t wanted an answer, I wouldn’t have asked. So, no, I am not sorry in the very least.

I’m glad to hear your family escaped the cataclysm with their lives. Nevertheless, I’m sorry to hear about serious property damage suffered by your parents and brother.

I think people like me who are far removed from the area hit by Katrina (I’m in Upstate New York) tend to forget, however, that it’s about more than just damage to homes. The storm wiped out important infrastructure, destroyed companies that provided jobs, and crippled an economy… and claimed the lives of many who couldn’t get out in time.

The U.S. Federal Government certainly deserves its share of the blame for not responding well to the disaster. But Louisiana’s government has a reputation for alarming corruption (and for me to be alarmed by government corruption is saying a lot, given the dysfunctionality of the New York State Government), and Ray Nagin doesn’t look like much of a leader from my vantage point. Those things can’t help.

But politics aside, the human element is the most important. People who lived through Katrina are still suffering. The help isn’t coming fast enough.

John, if you want to “ramble on more” about the city and its problems, go right ahead. Next to the title of my blog is the text to the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. That’s there for a reason. I believe in more than just the mere concept of freedom of expression. I believe the concept is meaningless unless people have channels through which to freely express themselves. I’m therefore using this blog to put my beliefs into practice.

To put it more simply: you’re pretty much welcome to write what you want here.

]]> By: John http://billmyerscreations.com/blog/2006/09/09/ralph-bucky-phillips-caught/#comment-154 John Sun, 10 Sep 2006 05:03:56 +0000 http://billmyerscreations.com/blog/?p=52#comment-154 Hi Bill, You were asking me about New Orleans over in Collen's blog. Instead of boring everyone over there I figured I'd come over here and tell you about it. (Or bore you, you might be thingking.) I actually live outside New Orleans, in Slidell. Parts of Slidell got hit pretty bad too. We are actually on the side of the lake that will get wiped out if a hurricane ever comes in the "right" way. I was very lucky, my home received minor damages. My parents who lived in Mississippi also got out ok. They had two big metal car ports that were picked up and literally flew over two vehicles that were left there and were crumbled up into balls in their front yard. My brother who lives on the westbank across from the city didn't fare quite as well. He had some flooding, about a foot in his house. New Orleans is slowly climbing back, I would be glad to ramble on more about the city and its problems, but I figure you're read enough now. Now aren't you sorry you asked? :) Hi Bill,
You were asking me about New Orleans over in Collen’s blog. Instead of boring everyone over there I figured I’d come over here and tell you about it. (Or bore you, you might be thingking.) I actually live outside New Orleans, in Slidell. Parts of Slidell got hit pretty bad too. We are actually on the side of the lake that will get wiped out if a hurricane ever comes in the “right” way. I was very lucky, my home received minor damages. My parents who lived in Mississippi also got out ok. They had two big metal car ports that were picked up and literally flew over two vehicles that were left there and were crumbled up into balls in their front yard. My brother who lives on the westbank across from the city didn’t fare quite as well. He had some flooding, about a foot in his house. New Orleans is slowly climbing back, I would be glad to ramble on more about the city and its problems, but I figure you’re read enough now. Now aren’t you sorry you asked? :)

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