People are drinking in the bars in the French Quarter right now

[dejaboutique]

msnbc was talking to a general manager of a hotel on Bourbon street and the guy said that he could see 20+ people in the bars drinking. he said some were tourists that just didn't believe anything was going to happen. what could one be thinking?

[darkism]

1. That's where I would be if I were there [and drank]

Maybe I'm just the adventurous type.

[niallmac]

2. Holy Moly. True?

At this point...have another and I sure they make it.

[MidnightWind]

3. If I were stuck in NoLo right now. . . trust me, I'd want to be drunk when

that hurricane hits.

[cdsilv]

8. if you are stuck - for whatever reason, ....

...enjoy yourself. And head for higher ground - if only floor 5 or 6 in your hotel or office complex.

Gonna be a long wait for help.

[undergroundpanther]

4. Some people cope

with immanent disaster by defying death. In reality if we looked at the fact we all die life would feel so futile,some people cope with this by pretending they are immune to disaster Afterlife beliefs are rooted in the idea of denial of death too.

Or these people feel like they are doomed anyway.
Or feel maybe like they are trapped might as well go out lit instead of feeling all the fear anxiety and diapair..Like I would feel if I was in New Orleans right now I am poor so, I'd probably be stuck staying there If I was there.I feel depressed alot..So knowing I do not love my life here, I'd probably go down to the levees and wait for the storm surge to sweep me off this horrible planet.

[scudrunner]

5. Talking Head Just said French Quarter May Disappear

[KitchenWitch]

wow

Welcome to DU

Sorry I am not able to welcome you on a happier thread.

[chookie]

24. like Sept 11

Remember that big thing we were at? Well, it's gone.

I am praying this storm will "Floyd" on us, but from what I see, it looks as though a major city will be taking a direct hit.

It's going to be like the Asian tsunami. I fear we will be grieving soon....

[AlGore-08.com]

Maybe they don't have any way of leaving town

There are a lot of poor people who can't flee who are staying in the football stadium.

[Fleshdancer]

6. why are the bars open?

wow.

on the other hand, if this is how people want to die, it's not really my place to judge. I'm scared for them though. May they be either passed out or extremely fucked up by the time the storm hits so that they don't feel any pain.

[AlGore-08.com]

12. The mayor exempted hotel workers and guest from his evacuation order

And I'm sure there's some folks who figure they need to stay in their businesses to protect them from looting etc. later on...

[Cleita]

7. How about the poor bartender. Doesn't he have a right to leave?

eom

[Maru Kitteh]

15. Might as well make it a serve yourself - won't matter soon anyway

won't be there anymore, or it'll be underwater.

Drinkin' with the fishes. :-(

[zulchzulu]

9. Hurricanes are like Mardi Gras for some people

I've mentioned in a thread that Doctor John would fly down to New Orleans if there was a hurricane, I guessing that he is there right now with his wife, who has a shrunken skull head on her walking stick. I'd seen them a couple times when hurricanes were possibly coming toward the city.

Some people may have an inpromptu parade when the eye of the storm passes over. That's how that city and its wonderful people operate.

[geomon666]

14. Hurricane Parties are the norm usually

Then again so are fatalities from the partiers getting swept under by the storm surge or the building falling down on them.

[zulchzulu]

22. Hey, they'll perish dancing to some drunken piano player...

...not a bad way to go if you ask me.

[Lorien]

20. Maybe in an alternate universe

but when this eye passes over them, there sure as hell won't be any "impromptu parades".

I'm sorry, but it's damned foolish for them to have stayed there. It's also unfair to emergency personnel who will have to try to reach them and thousands more who have chosen to ride it out.

[zulchzulu]

23. Like I said, hurricanes are a chance for people to party in Nawlins

You can't change that fact. And guess what...they will have a hell of a story to tell their grandchildren.

[Telly Savalas]

26. Hell of a story for the grandkids assumes two things

1. They live.
2. Their grandkids are patient enough to sit and listen to them blather on about what fucking morons they were decades ago.

[proud2BlibKansan]

27. My money is on

them not being around to tell those stories.

[Telly Savalas]

28. I hope you're wrong.

While I think these people are being idiots, being an idiot isn't grounds for deserving to die in a storm.

[zulchzulu]

29. LOL

I'm betting they live. Maybe in a wheelchair after the third floor falls on them...but...

[Lorien]

30. Yeah, sure; those that survive will have great stories to tell

have you READ the latest NOAA warnings??

[Maru Kitteh]

10. Well, if you're going to die

might as well knock a couple back and enjoy some good music.

Kind of like setting up your deck chair on the Titanic as it goes down to enjoy the fresh air.

[all.of.me]

11. like the titanic - dancing on the decks

[Maru Kitteh]

Great minds and all that - read the post above yours :-) n/t

[all.of.me]

18. lol - i didn't even see it!

the op just made me think of that type of party!

[Pirate Smile]

13. I heard that these are the people that are staying in the hotels so

they aren't getting out of town. They are supposed to be staying above the flood level but below the top where the wind shear will be the worst.

[jzodda]

16. If they are in those high rise hotels and above 30 feet

they are probably right in that they will be ok.

Just in case though I would certainly NOT be drinking the night it strikes. To me that is as stupid as you can get. I would want to be as sharp as could be

[Jane Eyre]

17. Tourists

New Orleans is a big tourist town, and not all of the tourists speak English. Also, the airports shut down and I'm sure that all the rental cars were snapped up in a flash when the first warnings came.

What I want to know is, why are the bars still open? And for that matter, why is the hotel manager still there?

[Pirate Smile]

25. To keep the hotel open for the people that can't get out. They

are actually exempted from the evacuation.

[Elidor]

19. Drunk people survive disasters better than sober people

Just look at how many drunk drivers live without a scratch when they kill a family of four in a head-on collision. God looks after drunks and fools. I seriously believe that the human body can sustain greater shocks to the system when someone is drunk. Especially if you're almost passed-out drunk. Not that I advocate this as a means of crisis management, but if I was facing this storm, I'd be schnockered.

Like Trof :)

[u4ic]

21. Witnessing history?

:shrug: