New rule: I refuse to believe any media coverage of Katrina’s effect on New Orleans until I read it in the Times Picayune. That, too, I will cross-check with their previous posts. Since pictures speak a thousand words in such a circumstance, it is worth it for evacuees and concerned parties to keep abreast with the T-P photo galleries.

In one segment of CNN’s Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer this evening, two different reporters stated that the French Quarter is dry and the water is rising in the Quarter, respectively.

Patrick, another evacuee, and I concur that there is something fishy about “the news saying the water is rising, but then one of the senators from LA said that many areas of the city are dry.” So, where is the rising water going?

Additionally, these big news companies sensationalize and don’t realize that it frustrates evacuees who just want simple facts instead of played-out footage. In other words, give us new and relevant CONTENT or stop fluttering.

Yes, there is looting at the Lower Garden District’s (most hated) SprawlMart. Nice to know that these fine folk are taking away large electronics which are essential to post-hurricane survival just like food, water, basic clothing and personal hygiene products, never mind that they require, ahem, power. Notice that there is not a drop of water in the parking lot. The Lower Garden District appears to have a long way to go before it is flooded.

Can anyone confirm that the two breaches in the Florida Street levee constitute the third levee breach so far?

For those of you looking for neighborhood updates, my house is on the 1400 block of Magazine and Dave lives on St. Mary by the Half Moon.

Dave & Maitri, your homes are fine.

Steve – It’s dry at Toulouse & Burgundy, but about a foot at Rampart.

Fahy’s was open earlier but now is closed.

The water is not rising & the levee did not break downtown.

Everybody’s looting, but just stores not houses.

The governor has just asked remaining residents to leave immediately. The I-10 twin spans are damaged and cannot be used as a path of return. CNN‘s John Zarella reports that water is rising downtown and on Canal St., but Bourbon St. is largely dry. Either this is a very new development or it’s really not that bad. Again, the frustration lies in receiving second-hand information.

More as news trickles in.

The grey lady has spoken her well-researched and decidedly northeastern opinion on Katrina.

The damage caused by a hurricane like Katrina is almost always called a natural disaster. But it is also unnatural, in the sense that much of it is self-inflicted. New Orleans is no exception, and while the city has been spared a direct hit from the storm, its politicians and planners must rethink the bad policies that contributed to the city’s vulnerability.

All I have in reply is: Um yeah, but can we withhold the I-told-you-sos for, perhaps, the middle of next month? We have flooding from a 200-foot hole in the levee associated with the 17th St. canal to contend with and major environmental ramifications of rig damage, if you hadn’t noticed. Two days following 9/11, did the Times Picayune give your city an analysis of the poor security infrastructure that led to such a colossal tragedy?

Sure, we have to look to a sound future. A bigger tragedy would be not learning from this costly lesson. I am sure that our government and residents will figure out that we can’t afford not to work together on protecting our city properly.

Further, considering federal expenditure, the money for Katrina cleanup should cost a mere four months of the funds funneled into that other disaster known as Operation Iraqi Freedom.

From the Houston desk of Laying The Smack Down On Jejune And Poorly-Timed Opinions,
Maitri

Mac’s sister writes:

Mac is going to check on your place & Dave’s place today. Her part of town isn’t bad & her apartment is just fine. At Felicity’s place a tree broke a couple of things but her place is fine. Morgan’s place is fine. Mac will give you an update later. Let Dave know.

Relief floods Evacuation Central like the waters of Lake Pontchartrain, but I hope she stays safe until we get back. Now that the hurricane menaces the Northeast and the aftermath pervades, the human element has resurfaced in the form of looters and people who are ok until the legal system is stymied itself. New Orleans is now under martial law to curb crime as well as to keep out evacuees from surrounding areas.

On a sad note, the brave reporters of the Times Picayune are evacuating to Houma due to rising flood waters from the Lake Pontchartrain levee breach.