further charity information

http://www.livejournal.com/users/sunfell/561704.html

sunfell has compiled this list of charities, that I think many of you will be interested in. It includes both religious and non-religious based charities on it's "good place to donate to" list, but also includes a list of extremist religious charities -- those active in politically negative ways, tied to, as the author puts it, "dominionist" groups (those saying the only way is to be Christian and be Christian their way), and those that put conditions on their aid or threaten not to provide aid in some cases.

(no subject)

There is this waivering for me between useful, or at least sensical response, and the sentimental, emotional response.

Everytime I see pictures of Metairie, I tear up. It's a place I first read about in a book, and somehow that makes it different in my head.

While it doesn't really matter where the president is in terms of getting things done, I'm disgusted by this flyover and disgusted that he's heading back to Washington afterwards. Say all you want about Bill Clinton, but he would have been on the ground in Houston at least, talking to people as they got off the buses and handing them water. He would have. You know it. He would.

The mayor of New Orleans is breaking my heart. If you haven't heard the audio file of his latest statement, it's all over my friends list, go check it out. Powerful stuff.

Eventually, having done not nearly enough in the first place, the powers that be will probably abandon New Orleans to its fate, and there will still be people alive in there wanting to get out when that happens. It's scaring the crap out of me.

Actually this whole thing is scaring the crap out of me. I think they way 9/11 freaked out people not in NYC. We're not really in a hurricaine zone here, and while low-lying NYC is not below sea-level nor does it face the numberous environmental and finanical and other challenges that have always plagued New Orleans. However there are 1-in-500 year events that are capable of creating this type of distruction in my city, and while I've never have faith in the government to keep us safe (I mean, hi, 9/11), I have had faith in systems to maintain order and get people out. Now I don't. The second I get paid this time I am putting together and evac kit, and if I get told to get out, I will, no matter how stupid it sounds. I am freaked out. I am _never_ freaked out about this sort of stuff.

Once again, I must like you to lori: http://www.livejournal.com/users/lori/478397.html

Steve Erickson doesn't write about New Orleans often or much. But he writes about cities in decay and race in ways that are really haunting to me, and I can't seem to get away from just rereading passages in all his books during this, both about fictious cities and the real. Maybe all cities are by their nature ficticious - a thought process for another day.

(no subject)

Is anyone else suspicious that the help is arriving into NO just moments before the president is due?

more Katrina

What our president just said on CNN:

"The good news is -- and it's hard for some to see it now -- that out of this chaos is going to come a fantastic Gulf Coast, like it was before. Out of the rubbles of Trent Lott's house -- he's lost his entire house -- there's going to be a fantastic house. And I'm looking forward to sitting on the porch."

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CNN examines the official version of things vs. the word on the ground:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/02/katrina.response/index.html

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More on the politics of the situation:

http://www.livejournal.com/users/anthonyjaycee/5129.html
summary: why wasn't an effort made to evacuate the poor before the storm hit and most everyone with means was leaving the city thanks to the emergency evacuation orders?

http://www.livejournal.com/users/haya/21163.html
summary: Tim Russert asks hard questions on a similar theme.

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If you are in NYC, there _are_ volunteer opportunities for you:

http://www.livejournal.com/community/newyorkers/947863.html

I should probably send this to NYC overheard

Tourist dad: I wonder if they'll have New Orleans fixed for Mardi Gras.
Pre-teen tourist girl: Maybe they could put all the people in the Gaza Strip? Where is the Gaza strip anyway?
Me: *death glare*
Dad: In the Mediterranean.
Girl: Why are the Jews giving it up?
Dad: They're giving it back to (he pauses here desperately looking for the name)... the Palestinians.
Girl: Why do the Jews get kicked out of everywhere? Why don't they have a place to live?
Dad: They live in Israel.
Girl: And Long Island, right?
Me: *death glare*
Dad: Well there can be Jews everywhere.
Girl: Maybe they should go to Russia.
Dad: I don't know if that's a good idea.
Girl: Where are they going to put New Orleans now?