That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever read in my life. I am sure the Red Cross never imagined that those cards would be used for such a purpose. I place part of the blame on those who actually accepted the cards- how stupid do you get? I really wish people would get their heads out of their asses sometimes. I mean, really.

Just because your waist high in water doesn't mean you can't be fabulous! Frankly, after all of that I would feel like I deserve a treat. :D

interesting---so i guess instead of just being ghetto--they will now be ghetto chique---maybe im just bitter cause i was denied the card--oh well--if their needs are being met then maybe they are rewarding themselves for survival--i did today--but with my own money!!

WHAT!! OMG!! You mean you actually CONDONE the use of debit cards supplied by the RED CROSS to be used to buy HANDBAGS? I hope the money I donated doesn't go toward helping someone purchase a Vuitton bag. Maybe you should set up your own foundation to go toward buying the hurricane victims completely useless designer bags.

BTW--where is that ROO link for the voice mails--i havent noticed him on at all today

^^^ that was for Liz, not UF.

I was just wondering the same thing, Urethra.

ROOSTER come out and play!!! Please!!!!

Why don't the poor realise that they are supposed to be humble????

on the other hand.....

What would you expect when you give $2000 debit cards to 20 year olds?

If these cards truly went to those in the most dire of circumstances, which I don't know if they did or didn't, I would expect them to be GRATEFUL. There are people who could have really used that money and now it is tied up in a handbag.

there are only a few people doing this. and they get the press! It makes it seem like everyone is doing this. it isn't so.

press writes about it, we eat it up. we are the real losers here.

FIRST OF ALL - You're not allowed to get all indignant when your money goes to support this kind of activity. Once it's out of your hands, the Red Cross can do whatever they want with it. Likewise, once it's out of their hands, the people can do what they want with it.

It's not like your tax dollars are doing much to educate these people in the ways of basic money management. The majority of High School graduates in this country can't even balance a checkbook. Even if they come from "better" areas, record numbers of college freshman get into big trouble with credit card debt. At least with the Red Cross cards, they can look Ghetto Fabulous without having to dodge bill collectors.

Dave Chapelle was dead on when he did that sketch about reparations for slavery. Tron winning mega billions in dice games and hos screaming, "I'm rich BIATCH!"

To my understanding (and mind you I have not been at the Red Cross since last week due to being sick this weekend, and things change daily) but FEMA is actually the ones that are giving out the $2000 debit cards. I actually was writing out the grants to the families from the Red Cross and we were giving out certain amounts according to the number of members in the family. I largest amount we were giving out was $1565 for a family of five. Any family larger than that was on a case by case basis, which would have to be approved by a supervisor to give out an amount larger than $1565. And it is true...you can spend it on anything except for tobacco, alcohol and firearms...there is no way to regulate what the people will spend it on items for survival...and here, here jsj! The women who spent their money on LV bags might as well have spit in the faces of the people that gave to the Red Cross for Katrina relief. It's just a shame.

Now Uree...there is no reason why you should not get money from the Red Cross OR FEMA. Once again, according to my understanding, anyone who lived in the affected areas (which you obviously did seeing as how you lived in NO) is to receive assistance. The financial assistance is not based on whether you own or rent NOR is it based on income. I would definatetly look further into that! Is there a local Red Cross chapter near where you are staying, because all the information I know is national, not just local here in Knoxville. I would call and find out what the deal is.

I love it - these dumb bitches can sell their "luxury" handbags on eBay for half price next month when they're on the verge of being homeless or starving. Those cards were only supposed to go to the most extreme cases, and if they don't have to sell them, I bet we could find them in the SFDC offices picking up their government cheese & carting it home in those bags.

I do realize that it is a minority. But come on! Are you kidding me? I'm NOT allowed to get indignant when MY money goes to support this kind of activity? Yeah, I think I can!

I completely agree with you, NOLA boy, about ONE thing. High school students should be taught how to manage money. BUT you completely negate your entire comment when you provide enabling statements such as "they can look Ghetto Fabulous without having to dodge bill collectors".

Red Cross or not, it's still money that could have been used for something useful. It really is shameful. Especially when there are still people's basic needs that are not being met.

Excuse me people, but who the f*^%k do you think you are to judge what someone else is buying or doing with their money, which it rightfully is at this point. You indigint bitches get off your f*(&^%$g high horses and get your own lives. Don't throw stones when you live in glass houses and don't appoint yourself the judge of someone elses life until you have walked a mile in their shoes. You should get your mind on your being a good person yourself and live others lives the f*(&^ alone. Don't argue the fact that your tax money is paying for this it is also paying to blow up innocent children in Iraq...hmm, designer bags or carnage?

You'd better work.

Accessorize, Accessorize!!

One issue at a time, honey. WE were talking about the senselessness of the use of money given to someone to rebuild their lives. We weren't discussing the war or other uses for tax money. The two opinions are independent of one another.

My opinion: The employee at Louis Vuitton is lying. This never happened.

"I'm NOT allowed to get indignant when MY money goes to support this kind of activity? Yeah, I think I can!
..."

What did you mean by this then? Were you NOT discussing tax money??!

In my opinion, this story is propaganda. Given to the media to redirect people's attention from George W. Bush. He is at fault for not responding in a timely manner, etc. By the media focusing on this, it takes the "heat" off of the REAL criminal. We all know who that person is.

and yes, Liz - EVERYONE deserves to be FABULOUS. I hope the bags were waterproof!

In my humble opinion (yea right) Sally and M4rk have hit it on the money. Oh it's Ok to build bombs with tax dollars isn't it? And like M4rk has suggested, I suppose this purse thing is the same as the "looters." No one can say what the hell they would do in a situation like that. If you need a new bag girl, then I say go for it!!

Thank you M4rk and Sally for reminding us... lets start getting pissed at the REAL criminals... the Unites States goverment!!!!

No, I actually wasn't. I was referring to the money that I actually sent in to the Red Cross. Re-read my 3:02pm comment.

I am NOT NOT NOT a Bush fan in any way and, yes, the government is responsible for some of this. But back to THIS particular case. What about personal responsibility? People can't be let off the hook for wasting the money that was DONATED to them for the specific purpose of rebuilding thier lives.

Pony Boy had the only intelligent comment on this entry. Everyone else is a hypocrite, who probably haven't given a damn dime.

OMG!!! Well ok i tried to be slightly civil and stay tight lipped--but here it goes--I AM OUTRAGED that after the 2 weeks of tragic scenes, utter devastation, and catostrophic conditions left by the storm--that I and ALL OF US have been watching--that some one who has been given a hand up (granted small compared to what has been lost) but some aid to help in their immedaite needs---for this aid to go toward an $800 hand bag is BULLSHIT!! I hope it is propoganda as some of you have suggested. BUT if it isnt i will not allow anyone to tell me that I am "living in a glass house" or that I am being a "hypocrite" because i think this type of SPLURGE is tacky in the face of such tragedy!!! So lets see a LV handbag--price tag--5 days on the roof of your house with no food or water, uncertain future in a shelter hundreds of miles from home, lost family members, and $800 of donated funds. Yeah sounds pretty fair to me--dont ya think?? HMM?

Louis Vuitton is SO last decade, anyway.

bleck.

Yes M4rk you're so right! For the next natural disaster this goverment lets it's people suffer through I'm thinking......Hmmm Prada?

A friend of mine sent me an email today. The subject of the email was...knew this would happen.

the store director in the store i work in said over the weekend she had 2 people come in with the FEMA debit cards that were handed out to evacuees ...geez .... try shoppin at target if you got one of those cards!!!! by some milk, tires, and a flashlight! maybe a hotdog at concessions ....

First of all, what do you expect? It was more than irresponsible to give these people 2k credit cards and expect the money to go to something useful. One need only roll through the ghetto once or twice to see that fashion overrides function almost 100% of the time.

It's a culture of poverty thang, yo - ya'll wouldn't unnastan'. They spinnin motherfucka, they SPINNIN'!!

Anyway, the reason I've been MIA is simple - a close friend died this weekend, and I've been a little broken up about it. He was in the late stages of AIDS, so it wasn't a huge surprise. Still, I'm pretty sick of doing this every few years with close friends - it's really wearing on me. No one should have to watch their friend close his/her eyes for the last time at the age of 40, or any age for that matter. It sucks.

Unfortunately, now I have to fight with his family for permission to have his obituary listed in the NYC, Philly, and DC gay papers - per his last request to me. They're total bible beating assholes who couldn't even be bothered to come watch him die, so I say fuck 'em.

I'll still be listing the top five messages, but honestly, it won't be until later this week. You understand, right? Thanks.

Also, I'm retiring the Rooster for good. As many of you have probably gathered, this was simply a character I was playing. In no way did/does it reflect the real person sitting here typing now. It was just a fun(?) way to pass the time. However, I don't see how the Rooster really serves a useful purpose for me anymore. Some of the interactions were getting a bit nasty - cancerous even.

Don't worry, I'll still be here, just under a different name...I may even throw in a few "fuck yous" and "vagina punches" just to keep things fresh.

Goodnight and thank you,

YCKTR

Although I did not endure this hurricane I have endured several devasting events in my life. I had a fire leave me homeless and unable to walk for almost a year afterward as a result of having to jump out a window to escape and I also went through a divorce that left me pennyless for many months after. When I finally got money in both situations I went out and spent a great deal of it on frivolous things because I was hurt, devasted and estatic to finally have a little bit of money in my pocket to do something with.
After my divorce and eating ramen noodles for weeks I went shopping and bought a totally outrageous prada bag and a crazy expensive bottle of dom knowing full well it cost a months rent and I probably shouldn't have, but you know what that Prada bag made me feel damn good and it also helped me to take my mind of all the hurt I was going through for a few minutes.
I will probably never have enough money in my pocket to do it again and maybe the people helping me out would want to tell me I was wrong, but sometimes in the face of heartache and hurt something frivoulous does help the spirit.
Like the old saying goes don't judge unless you have walked a mile in their shoes. Life sometimes hurts like hell, especially when you lose all your worldly possessions, which I have endured unfortunately and in those times you may not be thinking as rationally as you should...because it hurts so bad just to wake up and face reality. In these situations I truly don't know if having a weeks worth of food can make you feel as good as one totally out there purchase.
This is just my experience and why I am so emotional over this subject. Plus the fact that New Orleans was home to me for many years and I have friends who are still unaccounted for and am feeling a great loss. I hate the fact that everyone always stands in judgement of others actions. Tragedy makes people behave in strange ways and people don't always do what is "right" or appropriate, but sometimes you just have to le bon ton roule....

Oh Roo, I am so sorry about your bud. If the family wont let you do your obit.... Submit a "in loving memory of..." yourself. Even if its in a few weeks. Screw them, It is never cool to deny someones last wished do to properness...
And, If you think that YCKR was pointless you are Wrong!!! Do not change... You have brought me such unimaginable joy. I think you are my soulmate!!! I love you, you are a tender heart bear with a rotten candy coated shel!!!
Now go gnaw off your testicle.

First of all, I, too, Roo am very sorry for your loss. It completely sucks. I agree that you should run at least an "in loving memory" submission to the papers he requested. It is really sad when someone dies, but it's even worse when the family doesn't understand a god-damned thing. It's almost like a final slap in the face. Maybe you can just go as Roo now a friendlier, less abrasive version of the The Rooster. Your character existance wasn't a complete loss- I did find David Sedaris afterall and for that I am grateful!

Secondly, Sally, that would be completely fine if people were buying those luxuries with thier own hard-earned money. What YOU did was fine. However, those cards were given with the intent to buy supplies for survival and safety and, in my opinion, that is how they should have been used.

Roo I am so sorry for your loss and hope that you are able to fullfill your friends last wishes with the obituary or the loving memory submission.

We know that you have a heart under those F yous and hope that it is not completly broken.

UF- When Charley put a big ole hole in my roof last year FEMA came and my Insurance came (in fact Hunter might have been one of the few kids that had Insurance adjustors at his Birthday party) talking about how they were going to have it all fixed up blah blah blah.. I had to find someone to repair my hole and was on 4 diffrent contractors waiting lists before I finnaly got lucky with the company that repaired my parents roof. FEMA had denied me for a loan and then denied me for a grant saying my damage was too small cause that $2500 it costs that was under my Insurance deductable was "too small damage". The ceiling still is not painted I have sheetrock and the roof patched so it ain't pretty but it keeps the rain out. The Bitches in thier multi million dollar mansions in Miami that got FEMA money to replace thier sand from the beach erosion however piss me the hell off everytime I walk inthe house and see the big sheetrock blob in the ceiling but my son and I are safe and that is what matters most. One day I'll get the ceiling painted and get the roof redone for now it holds so we just count our blessings and try to help others like the people that helped me getting a tarp over the hole and cutting down the fallen limbs and all of that stuff we had to do last year.
One more load of clothes to be dropped off tommorrow and We will have done a job Clean Sweep would be proud of clearing out things we don't use that can be used by those that lost everything.

2 people reportedly used the cards in an insulting, disgusting vile way and that is out of how many???? I am appaled but decide to look at the good we have done.

C'mon now jsj, how naive are you when you say, "those cards were given with the intent to buy supplies for survival and safety and, in my opinion, that is how they should have been used." Just because you donate money to the Red Cross doesn't mean they guarantee it will go to any specific purpose. Administrative costs, "distribution" costs and other misc. line items eat up huge chunks of your donations to the larger charities. You have to realize they can do whatever they want with the money once it is in their hands.

On the issue of tax dollars. The American people gave the Afghan "government" billions to rebuild their nation. That money has been used to line the pockets of warlords and as a further slap in the face, they offered $100,000 to victims of Katrina. I find it incredibly insulting that they would pretend it was anything less than a refund of our money, but like I said, once it is in their hands, it is their money to do with as they wish.

It's far better to get indignant about things we can actually do somehting about - like ending the funding for Bush's wars and prosecuting him for ignoring the Geneva Convention.

BUT DAVE CHAPELLE WAS RIGHT ON REGARDING REPARATIONS WASN'T HE???? HA TACKY ASS PEOPLE

As long as the donations are benefiting the Red Cross or being used to help people in need then I don't care how the Red Cross uses the money. I never once mentioned that the cards should not have been given out or that all donations should go toward those cards.
Am I surprised that this happened? Yes, at first, but once I gave it some thought I wasn't that surprised at all. But why is it naive to suggest that the cards be used for the purpose that was intended?

People will jump on any story that tries to depict these people as careless. Now has anyone stopped to think that those people using these cards are not evacuees at all and they are criminals to begin with. Have you really taken the time to notice that the media also reported that blacks were looting but failed to tell you the whole story that they were feeding the babies and the older people. And if you were stuck in a city for days with the same clothes would you not want to change. Also the media failed to report the white women who lived in 300,000 homes who were also looting and said "It was rightfully theirs to take. Oh no, but you ignorant people will believe one side of the story. These stores have insurance and most of the goods are waste anyway so why not let people have them for do you think if they had a home they would be in your neighborhood. People are the problem with the world today because they think this cannot happen to them. Keep believing in your false prophets and think everything is like looking through rose colored glasses. Majority of these people were hard working people and because of a few bad apples you are trying to judge the whole. Let me say this there is bad in every single race but it is how the media portrays a certain group in which you never or hardly see the others. Try thinking for yourself for a change and ask what would you do in you were faced with what the people of the gulf coast has to face. Many Americans are so damn naive, they cannot live without their material possession and when a castrophe hit they are more concerned about material then lives. Pathetic individuals to say the least. And then you criticizxe those trying to survive when they have nothing. Hypocritic Americans.

I believe that help is due, but it makes no sense to me that control isn't implemented. FEMA or the Red Cross can maintain control. Though it may cost manpower it would make sense that the manpower versus ridiculous high purchases would weigh heavier on the ridiculous. When a cardholder purchases an item or items over a certain dollar amount then it must be called and verified for usage. If that were in place do you really think a FEMA or Red Cross representative would say “Yes by all means let them have Louis!” We do live in the land of the free, but there is more control here than most of us care to realize. This can be monitored and I believe should be otherwise these few bad apples are going to spoil the whole bunch.

Yes, sadly my husband and I saw two ladies buying Manolo's at the Houston Galleria Nordstrom w/ their Red Cross credit cards.