quirky idea - but serious enough...well, maybe not...

[Houstonia]

I live up on the northwest side of Harris County, outside Houston. We have a TON of construction going on. Every morning on my way to work I travel, along with construction trucks, cement mixers, and landscaping trucks, with a fleet of taco trucks.

Houstonians will be familiar with them. they are little trucks that pull up to teh site and cook lunches for the construction workers. There are TONS of them in Houston, and I would imagine, all around Texas.

Wouldn't it be cool if they could somehow be wrangled up and sent to New Orleans?

Can you just imagine the fleet of them traveling down I-10? The smell of meat cooking wafting out from them?

If you've ever driven behind one, you will know that they only travel at about 30 mph, so it will take them a while to get there.

It's late, and I'm a little giddy after a long tense week. I feel like finally there's a smidgen of sun poking through the clouds.

[nholley]

At this point I don't think any idea is too out there. Someone needs to do something!

[vbhoutex]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but I have been wondering why the able bodied refugees are not being rounded up, place in "camps" and then being used to begin the clean-up/rescue/whatever process is needed. I realize it is early and that there would be lots of logistics to get through, but why not utilize them, house them, feed them and get this process moving?

[patgaz]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but I have been wondering why the able bodied refugees are not being rounded up, place in "camps" and then being used to begin the clean-up/rescue/whatever process is needed. I realize it is early and that there would be lots of logistics to get through, but why not utilize them, house them, feed them and get this process moving?

That's what they did in 1900 ..

[/quote]

[Roxy]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but I have been wondering why the able bodied refugees are not being rounded up, place in "camps" and then being used to begin the clean-up/rescue/whatever process is needed. I realize it is early and that there would be lots of logistics to get through, but why not utilize them, house them, feed them and get this process moving?

That's what I was thinking. I am sure a lot of them aren't able to help, but those that can would probably love to do SOMETHING!

I was thinking that at the Dome too, (which I heard this AM is at it's capacity at 12k, and they aren't letting anymore people in. .) thse people could run their own food lines..etc...

But I do agree about the taco trucks, it's a good idea..a little quirky, but better than anything anyone else has come up with.

[cmdebbie]

The only problem I see with the Taco Trucks is that they would just be robbed and shot. And that is a pretty huge problem!

[nholley]

Taco trucks with a gun turret?

[weathermom]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but I have been wondering why the able bodied refugees are not being rounded up, place in "camps" and then being used to begin the clean-up/rescue/whatever process is needed. I realize it is early and that there would be lots of logistics to get through, but why not utilize them, house them, feed them and get this process moving?

That's what they did in 1900 ..

[/quote]

People in 1900 expected to work, people in 2005 expect to be taken care of and feel it is the gov't's responsibility to take care of them. 100 years and a different world.

[gratefulnole]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but I have been wondering why the able bodied refugees are not being rounded up, place in "camps" and then being used to begin the clean-up/rescue/whatever process is needed. I realize it is early and that there would be lots of logistics to get through, but why not utilize them, house them, feed them and get this process moving?

Additionally by giving them something to do they stay out-of-trouble!

[Houstonia]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but I have been wondering why the able bodied refugees are not being rounded up, place in "camps" and then being used to begin the clean-up/rescue/whatever process is needed. I realize it is early and that there would be lots of logistics to get through, but why not utilize them, house them, feed them and get this process moving?

I think there must be an ENORMOUS amount of red tape to get through to allow anyone to do anything in regards to volunteerism and donations. Loook at the guy in Houston who wanted to serve food and was not allowed to (violates city health codes), or the people who wanted to volunteer and were turned away (not trained, not processed, etc). I suspect that those taco trucks would have a hard time because they probably wouldn't be licensed to sell in Louisiana. There would be liability issues if someone got sick. What if someone slipped on a tamale skin?!?
I think that's why it's easier to help victims of disasters in OTHER countries. Because they don't have all the beauracratic red-tape to go through.
The thing is, we have the Good Samaritan Act in the U.S. now (well at least in Texas), which protects people who are trying to help other people.