# Best wishes & luck to any New Orleans members...



## brianleahy (Aug 28, 2005)

Hopefully you're not reading this from your home town...

At the risk of being indelicate, hurricane Katrina has the potential to do almost unimaginable damage to New Orleans.  This could be a natural disaster of historic dimensions. 

Here's hoping it doesn't pan out that way, and to all members in Katrina's path, my best wishes.


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## fryke (Aug 29, 2005)

As far as I've heard, New Orleans wasn't actually hit that hard. At least not as hard as expected... I hope it's not just other cities that get the big hits now...?


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## delsoljb32 (Aug 29, 2005)

the effects of these things are very widespread. my hometown (150+ miles away from New Orleans) is getting some very damaging wind and flooding. not to mention, just under a year ago my town was battered by hurricane Ivan: http://macosx.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46288&highlight=hurricane

good luck to all in nawlins' and Biloxi, MS (the hardest hit thus far); i know what you are going through!


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## nixgeek (Aug 29, 2005)

My prayers go out to the people in New Orleans and everywhere else in the path of Katrina.  We here down in Miami had it at a Category 1, and even at that level it did considerable damage.  NO ONE expected Katrina to make the dip to the south.  Since we've gone through her, I have been saying that Katrina was a Category 1 storm with high ambitions of being a Cat 4....and now she's a Cat 5.  We lost power on Thursday night and didn't get it back until Saturday afternoon.  Imagine trying to sleep in 90 degree weather at night with no power in a bedroom with your 4 year old and 1 year old.  For us, that was the toughest night ever.  But that's nothing compared to what people are experiencing with Katrina now.  It's terrifying for me to even think about it.  Again, my prayers go out to everyone being affected by her now.

Thankfully, the only damage was to our gate, but others had trees on their houses and vehicles.  I mean, who would have thought that a _Category ONE storm_ would have caused six deaths?  All I know is that I am NEVER going to take a Cat 1 hurricane for granted.


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## brianleahy (Aug 29, 2005)

It does sound like the damage in New Orleans wasn't as bad as the worst case scenarios some were predicting (all levees collapsing, streets under 20 feet of water, etc.)  Still, it hasn't been any picnic.  Once again, to everyone in Katrina's path (and wake) good luck, best wishes, and may the force be with you...


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## nixgeek (Aug 29, 2005)

I have just seen images on the news of what New Orleans and surrounding areas affected by Katrina went through.  Oh my God....

It looked like something out of a movie.  Everything inundated, even a courthouse that looked like an island as well as a hotel building that looked like a bomb blew out all of the windows.

Makes me once again realize how lucky we were despite what we went though here in Florida.  God willing the fatalities are minimal.


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## brianleahy (Aug 30, 2005)

The storm has come and gone, but things continue to deteriorate in New Orleans.  It's starting to look to me like they may get every bit the disaster that was predicted, just over the course of several days, rather than all at once.

Two levees have been breached http://www.weathernet5.com/weather/4887230/detail.html?ontheside=story

One surrounds a canal running through town, and connecting to Lake Pontchartrain.  Apparently even under dry conditions, the water level in the canal can be above street level.   Now with the lake swollen from hurricane rains, water is pouring through the breach and into the streets.   The Army has been dropping huge sandbags into the gap to try and seal the breach:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/30/n...&en=e30e846673ab272b&ei=5094&partner=homepage 

...but so far no luck.  The pumps are starting to fail, and with the canal just emptying back into the streets, there's almost nowhere for them to pump the water INTO.  

Mississippi took the most direct hit from the hurricane, and Katrina reportedly drove a 30 foot storm surge inland.  The destruction there is also horrible - however unlike New Orleans, at least there the natural drainage will gradually draw some of the flood water away, instead of drawing more in!!

In Alabama, a 13,000 ton mobile oil platform was blown into Mobile Bay where it crashed into a huge and heavily used suspension bridge.   The bridge is closed until the platform can be removed and the bridge inspected for damage.  

http://www.marinelog.com/DOCS/NEWSMMV/2005aug0301.html

It's an incredible mess.


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## mdnky (Aug 30, 2005)

The governor has ordered the remaining residents of the Big Easy evacuated.  The aftermath is much worse than the actual event it seems.  They had a thing on the radio this afternoon about a bunch of people who tried to get back into the city this morning...got stranded by rising water on a bridge or elevated roadway.  

Sad to see...the French Quarter seems to have survived the storm relatively well, but the flooding (if it continues) will probably damage it pretty bad.


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## delsoljb32 (Aug 31, 2005)

yeah, its pretty bad. I went through Ivan, but we never had anything like this... my heart aches for them. I know what its like to suffer like this, though our suffering ended in a matter of weeks and months-this will take years and generations to overcome...

Mdnky, I just noticed your "Location", are you ok there? Any problems? IMO, there is going to be a mass exodus of that area of the country, so be prepared for a population explosion in Baton Rouge as well as north and east of nawlins/biloxi!


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## mdnky (Aug 31, 2005)

We made it out with pretty minor damage all things considered.  A lot of trees down, power outages, etc.  Nothing really too bad.  The wind gave it it's best, but even then I doubt we saw anything over 80 to 100 mph.  Probably more like 50 to 60 mph.  The apartment complex I live in lost power around 8am that morning and it was out until around 6pm for everyone but the back 4 buildings (which I live in, of course).  We didn't get ours back on until 8 or so last night.  I lost a good deal of food...had just stocked up the fridge/freezer, but other than that everything's fine.

LSU cancelled classes until Sept 6th...they're using the campus as an Emergency Medical Facility for the New Orleans and other evacuees.  I've seen ambulances from as far away as Houston, TX and Phoenix, AZ so far.


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## Satcomer (Aug 31, 2005)

I urge anyone living in New Orleans NOT consider moving back into the city unless some Dutch style multiple levees are installed.


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## fuzz (Aug 31, 2005)

my heart and prayers go out to those affected by the hurricane.  i've been glued to the TV and news websites.  It's just really awful there.  They've evacuate the remaining 50,000-100,000 people in NO.  Then, they've got to plug the breached levees.  Then they got to get power to the pumps, and then they can pump the water out.  I noticed a lot of Louisiana cars  in Houston since Monday.  I hope they get everyone evacuated as safely and quickly as possible.


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## Satcomer (Sep 1, 2005)

I noticed something. It seems the best and worst are coming out in the affected areas. I feel sad as human being.


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## lilbandit (Sep 1, 2005)

What is being done to help those stuck in the city? All we get in Ireland are horrific pictures of people stranded, hungry, thirsty and distressed in and around the superdome. Why isn't some of the massive US military airlift capacity being used? I remember reading that emergency supplies were being dropped after the Asian tsunami within 3-4 days.


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## baldprof (Sep 4, 2005)

I have just spoken with my sister who's home is west of New Orleans proper in River Ridge. Her home was not in the area which flooded. That appears to be totally confined to the city of New Orleans itself. They got no water in their home, but there is extensive tree damage.
The local police there continued to function and there was no civil dosorder.

My brother-in-law practices at the Oschner clinic. They did not flood, and were able to run on auxilary power. Full electrical power has been restored to the hospitals.

The main loss of life will turn out to be in Challmette. The people there ignored the orders to evacuate.

The New Orleans city schools, and the University of New Orleans have cancelled the school year basically. UNO was underwater.

My sister will be having a nice long visit with mom and dad in Lake Charles. Can you say "at each other's throats"?

She and I have a bet as to which stores will reopen first. My money is on Walmart.


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## brianleahy (Sep 4, 2005)

> What is being done to help those stuck in the city?



A lot of people are being lifted from the roofs of buildings by Coast Guard helicopters, using a rescue basket on the end of a winch.  I've seen many vid clips of Coast Guardsmen securing people into the baskets, and a few of Guardsmen having to actually chop through roofs with a hand axe to free people trapped in their attics.

This is a very slow process; the basket can only carry one person at a time, and the choppers can only fly for a few hours without refueling.

Others are being retrieved by police traveling through the flooded areas in boats.

The National Guard - serious military aid - did not arrive in any numbers until Saturday 9/3, and there is a lot of puzzlement as to why it took so long.

EDIT: Just to continue; the National Guard brought real relief, with tons of emergency food and supplies, and fleets of busses, helicopters and other vehicles to take people out of the city from the Superdome and Convention Center.  Evacuations of those areas are now considered largely complete.


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## baldprof (Sep 4, 2005)

brianleahy said:
			
		

> The National Guard - serious military aid - did not arrive in any numbers until Saturday 9/3, and there is a lot of puzzlement as to why it took so long.




Oh I think it's pretty obvious what the reasons might have been for the delay:



> sponsored by the Washington Post and Talking Points Memo
> Quote:
> 
> Behind the scenes, a power struggle emerged, as federal officials tried to wrest authority from Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco (D). Shortly before midnight Friday, the Bush administration sent her a proposed legal memorandum asking her to request a federal takeover of the evacuation of New Orleans, a source within the state's emergency operations center said Saturday.
> ...



If I had been in the president's position, I would have federalized the National Guard, declared martial law, and sent in the 82nd to take care of the "looters and shooters". Well this is what ultimately has happened effectively anyway.
My position: I don't like Bush, didn't vote for him. I don't like governor Blanco either; I voted for her opponent. As a resident of the "northern" part of the state, there's more that I could about state politics, but I won't at least not for now. In my opinion, it was politics that led to the delay.


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## TommyWillB (Sep 4, 2005)

My Dad is from New Orleans, and we still have reletives there...

...but I'm happy to report that all have checked in an are physically unharmed... However for both my Uncle and my cousin's family, all physical posessions are a total loss...

They are safe in Texas with my sister, and I would not be surprised if my 72 year/old Uncle never goes back to the city he spent all of the non-WWII years of his life.


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## baldprof (Sep 4, 2005)

Well that's good to hear. There are several professional people who came up here as evacuees who have started looking for houses. I don't know if my sister and her husband will stay there. Of course they will be returning; but staying, we'll see. 

People I know who live in Dade country Florida say that even though it's been 10+ years since hurricane Andrew, the place has never been the same. 

There's been some amatuer video that's starting to turn up. Viewer discretion is advised. It just looks awful.

On a related issue: thursday evening we had gridlock with all the panic buying at the gas stations. Just now I filled up my car and my gas can for my power equipment. No gas lines. In fact I was the only customer at the freakin station.   

Oh yeah, there's little traffic as well; it's amazing the conserving people can be motivated to do at $3+ a gallon.


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## brianleahy (Sep 4, 2005)

Ach, panic-buying of gas.  Most unfortunate.

I understand why it happens, but it may easily make things worse.  

Supply and demand: a plunge in supply + spike in demand = even worse shortage.


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## nixgeek (Sep 4, 2005)

Well, because of the shortage gas prices here in Miami are over 3 dollars for regular.  Premium is almost up to 3.5 in some places.  I spent 40 bucks filling the tank of my CR-V with regular gas.  Usually in the past it's been only 20 dollars.  And we're talking a _CR-V!!!_

BTW, baldprof, I couldn't resist but clicking on that link.  Thank God I did! ::ha::

Aaaahh...childhood memories..  ::ha::  ::ha::  ::ha::


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## fryke (Sep 4, 2005)

Your gas prices are still _WAY_ below what the world's paying for it. Kyoto springs to mind. And that we - as the world - should _finally_ get off the oil and use renewable energy. Don't laugh. This is serious.


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## nixgeek (Sep 4, 2005)

fryke said:
			
		

> Your gas prices are still _WAY_ below what the world's paying for it. Kyoto springs to mind. And that we - as the world - should _finally_ get off the oil and use renewable energy. Don't laugh. This is serious.



I _absolutely_ understand how serious this is.  I was just making a comment regarding his sig.  I have seen the images as I mentioned before.  I know people that have friends up there.  So believe me, this is no laughing matter to me.  I was just making a side note considering I was directing that part of my post to baldprof.

And I also agree that we should be using renewable energy.  The technology has been around for years and we still have yet to see things change drastically.  Until it stops being about the $$$ or the fossil fuels run out, it's not going to happen anytime soon unfortunately.  Just my opinion.


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## brianleahy (Sep 4, 2005)

There is some reason for hope; since our gas prices started going up, hybrid gas/electric cars have been selling faster than they can make em in the US.  Hybrids are not a perfect solution, but they are a step in the right direction.

Hydrogen powered cars are, at least so far, not a great alternative; making sufficient compressed hydrogen gas is quite costly and so far, we have to USE energy from conventional sources to create the hydrogen gas.

Recently, I heard that there was one company that could modify a hybrid car by installing a huge extra battery in the trunk that can be connected to an AC charger overnight.  They estimate that, for a few cents per night of electricity, the car could get over 200 miles per gallon...


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## fryke (Sep 5, 2005)

Plus there are other options, too. Natural gas, for example. And nixgeek: Didn't want to pick on you. I just read "40 bucks filling your tank" and thought that I'd _love_ that low price.


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## nixgeek (Sep 5, 2005)

fryke said:
			
		

> Plus there are other options, too. Natural gas, for example. And nixgeek: Didn't want to pick on you. I just read "40 bucks filling your tank" and thought that I'd _love_ that low price.



Well, it was for this reason I didn't get one of those huge monster SUVs and stuck with the Hondas.  I have a 98 Civic LX sedan and my wife has the 2001 CR-V.  We've never had to spend that much to fill a tank and considering this is Miami where traffic is always an issue, having a vehicle with more cylinders than those two have would be a waste of gas and money.  So for us, spending 40 bucks on a full tank is a lot.  Of course, compared to what others are spending as well here in Miami to fill their huge SUVs and pickups it's nothing, and it's even less considering what others pay in some other states.

We are looking for a mini-van for our family since the CR-V is getting a little crowded.  Of course, this means that 40 bucks for gas will seem like chump change once we get it.


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## fuzz (Sep 5, 2005)

I've been volunteering at the Astrodome and the immense scale of operations is just amazing.  I got to direct bus traffic Saturday night.  Last night, I helped input evacuee information into www.familymessages.org.  That's the official site that's being supported by the Red Cross now.  Earlier, they had too much traffic.  The website could use a little bit better usability desisgn.  But that's not important now.  If you have an interest in volunteering, there's a lot of need.  Here's the website to check out for volunteer and donation opportunities.  

http://www.volunteercenter.us/rsvp6.htm

If you want to come to the Astrodome and help out.  There's also volunteer opportunities at the George R Brown Convention Center downtown.  Here's the info  cut and paste from that site:

Harris County Citizen Corps- Astrodome shelter for disaster evacuees:

Persons wanting to volunteer in direct service to help the Katrina disaster victims who have arrived in Houston should go to the McNee Street parking lot just north of Reliant Stadium, between Kirby and Fannin..  (They should use the West Entrance, so called because it is on the west side of Reliant Center).  If met by a guard, volunteers should identify themselves as being with Harris County Citizen Corps. Volunteers should come to the 2nd floor of Reliant Center and ask for the volunteer coordinator.  They will be given wrist-bands to serve as identifiers. About 300-500 volunteers will be needed on the scene at all times around the clock.

BULLETIN (8:45  a.m. 9/5/05): Daytime volunteer shifts for today, Labor Day, are FILLED. (This bulletin does not pertain to medical personnel.)

Volunteers must be 18 or older.  They should be able-bodied individuals who can walk 3 flights of stairs. Shifts last 4 to 8 hours, and standard shift times are as follows:

Shift One: 6a.m. to 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Shift Two: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Shift Three: 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

When you check in let them know if there are additional shifts and days you can volunteer.  Its recommended that volunteers wear comfortable shoes, bring a bottle of water, and avoid taking their purses.

Volunteers can just come by to volunteer, but they do run the risk of being told that  shifts for that day are covered if there is an excess of volunteers. (The editor of this Web site will post filled-for-today notices when he is aware that such an overflow has taken place.)​


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