Katrina

[Tom Smedley]

My son finally called today. They are leaving Shreveport this afternoon and trying to get home in Ponchatoula. They have to determine when they need to be in class. Autumn (God what a beautiful child - takes after her grandpa) is safe and sound.

Doni's grandmother has a broken hip and went to Woolmarket (north of I-10) to weather the storm with her son. They have used all the gasoline for the generator and have foraged the area siphoning where they could. The fuel is almost gone. Grandma's hip is broken and her surgery site is becoming infected. My son and his friend must use their knowledge of the area to slip in on the backroads and bring Grandma to safety under the cover of darkness tonight. I'm with Rick - bureaucracy sucks.

Still no word of the house in D'Iberville. Food is rotting in the fridge and I'm sure that the carpets are wet. By the time the authorities deem it safe the walls will be covered with mold. A house - although home - is just a material monument. I have my children and that is worth more than all the gold there is.

My son worked out his two week notice in the mall and was scheduled to start work at the Hard Rock today. Oh well. Both the mall and the casino are no more.

We are financially able to give him a new start and keep him afloat during reconstruction. Thousands of others are not.

The Point Cadet penninsula looks like it was cleared with a bulldozer. The inhabitants there were mostly poor Viet Namese fishermen. Our thoughts and prayers are with them tonight. I hope your's are too.

Of all that is true tonight - the truest stands tall and true. The Big Easy is dead, long live the Big Easy!

Salud!

 

[wetrat]

A house - although home - is just a material monument. I have my children and that is worth more than all the gold there is.

Amen to that. Tom, I'll be praying for you and everyone else who was impacted by Katrina. Chin up, OK?

wetrat

 

[itsaddictn]

Can anyone tell me if they know the area of Pembrook Circle in West Gulfport?? We have freinds and not able to reach anyone concerning how they came through Katrina. Please reply asap
Thanks
Cathy and Shawn Hamilton looking for Ron/Jenny Kartz & Family

 

[mushymom]

While we are all dumbstruck by the unfolding tragedy, and some of us who have a strong desire to help in any way we can but are unable to go to help. I want to sound out an idea here.

I worry about the increasing numbers of people from New Orleans and areas who will be homeless and have basically nothing for quite sometime to come. Why can't the Gov't use closed bases to house some people and help them regain some stability? Hey these bases are collecting dust basically, there is housing on them, accessible water, and stability. Can we contact Gov't officials and push this idea? I believe it's a start for some folks. It will be a long time perhaps before people may be allowed back into their home areas if at all.

Well thanks all for letting me sound off. I pray daily that the numbers won't be as bad as perhaps predicted. I pray the victims will receive assistance and succor they so badly need right now.

thanks.... :voskl1:

 

[mrobinson]

We are praying for all you guys.. take care everyone. Hugs.

 

[BIGSAGE136]

While we are all dumbstruck by the unfolding tragedy, and some of us who have a strong desire to help in any way we can but are unable to go to help. I want to sound out an idea here.

I worry about the increasing numbers of people from New Orleans and areas who will be homeless and have basically nothing for quite sometime to come. Why can't the Gov't use closed bases to house some people and help them regain some stability? Hey these bases are collecting dust basically, there is housing on them, accessible water, and stability. Can we contact Gov't officials and push this idea? I believe it's a start for some folks. It will be a long time perhaps before people may be allowed back into their home areas if at all.

Well thanks all for letting me sound off. I pray daily that the numbers won't be as bad as perhaps predicted. I pray the victims will receive assistance and succor they so badly need right now.

thanks.... :voskl1:

Not only that...But if we can spend almost $200 billion annually on the CF in Iraq. Why cant we hump rump and go to war with this situation. I mean GI's dropping from the sky like it was D-Day. Amphibs hitting the beach like Normandy. Evac these people to the bases that are mothballed. Immediately put people to work in their own town on public works. Why in the name of GOD is this not happening?

 

[Rick Murchison]

us who have a strong desire to help in any way we can but are unable to go to help.

Everyone can help. Send $1.98 to the Red Cross or the Salvation Army.
Here in Montgomery the local churches are setting up shelters to house folks as their resources run out and they can no longer stay in hotels and motels. Many of us are housing refugees in our homes - possibly for more than a month. This is a long term tragedy with no shortage of ways to help, large and small. Most of us have room for a sleeping bag and air matress and can afford to feed an extra mouth or two for a month or two. You don't have to be close to New Orleans to do it, either.
As for opening up bases etc, that's happening - but realize that when you say "the government" you actually mean people and money. Those people don't just appear out of thin air, and the money is yours and mine. Neither the people nor the money are just laying around doing nothing. Right now "the government" has its hands full trying to rescue folks and restore order. I'm not saying the use of closed bases is a bad idea, just trying to illuminate the reality that (1) it's not just a matter of opening the gates and turning on the lights, and (2) this disaster is of such vast proportion that if we turn to government rather than to ourselves to handle it we will be making a monumental mistake. It's going to take lots of little acts of kindness one-on-one to get us through.
When it comes to helping those who have been rescued from or have escaped the immediate danger it is much more efficient - and rewarding - to do it ourselves... and we all can if we only will.
Rick

 

[WaterDawg]

Great post Rick! I absolutly agree.

 

[mushymom]

Everyone can help. Send $1.98 to the Red Cross or the Salvation Army.
Here in Montgomery the local churches are setting up shelters to house folks as their resources run out and they can no longer stay in hotels and motels. Many of us are housing refugees in our homes - possibly for more than a month. This is a long term tragedy with no shortage of ways to help, large and small. Most of us have room for a sleeping bag and air matress and can afford to feed an extra mouth or two for a month or two. You don't have to be close to New Orleans to do it, either.
As for opening up bases etc, that's happening - but realize that when you say "the government" you actually mean people and money. Those people don't just appear out of thin air, and the money is yours and mine. Neither the people nor the money are just laying around doing nothing. Right now "the government" has its hands full trying to rescue folks and restore order. I'm not saying the use of closed bases is a bad idea, just trying to illuminate the reality that (1) it's not just a matter of opening the gates and turning on the lights, and (2) this disaster is of such vast proportion that if we turn to government rather than to ourselves to handle it we will be making a monumental mistake. It's going to take lots of little acts of kindness one-on-one to get us through.
When it comes to helping those who have been rescued from or have escaped the immediate danger it is much more efficient - and rewarding - to do it ourselves... and we all can if we only will.
Rick

Sorry Rick, I think I perhaps didn't word myself well.... We in NM are giving in so many ways that we can, We are not only donating money, but food, basic necessities, offering homes and shelter to those we can. What I meant is alot of us would like to be able to be there to help in person also.
And basically, if our government people (local and national) chose to allow certain mothballed bases to be opened to shelter and house the refugees, it could be done if the desire were strong enough in a relatively short period of time. I am not suggesting that we turn to the Government to handle it all. But I believe that helping people relocate to have a place to go to, and communities and people in the communites welcoming and helping these refugees in anyway they can is a good thing.

lisa

 

[H2Andy]

the government is really collective action.

they tax everybody, and pool the money. then they spend the money
in ways that (hopefully) will benefit everybody. let's for a moment
put aside discussions as to efficiency and intent.

in this case, the government is the "pooled" response of the people.
those are our tax dollars, our helicopters, our bases. that's us
helping through the National Guard. that's us helping through the
helicopter life flights. all of that is "government" at work, which
means the taxes you and i have paid.

our government (that is, us) is already helping a great deal,
as Rick says.

but, of course, we can also help additionally, by donating to
the red cross, salvation army, etc.