New Orleans, Gulfport MS Disaster

EagleEye

One of my good friends, Lynn Ourso, from New Orleans Rare Coins sent me this message:


Hello everyone,
I have gotten several emails from many of you concerned about our safety. I am happy to report that all of my family and close friends here in Louisiana are OK. Some we have not yet communicated with but hopefully we will get good reports. Many of us are without electricity and the communications are severely damaged. My home has regained electrical service and surprisingly Internet service.
I just wanted to pass along that we are OK, safe and in good health.
However, our many friends in New Orleans are homeless. I have not been able to check on friends in Mississippi, but we are praying that they are OK. Cheryl and I had planned a trip to Canada today and have decided to go ahead and go. However we feel guilty about leaving but there is nothing we can do at this point but to send money to the Red Cross and give some blood. They are not letting anyone into those areas. I ask you all to pray and help in anyway you can. If you can please call the Red Cross. Old bedding, clothing, anything will be deeply appreciated. There are a lot of good people down there in need of help in the worst way.
As I see films of the areas of New Orleans I see many landmarks completely flooded. I can recognize areas where our friends live and nothing but rooftops visible. This is a horrible event. Cheryl and I have come to tears watching helplessly at the reports. At times I wished we still didn’t have electricity so we can’t see the destruction. This is so sad. When we return, we shall volunteer to help out in any way we can. By then, surely we can get in and help in some way.
Anyhow again, we appreciate your concern, thanks a million for thinking of my family and me. You are great friends. Please pass this information on to others that may have inquired of our safety; I don’t have everyone’s email nor phone numbers.

From Louisiana,
Regards,


Lynn, Cheryl and our families
Lynn, Cheryl and our families

EagleEye

Back in 1986, I was broke, living in a van and getting by with a "real job" as a short order cook at the local Shoney’s in Slidell, LA. This was a part of my life, I would have liked to forget, but the recent tragedy had brought local images back to me. Later, I moved into an apartment in Gulfport, MS. In Gulfport at the time, there were numerous remnants of the "Storm of the Century" - Hurricane Camille which struck the same weekend as the Woodstock Concert in NY (1969). When I lived there you could see stairs going into abandoned lots - stairs to nowhere! It was weird, but at that time, 17 years after the storm people still talked about it as one of the greatest tragedies in their life.

This destruction from this hurricane is WORSE!

My heart goes out to Lynn, and the many, many sufferers of this immense tragedy!

mozin

ttt

mrearlygold

Coppernicus

As a trader in the energy complex (crude oil, natural gas, gasoline) I have done very well this week. I'm still long on ng and unleaded because the news is going to get worse. I truly feel bad for profiting on so many people's hardships, but once a trader, always a trader.

I sent a nice check to the American Red Cross today. The people in Louisiana, Missisippi, and Alabama are in my prayers. God help them...

Mike

kiyote

If you really want to help, you should go to New Orleans as soon as you can and do the touristy thing-- it isn't in bad taste, it'll help get the city back on it's feet.

sumnom

kiyote, do you understand how bad the situation in NO is?

Coppernicus

kiyote - Surely you jest! The city of NO and the nearby gulf coast is at least 6-months from being anything but a disaster area. The last thing they need right now are more people. Water, food, medicine, generators, lumber, etc. YES! Tourists - NO!!

Between now and the end of the year, I see regular unleaded at about $5.00 per gallon on a national average. Higher in the northeast, west coast, and southeast. For those of you who heat your home with natural gas, be prepared for a major shock. NG futures prices for delivery this fall/winter have nearly doubled since March - most of it in the last few days. They will go higher as we get into Nov and Dec - The NG distribution system in NO is crippled and will take months to bring on line.

Bad news, I know, but that's reality.

Mike

greghansen

Between now and the end of the year, I see regular unleaded at about $5.00 per gallon on a national average.

Interesting and disturbing coming from someone within the industry. If you are correct I guess we will soon see just how elastic the national demand for energy is. IMO, gas @ $4 and above would produce a major slowdown in consumer durable goods orders.

Coppernicus

Actually, I'm not in the energy industry, though I have traded it for more than 20 years, so I keep up with it.

You're right about the wide impact of gas above, say, $4.00/gallon. Less consumer spending, higher prices for EVERYTHING (it's all about trucking). BTW, when the refiners and pipeline operators in NO assess the damage, they will estimate how long it will take them to get back "online" - One thought that few have considered: Where are the workers going to live, how do they get to the jobsite, etc.

Recovery is a loooong way off........

Mike

291fifth

A real shock to the economy is going to occur in a few weeks. At the moment, Americans are charging their gas bills at a much higher rate than in the past in an effort to preserve their cash. Those charge card payments are going to come due quickly and when they do many consumers are going to be hit with the much higher minimum payments that many credit card issuers have just put in place. Spending on discretionary items (including numismatic coins) is going to come to a screeching halt for average people.

kiyote

Apparently things are worse than the headlines I've been glancing at for the last couple of days-- I finally turned on the news. Yikes!

lloydmincy

As horrific as it is, the economy will stabalize becasue of construction/rebuilding in the region. Unfortunately and ironically, wars and "war zone" catastrophies keep the economy trucking. The Great Depression was erased (slowly) because fo WWII.

Refining oil into gas was at a critical stage to begin with. It's not the lack of oil. Katrina has made it more challenging. BUT....

Interest rates still low, and inflation low, despite gas prices. Housing has been a boom, and Katrina will probably put housing back to reality. But many are sitting on "house" reserves, and the government will help out. Remember, this was a RARE catagory 5 hurricane, which arrives once in a lifetime.

FullStrike

<< <i> The city of NO and the nearby gulf coast is at least 6-months from being anything but a disaster area. The last thing they need right now are more people. Water, food, medicine, generators, lumber, etc. YES! Tourists - NO!! >>



I beg to differ, sir. The city needs everyone to come on down - bring lots of cash and just hang out. Soon enough someone will come along and make requests for your cash and whatever else you have. If you're lucky you will leave with your clothes, your shoes, and your dignity.

Yesterday, it was the Big Easy. Today it's become the Big Sleazy. Have you seen where Nurses are being robbed while they stand outside the Hospital taking a smoke break!

Michigan

<< <i>A real shock to the economy is going to occur in a few weeks. At the moment, Americans are charging their gas bills at a much higher rate than in the past in an effort to preserve their cash. Those charge card payments are going to come due quickly and when they do many consumers are going to be hit with the much higher minimum payments that many credit card issuers have just put in place. Spending on discretionary items (including numismatic coins) is going to come to a screeching halt for average people. >>





Probably not a good time to be listing things on Ebay.....

ScarsdaleCoin

I think that the one clip that hit home the hardest was a relief worker who said
I visited the area hit by the Tsunami and what I see in New Orleans is worse.........

my own thought I wonder where all the other nations in the world are offering us any help?

FullStrike

<< <i>I visited the area hit by the Tsunami and what I see in New Orleans is worse......... >>




Makes sense to me. That big Wave was just that, a wave. What happened to our Gulf Area was lots of wind and many waves.

As far as help from other nations - I'm sure a few are sending a few people but what we could really use is a couple hundred tankers of petrol from Saudi. Will we get it? NO! What we will get is gouged by our own Petroleum Industry.

mhammerman

"I visited the area hit by the Tsunami and what I see in New Orleans is worse.........

my own thought I wonder where all the other nations in the world are offering us any help? "

Ha! Fat chance...we pour billions into these wide spot in the road countries all around the world but if we need anything the first thing they want to see is the money. This N.O. thing is becoming a real eye opener...It's a stark reality lesson for civilized people.

nankraut

"Yesterday, it was the Big Easy. Today it's become the Big Sleazy. Have you seen where Nurses are being robbed while they stand outside the Hospital taking a smoke break! "

GEEEZZZ; I'm glad they were able to keep their cigarettes dry, so they could keep smoking!

Conder101

<< <i>As far as help from other nations - I'm sure a few are sending a few people but what we could really use is a couple hundred tankers of petrol from Saudi >>


What good would that do? The ports in the area are down, so they can't unload there. The pipelines in the area are down because they need electrical power to operate the pumps. And guess where the refineries are. That's right in the disaster area and they also need repair and electrical power restored to function. (by the way guess where the stratigic reserves storage is that has now been approved for loan to the oil companies. Yep gulf coast area of Louisiana and Missisippi.)

Longacre

The company that I work for just donated a million dollars (but seeing that their revenues are in the tens of billions, I think they could have done more). I am making a donation which at least will be matched by my employer. I think right now the Red Cross and other agencies can use cash as as well as other relief items.

coinrookie

This breaks my heart. I love The Big Easy. I was planning a vacation for the spring of 2006. Now it looks like it will be delayed for years. I picked up a few O mint Morgans after a vacation spent in the FrenchQuarter about 8 years ago. Sad news indeed




Steve

northcoin

The airport is OK. The French Quarter would be OK but for looters - and that should be solved soon It is, afterall, above sea level. When the flooding was at its worst, there was still a restaurant in the French Quarter serving barbequed shrimp. It is feasable that some limited tourist industry could be established in the near term. As for the lower areas, it must be an engineers nightmare even contemplating how to solve the many problems confronted.

Longacre

I was just down there about a month ago. It's terrible.

EagleEye

As a start I'm donating 5% of my in-office sales in September to the Red Cross. That should get $10K them at least.

shylock

Nice post Rick. 5% of my monthly income wouldn't come close to your 10K but I urge all here to donate what they can afford. Every little bit helps!

EagleEye

Thanks Paul, you're a gentleman. Thanks for the show of support.

Actually the 5% is off the top, not my profit (will be 25% to 50% of my profit, before exprences, for the month).

ddink

<< <i>The airport is OK. The French Quarter would be OK but for looters - and that should be solved soon It is, afterall, above sea level. When the flooding was at its worst, there was still a restaurant in the French Quarter serving barbequed shrimp. It is feasable that some limited tourist industry could be established in the near term. As for the lower areas, it must be an engineers nightmare even contemplating how to solve the many problems confronted. >>



I forsee malaria, cholera, and dysentary outbreaks. Not to mention West Nile and any other nasty things mosquitoes and polluted water can carry. I'm doubtful that there will be any tourism for some time.

tigermaroo

<< <i>my own thought I wonder where all the other nations in the world are offering us any help? >>



I just saw on the news numerous countries have "pledged" donations, led by Quwait (sp?) at 500 million. Even Sri Lanka is donating 25 thousand. Most counties are donating some money, and how about the French? Do I even need to ask...

northcoin

Well, I heard the French were donating a Quarter. (I think they are still miffed that the architecture in the French Quarter is Spanish!)

Boom

This all too real nightmare continues and will for a long, long time. There are still all kind of people clinging to life up in their attics in untold numbers of homes. The water is still that high. The death toll will be appalling.

BAJJERFAN

I beg to differ, sir. The city needs everyone to come on down - bring lots of cash and just hang out. Soon enough someone will come along and make requests for your cash and whatever else you have. If you're lucky you will leave with your clothes, your shoes, and your dignity.

Yesterday, it was the Big Easy. Today it's become the Big Sleazy. Have you seen where Nurses are being robbed while they stand outside the Hospital taking a smoke break!

xxxxx

When you go take a couple of .357 mags and a case of ammo. Take out smoe sleazeballs, dirtbags and scumbags. I bet if you killed a few of them nobody would really care.