Katrina Live Threads, Part XV

Various ^ | 4 September 2005 | Various

[NautiNurse]

U.S. commercial air carriers continue transporting tens of thousands of evacuees from the New Orleans airport to destinations throughout the nation.

Rooftop air rescue efforts continue. One rescue chopper crashed late today. Crew members are reported safe. Gunmen who fired upon bridge repair contractors were killed by law enforcement.

To date, an estimated 70 countries and U.S. businesses have pledged hundreds of millions of dollars, supplies, food and equipment to assist the United States' efforts in Katrina's aftermath. Lt. General Honore described the damage to Mississippi today, "all infrastructure south of Jackson, MS is either damaged or destroyed." Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice visited the devastated areas, and attended Sunday church services in Mobile, Alabama.

Elsewhere, Sean Penn's rescue boat, sans plug and full of his personal entourage,reportedly sank during launch in New Orleans. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) threatened to punch President Bush, and Jefferson Parish President Broussard decried that the bureaucracy of FEMA has committed murder.

Links to various news, local and state government websites:

WLOX TV Biloxi, Gulfport, Pascagula has link to locate family and friends
2theAdvocate - Baton Rouge Includes Slidell, St. John Parish, St. Bernard Parish updates, and other locations.
NOLA.com
Inside Houma Today includes shelter and volunteer updates
WLBT.com Jackson MS
WALA Channel 4 Mobile, AL Includes links to distribution centers, Emergency Ops, etc.
Sun-Herald Gulfport MS Includes link to town by town reports
Gulfport News via Topix.net
WAFB Baton Rouge
Mobile Register via al.com
Mississippi updates via Jackson Ledger
Lafayette LA Daily Advertiser
Pensacola News Journal
St Bernard Local Government
Alabama Homeland Security Volunteers can sign up online
Alabama DOT
Alabama.gov
Louisiana Homeland Security
Louisiana State Police road closure info
State of Mississippi Website has traffic alerts, emergency contact numbers

New Orleans Emergency Operations Center - is now open:
504-463-1000
504-463-1001
504-463-1002

Streaming Video:

All information is subject to change. Many stations are relying on their corporate parents to configure and maintain Internet streaming. Because of the intense interest in the feeds, they may be unavailable at times because of network congestion or a problem feeding the video to the streaming servers.

WWL-TV New Orleans - WWL-TV is operating from studios at Louisiana Public Broadcasting. CBS has a relay during the morning and afternoon. When available, use the CBS relay first as they have greater streaming capacity. They have a secondary stream from Yahoo. WWL-TV is also offering a special low-bandwidth audio-only stream for dial-up users.

WDSU-TV New Orleans - The news staff has started to return to temporary news studios near New Orleans. However, expect evening coverage from Hearst-Argyle sister stations WAPT Jackson and WESH Orlando when the New Orleans staff needs to take a break.

WGNO-TV New Orleans - New Orleans' ABC affiliate has returned to the air with WBRZ-TV and launched video streaming with continuous Katrina coverage.

WPMI-TV Mobile, AL - WPMI is webcasting from 5:30am - 10:30pm CDT. When off air, you can view pre-recorded reports on demand. This feed is often unreliable.

WKRG-TV Mobile, AL - This station is providing good coverage of the situation to the east in Mississippi and Alabama. However, the station is now signing off at around 10:30pm CDT like WWL and WPMI.

WJTV-TV Jackson, MS - The CBS affiliate in Jackson is providing live coverage for both the Jackson area and south Mississippi (knowing a lot of media in that area is off the air).

WFAA-TV Dallas, TX - WFAA-TV is here because Dallas is one of the evacuation cities.

United Radio From New Orleans: WWL-AM, WNOE-FM, "KISS-FM," WRNO-FM, WYLD-FM, and WJBO-AM (Clear Channel & Entercom) who have joined forces as United Radio From New Orleans, and they are streaming.

Gulf Coast Storm Network (Clear Channel Radio) - Clear Channel offers radio listeners across the gulf coast access to a simulcast emergency radio service. This service seems primarily focused on Alabama and Mississippi, but does cover Louisiana to some degree.

Related FR Threads:

FYI: Hurricane Katrina Freeper SIGN IN Thread FReeper Check In thread
Discussion Thread - Hurricane Katrina - What Went Wrong?!?
Post Hurricane Katrina IMAGES Here
Katrina Link Archives Nice work by backhoe
Mary Landrieu-"I'll Punch Bush"
Sean Penn's Rescue Bid Sinks
Hurricane Katrina HOUSING Thread
Martial Law Declared in New Orleans

Due to the number of requests to assist, the following list of some charities is provided.
This is not intended as an endorsement for any of the charities.

www.redcross.org or 1-800 HELP NOW - note: website is slow, and lines are busy
Salvation Army - 1-800-SAL-ARMY or Salvation Army currently looking for in-state volunteers - (888)363-2769
Operation Blessing: (800) 436-6348.
America's Second Harvest: (800) 344-8070.
Catholic Charities USA: (800) 919-9338, or www.catholiccharitiesusa.org.
Christian Reformed World Relief Committee: (800) 848-5818.
Church World Service: (800) 297-1516 or online at www.churchworldservice. org.
Lutheran Disaster Response: (800) 638-3522.
Nazarene Disaster Response: (888) 256-5886.
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance: (800) 872-3283.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is accepting donations at its 3,800 stores and Web site, www.walmart.com.
National Black Home Educators Resource Association http://www.nbhera.org/ Southern Baptist: NAMB - http://www.namb.net/
Samaritan's Purse - http://www.samaritanspurse.org/

Previous Threads:
Katrina Live Thread, Part XIV
Katrina Live Thread, Part XIII
Katrina Live Thread, Party XII
Katrina Live Thread, Part XI
Katrina Live Thread, Part X
Katrina Live Thread, Part IX
Hurricane Katrina Live Thread, Part VIII
Hurricane Katrina Live Thread, Part VII
Hurricane Katrina Live Thread, Part VI
Hurricane Katrina Live Thread, Part V
Hurricane Katrina, Live Thread, Part IV
Hurricane Katrina Live Thread, Part III
Katrina Live Thread, Part II
Hurricane Katrina Live Thread, Part I
Tropical Storm 12

[OKIEDOC]

Just for fun -- and since Tim Russert had a damn fit today

REPLY:

Usually Russert is a little, but not much more informed, about when he excortiates the administration.

His decidedly biased guests threw a lot of biased barbs at Bush, Iraq war and FEMA.

Especially questions about not evacuating the poor by buses, trains and air planes.

Everyone failed to mention that hundreds of city buses are as this is written, still sitting in their New Orleans parking lot under flood water.

Buses that should have been used to transport people out of the city.

One guy broke down and cried and that is understandable.

Everyone is under tremendous stress.

However, the city official whose mother drowned could have and should have been evacuated when Bush first declared New Orleans a disaster area two days before the hurricane hit land.

This city official who left his mother in harms way bears full responsibility for her death.

He also should be horse whipped for not having the common sense to take responsible action for the citizens he represents.

How the hell can trusting citizens depend on city officials who do not even have the commons sense to obey orders asking them to leave a dangerous area.

Responsibility is something that many lame brained Democrat politicians are running away from these days in Louisiana and else where.

Governor Blanco could have asked sooner for federal help but instead she was playing a payback game with New Orleans Mayor Nagin.

The problem is that Blanco, in playing her pay back game with the mayor, sat on her butt until it was almost to late to do anything.

I believe that Blanco is in way over her head and is looking for any way out.

Why else would she go out and hire former FEMA director James Lee Witt to help in deflecting the proverbial shit that is hitting the political fan.

What Russert and others need to remember is that the Internet trumps the bias of all network politics.

People are not even in their graves and the sorry blame game has started.

Already, liberals are chomping at the bit to impeach Bush for some imagined dereliction of duty.

I keep saying that maybe Bush should have gone down to New Orleans and possibly driven the bus to haul out the worthless politicians.

[Malichi]

We're finally getting back on our feet. Still have a little fuel problem but that seems to be getting better

OK,OK, Howlin you were right. There I said it.

TK, I'm sure your son is fine. I will include an extra prayer for him tonight. I'm getting ready to hit the sack. I will get back to you by p-mail tomorrow. I've had to keep my freeping to a minimum this week so I want to catch up on old times.

TAW

[Cedar]

I have been told by others (who understand this better than I) that all she requested was money, not really physical help with evacuation.

[toldyou]

Hi, North Jersey! I agree.

(I'm from South Jersey.)

[Right Winged American]

After a week of this, I just thought I'd post this; I think its apropos, just read "Liberal" for "Sons of Mary" and "Conservative" for  "Sons of Martha".

The Sons Of Martha - Rudyard Kipling

The Sons of Mary seldom bother, for they have inherited that good part;
But the Sons of Martha favour their Mother of the careful soul and the troubled heart.
And because she lost her temper once, and because she was rude to the Lord her Guest,
Her Sons must wait upon Mary's Sons, world without end, reprieve, or rest.

It is their care in all the ages to take the buffet and cushion the shock.
It is their care that the gear engages; it is their care that the switches lock.
It is their care that the wheels run truly; it is their care to embark and entrain,
Tally, transport, and deliver duly the Sons of Mary by land and main.

They say to mountains ``Be ye removèd.'' They say to the lesser floods ``Be dry.''
Under their rods are the rocks reprovèd---they are not afraid of that which is high.
Then do the hill-tops shake to the summit---then is the bed of the deep laid bare,
That the Sons of Mary may overcome it, pleasantly sleeping and unaware.

They finger Death at their gloves' end where they piece and repiece the living wires.
He rears against the gates they tend: they feed him hungry behind their fires.
Early at dawn, ere men see clear, they stumble into his terrible stall,
And hale him forth like a haltered steer, and goad and turn him till evenfall.

To these from birth is Belief forbidden; from these till death is Relief afar.
They are concerned with matters hidden---under the earthline their altars are---
The secret fountains to follow up, waters withdrawn to restore to the mouth,
And gather the floods as in a cup, and pour them again at a city's drouth.

They do not preach that their God will rouse them a little before the nuts work loose.
They do not preach that His Pity allows them to drop their job when they damn-well choose.
As in the thronged and the lighted ways, so in the dark and the desert they stand,
Wary and watchful all their days that their brethren's ways may be long in the land.

Raise ye the stone or cleave the wood to make a path more fair or flat;
Lo, it is black already with the blood some Son of Martha spilled for that!
Not as a ladder from earth to Heaven, not as a witness to any creed,
But simple service simply given to his own kind in their common need.

And the Sons of Mary smile and are blessèd---they know the Angels are on their side.
They know in them is the Grace confessèd, and for them are the Mercies multiplied.
They sit at the feet---they hear the Word---they see how truly the Promise runs.
They have cast their burden upon the Lord, and---the Lord He lays it on Martha's Sons!

I think George Bush is a "Son of Martha" without question, don't you?

[toldyou]

"There is a thread running right now that states that most of the federal moneys allocated for levee security were redirected by the corrupt mayor and city council and used to build CASINOS!!!!"

Do you think? I understand that LA does not have casinos. They're in Mississippi.

[TexKat]

Thank you Cboldt.

[hummingbird]

Too late!

[Cboldt]

Sure but what I do not get is when some say that FEMA is a or controlled by the state when FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

I thought of an analogy. You are the homeowner, and you want to do some remodeling. You go to the bank to get some money. In between there is a contractor who will do the work. Do you let the bank tell you how to use the money? The contractor? Or do you want control of the remodeling?

You, the homeowner, are the state of Louisiana. FEMA is the remodeler (a bit, and the bank, a bit), and Uncle Sam is clearly the bank.

FEMA brings the combination of expertise and resources that the state asks for.

Okay, it's not a real good analogy - but maybe it hels see the difference between transferring money and transferring control.

[Cedar]

So the State was actually right to want to control the remodeling??

[Malichi]

The last time I was in New Orleans there was this large place at the intersection of Canal and Decatur.

It had HARRAH'S written on the side of it. My wife and I went in and there were all these people sitting in front of these funny looking machines putting money in them.

What the hell were those people doing? Paying money to see pictures of fruit.

I tell you, Jed, it made Bugtussle on a Saturday night look like Sibley on Sunday morning.

TAW

[NautiNurse]

Wooooaah (Stormy Harrigan)...your post is very long--it will be awhile before these tired eyes can focus on the whole tome. Have you considered posting interval opinion clusters?

Meanwhile, your time and effort is appreciated - you spent good and valuable time pulling this together. Thank you!

[TexKat]

Top federal officials left out of loop (Well wha-da-ya know)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1477595/posts

[buickmackane]

Not only are there casinos in Louisiana, but Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville has a wonderful golf course called Tamahka Trails. It was the first thing I thought of when I read your earlier post, LOL!

[OKIEDOC]

They are on the Mississippi River in New Orleans.

[Cboldt]

So the State was actually right to want to control the remodeling?

They have the right. It's their state. But they have to live with the choices they make. What Bush offered to Blanco was that if she gave up the right to direct the recovery efort, the feds would (direct the recovery effort). She turned that down.

Right now, the state of Louisiana is in control of the orders given to NG and other police entites. It is nominally in charge of search and rescue, but as a practical matter active military has complete control of that.

[Spktyr]

Correction: They *were* on the Mississippi River. Now they're mostly either IN the river or out of it and run aground.

[Malichi]

No, Harrah's is a land based casino sitting directly across the street from the Windsor Court Hotel.

Shreveport has riverboat gambling on the Red River.

TAW

[hummingbird]

Why Didn't Louisiana Follow it's Required Emergency Plan?

Too busy crying and trying to figure out how to blame the president.

[Cboldt]

Top federal officials left out of loop (Well wha-da-ya know)

In the loop or not, it's the locals that have the duty to assess the situation and ask for the help they need. The state kept saying they had it under control.

Although, I do wish the early press conferences had been confromntational between the feds and Blanco, instead of congratulatory. The tone changed INSTANTLY at 10 AM Saturday, when Bush said the results in NOLA were unacceptable.