Hi Everybody,
Thanks so much for your e-mails and calls and concern and offers of hospitality. We’re doing okay here—we got power back on yesterday afternoon.
By “we,” I mean “we personally,” Contessa and me. I’m just agog at how much worse things are getting in New Orleans—the images from the convention center are just horrifying. And, on a much smaller scale, now problems seem to be spilling into Baton Rouge as well—our population is set to more than double over the next few months, and there are some signs of unrest among some of the people who’ve been brought here, though its been hard to tell when reports of “civil unrest” downtown near the River Center shelter have just been shrill hysteria and when there has been genuine cause for concern. My guess is it’s mostly hysteria, but it’s for sure that BR is going to have some major adjustments to make, and I hope we’re equipped to make them.
The basketball arena and the field house at LSU have been set up as special needs shelters, and Contessa and I spent a few hours volunteering down there today, and we’ll be there tomorrow. We live close enough that the helicopters conveying the sick and infirm sometimes rattle our windows when they fly over. We spent our time there today mostly delivering lunches to those who couldn’t get up to get in line and folding and delivering clean linens—things that would certainly have gotten done without us, given the huge numbers of volunteers there, but it made us feel a little less helpless, or something. It was overwhelming to see the beds set up everywhere, the doctors and priests moving around, trying to give what comfort they could. Contessa helped a frail, ancient, tiny woman who could only speak French; she only knew enough English to apologize for not knowing more.
The LSU shelters seem well run and organized, and I hope they’re able to handle the continuous influx of patients that they’re bound to be getting over the next few weeks.
I just can’t believe I’m still seeing current images of starving people in the Superdome on TV, people on the interstate with no water, here on THURSDAY. It didn’t have to be this bad.
Denny Hastert is an idiot. One of many.
OH! Good luck to you, volunteers; I’m sure it may be quite difficult.
Oh, I don’t want to overstate what we’re doing—we’re in a controlled, organized area with a surplus of willing volunteers, so it’s just a matter of pitching in for a little while here or there. The vols on the coast, in SE LA, etc, have it a lot harder.
You guys are fantastic, Prof. I’m so glad that wonderful Bungalow, and the two of you, are okay.
True about the coast, but any amount of volunteer work is both admirable and worthwhile! A disaster is still a disaster, and it can still be stressful for you, especially when we all have the knowlege of what is happening in New Orleans in the back of our minds.
Volunteer work is the silent foundation of civility, and there are many people who have the time and ability to volunteer who do not. The fact that you are volunteering says much about your integrity and character.
Still can’t believe how bad it is. I can’t imagine what the people who just had to spend another night in the convention center, or the hospitals, are feeling right now.
The thing about this is, Katrina was going to be devastating no matter what—loss of life, loss of property, loss of revenue. But it didn’t have to be as bad as it is. There were clear warnings in place, and there were also clear solutions that only needed money and labor to be implemented. Seriously, this was one case where “throwing money at the problem” would actually have helped, because the Corps of Engineers and other such organizations were in place to catch it. They asked for it, and the current White House refused to give it. Fixing the levees could have saved thousands of people. They had other priorities. And now some of the poorest people in the nation are paying the price.
Bush was just on, saying the situation was “unacceptable.” What, he’s going to ride in there now and heads will roll, he’s gonna dress down those responsible, take charge, talk tough? Listen, W, this is what happens when you appoint a woefully underqualified estate planning lawyer crony to head up the disaster relief agency that you’ve mercilessly gutted. Such a failure of leadership.
I seem to be ranting now.
Writes Tom Tomorrow, succintly: “I guess this is what you get when you elect leaders ideologically committed to the notion that government isn’t good for anything.”
(http://www.thismodernworld.com/weblog/mtarchives/week_2005_08_28.html#002420)
I am from New Orleans. All my family is fine. I, too, am sickened by the images I still see today, five days later. We are without power at home, and went to a bar last night where we could watch some Fox News (groan), and after about 10 minutes, I had to leave. I couldn’t watch anymore.
Calla—glad to hear you and your folks are okay, and I hope your power comes back soon. Can’t imagine what it must be like for a native. Were your parents still living there when the storm hit?
[...] ht. From kuro5hin: Hi, my name is Roger and I am a New Orleanian From Pretty Fakes: Baton Rouge Update From Signal vs. Noise: Help the victims of Hurricane Katrina [...]
My mom and dad live in Slidell, lots of extended family in Metairie. All got out safely ahead of the storm. Mom and Dad are staying with me until further notice.
As Prof. Fury stated earlier, it didn’t have to be as bad as it is right now. Don’t believe FEMA and others on TV who are saying that they had no idea this could happen. I participated in a hurricane exercise last year that included nearly 300 federal, state, and parish employees. There were individuals from Washington there listening to state and parish emergency officials say that they did not have the resources to handle a disaster of this magnitude.
Every scenario that has played out for the cameras was brought up during this week-long table top exercise. Take a look here: http://www.ohsep.louisiana.gov/newsrelated/incaseofemrgencyexercise.htm. I was pleased to see that the Today Show had found information on “Hurricane Pam,” and were asking the FEMA director how many of the recommendations that came out of this exercise had been addressed. I think that he said something like “we were working on it.” Incidentally, the fake hurricane had some striking similarities to Katrina.
Dear Lord. As of six minutes ago, my power came back on. I called Sally & Larry, who I just had Margaritas with at Cazuela (con Jaxxie + Jaysus & Thee Electrixx) to spend the night.
I was napping on the porch and thinking that it was just so hot I couldn’t stand it anymore. If you need a place to stay, folx, CALL ME. The air is ON.
Calla, Happy 28th. I hope it’s not in the dark, kiddo.
xo,
Gorjus
I don’t know if you’re checking the PF gmail; I sent two, one not so critical and one with maybe a good idea . . . .
Cool- you can focus on being hott again.
Hey, just saying hi and glad y’all are okay down there. Gorjus, I’m glad you got your power back. Prof. Fury – you speak the truth.
Hey, thanks, DC! Meanwhile, has anyone seen this, from Josh Marshall’s TPM? Seriously, read this, and then go sit in a cool bath to lower the temperature of your boiling blood:
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2005_09_04.php#006430