One of the most powerful hurricanes in history is about to hit the southern United States coastline, even as we "speak," with sustained winds in excess of 170 mph and gusts up to 220 mph.

The discussions found on weather.gov say it all.

If you are not yet familiar with this site, surf to http://weather.gov (note: no "www"!) and bookmark it. This is the definitive source of weather information from the US Weather Service, and has no advertisements.

Be Prepared. This hurricane has been described (by NOAA!) as "Comparable in strength to Hurricane Camille of 1969... only larger."

Now, back to your regularly-scheduled Linux.

A better website to point people to is

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

even so
you yanks better keeps your heads down
its going to be a cat IV or V when it hits

we get Cat V's but they usually hit isolated areas
not major cities
good luck

floppy

's gonna be ugly. I think our FEMA team is on deck for this disaster, I wonder how many of my friends are gonna get called up for this.

have seen some photos , on the net and on tv
makes me thinks about a nearer happenning recently
remembering people on another faraway safer concrete land ...
some just watched and talking about their love ones back home
some just waiting and confused about which love ones to pray for ...
if they could only choose one

shes simply awesome while some watched
some just waiting and confused and prayed
shes simply awesome
Build Yourself A Levee ...

This has become bigger then anyone could have imagined in the History of the United States of America. I only hope that everyone can come together in these hard times no matter where you may be from...

KC

A couple of points.

1. While tragic, i don't have too much sympathy for the people who got stuck in NO. They knew it was coming. For YEARS.
Anybody who choses to live in that death-trap is taking huge risks. Read this - First published in 2002 by their own newspaper!!

http://www.nola.com/washingaway/


2. Don't you think the oil companies, who will benefit the most from rebuilding the gulf coast, should be helping more? I saw that
Mobil oil was donating 2 million. wow. that might keep a helicopter aloft for what, a day?

What a minute... There may be a lot of places where humans should not live but to say that about NO is rediculous... I don't know where you live but I am sure if there as a Flood, Fire, Earthquake, Drought, Famin, Whatever, you would not be singing the same tune.

I live in Earthquake country... We here in Southern California have learned a lot about how to build in this region but I don't think we shoud abandon areas of the US because their may be a hurricane or earthquake.... Come on!!! Do you know what your saying... Everyplace has it's dangers... You can't just give up because of mother nature...

I could go on but will only say, Look at where you live ( I only wonder why you have not stated in your profile), and wonder if something were to happen would someone just tell you It's your fault for living there...

KC

That was rather uncharitable, danimals.

kencaz,

I live in So Cal as well.

Are you serious?

Did u read the story in my post?

The risk of a CATASTROPHIC hurricane event associated with living in NO for 30 years is about 10%.
One in Ten. And this pretty much means if you happen to be in the city at that time you will probably die. Not
even close to the same risk from earthquakes. Even if you build a glass house ON the san anreas fault, and an earthquake
occurred along it, you still have a fair chance of living, or even of being unhurt!!

New orleans is BELOW sea level and surrounded by water. It is protected by levees that are KNOWN to be too small for
the storm surge of a big 'cane.

Oh, and you get FAIR warning - you can SEE the mother-f-er coming!!. Not so with an EQ.

I do feel for someone who physically could not evacutate, or were told to stay (civil servants, etc). But
even then they shouldn't be living or working there. The young men there now raping and stealing. Look at thier shoes
and tell me they couldn't have afforded to have gotten out. Ive been to NO, and when i was there, they had
buses - they really did. Hell, they could've bloody WALKED out of there with all of the warning
they had.

I realize my post will be unpopular.

I am kinda upset by this because what happened in NO was so un-necessary. So many people
are suffering and they didn't have to.

Even a LITTLE planning would have prevented what has happend.

1. Forced evacuation. When people choose to live on hill-sides, and ther's a fire getting
near, the authorities take them out. period. I realize there's a diff. between evacuating a neighborhood
vs. half a million people. But look at the mess now!

2. How about a little foresight on the part of the city gov't with respect to emergency supplies, and building
elevated safe areas.

3. How about a little foresight on the part of the individual with respect to emergency supplies, and an
inflate-able raft, or even an axe in the attic.

People are now saying, 'oh well, hindsight is 20/20..' That's rubbish in this case.

What happened in the other Gulf Coast cities can be described as a natural disaster. What happened in NO
is better described as the result of lazie faire.

Danimalz, I understand what you are saying and agree to an extent BUT, Most people cannot simply grab all their stuff and leave especially in a lower middle class area and that many people at once.

I Live in So. Cal and I know a large earthquake might hit but I stay because this is where I live and cannot afford to move, if I could I would.

Yea, with a fire you can evacuate a few hundred people but where talking about 10s of thousands that have nowhere to go, it takes time for the states and government agencies to mobilize.

Oh yea, Thanks to the rest of the world for all the offers of assistance. The US always offers help to other countries in times of crisis, even to countries like iran. I hope america remembers this.

Danimalz,

I understand what you are saying about NO, of course, I too have said many times why build in such a volnerable area... same can be said about anywhere... We live in a Desert, with Earthquakes and no (self sustaining) water supply and rich people build their mansions on pillers on cliffs in the mountains with the Forest all around them... Risking water shortages, Fire, Earthquakes, and yet they stay and after disasters rebuild.

It may be that building in New Orleans is not the best place but nither is here in CA. and like I said there is no where in the USA you can build without problems...

Sure they should re-think a lot of legistics as far as re-designing of the levy system for one but unfortunatally us humans have to live by our mistakes and even then it takes a few to get into our heads on what is important... Human Life...

KC

Actually there were cutoff times for evacuations. If you didn't leave by 4pm on Sunday I believe they had to weather out they storm. This was because they needed to close off the city.

Good post Baja.

You're right, about evacuation. In New Orleans it's a real nightmare (another reason not to live there)...

I keep hearing folks say, and It seems to be the common view that "we'll rebuild it!" Im not so sure. Realistically, it's going to take probably six months just to remove the water! I've already seen reports of many of the refugees saying they are not going back. New Orleans has survived for hundreds of years, i know. But times have changed; The mississippi river is no longer the only way to conduct north/south commerce. There is, oil, of course but the city of NO isn't all that important a piece to that.

When they've pumped and dried it out, and removed the bodies, debris, toxic wastes, ruined structures, etc... What's left? One short week ago, there was a city, with little opportunity for its denizens (economically), with the highest crime rate in the nation, that depended almost fully on tourism for survival. There was also a beautiful little town, fantastic food, culture, the birthplace of jazz, mardi gras, "the big easy", the history.... It will be interesting to see these dynamics play out and settle over time. Safe to say that NO will never, ever be the same.

new orleans , missisipi and the rest of the wretched one
where the southern hamonica , black or white
really cries , with fingers or beer bottle-necks
their roasters are the only one that wont betray them
and yet shes still coming , peeling farms and ghettos and levees
gone were their roaster compatriots
but not their hamonicas and guitars
tsunami endured and coming typhoons for distant friends
the only condolence ...
the same Awesome one , the same song and
the same strength in human character
with stubbon and hardened muscles
in sweat and in grace , sleep well my friends
We All had been there before ...