Hurricane-force winds will hit New Orleans, surge flooding threat rises for West Bank

TEXAS prepares for it’s own GUSTAV response while preparing to receive more evacuees from Louisiana and the Texas coast. AUSTIN is ready, again, to reach out to the displaced . . . hopefully they will be in better shape this time. Katrina brought BossKitty and NYTexan to the Austin Convention Center for the duration of their stay. We learned much about the circumstances of a displaced NOLA population. We saw heart felt, but clumsy attempts to comfort these shell shocked neighbors and strangers, and we picked up the slack where we could. The range of emotions was overwhelming. The innocent and the guilty were lumped together, separated from their families, from all that was familiar, and ended up in what seemed another planet. They had landed in an alien land, bringing their cultural strife with them. There is no describing how different Louisiana is from what you and I are accustomed to. Normal is defined VERY differently in Louisiana. This is a state with a different understanding of class and rights based on a French Legal Foundation from the 1800s. For too many, fear and mistrust of whites, pre-1960, was still ingrained. The culture that Austin inherited finally relaxed enough to share stories, with us, that would fill a host of novels. The most distressing part of their evacuation was the total disregard for keeping families together. Parents and children, husbands and wives were separated in the rush to evacuate, they were herded like cows and not told where they were going. Katrina was indeed a modern diaspora. Please don’t let this happen again … FEMA has a mulligan and it appears that Washington is paying attention this time. New Orleans airport to shut at 6 p.m. Sunday as Hurricane Gustav approaches

Strapped for cash, some in New Orleans stay and hope

“You gotta make as much money as you can, because when we shut down — and we’re gonna shut down — that’s it for a long while,” the 26-year-old said, exhaling, a dribble of sweat rolling into his mouth. “The thing is,” he continued, “most people don’t have cars to leave, don’t have money for gas. Pay for a hotel for that long? I mean, you have to do whatever you have to do, and I guess I’m gonna stay and work.” Too many NOLA residents, like many of us, don’t have the resources to leave, just like last time. Too many people are barely getting by with today’s economy, evacuating costs, even with government help, when it finally comes. People with pets are especially adamant about their extended family. “Can’t take ‘em? We just won’t go.”

Gov. Jindal to Hold Press Conference with DHS Secretary Chertoff & FEMA Administrator Paulison on Hurricane Gustav in Baton Rouge

Gustav prompts talk of altering RNC agenda

• President making plans in case he misses convention because of storm
• Sen. John McCain suggests hurricane may affect the Republican convention
• GOP source says convention may turn into a massive telethon
• Gulf state governors already have canceled trips to convention

McCain, Palin team up as Hurricane Gustav looms

WASHINGTON, Pa., Aug 30 (Reuters) - White House hopeful John McCain and running mate Sarah Palin hit the campaign trail as a team on Saturday, seeking to build on the momentum of her surprise addition to the Republican ticket even as Hurricane Gustav threatened to overshadow next week’s party convention.

Republicans ready to tone down convention because of Gustav

ST. PAUL, Minn. — With Hurricane Gustav gaining power as it nears the Gulf Coast, Republicans scrambled Saturday to make contingency plans for changing the tone of their national convention this week, worried that televised images of a lavish celebration would provide a jarring contrast to the looming disaster.

John McCain and his running-mate Sarah Palin are to make an unplanned visit to Mississippi to inspect the preparations for Hurricane Gustav, his campaign has said.

Ah, the photo ops are endless. But, don’t forget, these are human lives that are fleeing from three year old nightmares. PTSD revisited. The rest of this country will be victims, too … Oil Manipulator Named: Gustav