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Thursday, September 08, 2005

Thoughts on Rebuilding

One thing I find incredible is the belief that there can be such a thing as completely safe place to build. When you hear people talking about the "wisdom" of abandoning civilization along the gulf coast and moving all those stupid risk takers somewhere safe for their own good.

Hello! Mc Fly! There is no completely safe place anywhere in the known universe. if you want to think of how unsafe things can be remember this. Nature hs a way of doing things every now and again that ruins more than your day. Life is a gamble at best. It is the irrational optimism of humanity that keeps us plugging away. We keep striving even when with the best odds nobody gets out of the casino alive. It is what makes spirit stronger than mere sterile intellect.

Using the criteria many of the no-build people have trotted out would have ruled out rebuilding many great cities. San Francisco, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and the list goes on ad nauseum. You Learn from the failure and build better. Life goes on somehow.

Cities do not just magically spring up somewhere without a reason. They are formed because the location is critical for a civilization's needs. A unique combination of geography, resources, transportation, inspiration and innovation comes together at points on the globe and they get settled.

The Gulf is a strategic, economic, cultural asset which could not be met elsewhere. I agree the supposed safety net failed on the Gulf Coast. Locals always look to neighbors first with good reason. When local leadership fails they have to take the hit too. But keep one thing in mind. This was not a normal storm event. It Was an extraordinary storm that showed how hard it is to sanely plan for insane times.

It is going to be a hard and painful lesson for us all. The painful ones always stick with us longest. Hopefully we get wiser with each lesson.

Tuesday, September 06, 2005

Sunday, September 04, 2005

More Memories

Dreams have been the place of refuge where I can rest. Remembering happier days. praying for those in danger. May we all be a beacon to those lost in night.

Bourbon Street

slow dancing down on Bourbon Street, 
the hot night filled with sweet music
heating the blood stirring your dreams
a night that was made just for two lovers

arms round a lovely honey sweet belle
her slender body pressed close to mine
nuzzling tight, our bodies locked together
we were a perfect fit like a two piece puzzle

those eyes blue grey filled with her laughter
she whispered to me her voice was lilting
so soft and rich, pure Mississippi beauty
melting my heart, till I was putty in her hands

we danced to the music that poured like water
from open doorways that called to the crowd
like streams that flow into a turbulent human river
swept along as we danced by the neon lit tide

How You Can Help

Here is a good short list for chariable organizations involved with the disaster recovery operation on the Gulf Coast. Please take time to get involved in any way you can. What harms one of us, harms us all. We can make a difference in the shape of the future. For a longer list see CNN katrina Help Center.

Saturday, September 03, 2005

Natural Disaster/National Disgrace

People are beginning to wake up and see that things have not been handled very deftly in Katrina's wake. A lack of a coherent plan, foot dragging helped the state of chaos to grow. Desperate people pushed over the edge by a horror most of us will never know. The images coming from there are like scenes from the bowels of hell.

Government officials have been sleepwalking their way through the crisis. It has not been FEMA's most shining hour. We are watching a city being killed by neglect. When you see people who followed orders to evacuate to a shelter and find that they are in a death trap with no food or water for 4 days. This will not do!

After 9-11 and the creation of the Homeland Security post FEMA became part of the package meant to handle threats fo our country and way of life. They do not seem to be up to the job during this crisis. Granted the scope of this Disaster is beyond anything we have had to face before.

Please call the American Red Cross at 1-800-HELPNOW today. Or make a contribution online at American Red Cross - Credit Card Contribution

To all those who find their lives storm tossed tonight know you are in our prayers. Be well, be safe, and be happy. I'll see you all again soon.

Survival of New Orleans blog

News from the heart of the crisis in New Orleans. The more information that can get in and out of the disaster area the faster we can recover from this disaster. Words can only hint at what is happening.They have preserved many powerful images from New Orleans

dedicated picture server:Images From New Orleans

Thursday, September 01, 2005

Riding the Storm Out: Katrina's Aftermath

Memories of Mississippi

I have been watching news coverage of the aftermath of Katrina. Television cameras have made into the part of Mississippi I had called home. So much destruction so near to where people I have loved makes it hard to watch.

I watch images of heros and villians thrown together in an environment that is deadly. The drama unfolding shows people at their best and unfortunately in a growing number of cases at their worst.

Sleep has been hard to come by for me. But in my dreams I go back to happier days. Times of peace and joy surrounded by the beauty of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Dragonfly Dance

waves of heat shimmer above the front yard
warmed by the golden autumn Mississippi sun
the southern pines dance slowly in the breeze
we set content in the shade on the porch step
marveling at the clouds of mating dragonflies

they darted and then hovered, weaving patterns
blue green jeweled bodies, around us they whirl
lulled by the soft humming of their wings in our ears
I was lost in the moment, so fleeting and precious
heart pierced by the beauty of the dragonfly dance

Please call the American Red Cross at 1-800-HELPNOW today. Or make a contribution online at American Red Cross - Credit Card Contribution

To all those who find their lives storm tossed tonight know you are in our prayers. Be well, be safe, and be happy. I'll see you all again soon.