Hurricane Katrina, My Story

Hurricane Katrina~my story
As much of the world knows, Hurricane Katrinia has ravaged the Louisiana and Mississippi Gulf Coast. I was born in New Orleans and grew up in Kiln, MS just 5 miles north of Waveland and Bay St. Louis, MS. Many of my family and friends are still there and have been drastically effected by this mother of all hurricanes. Most of them rode the storm out in their homes and are now facing their worst nightmares. Even those that evacuated or recently moved are devastated. Like me, everything they knew and loved is gone. The places we played, ate, hung out and even went to school have become piles of rubble viewed from aerial shots on CNN and Fox News.

I have been searching the photos and videos for a hint that people I knew my whole life are alive. Praying that relief is getting into the smaller communities like Kiln, Dedeaux, Delisle, Pearlington, Lazana and many other small towns that make up the area in Hancock County Mississippi.

My immediate family is alive. My Dad and Mom rode out the storm at our neighbor Mrs. Dailey's house. They returned home that afternoon to see what their little corner of the world held for them. There is damage to the house, my Dad's prized Mustang and their entire yard. Every tree is down. Ironically, just a few years ago they cut down 90% of the trees close to the house to eliminate the chance of a storm knocking one into their home. The remaining ones fell on the house with Katrinia. They have temporarily relocated to my Brother's home in Gulfport.

My Brother Erik and his wife and step children faired well in comparison to the rest of Gulfport, MS. His roof sustained damage, but they have tarped it over and are making do with what they have. Being in such a large city he has access to relief workers, MRE's, water, and limited supplies. So bringing my parents there made sense. Because of the looting he, along with his in-laws have made a fortress out of fallen trees around the 4 houses they occupy, the only four that weren't completely destroyed. My sister-in-law Tina has returned to her work, The Waffle House in Gulfport with hopes to get food and supplies to those who were less fortunate then her and her family. Erik and my Dad are trying to return to their employers as well to see what they can do to help. Their futures are uncertain right now, but they do know they aren't giving up on Mississippi, the place they call home.

My Uncle David is in New Orleans. He is in a phone company office, where he also works. He is safe and has food, water and shelter. He is helping to get the phones restored there. The water is high in the neighborhood, but he is on high ground and plans to be there for the long haul.

Last night I pulled out my scrapbooks and photo albums, hoping to rekindle memories of playing at Buccaneer State Park in Waveland, or driving down along the beach from Waveland to Biloxi, admiring the beauty of the houses that managed withstand Hurricane Camille just so that I could see them every trip I made when I would go home to visit my family. My husband John loved to ride his Harley from my brothers in Gulfport off Hwy 49, down to Hwy 90 and up the coast through Long Beach, Pass Christian and eventually to Bay St. Louis. We loved the trees, the house, the casinos, the beach but most of all the people. I see those same places on the evening news now completely and forever changed. No more stopping for a snow cone on the way back from the beach in Waveland, no shopping in "Old" Bay St. Louis, no strolling through the French Market.

In another twist of fate, John and I just were transferred from MARFORRES, a USMC base in New Orleans, in June. We took the last few weeks we were there to soak up the atmosphere and culture of New Orleans and the Mississippi Coast. I am so glad we did.

Sincerely,
Shannon Anicas 
301 Village Dr #8a
Jacksonville, NC 28546
Contact Phone: (1) 910 -388-0911
Cell: 910-376-4312
Email Address: shannon_anicas@yahoo.com

 

__________________________________________________
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Peoplefinder data interchange spec & volunteer

Refugees can go to 20 different websites to find information on their
loved ones. We are publishing a spec to facilitate data interchange
among sites and that would allow the creation of a central database
of most refugee databases on the web. We are also connecting database
owners with volunteer programmers that can help implementing the
spec. Special thanks to Ka-Ping Yee. Peoplefinder is a community
effort lead by the Social Source Foundation, CivicSpace Labs and
Salesforce.com Foundation.

The "official" data exchange format for refugee data is defined here:
http://zesty.ca/katrina/

If you run a refugee database, please publish your data via RSS in
this standard. If you need volunteer programmers to help with
implementation IM me at dgeilhufe AT yahoo com.

If you can volunteer to contact refugee databases (Red Cross, Gluf
Coast, etc.) and help them implement the standard, please go here:
http://www.omidyar.net/group/katrinarefugee/news/1/

If can be a lead community organizer of programmers actually
implementing the standard for websites, or for efforts to scrape
databases, please go here:
http://www.omidyar.net/group/katrinarefugee/news/2/

Please diseminate this information far and wide.

Story Corrections

Relayed from Johnny brother of a NO cop and new Houston Resident

 

Contrary to your newspaper, the following IS NOT totally true:

 

" 'The police were afraid to do anything,' said Chantelle, a black 22- year-old. 'They wouldn't come in. They took two white guys out one night but left the rest of us in here.'

 

Actually far more black people were removed by the police. About 2/3rds of the probelm people were black people. Factual thing this figure also, New Orleans is 67% Black.

 

 

" Williams said: 'The floor was a swamp, you couldn't live in there. The police kept telling us buses were coming but they didn't. People started getting aggravated and then one policeman got mad, he caught an attitude with somebody and they caught an attitude back and started banging on his car, and that's how it started. He called for back-up and the next thing I know the military are down there throwing stun grenades. Everybody started running, bumping into each other, hurting each other.'

 

Waited for days for busses that never came. But the cops couldn't call anybody, thiedr radios were gone, and cell phones also. The Police were NOT in possesion of ANY stun grenades. The Evacuees were firing stolen guns at each other WITHIN the Convention Center. The Police never fired a shot.

 

" The authorities' failure to respond to the situation has prompted outpourings of national revulsion and calls for high-level resignations.

 

You bet your sweet ass. Revulsion is FAR to lenient of a word. Resignations? Officials should be jailed. Maybe a week in Tent-City without toilets would teach the President what it was like. But how would he know. He was probably reading "My Pet Goat" while on vacation in Texas during the storm. And while he's at it, take 5 pounds of that Goat Shit, put it in a air-breather and super glue it to his face for the week.

 

Yes, the cops weren't at all "helpfull". And I hear a good percentage of "New Orleans Finest Policemen" simply walked off the job. To the ones that stayed and tried to do something: they had all lost thier homes also. They had no food either. They had no clean running water. No showers, and they didn't loot.

 

I am safe in Houston. You have NO idea what it was like to take a shower in a hotel. I find a way to rebuild. So will my brother, when he gets here. As of tonight, he's waiting in line for beef stew from the Red Cross. Ya see, he's actually one of New Orleans Finest. And human.

 

As for me, I am gonna take another 5 hour shower.

 

Johnny

Thanks for All of Your Posts

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to thank all of you who have participated in this blog. In three days we've has around 150 posts from all over the country.

Please keep sending information as you find it - we're getting tens of thousands of visitors who are benefiting from the resources posted here.

Again, thanks for helping make a difference during this difficult period.

take care,
Andy Carvin
http://www.andycarvin.com

200 displaced persons in BR need Help!

We got an urgent request from volunteers at a church in Baton Rouge
where they were taking care of 200 displaced persons who came in
Thursday night and were being housed at a nearby church.

They need the following donations ASAP:

-bedding
-towels
-washcloths
-baby diapers and clothing all sizes
-clothes
-shoes and socks adult to children
-underwear
-toiletries items of all kinds
-toys
-books
-magazines
-Bibles
-food
-snacks

On Thursday the volunteers at the church gave out 400 lbs of food and
had 100 people sleeping in the nearby church's basement Friday.

KatrinaHelp team called up the volunteer via the phone number provided
and the following were stressed by them and confirmed by us:

-All of the mentioned items on the list
-12 cots
-20 packs of diapers (each pack having 5)
-Food & drinking water is really needed - they are running out of food
to feed the people!

We got an address for you to where the above donations/items can be sent to:
Brown Field Baptist Church , 11998, Baton Rouge.

Telephone: 225-774-4506
Volunteer's name is Patsy, you can also ask for Elizabeth.

Please, please, any assistance give to them asap, is most helpful!
Also please circulate this to local aid agencies in BR and other
donors who can help out.

Thanks,
Angelo Embuldeniya.

--
(The KatrinaHelp Team)
www.katrinahelp.info
+15042081564 -- local to Tulane, LA -24hrs/day/international

Nola.com Seeks Web Producers for Weeks Ahead (Poynter Online)

Nola.com, the website of the beleaguered New Orleans Times-Picayune, has put out a call for "skilled producers who want to work for us on a temporary basis." According to Advance Internet president Peter Weinberger (Advance operates Nola.com), the site initially is seeking some freelance help in the weeks and possibly months ahead to enable it to better cover the massive hurricane-aftermath and cleanup story.

The newspaper operation, including its website staff of 15 people, has been moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, since the T-P building is uninhabitable. Weinberger says that the company is not at this point thinking of having temporary producers be in Baton Rouge, but rather work from wherever they live.

Understandably, the Nola.com and Advance Internet managers have not yet scoped out a complete plan of attack, so Weinberger was unable to speak of long-term coverage plans for the website. ( Nola.com editor Jon Donley was unreachable.) Nor would Weinberger predict how long the site might want temporary help.

Nola.com has, predictably, seen huge usage numbers this week. Yesterday's page-view count was around 30 million; in comparison, the entire page-view count for the month of July was 26 million. Weinberger says the traffic numbers seem to grow each day as the New Orleans crisis deepens.

With the demand for information from the public to the website of New Orleans' dominant newspaper sure to be huge, the staff will have a huge task ahead in the coming weeks -- indeed, throughout the rebuilding process.

Online news professionals interested in helping out Nola.com are being asked to send e-mail to jterrito@advance.net . 

original URL: http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=31&aid=88280

--
Grace E. Lee
URL: http://www.depravedlibrarian.com
 

Finding the Missing, Red Cross & Salvation Army

Dozen of websites are popping up trying to provide help by allowing people to search for loved ones.  We all appreciate these efforts and they were sometimes the best solution early on.  The problem is there are so many sites you could spend hours hopping from site to site.  The two major organizations in the relief effort that are providing this kind of assistance and have been doing so for many years are The Red Cross and Salvation Army.  Please try to submit your requests and inputs through these two organizations at the following website or phone numbers:

 

Salvation Army --  www.satern.org

 

Red Cross 1-877-568-3317 http://www.familylinks.icrc.org/katrina/locate

 

Post-Katrina images of New Orleans on Google Maps (Google Blog)

Posted by Bret Taylor, Google Maps Product Manager

Satellite imagery of New Orleans taken on Wednesday, August 31st is now available on Google Maps.

Enter "New Orleans" in the search field at the top of the page, or drag and zoom the map to the area. A red "Katrina" button will appear at the top right of the map, next to the existing map buttons. Older images for the area are still available too - click the "Satellite" button to switch to those.

API developers can also access this new imagery, which should aid the development of hurricane relief sites. Find more details at the Google Maps API discussion group.

--
Grace E. Lee
URL: http://www.depravedlibrarian.com

IRS Expands Tax Relief for Victims of Hurricane Katrina

from the TaxProf Blog (http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/):

 

The IRS yesterday provided additional tax relief to the victims of Hurricane Katrina:

IR-2005-92: Treasury and IRS Expand Availability of Housing for Hurricane Victims:

The Treasury Department and the IRS today announced that they will waive rules that prohibit owners of low-income housing from providing housing to victims of Hurricane Katrina who do not qualify as low-income. The action will expand the availability of housing for disaster victims and their families. Because of the widespread devastation to housing caused by Hurricane Katrina, the Treasury Department and the IRS will temporarily suspend income limitation requirements and non-transient requirements for qualified low-income housing projects located anywhere in the United States.

• IR-2005-91: IRS Expands Relief Area for Katrina Victims:

The IRS today expanded tax relief to victims of Hurricane Katrina in areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida eligible for public assistance. On Tuesday, the IRS gave taxpayers unable to meet their tax obligations in 31 Louisiana parishes, 15 Mississippi counties and 3 Alabama counties generally until Oct. 31 to file tax returns and make payments. The IRS will abate interest and any late filing or late payment penalties that would otherwise apply. This relief includes the Sept. 15 due date for estimated taxes and for calendar-year corporate returns with automatic extensions. Today's announcement expands the relief to cover an additional 33 parishes in Louisiana, 37 counties in Mississippi, three counties in Alabama and three counties in Florida...For the hardest-hit areas, the IRS anticipates extending these deadlines even further in the near future. In addition to taxpayers who reside in the disaster area, the IRS will work with any taxpayer who resides elsewhere but whose books, records or tax practitioner is located in the relief area.

• IR-2005-90: IRS Grants Relief Regarding Certain Employee Plan Contributions:

The IRS, the Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation officials announced today their agencies are providing relief in connection with certain employee benefit plans because of damage in the Gulf Coast area caused by Hurricane Katrina. Notice 2005-60 provides relief for certain employee benefit plans in the affected parishes and counties declared disaster areas because of Hurricane Katrina. These plans will have until Oct. 31, 2005, to make minimum funding contributions, or apply for waivers, if the deadline for such actions was from Aug. 29, 2005 through Oct. 30, 2005.

• IR-2005-89: IRS Waives Diesel Fuel Penalty Due to Hurricane Katrina:

The IRS, in response to shortages of clear diesel fuel caused by Hurricane Katrina, will not impose a tax penalty when dyed diesel fuel is sold for use or used on the highway.

These measures are on top of the prior IRS's actions concerning taxpayers affected by Hurricane Katrina, blogged previously on TaxProf Blog:

• Thursday, Sept. 1
  • IR-2005-88: IRS Creates Disaster Relief Toll-Free Number (1-866-562-5227)
  • IR-2005-86: IRS Urges Citizens to Seek Qualified Charities for Katrina Help
  • New Web Page: Hurricane Katrina: Information on Charitable Giving, Tax-Relief Issues

Wednesday, Aug. 31:

• IR-2005-84: IRS Grants Tax Relief for Hurricane Katrina Victims

--
Grace E. Lee
URL: http://www.depravedlibrarian.com

The Chronicle: Katrina Update

The Chronicle of Higher Education has set up a special page for announcements from colleges affected by the hurricane, and
from associations and government agencies. Check regularly for updates.
URL:  http://chronicle.com/katrina

--
Grace E. Lee
http://www.depravedlibrarian.com

A Disaster Map 'Wiki' Is Born (Wired News)

By Ryan Singel

Story location: http://www.wired.com/news/hurricane/0,2904,68743,00.html

01:35 PM Sep. 02, 2005 PT

Of all of the websites tracking the Katrina disaster, surely one of the most remarkable is Scipionus.com.

Visitors swoop down over a map of the Gulf Coast that's awash in hundreds of red teardrops, each denoting information about specific geographical points in the area. That's pretty amazing in itself, but there's more: All of the information on the map has been provided by ordinary citizens, most of whom presumably have come to the site in search of information on the flood themselves.

Since Scipionus.com launched Wednesday, it has become a giant visual "wiki" page, attracting tens of thousands of visitors who are collaborating in creating a public document of astonishing detail. "Corner of 1077 and Brewster. Had contact with parents. Lots fo trees down, but no water damage. No electrucity and no phone at the monebt 8/31 2:00pm," reads one of hundreds of entries.

The site is the brainchild of Jonathan Mendez, a 24-year-old computer programmer living in Austin, Texas. Mendez says he grew frustrated combing message boards trying to find out if his family home -- the one his parents and brother had just fled from -- had been destroyed.

--
Grace E. Lee
Depraved Librarian
http://www.depravedlibrarian.com

fitting words from this song.

Poco - Heart Of The Night
(written by: Paul Cotton)


In the heart of the night
In the cool southern rain
Theres a full moon in sight
Shinin down on the Pontchartrain
And the river she rises
Just like she used to do
Shes so full of surprises
She reminds me of you

Chorus:

In the heart of the night
In the heart of the night
In the heart of the night
Oh, down in New Orleans

Theres a nightbird singing
Right on through till the dawn
And the streets are still ringing
With people carrying on
Its been so long waiting
Just to be here again
Anticipating
All the time I could spend

(Chorus)

And I trust in your love
Never fallin down
And I trust in your love
Just like I do in this town
Oh, never fallin down
Oh, never fallin down

(Saxophone solo)

In the heart of the night
In the cool fallin rain
Theres a full moon in sight
Shinin down on the Pontchartrain
And the river she rises
Just like she used to do
Shes so full of surprises (oh mama)
She reminds me of you (right here)

(Chorus)

And Im so glad to be back in New Orleans
Please dont wake me, dont shake me
If its only, if its only just a dream
Cause its the only place that I can face
It makes me feel so right
Below that Dixie moon and lovin you
In the heart of the night

If you could help finding some way of finding out about LeAnn Rector from Mobile Alabama please have her contact her brother /sister at these following numbers. (859)-466-7142 or (859) 586-5874 as soon as possible. Are she  or anyone with the information can also contact them at reddeckgirl@yahoo.com. Thank you

NO Law School updates; help for NO Law students

The Association of American Law Schools has a page with links to the Tulane and Loyola emergency web sites and blogs, and a listing of law school policies with regard to accomodating students from those schools. Schools are added as the policies are received.

http://www.aals.org/neworleans/schoolsbystate.html

Colleges Accepting Displaced Students

Colleges Accepting Displaced Students

From: "David P. Dillard" <jwne@temple.edu>
Date: Sat Sep 3, 2005 7:50 am
Subject: HURRICANES: HURRICANE: KATRINA: AFTERMATH : EDUCATION: COLLEGE:
Accepting Displaced Students
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Net-Gold/message/7961>

Sincerely,
David Dillard
Temple University
(215) 204 - 4584
jwne@temple.edu
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/net-gold>
<http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/ringleaders/davidd.html>
<http://www.kovacs.com/medref-l/medref-l.html>
<http://listserv.temple.edu/archives/net-gold.html>
<http://www.LIFEofFlorida.org>
Digital Divide Network
<http://www.digitaldivide.net/profile/jwne>

Internet Lab Established at the Astrodome

The ACT Center (Astrodome Community Technology Center) was established last night at the Astrodome. For a picture and more information, go to the Technology For All web site at www.techforall.org and click on blog. Thanks to all who helped make it possible.  We will be finalizing the installation of TFA-Wireless Internet services in the dome today. Thanks to Rice University for making that possible.  

 

Will

 

William S. Reed

President/CEO

TECHNOLOGY FOR ALL®/Technology For All-Houston

Red Cross (Finally!) Announces Launch of Missing Persons Website

It took them five days, but the Red Cross finally got around to announcing the familylinks missing/found persons database five days after the hurricane, and three days after the database was actually set up. FEMA also started linking to it. Needless to say, their collection of names has grown dramatically because of it.

AMERICAN RED CROSS ANNOUNCES FAMILY LINKING AVAILABLE VIA WWW.REDCROSS.ORG

WASHINGTON, Friday, September 02, 2005 — The American Red Cross, with support of the worldwide Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, is launching a Web site to help assist family members who are seeking news about loved ones living in the path of Hurricane Katrina. Visit the “Family Links Registry” via www.redcross.org to register yourself, a missing relative or view the existing list of registrants.

Evacuees wishing to inform loved ones of their location can register their name by clicking on “Family Links Registry” on www.redcross.org. Concerned loved ones can register the names of their loved ones and view the list of those already posted. Due to the extent of the damage and the number of people displaced, concerned friends and family members are encouraged to visit the site daily to consult the list, as it will be updated continuously. A toll-free hotline is being established for those who do not have internet access.

During the unprecedented hurricane season of last year, with four hurricanes in just six weeks, the American Red Cross received more than 300,000 phone calls — most coming from people looking for missing loved ones. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, loved ones across America and around the world are again turning to the Red Cross for help.

The American Red Cross is dedicated as an organization to re-establishing family links. In order to expedite this process, we have tapped into the capacity of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), whose experience in connecting families separated by disaster or armed conflict is unsurpassed. As Americans give to the international community during times of crisis, the international community is now giving back.

The Family Links Web site is a voluntary, self-registration system. The American Red Cross and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have no means of verifying the information posted. As it is a public site, information posted is not confidential.

The American Red Cross, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA, governmental and non-profit agencies, is part of a monumental response to this disaster. As we all work to assist victims of this catastrophic event, the Red Cross is there to address the basic needs of those affected. As a team, we are working to alleviate the anxiety of those searching for news of their loved ones.

All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of this disaster and thousands of other disasters across the country each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to those in need. Call 1-800-HELP NOW or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.

direcNIC.com in NOLA

One of the stories making its rounds in the tech circles but not in the
main-stream media is that of direcNIC, an ISP in New Orleans, that has
kept its servers running non-stop throughout the hurricane (they're
using, ironically enough, old Enron facilities -- diesel backed power
and a fibefeed that runs under all of the water). They've been blogging,
videoing, posting pics, and IM'ing non-stop. See their pics here.

blog here

They haven't suffered as the thousands at the superdome, but while I
have a hard time identifying with the circumstances that put those
unfortunates there, I certainly can identify with trying to keep a
business going in the middle of a disaster.

They're down to a few days left of diesel fuel, and while they seem
amazingly enterprising and resilient, one has to wonder to what end are
they keeping it going? Even under the best of circumstances, it
certainly seems that NOLA will be a ghost town for several months...

--b

Red Cross - Hurricane Katrina Relief PSA

Hello all! We have created a Public Service Announcement for the American Red Cross. Please feel free to use it as you like! Download Now Keep up the great work! :-) Tony http://www.PodCastRadioShow.com

Supplies for Katrina Victims

There is something you can do today to help people streaming out of New
Orleans.

I called one of the churches that is taking in refugees. They need lots
of supplies.
You can gather together a bag of supplies (see list below).

Go to the Post Office an get a Priority box - flat fee (choice of two
shapes), the cost of postage is $7.70 no matter what you put in the box
(weight doesn't matter).
Fill the box and mail to the address below.
I will contact more sites and post them soon.

They desperately need:
- tolietries (anything you use to start your day) toothpaste, deodorant,
shampoos, sunscreen, liquid soaps (small bottles esp good)
-anti-inflammatories (over the counter medicines) including ibuprofen,
aspirin,aleve
- baby wipes, feminine hygiene products,
- imagine what you would need and send it.
Send to:
Marksville Baptist Church
PO Box 442
Marksville, LA
71351

Write Hurricane Relief on outside (maybe it will help it get there faster)

CSU University System OPENS DOORS to Katrina Students

With thousands of students affected by Hurricane Katrina forced to
improvise on their fall-semester plans, many are inquiring about taking
classes elsewhere. CSU Monterey Bay, located on California's Central
Coast 2 hours south of San Francisco, is ready to assist those students.

"Our campus is joining a number of the CSUs in opening registration for
the fall semester for students affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Information is being provided to the media and through a number of
higher education forums to those who may need this opportunity," said
Interim President Diane Cordero de Noriega.

"Our faculty and staff have come together and agreed to stretch their
capacity to assist these students. I am not only proud to be part of a
system that cares about serving students and their families, I greatly
admire our own CSUMB family for stepping forward."

Says Dennis Geyer, director of Admissions and Records, "We will assist
students on a case-by-case basis. We will take applications over the
phone and help these students through every step of the process.”

Sept. 19 is the last day to apply. Prospective students can call (831)
582-3580 or e-mail admissions@csumb.edu

Rocketboom's Continued Katrina Coverage

Rocketboom's latest video blog covering Katrina from Baton Rouge.

Streaming TV News from the Gulf Coast

The WWL stream (Windows Media) is back up today while WGNO (requires Real Player) has been providing continuous coverage via the web.

 

Accomodating Refugees with Dignity and Safety

I'm very concerned about the crowding which is occuring in shelters in Baton Rouge and Houston and in other regional cities and towns which have been welcoming refugees. They are already being overwhelmed by the numbers. The Astrodome closed its doors once it was full, then reopened them because they couldn't bear to turn people away. But there are no more beds and conditions are already overcrowded.

We must find ways to accommodate refugees in dignity and safety. There should be no need for them to go from the awfulness they've experienced to overcrowding and discomfort in longer term shelters. The way to do this properly is for every US city to open its doors immediately to evacuees. Houston has said it will take 25,000 (I think they've now upped that number). Other Texas cities are taking thousands. But we need to spread this burden out. Baton Rouge has tens of thousands here. These people are not going to be displaced just for a week or two. They'll need shelter and care and more for months, and if we dump that burden purely on regional cities it will make life miserable for the refugees and their host cities.

But if it gets spread out across the country, it should not be a burden. I was wondering: Is there any way we can encourage our cities to take on refugees now; to have some quick campaign to encourage cities across the country to become a home away from home for New Orleanians? Does anyone have any thinking on this? -Rose

Flickr Digest: Okay People

This is a digest of Flickr photos of hurricane victims that are missing. To contribute photos to the digest, please follow these instructions.

Flickr Digest: Missing People

This is a digest of Flickr photos of hurricane victims that are missing. To contribute photos to the digest, please follow these instructions.

Flickr Digest: Found People

This is a digest of Flickr photos of hurricane victims that have been found. To contribute photos to the digest, please follow these instructions.

Instructions for photographing and documenting hurricane victims

(please circulate widely)

Hi everyone,

For those of you willing to volunteer and photograph evacuees or collect
photos of the missing from bulletin boards and websites, here are some
instructions.

If you have a Flickr.com account, upload photos and tag them either as:

katrinamissing for missing persons;
katrinafound for found persons that were previously missing; or
katrinaokay for all evacuees you encounter so their status can be recorded

No matter their status, please include a second tag: katrinapeople. That
way we can have a running list of all people encountered.

If you are using a cameraphone to take pictures of people at a shelter,
or if you don't have a flickr account, you can use these email addresses
to upload them. Each email address is set up to include the appropriate
tags automatically.

For Katrina Missing People:
table60said@photos.flickr.com

For Katrina Found People (people previously reported missing):
shall93effort@photos.flickr.com

For Katrina Okay People (ie, people who want to let others know they're
okay, includes evacuee you can find in person):
wait84little@photos.flickr.com

Collecting Photos and Data

When taking photos, please try to get a head and shoulder in the best
lighting available so people can make out their features in the photograph.

When collecting information from them, please try to get this minimal
amount for all three categories:

Full name, including first, middle, last
Gender
Age
Permanent address
Current location
Contact information (shelter phone/email/fax, etc)
Full names and descriptions of people they are looking for

Meanwhile, when collecting information about missing people from
bulletin boards, the Web or from personal requests from their
friends/family, try to collect additional information:

Gender
Age
Height
Weight
Physical Description
Where were they last scene and when?
What were they wearing?
Contact information of anyone looking for them

Note: If you find children that are separated from parents/guardians,
include as much physical descriptive information as you can, as if they
were missing.

How to access photos

The public will be able to access the photos on Flickr.com, and
hopefully, other databases.

Found People:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/katrinafound/

Missing People:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/katrinamissing/

Okay People:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/katrinaokay/

For those of you who use RSS, each one of these has a corresponding RSS
feed:

Found People RSS

Missing People RSS

Okay People RSS

Lastly, I've set up javascripts that you can insert on any webpage to
display the images as they're posted to Flickr.

Found People Javascript:

<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://app.feeddigest.com/digest3/DJQBXVAAO6.js"><noscript><a
href="http://app.feeddigest.com/digest3/DJQBXVAAO6.html">Click for
&quot;Flickr: Katrina Found&quot;.</a> By <a
href="http://www.feeddigest.com/">Feed Digest</a></noscript></script>

Missing People Javascript:

<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://app.feeddigest.com/digest3/1SWRBL5DN2.js"><noscript><a
href="http://app.feeddigest.com/digest3/1SWRBL5DN2.html">Click for
&quot;Flickr: Katrina Missing&quot;.</a> By <a
href="http://www.feeddigest.com/">Feed Digest</a></noscript></script>

Okay People Javascript:

<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://app.feeddigest.com/digest3/BXOZZEMJOY.js"><noscript><a
href="http://app.feeddigest.com/digest3/BXOZZEMJOY.html">Click for
&quot;Flickr: Katrina Okay People&quot;.</a> By <a
href="http://www.feeddigest.com/">Feed Digest</a></noscript></script>

I'll set up pages on http://katrina05.blogspot.com to display all of
these photo feeds.

Hopefully this is enough to get volunteers started. So if you have any
type of access to an evacuee shelter and a digital camera, please help out.

Special thanks to Lars Torres and Katrin Verclas for helping to get this
organized. -andy

Tag: international blogging for disaster relief day

Please Post

I got this message in an email account I set up yesterday to help out.  HurricaneKatrina05@gmail.com

 

 

--------------------

This message is for anyone who is in a position of authority who may know the whereabouts of a lady by the name of Deborah Fisher-Goodman, aka Michelle Robinson, and her three sons Anthony Goodman, Gregory Fisher, and Clebbe Fisher. Debbie and her family were affected by the hurricane and the flooding in the Gulf States region.

 

The family did receive a call from someone there in the affected area telling us the boys were OK.

 

This message is from Deborah's cousin from Calfornia. I have a message for her. Please send a response via e-mail to marlinspike90714@yahoo.com if anyone has any information regarding these four individuals.

 

Thank you-----

 

J Foster

 

Animal shelters & veterinary contacts for NO and vicinity -- from LA/SPCA press release, 1 Sept -- PLEASE POST!!!

 

Contacts: Laura Maloney 225-413-8813 or Dr. Rebecca Adcock 225-578-9826

 

 

ANIMAL EVACUATION AND RECOVERY PLAN FOR NEW ORLEANS

 

 

PETS TRAVELING WITH OWNERS

The LVMA is currently accepting pets at the Blackham Coliseum in Lafayette, LSU in Shreveport, Monroe Civic Center for small animals and the Ike Hamilton Center for large animals in Monroe, the Farmer’s Market in Alexandria and the LSU AgCenter/Parker Coliseum in Baton Rouge. Owners must be housed in a Red Cross shelter; owners are responsible for caring for their animals, including feeding and cleaning.  Animals will be accepted 24 hours a day.  The Baton Rouge Area Veterinary Medical Association is triaging animal medical needs at the LSU AgCenter.

 

PEOPLE WITH PETS WHO ARE CURRENTLY EVACUATING NEW ORLEANS

The LA/SPCA will transport animals from pick-up points in New Orleans to the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center. The pick-up points have not yet been determined and are being coordinated with the agency charged with transporting people from New Orleans to other areas.

 

The Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, 9039 St. Landry Rd., Gonzales, LA., will serve as the primary staging area.  Once the shelter is full, animals will be moved to temporary shelters in other areas of Louisiana and Texas. 

 

The LA/SPCA Dorothy Dorsett Brown Mobile Veterinary Center will be at the Lamar-Dixon Center to treat incoming animals as needed.

 

CONFINED PETS STILL IN DISASTER AREA

Beginning on September 1, residents who left pets in their homes may call a hot line to leave information about the number of animals, species, and their confined location. As soon as the hotline number is obtained, we will advise the media.  WE CANNOT ENTER THE NEW ORLEANS METROPOLITAN AREA UNTIL APPROVAL IS GRANTED FROM STATE OFFICIALS.

 

DONATIONS

Financial donations are being accepted to fund the care of the displaced animals through the Walter J. Ernst Jr. Foundation at LVMA. Call 1-800-928-LVMA or visit www.lvma.org for more information.

 

A regional donation center is being established. Our needs include: NEW large air kennels and metal cages, leashes, disposable bowls, canned cat and dog food, disposable litter pans, spray bleach, paper towels, sheets, towels, locks, hoses, bottled water, trash cans, trash bags, pooper scoopers, cat litter, extension cords, fans. 

 

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

 

LSU Agriculture Center Shelter Manager	Dr. Paula Drone 225-572-0732
Lamar-Dixon Shelter Manager	Loretta Lambert 225-413-8856
Animal Recovery in New Orleans	Kathryn Destreza (primary) 225-413-9150 or 504-329-5209   Laura Maloney (secondary) 225-413-8813 or 504-329-5207
Donation Center Manager	Gloria Dauphin (phone number TBD)
State Veterinary Liaison	Renee Poirrier 337-981-8587 or 337-298-1636
Louisiana Animal Control Association	Dez Crawford 225-772-7287   Hilton Cole 225-772-7287
Hotline for Addresses of Confined Animals	TBD
LSU Veterinary School	Dr. Rebecca Adcock 225-578-9826

 

Tag: international blogging for disaster relief day

Add a Red Cross Button to Your Blog

From Rebecca MacKinnon....

The good folks at Typepad have put together HTML code so that bloggers can easily stick donation buttons on their sites.

For an animated badge like this:

Here's the code:

<p style="text-align:center"><a
href="http://www.redcross.org/"><img alt="Donate to the Red
Cross"
src="http://www.sixapart.com/typepad/news/images/badge-rc-anim-125x125.gif"
width="125" height="125" /></a></p>

For a static badge like this:

 

Use this code:

<p style="text-align:center"><a
href="http://www.redcross.org/"><img alt="Donate to the Red
Cross"
src="http://www.sixapart.com/typepad/news/images/badge-rc-static-help-125x125.gif"
width="125" height="125" /></a></p>

international blogging for disaster relief day

More blogs about international blogging for disaster relief day.

Gulf Coast Song

Patty Ann Smith has recorded a song for hurricane victims:


Gulf Coast Song (click to listen)

airborne communications platforms

Just a comment to add: I am a retired Army signal Corps type, and I have
been looking for reports of communications facilitated by airborne
platforms. Having a helicopter set up with communications gear hovering
for a shift can make a huge difference. I've seen it done, and its
remarkably effective especially over long distances. The only thing I
can figure is that all helicopters available are running higher priority
missions. But one essential feature of command and control is good
communications. Surprised that tried-and-true technology isn't out in
front. Then again, the news doesn't cover everything that goes on. But
complaints about the lack of communication are disturbing.

[Fwd: [DDN] FW: New Orleans Public Library blogspot for postings]

Please help the librarians of New Orleans Public Library reconnect. Their webserver and mailserver
are not working. Share widely.

Karen Schnieder

-----Original Message-----

NOPL Contact List: post-Katrina

http://nopl.blogspot.com

Tony Barnes reports, "Kim Tran staffer moved my old files there and is
continuing [to update the site]. Rock On Kim !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Good to see this list pulling together! Anyone with the whereabouts of NOPL
staff, please share...

Karen G. Schneider
LITA Councilor

CTC for Katrina Victims Update - Please Forward

As of late last night, the Astrodome was full and evacuees were being diverted to other sites. We have an internal TFA meeting this morning to update everyone working on the Astrodome Community Technology Center (CTC) project. The minor change in plans is that we now expect to be working on the development of CTCs at shelters and staging areas across the city in addition to the Astrodome. In speaking late yesterday to our contact in the mayor's office, it is estimated that at least 100,000 persons will be scattered across the city in multiple long term shelters including the Astrodome, empty buildings, churches, and other sites. Helping to connect these folks to the outside world will extend beyond this emergency situation, because we expect many of these evacuees to stay as permanent residents in the area. Many of them are the poorest of the poor and will need additional assistance, training, support etc. Schools are accepting new students. Yesterday, for instance, my wife's school received 30 new students and they were over capacity before that. Many new students across the region could benefit from CTCs that provide after school programs near shelters and schools. Creating opportunities for digital stories of this ordeal could be both a cathartic and a learning experience for victims of Katrina. Using these computers for job training and searches will also be important. This is just the beginning. The existing and rapidly expanding Houston CTC community will be asked to step up to the plate to prepare for the opportunity/challenge. We have had enough equipment, software, and connectivity donated for the initial installation at the dome, but we are going to need much more. Once all our donors have signed off (some have asked for anonymity), I will provide a summary of their donations. Thank you to each of you and your corporations/organizations who have already signed up to help. Your help is needed. We now know we need additional equipment, connectivity, software, volunteers, and of course $'s. I will put a list of equipment needs on our blog at http://texasctcs.blogspot.com/. Cash contributions can be made online at www.techforall.org or by check to the address below.

Will William S. Reed, D.Min. TECHNOLOGY FOR ALL(r)/Technology For All-Houston 2220 Broadway | Houston, TX 77012 Tel: 713.454.6400 | Direct: 713.454.6411 | Fax: 713.454.6454 e-mail: Will.Reed @ techforall.org website: http://www.techforall.org

Missing person in River Ridge LA

If anyone know what is going on in River Ridge LA outside of New Orleans in the Creeks of River Ridge apartment, I am looking for Brandon Spiller.  Please post a note  asking him to call his grandmother.  We want to hear from him.  Please, please help.  God Bless.

 

Molly

Urgent Call to Photograph Katrina Victims

Hi everyone,

Many people have been asking me how they can use their Internet skills to help out with hurricane victims. I've been asking bloggers to blog. Now I'd like to ask photographers to photograph -- and help reunite victims with their families.

I'd like to ask anyone of you who are able to go to an evacuation shelter to go there ASAP and start photographing people with a digital camera. Collect their name, physical description, names of people they are trying to reach, their location and contact information. Similarly, if you're able to get access to a bulletin board of photos of the missing, photograph them individually and collect whatever data is available. We should also do the same for online photo collections of the missing that are scattered around the Internet.

Once you have all of this, upload it to Flickr.com. Flickr is a free photo sharing tool with very powerful aggregating tools. If you're not a member, go to the site and you'll have your account set up in just a few moments.

When you upload photos, you can give them "tags" - keywords associated with that photo. Tags are very, very powerful tools for pooling photos together. I've been using them on Katrina Aftermath to display photos tagged with words like hurricane and neworleans.

Photos should be tagged one of three ways:

katrinamissing: persons who are missing

katrinafound: persons who were once missing but are now found

katrinaokay: persons who are safe in shelters and are trying to reach friends and family.

When you post your photos, please include the tag in the title, such as

KatrinaMissing: John Smith
or
KatrinaOkay: Jane Smith

That way, their status and name will appear in the RSS feed's title tag. Then include all data you have about the person in the description of the photo. Don't skimp on information - include everything you can.

Once people start posting photos, we'll be able to find them here:

http://flickr.com/photos/tags/katrinamissing/
http://flickr.com/photos/tags/katrinafound/
http://flickr.com/photos/tags/katrinaokay/

There are also RSS feeds located on each of these pages. We can then use these RSS feeds to aggregate the collections and distribute them to Red Cross field offices, the Astrodome (there will be an Internet lab there soon), etc. I will start aggregating them on Katrina Aftermath and will share the javascript so others can do the same once it's up and running.

So let's get out our cameras and step up to the plate. Let's help in whatever way we can. -andy


Tag: international blogging for disaster relief day

Missing People

We are missing the following people:

Mary McGee

Clifford Harris Sr.

Tina McGee

Antoine McGee

Willie Harris

Lester Harris

Anita Harris

Al Hoffman Sr.

Al Hoffman Jr.

Kevin Hoffman

Edward Logus

Michael (Sean) Chambers

Carlton Crosby

Craig Crosby

Carolyn Adams

Burley Watson

Janet & Tony Swan

Yvonne Patton

Nicole Patton

 

If anyone has any information on any of these people please Call 985-340-0020

Today: Blog for Disaster Relief!

International Blogging for Disaster Relief Day is up and running; bloggers have started to post disaster relief-related resources all over the Internet.

I'm aggregating participating blogs in this news digest. An rss feed is also available. You can also follow it through Technorati by visiting this search page or this tag collection.

How to participate:

If you have a blog, post some constructive information about disaster relief. If you're in the US, you'll probably want to focus on Hurricane Katrina; if you're elsewhere, feel free to focus on disaster relief and emergency services relevent to your community or region. When you post your blog entry (or entries!), be sure to include this code:

<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/international+blogging+for+disaster+relief+day"
rel="tag">international blogging for disaster relief day</a>

Please join us today! -andy


Tag: international blogging for disaster relief day

Video: Citizen Rescue

From Current.tv, a video blog from Jared Arsement in New Orleans.


Tag: international blogging for disaster relief day

Hurricane Katrina: What's Being Done, What Isn't Being Done, What Could Be Done

Taran Rampersad has a very thoughtful post this morning about the relief efforts, and what could have been done to improve them through the use of communications technology

For hours, I've been thinking about how to write this down. There's no denying the emotion that is piped in through television screens. It's a desperate situation. It's an inhuman situation at one level, and a very human situation on another.

In short - it's time for the United States to accept help - even ask for help - from other people, other countries on the globe. It is time for the Red Cross and FEMA to say, "We need help." And people are willing to help - humans around the world are willing to help, want to help in their own ways. The world knows that the United States has the technology, but it's apparent with every hour that passes that the coordination of relief and rescue efforts desperately needs assistance. Why it's overwhelmed is a question that may not be forgotten before the next election, but... the reality is the present. And the present needs attention.

Tag: international blogging for disaster relief day

Podcast interview with New Orleans mayor

From Ethan Zuckerman:

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin gives an extraordinary interview to WWL-AM, a New Orleans radio station. He’s extremely critical of the disaster response thus far, and offers a number of details that aren’t being widely discussed about the situation in Louisiana. It’s worth your time to listen to it.

Tag: international blogging for disaster relief day

St. Tammany Parish broadcasting until they run out of power!

A St. Tammany Parish Official got on WWL TV this morning and stated
that they are broadcasting on 730 AM and will continue to do so until
they run out of power for the generator. They need to get this word
out because it is the only means they have at the moment to get info
to the people still in the community. Please pass the message around.
Thanks.

The KatrinaHelp Team
www.katrinahelp.info
(504) 208-1564 -- local to Tulane, LA -- 24 Hours/Day + International

HURICANES: HURICANE KATRINA: Missing Persons From Nola.com

HURICANES: HURICANE KATRINA: Missing Persons From Nola.com

Missing Persons From Nola.com
<http://www.nola.com/forums/searching/>

Please use this forum to post information about people missing in New
Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina.
Or use the search box at the top of the forum to search by name.

Make sure to provide the following information:

Missing Person's First Name and Last Name
Neighborhood of Residence
Street Address, City, State ZIP (if known)
Missing Person's home phone number
Missing Person's cell phone number
Years at this residence
Date of birth
Missing Person's Physical Description
Health condition
Employer name and address
Employer contact information
When/Where last contacted
How to contact person who is looking.

Sincerely,
David Dillard
Temple University
(215) 204 - 4584
jwne@temple.edu
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/net-gold>
<http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/ringleaders/davidd.html>
<http://www.kovacs.com/medref-l/medref-l.html>
<http://listserv.temple.edu/archives/net-gold.html>
<http://www.LIFEofFlorida.org>
Digital Divide Network
<http://www.digitaldivide.net/profile/jwne>

Bush Seeks $10.5 Billion as First Installment of Storm Aid

From: "David P. Dillard" <jwne@temple.edu>
Date: Fri Sep 2, 2005 12:09 am
Subject: HURICANES: HURICANE KATRINA : UNITED STATES : ECONOMY AND
ECONOMIC CONDITIONS: Bush Seeks $10.5 Billion as First Installment of
Storm Aid
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Net-Gold/message/7934>

Sincerely,
David Dillard
Temple University
(215) 204 - 4584
jwne@temple.edu
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/net-gold>
<http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/ringleaders/davidd.html>
<http://www.kovacs.com/medref-l/medref-l.html>
<http://listserv.temple.edu/archives/net-gold.html>
<http://www.LIFEofFlorida.org>
Digital Divide Network
<http://www.digitaldivide.net/profile/jwne>

Craigslist > New Orleans > Housing

These Net-Gold posts may be of interest to readers of this list.

From: "David P. Dillard" <jwne@temple.edu>
Date: Fri Sep 2, 2005 6:45 am
Subject: HURRICANES: HURICANE: KATRINA : Craigslist > New Orleans >
Housing || Wikipedia Article About Katrina
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Net-Gold/message/7935>

"According to Al's Morning Meeting of the Poynter Organization, the
extensive housing offerings under the Craiglist Housing page for New
Orleans are in huge numbers listings from elsewhere and all over the
United States for low cost and even free housing offers for the victims in
the New Orleans region of housing elsewhere."

Wikipedia article's table of contents

Contents

1 Storm history
1.1 Storm development
1.2 Tornadoes
1.3 Historical analysis

2 Preparations and expectations before landfall
2.1 Expectations
2.2 Evacuations
2.3 Transportation and infrastructure
2.4 Military

3 Effects
3.1 Death toll (summary)
3.2 Health concerns
3.3 Price gouging
3.4 Looting and civil disturbance

4 Effects outside the affected region
4.1 Economic effects
4.2 Oil industry
4.3 Ocean shipping
4.4 Casino industry
4.5 Space Shuttle program
4.6 Internet

5 Disaster relief response
5.1 National Guard deployment
5.2 Coast Guard
5.3 Navy
5.4 Government non-military
5.5 American Red Cross
5.6 Amateur radio operators
5.7 Foreign response
5.8 Non-governmental organizations
5.9 Criticism

6 See also

7 External links and sources
7.1 References
7.2 Government
7.3 Survivor contact databases
7.4 Photos/Video
7.5 Donations
7.6 Other

Sincerely,
David Dillard
Temple University
(215) 204 - 4584
jwne@temple.edu
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/net-gold>

Mirror Site for KatrinaHelp Wiki

This is the KatrinaHelp Team (www.katrinahelp.info) - we now have a
mirror for our site - feel free to visit and redistribute link:

http://katrinahelp.info.nyud.net:8090/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

Thanks to all those who are helping us out!
Angelo Embuldeniya.

--
(the KatrinaHelp team)
www.katrinahelp.info

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE ON KATRINA/NEW ORLEANS

- WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE ON KATRINA/NEW ORLEANS -

It may be, that the United States is without the city of New Orleans,
which we've had since the early 19th Century as a great American
city. This is not an exaggeration. Former Marc Mayor Morial is
quoted saying, that, "We've lost our city. I fear it's
potentially like Pompeii." And similarly, the New York Times, in
its lead editorial, "New Orleans in Peril," says that "it looks
as if rescuing New Orleans will be a task much more daunting than
{any} city has faced, since the San Francisco fire of 1906. It
must be a mission for all of us." But the question is whether the
Bush Administration, which is sitting on its hands in this
situation, is going to measure up to the challenge.
With Bush still not in Washington--he didn't arrive until 4
p.m. today--. Or, let me begin earlier, actually, and then get
to that.

[reading] "New Orleans, of course, has long known it was
vulnerable to flooding caused by a hurricane, and local and state
officials have worked with the U.S. government on flood-control
projects since the 1930s, when Roosevelt directed the Army Corps
to build the tremendous flood-control system on the lower
Mississippi, and throughout New Orleans. When flooding from a
massive rainstorm in May '95 killed six people, the U.S. Congress
authorized a Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood-Control Project, or
SELA. Over the next 10 years, the Army Corps spent $340 million
of SELA funds, on shoring up levees and building pumping
stations, with $50 million in local aid. But at least another
$250 million crucial SELA projects still have to be built. But in
2004, Bush's U.S. Office of Management and Budget cut SELA
funding by 65%, down to a little less than $11 million per year.
"Further, the Army Corps is directing the Lake Ponchartrain
vicinity hurricane protection project, a similar $50 million
project to build up levees and protection for pumping stations,
on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River in Orleans, St.
Bernard, and Jefferson Parishes [counties]. For 2005, the Army
Corps needed at minimum $20 million to complete vital project
work. The Bush Administration slashed appropriations to only $3.9
million." And this is where the levees and then the pumps were
overwhelmed by the floods,-- precisely where this incompleted
contstruction, incompleted thanks to this administration, was
going on at that moment.

"In June 2004, as the hurricane season was starting, Al
Naomi, project manager for the Army Corps in New Orleans and
southern Louisiana, went before a local flood-dcontrol agency
that is part of the New Orleans flood-control system, the East
Jefferson Levee Authority, to beg for $2 million for urgent work.
He had been unable to get the money from [Office of Budget and
Management]. He told the group, `The system is in good shape, but
the levees are sinking. Everything is sinking, and if we don't
get the money fast enough to raise them, we can't stay ahead of
the settlement that's raising the water level. The problem that
we have, isn't that the levee is low, but that federal funds have
dried up so we can't raise them.'

"He was able to get the funds for this project"--that is,
the $2 million--"but because of the Bush OMB cuts during 2004 and
'05, he had to wage guerrilla war to get the money to keep
the system minimally functioning."

And this is where it's failed, where Bush's OMB cut the budget.

Now, given the fact that the National Guard has been
severely attrited in the whole area, they have only about 60% of
their National Guard, and less than 60% of its equipment, about
40%-45% of the National Guard of the three affected states, is in
Iraq. So, the National Guard is unable to do what it would otherwise do.

At long last, the Bush Administration has brought the
military proper into action, the Navy and the Army and the Air
Force, all three, but they didn't do so, until yesterday. So, a
press conference under Chertoff, the Secretary of Homeland
Security--with Bush still not in Washington--about 2 p.m. this
afternoon, Chertoff and others at the press conference announced
that they have a lot of plans to move military equipment and help
into the area, but, in fact, as of this afternoon, there was no
military equipment, or help, in the area, from the Army, the
Navy, or the Air Force. The Coast Guard was on the scene, as they
have been since the beginning, as is the Army Corps. And Chertoff
says, that the Coast Guard has rescued 1,000 people. But the
effort under the other services is just getting under way. No
assets are in the area, as Chertoff has promised that they would
be brought in, but for the most part, he didn't even know exactly
when; it will be several days.

Now, 1,000 people have been rescued by the Coast Guard,
others have been rescued by local police, by neighbors, by
various forces, the total number is really not known.

New Orleans housed about 550,000 people. They were ordered
to evacuate, but estimates are that upwards of 100,000 did not,
not so much because they didn't want to, but because they
couldn't. Greyhound shut down, many people have no automobiles,
or the roads were flooded--there was no way actually, to get out,
and no place to go.

So, it seems, according to the best accounts we can find,
there were about 100,000 people to be rescued. How many have been
rescued? Well, the Coast Guard has rescued 1,000; some forces
have rescued others. A lot of the Navy and other forces being
sent to the area, will be rescue forces, such as boat rescue
forces to rescue people from the tops of their houses by boats
and so forth--they're not there, yet.

So, how many are dying now, and how many will die before
they're rescued because this mobilization has taken the Bush
Administration so long? It even took Bush so long to cut short
his vacation by a day or two and arrive in Washington about an
hour and a half ago.

The city of New Orleans is 80% under water, and much of the
water is as much as 20 feet high. And the water contains all the
city's raw sewage, and apparently thousands of corpses washing
around in it. Rescue workers are ordered not to do anything about
the corpses, because there's no way to handle them. So they're
just sloshing around amid the sewage and everything, which has
submerged the city.

Now, contrary to the assurances of the Washington Post,
which says you can't have cholera or typhoid, because it doesn't
exist in this country, the Centers for Disease Control is
extremely concerned about exactly cholera and typhoid. And
medical teams which are sent to the area, will attempt to deal
with that. But the whole mobilization, is a far cry from that
with which, years ago, under the Clinton Administration (if I
remember that's what it was), the U.S. military brought
sanitation and clean water to Uganda across the world in Africa,
with a very rapid, quickly organized movement, which saved
thousands of lives. That's not what's going on here,
unfortunately.

Now, after several days of attempts, you had breaks in two
levees around New Orleans, which flooded the city which is below
sea level. And one of those breaks started at 20 feet wide; it's
now estimated at 500 feet wide. The other is not as wide. This
flooding, flooded out the pumps, which are being used to pump
water out, so all that pumping has stopped.

The Army Corps dropped various objects into the gaps in the
levees to attempt to repair them, unsuccessfully. And what
they're doing now, is waiting for the flood waters surrounding
the city, in the lake, which is really a bay, and the ocean to
subside, so that then the levees will be higher and they can then
repair them. They expect that the water level will be low enough
to do that by Friday.

So, I suppose there's probably more to say about it: This is
an unparalleled man-aided natural catastrophe, as far as I
understand, for the United States. And it's clear that if some
simple things had been done, which were on the drawing boards for
years, and which should have been completed today--that whole
SELA project I discussed was supposed to be completed in 2005--if
that had not been sabotaged by the Bush Administration, while
there might be something you might characterize as a natural
disaster, it would be nothing of the magnitude we're seeing
today, where, it seems to me accurate to say: that our country
stands to lose a major city, which has been a part of this
country since the Louisiana Purchase.

That is the major update for today.