eta: oh, God, -t. Prayers and good thoughts to you and your whole family.

I knew I was taking too long to write the below post. Hell.

Aww. I was just scanning the NYT and WaPo websites and starting to feel big shining love for Mayor Nagin, with his blunt fury and pardon-my-French and evacuating his family but staying put himself because this is his job and he won't leave his post, and then I come back to b.org and everyone else is already loving him.

This morning's SFGate.com has an article about the extremely peculiar drifting of one small band of refugees: about a dozen people at Burning Man, which started before Katrina was more than an uncertain threat and has little contact with the ouside world, are from NOLA; some of them have been at Burning Man since it opened last week, and vaguely knew that "a storm" might be coming but had no idea of the devastation until late-latecomers started arriving Monday and Tuesday. One man has an internet connection and has confirmed that he has nothing left to go home to. They're all just sort of stunned and driftless, trying to contact friends and family, not certain where to go if they leave. [link]

Oh, and massive vibes and ma for -t, Heather, Dana, their families, and anyone else caught in or affected by this madness

Grandma's in San Ramon, CA which is at least the hospital she prefers.

Thanks for the sympathy. I think I am losing the ability to process bad news. Got a lot of numbness going on. I certainly hope everyone has a better day than I.

I certainly hope everyone has a better day than I.

I'm just hoping you and your parents and your grandma get through this one OK. {{-t}}

I was just scanning the NYT and WaPo websites and starting to feel big shining love for Mayor Nagin, with his blunt fury and pardon-my-French and evacuating his family but staying put himself because this is his job and he won't leave his post, and then I come back to b.org and everyone else is already loving him.

This morning's NPR-on-the-alarm-clock conversation: "Damn. This guy cussed on the radio more in the last half-hour than any mayor of anywhere, ever! I LOVE HIM!"

Oh, -t, I'm so sorry. I'm very releived to see you're okay, though.

And now that I've mostly caught up on Natter, I'm off to work. Pfeh.

Hang in there, Buffistas.

I'm glad your grandma is someplace she feels safe. Wishing the same for you, soon soon soon.

San Ramon isn't too far from many Bayistas. Don't hesitate to contact any of us if you need anything, please.

-t, I'm glad your grandmother is in a good spot, and I'm glad you're on your way there.

I guess I can't still hate her:

9:53 A.M. - LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Hilary Duff has pledged to donate $250,000 to help Hurricane Katrina victims on the Gulf Coast. The 17-year-old singer-actress will give $200,000 to the American Red Cross and $50,000 to USA Harvest, which is supplying food to shelters, according to a statement released Thursday by publicist Cece Yorke. The latter donation will amount to more than 300,000 cans of food being provided to victims.

Duff encouraged fans to bring canned food donations to her concerts and to give money to charities.

I am so heartsick right now.