Why We're Here

Plans afoot to rebuild New Orleans
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4229878.stm
Excellent article + links.
Posted by: Andrée - France at September 10, 2005 06:00 AM

I'm reposting Andrée's link - it's good....

First the good news for today:

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050910/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_ap_poll
President's Approval Rating Dips Below 40
Excerpts:
WASHINGTON - President Bush's job approval has dipped below 40 percent for the first time in the AP-Ipsos poll, reflecting widespread doubts about his handling of gasoline prices and the response to Hurricane Katrina.

Nearly four years after Bush's job approval soared into the 80s after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, Bush was at 39 percent job approval in an AP-Ipsos poll taken this week. That's the lowest since the the poll was started in December 2003.
..........
"A lot of Americans don't pay attention to their leaders on a day-to-day basis," said Robert Blendon, a public opinion analyst at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. "They measure presidents, governors and mayors on how they handle big events like a hurricane. This event is not over because the bodies are going to be discovered day by day."

Is the Government Trying to Stem the Tide of Images From New Orleans by Threatening Journalists?:
Journalists covering New Orleans in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina report that militarization in and around the city has hindered their work and threatened their physical safety. We hear from two journalists who were reporting in New Orleans recently. Video and transcript. This is a must watch
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article10204.htm

Is This a civilized society? :
What kind of country leaves the bodies of its citizens to rot in the streets?
-WARNING - Graphic Images
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article10198.htm

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050910/ap_on_re_us/hurricane_katrina
Katrina Death Toll May Not Hit 10,000
NEW ORLEANS - Authorities said the first street-by-street sweep of this swamped city revealed far fewer corpses than originally feared, a glimmer of encouraging news amid the toxic floodwaters.
..........
The mayor and others had predicted up to 10,000 deaths, but that number appeared less likely after Friday's count, said retired Marine Col. Terry Ebbert, the city's homeland security chief.
..........
Police and soldiers had been marking houses where corpses were found, or noting their location with global positioning devices, so that the bodies could be collected later.

Mayor Ray Nagin had suggested last weekend that "it wouldn't be unreasonable to have 10,000" dead, and authorities ordered 25,000 body bags. But soldiers brought in over the past few days to help in the search were not seeing that kind of toll.

"There's nothing at all in the magnitude we anticipated," said Maj. Gen. Bill Caldwell, commander of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division.

Ebbert said the search for the dead will be done block-by-block, with no news media allowed to follow along.

"You can imagine sitting in Houston and watching somebody removed from your parents' property," he said. "We don't think that's proper."

State officials could not provide an exact count of the dead recovered so far. Corpses from New Orleans were taken to a morgue in nearby St. Gabriel, where medical examiners worked to identify the remains.
..........
Health officials also noted that aerial spraying of pesticides will begin Sunday to curb mosquito-borne illnesses such as West Nile virus.

There were no widespread reports of anyone being taken out by force under a three-day-old order from the mayor, and there were growing indications that that was little more than an empty threat.

"We're trying our best to persuasively negotiate and we are not using force at this time — I cannot speak to the future," said city attorney Sherry Landry.

Police fearing deadly confrontations with jittery residents enforced a new order that bars homeowners from owning guns. That order apparently does not apply to the hundreds of M-16-toting private security guards hired to protect businesses and wealthy property owners.

In a shift, the military began providing cages to homeowners to allow them to evacuate with their pets. "We got the capacity, and it seemed like the right thing to do," said Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honore.

BBC article about reconstruction of New Orleans

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4229878.stm

My favorite comment:

This work should have been done many years ago and this disaster illustrates how slack the Americans can be about their own nation's infrastructure. The Thames Barrier is designed to withstand a one in one thousand year event and Dutch flood defences are designed to withstand one in four thousand and one in eight thousand year events. The New Orleans flood defences were only meant to withstand a category three hurricane and a one in two hundred year event. This was a disaster that was waiting to happen. The Americans should also be shamed by the Cubans who last year completely evacuated part of their island that was threatened by a hurricane and they got all of their crops in.
Richard Finnigan, London, England

British joke:

Terror alert levels.

Be aware that the French government announced yesterday that it has
raised its terror alert level from RUN to HIDE. The only two higher
levels in France are Surrender and Collaborate. The rise was
precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France's white flag
factory, effectively paralysing their military capability.

It's not only the French that are on a heightened level of alert, The
Italians have increased their alert level from "shout loudly and
excitedly" to "elaborate military posturing". Two more levels remain,
"ineffective combat operations" and "change sides".

The Germans also increased their alert state from "disdainful arrogance"
to "dress in uniform and sing marching songs". They have two higher
levels, "invade a neighbour" and "lose".

Seeing this reaction in continental Europe the Americans have gone from
"isolationism" to "find somewhere else in the Middle East ripe for
regime change". Their remaining higher alert states are "take on the
world" and "ask the British for help".

Finally here in the UK we've gone from "pretend nothing's happening" to
"make another cup of tea".

& on 11 September we'll be heading to London!

& here is Amy:

we're here!! I'm in awe of Paris, very busy looking at art.
Big article on the front page of the Herald Tribune this am, saying that Bush's invasion of Iraq took Al Quada from a small group of conspirators to a world-wide phenomena

Just got into one helluva heated argument at the hotel in Orlando.

Sitting having breakfast with my kids, CNN is on in the restaurant, showing the devestation... heard a guy a the next table, late 30's, tell his 10-ish year old daughter "has anyone ever called you asked if you needed help? NO! Don't ever do nice things for people, it gets you nowhere. You take care of yourself."

I leaned over and told the little girl that he was wrong... and BOOM!

LET'S GET READY TO RUUUUUMMMMMMMBLLLLLLLE!

Me, Me, Me, Meeeee. (sorry, just clearing my throat to sing the republican fight song)

W,TF

The uses of laughter. When can we laugh again?

http://www.alternet.org/movies/25275/

Conservatism: Katrina rings a toll for thee...

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/25270/

Small government maybe not such a good idea after all...

Posted by: monkey at September 10, 2005 10:00 AM

No, please tell me this was a nightmare and not true!

Well,

I might be getting arrested today. It's the big UofM game v Notre Dame...is there a better time to pass out information and try to get people to call or right their official?

What time does the game start? Do you think people will invite me to tailgate?

Ok..gotta check and see what time the game is today, so I can leave on time.

Posted by: sparrow at September 10, 2005 10:26 AM

Make sure you wear the maize & blue t-shirt with a green lucky leprechaun or 4-leaf clover pin. And besides, you're in one of the more progressive college towns in the country, where a parking ticket used to a higher fine than getting busted for lighting up...

HOLY MOSES!

We shall not be silent any longer (well, not that I ever was) but good fro you Monkey!

Last night I ran into a couple I had been friends with but had not seen in 3-1/2 years.

I told them my family was fine and about Direct Relief and that I had spent 9 days at Camp Casey and their response was so typical...

"Oh, God man are you crazy..." and from the wife, "That woman Cindy Sheehan is PATHETIC!"

After the laughter died down I turned to my former friend and quietly said, "If you met Cindy Sheehan, you would not have said that...and I am disappointed that someone of your intelligence would make judgements about anyone's character based upon FOX News..."

She hung her head and then apologized and said, "I guess that was a horrible thing to say..."

Later my the husband said, "This is why we never discuss politics..."

I looked at him and said, "Perhaps we should..."

He graciously bowed out of that invitation.

Some battles can be won with a velvet glove, and others will have to be won by encouraging others to educate themselves as to the facts.

As far as your experience Monkey...I hope you got that selfish bastard with a right cross!

#20 Notre Dame at #3 Michigan
Saturday, Sept. 10 • Noon
Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, Mich.
ABC Television (National)

Ok..I really have to go...I decided to bring Ira's information and petitions for people to sign to their Representative.

I might have to tackle people at this point. I'm running late! (I thought it was a 4 pm game!)

Posted by: madame defarge at September 10, 2005 10:33 AM

That may be true, but I also don't know where it's not considered "private property" vs "public easement".

General: Guard Deployment in Iraq Hurt Katrina Response
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/091005Z.shtml
Excerpt:
"What you lost was a lot of local knowledge," Taylor said, as well as equipment that could have been used in recovery operations.

"The best equipment went with them, for obvious reasons," especially communications equipment, he added.

{{{ OK... Now tell us something we didn't already know.... Rummy's quotes in the article show just how stupid he and his boss can be - pathetic!}}}

Hunger strikers pledge to die in Guantánamo :
More than 200 detainees in Guantánamo Bay are in their fifth week of a hunger strike, the Guardian has been told.
http://snipurl.com/hkbq
{{{ Another story I've not heard anything about in MSM, but have seen references to it in the e-newsletters....}}}

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050910/ap_on_re_eu/katrina_world_15
NATO OKs Plans to Deliver Hurricane Aid
BRUSSELS, Belgium - NATO nations agreed Friday to use alliance ships and aircraft to rush European aid to the U.S. Gulf Coast in response to an American request for more help to cope with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
The United Nations also was expected to boost Katrina aid, with its humanitarian chief saying the world body's current assistance level would be increased as more international aid arrives.

"The NATO alliance is ready to do its part in the diminishing of the human suffering," NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said. Military experts from the 26 allies prepared the plans after the United States on Thursday requested extra assistance from NATO.

De Hoop Scheffer told reporters the alliance will send at least two transport ships from its elite NATO Response Force with a capacity to hold about 600 large trucks.

NATO also will use converted jetliners, normally used to train crews for the alliance's fleet of AWACS surveillance planes based in Germany, to fly in emergency aid.

The secretary general said the decision "will dramatically increase the resources available to NATO and partner countries to move their assistance to the United States."

Deployment of its ships to the U.S. Gulf Coast will mark the first time the new NATO Response Force has been used for a humanitarian mission.

European nations have made substantial offers of food, medicine, bedding and other help to the stricken region.

The United States first asked NATO for help over the weekend, and the alliance activated its Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Center to help oversee the flood of offers, including those from non-NATO nations, like Russia and Switzerland.

On Thursday, U.S. Ambassador Victoria Nuland requested more transportation and logistical help at a special meeting of the alliance's North Atlantic Council, which immediately ordered military commanders to draw up plans.

Meanwhile, U.N. officials said the world body's limited aid to Katrina should be increased as more international aid arrives and the United States asks it for assistance.

"All in all we expect the U.N. involvement to grow as we expect there to be a very considerable increase in the number of international relief flights to the United States from many parts of the world," said Jan Egeland, U.N. undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs.

"We, as internationals, deal with mass natural disasters around the globe a number of times a year, so we have well-tested systems which have now been appreciated by many of these U.S. agencies," Egeland said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OK, all together now: On behalf of our friends and neighbors in the Mississippi Delta who are still traumatized from the horrors they've just lived through and may not yet have communications ability because their electricity is still not connected: Thank You to the rest of the world for your help!!! We are very grateful for your assistance (even if that Nitwit in our White House never acknowledges your kindness and consideration...).

Why America can't cope
There are deeper explanations for the New Orleans catastrophe than
anyone has dared suggest. The roots lie in America's deluded self-image
By Andrew Stephen
While Vice-President Cheney was fly-fishing in Wyoming. Condoleezza Rice, next in charge, was shopping for shoes at Ferragamo's and watching Spamalot on Broadway and catching the US Open in New York; while Andy Card, the White House chief of staff, who is supposed to keep it all together, was taking in the sea breeze with much of the rest of the Bush
crowd in Maine.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article10214.htm

IMHO:
A day or two ago there was a segment on mainstream media news (think CBS?) where a reporter was in Holland interviewing someone about the huge system of dikes and locks and canals the Dutch built to hold back the North Sea after a disaster early in the 20th century (think the 1920s). It cost a lot of money and took many years to build. The Dutch live in a similar situation to the people of New Orleans, Louisiana, and as the Dutch person said, "there's a reason it's called The Lowlands" (to paraphrase). The Lowlands have been vulnerable to storms coming off the North Sea for centuries. Additionally, there was a segment on a PBS show (think on NOW) filmed in Louisiana where one segment of land was left alone to have the silt build-up that happens naturally, and if that had been allowed to happen naturally in other parts of the Mississippi Delta, the spreading area of silt lands (which are also a refuge for wildlife and beneficial to the ecosystem) could have been a natural buffer zone that slowed the hurricane considerably before it actually hit the areas where people are living.

All in all, Americans are going to have to learn to work WITH Mother Nature, not against Mother Nature, and stop listening to the greedy corporations who want to destroy that which can protect the people who live in areas where the ecosystem is fragile and where another disaster like the floods following Hurricane Katrina could happen. The port at New Orleans at the end of the Mississippi River is a vital economic link with people all the way to the Canadian border.

The people of Louisiana might want to consult the Dutch who live in the Lowlands for advice when they start to rebuild New Orleans.... Obviously, the US government will only turn things over to corporate America who will bilk billions (maybe trillions) out of the US treasury and not improve things one whit in their pursuit of profits for the corporations which do not care in the least what happens to the people who live in the Mississippi Delta.

Europeans know how to put the needs of their people ahead of private and corporate interests and profits in all areas of life - medically and with prescription drugs, in particular, since that's one area where costs are out of control. I still do not see the problem with the concept of equal access to good medical care for everyone, so I see nothing wrong with socialized medicine where everyone is taken care of equally well.

Putting the care of our people ahead of corporate interests is a lesson we still need to learn in America.

It's getting so that I can't tell anymore what's propoganda & what's real... But nothing from this regime surprises me anymore. Wouldn't it be just like them to nominate Gonzales to fill O'Conner's vacancy... And what a choice: he's presumedly pro-abortion & pro-affirmative action, but he's also pro-torture, not to mention being one of Boy George's best buddies...

Gonzales again emerges as Supreme Court contender
Bush has given him five jobs in 10 years

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has critics on the left and right but he's as popular as ever with the one-man constituency that matters most: President Bush.

Their closeness and Gonzales' Hispanic heritage have again placed him among leading contenders for a job on the Supreme Court.

Bush has given Gonzales five different jobs in the past 10 years, starting in Texas as the top lawyer to the governor. Gonzales became the nation's first Hispanic attorney general in February.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/09/scotus.gonzales.ap/index.html

from Joe Cooley:

I am ashamed to be an Oklahoman today:

FEMA (Feel Empathy but Miss the Action)Czar Michael D. Brown is a native of Guymon, Oklahoma:

He has animpressive background as head of the International Arabian Horse Association (and yes, I know what you all are thinking..cut off a horsie head and put it in his bed the way they did it in the Godfather) for over a decade before he joined Fema.

The dork graduated from Central State University in Edmond, Oklahoma (thats where they had the Post office massacre in the 80's before it was fashionable).

Later, the geek graduated from Oklahoma City University (a private Methodist preppy school for stuck up snoots from affluent and influential families. (I met my first wife there). He served on the city council in Edmond (actually he was an assistant to the city manager) and then ran for Congress.

Timothy Mcveigh's attorney Stephen Jones told the FBI that Brown was not qualified to work for Fema as deputy director: Brown worked for Jones' law firm for about two years in the 80's. After the partnership dissolved everyone was offered a job except for Mr. Brown.

Senator Joe Lieberman stated that Brown's experience with the city of Edmond particularly useful.

Thats funny...I worked in Edmond during this time working on the building in which his office was located. The City of Edmond had no department dedicated to emergency management or civil defense at that time.....hmm.

Edmond is a Mickey Mouse suburb with a Mickey Mouse community. It's like Mayberry. There is just nothing there..downtown is about the size of a football field. They may have had a tornado or two touch down in 10 years but that is about it.

Levees, 40 years and still in the making

It's scandalous they weren't done

Mesabi Daily News - from the Iron Range

In 1965, Hurricane Betsy ravaged New Orleans with winds up to 160 miles per hour. The city was heavily flooded, 75 people died.

That tragedy and the unique and vulnerable location of the Crescent City — located at the bottom of a fish bowl topography 12 feet below sea level — prompted Washington and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to devise a plan to ward off future devastation for New Orleans. A series of 16 levees to ring the city would be built. Target completion date: 1975.

It has now been 40 years since Hurricane Betsy. And it has been 30 years since the levees project supposed to protect New Orleans was to have been completed.

And now, a week after the Category 4 Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath laid waste to New Orleans, the country learns that the levees project in New Orleans was never finished. It stood only about 80 percent done.

It’s quite possible that we would not have witnessed the horrific death and destruction of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans if, in the last 40 years, officials of many different presidential administrations had made sure that one of the country’s major cities had proper hurricane protection.

It’s quite possible that if that project had been completed — as should have been the case in 1975 — and examined and bulked up even more in the 30 years to follow — again as should have been the case — the massive relief effort currently under way would be on a much smaller scale.

It is absolutely scandalous that in the 40 years since Hurricane Betsy, officials of the presidential administrations of Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George Bush I, Bill Clinton and George Bush II did not see to it that this project was completed.

For decades the nation’s infrastructure has been in need of a major politically bipartisan initiative. In several editorials as far back as 20 years ago we have advocated a major public/private infrastructure program that needed to be a high priority in Washington — for both obvious road, bridge and other reasons and also for an economic development push through construction jobs.

Yet rather than going that direction, some political snipers in both parties follow up every highway funding bill and other measures that provide much needed funds for infrastructure with a litany of what they consider “pork.”

And we consistently have to follow up their criticisms with editorial praise of U.S. Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., and others for their efforts to secure federal funds for vital projects..

Is there “pork” in such bills? Without a doubt.

But a vast majority of such bills contain funds for projects that are oh so important to all parts of the country.

We don’t doubt that there were some members of Congress in 1965 who likely opposed the New Orleans levees project because they believed it to be “pork” for that Louisiana city. How shortsighted and petty Washington can often be.

Now, of course, the levees project is the No. 1 concern and priority for federal infrastructure. How sad and tragic is it that the project didn’t get at the very least a “let’s get it done now” for the past 40 years?

http://www.virginiamn.com/mdn/index.php?sect_rank=8&story_id=204678

Al Gore Airlifts Vicitims from New Orleans
http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/09/katrina.gore.ap/index.html

John Kerry to Deliver Supplies to Louisiana
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/09/10/kerry_set_to_deliver_supplies/

hmmmm....

Edmond is a Mickey Mouse suburb with a Mickey Mouse community. It's like Mayberry. There is just nothing there..downtown is about the size of a football field. They may have had a tornado or two touch down in 10 years but that is about it.

Posted by: not my FEMA head at September 10, 2005 11:47 AM

My grandmother, and two of my brothers live there.

Careful when sayin nothing.

After the Trail Of Tears that became my families hometown. Still is.

Wow - certainly better than the "stunt on the aircraft carrier" or cowering on Air Force 1!

Bravo, Gore & Kerry!

Christy

Joe Cooley's point was that it's a small town (Edmond) without alot of natural disasters of large magnitude and that Brown was passing himself off as an expert after interning in a berg that had nothing for him to do that would have prepared himm.

Yesterday Rhandi Rhodes was going on and on about how Republicans in N.O. through FEMA were going around confiscating guns.

I thought that was truly hilarious to hear about Republicans confiscating guns. How many times did we hear that refrain last summer from the NRA and Charles Heston, if you vote for JK/JE they will take your guns away.

Should we be contacing the NRA and telling Heston to get down to N.O. to stop FEMA from confiscating guns? Where are all of our second amendment friends when we need them.

Its all good.

Most people only know me as southern from Louisiana. Ive been here since I was 12 (Except 4 years in Utah).

But not one day passes that does not remind me I am damn proud to have been born on Tornado Alley.

John Kerry Offers Major Package of Legislation to Help Small Businesses, Others Devastated by Hurricane Katrina

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- With estimates that more than 400,000 jobs will be lost as a result of Hurricane Katrina, Senator John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) today unveiled a package of emergency economic aid and federal assistance for small businesses and others reeling from the destruction in the Gulf Coast.

"It is clear that our government failed the people of the Gulf Coast. In time, those responsible will be held accountable for what has gone right and what has gone wrong. Right now, we need to make up for lost time and help any way we can, and that means targeting the fastest relief possible," said Senator Kerry. "Every small business we can help will help a hard-working family start to put the pieces of their lives back together. We should help small businesses rebuild themselves and these communities."

Senator Kerry is the Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee. He will offer this small business-related relief package today with his colleague Mary Landrieu (D-La.) as an amendment to the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Bill currently pending in the Senate. A vote on the measure is expected next week. Kerry authored a similar assistance package to small businesses recovering in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

One of the most far-reaching pieces of the Kerry relief package will give small businesses across the country access to low-interest disaster loans to cope with the increased costs of oil and gas. This will especially benefit farmers, truck drivers and others whose livelihood relies heavily on the price of gas.

In addition, the Kerry relief package also provides small businesses in the Gulf Region:

-- Access to short-term loans that will be rapidly approved to help businesses that are waiting for SBA loan approval begin rebuilding immediately

-- A two-year assumption of payments and interest on loans provided through the Small Business Administration (SBA) for working capital and fixed asset loans, known as 7(a) and 504 loans, to help small businesses that are unable to make payments with their existing loans

-- A two-year deferral on the interest and payments for SBA disaster loans

-- Access to 30 percent of all federal contracts and 40 percent of subcontracting dollars

-- Expanded Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) status, which gives small businesses in the area a preference when bidding on federal contracts

-- Increased counseling and business assistance provided through the SBA's entrepreneurial development centers, including Small Business Development Centers, SCORE, Women's Business Centers, and Veterans Business Outreach Centers

-- Greater opportunities for small construction companies to receive SBA bonding assistance, which is a type of financial loss insurance on the contract

-- The ability to refinance existing disaster loans and existing business debt with low-interest disaster loans

Kerry is offering additional hurricane-response legislation, including:

Improve Coordination, Planning, and Execution of Disaster Plans: Senator Kerry is offering legislation to improve several steps, including formalizing the National Guard's role in the homeland security mission, by creating a Standing Joint Task Force commanded by a National Guard officer responsible for coordinating preparedness and response between the national, state and local governments involved. Given the National Guard's unique responsibilities to both federal and state governments, it is well-positioned to coordinate the planning and execution of disaster contingencies whether caused by an act of nature or an act of terrorism. Moreover, the Department of Homeland Security currently lacks a deliberative planning process, like that used in the Department of Defense, which is essential for disaster response.

FEMA Regional Emergency Evacuation and Preparedness Centers: The response to Hurricane Katrina has revealed serious shortcomings in planning and infrastructure for disaster preparedness and relief. Thousands of displaced Americans are living in sports arenas and National Guard armories. Instead of relying on ad hoc solutions and improvisation, the federal government should establish regional facilities to help prepare the federal response and assist the citizens affected by disasters - whether natural or man-made. In the event of disaster, these facilities will provide temporary or, if necessary, long-term shelter for displaced persons. Medical supplies and facilities at each site can treat people in need of care. Functional spaces, including the capacity for plug-and- play data and communications networks will facilitate the provision of all types of disaster relief services.

Helping Deployed National Guard and Reserve Troops: Tens of thousands of troops have been called up for service in Afghanistan, Iraq and now the Gulf Coast. Many of these troops are in the National Guard and Reserves, and when they're called to active duty, they and their employers struggle financially. Senator Kerry's proposal would provide tax credits to small businesses employers of National Guard and Reserve members called up to help lessen the burden on small businesses, our troops and their families.

Help Youth Rebuild Their Communities: YouthBuild is a federal program that helps disadvantaged young people learn responsibility, leadership and a skill by working with their peers to build homes in their communities. YouthBuild is an ideal program to help the young people of the Gulf Coast, who will need employment and whose community has been severely damaged. Senator Kerry strongly believes the recovery effort in the Gulf Coast could be dramatically helped by an expansion of the YouthBuild program in the region, and his legislation expands the program as part of the long-term response and recovery effort.

Providing Housing as Part of Long-Term Recovery: Senator Kerry believes that the federal government should take an active role in the rebuilding of the thousands of homes and apartments destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Two housing production proposals he has authored are ideally designed to help those in the Gulf region who have lost their homes. First, the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act will create an affordable housing production program for those who most need assistance. Second, the Community Development Homeownership Tax Credit Act will encourage the construction and substantial rehabilitation of approximately 500,000 homes for low- and moderate-income families in economically distressed areas over the next 10 years. Both bills can provide critically needed housing and help the long- term recovery of the region.

http://www.usnewswire.com/

Christy
I don't really care where I was born, as I had no say in it, and always thought my hometown sucked. I have never gone to any of the high school reunions and if I did, I'm sure I would be quite bored. It's one of those places where people insist on voting against their own interests, if they even bother.

Bush Tries to Rebound From Public Opinion Slide

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/09/10/bush_tries_to_rebound_from_public_opinion_slide/

Posted by: not my FEMA head at September 10, 2005 01:03 PM

The Trail Of Tears ended in Edmond Okla. for my family. I went to over 20 public schools I can remember in Okla. Texas and Louisiana. I will never even be invited to anyones highschool reunion, much less my own.

I love Louisiana. Like a lovely sick child she is.

But Oklahoma... That is where we proved YOU CAN NOT kill us all.

If not for the shelter of Oklahoma, they WOULD have killed every single one of us.

As it is.. I am very familiar with the problems of Oklahoma. Here in La. it is just assumed I am a white woman, simply because I am not black. In Oklahoma, both whites and indians hate half breeds like me.

But Oklahoma is the ONLY place where I can see MYSELF in thier faces.

I love the bayous, but Oklahoma will always be home to my family.

Christy
I am part Lakota Sioux. My hometown was in South Dakota but it's not where the Sioux are from. Now if we are talking Pine Ridge, Standing Rock, Rosebud or Lower Brule, then that is something.
The white part of the family were homesteaders.
I'm proud of some SD history & people but wasn't happy there, couldn't stay there, though Univ. of SD was cool - the Berkeley of the state. No, I had to get away. I was actually born out here (Pacific NW) and like it better - lotsa light rain and overcast but all the fruit we can eat, & pretty open-minded, diverse.

When I lived out west everyone always just assumed I was Mexican. It was quite infuriating at times, but since I lived with Mexicans and most of my friends were black, I just let it go.

I am just glad there came a point where people FINALLY quit asking me... Are you from Hawaii..?

People sometimes ask me "Are you Canadian?" since by now, I don't really have the accent of either place (upper midwest or pacific nw). & first and foremost, I like to be a world citizen. Without a tremendous amount of constant mutual respect by all, coexistence/cooperation of diverse people doesn't happen easily. So yes, I feel pride about certain things, but I probably spend as much or more time dissociating myself from other things, qualities I do not admire (hate-related).

WHY CAN'T THE MEDIA FOLLOW ALONG AS THEY REMOVE THE DEAD FROM THE HOMES?

I am so SICK AND TIRED of this regime'.

It felt so good last week to have access to some reality in the media.

Some of the media are not going to take this lying down. I hope they raise a fuss. They might not because it could cost them their jobs.

Maybe the reason alot of these talking heads, anchors, and newscasters have not been reporting the news that we know is reality up until Cindy Sheehan near the Funny Farm Ranch is because they are in their studios, and honestly don't know the truth about what is going on out there.

R-E-V-O-L-U-T-I-O-N. Peaceful Revolution.

Please let it come.

Heh. My dad said "S***, *Truth, you'll have the FBI reading everything you say." I said "I don't care."

KAREN,

I want to come to Washington so bad!!

On top of a necessary trip last week to the Nether
Region, I have a must go mandatory business seminar all next week.

I called my son that lives in a vicinity near you 12 days ago and asked him if he would like to drive the two of us to D.C. for the 24th, and he said yes. Unfortunately, because of all the travel expense coming up regarding my work seminar (we get reimbursed, you know how that is....) I just don't see how we can do it.

Will someone wear a pin for me, or put a sticker on a sign?

Next time, fo sho. I am starting a fund for it, and it will be a continuous rollover fund for travel for these kinds of events.

but I probably spend as much or more time dissociating myself from other things, qualities I do not admire (hate-related).

Posted by: not my whatever at September 10, 2005 01:52 PM

Not me.. I go for those very things to expose them as much as I can.

Two more direct quotes from Republican Jesus, the spiritual hypocrit in his "Publican Attire".

http://webpages.charter.net/micah/repjesus77.gif

and

http://webpages.charter.net/micah/repjesus79.gif

Flood survivors cuffed as evacuation begins

DON BABWIN

ARMED police have begun to handcuff hurricane survivors who refuse to leave their homes in New Orleans.

As many as 10,000 people have stayed put in the devastated city despite orders to evacuate.

Many are now said to be going voluntarily, but others are being detained and taken to evacuation centres.

The job of carrying out Mayor Ray Nagin's forcible evacuation order has been left largely to the 1000 or so remaining members of New Orleans' police force.

Police Chief Eddie Compass insisted today that a "sensitive" approach was being used to remove people.

"We are not going to be rough," he said. "We are going to use the minimum amount of force."

http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1913892005

DiAnne,

Dang, girlfriend, you have a really REALLY good time in Europe.

Amy sounds so excited!!! She is already in awe.

Take lots of pictures! And have fun.

We want a full report when you two get home.

DW..If your around

my last work the open letter to Bush..

I KNOW the ending makes you nervous but I simply cant edit it. Its true.

Ill send you my next work..hopefully it won't need to get quite so...explicit