Off-Topic: Goodbye New Orleans

From [url=http://www.drudgereport.com/]The Drudge Report[/url]

Looks like New Orleans is going to be completely destroyed. Sad, but when you look at the city's bowl shape construction, you have to almost wonder how they lasted this long. :( I'm guessing this is going to be the first time in the lives of many on this forum, that we see an entire city destroyed -- and by natural forces at that.

Very sad. Hope everyone gets out of there, although I read a report about 10,000 people staying in the Superdome there.

[b]Expect gas prices to go up?[/b]
Edit: in electronic before-hours trading, oil has jumped $4.50/barrel to over $70/barrel as of this evening (from a report I'm reading). Good grief!

I realize this is not entrepreneurial focused, but I think this is a big, big deal. If you guys think it doesn't belong here, feel free to remove.

Now the weather advisory:

[quote]DEVASTATING DAMAGE EXPECTED

HURRICANE KATRINAA MOST POWERFUL HURRICANE WITH UNPRECEDENTED STRENGTH...RIVALING THE INTENSITY OF HURRICANE CAMILLE OF 1969. MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS...PERHAPS LONGER. ATLEAST ONE HALF OF WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WILL HAVE ROOF AND WALL FAILURE. ALL GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL...LEAVING THOSE HOMES SEVERELY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.THE MAJORITY OF INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WILL BECOME NON FUNCTIONAL.PARTIAL TO COMPLETE WALL AND ROOF FAILURE IS EXPECTED. ALL WOOD FRAMED LOW RISING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL BE DESTROYED.

CONCRETE BLOCK LOW RISE APARTMENTS WILL SUSTAIN MAJOR DAMAGE...INCLUDING SOME WALL AND ROOF FAILURE. HIGH RISE OFFICE AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL SWAY DANGEROUSLY...A FEW TO THE POINT OF TOTAL COLLAPSE. ALL WINDOWS WILL BLOW OUT. AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL BE WIDESPREAD...AND MAY INCLUDE HEAVY ITEMS SUCH AS HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND EVEN LIGHT VEHICLES. SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS WILL BE MOVED. THE BLOWN DEBRIS WILL CREATEADDITIONAL DESTRUCTION. PERSONS...PETS...

AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK. POWER OUTAGES WILL LAST FOR WEEKS...AS MOST POWER POLES WILL BE DOWN AND TRANSFORMERS DESTROYED. WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS.THE VAST MAJORITY OF NATIVE TREES WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. ONLY THE HEARTIEST WILL REMAIN STANDING...

BUT BE TOTALLY DEFOLIATED. FEWCROPS WILL REMAIN. LIVESTOCK LEFT EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL BEKILLED.AN INLAND HURRICANE WIND WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS NEARHURRICANE FORCE...OR FREQUENT GUSTS AT OR ABOVE HURRICANE FORCE..

.ARECERTAIN WITHIN THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS.ONCE TROPICAL STORM AND HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ONSET...DO NOT VENTUREOUTSIDE![/quote]

Anyone think we could be facing a miniature black Monday tomorrow? Oil has been up past $5/barrel and its not even Monday yet! :(

Sincere prayers will be coming from me tonight. The Superdome is going to get quite uncomfortable, me thinks. Anyone know if it is situated in a safe area, or is it below sea level as well?

[quote="JimiHendrix"]Being in the Superdome is better than being in your house or out on Bourbon Street. relatively few people will probably die, just because now the media does a good job of scaring everyone into evacuation. The gas is going to be the worst long-term effect for most of us.[/quote]

Scaring? Do you count the weather service as national media, I guess would be my next question. The weather advisory states they are expecting at least 50% of homes to be destroyed.

I think I'd evacuate too. It's kind of like Hurricane Andrew, remember that devestation?, but stronger.

Still sad, though. And yea I'd agree, being in the Dome would be better than anywhere else in N.O., I was just curious if anyone knew anything about the construction of it, where it lies, etc. It'd suck to be in the Dome and have -it- flood or something along those lines.

I think the entire thing is uncomprehendable - what a sad, sad time for those people.

Think of the homeless who haven't caught wind of it yet (pardon my phrase)... :(