We're looking at a disaster that will take months for people to recover from. We're in it for the long haul.

It's a pattern not uncommon in disaster areas. These people come in and acquire local companies, making the most of the reputations of those companies.

We see this after every major disaster or tragedy. People are putting forward their wish lists and saying it's all connected to the hurricane. We saw it after 9-11. Everyone was saying then that it was national security.

Some people will like the flexibility to take their account wherever they want to go. This gives people additional options and brings in additional competition.

Our first request is that people send cash ... so we can buy materials closer to the (disaster) situation. It will also help the local economy rebuild.

People are trying to decide whether the man-made disaster is worse than Mother Nature's disaster.