Just filled the wife's car with gas after the news tonight to give her one more "cheap" tankful at $2.50 per gallon before Katrina brings us $3.00 per gallon for regular!

 

A little bit of good news. By being on the west side of the eye, New Orleans has dodged the worst of the storm. Also, they state a dry front from the west came in quicker than expected and reduced the severity of the hurricane. Not a lot of good news, but every little bit helps.
Unfortunately it looks like Biloxi is on the east side of the eye and will get the brunt of the storm.

 

I must say that is a crazy area to live in. My kiddo and I were over there last October racing the karts at No Problem Raceway just west of Baton Rouge. It was a three day event and wouldn't you know it...a tropical storm was parked about 40 miles off the coast. My poor little bambino had to race her kart for 20 minutes in a driving rainstorm four times in two days! She looked like a wet poodle when she came in! As soon as we left and hit Beaumont...sunshine!!! God Bless Texas! (And everyone in New Orleans right now)

 

If you think about it, the continental US has every natural calamity there is. Earthquakes, volcanos, tornados, snow with avalanches, floods, and hurricanes (typhoons). I guess it's pay back for living in the great land and country we have.

 

Nah....its God's way of insuring our economy never goes stale. These natural disasters are great for construction, etc.

Plus it builds character....we dont need or ask for help from other countries. "No thanks....we got it!"

 

good way to look at it!

 

A portion of the levee did rupture, and in certain spots in the city they said the water was 3' - 8' deep.

Growing up a scant 100-yards from the levee; I'm well aware of how high the pucker factor gets when the mississippi sweall her banks and creeps up the levee.

What really gives you the "Oh *****" is when you consider that the River is anywhere from 1/2 to 1 mile away from the Levee, and it swells so much that all teh trees and barn houses on the other side of the levee are all under at least 20-40 feet of water when the river reaches the levee.

New Orleans is surrounded by water, and by levees, so they said that instead of protecting New Orleans, those levees could creat a "pooling' effect holding the water in for quite a while. With lake Panchartrain to the North, the Gulf to the east, and the Mississippi right in the middle, and an underground water-table so shallow that no one is buried underground (Because you'll hit water if you dig) New Orleans is lucky to still be there as long as it has been.

The Superdome is built on some of the only land in New Orleans that is above sea-level[ then it is elevated another 15-20 feet above street level, so the chance that those folks would drown even had the worse happened; is slim - none...

 

I got off Lucky, Tree took out part of wooden fence. And house doesnt have power.

 

Glad to hear you came off relatively unharmed in any way. Question will be no power, for how long?

 

Man you must of prayed alot!! I hope more people are as lucky as you, but I hate to say I doubt many people will be that lucky!

 

Tell U what, I'll sit up here @ work as long as I dont have power and get paid to surf. Wife is @ in-laws (Generator) I doubt I'll have power @ house in 3-4 days