wml

[graceanne]

the red cross ...call them and they will give you info on where to send it.

Oh, duh.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

I've been off and on watching coverage of the hurricane's aftermath... New Orleans, Biloxi, Gulfport - trashed. Most of the Mississippi (state) casinos on the Gulf Coast - trashed. Superdome - trashed. Last damage estimate I saw - $25 billion (US). That's enough money to keep me in cigarettes, diet sodas and porn sites for ... years!

I don't know how anyone can possibly think that cleaning up and rebuilding NOLA would be a good idea. When are they gonna figure out that building cities on the coastline of an area known for getting smacked in the gob by storms with 100+ mile an hour winds and rain and storm surge is not a good idea, let alone cities that are largely below sea level (and on the coast)? (This also applies to the East Coast of Florida, large portions of the West Coast of Florida, and most of the Gulf Coast from the Florida Panhandle to Galveston or even Brownsville, TX, as well as the east coasts of GA, SC and NC.)

 

[DVS]

Oh, duh.

I heard Walmart is the first company to offer money $1,000,000 and have also reopened a store in the disaster area. They said they would take donations for the relief effort on their web site. They might also take items at their stores.

As for the Red Cross, I heard on the radio that they prefer cash donations, because this eliminates storage and tranportation costs for them. But, they said they would gladly take any and types of donations that were offered.

They said cash works best because they can get a better bulk price for items they need in any given situation and they don't have to worry about parishables going bad before they can be distributed.

This lady also mentioned some people give items that aren't imediately needed and although they appreciate all donations, it costs them more to store some items, until they are needed.

But, looking at the news, I can't see where these people won't be needing pretty much everything, so I don't see any long term storage costs being necessary this time around.

 

[FurryFury]

I've been off and on watching coverage of the hurricane's aftermath... New Orleans, Biloxi, Gulfport - trashed. Most of the Mississippi (state) casinos on the Gulf Coast - trashed. Superdome - trashed. Last damage estimate I saw - $25 billion (US). That's enough money to keep me in cigarettes, diet sodas and porn sites for ... years!

I don't know how anyone can possibly think that cleaning up and rebuilding NOLA would be a good idea. When are they gonna figure out that building cities on the coastline of an area known for getting smacked in the gob by storms with 100+ mile an hour winds and rain and storm surge is not a good idea, let alone cities that are largely below sea level (and on the coast)? (This also applies to the East Coast of Florida, large portions of the West Coast of Florida, and most of the Gulf Coast from the Florida Panhandle to Galveston or even Brownsville, TX, as well as the east coasts of GA, SC and NC.)

Hi Sir Winston,

I was in Galveston last year for a blissful beach week. It's my understanding that since they erected their sea wall and/or since 1096, they have not been significantly affected by a hurricane. 98% or more of their buildings are across from the beach, behind the seawall. Naturally I stayed in one that was actually on the beach.

I have relatives in the French Quarter, Metarie, Kenner and Slidell. I also have relatives in Alabama, Florida and Mississippi. Right now I'm very worried about some of them from whom I have not heard.

Human beings will always want to live near the ocean. I know when I was a head hunter all over the southeast, getting someone to relocate from New Orleans, or Mobile was nearly impossible.

Still I do believe that there are things that can be done engineering wise to make cities safer.

Right now there is no way out of New Orleans for the average citizen. The interstates are closed, the Lake Ponchatrain bridge is destroyed. You can say they should have evacuated before it hit and many did. Unfortunately, there are a lot of poor people in New Orleans, who do not have access to anything but cheap public transit as they have been encouraged to use, this is true of many cities.

Not only is it flooded with waters rising down there but there is no where to go. The police and rescuers are literally pushing bodies to the side and moving on looking for those who still live. Armed gangs are roaming the area. The police are mostly ignoring the desperate looters. This is so bad already but honestly it is only going to get worse.

 

[Krinaia]

Well rebuilding N.O. is likely - look at what a powerful sea port it is. The sea level is an issue of course, but the port is why the city is there. The commerce and job opportunities the location affords takes away the question of should we build in what is a flood plain?

I think back on a story my arch professor told me this past year - he does a lot of work in India, Sri Lanka, and other poor areas of Southern Asia. He told of an entire village - thousands and thousands of people who build their shanties in the flood plain. Every year the floods obliterate their homes and the government has worked out a system for payment to force these people out of their homes - giving them 100 (which after graft is about 10 dollars) to move up into the hill suntil the floods receed. The floods receed, the people take their money which they depend on to make it through the year, and move right back into the flood plain and rebuild their lean tos.

Another example. There is a lake (somewhere in Africa) that has a volcano laying beneath it - it is a crater lake. A fewyears ago, a small eruption allowed the escape of carbon monoxide, the gas rolled downstream of the lake and an entire village and all their livestock died in their sleep due to asphyixiation. The government made the area into a preserve and tried to keep people away so that it would not happen again. But people saw the water and the streams that had carried the carbon monoxide gases downwind - and sw not the danger but the available resources to their livestock. They began to sneak back onto the land. So the government installed alarms that would sound if another eruption allowed the escape of poisonous gases, warning people to evacuate the area.

So, the cost of building is enormous, but the resources and port abilities of that area will make the cost of rebuilding worth it - unless of course, global warming really has fucked up the climate so that these types of storms begin to happen on a regular basis. Then the government will have to step in. And I doubt a loss of life will convince them so much as a loss of profit. Sad, but true.

And you are right, cat, it is sad that so many have died this year of both natural causes and terrorism. The tsunami, the London attacks, the famine in Niger, the stampede today, the hurricane. The death toll seems to me to be a warning to us all. Makes me wish I had given more consideration to the peace corp before I joined the working world. and that personal fear stopped me.

 

[Marquis]

Come on Miester, I know SOMEONE has to have an internet connection SOMEWHERE.

Don't leave us hanging you fucking asshole.

 

[Krinaia]

ditto

 

[FurryFury]

I'm sure he is busy with concerns of shelter, food, water, relatives and electricity, rather than Internet.

Fury

 

[Marquis]

I'm sure he is busy with concerns or shelter, food, water, relatives and electricity, rather than Internet.

Fury

You be quiet!

 

[Sir_Winston54]

I'm on FF's side on this one... he's probably got plenty on his hands, what with taking care of his mother and grandmother... I hope all is well, but I'll be patient waiting to find out, meanwhile beaming good vibes in his/their direction.

 

[Marquis]

Alright, I don't have a dog in this race. Patience over panic it is.

 

[FurryFury]

You be quiet!

Hi Marquis!

LOL!

Not likely I'm afraid!

Fury

I'm on FF's side on this one... he's probably got plenty on his hands, what with taking care of his mother and grandmother... I hope all is well, but I'll be patient waiting to find out, meanwhile beaming good vibes in his/their direction.

Thanks Sir Winston. This thing is very scary. I too will be sending donations and good vibes.

I was reading today how much revenues are generated for the states by thier port/gambling/tourism of the coastal towns. They will be rebuilding.

I had the pleasure last July of seeing some of the Shell Mounds the native people built near the Florida gulf coast shore ways so long ago. The ocean has always been a powerful draw it seems.

Fury

Alright, I don't have a dog in this race. Patience over panic it is.

Thanks Marquis, I'm not trying to be oppositional here. Panic scares me too much. I'm numb right now.

People don't like me quiet usually Marquis. That either means I've lost my voice completely and/or I'm mad as hell and just cleaning things up before I leave.

I was just watching some of the coverage. It looks like they are planning of doing a bus caravan out of there but I didn't think there was any way across the lake. Perhaps they will use Chinooks to transport people across then form a bus caravan there? I dunno. I haven't heard much about Louisiana except the New Orleans coverage yet. I don't know about Slidell, Kenner or anywhere further up the state. I wish I did. I suspect our friend here is not in New Orleans proper and is further up. Plus I have relatives further up so I'd really, really, like to know.

Fury

 

[Xelebes]

boop boop meep morp.

 

[Private_Label]

Come on Miester, I know SOMEONE has to have an internet connection SOMEWHERE.

Having been close to where Frances and Jeanne hit last year - we were without Power for 10 days after one and a week after the second. There are still roofs/homes in the area that have not been repaired (a year later). There was significantly less total damage around my home than has been done in the Gulf region by Katerina. If we hear from him at all inside of 2 weeks I will consider that a miracle. If we hear from him at all inside a month I will be grateful. If we just hear from him *eventually* I will be thankful.

I just hope he and his family are alive and in health, have a roof over their heads, clean water to drink, something to eat, and clothing to wear.

I have heard about a family in Idaho who is thinking about opening their home to a family what has been displaced by Katerina, and talking to their neighbors about taking in other families as well, and help with food shelter and getting kids to school. Now that is something to think about.

 

[redelicious]

For those who live in, or know someone from the area

I found this site everything New Orleans when I was looking for more up to date information. I think they have some sort of partnership with the Times-Picayune. Anyway, on the bottom left hand side of the page there are links to forums where you can post a message looking for information about loved ones or post a message telling your loved ones that you are ok.

Also of interest are forums for people who want to volunteer or who have rooms for people to stay.

 

[blondie03]

KM is from Houma, LA .. not that far from NOLA, but try as I may I cannot find any information about Houma. I also have family from Houma that we have not heard from since before the hurricane hit. I pray they are all safe and well.

 

[h_i_s]

KM is from Houma, LA .. not that far from NOLA, but try as I may I cannot find any information about Houma. I also have family from Houma that we have not heard from since before the hurricane hit. I pray they are all safe and well.

Houma, LA is very close to the shore from what this map shows. http://maps.yahoo.com/py/maps.py?Pyt=Tmap&&csz=Houma+LA+&Get%A0Map=Get+Map

 

[h_i_s]

News articles online which specifically mention Houma, LA.

http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=3779205
http://www.webpronews.com/news/ebusinessnews/wpn-45-20050831KatrinaSendsTimesPicayuneToOnlineOnlyFormat.html
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-31-2005/0004097859&EDATE=
http://www.thevillagesdailysun.com/articles/2005/08/31/villages/villages01.txt
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/08/31/katrina/main810022.shtml
http://www.katc.com/Global/story.asp?S=3791622

i've only listed a few, but there are a number of news reports online which do mention Houma, LA. For more than is listed here, search Google.com using keywords 'Houma, LA' .. click search, then scroll to the bottom of the page and click on 'search within results' .. enter keyword 'Katrina' .. & click 'search within results'........... and Google with turn out about 11,700 results for 'Houma, LA Katrina' .

 

[blondie03]

sinnOcent ... thank you for the links. For some reason, I just could not pull it together tonight.

 

[le_kinklet]

holding my breath,, hoping he and his loved ones are safe!

 

[tealsphynx]

I hope KM and his family are alright. I don't remember the figures, but the estimated death-toll is pretty high. (sorry I think kinda morbidly) Prayers their way.

 

[catalina_francisco]

Living below sea level is possible....this country is living proof of it, but there will always be risk, it costs a lot, and takes a mountain of engineering genius to make it safe as possible under extreme conditions. We have continuous debates in this house as to whether there is more risk of drowning if the dykes fail, or go to Oz and fry and die of thirst with global warming and the growing shortage of water in the world's already driest continent. As much as I am not a good swimmer, I am all for getting a boat to tie up at the door and risk the flood option...if it goes bad at least it wil be quicker than the alternative.

Catalina

 

[Kajira Callista]

I wonder...maybe he has developed a freindship or three with someone or ones on lit who know his real name? or maybe have heard from him?

 

[Betticus]

I'm willing to take in a nubile young slave or sub that has been displaced by the hurricane.

Purely out of the goodness that is within me I assure you all.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

I'm willing to take in a nubile young slave or sub that has been displaced by the hurricane.

Purely out of the goodness that is within me I assure you all.

Betticus, you're such a pervert...





Oh! That's why we like you! N/M.