Forum - Don't say Blowing in New Orleans

Katrina's victims ask for huge checks By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN, Associated Press Writer
Wed Jan 9, 10:09 AM ET



Hurricane Katrina's victims have put a price tag on their suffering and it is staggering — including one plaintiff seeking the unlikely sum of $3 quadrillion.

A whopping $3,014,170,389,176,410 is the dollar figure so far sought from some of the largest claims filed against the federal government over damage from the failure of levees and flood walls following the Aug. 29, 2005, hurricane.

Of roughly 489,000 total claims, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it has received 247 for at least $1 billion apiece, including the one for $3 quadrillion.

"That's the mother of all high numbers," said Loren Scott, a Baton Rouge-based economist.

For the sake of perspective: A mere $1 quadrillion would dwarf the U.S. gross domestic product, which Scott said was $13.2 trillion in 2007. A stack of one quadrillion pennies would reach Saturn.

Some residents may have grossly exaggerated their claims to send a message to the corps, which has accepted blame for poorly designing the failed levees.

"I understand the anger," Scott said. "I also understand it's a negotiating tactic: Aim high and negotiate down."

Daniel Becnel, Jr., a lawyer who said his clients have filed more than 60,000 claims, said measuring Katrina's devastation in dollars and cents is a nearly impossible task.

"There's no way on earth you can figure it out," he said. "The trauma these people have undergone is unlike anything that has occurred in the history of our country."

The corps released zip codes, but no names, for the 247 claims of at least $1 billion. The list includes a $77 billion claim by the city of New Orleans. Fourteen involve a wrongful death claim. Fifteen were filed by businesses, including several insurance companies.

Little is known about the person who claimed $3 quadrillion. It was filed in Baker, 93 miles northwest of New Orleans. Baker is far from the epicenter of Katrina's destruction, but the city has a trailer park where hundreds of evacuees have lived since the storm.

Katrina, which is blamed for more than 1,600 deaths in Louisiana and Mississippi, is considered the most destructive storm to ever hit the U.S. It caused at least $60 billion in insured losses and could cost Gulf Coast states up to $125 billion, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Most of the claims were filed before a deadline that coincided with Katrina's second anniversary, but the Corps is still receiving them — about 100 claims have arrived over the past three weeks — and is feeding them into a computer database.

The Corps said it isn't passing judgment on the merits of each claim. Federal courts are in charge of deciding if a claim is valid and how much compensation is warranted.

"It's important to the person who filed it, so we're taking every single claim seriously," Corps spokeswoman Amanda Jones said.

___

On the Net:

Army Corps: http://www.usace.army.mil

Horricanes are not a joke! The largest european sea port of Rotterdam is even protected from coming storm water by an immense rolling gate mounted on the entrance channel. Don't they plan to build something like this in New Orleans? I guess it could help, of course if it's real to build.

I doubt the gate would help New Orleans since it is built below sea level. The gates in Amersterdam are only to protect the port cities. The Netherlands has adopted a policy of relocating the populating and cities to higher ground and is making all spaces below sea level and at sea level empty land for flooding in case of a disaster like N.O. or the rising sea level due to global warming.
If the oceans of the world rise the 8-12 meters they are projected to do in the next 50 years N.O. and moany other parts of the world will be under water.

I am happy that i don't live below the sea level though some of my relatives and mates live near the sea. But i am happy even because i know that there is no risk of tsunami where they live. It's also important!

I know it is the most pessimistic estimation. But it doesn't seem unreal to me, and I am also glad for I do not live below the sea level!

Rotterdam is also below it if I'm not wrong...

It's really scary to think about what could happen with the rising of the seas. Hopefully, there will be some way to help the situation with global warming that's causing all these problems with storms and the danger of the seas rising. Hopefully, we all can do some things as well to help stop some of the global warming as well. I really am concernd about that sometimes we all take all of these things for granted some until it happens to us. Even the weather is out of control because of global warming. I do hope that things will get better though and I know that I will do my small part in helping stop some of the global warming.
Peace,
12pleaseu

Regretfuylly, the planet goes through environmental and weather changes every 150,000 years and we are in that period of time. The only thing we can do is to do our own small parts to reduce hot house emessions to slow down global warming. It is going to happen no matter what mankind does.

I know there are many variants of global change periodization: 10000, 13000, 26500 years and others. The changes are always caused by complicated sums of natural factors and also human ones, of course.

I agree with both of you as well Paul & Kotikkk. Even though there isn't a lot we all can do to stop the global warming; we can all still do our small part in helping where we can.
Peace To You All,
12pleaseu

I wonder for there are so many variants of the End of days in mass media, and each of them is more scaring than a previous one! help!)

It's no need to worry sweetie. Always live life to the fullest each day and live as though it could be your last. Keep love alive in your heart and show the love you have inside by showing others that love in the way we all treat each other. There is Faith, Hope, and Love; but the greatest of these is Love. When we care for others in a postive and good way; we extend our love to others. Let love be your guide in life and it will be a life fulfilled. Have a great week, be safe, and have fun!
Peace&Kisses,
12pleaseu

Oh yes, there are really many Days After Tomorrow (a great film, I think)! You've only to choose your favourite one :)))
And what kind of Ending Days do you prefer, I ask myself sometimes...heh:)

I choose love, grace, faith, and hope even through the hard times now and even through what may be hard times ahead. I look at it as an oppurtunity to grow as a person and in the process of that happening; then, I can be an example to others to inspire them. No man is an island and we all can be an example to lift others up, help one another, and inspire them to go the distance in life even through the hard times and tragedies in life.
May you all be blessed with peace during these hard times.
Peace&Kisses,
12pleaseu

You're cheerful as usual, 12pleaseu!)
I think optimists are more right than pessimists anyway, for despondency is one of the Bible sins. I know many people who forget it or don't know about this sin at all.

Thanks Kotikkk! I do what I can to be cheerful. I do have bad days as well; but I do my very best to take a few moments to take a few long breaths. Then, I just think about what I can do to make those days better. A lot of times, I find a way to encourage myself in many different ways by listening to music, taking a long bath, exercising, and just doing positive things to lift my own spirit; and somehow I find the courage to reach out to others and help them as well. I just know that life is what you make it. I know I have purpose in life and I don't give up. Also, seeing others enjoy life makes me happy and gives me joy to keep going. Life is very amazing too! I hope you have a blessed and fun weekend!
Kisses&Peace,
12pleaseu