Hurricane Katrina

Not necessarily news but I find myself reminiscing about the trips I've made to Nawlins. My friend got his MBA from Tulane so I made several trips for Mardis Gras and Jazz Fest and the Sugar Bowl. The market, the beignets from Cafe Du Monde, walking up to look at the river, the gutter punks, getting in a fight over a banner hanging from a pole after UF beat my beloved Noles, sitting in the street gutter all night waiting in line for Buffet tickets for his charity concert at Margaritaville, drinking Margaritas there at 7AM with some very nice young ladies, standing 10 feet from Buffet at his concert that night...

I've got my slate roof tile from LaFitte's hanging in our hot tub room. My hurricane (ironic now) glasses from Pat O'Brien's. My menu from Acme Oyster house.

It's truly a tragedy and a shame, despite what people are saying about building a city in a flood plain. The settlers in the 1800s didn't know what they were starting.

I've been away for awhile but this thread and the other one have been phenomenal and are an example of the ATS community at its best. Sorry for the somewhat off-topic post, but I felt nostalgic as I realized I may now never get to take my wife to the old New Orleans.

New Orleans is quickly becoming a Hell's Kitchen, and I can only imagine what more the darkness and still-rising waters will bring - I can't help but wonder how they plan on keeping close guard of the inmates that have evacuated the prisons and are now being corralled by guards in open areas....A massive riot is all that's required to spread more chaos....

Another interesting aspect....CNN just interviewed a musician, Jack Fine, who has fled the city and sought shelter in his house, who happened to bring up a very good point...

What will become of that creative, renaissance, jubilant artistic flare that we all know and love New Orleans for? With the city in such dire straits, and set to bare this heavy load for many years to come during attempts at reconstruction, will we see that atmosphere return to these grief-stricken people??

There are so many layers to this catastrophe that we haven't even begun to peel back yet....

Edit Clealry we were working on similar brain-waves there titian....

[edit on 8/30/2005 by EnronOutrunHomerun]

I heard that if the levees were fixed and the pumps were working perfectly they could remove one foot of water every 12 hours. That won't happen for days.

I also just heard that they aren't even trying to collect the floating bodies. They're too busy trying to save those that are still alive.

This is the worst disaster i've ever seen in the US. Its just unbelievable.

Wupy

Sounds like its getting ugly, just in last 30 mins heard shooting in downtown, inmates at Orleans Parish Prison are rioting and have taken hostages -- including children -- using homemade weapons. etc. Hope Mizar's got a shotgun to protect him and his.

hmmm. not sure about that. the live feed shows the prisoners hunkering down.

Capitol news bureau
Much of Slidell is under water and likely sustained the worst damage from Hurricane Katrina, tate Sen. Tom Schedler, R-Mandeville, said Tuesday at 1 p.m.
Calling the devastation “total”, Schedler said, only slabs remain where dozens of houses were blown down and several feet of water remain in the Slidell Memorial Hospital on Gause Boulevard as well as throughout the old town area off U.S. 11.

Slidell is a suburban community of about 25,000 people northeast of New Orleans near where Interstates 10, 12 and 59 intersect in St. Tammany Parish.

Schedler was interviewed after being briefed at the state Office of Emergency Preparedness. He said he could not return to his district.

“Slidell is as bad as New Orleans east and some other areas in St. Bernard Parish,” Schedler said. “It’s a problem that will be with us for months and years.”

There are many people like myself who are very concerned that there has not been much reported on St. Tammany Parish. Mandeville, Covinton and Slidell are home to many now homeless people. St. Tammany is Closed.

The mayor said that he couldn't tell where the lake ended and Slidell began. If you're interested in St. Tammany, this link is the source for the above quote.

darkelf that is bad news, I believe LadyLily of Covington is very much affected. I do recall pulling up yesterday info that Covington was in St. Tammany.

Originally posted by worldwatcher
darkelf that is bad news, I believe LadyLily of Covington is very much affected. I do recall pulling up yesterday info that Covington was in St. Tammany.

Wish we could find out about her.

The order now is to evacuate the entire city. I hope they`ll get the the intransigents too. but looks like NO is finished.

[edit on 30-8-2005 by FredH]

An officer was shot in a looting incident as well a suspect...but cops got the looters.. it is getting really really bad out there.

Pray for them, even though the storm has passed, all those people need our thoughts and well wishes to get them through this.

Last report I got from Covington was that there was/were tornado(s) but not much flooding. Slidell was flooded up to Gause Ave. My friends live a little north of that, but I have gotten reports that their (my old) subdivision was flooded. This is one of the higher ground areas in the Dell.

I know I am new, but this thread has brought a question to mind.....

We have seen how many members live so close to each other and have no idea that they do...........is there any way we can establish a thread/forum that would enable us to keep in touch with each other per country/area...based on a certain criteria, to offer aid to other members and next of kin if we are able???

Sorry if this sounds stupid

Irish

Originally posted by irishmen3g
I know I am new, but this thread has brought a question to mind.....

We have seen how many members live so close to each other and have no idea that they do...........is there any way we can establish a thread/forum that would enable us to keep in touch with each other per country/area...based on a certain criteria, to offer aid to other members and next of kin if we are able???

Sorry if this sounds stupid

Irish

Irish, certainly a good idea in times of need; but this was attempted last year only to be shut down due to privacy concerns. It may sound trite but privacy is a cornerstone of this community.

And if any members want their location known, just put it in the profile............... I just did mine;0

I apologize, I just got here....just pissed at feeling like I can't help others This may be something we take upon ourselves as members if we want....I speak as if I have been here for years.....
Sorry, just trying to get some direction.......

UPDATE

Residents with loss of home, "Chaos"

75% of roofs are gone or are in sevear damage.

Three firehouses gone.

No one with homes, jobs etc

More than 30,000 people in the dome, no air conditioning, roof leeks, bad conditioning.

Armed officers in the streets.

Death toll rising

[edit on 30/8/05 by The Surrealist]

UPDATE

Civilians are now leaving the dome.

Millitary is moving in to support and evacuate.

"Worst Storm in US History"

"Rebuild City."

The pumps are failing and are now being turned off.

The water is going to rise another 9ft.

If people can get get out then they must do so now.

1716 - 2005 RIP New Orleans

as darkness descends
to the chaos in the streets
and the fear in a childs eyes
glimmers in the fading light...
let the madness wane
and an inner flame kindle
in the wild hearts of those
who have tasted anarchy
and found it bitter.

My heart goes out to the weak,
the innocent,
and most of all, the very young,
clinging to fathers and mothers.

Keep them safe through the night...