Katrina's aftermath

Nero fiddled while Rome burned,
Bush strummed a C chord while New Orleans sank

If only we had an organization like the Army Corps of Engineers and National Guard to help out, but they are all over in Iraq looking for, Osama Bin Ladin, er, I mean weapons of mass destruction, er, I mean bringing freedom to the men and women of Iraq, er, I mean just the men of Iraq, except of course the Sunnis. who are pissed off about the constitution and will plunge the country into chaos..... never mind.....

7:49 A.M. - Governor Blanco: Four Navy ships headed to New Orleans with food and water.
7:38 A.M. - CNN report...another attempt will be made to sandbag the 17th Street Canal.
7:24 A.M. - Slidell Mayor Ben Morris: Electricity is six to 12 weeks away.
7:06 A.M. - Governor Blanco wants the Superdome evacuated within two days.
6:57 A.M. - Governor Blanco: "Absolutely necessary" that the Army Corps of Engineers drop sandbags into the levee breach.
6:50 A.M. - Sen. Landrieu: The whole parish of St. Bernard is gone.
6:27 A.M. - (AP) Conditions in New Orleans hospitals deteriorate. Click for story.
6:22 A.M. - (AP) No time to count the dead as rescue efforts Click for story.
6:20 A.M. - Governor Blanco: Estimated 20,000 people in dome and they will be dispersed around the state to rescue centers being set up. Situation 'unteneable' in Superdome.
6:13 A.M. - Governor Blanco: Essential personnel will stay in city, but general public needs to go. Logistical nightmare to bring in food and water.
6:11 A.M. - Governor Blanco: We have found places around the state to house the refugees, we just need to get them out.
6:10 A.M. - (AP) -- Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman says the Bush administration will release oil from petroleum reserves to help refiners affected by Hurricane Katrina.
5:55 A.M. GOVERNOR BLANCO: Stopping the looting is important, but saving lives a higher priority right now. Not sure where looters think they are taking the stuff since city may soon be under water.

Barbour comparing it to Hiroshima, despite the cataclysmic scale of this, is kind of disgusting.

Hurricane Andrew first brought to national attention the damage and power a hurricane can do. Maybe it took Katrina to remind the state and federal governments that infrastructures and utilities as they stand now cannot withstand even a minimal hurricane.

Its not like its being used for anything else right now. Besides, it actually has power and water.

Anyone following the Interdictor and his cam on LJ, btw? Dude is obviously a survival nut getting his wet dream for the world to see, but its pretty interesting nonetheless. It sounds very boring, but I just watched water start moving into his region of the city (St. Charles?) and begin to pool.

http://www.tv-heads.com/networkpages/darynkagan.jpg

Results 1 - 10 of about 19,000 for gregory peck zombie. (0.27 seconds)

I've seen his posts. He IS nuts and I have to wonder what the hell he's going to do when he's finally told to leave. Expect all sorts of whining.

9:22 A.M. - (AP) Looting broke out in some New Orleans neighborhoods today, prompting authorities to send more than 70 additional officers and an armed personnel carrier into the city.

My feeling is that he's staying no matter what. He seemed dead set on not being noticed by patrols yesterday. He's completely mad. I feet bad for his girlfriend.

i read his quotes in the paper this morning, and even that broke my heart. she said something like: "you can't hold me for ever" ... it is indescribably sad.

I picture him using that knife in his icon on anyone who would dare interrupt his struggle for survival.

If you're on the cam, you've got a special treat: you're watching the flood progress (hasn't moved in 24 hours) and the looting of a hotel.

We're seriously considering trying to restore some order to this city since the government has totally given up (and probably couldn't do anything anyway). The police have been looting according to reports, and the honest ones are under siege at their precincts as automatic gunfire was unloaded at one near the Quarter.

I know it's dangerous, but I've got some experience with Foreign Internal Defense, and if there's a chance of slowing down this Planet of the Apes deterioration, someone's got to take the first step. I mean, it's Lord of the Flies out there right now. There's no order at all. No respect for private property, no respect for life.

The situation has got to be desperate for a lot of people sweltering in the heat with no food and water, no place to crap, no clean clothes, no place to sleep.

Hm.

This story is not about me but 15 members of my family who now call the Superdome home.

I was awakened a couple of hours ago by a very disturbing phone call regarding the fate of some of the rugeees who followed the mayor's advice to seek shelter at the dome as a last resort.

The media has laid it all out for us: no plumbing,no power, and recent reports of criminal activity. From a family menmber I was told that a young girl had been assaulted and the death of a man from apparent suicide.

My sister said they did not eat Tuesday because all their rations and food supply
had run out.

The one thing she seemed distraught about was the lack of political presence.
They want to know that the very people who were elected by them care enough to be among them during this horrific ordeal. I was also asked to call the radio station to get the word to the officials about the dire straits the evacuees are in. They fear for their well being and safety of themselves and the children in their care.

Let the media in for all the world to see the situation as it really is. If the officials are ashamed then maybe they should be among their people at the Superdome.

I did return a call a call to let her know that the Navy is sending ships with necessary supplies. They are leaving Norfolk, Virginia, this morning
according to CNN but no word on when they are expected to arrive.
Please share this story with the only radio station still on the air as they are hoping against hope someone, somewhere will hear them out and give them a glimmer of hope.

Bless you all in the Crescent City.

There's your New Orleans police, protecting the people. Look, you had to know this was going to happen.

And I said "if they can". Look, they might starve, die of dehydration, or end up with typhoid. You got any better ideas how to eat or drink?

-- nero (abc12...), August 31st, 2005.

Can anyone actually cite a source that says our ability to respond was somehow diminished by having troops in Iraq? If it's true, it makes me angry, but so far I've only seen speculation.

Just now I put "Katrina" into Google, and guess what one of the first things that comes up is:

http://www.katw.com/

it's apparently more an issue of equipment than troops. the helicopters are over there, for one thing.

Col. Schneider says the state has enough equipment to get by, and if Louisiana were to get hit by a major hurricane, the neighboring states of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida have all agreed to help.

http://www.ww4report.com/node/1016

11:30 A.M. - Emergency Operations Director Walter Maestri: Evacuees from New Orleans and the east bank of Jefferson are flocking to the west bank, overwhelming the facilities.