Update to blog: I changed settings to require word validation on comments. I love comments. From actual PEOPLE. Comment away, people.
We're watching the Hurricane Rita news coverage again. David is talking back at the TV, commenting Mystery Science Theater style. What's that building? "Is that the Orleans building? It is!" Swearing and gestures are occasionally involved (as non-local reporters conjecture and make many false assumptions), but it's generally in good humor. The word stupid has become a favorite. He's looking outside for the thunderstorms the Dallas weatherman reports are here. Swirling high clouds is all he sees. Back to the hurricane country reports. "But they shut 911 down and people were warned!" I wish you could join us. We are having a BLAST. :)
September 24, 2005
Facts
I am thankful that catastrophe has been avoided.
Brunt of weakened Hurricane Rita went east and eliminated dangerous surge into our area. Actually, the flooding in Beaumont does not appear to be as bad as regular heavy-rain flooding we've experienced several times in last two years.
National news is crazy. The reporters in studio and on scene are passing on half truths, making huge stories out of isolated incidents, and contributing to atmosphere of fear. There's a casino in Beaumont? Hello? "But don't go away, there's more!" Wolf Blitzer has fallen far from his First Gulf War glory days.
Hanging out in a hotel room is not very interesting. Normally I love nesting in a new place. Current feelings might have something to do with the fact that this stay was unplanned, fell in middle of a busy semester, and put us in a city we never intended on visiting. Truth be told, we're bored and aware of work that awaits us when normalcy returns. Will I sleep better tonight?
I would like to go see a movie but did not bring a jacket or any warm enough clothes to sit in an air conditioned movie theater. The cooler-warmer switch on our room temperature control (pointed at warmer) has condensation.
Our poor helpless Timminy Tivo is without power and hidden behind a protective blanket. I miss it.
I have a desire to laugh.
Clearly, my problems are few.
Brunt of weakened Hurricane Rita went east and eliminated dangerous surge into our area. Actually, the flooding in Beaumont does not appear to be as bad as regular heavy-rain flooding we've experienced several times in last two years.
National news is crazy. The reporters in studio and on scene are passing on half truths, making huge stories out of isolated incidents, and contributing to atmosphere of fear. There's a casino in Beaumont? Hello? "But don't go away, there's more!" Wolf Blitzer has fallen far from his First Gulf War glory days.
Hanging out in a hotel room is not very interesting. Normally I love nesting in a new place. Current feelings might have something to do with the fact that this stay was unplanned, fell in middle of a busy semester, and put us in a city we never intended on visiting. Truth be told, we're bored and aware of work that awaits us when normalcy returns. Will I sleep better tonight?
I would like to go see a movie but did not bring a jacket or any warm enough clothes to sit in an air conditioned movie theater. The cooler-warmer switch on our room temperature control (pointed at warmer) has condensation.
Our poor helpless Timminy Tivo is without power and hidden behind a protective blanket. I miss it.
I have a desire to laugh.
Clearly, my problems are few.
September 23, 2005
Speculating
It's Friday I think. Hurricane Rita (lovely metermaid?) is scheduled to hit on Saturday and that's tomorrow so today must be Friday. See, I've got it all together (Wishful thinking? A necessary anxiety-lowering delusion?). David and I are safe and comfortable in Dallas. We drove from Beaumont once worst of traffic problems had (we thought) been alleviated somewhat. We chose a route that seemed promising for forward movement. We moved, albeit slowly, up the eastern border of Texas to I-20 then drove 150 miles to a hotel which is booked solid, like all others along our route (thanks to David's dad who, from California, secured us this gorgeous hotel room to hunker down in). 340 mile trip took 13 hours (normal route/traffic would take about 4-5 hours). We've been amusing ourselves best we can with music and impromptu word games. Now exploring possibilities for semblance of normalcy for one day in Dallas. Unpacked groceries and books, computers etc into hotel room. They brought us a mini fridge for the cheese and fruit we brought along. Tonight we went out and had a yummy dinner at Avila's on Maple (recommended). Tomorrow we'll check on hurricane, adjust plans accordingly, then settle in for normal work stuff.
I love the response we've gotten from family and friends, concerned for our well being and safety. I draw energy and feelings of safety from the many calls and emails we have received. Alas, I feel bad reporting that we are currently calm and finding ways to be sane and normal. We are letting nature take its course and hoping for the best. Over the last few days as we prepared the house for possible storm approach, I never wavered from my belief that all would work out okay. Operating from another perspective would paralyze me. I work from known facts, not speculation. Speculation makes me anxious.
Here's what I expect to happen:
* definite power outages, for up to a week. Our power is sensitive under normal storm conditions; we've had lengthy outages in the past and this is unlikely to be significantly worse. (knock on wood)
* our street will flood, probably rising as high up as a third of the driveway. We've had flooding before from the torrential rains that last days, filling the myriad drainage ditches that cross the city. The backyard can take a lot of water--it flows out across yards and becomes a lake.
* small and medium size tree limbs will fall. Again, this happens under normal storm conditions. We had two trees removed in July. Remaining trees in yard (4 oaks, 1 pine, 1 magnolia) will do what they must. Odds are they will fall away from house. (knock on wood)
Right now we are safe and comfortable. We have a car full of important documents, food, water, bedding, mementos, computers and cell phones, fresh baked cookies (mmm, Mrs. Fields recipe chocolate chip augmented by pecans and ground flaxseed), and a faithful traveling companion (aka Pavel). Hope for the best. (My knuckles hurt from all the knocking on wood I've been doing.) We'll keep you posted.
I love the response we've gotten from family and friends, concerned for our well being and safety. I draw energy and feelings of safety from the many calls and emails we have received. Alas, I feel bad reporting that we are currently calm and finding ways to be sane and normal. We are letting nature take its course and hoping for the best. Over the last few days as we prepared the house for possible storm approach, I never wavered from my belief that all would work out okay. Operating from another perspective would paralyze me. I work from known facts, not speculation. Speculation makes me anxious.
Here's what I expect to happen:
* definite power outages, for up to a week. Our power is sensitive under normal storm conditions; we've had lengthy outages in the past and this is unlikely to be significantly worse. (knock on wood)
* our street will flood, probably rising as high up as a third of the driveway. We've had flooding before from the torrential rains that last days, filling the myriad drainage ditches that cross the city. The backyard can take a lot of water--it flows out across yards and becomes a lake.
* small and medium size tree limbs will fall. Again, this happens under normal storm conditions. We had two trees removed in July. Remaining trees in yard (4 oaks, 1 pine, 1 magnolia) will do what they must. Odds are they will fall away from house. (knock on wood)
Right now we are safe and comfortable. We have a car full of important documents, food, water, bedding, mementos, computers and cell phones, fresh baked cookies (mmm, Mrs. Fields recipe chocolate chip augmented by pecans and ground flaxseed), and a faithful traveling companion (aka Pavel). Hope for the best. (My knuckles hurt from all the knocking on wood I've been doing.) We'll keep you posted.
September 20, 2005
Confusion
I live in such a confused world. I undoubtedly reap the rewards of a capitalist, consumer society and yet when I turn my awareness to it, I do not like it. I guess that's called self loathing.
I don't like consuming the results of profit-inflating, environmentally unsustainable practices that food producers feel it necessary to use. I prefer to eat a balanced diet (that I eat too much of it is another issue entirely). I buy organic whenever such options present themselves, and I seek out those options. I eat meat in moderation, choose soy and whole grains, and prepare meals from scratch more frequently than not. Sounds good, doesn't it? But what difference does it make? I've done the above things for a long time but lately my actions have become more fashionable. As new "healthy" alternative products arrive at the store I buy them, as do others who are more gullible and less long-term minded. Buy. Through my dollars I encourage the proliferation of organic products (If you can't beat em, join em). Organic produce, dairy products, cereal, broth. Recently I purchased Prego brand's organic pasta sauce. I bought in to corporate America's takeover of organic. Argh! What's worse, that pasta sauce tasted so good, like the old days. I am happy that Prego made an organic sauce, but sad that its sweet smoothness allows people to feel they are eating more healthfully while consuming the same old junk food. Organic does not in itself make the food healthy for your body (though for the planet, more so, yes).
But does organic mean the same thing to corporate America as to a longstanding organic dairy coop? I highly doubt it. Should I care? Should you? Moral questions, I know. Anyway, check out some of the discussion on the questions of what is organic, who ought to decide, and what products can rightfully be labeled organic? If you are in any way interested in organic, you owe it to yourself to know what's going on.
The USDA definition as I recall had a struggle to begin with and has continued to be under threat of dilution. The Consumers Union wrote a piece on the organic labeling debate, including recent changes that allow shampoos and cosmetics to be "organic", undoubtedly for increased profit. Or here's a lighter news story version of the debate.
Profit. That's the word that gets me. There is no shame in wealth (repeat ten times). However, I think there is shame in ostentation, profit-minded manipulation, willful ignorance, and wanton disregard for workers and society. Of course, all of this is from my perspective. I imagine highly paid corporate CEOs and boards believe they are doing nothing wrong, therefore they feel no shame. They probably don't even think they are in any way overpaid. They work vey very hard to earn that money.
I'm losing logic now, head pounding, eyes blurred. The Corporation dvd has been on our shelf, waiting to be viewed, for weeks. (See the IMDB description/info.) We watched it this weekend, and now I know why I've been putting it off. It makes me angry. The "it": for-profit corporations have become first class citizens, de facto and officially, without expectations of practicing good citizenship. Hmm, that's not so different from the general population, now that I think about it. Argh. I'm understanding the allure of junk food and cheesy television right about now. Must be strong.... Apart from self righteousness, what does holding out do for me? Why is it about me at all? Argh! I live a confused life. Personal problem, I know.
I don't like consuming the results of profit-inflating, environmentally unsustainable practices that food producers feel it necessary to use. I prefer to eat a balanced diet (that I eat too much of it is another issue entirely). I buy organic whenever such options present themselves, and I seek out those options. I eat meat in moderation, choose soy and whole grains, and prepare meals from scratch more frequently than not. Sounds good, doesn't it? But what difference does it make? I've done the above things for a long time but lately my actions have become more fashionable. As new "healthy" alternative products arrive at the store I buy them, as do others who are more gullible and less long-term minded. Buy. Through my dollars I encourage the proliferation of organic products (If you can't beat em, join em). Organic produce, dairy products, cereal, broth. Recently I purchased Prego brand's organic pasta sauce. I bought in to corporate America's takeover of organic. Argh! What's worse, that pasta sauce tasted so good, like the old days. I am happy that Prego made an organic sauce, but sad that its sweet smoothness allows people to feel they are eating more healthfully while consuming the same old junk food. Organic does not in itself make the food healthy for your body (though for the planet, more so, yes).
But does organic mean the same thing to corporate America as to a longstanding organic dairy coop? I highly doubt it. Should I care? Should you? Moral questions, I know. Anyway, check out some of the discussion on the questions of what is organic, who ought to decide, and what products can rightfully be labeled organic? If you are in any way interested in organic, you owe it to yourself to know what's going on.
The USDA definition as I recall had a struggle to begin with and has continued to be under threat of dilution. The Consumers Union wrote a piece on the organic labeling debate, including recent changes that allow shampoos and cosmetics to be "organic", undoubtedly for increased profit. Or here's a lighter news story version of the debate.
Profit. That's the word that gets me. There is no shame in wealth (repeat ten times). However, I think there is shame in ostentation, profit-minded manipulation, willful ignorance, and wanton disregard for workers and society. Of course, all of this is from my perspective. I imagine highly paid corporate CEOs and boards believe they are doing nothing wrong, therefore they feel no shame. They probably don't even think they are in any way overpaid. They work vey very hard to earn that money.
I'm losing logic now, head pounding, eyes blurred. The Corporation dvd has been on our shelf, waiting to be viewed, for weeks. (See the IMDB description/info.) We watched it this weekend, and now I know why I've been putting it off. It makes me angry. The "it": for-profit corporations have become first class citizens, de facto and officially, without expectations of practicing good citizenship. Hmm, that's not so different from the general population, now that I think about it. Argh. I'm understanding the allure of junk food and cheesy television right about now. Must be strong.... Apart from self righteousness, what does holding out do for me? Why is it about me at all? Argh! I live a confused life. Personal problem, I know.
September 17, 2005
Blurry
Where have I been? It's a fair question, I agree. I can both see where the time has gone and am totally ignorant of its passing. I don't think I'm getting much done, but there is certainly lots to do. Sometimes this kind of situation builds itself to a little anxiety attack. I plan to avoid that.
I must get going again, get some rhythm to my progress. I've got several research projects going on, lots of writing, observing, some calculating. There are three classes, each with its own project or paper. Cars needed some attention and I gave them their due. The yard still needs my attention. I look at it and think, boy if I just went out there for 2 hours I could make it look nicer. And then I move on to some other, far less immediately necessary activity.
David badly needed some attention and (I hope) I gave him his due. Oddly enough, Katrina hit David more ferociously than geography would imply. He's had a truly awful month.
I must get going again, get some rhythm to my progress. I've got several research projects going on, lots of writing, observing, some calculating. There are three classes, each with its own project or paper. Cars needed some attention and I gave them their due. The yard still needs my attention. I look at it and think, boy if I just went out there for 2 hours I could make it look nicer. And then I move on to some other, far less immediately necessary activity.
David badly needed some attention and (I hope) I gave him his due. Oddly enough, Katrina hit David more ferociously than geography would imply. He's had a truly awful month.
September 06, 2005
Entertainment
I've got two new movie reviews, for March of the Penguins and The Aristocrats. That's right, folks, I combined 'em. Oddly appropriate pair actually.
Movie season is waning. I'm preparing myself for the fall television season now. I enjoy television. Go ahead, judge me.
David and I have become quite absorbed in The O.C. We're catching up via DVD but order doesn't seem to matter much. What I love about it is that you can read the detailed episode description and still want to watch the actual show. The dialogue is funny, the characters are perfectly likable or dislikable, and the soapiness of it all is fabulous.
Favorites are returning soon...Arrested Development, Lost, Gilmore Girls (I'm worried about direction here), West Wing.
David has finally brought me around to Scrubs, but only in small doses. I love some parts of the show and hate others.
The 4400 closed out its summer season quite satisfactorily. Ditto for Entourage.
Canadian teen show Degrassi (on The N) ended stupidly last spring. Way stupidly. But new season begins in October and from the previews I'm hopeful it will return to good form.
I love VH1's celebreality shows.
I watch Desperate Housewives but I admit I don't love it. I really like some of the storylines and loathe others. I tend to watch Survivor in slow or medium fast forward after the first two episodes and first five minutes of each subsequent episode. Alias has my head scratching and I pretty much gave up on it. ER was good for a bit last season, but my brief flirtation with it is well over.
I only have time to watch TV because of Timminy. I don't channel flip and I don't watch just to kill time. It is focused entertainment. In and out. Aren't you envious that David gets to live with me? :)
Movie season is waning. I'm preparing myself for the fall television season now. I enjoy television. Go ahead, judge me.
David and I have become quite absorbed in The O.C. We're catching up via DVD but order doesn't seem to matter much. What I love about it is that you can read the detailed episode description and still want to watch the actual show. The dialogue is funny, the characters are perfectly likable or dislikable, and the soapiness of it all is fabulous.
Favorites are returning soon...Arrested Development, Lost, Gilmore Girls (I'm worried about direction here), West Wing.
David has finally brought me around to Scrubs, but only in small doses. I love some parts of the show and hate others.
The 4400 closed out its summer season quite satisfactorily. Ditto for Entourage.
Canadian teen show Degrassi (on The N) ended stupidly last spring. Way stupidly. But new season begins in October and from the previews I'm hopeful it will return to good form.
I love VH1's celebreality shows.
I watch Desperate Housewives but I admit I don't love it. I really like some of the storylines and loathe others. I tend to watch Survivor in slow or medium fast forward after the first two episodes and first five minutes of each subsequent episode. Alias has my head scratching and I pretty much gave up on it. ER was good for a bit last season, but my brief flirtation with it is well over.
I only have time to watch TV because of Timminy. I don't channel flip and I don't watch just to kill time. It is focused entertainment. In and out. Aren't you envious that David gets to live with me? :)
September 04, 2005
Humor?
That's right, there have been other events this past week, things other than the start of the fall television season. Like a stampede that killed almost a thousand people in a matter of hours in constitution-hopeful Iraq. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the London bombings (I suspect they were feeling shut out from the news). There's an interesting piece in the Economist this week about possibilities for native Hawaiian indpendence that would give them the same happy options that native Americans possess (must read to understand). Or check out the latest bad news from Africa, where long term ailments mix with day-to-day crises. Honestly, when do we hear good news stories coming out of Africa? I do believe there is much good going on in this vast continent. My dad's birthday is one week from today; that'll be a day of celebration to be sure. Oh, and apparently there was a natural and man-helped disaster somewhere in the southern United States.
I've missed my humor and sarcasm. The above was a practice run, in the event that future circumstances require immediate implementation. It's all about planning and foresight for me this week.
I've missed my humor and sarcasm. The above was a practice run, in the event that future circumstances require immediate implementation. It's all about planning and foresight for me this week.
September 02, 2005
Disaster
Yet again, I'd be a lot less anxious if I just turned off the television.
Living in Southeast Texas, travelling back and forth on I-10 between Beaumont and Houston, it's kind of hard to avoid the news this week. The outpouring of genuine concern and the widespread offerings of help that I've witnessed in Houston this week have been amazing. Too bad the powers that be (nameless and faceless) seem intent on mucking it up. Too bad that this disaster was foreseeable. Too bad the victims come from a city that is much loved with a population that is largely disenfranchised.
I could go on and on about the hurricane, the flooding, the looting, the television coverage (irate reporters included). I could tell you about the free meals at Ikea on Monday, which seemed unnecessary to relieved New Orleans residents who had evacuated early and thought the worst case was avoided. I could tell you about the upbeat evacuees I talked to at the Astrodome. I could tell you my thoughts on the likelihood that a fair number of the evacuees have mental health, addiction, or other significant personal issues that crisis, well, doesn't bring out the best of. On the bright side, maybe some of those people will receive some medical attention. Pessimist in me adds, in the short term. I could go on, but I won't.
Check out some of the international response .
PART TWO I wrote the following to my brother. I was sharing some things that David and I have been pondering the last few days. David's efforts meanwhile are very focused--he is working night and day to produce an open source solution to communication overlaps among the evacuees and families. He's working with a team to create in essence a clearinghouse of the message boards and listings of "I'm safe" and "Where are you?" websites, big and small. Okay, my most recent thoughts....
The New Orleans stuff is, I hope, educational overall. A total and complete lack of productive leadership at any level seems to me the key problem. I actually
really like the New Orleans mayor, as a speaker, an advocate. Unfortunately, he's not someone who keeps his head down and makes things happen. Ditto for Blanco, the governor of Louisiana. They're good people, but not crisis management sorts. I'm not sure those are even expected responsibilities for the position.
You're supposed to be able to rely on the emergency management directors and teams--city, state, and then--when things require coordination beyond local
capacity--federal. The crazy behavior was anomalous but made for excellent news. It takes a portion of overall population to go nuts to make things look absolutely horrible to the outside (and without food, water, power, news of any kind, or worse, false promises whether solicited or not, and certainly a lack of normalcy I'd go a little nuts too). Majority of people in New Orleans who did not evaucate figured
either the blow would not come (and indeed, they've been hit with strong hurricane before and survived) or they'd just be killed. It's the limbo I think no one
imagined, and the levees breaking was really the problem. See, when the storm blew by, there was widespread relief. Powers that be simply did not foresee a levee breaking after the fact like that. Then with the area inaccessible and emergency teams poorly equipped or coordinated, things fell apart. The search and rescue efforts were great but there were too many people for the crews available. People came in from all over with their airboats and duck-hunting boats to drive the city looking for people. But lots of people were trapped inside and it took a long time
to get into the open. The looters at first were the idiots--tv's, beer, DVD's. Come on. Some broke into pharmacies for the drugs--not hard to imagine who those people were. Almost immediately normal people saw (and local police could not disagree) that help was going to be a while and food/water/medicine/diapers became essential and
immediate commodities (every person for themselves, I heard again and again). People were crazed by a lack of direction and no clear signs of assistance of any
kind. It's dang hot down here recently, and with all that plus water all around people can't have been sleeping much, and certainly never cooled off.
It's not like these people volunteered for this, not military trained or necessarily mentally astute normally. These are just people, mostly poor, lots unhappy about their lot in life anyway, living in rundown houses in a very proud southern city. You've got the normal assortment of mentally ill, homeless, addicted, criminal, macho, old, infirm, and those with just a general lack of common sense.
I don't think most of these people imagined themselves ever leaving New Orleans. They're out now. I have a feeling a lot of people won't return, will be absorbed
into urban poor elsewhere. My hope is that many will receive medical/mental health assistance that otherwise would be unknown or practically/structurally unavailable to them. As I predicted, the Astrodome medical help (there's a major medical complex just up the road and those personnel are putting in very long hours) have noted presence of drug and alcohol withdrawal patients. Someone noticed. Phew.
David pointed out that the response from the federal government strikes him as exactly the sort of thing Bush wants--leave it to local government and community
organizations (some federal officials are pointing responsibility to locals who simply didn't ask for help). Fine and good that locals and community groups
are the ones who actually do the work, but coordination, crisis leadership are essential to utilizing those resources. That isn't federal responsibilitiy, or anyone else's inherently. I would have hoped, though, that someone along the chain would
possess some focused energy, some foresight. I think we're facing a perfect storm of leadership needs and everyone sank. And a massive cost, given the scrimp now (or pay for less important things needlessly)-pay later funding systems we've got in place. Not a Democrat-Republican problem--this is an American institutional problem. It's structural.
Houston actually did a great job for the most part (there have been a few significant kinks). The city faced major flooding 4 years ago with unpredictably intense tropical storm Alison and had to mobilize help back then. They learned something from it and had some plans in place, albeit still not sufficient for disaster of this magnitude, especially for out-of-staters. Anyway, the people remember what that time was like (when you look at houses, the reference point for structural history is always Alison). Help has been widespread and genuine.
Being here/there in the middle of evacuations and 24-hour local news is very interesting. I was over at the Astrodome/Reliant Park when buses and evacuees
were arriving and wandering. The response there has been fantastic, and people are rallying to help. In Beaumont, 90 miles closer to New Orleans, evacuees are
tougher to find. There's a major shelter in town (the local sports complex) and of course lots of small church shelters, plus hotels are booked. But the feel
here is different. I can drive around town and not see Louisiana license plates--definitely not the case in Houston where every other car is from Louisiana. I'm guessing though that if I went to the largely-black neighborhoods here that I might find lots of families being housed with friends and relatives. One Beaumont
station for a while broadcast its sister station's signal from New Orleans, showing slow flyover helicopter views of all the hurricane-hit areas, including Mississippi, one neighborhood after another for viewers to see if their house is standing,
flooded, etc. There are areas in Miss. that are unbelievably devastated, even the newest hurricane and surge-designed construction.
I'm sure more thoughts will come....
Okay, this Economist article on the subject says it better than I.
Living in Southeast Texas, travelling back and forth on I-10 between Beaumont and Houston, it's kind of hard to avoid the news this week. The outpouring of genuine concern and the widespread offerings of help that I've witnessed in Houston this week have been amazing. Too bad the powers that be (nameless and faceless) seem intent on mucking it up. Too bad that this disaster was foreseeable. Too bad the victims come from a city that is much loved with a population that is largely disenfranchised.
I could go on and on about the hurricane, the flooding, the looting, the television coverage (irate reporters included). I could tell you about the free meals at Ikea on Monday, which seemed unnecessary to relieved New Orleans residents who had evacuated early and thought the worst case was avoided. I could tell you about the upbeat evacuees I talked to at the Astrodome. I could tell you my thoughts on the likelihood that a fair number of the evacuees have mental health, addiction, or other significant personal issues that crisis, well, doesn't bring out the best of. On the bright side, maybe some of those people will receive some medical attention. Pessimist in me adds, in the short term. I could go on, but I won't.
Check out some of the international response .
PART TWO I wrote the following to my brother. I was sharing some things that David and I have been pondering the last few days. David's efforts meanwhile are very focused--he is working night and day to produce an open source solution to communication overlaps among the evacuees and families. He's working with a team to create in essence a clearinghouse of the message boards and listings of "I'm safe" and "Where are you?" websites, big and small. Okay, my most recent thoughts....
The New Orleans stuff is, I hope, educational overall. A total and complete lack of productive leadership at any level seems to me the key problem. I actually
really like the New Orleans mayor, as a speaker, an advocate. Unfortunately, he's not someone who keeps his head down and makes things happen. Ditto for Blanco, the governor of Louisiana. They're good people, but not crisis management sorts. I'm not sure those are even expected responsibilities for the position.
You're supposed to be able to rely on the emergency management directors and teams--city, state, and then--when things require coordination beyond local
capacity--federal. The crazy behavior was anomalous but made for excellent news. It takes a portion of overall population to go nuts to make things look absolutely horrible to the outside (and without food, water, power, news of any kind, or worse, false promises whether solicited or not, and certainly a lack of normalcy I'd go a little nuts too). Majority of people in New Orleans who did not evaucate figured
either the blow would not come (and indeed, they've been hit with strong hurricane before and survived) or they'd just be killed. It's the limbo I think no one
imagined, and the levees breaking was really the problem. See, when the storm blew by, there was widespread relief. Powers that be simply did not foresee a levee breaking after the fact like that. Then with the area inaccessible and emergency teams poorly equipped or coordinated, things fell apart. The search and rescue efforts were great but there were too many people for the crews available. People came in from all over with their airboats and duck-hunting boats to drive the city looking for people. But lots of people were trapped inside and it took a long time
to get into the open. The looters at first were the idiots--tv's, beer, DVD's. Come on. Some broke into pharmacies for the drugs--not hard to imagine who those people were. Almost immediately normal people saw (and local police could not disagree) that help was going to be a while and food/water/medicine/diapers became essential and
immediate commodities (every person for themselves, I heard again and again). People were crazed by a lack of direction and no clear signs of assistance of any
kind. It's dang hot down here recently, and with all that plus water all around people can't have been sleeping much, and certainly never cooled off.
It's not like these people volunteered for this, not military trained or necessarily mentally astute normally. These are just people, mostly poor, lots unhappy about their lot in life anyway, living in rundown houses in a very proud southern city. You've got the normal assortment of mentally ill, homeless, addicted, criminal, macho, old, infirm, and those with just a general lack of common sense.
I don't think most of these people imagined themselves ever leaving New Orleans. They're out now. I have a feeling a lot of people won't return, will be absorbed
into urban poor elsewhere. My hope is that many will receive medical/mental health assistance that otherwise would be unknown or practically/structurally unavailable to them. As I predicted, the Astrodome medical help (there's a major medical complex just up the road and those personnel are putting in very long hours) have noted presence of drug and alcohol withdrawal patients. Someone noticed. Phew.
David pointed out that the response from the federal government strikes him as exactly the sort of thing Bush wants--leave it to local government and community
organizations (some federal officials are pointing responsibility to locals who simply didn't ask for help). Fine and good that locals and community groups
are the ones who actually do the work, but coordination, crisis leadership are essential to utilizing those resources. That isn't federal responsibilitiy, or anyone else's inherently. I would have hoped, though, that someone along the chain would
possess some focused energy, some foresight. I think we're facing a perfect storm of leadership needs and everyone sank. And a massive cost, given the scrimp now (or pay for less important things needlessly)-pay later funding systems we've got in place. Not a Democrat-Republican problem--this is an American institutional problem. It's structural.
Houston actually did a great job for the most part (there have been a few significant kinks). The city faced major flooding 4 years ago with unpredictably intense tropical storm Alison and had to mobilize help back then. They learned something from it and had some plans in place, albeit still not sufficient for disaster of this magnitude, especially for out-of-staters. Anyway, the people remember what that time was like (when you look at houses, the reference point for structural history is always Alison). Help has been widespread and genuine.
Being here/there in the middle of evacuations and 24-hour local news is very interesting. I was over at the Astrodome/Reliant Park when buses and evacuees
were arriving and wandering. The response there has been fantastic, and people are rallying to help. In Beaumont, 90 miles closer to New Orleans, evacuees are
tougher to find. There's a major shelter in town (the local sports complex) and of course lots of small church shelters, plus hotels are booked. But the feel
here is different. I can drive around town and not see Louisiana license plates--definitely not the case in Houston where every other car is from Louisiana. I'm guessing though that if I went to the largely-black neighborhoods here that I might find lots of families being housed with friends and relatives. One Beaumont
station for a while broadcast its sister station's signal from New Orleans, showing slow flyover helicopter views of all the hurricane-hit areas, including Mississippi, one neighborhood after another for viewers to see if their house is standing,
flooded, etc. There are areas in Miss. that are unbelievably devastated, even the newest hurricane and surge-designed construction.
I'm sure more thoughts will come....
Okay, this Economist article on the subject says it better than I.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)