Thanks for all the links, Cracker. They are actually the best info I have to go on at present. Given reports on the surge, looks like my dad's house -- 200 yards from the beach at Pass Christian -- is probably either gone or badly damaged, but he, like my brother (house in Kiln, MS) and sister (house in Mandeville, LA) won't know until they can get back into their areas. Guess you've read that LA has blocked its borders to folks who fled out of state and now want back in.

I think your prediction of trouble in the Superdome is right on. I cannot imagine New Orleans without electricity for a month in September. I always think of Florida as modern and developed and able to deal in a modern way with disaster. The Big Easy is just so primitive by comparison. Good grief, there is a lot of misery ahead.

Donnah, did you notice the picture of the looter in New Orleans wading through chest-deep water carrying (among other things) a 12-pack of Diet Pepsi. DIET?? What self-respecting looter would drink Diet Pepsi?

Maybe the other looters got to the good stuff first.

How long before all of this is Dubya's fault?

Not two seconds ago, the man in front of me was saying it was Earth getting back at us.
I told him life isn't worth living if you hate the human race.

Just think back to the Galveston hurricane of (I think) 1900. It was comparable in size to Katrina, and did similar damage. But there was absolutely no warning. 5000+ people were killed in Galveston, and the city was pretty much destroyed.

They didn't have a smelly old Superdome to take refuge in back then, even if they had been warned.

They stacked up the bodies in huge piles on the beach, and burned them. It was said that the charnel-house smell of Galveston was carried miles inland.

Back to the news coverage. I sort of like watching the cable news updates, reviews and lives. Hearing someone say, "the wind is 150 mph" and watching him cling to a pole is a very different form of information. I'm looking at New Orleans underwater as I type, and believe it is much more compelling than hearing someone say, "80% is under water." Seeing a car stranded on a causeway broken up into pieces is bit more informative than hearing or reading about it.

I'm sorry I wasn't clear, Norma. I was referring to the antics of television reporters during the storm. Of course images of the aftermath of a hurricane are evocative.

I won't be able to look at the television until I get home from work.

Baron- The Galveston hurricane was hideous. That town was never the same.

Donnah --

I read a book about the Galveston storm not too long ago, "Isaac's Storm". It was about the NWS man at the Galveston station. He goofed fantastically on his storm predictions, and lost his wife (and house) in the hurricane. It's a compelling book, the source of all my info on the topic. I recommend it, if you haven't already read it.

Reading about what happened yesterday and comparing it to Galveston makes me realize how fortunate we are to have the amazing technology for accurate & timely prediction.

After trying to figure out why very able bodied and well nourished people would not take off hiking if they didn't have their own car, several days ago, but would instead remain in the pathway of a Category 5 hurricane in an area that is below sea level and on the coast of a sea, after not finding any reasonable sense in that, I just an hour or so ago began concluding that many remained behind because they planned on looting.

Otherwise...I can understand the frail, disabled, elderly frail, very ill and without any independent options, I can understand why people in such conditions would opt to declare a desperate act of life forfeiture and say they'd stay behind (and then try for the last ditch survival emergency shelter process).

But, the rest of them, I can't imagine how they'd even think they'd have reasonable survival conditions afterward by staying there, particularly there, that location, much less before that Hurricane.

I just dunno...perhaps looting was the objective from the start. I noticed the three males checking out the Target warehouse early this morning, who all looked down and around in that "I'm engaged in burglary but now that a camera is on me, I'm just an innocent kid who just happens to be here" look...

Why the heck did these able bodied adults not just leave three days ago? They could have hiked, thumbed, begged a ride with somebody. And could always just camp out when they got to higher ground if they were without spending money otherwise, to wait out the storm and aftermath.

About those people who were viewed lugging edibles through the waters (that includes all the looters, given that there is no place in the area where there is no standing water)...they are either very, very sick by this hour or soon will be. The standing water there is a lethal mix of bacteria, parasites and viruses laced with every possible toxic metal and chemical.

So, they get their stolen diet sodas and loaves of bread but worse for the rest of us, is they then become factories for reproduction and proliferation of all those biohazards.

This is a very, very serious problem down there.

Donnah: My daughter and her family live in Yazoo MS (40 miles north of Jackson, they're framers). As of last night they had trees down and no power, but live on high grouinsd and were otherwise ok. We asked them if they wanted to load up and drive here (650 miles to Atlanta), but they decided not to try that due to the terrible traffic probelems being reported in all directions.

Today we can't reach them by phone. I feel sure they're ok (though no doubt quite uncomfortable, with my 6 year old grandson and 4 month old granddaughter in tow), but it sure is unsettling not to be able to reach them no matter what we try!
This thing is going to be one of those "sleeper disasters", unfolding in slow motion over several days.

Going throught three hurricans I thought I would know what the afermath would be. But I can say for sure I have no idea what these people are going to be faced with. My heart goes out to them and they will all be in my pryers. Good luck and GOD BLESS. To the Gulf Coast

Baron- I have the book in hand now, and will give it a read.

Carl, everything is just fine with the kids. They're roughing it a little.

Ess- The only answer I have is that they have no sense.

Donnah, how did you get it so quick -- the library?

I read it like I would a thriller.

Yep, got it from the library.

I saw your blog linked from michellemalkin.

I'm lucky, I live in Mobile, Al. and got drunk during
this hurricane. Not much else to do when the lights
go out and the A/C quits. Crank up the 12v TV and
drink beer.

I stay prepared and lost little. I purposely live a
dozen miles either way from water. It blew hard and
little else. The wind is not the killer. Water is. Oh,
and tree limbs.

That said, I predicted what would happen in N.O. after
the storm passed and furthermore said that most of the
dead there stayed just for the easy picken's after the
storm.

I knew the population there and forecast unlimited
looting. What I want to know is what happened to shoot
on sight policy of National Guard that was around 20
yrs ago. I remember storms that left cities awash and
when the N.G. moved in, shooting looters was common.
Ah, for the good old days.

By the way, have we received any checks in the form of
FOREIGN AID from countries we have helped in the
past???? I kind of doubt it.

My little brother is 13 and lives in Picayune with his mom and siblings. Does anyone know anything about Picayune? I have tried to call, but can't get through. I hope he's ok. Even if he is ok, he doesn't need to be sleeping in a gymnasium or something. I'd like to go get him, but I have no clue where he might be. His name is Cory DeMoss. His mom is Penny DeMoss. I wish he would call or email me or find a news camera and stand in front of it!!!

Looting. What difference does it make? Where can they hook up the tv? The "hot" clothes will rot and the shoes will forever be waterlogged.

Obviously these are people who are not in their right minds.

Looking at them from a thousand miles away, I think: why aren't they running to higher grounds? Why are they staying? Are their lives so pitiful that they can't see beyond the immediate?

I don't have the same take on 'looting' as some of you. I say take the (hopefully) dry bread. Help yourself to all of the diet pepsi you can carry if the intent is to carry you and yours through the storm and its aftermath.

The store owners have no loss--they will be obligated to throw it all away anyway, when the waters recede. It is a insurance loss not because it was stolen but because it was spoiled by the fetid waters of the Gulf.

Check yourselves...