Katrina: Red Witch of the South

SmileyTFJ · Post by **SmileyTFJ** » August 29th, 2005, 8:00 am

This storm is going to affect everyone:

Crude Spikes to $70 on Katrina Fears
Monday, August 29, 2005

NEW YORK â€” Crude oil futures (search) spiked to more than $70 a barrel for the first time Monday as Hurricane Katrina (search) targeted an area crucial to the country's energy infrastructure.

The Category 4 storm was on a path to hit New Orleans (search) early Monday, shutting down an estimated 1 million barrels of refining capacity and sharply curbing offshore production in the region.

FULL STORY

RTO · Post by **RTO** » August 29th, 2005, 8:02 am

Creeping Death · Post by **Creeping Death** » August 29th, 2005, 11:29 am

My Ranger Buddy lives in the Meterie (sp?) area of New Orleans. Damn. He and his wife just bought a house. Haven't been moved in more than a month now.

I called him yesterday to make sure he was popping smoke. He is one of the refugees coming into Houston. From the looks of everything, they may be there a while.

Ardent Lady · Post by **Ardent Lady** » August 29th, 2005, 7:15 pm

My daughter at college in Jackson, MS just called and said there's a lot of trees down on campus and no power now, but she's fine and her dorm seems undamaged. That's a blessing! The worst of it seems past her area - so they got off with only one tornado siren to hunker down for and apparently no flooding... Daylight will tell more, I'm sure.

Ranger Creeping Death - I hope your friend's home survives intact!

VAK · Post by **VAK** » August 29th, 2005, 8:16 pm

SmileyTFJ wrote:This storm is going to affect everyone:

Crude Spikes to $70 on Katrina Fears
Monday, August 29, 2005

NEW YORK â€” Crude oil futures (search) spiked to more than $70 a barrel for the first time Monday as Hurricane Katrina (search) targeted an area crucial to the country's energy infrastructure.

The Category 4 storm was on a path to hit New Orleans (search) early Monday, shutting down an estimated 1 million barrels of refining capacity and sharply curbing offshore production in the region.

FULL STORY

Usually I enjoy Fox News, but alarmist bullshit like this really does nothing but give the markets an excuse to further panic and cost people money. Having been dealing with this directly we don't know the full impact yet and their speculative bullshit, followed by the rampant rumor spreading it inspires (everyone racing out to buy all the gasoline that they can possibley get only fuels the then obvious rise in fuel costs.) Perhaps if we all sat back a little bit, waited a little while and let those who do their thing, do it before going apeshit. Then markets would stay a little more stable.

Won't happen in the glorious information age though. I fucking hate it somedays...

SmileyTFJ · Post by **SmileyTFJ** » August 29th, 2005, 8:31 pm

VAK wrote:
SmileyTFJ wrote:This storm is going to affect everyone:

Crude Spikes to $70 on Katrina Fears
Monday, August 29, 2005

NEW YORK â€” Crude oil futures (search) spiked to more than $70 a barrel for the first time Monday as Hurricane Katrina (search) targeted an area crucial to the country's energy infrastructure.

The Category 4 storm was on a path to hit New Orleans (search) early Monday, shutting down an estimated 1 million barrels of refining capacity and sharply curbing offshore production in the region.

FULL STORY
Usually I enjoy Fox News, but alarmist bullshit like this really does nothing but give the markets an excuse to further panic and cost people money. Having been dealing with this directly we don't know the full impact yet and their speculative bullshit, followed by the rampant rumor spreading it inspires (everyone racing out to buy all the gasoline that they can possibley get only fuels the then obvious rise in fuel costs.) Perhaps if we all sat back a little bit, waited a little while and let those who do their thing, do it before going apeshit. Then markets would stay a little more stable.

Won't happen in the glorious information age though. I fucking hate it somedays...

Understood VAK. The other problems are that New Orleans is where many of the big oil companies have huge offices. The port there is a major through station for oil from the Gulf of Mexico. At last count today (from family/friends in the industry) there were two oil platforms they couldn't find. They are floating platforms and are hopefully still doing so somewhere. The Gulf (where about 1/4 of US Oil comes from) has been shut down for a few days now. Many of the staging areas to get the guys onto the rigs are now underwater or inaccessable. Additionally, getting all those rigs back on-line is going to take some doing. Not to mention all the pipe that will need to be relaid. Underwater welding is a dangerous and thus high paying job. All of these factors alone will cause gas prices to increase.

Creeping Death · Post by **Creeping Death** » August 30th, 2005, 9:26 am

Looks like these displaced LA citizens will be in for a long haul. New Orleans mayor urging all remaining in the city to leave due to flooding getting worse. Estimates of weeks or longer before power restored. My Ranger buddy relocated to Houston area. Cell phone service down. Relegated to sending short email messages over the cell phone.

Can you imagine having a Hotel 8 bill for a 30+ day stay unexpected like this? With all of the damage to infrastructure in their area, there is no telling the amount of inconvenience they are having with getting moeny, and things like that. Just a bad deal all the way around. Any Brother in the Houston AO that might be able to look in on a fellow Ranger Buddy, if need be, please PM me. Right now, he said there isn't much anyone can do, but he is only 2-3 days into what looks like is going to turn in a fairly long haul until he can get back home, or to whatever is left of it.

HarleyRider · Post by **HarleyRider** » August 30th, 2005, 10:08 am

Fort Polk wasnt really affected by the storm at all. The only problem here is spotty long distance on cell and land lines. My good friend launched down to New Orleans to survey the damage with his blackhawk crew. He called and cant believe the amount of damage and destruction. He said the news pics are just a small bit of the destruction. He took a cam with him so I will try to post them up later.

Steadfast · Post by **Steadfast** » August 30th, 2005, 10:14 am

Terry Welshan wrote:Anyone heard from Speedracer ?

No, he hasn't posted since 26 AUG.

.

Oilpatch · Post by **Oilpatch** » August 30th, 2005, 10:39 am

We evacc'd N.O. to Jaxn MS, which is now w/out power in many areas due to follow-on effects of Katrina.

Helicopter video shows that most houses in the New Orleans metro area are flooded; it was rare to actually see green grass on lawns due to floodwaters. Some lowlying sections of town have 8-10' of water.

Many reports of people (in the hundreds) stranded/trapped on rooftops. They are being rescued where possible. The wind is quite calm now and callers toWWL 870 radio(which had to move to Baton Rouge) report hearing calls for help echoing through the night.

Electric and water utilitiy systems are possibly ruined.

All three major bridges that lead interestate highways into New Orleans (I-10 East twinspan, Lake Ponchartrain Causeway, and I-10West/I-55 South) are in questionable condition and may not be usable.

My brother stayed for NG, but apparently that command moved to LANG HQ in Aleandria, LA. No point in contacting him; I know that he is busy.
They are arranging NG units from other states to come help. Of course, we have NG brigades in Iraq right now, so they can't help.

Projected return for residents of Jefferson Ph (NO suburbs) to salvage and then leave again is Labor Day. No projected return date yet for Orleans or St Bernard Ph.

As you might expect, the oldest parts of town did best with flooding, that's where the early settlers found high ground. Newer subdivisions (post 1965) that rely heavily on pumps are inundated.

In short, this is worse than anything I have ever seen in 48 years, possibly the worst nat. disaster to hit the US ever.

And, apparently, the MS Gulf Coast is even worse!

Oilpatch

Southern_Brit · Post by **Southern_Brit** » August 30th, 2005, 10:47 am

Hope that any posters here weren't affected too badly and everyone is safe and well.

Rock Island Ranger · August 30th, 2005, 12:24 pm

Southern_Brit wrote:Hope that any posters here weren't affected too badly and everyone is safe and well.

Coonasses live for this shit. Its like a giant party. Electric goes out, they cook everything in the freezer and get drunk. Gives them a reason to go hunt and fish to fill the freezer back. Electricity comes back on, the throw a party and get drunk.

SmileyTFJ · Post by **SmileyTFJ** » August 30th, 2005, 1:00 pm

Click on "Live Feed"

This local N.O. TV station has relocated to LSU and is broadcasting through KHOU Houston.

Right now they are showing some of the helicopter rescues.

http://www.wwltv.com/