Campy

I live on the point where the Wolfsnare Creek meets the Lynnhaven River. We're just outside of the crash zone, but we do get an awful lot of noise when the jets are approaching for a landing. That said, I haven't heard the first person complain about jet noise - especially in reference to Katrina relief efforts. I personally think the whole jet noise crowd are a very vocal group of about 20 people. Hell, I'd let them land in my driveway if it would -A- help save Oceana, or -B- help the relief efforts.

Just curious, when Hurricane Isabel was a Cat 5 steaming toward the VA/NC line did you make plans to evacuate or were you planning on toughing it out? My point isn't to get in your face Poojer (I think you're one of the good guys), but I do think that we should be careful when judging other people's actions and motivations in situations like this. Perhaps these people, sans the luxury of an automobile, were simply trying to stay to protect their property. Or perhaps they knew that you can't out-walk a hurricane...

And you would have walked where? You would have risked being out in the elements when a Cat 4 made landfall? Put simply, you can't outwalk/outrun an approaching hurricane on foot. They are faster than you. And even a day's headstart won't help much, they're hundreds of miles wide and there's no telling exactly where it will make landfall until a day before. I don't mean to call you out on this, but I wanted to address that train of thought for the people who have never been through a hurricane. It's all too easy to say what we would do if we were in that situation when we're not.

Here's the thing though - The storm missed them and made landfall at Biloxi, not New Orleans. EVERYONE, people here and on the news were all talking about how New Orleans dodged a bullet. There were probably hundreds if not thousands of people who returned after evacuating only to get trapped in the city after the levee system failed. It's not quite as simple as many people would like it to be - people including me.

As is the case most of the time, I agree with you on many levels. But at the same time, there is no denying that people much closer to the situation than us chuckleheads on football message boards are less than thrilled: From http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/WWLBLOG.ac3fcea.html I think it was kegtapr who yesterday said that there are simply no easy answers. Every passing hour it seems the news proves him right. EDIT: But there is some good news for those of you too lazy to click on the link:

That can't be good - things could get even uglier down there. http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/WWLBLOG.ac3fcea.html

Well thanks for keeping it apolitical

Living in a possible hurricane landfall city and being relatively familiar with this part of the country, I can tell you with 100% certainty that there is not a city on the Atlantic or Gulf coast that has the means to shelter half a million people.

He hasn't been too terribly impressive in this game, that's for sure. The hand transplant remark that an earlier post referenced had me laughing out loud.

I certainly agree with the overall gist of your post, but to play devil's advocate, it was the federal gov't that has dropped the ball over the course of many years and administrations regarding the inadequate levees. They are funded by the feds and maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers afterall. As wrong as it is to place all the blame on the federal gov't, it's equally wrong to absolve them from the part they played (or didn't play as the case may be) leading up to the current situation. Just my 2 cents.

Has martial law been declared down there yet? If not, why?

The link to this conservative blog was emailed to me by my old Poli-Sci professor, a devout Libertarian, by no means a liberal Bush-basher. Not sure if I've completely digested the pros and cons, but after just dropping $50 to fill up, the idea of a little relief at the pump does appeal to me. http://www.pardonmyenglish.com/archives/20...to_kill_th.html

I'm not sure that would look too spiffy on his business card.

The Red Cross is recognized as one of the most effective charities going. Only 5 cents of every dollar go to cover their administrative costs. I appreciate your point, but you called out the wrong organization.

That's a pretty interesting blog. Thanks for posting the link.

The food or the airplanes?

Yup. It's one of those deals where there's no problem provided there are no injuries at key positions. IF there should be an injury, the benefit of hindsight would tell us it was foolish, but we won't know for sure until then. BTW, welcome aboard smuvtalker.

No. He's the next Rob Johnson but with heart.

Good points. The people least needing it would be the ones to get to it. Those that are in dire need (elderly, ill, children) would still be in the same situtation that they are now. It sucks, but like you said, there just don't seem to be any easy solutions...

Amen brother. I'm so looking forward to being there, especially after I wasn't sure I'd be able to make it up to WNY. I'm stoked!

Well, according to the article:

Well said - it's a sentiment that we all share.

You obviously have electricity and internet access which is a good sign - glad that you're OK, dib. Whereabouts are you?

Urlacher can be my MLB any day of the week. I guess I just think more of him than many here, and that's cool. His injury aside (stuff happens), opponents gameplan around him. He's the best player on one of the best defenses in the league and a true difference-maker. Isn't the comparison to Arrington a little off base? IMO, it's a bit like comparing Ray Lewis to Dat Nguyen.