New Orleans is being evacuated, so I'm told

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I was watching the news (Fox maybe...) saying that there are some state laws where authorities can actually make you evacuate by force. And other laws that say if you want to face the storm, then you must sign a release form for which you will receive a form of identification in case... Don't know if it was for real, or not.


As for those who had to take shelter at the Superdome, eventually many can't afford to evacuate (no cars, no money, nada). Since N.O. is a big city there will be plenty. Transportation is usually prioritized first for nursing homes, disabled, and some families. Then for those others, what else can they do once they escape?

I know that many would've been given shelter in areas far from the target areas, but it's a matter of availability to be transported to safety.

Yeah, they were doing the latter and making those who chose to stay behind to sign release forms (I assume so no one can sue if they aren't saved).

This is really bad timing, I'm worried it's heading down here... It was a bloody windy afternoon today and a tree blew down in front of the road today.

Don't you all tend to have pretty heavy hurricane seasons? How far inland are you?

Well I've never had my house blown off. I live about 45 minutes walking distance from Adelaide. Look for it yourself on a map.

Shucks. It's too earlier to be pro-active... Lazy sounds much more appealing.

Actually, there was a tornado on the other side of the mountain from my university. Despite damage, there were no deaths or injuries. The wind howled all night. I'm just lucky the campus did not lose power.

Nationally, Katrina is gonna cause some gas prices to climb higher thanks to the damage of off-shore oil rigs in the Gulf. I don't want to pay more than 3 dollars a gallon where I live.

We don't really get our oil from the gulf area anyways. But it doesn't matter. The prices will still rise

Sophist said:

Sophist these comments were extremely offensive to me. My grandparents live in Ocean Springs MS and decided to stay behind for various reasons. One, they can't drive out. They are in wheelchairs and they just physically CANNOT drive a car. Two, none of my relatives live close enough to drive there and get them out. Three, the storm was not supposed to go to MS, they thought they would get the outskirts of the storm. etc etc. I can't believe you would say that these people deserve to be arrested. Sometimes people just can't evacuate. Just like the people who decide to stay in their homes despite warnings make a conscious decision to do so, so do the rescuers who make the decision to risk their lives to save the victims. I told my grandparents that I wanted them to evacuate, to take a cab if they had to, but they didn't. But they are PEOPLE. Can you imagine your grandparents slowly drowning to death or dying of dehydration on a rooftop? Being pinned under a tree? How could you say to just leave them there, even if they did make a mistake by staying? That strikes me as heartless. People make mistakes but that doesn't mean they should be left behind to die for them

Emergency responders have to give the disabled a ride if they need to evacuate.

Over 100 dead in Biloxi .

Some disturbing news out of my home state of Alabama, and this makes me sick. In Tuscaloosa, motel owners are asking evacuees from Lousiana and Mississippi to get out because of all the Alabama Crimson Tide comming to town for the football game this weekend. That is very cold to say something like that . These people could not help it that a storm was comming this way. Many of these fans probably live within a day's drive of Tuscaloosa. I'm not just saying this because I'm an Auburn Tigers fan. I hope these owners can find them shelter. In fact, I wonder if the Crimson Tide should even play this weekend as this region has just experienced another 9/11 type event.

I don't remember what college it was, but they decided to play a game on the Sat. after 9/11. Just shows how religious they are with their game.

Now what about Tulane Univ? Or other schools in the flood zone? They can't play and I bet some stadiums are flooded as well as the Superdome being unsuitable. I saw footage and it looked like their was a stadium that was flooded. So what are they gonna do? Just say let's play but go somewhere else to do so? I don't think so.

heard on the radio today that the increase in hurricanes is due to the rise in sea surface temperature due to global warming.

ironic, that the hurricane interfered with oil production in the gulf of mexico, then, isn't it? perhaps it "knew" what it was doing...

more fossil fuel-energy consumption = more hurricanes. makes one think...

I heard from my grandparents today!! They managed to call my dad from a stranger's cell phone. The call was very choppy and they kept getting disconnected but it was enough for them to say they were safe & alive. Even the dog is alive. I am so amazed and happy. I truly thought they were screwed... my grandparents lived right by biloxi where almost everything was decimated... i can't believe they are okay... the house wasn't even flooded!! It's just insane.. ahhhh ok well ill stop rambling now im just so relieved.

I'm glad to hear about your grandparents.

Early on here I posted that there probably wouldn't be many human casualties because there was so much time to evacuate. Well, I was terribly wrong. First of all, there are many poor people in the area. Apparently, little if any mass transportation was nprovided to those without cars or the ability to drive. They were left to sit on their houses and wave white flags. With so much waring, I would think more could have been done.

Secondly, the relief effort is a mess because of a lack or perparation. As with 9/11, the various emergency workers all have different communication devices and couldn't talk to each other. When will we learn? Police officers were actually using CNN as a means of telling the fire department about a fire in New Orleans.

What a tragedy, much of which could have been prevented.