New Orleans

**Doc Hudson** · 31st August 05, 09:18 AM

My wife and I had planned a day trip down to NO before school started back. Unfortunately, a flat bank account and rising gas prices kept us from going. We are doubly regretful that we missed the trip now.

I love the French Market, and the artists around Jackson Square, and who can resist a zoo where "they awl ax fer you?" I love New Orlean's brashness, and boldness. I love the street hustlers and the quiet majesty of St. Louis Cathedral, the clang of the St. Charles Street Trolley, and I love to stand on the Moonwalk and listen to the mournful hooting of the big ships as they make their way downriver bound for Europe, Asia, or Africa through the vast storms of wide seas. I love the chicory laced coffee and the oh so sweet beignets of the Cafe du Monde, and the buggy rides around the Quarter. I love to watch the street performers and listen to the worlds greatest Dixieland Jazz at Al Hirt's or Pat O'Briens. I love the Irish music in O'Hara's and the seafood from Mike Anderson's Seafood House.

I really don't know of any city I like better than New Orleans. Nothing matches it for it's refined elegance or it's tawdry grandure. It is one of a kind, and it will never die.

**Dreadbelly** · 31st August 05, 10:16 AM

Some good newe good news! Finally!

BBQ SHRIMPS!

**davedove** · 31st August 05, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by Dreadbelly

Some good newe good news! Finally!

Yes indeed, Finally! I'll bet there are more stories like this if the media would only report them.

**starbkjrus** · 31st August 05, 10:42 AM

WWLTV.com is reporting that per the Army Corp of Engineers the water level in New Orleans is no longer rising - the water in the city is level with Lake Ponchartrain. It'll make the levy repair easier but that's a LOT of water in the city.

**macwilkin** · 31st August 05, 10:55 AM

Originally Posted by starbkjrus

WWLTV.com is reporting that per the Army Corp of Engineers the water level in New Orleans is no longer rising - the water in the city is level with Lake Ponchartrain. It'll make the levy repair easier but that's a LOT of water in the city.

In a similar vein, NBC's Martin Savidge, who is in NOLA, has this to say:

There are reports that the water is still rising and that there are all kind of things floating by, from bodies to debris. Can you describe the scene?

There are conflicting accounts. The mayor this morning said that he thought that perhaps the water that was coming from one of the levy breaches had been stopped, or at least slowed down significantly.

We are in one of the last remaining dry spots in the city, which lies a couple of feet above sea level, and we have not seen further encroachment of water into this area, so that’s a good thing.

BREAK

The only good news we’ve heard, the Army Corps of Engineers says that the flood levels of Lake Pontchartrain, which is well over flood stage, should be back to normal in about 36 hours.

-- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9142916/page/2/

T.

**Mike n NC** · 31st August 05, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by Doc Hudson

In my opinion, no amount of swamps or marshes would have dissapated Katrina. She was a Cat 5 storm when she came ashore and 250 miles inland, it was still a Cat 1 storm. I live a hundred miles west of the main storm track and still lost part of my roof. Nothing manmade or natural could have prevented Katrina from being a catastrophy and a Hundred Year Storm.

BTW, just for the sake of idle information, New Orleans' first levees were not built by men, but by the Mighty Mississippi itself. And as I'm understanding things, it is not the Mississippi nor gulf waters that are actually flooding New Orleans, but Lake Ponchartrain, with is north and east of the city and connected to the Gulf by a series of canals and bayous.

Yup, you got it in one Doc. When men (spell that USACoE) get involved and interfere, the natural aquafir is interrupted and the natural drainage to streams, rivers and the ocean is slowed or stopped. All them swamps and marshes? They all used to drain naturally to the sea and any water dumped into the area was taken away. As I read it NOLA, being a low lying area, was a little worse but wasn't as much at risk from Lake P until the levee system was built and the water level raised.

If you want a real story on what a levee system can do, look up the FL Hurricane of 1928 sometime. The south levee of Lake Okachobee acted as a dam to back up the water and then broke dumping all the water at once. (hmmm, didn't there used to be a couple of towns around here somewhere?)

In FL the everglades are slowly shrinking because the natural drainage has been diverted and a lot of the water that did go there doesn't any more. This also leads to wide spread flooding on the level (isn't most of FL?) during heavy rains and storms (does FL ever have those?) It wasn't until the Rat came to FL that the state gov woke up and started to hold the CoE accountable and to also take some steps of their own. South central and south FL are still messed up but not as badly.

What works for mother nature man will fix until it is broken.

Mike

**davedove** · 1st September 05, 05:20 AM

The US is receiving some offers of aid from other countries:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050901/...NlYwMlJVRPUCUl

**Mike n NC** · 1st September 05, 07:49 AM

Ok, its time. This is starting to sound like the script from a post-apocalyptic movie and it is about time to lay down a cease and desist order in NOLA and enforce it. Give the police and guard the order to stop and arrest as needed with authorization to return fire when fired on. As much as I detest the thought of turning a weapon on a U. S. citizen I now have to question if these 'animals' are worth saving. The good book speaks of turning the other cheek but it also speaks of protecting me and my own. Scary part is that it sound like they are moving into populated areas now.

Mike

**davedove** · 1st September 05, 08:15 AM

Originally Posted by Mike n NC

Ok, its time. This is starting to sound like the script from a post-apocalyptic movie and it is about time to lay down a cease and desist order in NOLA and enforce it. Give the police and guard the order to stop and arrest as needed with authorization to return fire when fired on. As much as I detest the thought of turning a weapon on a U. S. citizen I now have to question if these 'animals' are worth saving. The good book speaks of turning the other cheek but it also speaks of protecting me and my own. Scary part is that it sound like they are moving into populated areas now.

Mike

They have given the police to stop helping with search and rescue to deal with the looters. I'll agree that the activity of these people is disgusting. It's one thing to break into a grocery store to get something to eat, but some of these people are stealing things like TELEVISION SETS!!! And since the police are now tied up dealing with looters, how many people will go unrescued?

**Doc Hudson** · 1st September 05, 08:17 AM

Ol Freddy really clobbered Mobile about this time of year in 1979. In the aftermath of the storm, looting was rampant. Until the mayor issued a shoot on sight and shoot to kill order to the police. There were several looters shot and a few killed and after that, looting tapered off real fast.

The mayor of New Orleans should issue a similar order. "Anyone who sees a thief and doesn't shoot him just encourages the breed." H. Beam Piper, First Cycle