Don't Blame Bush for Hurricane Katrina

A few truths, for those who have ears and eyes and care to know the truth:

1.) The hurricane that hit New Orleans and Mississippi and Alabama was an astonishing tragedy. The suffering and loss of life and peace of mind of the residents of those areas is acutely horrifying.

2.) George Bush did not cause the hurricane. Hurricanes have been happening for eons. George Bush did not create them or unleash this one.

3.) George Bush did not make this one worse than others. There have been far worse hurricanes than this before George Bush was born.

4.) There is no overwhelming evidence that global warming exists as a man-made phenomenon. There is no clear-cut evidence that global warming even exists. There is no clear evidence that if it does exist it makes hurricanes more powerful or makes them aim at cities with large numbers of poor people. If global warming is a real phenomenon, which it may well be, it started long before George Bush was inaugurated, and would not have been affected at all by the Kyoto treaty, considering that Kyoto does not cover the world's worst polluters -- China, India, and Brazil. In a word, George Bush had zero to do with causing this hurricane. To speculate otherwise is belief in sorcery.

5.) George Bush had nothing to do with the hurricane contingency plans for New Orleans. Those are drawn up by New Orleans and Louisiana. In any event, the plans were perfectly good: mandatory evacuation. It is in no way at all George Bush's fault that about 20 percent of New Orleans neglected to follow the plan. It is not his fault that many persons in New Orleans were too confused to realize how dangerous the hurricane would be. They were certainly warned. It's not George Bush's fault that there were sick people and old people and people without cars in New Orleans. His job description does not include making sure every adult in America has a car, is in good health, has good sense, and is mobile.

6.) George Bush did not cause gangsters to shoot at rescue helicopters taking people from rooftops, did not make gang bangers rape young girls in the Superdome, did not make looters steal hundreds of weapons, in short make New Orleans into a living hell.

7.) George Bush is the least racist President in mind and soul there has ever been and this is shown in his appointments over and over. To say otherwise is scandalously untrue.

8.) George Bush is rushing every bit of help he can to New Orleans and Mississippi and Alabama as soon as he can. He is not a magician. It takes time to organize huge convoys of food and now they are starting to arrive. That they get in at all considering the lawlessness of the city is a miracle of bravery and organization.

9.) There is not the slightest evidence at all that the war in Iraq has diminished the response of the government to the emergency. To say otherwise is pure slander.

10.) If the energy the news media puts into blaming Bush for an Act of God worsened by stupendous incompetence by the New Orleans city authorities and the malevolence of the criminals of the city were directed to helping the morale of the nation, we would all be a lot better off.

11.) New Orleans is a great city with many great people. It will recover and be greater than ever. Sticking pins into an effigy of George Bush that does not resemble him in the slightest will not speed the process by one day.

12.) The entire episode is a dramatic lesson in the breathtaking callousness of government officials at the ground level. Imagine if Hillary Clinton had gotten her way and they were in charge of your health care. God bless all of those dear people who are suffering so much, and God bless those helping them, starting with George Bush.



http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1479739/posts

Hyperbole and Exaggeration

Hyperbole and exaggeration are the mainstay of such people whose livelihood is based on the constant complaining and whining about other people in their own blog. It's incredible. This is who they are. This is their personality. You can't change it. You can only sit by with your mouth open and shake your head. This is what they love to do.

Now, why would people ever snicker at other innocent people's plight or deaths such as the survivors of Hurricane Katrina or the deaths of lightning victims? Let's be a bit more specific here, why would a Deaf man's "melodramatic" facial expressions (or other deaf people's "melodramatic" and descriptive behaviors) seen in the CNN videotape on deaf survivors of Hurricane Katrina elicit such a snicker, a smile, or a short guffaw response? Does anybody ever show any sense of sympathy or moral support for those who survived such a terrible ordeal? Is making contorted facial features from survivors in a show of grief or the horrors of surviving such an ordeal be worthy of a snicker or two? Is that how people contribute to the Hurricane relief effort to those who need help? A snicker and a laugh or two, and you're on your way?

The person I am referring to if you're able to follow the link above said he snickered, and now says his friend snickered. "Snickered" means funny as in "ha ha" and not as in "strange," "weird" or "something funny going on." Or else he wouldn't put in "I had to snicker."

I'm Sorry But I Had To Snicker: I know the tragedy in Gulf Coast communities are difficult and crazy but Deaf people sometimes are so melodramatic.

Yeah. I certainly can understand that. He had to. Really. He had to laugh. It was so funny. Facial expressions from traumatized Hurricane Katrina survivors are a real knee slapper moment. Whooeeee! It even rival the "funniness" of Bozo the Clown, too! Kids laughing at the odd and funny looking clown's face. Hee hee! EVERYBODY understands that. Surrreee. Yessiree Bob! Perhaps someday the traumatized Deaf guy who doesn't even know where his mother is and cried into the shoulders of a concerned Deaf friend will meet "R" and have him explain why the videotape of Deaf survivors of Hurricane Katrina was so funny? Yeah, more backpeddling moment there folks. He has a genuine feel for this guy and the people who survived the storm. Laughing about it is proof enough.

That is what many people have commented to me lately and so I now blog this as a confirmation of my own earlier response to that appalling behavior.

As for Patti Raswant, "R" initiated first contact to me via email (for the very first time!) after I removed his comment in deafsurvivors blog about him looking for Patti along with some snide comments about a different subject not related to deaf survivors. So, I banned him. It was my fault not to put the IP address of "R" in the first place and this whole thing would have been avoided. Supposedly so.

I neatly and calmly explained to "R" that he's simply "persona non grata" on all of my blogsite. He knows why. He just won't accept it. I've explained to him several times why. If you have a rule breaker, would you trust him? You got it, bro. No more of him in my blog comments.

Now, if he wanted to, he could request help via email to me if it's Hurricane Katrina related such as looking for a missing deaf person which I understand completely. That is what I said to him. But with his past abusive commentaries in my blog comment box toward me, attacked other commenters, and the use of foul language numerous times, I simply don't trust him to post comments in my blog because I've warned him several times to not do those things. He never bothered to respect my house rules. So, he's history on all of my blogs. It was a simple request. He never followed it to a "T". So, his only option was to email me.

However, in fairness and against my better judgement, I will "unban" him on deafsurvivors blog if he issue a public apology on his blog for making an offhand remark toward me in the blog comment that had nothing to do with Deafsurvivors topic. Everybody can contribute, even with those who disagree, on helping Deaf/deaf/hh survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Being disrespectful to the owner of the blog who is trying to help by making back-handed remarks is not the way to go.

Now, I want to help these survivors, both deaf and hearing, of which I have contributed donations (toys for children), supplies and effort to this. I don't need people mucking up in my blog comment just because he or she holds a past grudge against me. This is not about politics but about helping people get back on their feet. And "R" never helped at all when he posted that first comment that had nothing to do with Hurricane Katrina. Nothing! Other than looking for somebody. I can't get any plainer than that.

Now, in the second email to me after my first to his didn't fare well with his laced profanities and name calling. And so, bye bye. Didn't even bother to read the 3rd one which is probably laced with profanities and name calling like always. Like a spurned 5 year old kid. And so he lost his chance, again. He can't reach me via email no more. Better let a grown up do his job if he's looking for somebody. It's a matter of principle here, folks.

So there you go folks. Sometimes only a half a story with half-truths told by other people. This will also be my last blog (or anything related to his blogsite) about him. Yes, I have that willpower. He doesn't have it. We've seen it happen again and again and again. He essentially claims that every story he comes up with in his blog was all his idea. Fine. Whatever. Such as the CNN video is one example in his email to me. But, as I explained it to him in my last email, I don't read his blog first in the morning. I read Deafreedom.com (and other news blogs such as Michelle Malkin, Little Green Football, Kos, Huffington, Powerline..etc) first. A DF reader pasted a link about the video and so I thanked her and put it on my blogsite. I never knew about "R" CNN video until later when I finally got around to his blogsite a day or two later. Paranoidal delusion is a sick thing to watch.

"It's my idea! You can't have it! Liar! Liar! I thought of it first! You stole my idea! Mine! Mine! Mine! Miiinnneeee!"

OK.

And that's it as the world turns with "Hyperbole and Exaggeration."

Hurricane Katrina Pre-empts Cindy Sheehan's March

Looks like Cindy Sheehan cancelled her "Peace" march in Brunswick, Maine since she cannot compete against the destructiveness of Mother Nature against humanity and the tragedies that follow it. The MSM is more interested in Katrina's destruction than Sheehan's blatherings.

Organizers of a peace march from the Brunswick Mall to Brunswick Naval Air Station on Saturday morning — the first day of the Great State of Maine Air Show — hope to call attention to the role of the military in American society.

Cindy Sheehan — the woman who has been pressing President Bush for an answer to why her son died in the war in Iraq and who spent most of August camped with supporters outside Bush's Crawford, Texas, ranch — had been scheduled to march with protesters and to speak, but has canceled and will not march.

And the group was understandably disappointed without their leader.

Peace groups in Maine were disappointed this week to hear that Cindy Sheehan had called off her plan to appear in Brunswick on Saturday.

Awwww....

A spokeswoman for Sheehan said last week that she had canceled a trip to Italy to participate in Brunswick. But a new spokeswoman confirmed Tuesday that Sheehan had opted to join a bus caravan in Atlanta.

Cancelled a trip to Italy for a bus tour to Maine??

Sheehan also canceled a scheduled appearance in Colorado, Buffa said.

Three cancelled appearances? Why? Could it be that there wouldn't enough MSM reporters trying to get a shot of her?

Sheehan apparently agreed to visit Brunswick before she drew the spotlight during her vigil in Texas. Last winter, she appeared on a public access cable show hosted by Gagnon in Brunswick. Doug Rawlings, president of Veterans For Peace in Maine, speculated that Sheehan's choice to join the caravan in Atlanta was strategic, based on her ability to draw media attention.

No kidding? I'm sure Cindy Sheehan is angry at Hurricane Katrina for messing up her media frenzy tour. I'm upset at Hurricane Katrina, too, but not for that reason. She'll effectively blame President Bush for the hurricane that messed up her destiny for the tour spotlight.

Go back home, Cindy.

Al Franken if Now Officially Knee Deep in a $875,000 "Loan"

Michelle Malkin uncovers a very revealing side of Al Franken's sloppy lying side (Part I, see Brian Maloney's Part II), who, ironically, wrote a book called "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right." But even more telling is his new book called "The Truth" already on sale.

Al Franken was on Air America telling listeners that he had nothing to do with the $875,000 loan:

So I'm trying to be as responsible as I can, to know as much as I can about this, but I really have nothing to do with it. (laughter)

But, perhaps Al Franken need to revisit his own signature on a legal document signed on November 22, 2004 that specifically outlined the loans to Gloria Wise and required Air America to pay them back. In short, Al Franken knew. And he got caught with his pants down...all the way down to his ankles.





He may be a "comedian" but he is certainly an idiot the way he keeps digging himself a hole everytime he opens his mouth.

Keep up the good work Michelle and Brian!

More on Air America scam at:

When Randi Rhodes is Actually the Star of Air America...not Al Franken

When NYTimes Gets Busted for Lying to Help Cover Up Air America's Scandal

A Live Air America Radio Band Aid Solution

When Mainstream Media Refuse to Cover Air America Scandal

Lawyers Weigh In on Air America If "Stealing" of Kiddie Funds Actually Existed

Air America Stealing Money from Poor-Inner City Kids and Elderly?

When Hurricane Katrina Donations Exceeded Tsunami and 9/11 Donations

The bigger the catastrophe in the United States, the bigger outpouring of love, donations, and money to those affected by a disaster because it could happen to us. According to "The Chronicle of Philothrophy" total donations so far is $404 million dollars.

The pace of giving is unprecedented in recent American history. In the 10 days after September 11, Americans donated $239-million to charitable causes, and in the 9 days after the tsunamis hit, major American relief groups raised $163-million.

What's more, it hasn't been 10 or 11 days so far. It's barely a week old and we're still collecting donations. Besides money, there is an unknown amount of donations of food, clothing, toys, medicine and other essential supplies. A good donation is better than having no donation at all.

Way to go. This is how America works, neighbors helping neighbors.


Give a hoot! Please contribute.

Being Good Neighbors

People need to understand that there are people who need our help. This goes beyond partisan lines. No time to hold grudges. If they can't let themselves go and get past their inner hatreds, then those are the people we cannot trust to help others regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious beliefs and such in times of needs.

Right now, I have two boxes of toys, children books, coloring books and crayons that my daughters have decided to give away after I told them about one family's house that was hit by the storm. The toys are to be donated to two little girls age 5 and 2. I don't even know whether the family is white or not. Nor do I care. It's the little ones that remember the horrors the most because they simply do not have the capacity to understand why it happened. What greater joy in seeing other children open up a box from strangers seeing toys, dolls, stuffed animals, coloring books, crayons and children's reading books? A little bit of Christmas and birthday all rolled into one.

Now, if people want to complain, point fingers all the time, choose not to help, and subject themselves to their own obnoxious pettiness to continue with their little political hackings as much as possible, then be my guest. Fine. I'd rather be neighborly as possible at a time like this to help bring a little bit of hope into their lives after losing everything. There are two types of people, those that want to help, those that do not.

Some people will NEVER learn!! They need to get over their stupid petty differences! What have they done lately besides complain and hold grudges about what happened in the past? Be a "man" and let it go. Let your big ego and pride go.


And start helping.

When Disaster Preparedness at the Local Level Fails

We know that the city of New Orleans had some time to work on improving their Disaster Plan but the more we look at it the more questions we have for officials at the state and local government levels. Even after a near hit with Hurricane Ivan last year the city of New Orleans was still trying to improve it's disaster preparedness plans. Only after realizing that Ivan pointed out flaws in Louisiana's disaster plan.

Residents and travelers looking to flee the wrath of Hurricane Ivan in Louisiana ran into traffic jams that lasted hours. Yet others could not afford to leave the city and had to find their own shelter. While the state avoided a direct hit from the storm, it exposed what experts call major flaws in the state's civil disaster plans -- especially in New Orleans.

"If the government asks people to evacuate, the government has some responsibility to provide an option for those people who can't evacuate and are at the whim of Mother Nature," Joe Cook of the New Orleans ACLU told The Associated Press.

It's always been a problem, but the situation is worse now that the Red Cross has stopped providing shelters in New Orleans for hurricanes rated above Category 2. Stronger hurricanes are too dangerous, and Ivan was a much more powerful Category 4. With Ivan just hours away, the city decided to open the Louisiana Superdome to the public.

The main safety measure -- getting people out of town -- raised its own problems. More than 1 million people tried to leave the city and surrounding suburbs, creating a seven-hour-long crawl for the 60 miles between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Eventually, police opened inbound lanes to outbound traffic.Gov. Kathleen Blanco acknowledges the need to improve traffic flow and said state police should consider reversing highway lanes earlier. They also promised meetings with governments in neighboring localities and state transportation officials to improve evacuation plans.

Perhaps a second time is a charm to make things work the next time, unfortunately.

However, nothing in the Disaster Preparedness plan talked about evacuating those without any means of transportation (ie. public school buses). Mayor Nagin failed to give an order on implementing the hundred of school buses to help evacuate those who have no means of transportation. How could he? The city never had a disaster plan in place specifically for that.

What's more interesting is that in April of 2003 Mayor Nagin proudly introduced the city's "IntelliCast Target Notification" to add to the city's safety plan. The ITN is an emergency warning system used to notify citizens of New Orleans for a wide spectrum of crises from hurricanes to missing children.

IntelliCast Target Notification is a telephone-based emergency notification tool used by public safety officials to rapidly identify, notify and instruct affected individuals in crisis situations. Intrado is a new corporate partner of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Mayor Nagin is the Chair of the Business Council for the Conference.

IntelliCast Target Notification is a cost effective, mass notification service for rapidly distributing critical information. It is a more comprehensive service than competitive systems because of its high calling capacity, and the accuracy of is telephone number and geographic information system (GIS) database. As a result, New Orleans officials will be able to contact thousands of the right individuals within minutes, delivering instructions on precisely how to respond to any emergency.

If the ITN is so cost effective and has the ability to mass notify the thousands of "right individuals" within minutes, then were the names of bus drivers included in their database as part of their hurricane evacuation preparedness plan? If not so, why not? And if so, did the city use ITN to try and round up bus drivers or emergency volunteer drivers to help evacuate the people of New Orleans?

The irony continues,

George Heinrichs, president and CEO of Intrado, maker of ITN, about the recent contract win from the city of New Orleans said, "Mayor Nagin's decision to implement IntelliCast Target Notification underscores that even in times of tight municipal budgets, our service is a must have public safety tool for New Orleans' safe city arsenal."

Here's another one:

"Public safety continues to be a top priority for mayors in this country," said New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, chairman of The Mayors Business Council, USCM. "We need to maintain our focus on keeping citizens secure. Public/private partnerships such as this one with Intrado (make of Intellicast Target Notification help us to further the USCM’s stated goal of working hand-in-hand with members of the business community."

Yet, those yellow school buses never moved once. Why?

And let us not forget the U.S. Coast Guard post-hurricane rescue efforts who have plucked almost 16,000 stranded people off of their roofs when those yellow school buses could've done the job before the storm hit:

But, within hours of Hurricane Katrina striking the city, and even before the deadly floods began, Coast Guard helicopters from Mobile and other stations were flying rescue missions over the city.

By Sunday evening, the helicopter missions operated out of the Coast Guard Aviation Training Center in Mobile had saved 4,243 lives from Katrina, officials said. The entire Coast Guard-wide effort had reached 15,655 lives saved, and Chief Petty Officer Paul Rhynard reported, "This is unprecedented for the Coast Guard."
Rhynard said further,

"These are continuous flights, around-the-clock, 24-hours-a-day."

The howling winds of the hurricane had barely died down Monday evening when helicopter crews began being dispatched from the Coast Guard Aviation Training Center at Mobile to pluck Katrina's victims out of the water and off the rooftops.

In more ways than one, the city of New Orleans was woefully inadequate to help people evacuate at the very beginning which would have alleviated many of the problems down the road.

For more information on other state and local preparedness plans, along with a partial timeline, and the outline on responsibilities of state and local governments, go here:

Everything start at the local level to help people evacuate. Then it goes to the state for more help and then finally a request to the White House for federal help from the Governor. But it is the Governor who has the power to request Federal help in disaster emergencies, not the Mayor.

When Decadence Day is a Dud at New Orleans

With all the horrors and ravages of Hurricane Katrina ruining New Orleans, one such annual festival will certainly not transpire this week is the "Southern Decadence Day" which is nothing more than a Gay Mardi Gras day. This is where gays, lesbians and transgendered would decend upon the French Quarters like moths to a flame.

Amid the tragedy, about two dozen people gathered in the French Quarter for the Decadence Parade, an annual Labor Day gay celebration. Matt Menold, 23, a street musician wearing a sombrero and a guitar slung over his back, said: "It's New Orleans, man. We're going to celebrate."

Nothing to cry about for this event. No biggie.

When a Democrat Mayor of New Orleans and Democrat Gov. of Louisiana Mess Up

It's all President Bush' fault and yet people refuse to look at Louisiana Governor Blanco's (white, Democrat) and Mayor Ray Nagin of New Orleans (black, Democrat) who have basically fumbled in this whole evacuation process.

From the home page of http://www.drudgereport.com
Louisiana disaster plan, pg 13, para 5 , dated 01/00

'The primary means of hurricane evacuation will be personal vehicles. School and municipal buses, government-owned vehicles and vehicles provided by volunteer agencies may be used to provide transportation for individuals who lack transportation and require assistance in evacuating'...

Why didn't Mayor Ray Nagin of New Orleans use school buses that are now sitting damaged and useless in floodwaters? Remember, the brunt of Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana on August 27.

But thanks to Governor Blanco, she belatedly signed an Executive Order releasing school buses for evacuation uses on SEPTEMBER 1, 2005!! Leaving those behind unable to leave New Orleans and condemning them to their own fate to the raging storm and rising floodwaters.

Date: 9/1/2005

Contact:Denise Bottcher or Roderick Hawkins at
225-342-9037

Governor Blanco Announces Executive Order Baton Rouge, LA

Governor Blanco today announced the following Executive Order:Executive Order NO. KBB
2005- 31- provides that pursuant to the Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act, R.S. 29:721, et seq., grants emergency powers to the governor, where, she has in consultation with school superintendents, utilized public school buses for transportation of Hurricane Katrina evacuees. As you are aware most public school districts will not begin school until Tuesday, September 6th 2005. The full text of the above mentioned
proclamation is available on the Internet at www.gov.state.la.us.

And you still think it's President Bush' fault?

Behind the scenes, a power struggle emerged, as federal officials tried to wrest authority from Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco (D). Shortly before midnight Friday (August 26!), the Bush administration sent her a proposed legal memorandum asking her to request a federal takeover of the evacuation of New Orleans, a source within the state’s emergency operations center said Saturday.

The administration sought unified control over all local police and state National Guard units reporting to the governor. Louisiana officials rejected the request after talks throughout the night, concerned that such a move would be comparable to a federal declaration of martial law.

Some officials in the state suspected a political motive behind the request. “Quite frankly, if they’d been able to pull off taking it away from the locals, they then could have blamed everything on the locals,” said the source, who does not have the authority to speak publicly.

A senior administration official said that Bush (see here when Congress actually has this authority) has clear legal authority to federalize National Guard units to quell civil disturbances under the Insurrection Act and will continue to try to unify the chains of command that are split among the president, the Louisiana governor and
the New Orleans mayor.

Louisiana did not reach out to a multi-state mutual aid compact for assistance until Wedesday, three state and federal officials said. As of Saturday, Blanco still had not declared a state of emergency, the senior Bush official said.

“The federal government stands ready to work with state and local officials to secure New Orleans and the state of Louisiana,” White House spokesman Dan Bartlett said. “The president will not let any form of bureaucracy get in the way of protecting the citizens of Louisiana.

Gee, a funny thing happened on August 30, 3 days later after President Bush talked to Governor Blanco, Mayor Nagin declared Martial Law for New Orleans AFTER consulting with Governor Blanco. Although a Mayor nor a Governor can declare Martial Law. They can, however, declare a state of emergency. Declaring Martial Law is a Federal action.

The Governor of Louisiana was thinking politics while President Bush was thinking ahead for the safety and protection of people of Louisiana. Now, if ya'll thinking impeachment, better look at Louisiana Governor Blanco and Mayor Nagin of New Orleans first.

Geez, those loony Lefties right off the bat condemning President Bush without even looking at the regional and local levels of incompentency surrounding New Orleans.

Right now, we need to rescue people stuck out in New Orleans out of New Orleans so clean up can begin.

U.S. Forest Service Waives Camping Fees for Hurricane Victims

Looks like everybody is doing their part to temporarily help relieve the transititioning for Hurricane Katraina survivors. The U.S. Forest Service is waiving camping fees for those people:

The USDA Forest Service is taking another step to assist survivors of Hurricane Katrina by temporarily rescinding the fee requirement for campgrounds and the 14-day stay limit for camping on some National Forest System lands in the Southern Region. The normal fee range is $4.00 to $25.00 depending on the location.

The forests offering free camping include the Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana, the National Forests of Alabama, the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest in Arkansas, the Ouachita National Forest in Arkansas and Oklahoma and the National Forests and Grasslands of Texas. In all, 106 campgrounds are open without charge to victims of Hurricane Katrina as they transition through these first weeks of the disaster.

Hints to Complainers

Day by Day.

Exactly. Don't stand there. Do something for a change!

Donations Exceed $287 Million

The surging amount of donations is surpasing $287 million dollars in 6 days. Compare that to the tsunami and the 9/11 donation efforts.

In an unprecedented surge of giving, individuals and companies donated more than $125 million in the past two days to help those devastated by Hurricane Katrina, bringing the total to more than $287 million, charities reported Friday.

The pace of donations has exceeded the outpouring after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, said Stacy Palmer, editor of the Chronicle of Philanthropy, which tracks charitable giving.

Thanks for the donations. Please, keep it coming. Contact your favorite charity for donations.

Deaf Survivors Found at the Houston Astrodome

Click on Deaf Survivors Blog for more information.

If You Are Complaining, You Are Not Helping

I've noticed on several blogs lately where instead of finding ways to help victims of Hurricane Katrina whether it's through donation, blogging, or volunteering help, these bloggers want to complain and politicize every conceivable actions against people who are trying to help. Actions are worth more than words alone. Roll up your sleeves and start doing something. Anything.

Now, I understand there were some terrible lapses but then again we have never dealt such a situation as this, nor the enormous logistical nightmare that lay before us in the first few days after Hurricane Katrina. The breaching of Lake Ponchartrain just made things worse adding more to the logistical nightmare.

Again, the internet has once again proven its power to help and move people around the world.

Help the victims of Hurricane Katrina anyway you can. Even posting a simple link to the American Red Cross. Contribution effort is the heart of the soul.

Group of Deaf People Found at Houston Astrodome

GROUP OF DEAF PEOPLE FOUND AT HOUSTON ASTRODOME!

Please contact deafsurvivors@hotmail.com to submit names of people you are looking for.

Visit Deaf Survivors Blog for more info and instructions.

NOLA Aerial Photos of Destruction

Go here and check out a 31-picture slideshow showing the destruction of Hurricane Katrina's wrath and the vulnerability of Lake Ponchartrain's levee system had on the city of New Orleans. One of the slideshow, #30, shows New Orleans yellow school buses sitting, unused, in floodwaters when the Mayor of New Orleans could have put them into live saving use in the evacuation efforts for those who had no means of transportation.


Approximately 95 yellow school buses seen
sitting in floodwaters.


Now, each bus is capable of carrying approximately 40 people. One trip alone evacuating New Orleans would evacuate 3800 people (using the 95 buses seen in the picture, and we may be talking about several hundred yellow school buses sitting unused, now forever damaged by floodwaters) multiplied however many trips needed throughout the day in shuttling those out of New Orleans. With all of the yellow school buses already available, they can easily transport 30,000 to 40,000 evacuees every two hours out of New Orleans fish bowl for those who do not own cars or have other means of transportation. Why didn't the Mayor of New Orleans choose to do this? Hey, better look a bit closer at New Orleans than President Bush.

No, Michael Moore, those are not Twinkies. Remember, Twinkies are no longer being made.

Using Currently Closed Military Bases as Semi-Permanent Refugee Centers

Here's an idea. Use currently closed military bases that can be used as semi-permanent city for Hurricane Katrina refugees? I think people are already starting to suggest this.

Here's one site that list the "Planned Property Disposals at 23 Bases Closed in the 1993." 1993 was the most recent BRAC closing of military bases.

Check out the "Timeline for 2005 Base Closures"

September 8, 2005: Deadline for the Base Closure Commission to transmit its recommendations to the President. The President has until September 23, 2005, to approve or disapprove the recommendations. If he approves, he transmits them to Congress. The list is binding unless both Houses of Congress pass a joint resolution of disapproval within 45 legislative days.

So, we might have an answer on where to put these refugees over the next 3 to 4 months. How fast can this go for President Bush to enact an emergency measure to use closed military bases, current and future, for Hurricane Katrina refugees?

Using closed military bases for homeless people, click on the link, scroll down and read the "Base Closure Process" and
"Recommendations for Acquiring Property to Serve the Homeless."

In fact, use Walter Reed hospital , slated to be closed, which have beds, cafeteria, other amenties and dormitories!

Michelle Malkin, are you listening? President Bush, are YOU listening??

More Updates On Deaf Survivors Blog

Please check out Deaf Survivors Blog for more information on emergency contacts, missing deaf and hard of hearing people, more names or organizations to contact, and other people who can help with proper communication emergency help for deaf and hard of hearing people. The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is testing everybody's resolve.

Also, check out Michelle Malkin's list of Texas bloggers doing their best to help out.

UPDATE: Got a neat idea suggested by Eve and Lantana. Why not use the now already closed military bases to relocate refugees to and get them out of those crampy Astrodome and relief centers? Michelle Malkin, are you listening??

UPDATE 2: Oh, yeah, and relocate those Hurricane Katrina refugees before President Bush ultimately decides to convert closed military bases into future oil refineries. A smart thing to do when oil refineries are out of commission in Louisiana to Hurricane Katrina.

UPDATE 3: Of course, just don't send the Hurricane Katrina refugees here. Michelle Malkin et al, are you listening??

Deaf Survivors Blog - Where are you?

There is a new blog dedicated to help deaf and hard of hearing friends and loved ones find each other after catastrophic events such as Hurricane Katrina. Communication is the biggest hurdle to overcome for these people. Please visit Deaf Survivors Blog to submit names of friends and loved ones that you are looking for hoping. Please spread the word so that others won't be left wondering where these people are.

Before and After Satellite Photos of New Orleans, and Deaf Survivors of Hurricane Katrina

See the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans in before and after satellite photos.

Where are deaf and hard of hearing survivors of Hurricane Katrina survivors? Has anyone heard of Suzy Ledet who lives just outside of New Orleans? What about Biloxi or other hard hit areas? Did any deaf people stay behind to try and ride out the storm?

National Association of the Deaf is keeping a close eye on areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. Communication issues will be addressed as soon as possible when it becomes practicable. But is this "wait-and-see" attitude a good thing?

Deaf Coffee of New Orleans, Louisiana, survivors of the storm?

Louisiana Commission for the Deaf has a list of offices throughout the state where assistance or direction for deaf/hh survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Will they be helping out to provide services and other needs to deaf/hh survivors?

Will Sorenson VRS help with the communication part? Perhaps set up interpreters via their product?

Are deaf/hh bloggers doing anything to help? Are they covering news on deaf/hh people that may be missing or need help? Are they helping them find other lost or missing people find each other? Or are they sitting on their duffs and politicizing the whole thing and do the whole blame game instead?

Contact the American Red Cross for help or donation for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

If you don't have a Sorenson, use the Sprint Relay from your computer to make phone calls to the American Red Cross or other charities, or contact services for more information regarding people or areas impacted by Hurricane Katrina.