Here's some semi-raw video from WWL of some of the rescues from the 9th Ward:

Includes a stupid-ass commercial. But awful stuff.

Oy. Just told a co-worker that the smell of his popcorn was triggering migraines.

I know it doesn't make any sense for me to sit around and be in pain, and this is the third consecutive time he's popped up and I've had a headache.

And he's being very nice about it. I just feel freakily imposing.

But looking forward to no trigger tomorrow. And I'm making a note to get my migraine prescription by mail, so I don't run out anymore.

Some news from Uptown:

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Streets in the heart of Uptown once known for their canopies of old oaks -- Calhoun, Nashville and State -- now have carpets of oaks. The streets are impassible, wall to wall fallen oaks trees.

Another Uptown landmark, the root beer mug on top of Ted's Frostop on Claiborne and Calhoun, was on the ground.

There was hit-and-miss street flooding Uptown and in Hollygrove. Some streets were inundated and others bone dry. Most streets were impassible because of downed trees and power lines. Damage to most homes appeared to be minimal. There was an occasional tree on a car or home and some roofs were blown off in Central City.

Send candles:

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There is 100% power failure in Metro New Orleans - over 700,000 without power. Earlier today Entergy said that it would take over 4 weeks to restore all power.

More video from WWL, this time of damage in Uptown.

The collapsed brick buildings make it look like an earthquake hit, not a hurricane. Some streets appear impassable due to the bricks.

I haven't even turned the TV on since I got home from work, because I think it will break my heart.

The roads look impassable in most New Orleans. All those pretty Garden District oak trees in the streets. Broken glass, bricks, power lines. 9th Ward is just underwater up to the rooftops. Sounds like the flooding happened really quick over there - from lapping at the door to filling up the first floor.

Aw, man. Between the marvelous Tom Scola news and the NOLA updates, I am whipsawing between crazy emotional extremes, teary and breathless at each extreme.

I was going to buy myself a couple of new shirts with the leftovers from my next paycheck, but screw that. It isn't much, but Louisiana's Red Cross can have it.

Elsewhere, Mobile is flooded out. Storm surge remains at 10 feet or so.

Jackson's water treatment plants have lost power; the mayor has advised people to limit water use to essential purposes only.

500K people in MS without power, 150K in Alabama, 750K+ in Louisiana.

And, in today's oddest lede:

Familiar landmarks destroyed

At DeBuys Road at U.S. 90., the Olive Garden and Red Lobster restaurants were obliterated.

I guess that's the best you can do for "landmarks" in Biloxi-Gulfport.

lede

Ah, I haven't seen it spelled that way in YEARS! Takes me back to the good old days of j-school. I still spell "head" as in "subhead," etc., H-E-D. It freaks my co-workers out.

I have, however, dropped "graf" (for "paragraph") in favor of the paragraph symbol itself. It's sleek.