The following is a quote from a story ran by the Associated Press:

“We’re not evacuating,” said 57-year-old Julie Paul. “None of us have any place to go. We’re counting on the Superdome. That’s our lifesaver.”

The Superdome, the 70,000-seat home of football’s Saints and the New Year’s Sugar Bowl, opened at daybreak Sunday, giving first priority to frail, elderly people on walkers, some with oxygen tanks. They were told to bring enough food, water and medicine to last up to five days.

I’m sorry, but that has to be one of the most foolish things I have ever read. These people obviously do not understand what is in store for them if they are contemplating sitting through the fury of a Category 5 hurricane in a football stadium.

The only thing that will save New Orleans is Katrina deciding to go somewhere else. Barring that, hell is about to be unleashed.

I am so fortunate to have caught this hurricane when I did. It’s kind of akin to choosing to lay down close to the grenade rather than running away from it or getting really close to the guy trying to throw the punch—all of the power is stolen. While we did have some very strong gusts, it is nothing near the magnitude this storm will pack when it next meets a land mass.

It’s now a Category 2 hurricane and is predicted to become a Category 4 by the time it reaches the panhandle on Sunday/Monday. That’s not going to be very much fun for an area that has already sustained so much damage.

I am also fortunate in that I live in an area that puts its power lines underground. That kept my electricity from failing. The same cannot be said for my cable/Internet but that’s not so bad.

It could have been far worse than this and it will be for someone else.