(no subject)

[cleolinda]

News links I collected over the last couple of days:

I took my Chevy to the levee and the levee was... uh, it was not dry.

Now everyone has to leave.

Communism breaks out on Canal Street:

On New Orleans' Canal Street, which actually resembled a canal, dozens of looters ripped open the steel gates on clothing and jewelry stores, some packing plastic garbage cans with loot to float down the street. One man, who had about 10 pairs of jeans draped over his left arm, was asked if he was salvaging things from his store.

"No," the man shouted, "that's EVERYBODY'S store!"

Different, updated version of that article.

And then it turns ugly. Guns were stolen from a Wal-mart (yeah, I bet you're glad you stock those now, you corporate asshats) and "gangs of armed men" are roaming the streets and, at one point, shooting at officers. There's a general amnesty on the looting of food, water, and medicines, however--it's not like anyone's around to sell them anyway.

"Minimum, hundreds [dead]. Likely, thousands."

Speaking of those levees, we all know the war in Iraq was way more worthwhile than finishing those:

"It appears that the money has been moved in the president’s budget to handle homeland security and the war in Iraq, and I suppose that’s the price we pay. Nobody locally is happy that the levees can’t be finished, and we are doing everything we can to make the case that this is a security issue for us."

-- Walter Maestri, emergency management chief for Jefferson Parish, Louisiana; New Orleans Times-Picayune, June 8, 2004.

Oh, and from what I'm hearing--if you are in Atlanta or thereabouts, fill up on gas NOW. Just--trust me on this. I know that people freaking out and buying up the gasoline elsewhere is driving up the prices, but--you can't overcharge for something you don't have, if you see what I'm saying.

Don't forget about Mississippi (scroll down).

ccaretta reports from Mobile.

Who should we donate money to, y'all? The Red Cross has the biggest and most immediate presence, but I've heard bad things from people (firsthand) about their overhead and their habit of charging for goods and services. Is there anyone else with that kind of presence? I'm thinking in terms of Mississippi and Alabama as well as New Orleans.

ETA: "A Concert for Hurricane Relief." (Thanks, elbiesee.)

Comments

[strega42.livejournal.com]

We're near Atlanta. We *just* tanked up before the gas went up, so we have a few days leeway. If we had a safe place to store a gas can, we'd fill that too.

:: thanking Gods of all sorts that my brother made it up from Gautier in time::

[swallow-the-key.livejournal.com]

Yeah it'd be great if we actually could afford to fill up, it's up to 3.50 in Rome and surrounding, and more in rual areas.

[junebugged.livejournal.com]

I work at MSNBC, and what's MORE frightening is what they're NOT telling us.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Oh God... can you say, at all?

[redmapletree.livejournal.com]

You make the best headlines *ever*.

[greenwitch.livejournal.com]

Oh, and from what I'm hearing--if you are in Atlanta or thereabouts, fill up on gas NOW. Just--trust me on this. I know that people freaking out and buying up the gasoline elsewhere is driving up the prices, but--you can't overcharge for something you don't have, if you see what I'm saying.

Forget Atlanta -- prices in New Jersey went up by 30 to 50 cents overnight, and there's already been lines at stations all over the New York City area.

[guinevere33.livejournal.com]

Regular gasoline in Connecticut jumped from 2.67 to 2.97 last night.

[elbiesee.livejournal.com]

My suggestion about the Red Cross is to donate goods, not money. That way, you know it's being used.

They're televising a concert on Friday (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050901/music_nm/weather_katrina_concerts_dc;_ylt=AhAyVvtFMPHn6.L_iO.JZnpxFb8C;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl) to raise money. That way you're also getting entertained...

I kinda wish I could go down there and donate sweat labor, helping people out. Alas, real life duties call a bit louder.

[sienamystic.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure money is better to donate than goods, because for one, you don't know if you're donating things people need, and two, it takes more time and manpower to process.

[draconifers.livejournal.com]

Can. gas prices rose to $1.10...

[emisi.livejournal.com]

Whoa, are you telling us that gas in Canada is $1.10? Or am I misunderstanding you? BEcause if that's what you mean, I'm totally crossing the border to fill up next time I need to.

[allthelivesofme.livejournal.com]

DC Media Girl has compiled a list of charities, etc. here. (http://dcmediagirl.com/index.php?entry=entry20050830-181338)

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Awesome, thanks.

(frozen)

[cisforcorrie.livejournal.com]

"It appears that the money has been moved in the president’s budget to handle homeland security and the war in Iraq, and I suppose that’s the price we pay. Nobody locally is happy that the levees can’t be finished, and we are doing everything we can to make the case that this is a security issue for us."

-- Walter Maestri, emergency management chief for Jefferson Parish, Louisiana; New Orleans Times-Picayune, June 8, 2004.


I'm Canadian, and I apologize if I'm stepping over a line here, but that is something all Americans should be really pissed about.

(frozen)

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Well, that's why I posted it. Here's what pisses me off about that: it's not like we haven't spent the last couple of years, maybe more, dodging this shit. I actually came home FROM New Orleans on a hurricane weekend to find a tree in my yard split into thirds by lightning. To stop levee building KNOWING that hurricanes had been worsening is just criminally irresponsible.

[girlalmighty]

My school's looking to collect $5 from each of us to donate through the Salvation Army, but I don't know how reliable they are either.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I seem to remember hearing good things about them, though.

[crickets-lj.livejournal.com]

Who should we donate money to, y'all?

Here are a few links I've found on LJ regarding that. Hope they help with general information and options.

http://www.livejournal.com/users/easter/112931.html
http://www.livejournal.com/users/easter/113218.html
http://www.livejournal.com/users/oulangi/103893.html (w/links to 3 prior posts)
http://www.livejournal.com/community/iconistas/19217.html

[txvoodoo.livejournal.com]

Cleo, thank you for posting. I did, today, too. As I said elsewhere, I was a bit, well, not afraid to do so, but hesitant, because I'm well-aware that most of my f-list is there for the fandom news, video, and pretties, and I thought they'd say "meh, why is she soapboxing? Gimme the goodies!"

But this is hurting my heart so bad. All of it.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Look: if fandom can take up money to replace stolen computers and burned cats that don't even exist, it sure as fuck can take up money to help a million people who may end up homeless. In short, I got your back.

[reynardine.livejournal.com]

Mississippi has been hit very badly. I'm getting reports from family sources (my mother is originally from that area, and still has a lot of family there). It's just...there are no words. Evidently, her home town, Moss Point, was pretty much wiped out. Several of my cousins have completely lost their homes. Two of them (and their families) are still missing.

I spent a lot of time in the area (summers) as a child, and my husband was stationed in Biloxi for awhile at Keesler, so we both have very fond memories of both Biloxi and Gulfport. Seeing those images...we both are brought to tears. It's just too much.

My grandmother rode out Ivan last year in Pensacola, and I know that community still hasn't completely recovered yet, even though it's been a year, and even though Ivan (and Dennis before it) weren't anywhere near as destructive as Katrina. So ya'll can bet the problems in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are going to take a long time to address. THESE PEOPLE NEED HELP, and will continue to need help.

I've heard good things about the Salvation Army from folks that they've helped, but I don't know their record as regarding disasters.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Oh God. I'll keep your family in my thoughts.

I spent the better part of a week on Dauphin Island right after graduation, and I have a lot of great memories--and now I hear that a good chunk of it doesn't exist anymore. I know the feeling, a little bit.

[takarakanashi.livejournal.com]

Hahah, fucking Wal-Mart.

That's why I work at Target. We don't sell weapons. (har, if it's still there.)

Damned New Orleans amazons. Gotta go out and act like frickin' animals. Morons.

[junipersgame.livejournal.com]

Also, there's the humane society. No, not for humans, but there are tons and tons of stranded animals right now. The Humane Society is mobilizing a huge effort to save as many animals possible and to try to return them to their owners. If nothing else, after losing everything in their lives, having a beloved pet back will hopefully bring some victims comfort. Find out more at the US Humane Society's webpage: http://www.hsus.org/

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I've been thinking about that, actually--I felt terrible when I realized that you can't take pets to shelters, and so people either had to leave their pets behind or stay behind with them.

[jnerd.livejournal.com]

As much as I'm opposed to general lawlessness, I'm not so inclined to take a super-frowny view on some of the looting. I mean, the people who were stealing food and clothes? That's arguably just moving valuable materials for basic human needs around before they get waterlogged and unusable. If I were a convenience store owner from New Orleans, I would write off that sort of thing with my blessing and just calmly collect from the insurance company once the waters have parted.

On the other hand, I'm glad that I'm not down there with the crazed yahoos who think it's necessary to steal and possess firearms. Anyone who's nervous enough to think that guns are necessary probably isn't someone you want to have around you with a gun in hand.

[corruptedjasper.livejournal.com]

It's a self fulfilling prophecy, though. If there are bands of scared, hungry, armed young men with dysentery roaming a post-apocalyptic Waterworld/Mad Max situation with barely any law enforcement, if I knew how to use a gun, I'd wanna have one. More so if I was a woman.

[cheapblackpens.livejournal.com]

[french-affair.livejournal.com]

Wow, that is an amazing effort. Go NC!

Everyone is screwed with gas prices since many of the refineries are closed down. One-fourth of our nation's oil comes from the Gulf. The reserves are supposedly being opened, but you know how that goes.

Goodluck to your friend. I don't go to Tulane, but I'm a Freshman, as well, and it's quite scary having to evacuate you're school.

[pride4u2.livejournal.com]

Your commentary on a couple of those (the levee ones, specifically) made me laugh for the first time in a couple of days, even though the situation is, um, not funny. Glad you're safe, Cleo. *hugs*

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Well, if we can't laugh when things are bad, what the hell is laughter good for? ; )

[swallow-the-key.livejournal.com]

Im almost glad the president got to serve this second term, because he won't be able to serve more, unless he amends that too...And what pisses me off more is that, through all this with gas, and the hurricane he never does an address or get info out to the antions about what's going on. Oh but he hoped on tv to let us know he was starting a war. Thanks Dude.

Gas here just jumped 55 cents in 16 hours...and not too far from here they're suppliers have already announced one they empty their reserves, they're out. They say we may be out by labor day, but then they also say the pipelines and some of the gulf refineries will be fixed by then. So whatever, I need to get a mo-ped, or a hybrid car...no way I can survive with no cost of living raise. I want to kill myself.

[rockgeisha.livejournal.com]

Gov. Perdue of Georgia says, "There is no reason to panic. There is plenty of gas on the way. The only way we would have problems is if people rush out and try to horde and try to accumulate gasoline they won't need for a while."

[yarha.livejournal.com]

Yah, it's only price-gouging. Panic-buying should not be recommended. :p

Yarha, Resident of Atlanta

Some more places to donate

[eala-dubh.livejournal.com]

A few I've grabbed from Fark.com:

http://writerscafe.net/donations.html - earmarked to Americare's "Domestic Relief" fund. Original plug on fark here (http://forums.fark.com/cgi/fark/comments.pl?IDLink=1645834)
From Law Librairan Blog (http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/law_librarian_blog/2005/08/cash_donations_.html)
If you'd like to offer help: http://katrinahelp.info/wiki/index.php/Help_Offered

If you'd like to donate:
Red Cross - http://www.redcross.org/donate/donate.html
United Way- https://volunteer.united-e-way.org/hurricane-katrina/donate/
Noah's Wish- http://www.noahs-wish.org/index.htm - a not-for-profit
animal welfare organization that keeps animals alive during disasters.

The absolute best thing to do is to donate money. Unless you have the means to ship the goods and if the goods are urgently needed, then do not even consider sending them. The monies gathered will be spen by people who know what the immediate needs are.

[oulangi.livejournal.com]

Here's some links I put together - most link lists (mine included) are from the FEMA homepage. I added working links and their mission statement so people could see at a glance where the charity is coming from -

http://www.livejournal.com/users/oulangi/tag/katrina

Possibly more important (since these links really are everywhere) I found three independant charity watchdogs so people can make sure their $$ isn't going to gala fundraisers or huge salaries -

And read the blog of the guy I linked to in my last post. He's in an office building in Down Town NO -

[anonymisty.livejournal.com]

Who should we donate money to, y'all?

Water Missions (http://www.watermissions.org) is a great option.

There is no gas shortage.

[rectpropagation.livejournal.com]

Price gouging is ILLEGAL!

Please, PLEASE report price gouging (http://gaswatch.energy.gov/) because they will leave prices at this artifically inflated level if we let them.

I live in Athens and there are people who commute here from Atlanta. How are they supposed to go to school/work if people let gas hit $4 a gallon? It is already $3.69 a one station.

Re: There is no gas shortage.

[ninepointfivemm.livejournal.com]

My prof commutes from Atlanta to Augusta twice a week. Those 150 miles eat up gas veerrrry quickly. I don't even WANT to know what he pays for gas.

re:donating money

[ankhet.livejournal.com]

I haven't read through the comments, so you've probably got this already, but, I'd say that if you don't trust the Red Cross, donate to the Salvation Army. They don't charge for emergency relief, AFAIK.

[ladyhawke-wings.livejournal.com]

I hope that you will not allow these stories to sway you and that you will donate to the American Red Cross. I was an Associate Director for Disaster Services at the Massachusetts Bay Chapter some years ago and still volunteer with the Red Cross today. So I assure you that although this organization (like any other) is not perfect, it is uncommonly dedicated to it's goal of alleviating the suffering caused by disasters. Sometimes they are not very good at PR - but the work they do is very real and very needed.

However, if you remain skeptical, the Southern Baptists, 7th Day Adventists, Salvation Army, and United Way are all good places to donate. Although none of these organizations have quite the level of presence of the Red Cross, they are all very active in supporting disaster relief activities.

[wallace-the-mad.livejournal.com]

Just echoing this- I work as an administrative assistant for the Yakima Valley Chapter American Red Cross in eastern Washington State, and it is company policy that we let all donors know we are a non-profit organization and we DO NOT charge you for goods or services. I know some chapters operate differently from others, but that point is just standard policy. If someone has been charged for disaster relief operations, they should probably be reported to National.