I’m sure all of the New Orleans refugees are happy to hear this news…

NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - New Orleans’ famed French Quarter cleaned up its bars and clubs on Friday to get ready for business, the first step in a long and costly effort to rebuild a wrecked city that has still not picked up all its dead.

[more at Reuters]

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I’m not into politics. I’m not going to start any rants on this blog about the Katrina relief effort, what should’ve been done, who was at fault (everyone is!), etc. However, I found a few pictures on the web recently that have been edited with Photoshop (and done very well I must say). My apologies in advance — I realize these pics are controversial and will most likely offend some people, but I thought they were “funny”. Now if I could just fine some pics of Governor Blanco… >;->

The content in these pictures do not necessarily reflect the views of Exit 171.

Interesting article describing how the American Red Cross is planning to use technology for post-Katrina relief efforts.

The Red Cross tomorrow expects to begin deploying a host of systems it will need, including satellite telephones, portable satellite dishes, specially equipped communications trucks, high- and low-band radio systems, and generator-powered wireless computer networks, said Jason Wiltrout, a Red Cross network engineer.

[Article at Network World]

Some updated info regarding Katrina’s wrath (as reported by Storm Digest):

* Flooding in Mississippi reaches as far inland as 6 miles
* Katrina is now considered by FEMA’s officials as the worst natural disaster in the United States
* Thousands of rescue operations have taken place today pluck people from rooftops via helicopters
* Both airports in New Orleans are under water
* I-10, major highway we saw in the evac reports the other day, is damaged in multiple sections, critically
* An oil tanker has run aground and is leaking oil
* Another oil platform has been sighted close to shore someplace in Mobile
* Natural gas lines have broken in New Orleans; no potable water, no sewage service
* No power for at least a million throughout the effected region
* There’s no quick fixes for the levees, although sand is being dumped to try to slow and perhaps stem the flow of water from the lake into New Orleans
* In Mississippi, there are officials are beginning to show signs that the number of fatalities is far more than the governor there is letting on; Louisiana may be in the same shape, since today its governor re-emphasized the focus was on rescuing survivors
* Plans and strategies are being worked in New Orleans to evaculate people still in the city, including the Superdome, out.

Please help by donating to the American Red Cross.

Conditions are not getting any better in New Orleans. Although they missed a direct hit from Katrina, a levee breach is allowing water levels to rise in the city. Streets that were okay on Monday are now underwater. Officials are hoping they can plug the breach with 3,000 pound sandbags dropped by helicopter. I’m sure you’ve seen some of the news highlights on the roof-top water rescues, looting, and deteriorating environmental conditions. Just a terrible situation. Mississippi is even worse.

More details and the play by play on the WWL-TV blog:

[WWL-TV Blog]

I saw the following National Weather Service advisory on Sunday, but thought it was a hoax. I couldn’t believe the description and text. Sure enough, it’s legit. Holy @#$%!

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
413 PM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005

…EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE KATRINA CONTINUES TO APPROACH THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER DELTA…
…DEVASTATING DAMAGE EXPECTED…

MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS…PERHAPS LONGER. AT
LEAST ONE HALF OF WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WILL HAVE ROOF AND WALL
FAILURE. ALL GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL…LEAVING THOSE HOMES SEVERELY
DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.

THE MAJORITY OF INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WILL BECOME NON FUNCTIONAL.
PARTIAL TO COMPLETE WALL AND ROOF FAILURE IS EXPECTED. ALL WOOD
FRAMED LOW RISING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL BE DESTROYED. CONCRETE
BLOCK LOW RISE APARTMENTS WILL SUSTAIN MAJOR DAMAGE…INCLUDING SOME
WALL AND ROOF FAILURE.

HIGH RISE OFFICE AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL SWAY DANGEROUSLY…A
FEW TO THE POINT OF TOTAL COLLAPSE. ALL WINDOWS WILL BLOW OUT.

AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL BE WIDESPREAD…AND MAY INCLUDE HEAVY ITEMS SUCH
AS HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND EVEN LIGHT VEHICLES. SPORT UTILITY
VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS WILL BE MOVED. THE BLOWN DEBRIS WILL CREATE
ADDITIONAL DESTRUCTION. PERSONS…PETS…AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE
WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK.

POWER OUTAGES WILL LAST FOR WEEKS…AS MOST POWER POLES WILL BE DOWN
AND TRANSFORMERS DESTROYED. WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING
INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF NATIVE TREES WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. ONLY
THE HEARTIEST WILL REMAIN STANDING…BUT BE TOTALLY DEFOLIATED. FEW
CROPS WILL REMAIN. LIVESTOCK LEFT EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL BE
KILLED.

AN INLAND HURRICANE WIND WATCH IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR
HURRICANE FORCE…OR FREQUENT GUSTS AT OR ABOVE HURRICANE FORCE…ARE
POSSIBLE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 TO 36 HOURS.

Live streaming news feed from a local news station (WWL-TV) in New Orleans:

[WWL-TV News]

I blogged this post in July (on my old blog) when hurricane Dennis was making it’s way through the U.S. The VoIP weather network is now live for Katrina:

Check out the VoIP SKYWARN / HURRICANE NET SUPPORT SITE if you’re interested in listening to live updates from regions in the US affected by hurricane Dennis. The people talking on the audio feeds are Amateur Radio (Ham) operators that broadcast their radio transmissions over the Internet using Voice over IP (VoIP). It’s all part of the Internet Radio Linking Project (IRLP). EchoLink is one of the popular software packages used for VoIP (and it’s all free). You don’t need to be a licensed ham to listen to the broadcasts, but do need to be licensed to transmit “over the air”. It’s all an interesting combination of technologies in action — 2-way radio, computers, and the Internet.

As you may know, Amateur Radio has historically played an important role during disasters. In many cases it’s the only reliable means of communications when normal communications, such as landline telephones and cell phones, are not operational (sometimes for weeks). Check out the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL), eHam.net, or send me an e-mail if you’re interested in Amateur Radio.

Remember Katrina and The Waves from the 80’s? “Walking on Sunshine”? Well, doesn’t look like they’ll be much of that this coming week… my vacation week. @#$%! Thanks Katrina. Although, I guess I shouldn’t complain, it could be worse. All we’ll get is some heavy rain, but those folks living by the Gulf of Mexico are in for some serious havoc.

I can’t believe how strong hurricane Katrina has become (currently Category 5). When she got close to Florida a few days ago she was barely a Category 1, but surprised everyone and caused some serious flooding damage. Now it looks like she’s headed to New Orleans, which is six feet below sea level! Not a good thing. I doubt my trip to New Orleans in a couple weeks will happen if Katrina visits first. Good luck to all those folks in the Gulf.

Here are some good links for hurricane pics and info:

NOAA
NASA
US Navy