My last post was just before the storm hit. Well, I'm ok now and have been reunited with my immediate and extended family in Baton Rouge, LA. I've sublet an apt for 3 months because I have no idea when I will be able to go back in the city. I have no idea the fate of my home and a few friends. Communication is a joke right now in SE Louisiana. Phones, banks, gasoline, etc... are unreliable at best. I'm sure there has been plenty of political debate on here about the whole situation and I certainly have formed some opinions of my own about government officials at local, state, and federal levels. I won't share them right now because I'm just happy to finally know my family is ok (property etc... we just don't know). I'm using a borrowed laptop in starbucks to write this. I'd like to especially thank the people of Tyler, TX, Lafayette, LA, and Baton Rouge, LA for helping me deal with this disaster. Also, does anyone know the fate of Mid City New Orleans or more specifically Esplanade Ridge between Broad Street and Bayou St. John? Later yall.

UPDATE
Without getting into any details I would say that those around here (especially the survival forums) have been somewhat right and we can now no longer just dismiss them as over cautious lunatics. Seriously though, a minimal of thinking before hand goes a along way. First off, the generator was useless. I thought (b4 the storm), everything would be back in business in 2-3 days and that the gen would keep me comfortable during that. Well, it ran out of gas. Secoundly MREs or other non-perishables are a must. You first start eating whats in your fridge before it goes bad but then you gotta switch to MREs. I was actually given a Jambalaya flavored one, fealt right at home(i was never in the service so this was my first mre). Shit, well, once again I have to go. Next time I'll write my thoughts down in MS Word so I can just paste them and post them for yall. I'll end this one with a few pics I have taken. I have other pics but most of them were taken with a regular camera so I have to get them scanned into a computer somehow. The following pics were taken 2 days, which is a story unto itself but I share that one when there is time... I'll keep the updates coming. later.


I-10 Overpass at Claiborn Ave, yes those are boats beached on the neutral ground.


Same intersection


This picture is taken 2 blocks from my house looking down my street/canal.


Window used by looters (I wasn't home at the time, more info on this later)


Some work of the looters. They did this shit in a few other rooms. Notice they didn't even take the cameras (and there was nothing else expensive in there).


Picture taken from my front porch.Doesn't look too bad considering it was day taken on Katrina+6


One of the hundreds of helos flying overhead. The city is a ghost town except for the occaisional convoy and the constant buzzing of choppers.


The fence to the front of my yard


Another look down my street


These kind of quasi cops/militia/vigilantes are all over the city


blurry pic of troops marching down Decatur Street


Some more troops downtown


A convoy going by on Tchoupatoulas Street (Uptown). Lots of this but mostly uptown and downtown. Not much in Mid-City, Lakeview, 9th Ward and NO East.




I've got other pics and info but they gotta wait... I'm hungry right now.

Glad to hear your safe. Would love to hear your views when things settle down for you.

Glad to hear you & family are OK!!!

Good news to hear you're OK. I remember your last posts from before.

What do you need?

Edit: and is there any way to get you what you need?

Quoted: Good news to hear you're OK. I remember your last posts from before. What do you need? Edit: and is there any way to get you what you need?

Thanks for asking but I'm financially able to do ok for now. There are others that need more than I. I do have a kind of funny story. When I first got out I arrived in Lafayette, LA. I went to the Wal-Mart, not a single gun was left. Now, I don't know about this specific wal-mart but all the ones I have ever been to have a few shotguns, a few rifles, some .22s, and air rifles. Even the .22s and air rifles were sold out! I wonder if the people who bought them figured that anyone they were forced to draw down on wouldn't know the difference. Yes, I know you can kill someone with a .22 but still, the thought was kind of funny. Anyways, I have to return this laptop now, I'll update yall when I can. Thanks for the show of support.

good to take one more person off the list of unknowns glad you are in good shape stay safe.

DocBrooks:I'm glad to you're okay and you've accomplished your goals of finding your family.

Wow, I appreciate the first hand reports. Report back when you get a chance.

Glad you're okay! Look forward to hearing more of your stories.

Good to see your post. Hope everything works out well for you.

Thank GOD you are out and OK.

Quoted: I went to the Wal-Mart, not a single gun was left. Now, I don't know about this specific wal-mart but all the ones I have ever been to have a few shotguns, a few rifles, some .22s, and air rifles. Even the .22s and air rifles were sold out! I wonder if the people who bought them figured that anyone they were forced to draw down on wouldn't know the difference. Yes, I know you can kill someone with a .22 but still, the thought was kind of funny.

So much for the gun-grabbers! Now people will have to face reality and Americans will be more heavily armed than ever!

I'm glad to hear you're okay.

Glad to hear more good news from the area. Stay safe Doc.

DB

Good to here you and your are ok.

When you get settled, let us know from your first hand knowledge hoe to propare if were to ever happen to us.

What worked/what didn't
what you really needed

stuff like that.

Quoted: Also, does anyone know the fate of Mid City New Orleans or more specifically Esplanade Ridge between Broad Street and Bayou St. John? Later yall.

www.scipionus.com/
Interactive wiki google map of NOLA/MS with clickable points by location for information.

I hope this helps you.

Sounds like you're pretty well set up compared to the poor bastards who had to be bussed out. Glad you're ok.

We were all confident that one of our ARFCOMmers would be able to do what needed to be done to survive.

It's good to hear a positive story about that hellhole.

Be Well!

Glad you and your family are safe.  Are you an MD?

`glad you are ok. did they loot your avatar?? j/k

never mind it's back now.

I'm sure there has been plenty of political debate on here about the whole situation

Well yes, but only a very little.

Glad ya made it out safe, man. Now STAY that way!

Quoted: Quoted: Good news to hear you're OK. I remember your last posts from before. What do you need? Edit: and is there any way to get you what you need? Thanks for asking but I'm financially able to do ok for now. There are others that need more than I. I do have a kind of funny story. When I first got out I arrived in Lafayette, LA. I went to the Wal-Mart, not a single gun was left. Now, I don't know about this specific wal-mart but all the ones I have ever been to have a few shotguns, a few rifles, some .22s, and air rifles. Even the .22s and air rifles were sold out! I wonder if the people who bought them figured that anyone they were forced to draw down on wouldn't know the difference. Yes, I know you can kill someone with a .22 but still, the thought was kind of funny. Anyways, I have to return this laptop now, I'll update yall when I can. Thanks for the show of support.

Glad you're okay.  Bubba!, what the hell were you doing in N.O. when a Cat 5 hurricane is coming down the pipe?  You got to know better.  Tell us the story please.
If I heard right, I think they said Esplanade Mall had water in it.  Is it North Oaks Mall(?), it was on fire Friday or Saturday.
On a news story last night, they showed and narrated gun sales at Jim's Firearms (the most expensive place to buy a gun at in BR!).  Said they usually sell an average of 15 guns a day.  Since the evac of NO, sales are averaging 1000 per day!!!  I don't think it was mis-spoken.

Glad to hear you and yours are alright, keep us posted as you are able.

Welcome back!

Tag.

Glad to hear that you made it through unscathed (relatively speaking).

Please provide a link in this thread when you post your observations later.  I'm very interested in hearing about what happened from your viewpoint as opposed to what we have been seeing on the tube.

Welcome back.

Max

Glad you're OK, buddy. Looking forward to the stories once you've gotten yourself settled somewhere!

Glad you're ok!  Best wishes for you.

btt

Glad to hear you are safe.

tag for more pics/update

Where's the black guy holding the plastic tub of beer?

Glad you are OK.
Pissed that someone broke into your house. Did they take anything or just trash the place.

been watching it all on tv,keep safe

wow.  tag for updates

Glad you're ok. Tagged for updates.

tag for later

tag

Again, glad you're okay.  I'm really interested in hearing your views related to local, state and federal response.


Oh yeah,....and looters should be shot on sight.

tag

Glad you are safe, stay strong

Glad your okay.  

Bill3508

Glad you're OK - my relatives in Kenner and Metarie found minor damage and no flooding, so they came out OK.

That HMMWV appears to be C-3/141 IN from Weslaco TX.  It's hard to be sure.  The bumper numbers are kind of blurry.

Welcome back to civilization.

Quoted: Welcome back to civilization.

+1

Glad you and your family are safe.

[looters] Cameras that need film?!? Cassette tapes?!?  Man, this guys house sucks! [/looters]

Glad you are ok.  Be careful if you are staying in town.

TXL

Pray for more dry weather.

Hope you can get everything cleaned up before winter sets in..

tag