New Orleans

[bubba]

NO isn't the only place hard hit. I heard Gulf Port and Biloxi are in rough shape too.

[Dreadbelly]

I have a question that I hope somebody can answer.

And please, let's not turn this in to a political flamewar.

With the National Guard being short on manpower because so many of them being deployed over seas... Where are they going to get the man power needed for the restoration effort that is going to take place? How will they restore order? I mean, well, I am not sure how to ask this, but isn't our National Guard meant to, well, be guarding us, the U.S.? I am only asking because I am completely baffled as to why, well, why there are so many overseas and not nearly enough at home. Will they have to pull troops out of Iraq to come home and clean up the mess? How will this work?

I mean, this is a major emergency. A disaster. Our gulf coast, probably our most important coast, our major economic hub, the place of most of our refineries, the port which 3/4ths of our national grain and produce supplies gets shipped out from, I mean, most of America depends on these ports and refineries and outlets.... We need to get this whole area back up and running ASAP. It's almost fall the last time I checked... And it's about time for harvesting. So, when all this grain, corn, soybeans, etc, is harvested, we can't really float it down the mighty Mississippi and cart it off to everybody that needs it... This is going to have untold disasterous effects on the price of food all over the world... And the men that we need the most, the ones that should be here at home waiting to tackle disasters just like this one, well, they are not home, and certainly not prepared to fix this mess.

I am starting to see a much larger picture as I sit down and think about it, and I don't like what I am seeing.

[Archangel]

I have a question that I hope somebody can answer.

And please, let's not turn this in to a political flamewar.

With the National Guard being short on manpower because so many of them being deployed over seas... Where are they going to get the man power needed for the restoration effort that is going to take place? How will they restore order? I mean, well, I am not sure how to ask this, but isn't our National Guard meant to, well, be guarding us, the U.S.? I am only asking because I am completely baffled as to why, well, why there are so many overseas and not nearly enough at home. Will they have to pull troops out of Iraq to come home and clean up the mess? How will this work?

I mean, this is a major emergency. A disaster. Our gulf coast, probably our most important coast, our major economic hub, the place of most of our refineries, the port which 3/4ths of our national grain and produce supplies gets shipped out from, I mean, most of America depends on these ports and refineries and outlets.... We need to get this whole area back up and running ASAP. It's almost fall the last time I checked... And it's about time for harvesting. So, when all this grain, corn, soybeans, etc, is harvested, we can't really float it down the mighty Mississippi and cart it off to everybody that needs it... This is going to have untold disasterous effects on the price of food all over the world... And the men that we need the most, the ones that should be here at home waiting to tackle disasters just like this one, well, they are not home, and certainly not prepared to fix this mess.

I am starting to see a much larger picture as I sit down and think about it, and I don't like what I am seeing.

Here's something to ponder, the US will be able to overcome this disaster in a relatively short period of time. It is a once in a long while event. As you're contemplating recovery, take the time to think about how some countries must deal with this as an annual event.
You've raised some very important issues. Mississippi, and the other states, have all my sympathy.

[Dreadbelly]

Here's something to ponder, the US will be able to overcome this disaster in a relatively short period of time. It is a once in a long while event. As you're contemplating recovery, take the time to think about how some countries must deal with this as an annual event.
You've raised some very important issues. Mississippi, and the other states, have all my sympathy.

It's not just us I am worried about, even though that food is shipped by sea to our own ports... It's the people in those countries where this is a yearly event... I mean, how are we going to get them the grain and stuff they need? We feed so many people with our surplus... What are all those folk going to do when they don't get the grain they are depending on?

I got to thinking about all this, and started feeling sick. Real sick.

[bubba]

There really isn't a manpower shortage at this point. NG troops are coming in from surrounding States and are taking up the slack pretty well. The guys right now I most admire are the chopper rescue crews. They're busting their asses getting people off rooftops and to safety in huge numbers and they plan to work through the night if conditions allow. Hats off to the National Guard and Coast Guard chopper teams.

[Graham]

Thanks for the updates Dread, but don't make yourself sick! I find it hard to imagine how so many cities can recover from this.

We will not be unaffected here either, there's an expression: Americal sneezes and the world catches a cold.
What is happening there will surely affect many other parts of the world.

I hope Australia will send help, as we have done with major bushfires.

[macwilkin]

Thanks for the updates Dread, but don't make yourself sick! I find it hard to imagine how so many cities can recover from this.

If any city can, it's "Nawleans", aka "The Big Easy". Even after Katrina blew through, the French Quarter came to life for a while, and the reporters were commenting that it was like nothing happened. These are the people that end their funerals with a brass band playing Dixieland Jazz after all! :mrgreen:

Todd

[GMan]

Todd is correct it will survive and rebound. I have heard so many optimistic reports from the residents, that I am uplifted.

[Dreadbelly]

Rebuilding a city below sea level?

I am not sure that is a good idea. What if it happens again next year? Or the year after? With global warming, storms are increasing in ferocity and frequency.

Rebuild, but fill in the land somehow.

[macsim]

I have a question that I hope somebody can answer.

And please, let's not turn this in to a political flamewar.

With the National Guard being short on manpower because so many of them being deployed over seas... Where are they going to get the man power needed for the restoration effort that is going to take place? How will they restore order? I mean, well, I am not sure how to ask this, but isn't our National Guard meant to, well, be guarding us, the U.S.? I am only asking because I am completely baffled as to why, well, why there are so many overseas and not nearly enough at home. Will they have to pull troops out of Iraq to come home and clean up the mess? How will this work?

I think the short answer is, "The National Guard is us." While our troops lay it on the line overseas, we must stand in the gap at home. I remember loading jugs of water in tractor trailers when a hurricane devasted eastern NC a few years ago. We are many, we are strong and we can git 'er done!