Lizzie Borden Society Forum

This link gives practical advice and information about what we can do to help the people in the south east.

http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.c ... id/310.htm

The news is so sensationalized-- It is hard to watch it anymore. Fears of gas shortages and prices make everything so much worse-- and make it easier for us to concentrate on ourselves...

I have searched and searched for resources specifying what we can do-- I cannot find any! I would go to Louisiana if there was something that could be done.

Do we have any members affected? Does anyone here have family there that may need help?

Good idea, Auds.

This is another web site that offers charities that are involved in Katrina:

http://www.networkforgood.org/Yahoo/Kat ... cal_storms

i have a friend near jackson -- phone is out -- i can't find. i don't know yet. this is not right on the coast -- more inland, but the power is certainly out. i'm not sure how much i'm worried, i'm not that worried yet. i'll wait a few days.

people are busy setting up funds now. i'll know of one in particular by this weekend.

what's so disturbing is the extent to which this went over everyone's head. it's still getting worse, actually.

Give blood if nothing else.
I can hardly watch it anymore.
Thanks for bringing this up, Auds.

the MSPCA is sending people down to help with displaced animals too.

Prior to Mass starting at the church I attend, our priest advised there would be a previously unannounced second collection for the hurricane victims. People were turning out their pockets to give everything they could.

A few people didn't have extra money with them, and they were coming back after the service to see if it was Ok to bring the money to the rectory this evening.

Everyone is shocked by the devastation. Old timers in this area still talk about the Hurricane of 1938 and the magnitude of its destruction. There are always people who thought they were exaggerating. Katrina shows there is no need to exaggerate the force of this type of storm.

I spoke with my daughter in San Antonio this morning. She is spending most of her weekend doing volunteer work (scrubbing, sweeping, what-have-you), getting some lodgings ready for a group of refugees, who will be living in abandoned Air Force barracks and other buildings. The refugees had come by bus from New Orleans (an eleven-hour trip, according to my daughter). When the first ones began trickling in, my daughter apologetically told them that there were no showers in that particular building and that they would have to go to another building for that. The father of the family said that was no concern to them, that they didn't care about anything to eat or drink, fresh clothing or getting a bath. They wanted only to go to bed and sleep for hours. Many cots had already been set up, so that wish could easily be fulfilled. Bonnie (my daughter) said they didn't even have computers there to use in registering the people so that there would be a record of who was staying at the base. A few volunteers brought personal laptops, and they are making use of those for the present.

This is the first news I had received from the "front lines" as it were.

Thats wonderful, Edisto, its great to hear that there are people who can do something firsthand for the refugees. Every time I see or read a new report on the happenings I feel like Alice Russell, sitting wringing my hands. My boss has set-up a fund at work for us to donate money to the cause, but, it still doesn't feel like enough.

Not that I want to take anything away from the current tragedy in New Orleans, for it is indeed one of the worst events ever to hit this country, but I just found this article very interesting and prophetic. Kinda eerie.

Just written? No, its from a 2004 National Geographic magazine.

http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0410/feature5/

Harry-that's an interesting article.

What is so scary about many of these storms is that we enable people to keep rebuilding in unsafe areas while insurance rates go through the roof.

As a nation, we have hideous land management policies. Flood plains are not good places for people to live.

So, to where should New Orleans, Biloxi, and other 'unsafe area' cities be relocated ?


Tracy...

To a place where the land level is at least above sea-level.

Flood plains are considered best use for agriculture/food management (fishing/processing) and public open-space and recreational areas.

Years ago but still in my lifetime, most seacoast/flood plain areas had only temporary (fishing) shacks. Most heavy development of the seacoasts and low-lying areas has occurred in the past 25-30 years.

This is not an indictment of the New Orleans/Biloxi areas. It's a nationwide problem. There are million dollar homes built in the towns around me where I traveled in a boat after the 1955 and -58 hurricanes.

I believe many of the people in those areas were not even aware of the magnitude of the danger they were in because nothing this extreme has happened in a long while.

I am not sure that New Orleans or Biloxi could be (or even should be) 'relocated'. They already have such a historical significance where they are. At least now people in those areas should be more acutely aware of the reality of the possibility of the wrath of what Mother Nature can 'bestow' upon them. Afterall should people not live in California because of the possibility of major earthquakes, or should we clear out the population of the Midwest because of tornadoes ?


Tracy...

This is the same problem as people building homes along the San Andreas fault in California. It's just a matter of time before a disaster happens there. And the loss of life could be huge.

There is also the problem along the Mississippi river. A few years back the TV was showing levees breaking and towns being flooded. I remember them being very worried about St. Louis.

A heavy snow in the winter creates potential floods for the Mississippi. One guess what city is at the south end of the river where it enters the Gulf. You got it - New Orleans.

Exactly Harry. No matter where we enable people to rebuild after one disaster, there are going to be other disaster potential in other places as well. Is there anyplace on Earth where there is no possibility of problems from natural disaster potential ?


Tracy...

Probably not, Tracy, but a city below sea level on the water is not a good choice.

I hate to say it but the hurricane season is just starting.

I agree that a city below sea leavel, with water on 3 sides, is not the best choice, if you are concerned about hurricane/water danger. I guess hurricane and tornado disaters are a bit more regular and predictable with their 'seasons', as opposed to living in an earthquake zone. I live about a mile from the Wasatch fault, which 'they' tell us, could have 'the big one' anytime now. We have earthquake drills a few times a year at school.


Tracy...

New Orleans was founded in 1718... And named after Philippe, Duc d'Orleans, Who was the nephew of King Louis XIV.

Of course it was named after Orleans-- The lovely city in the Loire Valley of France....

It has been around a long time-- and I think it will be here a lot longer than any of us!

As they say in NOLA... "Laissez les bons temps rouler" (Let the good times roll!)

I have visited the city... It is fun!

Of course-- between you and me... Paris on New Years Eve makes Mardi Gras look like a Kindergarten Tea!

AMEN !!!


Tracy...