Pass the word. Registry for survivors and friend and family searching for information.

http://www.im-ok.org

This news hit home today when a friend going to school in New Orleans called me up.

He’s back home with his parents, but he calmly let me me know at the end of our conversation that everything he has is gone except for the 1 bag he packed for himself and the other bag for his 2 dogs, so dog stuff and a few t-shirts and jeans and the clothes on his back.

Everything else is under water in his apartment next to the University of New Orleans and they will not let anyone back there for 90 days.

He recently got divorced and left his home with nothing but the dogs and his clothes in May, so he’s lost everything twice in the past 3 months.

It’s interesting how TV desensitizes us because it was a series of images on the tube for me until my buddy called cheerfully letting me know he was fine and off-handedly commented that he no longer had a job, lost access to finish his PHD, and lost his home again during this whole mess.

I hope everyone who lives in a major metro area is paying close attention to the evac/rescue fiasco in New Orleans. This is *at least* how bad it will be if terrorists set off a dirty bomb.

I never got to visit New Orleans. Now I probably never will. That city is gone.

And let’s not forget all the other towns that were *totally* wiped away by Katrina.

Hi jk

This is distressing. I visited N’Awlins last October, and it was a magic spot. The atmosphere was incredible.

What struck me was how much of a delicate balance NO is in.

Yet, somehow, it works. Perhaps because of the delicate balance.

To hear and see that amazing city wiped out is distressing, because it represents something special in humanity.

I share your feelings of distress.

Des

I had the great pleasure of visiting New Orleans whilst I was on exchange at Emory University, Atlanta a couple of years back. I never realised it was so low compared to the sea and lake. The humidity though was intense for me a European so I really feel for the people and animals stuck without food and water right now. The water seems to be rising now around the Superdome and across the city. I remember New Orleans as a uniquely lively place, with some of the most stunning architecture I have seen in individual houses. Hopefully the army can fill in the breaches in the leevies and the canals, but its 200 ft wide I understand.
I too am watching the coverage now, as I can here in Europe, (unfortunately CNN international has stopped back to back coverage here and Fox still prefers Iraq news)
The CNN website though is good and has a very moving video interview with a man who lost his wife, which I would commend to everyone