[doug from upland]

I had wondered if a bunch of thugs had stayed behind as part of a get rich quick scheme. I suspect that most who stayed behind didn't have money or transportation. That is why I wonder why the city and state didn't have a transporation plan in place for evacuation. That is clearly not a federal matter. Buses from schools and other sources could have been used to pick up people all over the city if they needed transportation out. National guard vehicles could have done that also.

[kenth]

Any excuse the officials of New Orleans and Louisiana give is unacceptable.

[Arizona Carolyn]

Someone said today that this is a "Crips and Bloods" type of people at the core of the trouble... they steal and then they hijack and then steal somemore... it's really pretty bad.

BTW, they just said that the Astrodome took 11,000 people before saying 14,000 would have to go elsewhere.

Still three days before the huge national guard deployment arrives on the scene.

[GOPrincess]

Regarding the lack of planning for evacuation, I think, given the risk New Orleans has always been under, every parish should have had pre-determined locations where those without transportation would go to get on buses. They could have annual drills or at least hand out flyers every year or something reminding people of their closest evacuation station. A simple idea that could have saved a lot of time and confusion and perhaps encouraged more people to actually leave.