It has been a long-time coming, but we should absolutely thank our lucky stars.
After three years, Louisiana finally got socked again.The total amount of damage obviously is insignificant compared to Katrina and Rita, but things are still a mess.Currently, approximately two-thirds of the Louisiana customers do not have power.
For many of us, it will take days, if not weeks or even months to get back on our feet again.
The fast-moving Gustav could cause the high-octane Economic Development projects to slow.
It also certainly does not help that the Atlantic is spitting out tropical disturbances and storms with a vengeance.
There are many lessons to be learned by the entire Gustav experience.Things ran relatively smoothly with greater cooperation among the federal, state and local governments but Louisiana is obvious not prepared for the really big one.Our levees are inadequate after three years since Katrina.The traffic communications between Mississippi and Louisiana stunk. Gustav was a good test run and hopefully we will get some of the kinks out more so when that mega-storm does hit Louisiana and or even New Orleans at the absolutely wrong angle, we will be much more ready.
Yet, we should also be very thankful.The cooperation among the arms of government was absolutely better.Governor Jindal did not have to see totally communities totally demolished and flooded.Also, he kept his cool as the storm approached.The Bush Administration also made sure that its mistakes made during Katrina were not going to be made during Gustav.Ironically, the President who hardly mentioned Katrina (but for photo-ops in three years) made sure he was not going to be embarrassed this year, especially as the Republicans were meeting up North.
Ultimately, we should thank our lucky stars for taking this storm seriously.It will be costly and delay the Louisiana recovery even more than before.Gustav was only a glancing blow, not the knock out punch.Hopefully, that will not arrive any time soon, if ever. Should we be so lucky.
"Practice makes Perfect" - of course government at all levels did better this time. Let's hope they don't get too good at this as that means they're getting plenty of experience. Written by kpf
on 9/8/2008
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good evacuation due to jindal. nagin was better than a total idiot, but screwed up the re-entry by not cooperating with other leaders. there should not have been a different plan for orleans, which was spared, as other parishes, which were not. it was a disaster and luckily was lifted. NAGIN RAN HIS MOUTH. RAN HIS MOUTH ABOUT POLITICAL ADVERSARIES, RAN HIS MOUTH ABOUT THE RE-ENTRY PLAN CHANGING THE STORY. TELL THAT IDIOT TO SHUT UP.
........NOT.......A........REAL.........TEST. storm surge was 8-10 feet less than katrina. NOT ONE LEAVIE WAS EVEN COVERED OTHER THAN INDUSTRIAL CANAL.......WHY????.......BECAUSE IT WAS NOT A REAL TEST, IT WAS A SMALL STORM WITH A SMALL SURGE...........ANOTHER KATRINA WOULD HAVE DUNKED US.
thank you jindal. go away nagin. keep building leavies corps.....AND MOST OF ALL.....REBUILD THE WETLANDS WHICH PROTECTED NOLA FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS BEFORE A LEAVIE WAS EVER BUILT!!!!!!!!!! Written by Not a REAL test-but A- for the dry run
on 9/4/2008
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I had to evacute to Boston,and people here are in awe as to how we could evacute nearly TWO MILLION people without any significant problems.Hats off to all that were invoved in presenting a much more flattering picture of Louisiana than 3 years back. Written by Margee
on 9/4/2008
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You guys down there seem to have a great governor in Jindal. Wish we had someone like him. Written by Sid
on 9/3/2008
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It has been a long-time coming, but we should absolutely thank our lucky stars.
