Amen! I wish everyone's story had a good outcome like yours, :)

ETA: I just heard on NPR that by tomorrow, there will be 7,000 troops in New Orleans to assist/protect those providing aid and assistance.

Here's another website to find survivors...
http://www.hurricanekatrinasurvivors.com/main/

Dolphinchica, I'm so glad that your friend is alright!

I do think that in the middle of all of the ugliness that is going on, it is good to stop and be thankful for those who have been able to make it out.

I would be interested to know what really IS going on.... But I'm not sure if I could handle listening to what is being said when they don't think the world is listening.

Sorry buddy, I dont' usually disagree with you but I do here.
First, these reporters are in the direct area, the rest of us are not. We are thousands of miles away (But for the record a few people I work with have contemplated going to the area to help out on our employer's dollar and I'm willing to do it, I'll put my money where my mouth is). For anyone that is wondering, I also donated my last quarterly bonus to a charitable foundation for this relief effort. Yes, it was a few grand.

I'd also just like to mention that there are probably many many people across the country that would give anything they could to be there. So why don't they go? It would be total chaos if we had thousands upon thousands of volunteers trying to get to the area. It would hamper the efforts of getting the people of the area out via air, land and/or water. You can't fly into the direct area, many of the areas where some reports are coming from still can't be reached by air and/or land. And it would also be chaotic because there would be all kinds of volunteers with no type of organization. It would be a traveling nightmare. Right now the area needs as much open road and open transportation as possible.

Okay...I am going to put my two cents in here.

First off, why are people making this out to be a race issue. Blacks are not the only low-income people who have been stranded at the Superdome or Convention Center. Like it was aid before, it comes down to money/socioeconomic status.

As for the rapes...why didn't anyone stop them? With so many people at the convention center, someone should have stepped in. Apparently, there was some drug use and drinking taking place there also. We can all comment that drinking makes you do or say things that you really regret later.

I agree that there should have been tons of relief supplies sent to the "refugees." But I don't blame the government one bit that they stopped because someone was shooting at the very helicopters trying to deliver aid.

As for the looting, I can understand taking food, drinks and even in some cases, clothes from stores. Those are VITAL items for survival. It is the taking of TVs, video games, expensive sneakers that burns me. There is no need for it.

I got the impression that the reporters were struggling also. They had limited supplies of food, water and gasoline. I am sure that they are out. I have heard countless stories of reporters being asked for use of their cell phone. Even the reporters are having troubles using them. I can remember Shepperd Smith from Fox calling in one report from a Pay Phone on the street!

These reporters are not purposely ignoring the pleas and needs of those displaced in NOLA. There is only so much they can do. I think they are doing a damn good job showing what is truly happening down there. Made a whole lot of important people wake up and realized that in no way was the US prepared for a disaster of this nature.

I am ready to be flamed, but please...take a moment to think about those who have lost EVERYTHING in these affected cities. Do what you can to help, every little bit is needed.

I work in a hospital - there is a large group of physicians getting ready to go down to New Orleans for at least two weeks (possibly more) to help with medical care. I assume there are other hospitals around the country doing the same thing.

ZTABullwinkle, you'll get no flaming from me. I think alot of what you said was right on.

I too can understand taking food and water and such from the stores. But some people have gone too far. Just where are they going to TAKE those electronics now that they have stolen them?

And I see no need whatsoever to be shooting at people who are doing what little they can to help.

While many may not see it as racism, many also do - geven of course the fact that racism or discrimination has alot to do with why so many of those left behind are from the poorest segments of society. Now that being said I have seen on some of the international media broadcasts rather blunt statements about this revealing the "ugly side" of America - the racism, the economic disparity, the violence, and the hypocracy (not my words but those of some foreign reporters).

Which of course leads me to ask if anyone else saw the BBC reporter "lose it" reporting about his disgust with the treatment of African Americas by the government and authorities - I think it was the incident he reported regarding a cop yelling racial epitaths and threatening a old woman seeking help with a shotgun before driving off... which prompted the BBC crew to render medical aid to the woman and family (woman had a snake bite).

I'd be interested in learning exactly what effect the images and reporting is having internationally... given that I have seen the foreign reporters pull less punches, and not really hold back from showing graphic images.

There is already a thread on GC about the looting. As much as I would like to flame, I don't think this thread was intended to be one so I'll just refer folks to this one.

Looting In New Orleans

ETA: My company is sponsoring employees to travel down to NOLA/Miss to assist with helping those affected. I'm not sure if this is affiliated with the American Red Cross or if this will strickly by a Cox thing, but nevertheless I am going.

I know Cisco is doing something very similiar too, but I think they are partnering with the American Red Cross and Habitat For Humanity.

The big disconnect on New Orleans

The official version; then there's the in-the-trenches version

Friday, September 2, 2005; Posted: 3:34 p.m. EDT (19:34 GMT)

What Is This? NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (CNN) -- Diverging views of a crumbling New Orleans emerged Thursday. The sanitized view came from federal officials at news conferences and television appearances. But the official line was contradicted by grittier, more desperate views from the shelters and the streets.

These conflicting views came within hours, sometimes minutes of each of each other, as reflected in CNN's transcripts. The speakers include Michael Brown, chief of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, evacuee Raymond Cooper, CNN correspondents and others. Here's what they had to say:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/02/kat...nse/index.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is heartwrenching to read, so you've been warned. :(

The smallest victims...children

http://www.cnn.com/video/player/play...ll.victims.cnn

Our mayor has realized the magnitude of the situation and has canceled all conventions in order to convert two of our convention facilities into emergency relief shelters and take in another 25,000+. His response to questions about the legal implications of canceling contracted conventions…“go ahead and sue us.”

I believe I also heard that they are putting people in Reliant Arena as well. Have you heard that?

To my knowledge at this point only the Astrodome, Astrohall (convention center adjacent to the Astrodome) and the Reliant Center (convention center adjacent to Reliant Park) are being used as emergency shelters. From what the news said there will 15,000 in the Astrodome, 11,000 in the Astrohall and 11,000 in the Reliant Center.

So I just talked to my guy who is a resident at a hospital in Houston. He said they have been taking care of LOTS of people coming in from New Orleans. He said the stories are heartbreaking and hard to believe... Even after talking to them. He sounds pretty affected by it. But, he is so glad that he is able to help them.