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This is making me ill. It's like...a beautiful train wreck. One cannot take their eyes off of it. You can't help looking at it. My heart breaks for these people, and yet-- I am SO angry at some of them. Some of them are complete idiots. (Of course, THOSE people were complete idiots BEFORE the storm hit. But I digress.) I am trying to coordinate a communication link, for those who need to get a hold of family members down South, or those who ARE down there, that need to let loved ones know they're okay. Or even those who are ALL down there, but need to reconnect. Communications-- cell phones, landlines, everything-- has been completely sketchy to nil in the last 5 days. People need to reconnect. My family already donated to the Red Cross. Aside from physically going down there and helping somehow, there is really nothing else we can do. We would just be in the way, anyway. But maybe, by offering a place to get reconnected, we can help. If we can reconnect even just two people, I will feel as if we have contributed in some way. If anyone needs to relay a message, or get in touch with someone who can, please PLEASE feel free to email me at: imaginationranch@hotmail.com I know of some ham radio operators in my area (south central Illinois, the Midwest), and I can get people to help. I also have high speed wireless Ibnternet, always on. IO have a cell phone (it's our house phone too), and would be happy to make the necessary phone calls or whatever. I'm here. I can help. Otherwise...this is all wearing on my brain, to have to see it every time the tv is on. and yet, you want to check back in every so often, to see what has developed. It's like seeing the wreck on the interstate. You HAVE to look. I can't imagine how the people down there are doing. This is like all the earthquake scenarios I have ever seen in Cali when I lived out there. Only times ten. It's like 911 all over again...and then some. All we can REALLY do for these people is to pray. Other than that, I'll be happy to try and help someone get connected with loved ones, either direction. |
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Well, I have finally had a minute to write. This business with the hurricane has me worn out. I cannot keep away from the news of it. but I found a way to try and help. I have been helping families and loved ones to get in contact with one another, and searching for info via the Internet. I do wonder what in the world tropical storm Ophelia is doing just hanging around off the coast of Florida...it's almost as if she is just waiting to strike, making her choice, thinking about where to go. Even the meteorologists can't seem to agree on where Ophelia might go...and all the while, Ophelia hovers over the water, gathering stregth, because that's what hurricanes do. As long as they're over the water, they can build up their power. Glad I don't live there. But, then again, we may have a tornado next spring. Oh, well. Katrina is interesting in that it is a historical anomaly. Katrina has far surpassed the damage, strength, and loss of life and property that Andrew, Camille, and even the Galveston episode of a hundred years ago all produced. It is a meteorologist's dream and a citizen's nightmare. It is a photographer's treasure chest and a heart's breaking point. It is a complete tragedy, the likes of which I cannot seem to find in the annals of world history. Except, perhaps, for the annhilation of the Jews in WWII. But as far as natural disasters go, this seems to be unprecedented. Very interesting to those of us with a journalistic and photograhic bent. But very distressing for those who are living through it...which in turn, breaks my heart. I want to help them all, and take them all in. On another note, much lighter...we have acquired a pony that my daughter is in love with. She was cheap, and I can see why. She has mastitis, which to be honest, is not really an expensive illness to deal with. But nobody really wanted to deal with it, and she has been passed around a bit. (Typical for me...I seem to be the halfway house for everything with a problem. I should be a vet tech by now.) Zoe, as she is known, is a dream of a pony. She is very gentle, and quite cooperative, which is a great thing, considering she is under the weather. She is cooperating well with her therapy. Even the antibiotic that I had to buy wasn't SO pricey, and the vet gave it to me upon my own assessment of the horse. I am so happy to see all my research and knowledge of equines is still building, and comes in handy. But I really wish I would quit choosing all the hard cases that nobody wants! I am SUCH a sucker. I think that Zoe will be very happy here with us, though. Her name means "life", and she will indeed have a new life living with us. All my animals don't do too badly! Well, I gotta go. Doctoring horses is way more fun to me than cleaning the bathroom, but the shower looks atrocious, and the dishes need to be done, so.... |
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Mood: inspired Where the Streets Have No Name: Pray for those where the streets have disappeared... |
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It IRRITATES me to no end!!!! I very often see a very photographic moment, and the moment is gone. And if I don't have my camera with me, the moment is lost forever. I wish I could make a career out of this. But most of all, I wish I could remember to leave my camera in my bag when I leave the house. Even if I just go to the school or the store. Sheesh!!!!! |
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Mood: pissed off Where the Streets Have No Name: The streets may have no name, but they will have no picture if I don't take it |
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I am very impressed with the governor of Mississippi, and with the people of Mississippi. They are not wallowing in their despair, wailing about what the federal government has not done for them. They are actually helping one another, trying to clean up and rebuild, and actually looking forward to getting it all done. They are moving on. That is the way it ought to be after a disaster of this magnitude: people coming together, like normal Americans, and helping one another to move on with their lives. Very impressive, Mississippi. Kudos. |
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Buy your gasoline NOW, while the prices are back down, because Rita is headed for the Gulf of Mexico, in the path of Katrina. There are approx. 175 drilling rigs in the gulf, along with many many refineries in Texas that Katrina didn't get on her pass through. The refineries in Louisiana are still down. The port of New Orleans, a MAJOR worldwide shipping port, has already been taken down. What does that mean to YOU, the consumer? well, it means that railways, already expensive to ship by, are already overbooked; trucking is pricey, and now busier than a one armed man in boxing match. The trucking industry (and I speak from experience, wife of a trucker) already supports ALL of the other shipping industries. It carries EVERYTHING you buy, whether out of PORT cities, RAILWAYS, or domestic manufacturing. If you got it, a truck brought it, TRUST ME. Gas in my hometown (Greenville, Illinois) went back down about 25 cents after Katrina passed, and the "recovery" operations began. But now, we have rita barreling into the Gulf, not crossing much land in Florida, therefore, able to gather steam in the warm Gulf waters, much like her sister Katrina did. The estimated path (courtesy of the National Weather Service) is anywhere from western Mississippi to the Texas shores, just west of Galveston. Hey Galveston, remember YOUR past history with hurricanes? Well, gasoline just went back up $4.00 a barrel (may not mean much to you, but my hubby ALSO worked in the oilfields for years, as did my grandfather, so we KNOW what that means!). You'd better fill up now, before Rita makes landfall. The prices will begin going up, by my estimate, by tomorrow, in anticipation of Rita's landfall, even though she's not expected to get there till Friday. but the rigs are all in the Gulf, so she will affect the oil industry way sooner than one migh expect! As a weather buff, I find all this fascinating. (I live in Tornado Alley, formerly lived in California with earthquakes and wildfires...equally fascinating). I am glad I don't live in the hurricane range, and I have already given to the Red Cross, and am currently helping to connect separated families; but I have to say, Rita could very well be a repeat of Katrina. Let me just add this-- I think, in spite of all his "positive attitude", that New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin is an idiot. why is he encouraging people to come back to N.O.?? Especially with yet another possible Category 3 bearing down on the Gulf? REBUILD the city, in the heart of the hurricane season?? What, is this guy FOR REAL??? Geez, I just don't get it. Now is not the time!! Of all the government boobs to be involved in this, I think he's the worst. Well, that's MY say on the current hurricane situation. Let's just watch and see what pans out in the next few days.... |