The National Guard in New Orleans (post Gustav) are definitely helping to maintain order, but they are doing it in a casual, unassuming manner. They pose for pics, converse with residents, and they make it a point to wave when they go by.

The New Orleans Police Department on the other hand, is "the same old, same old". I got stopped tonight at approx. 11pm at an NOPD while riding my bicycle.  The three NOPD officers were aggresive, despite my being only a few blocks from my house and apologizing for not knowing the curfew hadn't been "lifted". They said it hadn't, and that it was illegal for me to even be in the city (until 12am).

The NOPD officers finally let me go home, and on the way I ran into the two National Guardsmen pictured, who couldn't have been nicer. They said it's a real confusing time, info changes so fast regarding curfews, reentry, etc., and that I shouldn't be upset at the NOPD.

And it's probably going to get alot more chaotic in New Orleans as the approx. 300,000 evacuees begin to arrive.