The National Guard has arrived in New Orleans and is passing out supplies to the people who are still stranded there. For remarkable footage of the Guard vehicles making their way through water that appears several feet deep, go here. The Guard unit is commanded by Lt. Gen. Russel Honore:
Honore said getting food and water to the people at the convention center was difficult. “If you ever have 20,000 people come to supper, you know what I’m talking about,” the general said. “If it was easy, it would have been done already.”
In more good economic news, unemployment fell to 4.9%, the lowest level in four years. 169,000 payroll jobs were added in August, and the totals for June and July were revised upward by an additional 44,000. This growth has occurred despite the summer’s rising gasoline prices, which undoubtedly slowed the economy’s progress. As will Hurricane Katrina, of course. But the current boom is strong, and won’t be derailed by the hurricane’s costs or by the resulting increase in gas prices.
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