Thursday, September 01, 2005

NewsHour: "The editor of Scientific American magazine explains how the levees broke and what crews can do to plug the holes." 

Don Park has before-and-after sattelite pictures of New Orleans. 

Here's my answer to Dan Conover's question.  

BBC: "New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin has issued a 'desperate SOS' for thousands of people stranded with no food or water at the city's convention centre." 

Brendan Greely: "Since Sunday, hundreds of evacuees from New Orleans have arrived in Lake Providence and the surrounding area." 

NPR's podcast directory. Looking for the OPML... 

I've had a chance to think about the US Open tennis tournament going on in NYC, and I am very angry about it. How dare the citizens of NY, who received so much help from the rest of the country, host a sporting event, while this tragedy is unfolding. September 11 was an instant event, it destroyed a large complex of buildings and killed thousands of Americans, but it was over quickly, and except for emotional damage, the city went on exactly as it did before. This is so much bigger, it effects so many more people, and its effect will be felt for the indefinite future. New York must stop right now, and reflect on exactly how it can now come to the aid of the rest of the country. It is completely inappropriate for a sport tournament to be going on now, while so many are suffering, while so many are dying.  

It's not as if California can afford to look the other way, either.  

The president is going to the wrong place tomorrow. New Orleans is where the problem started. Yes, there are still people there who need help, desperately, but the help they need is to be removed from New Orleans. Now Mr President, where will they be moved to? After they move, they won't be going back to New Orleans anytime soon. No planning is possible there. Touring New Orleans is looking in the wrong direction, back in time. That's just plain dumb. Go to Houston, go to Atlanta, Jackson, go to places that are habitable, and start working on getting these Americans, most of whom voted for you (how different from NYC) into homes befitting Americans. We need to figure out how we're going to house over a million homeless US citizens. I think now you have to very seriously consider removing our troops from Iraq, and bringing them home to the US, where they can build housing for the people of the United States. I don't think the dwindling support for the war will last through the next few weeks, as the dire state of our country sinks in with the populace.  

Dan Conover asks a question that's much on my mind too. 

CNN: Americans opening spare rooms to evacuees. 

Today is move-in day for me in Berkeley. I have a bright shiny new place to live, with a great view and great plentiful food nearby. I feel very lucky.  

Rex Hammock: "Nashville is becoming a destination for people leaving those areas. There are lots of folks here opening their homes to friends and relatives." 

Good morning. I'm watching the continuing television coverage of the Katrina aftermath (which needs a new name, some have suggested diaspora). Already nearby cities are turning away refugees. You have to wonder how far the refugees will travel. Will the problem spread throughout the South? Beyond? And what about mercy for the people, where are they going to go? How would you feel if you were a refugee? A woman on the I-10 says angrily that she's a taxpayer, but no one is trying to save her life. These are Americans! Meanwhile, sports events continue. The Director of Homeland Security preaches preparedness. Ads on TV urge us to buy huge recreation vehicles and to attend home decoration shows. Buy a new deodorant, switch to a new cola. Americans are dying, right now. Nothing like this happened in the aftermath of 9/11 and that disaster was much smaller than this one. A small part of a big city was destroyed. In this event a large US city is being ravaged. The disaster is continuing. The national response is wholly inappropriate. I think we have to get ready to welcome the refugees into our homes, to absorb the population of New Orleans and the surrounding area into the rest of the country. It's clear that's where we're headed. 

NY Times: "The president appeared a day later than he was needed."