Whether the reasons be altruistic or cynical, I sense people have learned their lesson from Katrina and won't let the screwups happen again. Beyond that, it's all in the storm's path now.

Late news update says the storm is weaker than originally anticipated and is predicted to make landfall west of New Orleans. This is good news for NOLA & hopefully other Gulf Coast residents as well.

I think it says a lot that the entire leadership of the Republican Party feels compelled to be in Louisiana, effectively scuttling the St. Paul convention. Skilled leaders appoint good administrators and then stand out of the way to let them do their jobs. Chief executives don't need to be handing out bottles of water unless they are looking for photo ops (and trying to atone for earlier mistakes).

Periodically cutting to a live feed from FEMA HQ in Louisiana on a big screen TV on the convention floor would have been a much stronger sign that things were under control.

pj,

These people fucked up so badly three years ago that they dare not even allow the perception of not caring.

Remember, GW and McCain were yukking it up on a tarmac with a birthday cake at the very moment Katrina was taking out the city of New Orleans.

If McCain were to be photographed doing anything other than kneeling in feverent prayer over this hurricane his ass would be grass.

His handlers will not let him blow this one. Believe me, it's going to be all about the photo op for both McCain and The Sarah.

At this point McCain is praying for utter devastation. He needs a great back drop for his acceptance speech. It is kind of silly that he is probably not going to show up for his own convention.

McCain and Gustav have a lot in common: powerful spin, lots of hot air, erratic motion, and a wandering eye. Also, both were born in the tropics, and have shown a belligerent attitude towards Cuba.

I hope things turn out well, but some disasters can't be blamed on politics. The citizens of New Orleans were reminded by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 that they live in a below-water level bowl. The Mississippi River has been trying to naturally divert down the Atchafalaya River for a century, and is held on its course only by the Corps of Engineers and man-made levees. Hurricanes can't be barred by zoning ordinances or the most well-organized FEMA.

New Orleans and its residents need to move. Permanently.

"Sen. McCain signaled he may give his acceptance speech via satellite from the disaster zone."

This will be true whether he's in the Twin Cities or not.

What happens if it misses New Orleans? What will be the next excuse to avoid the convention? I have a feeling if he had selected Romney the convention would have gone on as planned. They're desperate to avoid real exposure for Palin.

As a resident of south Louisiana, thanks for the caring thoughts. I live on the so-called northshore which is on the north side of the large lake above the city of New Orleans, and expect to be fairly insulated from the brunt of the storm, except for a power loss that will prevent posting for a few days!

Fortunately for the city, Gustav is projected to make landfall southwest of the city and is not expected to seriously threaten the levies that were the problems during Katrina.

Politics aside, it's refreshing to see the level of advanced planning and staging of resources and guardsmen for this storm relative to Katrina. Hopefully the city, parishes, state, and federal agencies have figured out what's needed post-hurricane and will work together to recover effectively.

Good luck pencarrow. Growing up in North Carolina, we learned hurricanes are as much a part of life as the azaleas in spring. You can almost feel a change in the air in late July. Even now, out here on the West, I'm still a hurricane junkie and am currently glued to the Weather Channel.

Hurricanes are scary and incredibly unpredictable. My last one was Fran in 96. Ten hours of pure terror. Drove 4 hours west next day just to get a cuppa joe!

I'll take an earthquake any day.

Stay safe.

pencarrow----don't know if you have power to access the internet at this point, but please know that we are thinking of you, and that you and your loved ones stay safe. Let us know when you are able re: your situation.

Speaking for myself, I'll do what I can to help out in the aftermath of Gustav. Please communicate when you can.

It looks like NOLA will get it bad; mix of high tide with it being spring tide, “dirty� east-side winds and more.

So, if it is as destructive as Katrina, should we (on the federal dime, to any degree), rebuild NOLA? I say no.

Pencarrow, good luck with the storm. NOLA is one of my favorite cities in the world.

I'm a little more worried than you, apparently. Wherever the storm makes landfall, the main brunt is going to be to the east and the north, per the National Hurricane Center. I lived in Ft. Lauderdale for 5 years and went through four hurricanes in one year alone.

My thoughts are with you, and I'll be checking the news regularly.

Good!

But there is little wrong with Palin's Choice, esp. in terms of ice

All of us trollops send our sympathy and well wishing to NOLA, especially because the government funded mercenary army (Brownwater) will be patrolling the streets after the storm makes landfall. I wonder how many times Brownwater will make the video display at the RNC? Um, never? Government funded mercenary army.. Hmmm... What's wrong with this picture again?! Tell us Rudi! 9/11, 9/11, 9/11!

Gustav has some Cat-2 winds but it's breaking up. Check out the radar loop:

http://pajamasmedia.com/weathernerd/

No mega-storm, that's for sure.

Thank you all for the good thoughts for my home town/state. I weather hurricanes of a different kind now, in DC. But NOLA will always be home.

The Weather Underground radar is also fascinating to monitor.
http://www.wunderground.com/
Type in zip 70122 (which happens to be where I grew up).
Then click on the radar thumbnail for a larger image. It updates itself every 6 minutes.

kudzu
Survivor of Betsy & Camille

PS- Oh, and to those of you who think New Orleans should be left to die:

a) You've obviously never been there, or you would appreciate its cultural and historic significance. It is by far one of the most special and unique American cities.

b) You have no knowledge that it is a major port that is vital to the American economy;

c) You haven't considered the fact that if half of the TRILLIONS that have been squandered in Iraq had been spent on Cat 5 levees and a Netherlands-style barrier system, NOLA would be high and dry.

d) Following your "logic," no one should live in California because it is prone to earthquakes. Or in the flood-prone areas of Iowa, Missouri, etc. Or in Tornado Alley.

Please do a little homework before you open your mouth. You should be watching Glen Beck-- your kindred (clueless) spirit.

I can't help but wonder whether Gulf Coasters are luckier that the administration has learned lessons from Katrina, or that it is an election year.

"But some disasters can't be blamed on politics"

At this time in my life I am beginning to believe that everything can be blamed on politics.

“It’s leadership stupid�

This is something to say with mixed feelings laughing and crying while thinking about the real effects and cover-ups that exist, that are not talked about because of honest true pure scientific reasons. Here, the Media is center stage and the problem complicit with those in power now.

For me global warming, or global something, is an issue because of a simple truism. People consume and convert all kinds of stuff, like garbage, animal extra, all the while, machines and people, just breathing exhaust carbon dioxide in the billions of tons that collect in the atmosphere. This carbon holds heat.

Watching the wonderful color diagrams that swirl on our television screens that display the magnificent character of a “Natural Order�, as in those powerful hurricanes, the world need to understand this nature as our politics move forward to a New World order in regular living.

Isn’t it funny how American culture can have theater in exciting serial stories that display theoretical situations like the Star-Gate one. I enjoy the mystery of these Star-gate stories that has a property to funnel people and things across the vast space in a short time that creates imaginations in stories that leap beyond what we know now. Here, the writers of science fiction, the wizards of OZ are transforming into a sort of Twilight-Zone wind our minds in a trip not always easy to a new way and most of the time a happy ending.

Also think right before our eyes we have a Star-Gate functioning, funneling and creating a balance of something from charged elements of earths upper atmosphere to other elements funneling down to depths that suggest are as deep as miles into our water supply here on earth. Some history channel stories estimate these areas are dead zones for life under water. Incredible natural phenomena with sweeping winds, is this poison or is it a cleansing. We fail to ask our selves.

And in this second case with Gustvo all ready sending estimates of tens of billions in damage that needs replacement and reconstruction needs to happen. Giving way to products and services that bump the economic timeline however give false presentations of a robust economy that is nothing more than a replacement economy. But this story a reality sends thousands fleeing, and our politicals declaring charity at the same the obvious cluster of America’s oil industry in the region likely a huge carbon generator is ignored for its devastation and depreciation or counter production, only for its symbiosis that is reflected in profiteering. Mainstream Media avoids all this, worse yet they approve this message of diminished cultural and economic development because of simple thing called Neo-Con greed.

vote democratic 2008

It seems to me that the current administration is jumping all over this situation to make it seem that they are there and ready for wahteveve happens in New Orleans. Will they later try to use this as a political tactic? Yes they will. My question is where were they 3 years ago to the day? I think if this had not been an election year we would not have seen near as many pictures of Bush an McDoodle acting like they are in control and know what they are doing. All I can say is, "those were some realy great poses guys the camera may have fooled some but I am NOT convinced.

"PS- Oh, and to those of you who think New Orleans should be left to die:"

I've been to New Orleans. I love New Orleans. I know the significance of its port and its history. That doesn't change geography. New Orleans is still in a bowl, and the Mississippi River is still trying to follow its natural course down the Atchafalaya. When -- not if -- the Atchafalaya dam breaks despite all efforts of the Corps of Engineers, New Orleans is going to be underwater, along with all the people there.

New Orleans shouldn't be "left to die." New Orleans should face facts, and make a plan to relocate as much as possible to a safer inland location.

I don't watch Glen Beck. I read books, such as John McPhee's "Controling Nature." Part of it deals specifically with the diversion of the Atchafalaya River and its inevitable consequences. Get the book, and do your own homework.

My fear is if the storm turns out to be not as bad as predicted, not that I want it to be (I don't), speaking as a member of a volunteer emergency services department, when the next storm comes, too many people will decide that they will ride it out and they will be in the same situation as when Katrina hit calling for help and blaming the government for not helping soon enough.

IT WAS MY PRAYERS THAT SAVED GOD'S INTENDED TARGET...THE RNC...FROM COMPLETE DEVASTATION. Unlike Dobson's group who prayed to have Obama's acceptance speech rained out which really was the catalyst for God sending Gustav toward the RNC to make his point known. I prayed that God ignore that video since it was eventually taken off Dobson's web site and allow the RNC to go forward unimpeded.
Thank you God.