puzzled about Mardi Gras

[donsu]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/12/national/nationalspecial/12mardigras.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin


Mardi Gras All Set to Go, but Officials Want Help

City officials here boldly decided last fall to hold the parades of Mardi Gras, even though the city treasury was empty and large swaths of the town still lay in ruins. The price, though, was their demand that the beloved party abandon tradition and seek corporate sponsors.

With the official start of festivities scheduled for next Saturday, no corporation has come up with the $2 million the city was hoping to receive for the naming rights to Mardi Gras, which was first celebrated here 150 years ago.

So far only a single company, the trash-bag maker Glad Products, has said it will contribute to the cause. On Tuesday, Glad, a subsidiary of the Clorox Company, announced an unspecified six-figure donation to the city and a gift of 100,000 trash bags

-snip-

Reginald Zeno, the city's finance director, said he was "concerned" that the extra costs of Mardi Gras would "put a further drain on a budget at a time we're already facing a deep deficit." But like Mr. Collins, Mr. Zeno sees Mardi Gras as an investment that the city has no choice but to make.
-snip-
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does this sound insane when 2 mil would get those trailers out of Ark. to the people who need them. the people just put out of motels, etc.

or city employees paid.

[pitohui]

1. well since no one has come up w. the $2 million anyway...

what difference does it make?

100,000 glad trash bags are not going to house anyone

as far as i can see, mr. zeno is correct, the city must have mardi gras, "nothing stops mardi gras, nothing" -- it is a simple matter of the human spirit refusing to give up and go all gray and gloomy

[bloom]

2. I don't know

how much help Mardi Gras would be to the economy down there. Seems like it could be significant.

Seems like the way to go would have been to have the tourists camp out.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

4. They Need Something...

Can't just give up on Mardi Gras. It would have been like cancelling the World Series at Yankee Stadium in 2001. They need to bring tourists back, if even for a couple of weeks. It's unfortunate that there are no sponsors willing to help out. These large corporations have so much $$$$$ to burn, yet they won't even help out one of the most historic cities in America. Almost like they just want to sit by and let New Orleans die alltogether. Sad.

[zanne]

3. I think skipping the festivities would be appropriate...

In honor of all the victims.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

5. Many Of The Victims Would Have Wanted It To Continue

I can't imagine those who loved this city, would have wanted it's spirit to be lost forever. But that appears to be happening unfortunately.

[Bridget Burke]

6. Why don't you let the people of NOLA make that decision?

Mardi Gras is followed by Lent. Plenty of time for atoning then...