like we do about the games. I’ll start.

Mayor Nagin’s doom and gloom comments about this being the storm of the century will prove to be only somewhat true. There will be extensive damage in parts of the city, especially the westbank, but we won’t see anywhere near the amount of flooding as we did in Katrina. However, At least 3 tornadoes will be reported in the New Orleans Metropolitan Region, causing additional damage. We’ll mostly all be able to return by next Thursday. Also, the Latino population that has grown in New Orleans since Katrina will be very hard hit, as not enough has been done by the city to account for or reach out to this population of mostly spanish speakers. Lame Duck Bush will come down here and say everyone is doing a Heckuva Job.

Anyway, is this too morbid?

Hope everyone finds someplace safe to shack up until Gustav goes away. As MRW says, always welcome in Indy.

At least the crime rate should drop a bit, for a few days. Or not.

It’s too depressing to think of no more New Orleans (or of my in-laws outside Houma who refuse to budge), so let’s talk about the Saints.

If Gustav leaves nothing behind but a bunch of relieved citizens and embarrassed, formerly-hysterical emergency officials, the Saints will come home and beat Tampa Bay. But if the city is devastated, the Superdome unusable, and the Saints orphaned again, they’ll wait until the NFL figures out a new venue for the game, and then they’ll go there and absolutely CLOBBER the Bucs. Then they’ll play the rest of the season with blood in their eyes. They’ll be the Israelis of the NFL, and by the Super Bowl nobody will want to be on the same field with them. That’s why they’ll win.

I have a feeling that New Orleans will be fine. While I’m in Houston, all of my extended family is in the Lafayette/Rayne/Crowley area, and that is where this thing looks to hit. Stay Safe!

The politicians around New Orleans and involved with FEMA have touted the newly rebuilt levees. I’ve now seen Nagin stating that the west bank is in more danger than the cbd. Altogether, I would like to know whether the positive politicians were just playing the odds that another bad storm wouldn’t hit within this decade or whether the levees and evacuation plan were actually well planned and implemented.

I really think that this storm won’t be a huge deal for most, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Traffic in Baton Rouge is flowing very easily this morning, btw.

Prayers and good thoughts your way. All the best to the folks of New Orleans and surrounding areas. You guys have dealt with enough already.

My thoughts are with all of you in the New Orleans area that will be affected yet again by another hurricane.

Be safe!

There will be a lot of wind damage and a lot of rain, but the levees will hold and the Corp of Engineers will boast and brag about the heckuva job they’ve been doing and that’s all right, even though luck will play a bigger factor. I remember watching Katrina on CNN as the storm passed, thinking whew, they made it. Then the freaking levees broke and hell was unleashed. I think the city and the region are much better prepared this time. We’re about to find out. All fingers crossed.

An excellent book on the subject as well as the culture and politics of LA and MS is Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America You can get it cheap here
http://www.amazon.com/Rising-Tide-Mississippi-Changed-America/dp/0684840022

It’s all a completely disfunctional situation, how the levees got to where they are today. We often blame the current politicians for the disasters, but it is all rooted in history. It’s where I learned about the LeBlanc family. Highly recommended.

in Ponchatoula. Should be fine.. my first major storm as a home owner. WOOT! I see the Saints beasting it up on Sunday with a sold out to capacity Dome! (I will keep the opptimisim up.) Saints 34 Bucs 14!!! Who Dat!

The levee system is designed for a cat 3 hurricane. Gustav could easily have a cat 5 storm surge.

Also, the storm will most likely hit on the strong side of NOLA whereas with Katrina it hit on the “weak” side. I think this will be very bad for the city. Damage might be extreme and casualties could also be high amongst the new Latino population.

I hope Gustav fizzles out before hitting USA shores and if not may you all be safe and with minor damage you all have been through enough.

Just another Indy fan wishing you a safe out come, you can always come to Indiana to ride it out.