Thom Stewart wrote:
Couldn't get a flight going in their direction?

(Scotty)
"katy" wrote in message

They don't run from the comet...they run from the
tsunami.....

Why don't they fly?

http://community.webtv.net/tassail/ThomPage

The evac route for Newport News runs right past the front of our
apt. complex....I guess they turn all the lanes into "west" when
there's a hurricane...should be interesting since there's nowhere to
go on this side unless you go all the way to Petersburg or
Richmond...we're mostly peanut, cotton and pig farms on this side of
the river....

You should have seen us in the traffic driving out of New Orleans just
before Katrina on the one-way freeway. We were in bumper-to-bumper
almost all the way into Houston. They returned the roads to two-way
about 50 miles out of the city. It was an interesting experience.

Frank

Frank wrote:
You should have seen us in the traffic driving out of New Orleans just
before Katrina on the one-way freeway. We were in bumper-to-bumper
almost all the way into Houston. They returned the roads to two-way
about 50 miles out of the city. It was an interesting experience.

Frank

I'm glad I know where all the weird side roads are...if someone
tried to get off 17 and skirt around without knowing the area,
they'd get righteously lost in the sticks...

Frank wrote:
You should have seen us in the traffic driving out of New Orleans just
before Katrina on the one-way freeway. We were in bumper-to-bumper
almost all the way into Houston. They returned the roads to two-way
about 50 miles out of the city. It was an interesting experience.


I would have liked to see the see the underway replenishment
detail working from fuel trucks.

katysails wrote:
I'm glad I know where all the weird side roads are...if someone tried to
get off 17 and skirt around without knowing the area, they'd get
righteously lost in the sticks...

Hiway 17 *IS* the sticks.

DSK

DSK wrote:
I would have liked to see the see the underway replenishment
detail working from fuel trucks.

The few gas stations open had lines flowing into and out of them
to/from the massed traffic on the road. At that, there seemed to be
many cars pulled over on the shoulder out of gas all along the way.
Same for food places. And bathrooms... ick! We first stopped a bit West
of Baton Rouge cuz we used most of a tank just covering 100 miles or so
at the stop-and-go pace. While I waited in line for gas, Ronnie and the
girls went in and got in the food line and bathroom line. Imagine a
bathroom used by thousands of people continuously hour after hour
without cleaning service. It was WAY nasty.

Interesting side notes about Katrina taht stuck in my mind: Even after
K hit, gas was cheaper in N. O. than in Houston, by about $.50/gal.
Whatever you think of Mayor Nagin, he was in the media the week before
K hit telling people to get out of town. I remember him saying the
Wednesday before that he couldn't *order* an evacuation but if you
could possibly get out, you should. Finally, the Royal Canadian Mounted
Police had rescue/aid forces in the New Orleans area right after the
storm and a full week before FEMA showed up from their "nearby" staging
area, from which they were "unable" to get to some areas quickly.
Wonder how those mounties managed? Thanks, Canada. The Red Cross was
there, too. FEMA was MIA.

"Frank" wrote...
could possibly get out, you should. Finally, the Royal Canadian Mounted
Police had rescue/aid forces in the New Orleans area right after the
storm and a full week before FEMA showed up from their "nearby" staging
area, from which they were "unable" to get to some areas quickly.
Wonder how those mounties managed? Thanks, Canada. The Red Cross was
there, too. FEMA was MIA.


FWIW FEMA says they cannot do anything until local/state authorities ask them
for specific help - and nobody asked.

"Frank" wrote...
could possibly get out, you should. Finally, the Royal Canadian Mounted
Police had rescue/aid forces in the New Orleans area right after the
storm and a full week before FEMA showed up from their "nearby" staging
area, from which they were "unable" to get to some areas quickly.
Wonder how those mounties managed? Thanks, Canada. The Red Cross was
there, too. FEMA was MIA.



Vito wrote:
FWIW FEMA says they cannot do anything until local/state authorities ask them
for specific help - and nobody asked.


I guess going on TV and saying "We need help" is not
specific enough? What's clear to me is that a lot of people
want to play it for politics.

One issue I have personal experience with... the naval
auxiliary hospital & supply ships were not given orders
until 5 days after the disaster, and of course take several
days to steam to their destination, making a huge delay.
Problem- private contractors are paid big bucks to keep
those ships ready to go, and those orders *could* have been
issued at least a week earlier when it became obvious they
would be needed. Two specific places in which the officials
involved were grossly incompetent... to a degree worthy of
jail time IMHO. No other explanation.

DSK

Vito said:
FWIW FEMA says they cannot do anything until local/state authorities
ask them
for specific help - and nobody asked.

Ack! What?

Well, now I have a new saying: There are four kinds of lies - lies,
damned lies, statistics, and FEMA justifications.

Every official in both Louisiana and Mississippi from the governor on
down was begging for aid from any and all sources. FEMA was sitting
around scratching its collective fundament somewhere high and dry and
safe. Plus, this statement contradicts other FEMA position statements
which declared that they were on their way when they were ordered to
hold short because it would be impossible to get their equipment in. So
which is it? Not asked or on our way and tried really hard but couldn't
get there? They can't both be true.

Like I said, the MOUNTIES managed to get in. The Red Cross managed to
get in. Many, many private charities managed to get in. Having been
there myself, and having most of my immediate family there, I'd like to
extend a grateful "Thank you!" to the RCMP, the Red Cross, et al. And
I'd like to extend a hearty "F*ck you!" to FEMA.

Frank and krewe

DSK wrote:
Frank wrote:
You should have seen us in the traffic driving out of New Orleans just
before Katrina on the one-way freeway. We were in bumper-to-bumper
almost all the way into Houston. They returned the roads to two-way
about 50 miles out of the city. It was an interesting experience.


I would have liked to see the see the underway replenishment detail
working from fuel trucks.

katysails wrote:
I'm glad I know where all the weird side roads are...if someone tried
to get off 17 and skirt around without knowing the area, they'd get
righteously lost in the sticks...

Hiway 17 *IS* the sticks.

DSK

yeah, well not as sticks as SmithNeck Rd. or BubbaRwoAquat Lane....