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Sep. 4th, 2005 05:59 pmOkay, I have such a swamp of links that I'm going to spam you with a few separate entries by topic. This one is charity and aid.
Most people I'm talking to are overwhelmed with frustration that they can't do anything--not just donate, but physically go down to New Orleans and do anything. Let's face it, though--even if you and I drove down there, they wouldn't let us in. And even if we got in, we would (well, I know I would) not be much help. If you're trained in medical or rescue aid, that's one thing; but most of us aren't, and would only get sick, injured, and/or in the way. Now, when the city is finally drained and Habitat for Humanity goes down there to rebuild--yeah, that's when you can go down and help. But right now, the most helpful thing you can do is 1) donate money and 2) keep yourself informed in terms of all sides of the story. (You'll see what I mean in the next entry.) We're just going to have to be keyboard warriors for now.
anatsuno, bringer of many links this weekend:
People can now also donate time online to help gather and consolidate missing persons / found persons messages from all over the place.
A different kind of help you can donate to.
Some people are writing about NOLA reconstruction.
I've lost the name of the poster who brought me this, but it's another good Red Cross donation option: "Barry and the Manilow Fund for Health and Hope have both agreed: You donate $1.00… Barry will match your $1.00… and the Manilow Fund will match another $1.00…. so your one dollar becomes $3.00."
JournalFen: Something Awful raises $20,000 for the Red Cross; PayPal takes it away.
I think this got buried under a cut in a previous entry, but if you've been curious to try Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab oils, this season's Limited Edition blends will benefit the Red Cross and Katrina victims. Unfortunately you can't get samples of LEs, so it is $16 for a 5 ml bottle (and since this is very concentrated oil, that's a lot, trust me). The Lab's blends are often very complex and will change on your skin while you wear them; while they will differ on each person due to body chemistry, when they say "crackling leaves," that is actually what you will smell. (I have a decant of Samhain 2004, and yes, it's exactly as advertised.) Sometimes almost bizarrely true to life, BPAL oils are an experience in themselves.
ALL SAINT'S 2005
Revisited! Based on a venerable French pontifical incense blend: monastic frankincense and myrrh, Damascus rose, Russian gardenia, cassia, and lily of the valley wafting on a chill Autumn wind. A celebration of the glory and suffering of the saints and matryrs of the Church.
DEVIL'S NIGHT
This is the scent of autumn night, fires in the distance, with a touch of boozy swoon, playful sugar and thuggish musk.
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS 2005
Revisited! This is a Mexican paean to La Huesuda: dry, crackling leaves, the incense smoke of altars honoring Death and the Dead, funeral bouquets, the candies, chocolates, foods and tobacco of the ofrenda, amaranth, sweet cactus blossom and desert cereus.
SAMHAIN 2005
Revisited! Truly the scent of autumn itself -- damp woods, fir needle, and black patchouli with the gentlest touches of warm pumpkin, clove, nutmeg, allspice, sweet red apple and mullein.
SUGAR SKULL 2005
Revisited! A blend of five sugars, lightly dusted with candied fruits.
TRICK OR TREAT
The sticky sweet scent of candy corn!
THE PUMPKIN PATCH
For your demonic lantern-carving pleasure, we present five delightfully strange pumpkin variants:
Pumpkin with apple cider and mulling spice.
Pumpkin with cocoa, hazelnut and walnut.
Pumpkin and pomegranate.
Pumpkin with sandalwood and orris.
Pumpkin with five woods, English ivy and galangal root.
Sold only in the Pumpkin Patch set, available until November 15th, 2005.
Hey Cleo. I live in West Virginia, and a whole bunch of the stereotypes are true--many people have bad grammar, bad mullets, bad teeth--but here's a great one: West Virginians are kindly, welcoming people with big hearts who just want to help. Our governor, Joe Manchin, just issued an open invitation to NOLA refugees to come stay here. They're being flown up on military transports and housed in a base, where they'll go through a sort of triage and get plenty of food, water, clothes, and hot showers. They first wave of people is coming now--about 80. Our local news says they expect maybe 500, all told. That's not many of the thousands and thousands displaced--but it was enough to make me cry (I'm a big baby). As far as I've heard, Manchin's the first governor of a state not immediately in the area to open it up like this. I hope more follow.
I got most of this from my local news; I couldn't really find an online news resource. I did manage to find Manchin's statement, though.
My favorite part? Manchin described WV as a big family. Even though I badmouth you all day long for having no cities and no culture, I love you, West Virginia.
West Virginia is, by the way, one of the only safe places in this country to live.
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Date: 2005-09-04 11:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-04 11:11 pm (UTC)Let me know if it's not, and I'll upload the image at some freeshare place.
Keep up the good work.
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Date: 2005-09-05 12:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-04 11:14 pm (UTC)http://cdbaby.com
a much-loved indy music site, has arranged with the artists on hundreds of CDs in its catalog to donate all profits from sales of the selected albums to the Red Cross.
I've had trouble searching for specific groups, but hey. Pick a genre and browse. You'll fall in love with a deserving artist who you've never heard of before and get a legal disc out of the deal for a donation that will matter.
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Date: 2005-09-05 12:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-05 12:12 am (UTC)::adds wonderful dorothy parker icon to list of 16-50 when i buy more::
(with your kind permission)
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Date: 2005-09-05 12:29 am (UTC)And it is a wonderful poem, isn't it? I have it tattooed on my right forearm.
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Date: 2005-09-04 11:18 pm (UTC)I like this phrase: keyboard warriors. Considering how much information, education, and socialization I receive online, it's perfect.
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Date: 2005-09-05 12:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-04 11:36 pm (UTC)I'll also be sending paypal a very pissed-off email.
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Date: 2005-09-04 11:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-05 12:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-05 12:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-05 12:22 am (UTC)So getting a bottle.
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Date: 2005-09-05 12:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-05 01:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-05 01:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-04 11:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-05 12:18 am (UTC)Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski opens the state to 1000 Katrina refugees (http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-12/1125793440270340.xml&storylist=orlocal) "In the days since Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, Oregonians from every corner of the state have reached out wanting to help," Kulongoski said in a statement. "Our offer has been accepted and now its our time to pull together to help those victims who lost their homes and their communities find some solace so they can regain their strength and begin healing from the tragedy that they — and our nation — have endured."
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Date: 2005-09-05 01:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-05 03:29 am (UTC)*goes to search for a local blood bank in the meantime*
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Date: 2005-09-05 06:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-05 07:12 am (UTC)I'm packing up some of my plus size clothes and making a donation.
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Date: 2005-09-05 12:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-05 07:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-05 01:39 pm (UTC)Yesterday we spent the day with a huge family that escaped NO. There's at least 20 people in one house, and more on the way. Some of them have gotten to stay in nearby apartment complexes as well. My husband's parents live next door to this house and did a huge cook out for them. It was just really interesting to hear from some people first hand about getting out of NO and what they'd lost and such (I'll post more in my LJ today). But one thing that just made me proud to be a Texan was one woman who said that they just couldn't believe how generous Texas was being.
It was just good to be able to do a little bit to brighten someone's day first hand.
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Date: 2005-09-05 06:15 pm (UTC)The LLA Disaster Relief Fund is now accepting monetary donations to assist school, public, and academic library restoration efforts in southeastern Louisiana. Please make checks payable to: LLA-Disaster Relief and mail to:
LLA
421 South 4th St
Eunice, LA 70535
You're doing excellent work, Cleo. Thank you for it.
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Date: 2005-09-06 04:05 am (UTC)Not to mention it is the best place to hide in case of zombie attacks, as there are fewer people and the zombies are likely to starve before they find you.
Go WV!