Happy 'Versary Susan and dw! I hope you are both sleeping blissfully now and that Annabel lets you have as leisurely a morning as parents can have.

t waves at Nilly Hi there. I am hopefully fading towards sleep but I wanted to say hi, at the very least.

t Waves back at Cass, hopefully now deep in sweet relaxing sleep

I've been packing up clothes that my post-pregnancy body is not going to wear again, and baby clothes that Mal's outgrown, for sending to hurricane victims...and getting a little cranky.

I pay taxes, dammit. This is the kind of thing that I want my tax money to be used for. Instead, I feel like I pay taxes that get wasted or poorly used, and have to dip into my pocket again to help fellow Americans when they really need it.

I mean, part of me knows that no taxes in the world would be providing diapers and such right now to the victims, but the other part of me is thinking "What about FEMA? What about the federal government response? What about a little pro-action to prevent the loss of life?"

Some good news on the NO refugees at Reunion Arena in Houston. I got this email this morning from someone I know who is a social worker there.

Sorry I could not get on email for most of today to really catch up. DAMN IT...I REALLY HAD TO WORK FOR MY $$$ TODAY!!

All the questions that we have been asking lately to ourselves and those around us about Katrina and the victims.....I figure I would ask all the patients I saw today from New Orleans.

Two that I asked were:

1) Did you know you were supposed to evacuate the area because of the hurrican coming? If so, why did you not.

I would say more than half of the people I asked said they were told to evacuate beforehand but decided to stay because they thought it would blow over and not be that bad.

2) How is it really like at the Reunion Arena.

I would say more than 75% of the people said it was nice and clean. They received decent food, water, bedding, food vouchers, transportation vouchers, medical attention, assistance with locating their family, hotel vouchers and received lots of necessities such as clothes, diapers and formula. ALL CAME THROUGH RED CROSS (in case you are wondering if your dollars are getting through to the people).

Everyone I met today (there were LOTS. I did not even get to eat lunch) seem to be in good spirits and hopeful. They were all thankful of the help and the most important thing to most people was reuniting with lost family and friends. Many seem really confused almost out of it in a way when you question them. When I interviewed any patients it was like we were both speaking a foreign language to each other. A lot of "huh" came out of our mouths in response!!! :-)

Volunteers were everywhere. People from phone companies were passing out free long distance cards (I got a bunch if anyone needs them for Katrina victims). People were down at reunion offering jobs. Ambulance companies, wheelchair vans, busses etc were all offering free rides to the hospital, doctor appts, etc. We are allowing all the moms that gave birth during or after the hurricane to stay in the hospital longer to help them find a place before leaving the hospital beds. Everywhere I went today had boxes out collecting for Katrina Victims and every box was filled with necessities such as clothing, diapers, wipes, bottles.....as well as other things like school supplies. Then, I went to Sams after work and everywhere I turn there was water bottles stacked to the brim of practically everyone's basket. SEE....SO PEOPLE ARE GOOD, GIVE and DO care! :-)

When we tried talking to the red cross today , they recommended that people do not contact them directly at this time for assistance. They said they have a full range of services at Reunion Convention Center and the only way people will get the full range of services is if they go down there themselves. It is a good idea. I talk to many patients who received unbelievable amount of help this way. The lines are not too bad. And, as you all know....don't bring donations down to Reunion. Donate it to the designated sites as well as Red cross and they will gather and distribute it all.

Good night. I need to go work out and rest up for tomorrow! Peace out!

I think slowly but surely ...we will get there.

I'm too freaked out by Rehnquist's death to do more than fight the big ball of dread in my stomach.

David, I think there are 4-5K people dead in NO who are out in the open. By the time they go house to house and count those who died in hospitals, etc. I do think the total will approach 10K. I hope I'm wrong.

That BBC article is very powerful. "No one could have anticipated" indeed....

I'm more headachey than I like, but I'm going to go to Yoga anyway. I hope to hell the instructor doesn't use a lot of incense.

Newsweek Article: Bush faces a new storm of his own.

[link]

Washington Post:

Why the poor stayed in New Orleans.

[link]

So, the governor of LA hired the FEMA director under Clinton, James Lee Witt, to be her liason between FEMA.

Check out Witt's background:

In 1988 Witt was appointed by then-Governor Bill Clinton to be the head of the Arkansas Office of Emergency Services where he reorganized the state's emergency management process.

When Bill Clinton was elected President he appointed Witt to head the Federal Emergency Management Agency and he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 1993. During his tenure Clinton elevated the Director of FEMA to cabinet status. Witt's term of office saw approximately 348 Presidential declared disaster areas in more than 6,500 counties and in all 50 states and territories. Witt supervised the response to the most costly flood disaster in the nation's history, the most costly earthquake, and a dozen serious hurricanes.

and what he's been doing since then:

Founded in 2001, James Lee Witt Associates (JLWA) is a crisis and emergency management consulting firm based in Washington, DC with offices in Atlanta, Chicago, and Sacramento. JLWA has unrivaled experience and hands-on knowledge of public safety, disaster mitigation, continuity of operations, and emergency management issues. JLWA bridges government agencies and non-profits with industry and constituents, advises educational institutions, and assists state and local governments, as well as international bodies to prepare for and recover from disasters and crises.

Can you imagine what the difference in response would have been if Witt were director when this happened? This man has actual disaster experience. For decades.

Gronk.

My dog goes to bed by 10 pm every night. (Her bed, not mine, FTR.) Why can't I remember to do the same? Now I'm stumbling around half conscious and she's all antsy and has been bugging me to get up and go out for the last 45 minutes. And she is a supreme pest when she wants to be.

Her latest trick when she really wants my attention is to pull books off the shelves. Today it's Herodotus and Wole Soyinka. At least she's well read.

William Rehnquist died.

Looks like Pat Robertson's prayers were answered.