Despite the spin, it's not over yet

MSNBC gives the impression that now that the cavalry (and it's CAVALRY, not CALVARY, ok?) has arrived, everything's going to be hunky-dory in New Orleans:



Eyewitnesses tell a different tale. WWL TV's blog (emphases mine):

3:34 P.M. - (AP) The evacuation of Superdome refugees was interrupted briefly when school buses rolled up so some 700 guests and employees from the Hyatt hotel. They were move to the head of the line to be evacuated -- much to the amazement of those who had been crammed in the stinking Superdome for days.

The 700 had been trapped in the Hyatt just like the others, but conditions were considerably cleaner, even without running water, than the unsanitary crush inside the dome.

3:14 P.M. - St. Bernard Parish officials say that FEMA has not called them yet...five days after the storm.

[Note from me: St. Bernard Parish is ENTIRELY under water]

3:07 P.M. - BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- U.S. Sen. David Vitter said FEMA's efforts to deal with the hurricane have been completely ineffective, and he called the federal government's response a failure.

"I think FEMA has been completely dysfunctional and is completely overwhelmed, and I don't know why. This situation was utterly predictable," said Vitter, R-Metairie. "It seems like there was no coherent plan, which I don't understand because this precise scenario has been predicted for 20 years," he said.

3:03 P.M. - BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- Three New Orleans-area hospitals remain open. The Louisiana Hospital Association says they're asking their workers to report.

Those are East Jefferson General Hospital in Metairie, West Jefferson Medical Center in Marrero and Ochsner Clinic Foundation in Metairie.

The hospital association says all three have power, air-conditioning and security, and remain committed to serving their communities during these difficult times.

2:54 P.M. - WWL Reporter Jonathan Betz says the refugees at I-10 and Causeway are standing in squalid conditions. He said there are only 10 portable toilets for thousands of people and the Interstate median is full of human waste.

2:50 P.M. - WWL-TV LIVE pictures show thousands still wait to be picked up from I-10 and Causeway. Buses arrived a few hours ago, but the refugees say that it's the first sighting of buses in 12 hours. Some of the refugees have been waiting four days. State Police say five people died Thursday while waiting.

Pleas from the Times-Picayune reader forum:

Sidney Smith, Matthew Von Stetina, his wife Bridget and 2 small children along with Adele Bertucci and her mother are trapped on the roof at 97 Fontainebleau Dr. water and food supplies have run out. A nearby rooftop is on fire. Boats and helicopters have passed them by! Dead
bodies of neighbors are floating around. PLEASE HELP!!!!

*****

100 residents are still left in The Point (Algiers) and they are now under seige from the mob that was released from the convention center. They have had to kill 4 people in an attempt to protect their property and life.

Please get state police in!

*****

75 people slowly dying at Broad and Tulane. My adopted daughter's sister, Brandi Gautreaux, 26 may be among them. She left there Sunday headed for Superdome and we have not heard from her. Can you get some rescuers to go to that location. The people are text messaging and are still alive but the e-mail said they are slowly dying. I think they are in attic or upper floor or apt. house or hotel. I cannot reach state patrol or coast guard to get them help. Please try.

If they DARE photo-op this and say the situation is under control...