[Ed Miller]

Thank God you left, blatz. I read your post yesterday shaking my head. I'm very glad you made it out.

My mom called me today from a hotel room in Baton Rouge. A local BR station is showing helicopter footage of New Orleans neighborhoods. She said that she clearly picked out her neighborhood, and the whole thing is under water up to the roof. My mom and dad (who lived a block and a half away) both lost their houses. Obviously it's a shock to me, but they are ok, and they'll find somewhere else to live.

My mom told me that one of her best friends decided to stick it out in his house on Independence Street in Bywater. For those that don't know NO, this is in or near a flood-prone area that had serious problems during Hurricane Betsy in 1965. I fear he is dead. I don't know at all.. hopefully he is fine. Mostly I just don't know.

Probably a hundred thousand people or more will be homeless. I fear hundreds are dead. Good luck to everyone, and I hope no one on our forum, at least, ended up staying.