About Me
1. Do what you say you will do.
2. Know what is important to your friends.
3. If you prioritize your friends, they will prioritize you.
4. Expect the best.
5. Forgive the little things.
6. Be transparent.
7. Know the difference between criticism and and expression of concern.
8. Listen.
9. Speak from the heart.
10. Know when to kick your friend's ass and when to pick it up off the ground.
Does anyone else have anything to add?
It's the 20th of the month and I have ELEVEN articles due before the end of the month. Oh yeah, that and ... you know... the full time job that is entering the busy fall season.
Crap.
With the personal blogs I tend to be very loyal. I find one, I read often and I comment often.
With writing focused blogs I'm not nearly as loyal, I expect more. Especially those where authors or writers are marketing themselves and their books through their blogs. I expect to hear about them and their writing. I do not want to hear their thoughts on politics. Just like I don't want to hear a rock star's thoughts on politics.
It's like false advertising. "Hey, come on over to my blog that I created because I'm a successful author and then listen to my opinions on politics."
I don't begrudge them the right to do it at all, it's just disappointed to not get what you were expecting.
NOTE: If you visit any of the blogs on the right side of the screen... you will never be disappointed, they are wonderful.
A few years ago I read the most magnificent fiction book series ever. Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. Five books of wonderful storytelling, cliffhanging action and - best of all - romance with the Man of Men.
Jaime.
I absolutely lusted after this fictional character. He was just SO PERFECT with his unemotional bravery and quietly powerful love... oh my I CRIED ACTUAL tears around book two and my heart ACTUALLY FLUTTERED in a way that made me want to sip wine and lay in bed with a smile on my face MANY TIMES throughout the series.
(The final book is coming out this month and I have to put all other books on hold until I am finished it!)
But the thing is, the reason I got so emotional was that he reminded me of Major Man. Never mind that at this time I had not seen him in eight years or so and I was sure I'd never see him again - afterall we lived in two different countries!
Still, they were the same in my mind, Jamie brought so many memories back of the first time I met Major Man that I was left weak, pitiful and sad at the state of life I was in. I was sure that the true love of my life was far in my past and all I had left was this fictional character.
But you know what? Because of that book I tried again. Because that book re-ignited the flickering flame that had almost gone out, I tried again.
And on September 10th I married my Jamie.
Please head over to the beautiful Blog of Death to see a full listing of the victims of September 11th, 2001.
Also, a list of Canadians who died on 9-11-2001.
"Air Canada provided shuttle flights to help in the evacuation of about 25,000 people from New Orleans to San Antonio, Texas. The airline also used an Airbus passenger jet to fly a cargo of bottled water and relief supplies to New Orleans."
"Canadian military planes have transported Canadian Red Cross and government officials to work in the disaster areas. Some 35 Canadian military divers are helping with inspecting dikes and clearing waterways. A shipment of supplies requested by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has arrived in Atlanta from Canada. Donations are pouring in from the provinces."
"Earlier this week, U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins effusively thanked Canada as well.
"The aid pouring from all across Canada has been truly overwhelming," Wilkins said in Vancouver. "Many countries are offering help, nobody more so than Canada ... You're at the top of the list and for that we will always be very grateful."
2.) George Bush did not cause the hurricane. Hurricanes have been happening for eons. George Bush did not create them or unleash this one.
3.) George Bush did not make this one worse than others. There have been far worse hurricanes than this before George Bush was born
See 4-12 HERE.
Also, a National Geographic article from October 2004 predicted this flooding. I wonder why no one listened?
It begins:
It was a broiling August afternoon in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Big Easy, the City That Care Forgot. Those who ventured outside moved as if they were swimming in tupelo honey. Those inside paid silent homage to the man who invented air-conditioning as they watched TV "storm teams" warn of a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico. Nothing surprising there: Hurricanes in August are as much a part of life in this town as hangovers on Ash Wednesday.
But the next day the storm gathered steam and drew a bead on the city. As the whirling maelstrom approached the coast, more than a million people evacuated to higher ground. Some 200,000 remained, however the car-less, the homeless, the aged and infirm, and those die-hard New Orleanians who look for any excuse to throw a party.
The storm hit Breton Sound with the fury of a nuclear warhead, pushing a deadly storm surge into Lake Pontchartrain. The water crept to the top of the massive berm that holds back the lake and then spilled over. Nearly 80 percent of New Orleans lies below sea level more than eight feet below in places so the water poured in. A liquid brown wall washed over the brick ranch homes of Gentilly, over the clapboard houses of the Ninth Ward, over the white-columned porches of the Garden District, until it raced through the bars and strip joints on Bourbon Street like the pale rider of the Apocalypse. As it reached 25 feet (eight meters) over parts of the city, people climbed onto roofs to escape it.
Thousands drowned in the murky brew that was soon contaminated by sewage and industrial waste. Thousands more who survived the flood later perished from dehydration and disease as they waited to be rescued. It took two months to pump the city dry, and by then the Big Easy was buried under a blanket of putrid sediment, a million people were homeless, and 50,000 were dead. It was the worst natural disaster in the history of the United States.
When did this calamity happen? It hasn't yet. But the doomsday scenario is not far-fetched. The Federal Emergency Management Agency lists a hurricane strike on New Orleans as one of the most dire threats to the nation, up there with a large earthquake in California or a terrorist attack on New York City. Even the Red Cross no longer opens hurricane shelters in the city, claiming the risk to its workers is too great.
Also from Freelance Musings:
"Millions of people are without power, water, food, shelter, and clothing. They are stranded in what are essentially refugee camps in stadiums and convention centers, where access to basic sanitation is limited and conditions are deplorable.They are hot. They are hungry. They are thirsty. They are frustrated.Just another day in Congo, India, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Haita and scores of other nations, where poverty and a lack of access to basic sanitation and fresh drinking water are a daily reality."
(ok.. not millions... but still.)
And, head over to the the newly named, Crazy in Mississippi to hear from someone experiencing the emotions of being just too close for almost anyone's comfort.
1. I only have four settings. Love it, Ok with it, Don't like it, Hate it. Those 'rank from 1-10' surveys are a bit too indepth for me. If I'm an 8, why not be a 10? 'Ok with it' is about as close to 'don't care' as I get.
2. To have someone respect me is more important than to have someone like me.
3. I firmly believe in hand ups, not hand outs.
4. I will not feel sorry for myself when I make a bad decision with consequences that I don't like. Nor will I feel bad for anyone else when the same happens to them. Bad Decision -> Consequences -> New Decisions to Make -> Move On.
5. I believe that Action trumps Thought any day. Sure you had great intentions... but what did you do about it.
6. I must be busy, I have a hard time relaxing because I feel like I should be DOING SOMETHING. At the same time I don't like ineffective action... I don't PUTTER. Every action has a purpose.
7. I am a book addict... I just counted all the books in my house. There are 522 on shelves. Not including my son's ... he has about 50. My books are arranged in the following sections: Writing & Related, Childbirth & Breastfeeding, Christian, Horse Related, Fiction. It's probably split 50/50 between fiction and non fiction, though NF is winning a bit I think.
8. I do spank my son. As a last resort and when he has been amply warned that it's coming if he does.that.one.more.time. I rarely, rarely have to spank him because even at the age of four he understands consequences. If anyone else were to raise their hand against them they'd feel 'the back of me hand' pretty darn quick - no warning on that one.
9. Potheads should all be rounded up and sent to BC, then we can hand the province over to them and wait to see how quickly they start asking for social assistance from the federal government because they all just sit around and think about sh!t and no one wants to enforce any rules or get up before noon.
10. Do you think I'm judgemental? I am. Do whatever you want until it starts to affect me, my son, my fiance and my tax dollars - because if it affects me then I have every right to judge it for what it is and do something about it.
11. There's one lesson that that it took me a long, long time to learn. But now that I've learned it, it's one of the lessons I hope my son learns. You can laugh at what I wear, who I am, what I believe, what I worship and how I dress. Keep laughing - I'm proud of who I am and you aren't even on my radar screen.
12. This is taking me all night to write because I'm making supper, answering emails, bathing my son, eating supper, cleaning up pet rocks, making cookies and counting books. But I do love being busy!
13. I have over 100 magazines in my house. I didn't count though, I just guessed. Most I use for article ideas and reference. I hate to throw them away.
14. My future husband is a former Army Major and the quintessential poster child for the American Army who believes that might does make right. He's also very private and that's probably saying too much about him right there. I refer to him as Major Man on this blog.
15. I have always had the hots for 'Army Guys'... I heart them and they make my knees weak. I mean, they used to, but now I have Major Man, of course. I think it is because they are more concerned about doing what is right, protecting others, and going where others fear to go in the name of their country.
16. I like dresses that make me feel girlie.
17. I trained horses for six years, starting colts and getting bucked off enough until I didn't get bucked off any more. This is me starting my last horse - it's her first ride and it was six weeks after having my son.
18. I like things that smell like vanilla.
19. My favourite tea is Lady Earl Grey and I can never, ever find it.
20. I like football because I understand most of the rules and what I don't understand I can ask Major Man and he will never ever make me feel stupid for asking. I admit that my favourite college football team is the Purdue Boilermakers only because he went to Purdue. A year ago I thought Purdue was a fancy cheese.
21. Secretly my favourite CFL team is the Saskatchewan Roughriders because they have the best fans. And yes, I do know these boys:
22. I am getting married soon and no one knows when. Ok, a couple people know. But that's it, honey, I swear.
23. I am opinionated. However I try very hard not to force my opinion on others unless they first open the door.
24. I once tanned topless on the beach in Italy, it was the day I met Major Man. Yes, I have a picture of that too. No, I'm not putting it up here!
25. (Cheater)
26. (Another Cheater)
27. My favourite food is coffee flavoured chocolate - aka Mocha.
28. I am a dog person who wishes that cats liked her better.
29. I love just about any kind of book other than horror and crime novels. Nothing against them personally, but I just like to be moved emotionally.
30. I LOVE roller coasters.
31. The most wonderful couples I have ever known were my grandparents. They knew how to stick it out. My grandmother on my mom's side met my grandpa when she was engaged to someone else. She left the guy and married grandpa. They were together until his death a few years ago.
32. I am an ENFJ. This means that I'm an Extroverted iNtuitive Feeling Judger. This means that I get energy from communicating with others, I figure things out before I can explain them, I think with my heart and I like to structure my world around me.
33. I would rather connect with someone else than be the smartest person in the world. Without a connection I have no meaning.
34. The most important question to me is 'Why?'
35. I would rather be understood by a handful of people than heard by millions.
36. Some of my favourite authors: Alesia Holliday, Lani Diane Rich, Shirley Jump, Joshilyn Jackson, Diana Gabaldon, Nicholas Sparks, Dr. Spears, Will Ferguson
37. I do like me some good TV shows. My favourite shows are: Corner Gas, Grey's Anatomy, Survivor, Lost, 24, Joan of Arcadia, CSI and Law&Order
38. At this point I need to go read some other 100 Things lists....
39. Here's the most risque number of them all. I am due for another Brazillian this week.
40. I live in Alberta, the most conservative part of Canada and would not want to live anywhere else.
41. I am capitalistic and I like money. This does not make me evil. This makes me able to afford to buy a laptop so I can write while I'm at the park with my son, it means I drive a safe car and can afford to fix it in an emergency, like, I have to work tomorrow to put food on the table. It means that I have the freedom to do what I want, which is succeed.
42. I have assisted in the birth of an Alpaca:
43. I have also assisted in the birth of a few horses and cows and a goat and some puppies.
44. I've castrated a few thousand bull calves. It wasn't a great job, but someone had to do it.
45. I hate (see the first thing) PETA. (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) No, I'm not linking to them.
46. My idea of the most romantic vacation ever will happen in June 2006 when Major Man and I go back to visit the beach we met on 10 years ago. We are going to stay in the same hotel and swim in the same water. Lido de Jesolo, Italy .... less than 9 months away.
47. Nobody can beat me up but myself, but I'm getting better at forgiving myself and moving on.
48. I've said this one before, I believe you should never treat someone like your enemy when they just disagree with you.
49. My biggest horse training injuries were: getting stepped on by a scared horse and getting trapped in a stall with a freaked out horse. The first one lead to surgery a few years later to remove scar tissue and the second resulted in two compression fractures in my back and made me quit my horse training career.
50. No one and nothing MAKES me do anything, forget what I said above. I choose every footfall in my life and no one is responsible for my successes and failures except me.
51. I love Canadian humour because it is so self-deprecating. (Hear that Hollis, self-deprecating, not self-depreciating)
52. I sleep naked. But I keep my housecoat nearby in case of fire.
53. I try very hard to drink lots and lots of water. But I really, really like coffee and iced tea.
54. The only - ONLY - thing I do not like about having Major Man in the house is hair in the bathtub. I'm supposed to have the market cornered on that one. You know, if there was a market on hairs in bathtubs.
55. My first dog was a Wolf x Husky. Her name was Christy. I wish I could have a dog like that for my son. I still have that green and white blanket:
56. At the age of five I could draw a uterus and ovaries.
57. This is the BEST BOOK EVER.
58. I may never be satisfied with the size of my butt, but I've been called Bootylicious and I like it.
59. I am a weeeee bit materialistic. I like my computer, my digital camera and my books. My preshus booksies....
60. I am a Conservative in Canada and Republican in the US. However, I'm also pro-choice even though I hate abortion. Because as much as I hate abortion, I value freedom of choice above it. (Knowing that all choices have consequences of course - freedom of choice does not equal to freedom from consequences)
61. I have five bibles in this house.
62. I know my future husband believes in God, as do I, but we both believe very strongly that it is up to an individual to communicate with God the way he or she wants to. It's not up to anyone else to say whether we are right or wrong, it is between us and God.
63. I will behave respectfully to anyone who is respectful back.
64. I have no real 'ethnic identity'. I'm Irish, Scottish, British, German, Russian.... you name it...
65. This is one of my favourite pictures ever:
66. My first car was a 1981 Pontiac. It was grey and I crashed it a few times before it died. Now I drive a 2000 Chrysler Neon.
67. I drove school bus for two seasons. I loved my elementary kids. The junior high kids I could have done without. I lost my cool one day and cussed them out for being ignorant and hateful to some other kids on the bus. They were MUCH better after that. See. Might makes right.
68. I lived in over 25 houses by the time I was 20. My parents were divorced and we moved quite a bit, even in the same city.
69. I have lived in Canada, Austria and Barbados. I've visited the US, Japan, Yugoslavia, Germany and Italy.
70. I like standards better than automatic and trucks better than cars.
71. My job titles have been: Admin, Cook, Feedlot worker, Assistant Trainer, Riding Instructor, Sh!t shoveller, Inside Sales, Customer Service Rep, Writer, Waitress, Receptionist, Teacher... but the best job is Mom.
72. It has taken me a whole night to do this, but it's ok because it is the day after deadline week and all my articles and columns are in.
73. Tomorrow I go and interview for a volunteer position with the Red Cross. I want to be on their local Disaster Relief Team.
74. I collect books and .. well, that's about it.
75. September is my favourite month of the year. I used to love it because it meant back to school time. Now I love it because it means cheap school supplies.
76. I love George Bush mostly cuz he don't always talk all perfect like. The leader of my country uses words like collusion and a bunch of other 25 point words that half the country doesn't know the meaning of.
77. The STUPIDEST show on tv is 'Growing Up Gotti'.
78. One of my favourite reality shows is "Airport" because it shows real people acting like total jerks but SO SURE that they are acting like reasonable beings. I would love to be a fly on the wall when they watch themselves on tv. Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha
79. I do think that there are things such as demons and dark forces. They scare the HELL out of me and I'm watching "The Real Exorcists" on A&E right now and I won't be able to sleep. When I watch 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose' I won't sleep for a week.
80. I LOVE scary movies. LOVE THEM. I get so scared that I jump a mile and I scream in the middle of the theatre.
81. I watch zombie movies with Major Man because he likes them. The only point of zombie movies is to be as gross as possible. I'm not a big fan of zombie movies.
82. Major Man watches chick flicks with me if I ask him to. He is not a big fan of chick flicks.
83. I think that Tom Cruise is an ASS.
84. In fact, I think that his entire religion is made up of idiots. If we ever needed to find a list of idiots we could just download thier database.
85. I would like to adopt a child from another country. Why? Because I want to. Because I think that if more people in the first world adopted children from the third world we would end up with a generation of people who were more worldly and more compasisonate than what we have now.
86. I am finding it really difficult to stay away from politics in this list. I like talking about politics.
87. I find it ignorant to believe that you know THE answer.
88. I think I am the best person to parent my son. I know him better than anyone in this world. I cannot wait to see the man he becomes.
89. I would never, ever knowingly put my son in harms way. But, if he falls off of the couch after I've told him three times to get off of it... that is another thing.
90. I want a bigger fridge, a bigger bed, a bigger tub and more bookcases. See what I mean about being materialistic?
91. I won't buy a new computer or car or camera until the one I have is totally and completely dead and can't be brought back to life.
92. I am a Cancer.
93. Two psychic told me this summer that I was going to have a baby girl.
94. A psychic told my ex-Mother-In-Law this summer that I was going to have a baby girl.
95. I am now terrified that I'm going to get pregnant. IT'S NOT TIME YET!!
96. I like to try and plan for every single eventuality. I HATE to be taken off guard.
97. I told you I was an ENFJ, right? Major Man's mom was also an ENFJ and so I have a road map in the form of Major Man on what NOT to do to raise a child.
98. My favourite saying when I am down is 'Get thee behind me'. It's very powerful.
99. I believe in the Paradoxical Commandments.
100. I do not like hockey. (And she calls herself a Canadian) Although I do watch it when there's nothing else on... but I have to really like the players.
PHEW!
So.
Anyways, the Labour Day Classic is between the Calgary Stampeders and the Edmonton Eskimos (see? that's a cold ass team name) and it's one of those great match-ups because the cities and the teams hate each other.
Case in point: This morning on the local rock station the obnoxious DJs (already at the tailgate party) phoned the Edmonton Quarterback at 7 am in his Calgary hotel room... they just called and asked for him and apparently the lady at the front desk had no idea who he was so she just connected them...
"Ricky Ray? Hey buddy! Time to get up and eat your Wheaties buddy!"
Followed by a big click. It was fan-tab-u-lous.
Last Labour Day... well, it was Labor Day, because I was in the US, I was getting reaquainted to my now-fiance. Wow, what a difference a year makes.
In the end action trumps talking about it.
My course of action is set, I don't need to talk about it anymore.
Excuse the language:
Get 'em High:
"Is in the pocket like wallets, I got the bounce like hydrolicsI can't call it, I got the swerve like alchoooool-icsMy freshman year I was goin through hell, a problemStill I, built up the nerve to drop my ass up outta collllllll-egeMy teacher said I'se a loser, I told her why don't you kill meI give a fuck if you fail me, I'm gonna folllllllllll-owMy heart, and if you follow the charts, to the plaques or the stacksYou ain't gotta guess who's back, you seeI'm so shy that you thought it was bashfull but thisbastard's flow will bash a skullAnd I will, cut your girl like Pastor TroyAnd I don't, usually smoke but pass the 'droAnd I won't, give you that money that you askin fo'Why you think, me and Dame cool, we assholesThat's why we here your music in fast fo'Cuz we don't wanna here that weak shit no mo'"
We Don't Care:
"The second verse is for my dogs working 9 to 5That still hustle cause a nigga can't shine off $6.55And everybody selling make-up, JacobsAnd bootleg tapes just to get they cake upWe put shit on layaway then come backWe claim other people kids on our income taxWe take that money cop work than push packs to get paidAnd we don't care what people sayMomma say she wanna move south -acap"
###
What I don't get is why he needed a Red Cross telethon to voice his political opinion. He has lyrics and a platform already. Why not use those for a positive message? Everyone else around him wasn't 'scared' or 'chicken' as I've heard them called, they were all working together for a positve cause and putting aside any political, economic or personal issues until those in harms way got the help they needed.
Except Kayne West.
Here's the thing... if we are going to get our 'ations' 'ists' and 'isms' correct, it isn't Racism that caused this problem, it was Economic Discrimination.
Most importantly, please send this link around to all you know. here.
Just in case the Americans think that us Canadians aren't doing anything... I can't walk a block in this city without seeing a Donate to Katrina Victims sign.
Also:
BC Urban Rescue Team headed to Louisiana
Canadian Relief Agencies to help Katrina Victims
We have a team called DART - I'll be joining the local, civilian version - but they were actually prevented from entering the US to help out. Weird. More here.
Please let us all LEARN from this. If no one changes, if no one figures out what exactly went wrong, we will not learn.
Get involved at your local level and demand to know what is being done in your city to prepare for a disaster. What is being done at your provincial or state level, and what is being done at the federal level?
KNOW.
Busy Mom said it the way I'd like to have said it.
The things that don't work:
Political Posturing
Wringing of Hands
Whining
Admonishing
Blaming
Talking about it
The things that do work:
Action
Change (in yourself)
That's really about it - unless you do something, unless you see what you do not like and change first within yourself, nothing will happen.
I heard a local woman on the radio today "why isn't someone doing something" she whined. She wanted to government to do something, she wanted 'someone' to organize a food drive, she wanted 'someone' to organize a clothing drive, she wanted 'someone' to start a convoy down to help Katrina's victims.
"What are you doing?" the announcer asked.
"I can't do anything!" she was shocked and a little bit outraged at his question.
"Why not?" he said, truly curious about how she managed to call him without someone dialing for her.
"I don't have any power, 'someone' in power has to do 'something'!" Right. No real solutions, no idea what the solution should be, no idea who should do it... but something should be done by someone - but it couldn't/wouldn't/shouldn't be her.
Mark Schleifstein, an Environment reporter with a New Olreans newspaper produced this long before Katrina. Why didn't anyone listen?
The Red Cross is asking for cash. Canadians will want to go here.
“At present the American Red Cross has requested that Canadian Red Cross send highly trained disaster response volunteers and we are currently preparing our team to travel to the US.” The Canadian Red Cross will be not be recruiting new people for this team, but rather will be relying on its existing pool of experienced, trained volunteers. The Canadian Red Cross has received hundreds of call from Canadians wanting to help the people impacted by this disaster and will accept funds designated for Hurricane Katrina.”
I just wish I were closer. Canada is pretty far away.
I’ve been thinking about things today and talking about the events in New Orleans with friends. I have been home most of the day and have had the news on.
I write mainly non fiction on a variety of topics and the very first thing I try to do when researching a piece is to *understand* what is happening. Perhaps that is why I ask so many questions and wonder and think about every aspect I can. People don’t always like it when someone outside asks a question because they assume it’s a judgment - and sometimes it probably is – but when I ask a question it is because I really want to know. I want to understand a situation not to pass judgment, but maybe to speak on someone’s behalf. That’s why I started writing, I wanted to speak up and be heard and I wanted to tell my story and the story of others who didn’t have the opportunity.
Talking with friends and reading some information coming out I’ve learned so much more about different cultures and ways of life. I mean I have been ‘poor’… but I have not experienced poverty. I have been sick, but I have not experienced being infirm. I have been scared for my life, but never scared for the future of my children.
We can’t judge and we shouldn’t judge, but it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t ask questions. It’s the people asking the questions now about why there wasn’t a better evacuation plan that will pay attention to ensure that there will be one in the future. You can’t learn from mistakes if you don’t know why and how they happened.
I think that the emergency services being dispatched right now are doing all that they can. There is just no plan in place to rescue 10,000 people. Perhaps because they assumed that an evacuation order would be followed, perhaps they thought the levees would hold as they had for 40+ years.
Whatever the reasons, there are things happening there that cannot be excused. Were I to be there I would NOT be looting the jewlery store. I would NOT be looting the electronics store. I would NOT be firing a gun at a helicopter and I would NOT be swearing and giving the finger to a guy with a camera so he can broadcast me across the world.
Perhaps the next time there is an evacutation order they would be better off to explain "if you stay, we will not be able to rescue you because it will put us in danger, you are staying here at your own risk." Because that is pretty much how it is.
Have you scheduled your next blood donation today? I have.
Why didn't these people leave when they were told to? They knew it was coming.
This is not 'America's Tsunami'. The Tsunami of 2004 that hit Thailand gave the people no warning and it killed 250,000 people in a third world country. Even if Katrina killed 2000... they had days of warning and some CHOSE to stay.
And now they are shooting at helicopters.
You can't rescue people who are shooting at you.. it is unbelievable and makes me so angry. The majority of people left, and yes, I understand some people couldn't. But there are healthy and mobile people there - WHY DIDN'T THEY LEAVE?
Fox News is stating that there will be Armed Guards stationed on the buses taking survivors out of New Orleans... mothers are handing their babies to strangers to take care of them...
The poverty level is tremendous there, I get the fact that they don't have resources. I'm not trying to slam the weak or the elderly or the poor... but I see people with the ability to walk, run and bike who stayed.
Regardless, there is a need. I stay tuned to Michelle Malkin who really has her finger on this and has some great links regarding what you can do to help out - no matter where you live.
I have donated money and blood. What have you done?
