OT: Hurricane Katrina.

The two of ya better watch your back. :-))

Sharon (N.B.) ...............................................................

We've had a very different summer this year too - the humidity has been terrible - is STILL terrible - very unusual for this time of year. Puts a girl in murder mode in a hurry. :-))

Shar>

True, but I was thinking about non-immigrants, called Africans, Asians, Eastern Europeans.....

Karen C - California

Now don`t you think that all those have more problems than they can handle already? You`ll be expecting Tsunami victims to be dashing to the rescue next!

Seriously though, the newsreels we are getting over here are horrifying - I do hope that those of rctn who are in the area are OK.

Pat P

"We have offered our colleagues in the United States our full support for this disaster," said Don Shropshire, National Director, Disaster Services, Canadian Red Cross.

"At present the American Red Cross has not requested any type of donations from the Canadian public for Hurricane Katrina. We do however encourage Canadians who wish to help to contribute to our 2005 Hurricane Relief Fund, to assist the most vulnerable victims of hurricanes this season."

And guess what ? They will. I also heard yesterday that there are already a couple of container loads of baby and childrens clothing ready set to go when they get the nod that it is wanted. That was yesterday, imagine there is more by today.

There are power crews in Ontario and NS (maybe more Provinces) waiting to have the cue to go and help when NO asks for it.

Doesn't sound like nothing and nobody ever helps the poor United States.

I think there is little disagreement that we here in the U.S. do get help from Canada and I hope it works the other way around if there is a need. Other than Canada there are very few countries who offer real help. I know that the U.S. often feels that having people fly in from all over the place wouldn't serve much of a purpose, mostly because we are often lucky enough to have the resources necessary to help ourselves and the money spent to transport these people could be better spent on relief efforts here.

As far as medical help, we are fortunate to have good doctors and good facilities.

I think in my mind I see another sad circumstance. I was wondering if we did accept help from some of the less developed countries all over the world would something be taken away from their own people. And in the long run, would we have to send them help because they sent some of their funds, or goods, or objects, or whatever here and didn't leave enough for themselves?

That's my rant for today.

Lucille

Uh, Sheena, Lisa said "it will be interesting to see WHICH countries send us some help", which is a long way from "nothing and nobody".

I am glad you see it that way, so do we when it is us. We feel sending cash is number one and hope that containers of baby clothes etc are going to be needed and used for poorer parents who have lost everything and have to struggle to just regain very small benefits.

Other than that, the main thing we can do is the extra power company personnel. I believe after Hurricane Andrew, Florida said it needed carpenters to hurry the repairs and they were duly sent. Personnel who can re-connect power etc. are a priority because I imagine it is the same down your way, the power companies have reduced their staff to bare bones and just start drowing when faced with an emergency.

That could well be correct. It would seem totally ludicrous to imagine some Asian countries sending cash or clothing to either Canada of the States, far less food.

You looked lovely doing it, I could just see that little picture of Lucille with the hatchet cleaving the computer lol

Thank you. I wish I could share that little picture with everyone. It is a hoot, but you must be able to receive HTML to receive it and the newsgroup is text only.

Lucille>>

Sheena, don't waste time with trying to explain anything to the ugly American attitude the world over hates. I am very thankful to everything our sister country does for us. I can't believe the audacity of some people. I suppose next they'll want to take up a collection for stitching crap for New Orleans stitchers.

This is a text group and most servers now just don't accept binaries unless being sent to a binary group. We had a hoot locally when one of the posters said she didn't care if some of us said don't do it, she intended to do it. I was already laughing because she has the same server as me, and although she tried posting it, her post just appeared sans pic.

I guess the problem is, if you post binaries in a text only group, it drops several text only posts.

Well I am happy to see some people realize, it is such an ugly rumour that surfaces everytime something like this happens.

But to our current knowledge, up to this point in time, the U.S. doesn't NEED any help, nor are they asking for help. Normally when the U.S. sends aid, it's because it is either asked for, or is needed desparately (tsunami, Darfur).

Only time will tell how big this disaster is and what aid will eventually be needed from sources other than our own - if needed at all. Usually the U.S. can handle the strain of disaster relief without outside assistance. I'm sure if we came up short (blood or other medical supplies, for instance) that other countries would gladly take up the slack. It's not uncommon for other countries with highly trained disaster forces, such as Sweden and France, to step up quite quickly during disasters such as volcanoes, avalanches, earthquakes, etc.

I mean, there is no sense whatsoever in sending something if it's not needed. :-) First we all have to know exactly *what's* needed. This story is still unfolding.

Dianne

It also takes up a great deal of resource and for people with limited amounts of posting and reading ability, that's a definite no-no.

Lucille

We live in the extreme northwest corner of the state of Louisiana -- our shelters are filling up here, and they've made plans to open more as needed.

We're making arrangements for the school aged children to go to our schools, and are even hiring some of the teachers who have had to evacuate here to work during this interim time.

The community has come out in full force with donations of money, food, toiletries, linens, clothes, pet food, etc., etc., etc. I've found it surprisingly heartwarming.

I'm hearing that lovely south Louisiana cajun accent all over the place these days.

I'm so grateful we could provide a place for them to come to where they can be safe, not only from the weather and flooding, but from the looters who seem determined to run rampant in what is left of New Orleans.

-- Jere

While the images on tv are mostly lower-income people or those with health problems, the truth is people of all incomes and abilities are now homeless and without employment. Any employer who has openings and can make emergency relocation and housing funds available should let these victims know so they can have a chance to avoid months of living in refugee camps. Sure, some of them won't want to leave the area and believe they will want to return when it is rebuilt, but they have to have a way to live now.

It was particularly good to hear that so many communities are taking in those with school-aged children and that teachers are able to get work. I hope the large companies (WalMart, fast food, etc.) who lost many stores will help their employees find work elsewhere and get settled.

I am greatly distressed that the New Orleans rescue operations are now stopped because of the brigands who have decided to shoot at rescue helicopters. I hate to say it, but the armed looters who are taking potshots at everyone else should be shot on sight--to kill. It isn't worth the time and trouble to arrest them when there isn't any place to put them once they are arrested. I can understand and forgive the need to steal food, water, baby care items, and clothes, but shooting at those being rescued and the rescue workers is inexcusable.

I wonder whether the fact that there are guns readily available in NO, will convince the US Supreme Court to revisit the second amendment to your constitution; the right to bear arms. They say it is an ill wind that blows nobody any good, and maybe this could be a positive outcome from what is otherwise an unmitigated disaster. Here in Canada all levels of government are trying to implement gun control legislation, with limited success. There has recently been a big upsurge in gun-related crime in Toronto. The most widely held opinion of the cause is the ease with which guns can be brought in from the USA. I suspect that even if an attempt is made to provide more gun control in the USA, the NRA will see that it gets absolutely nowhere. However, one can always hope. (sigh)

-- Jim Cripwell. A volante tribe of bards on earth are found,/ who, while the flattering zephyrs round them play,/ on "coignes of vantage" build their nests of clay;/ how quickly from that aery hold unbound,/ dust for oblivion!/ To the solid ground/ of nature trusts the mind that builds for aye. Wordsworth.

Requiring gun registration does *not* control access to guns. When guns are outlawed, the *outlaws* still have guns. And frequently outgun the still-legal (read: law enforcement) gun users.

Now that I'm back and have both IE and Agent working, you are going back on Filter where you belong.