Katrina's Wake

Media News about Hurricane Katrina's Wake is more than disturbing.

Anarchy Reigns. Looting pirates run rampant, running off with guns to have fun taking, beating, raping, shooting, and killing who ever you want to without fear of any repercussions because with the weapon, and the ablity to take food from others, you are more powerful. Officials have left the scene, daring not to identify themselves to the throngs. Police take off the uniforms and hide their badges. In panicked mobbing of rescue vehicles, the strong get the limited goods while the weak are left to die in their diabetic comas. Helicopters bring only limited amounts of life supplies of food and water each trip, hundreds offered for a crowd of thousands. Fear of reported gunfire attacks disrupts rescue aircraft and bus transport efforts.

I know how "off" my day gets with anger when faced with no caffeine in the morning. New Orleans was one of the top coffee consuming cities in the nation. I know how not getting a ciggarrette when addicted can aggravate behavior, having quit cold turkey myself. How many addictees are there on Week One of withdrawal symptoms of their chosen poison? Add to that common knowledge that laboratory rats trapped in an over-crowded cage, without fresh air, food, water, or escape from excretement areas, soon will begin to attack each other, then kill and eat other out of pure instinctual power-struggle behavior, proven in scientific studies. This may explain some of the violent behaviors taking place in the current extraordinary situation, although it doesn't excuse them. I know I would be flippin!

I salute the many people who are in that dire situation, who have managed to remain honest, non-violent, and helpful to others to the best of their ability despite the insane conditions they are in. Wish I had medals to hand out!

... The Convention Center and the Super Dome both huge, crowded places where dehydration is taking lives hourly. The airport is now a medical transport center with limited medical personnel who are over-taxed with few resources. Communication and transportation are said to be the glitches preventing arrival of the faster help which didn't arrive in time.Why no medical teams with life support generators were assigned to these large centers when people were ordered to be there and stay is baffling.

I honestly think no one offered to bus the people, say with school buses, or drive supplies in faster because no one wants to foot the bill PAYING FOR the FUEL to do it! All budgets in all households, businesses, and cities are busted and under-funded. The price per gallon since Monday has suddenly been bumped up to another historic-high level. Milk is now cheaper than fuel! Milk is 2.99 per gallon, gasoline is now 3.35 per gallon. I knew a day would come when the cow and horse would win...

*** My big innovative idea for something which may help sooner is: to get a "Morgue Barge" going, to get the dead out of the water as soon as possible, and help clean up the streets so water recovery can eventually take place.
.... Ch.7 News Boston just carried live coverage (with Prez-B) stating the coast Guard has just re-openned the water-way near the refinary areas. But they are barging fuel... not helping the crowds... or helping with more urgent needs using the barges.

Hearing about floaters (bodies) being tethered to trees in bunches puts a distressing picture in my brain. Get them up and out. Try to Photo, list and ID them before not one is recognizable by relatives, or eaten by fish, critters, and 'gators. Getting the bacteria and disease in check ASAP, is certainly a priority I would insist on if I had any power. We haven't begun to see the result of living near the dead without a way to clean up, just wait a week. Bacteria multiply expoentially!
... With that thought in mind, I would advise not to, and don't know how anyone could, eat the fish for awhile. Definately not! You know some of the starving will, and time will show the disease.

We are all so spoiled to have water, food, and electricity today. I wish I could magically pipe it down there for all those desparate people today. The thought is there, the prayers are being sent, but it su--s being otherwise powerless to help!