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The survival instinct can cause normally rational people to do irrational things when they are threatened.

That's true. However, I don't believe it's survival instinct to steal jewelry and plasma screens when you're starving.

I have plenty of sympathy for those who truly are hungry and thirsty. But starving people look for food. Not electronics, in a city with no electricity.

That's true. However, I don't believe it's survival instinct to steal jewelry and plasma screens when you're starving.

True, and that's something else entirely. There was footage of people doing this, and they weren't covering their faces or anything - they had no shame.

Maybe it's because our culture is material driven, they've seen and wanted certain things that they couldn't normally have, and all of the sudden, it's within their grasp.

One of the clips was of a child saying "I'm gonna get me some new shoes". The kid was standing in water.

That right there tells you the problems in this country run very deep (no pun intended).

Search and Rescue and Current Needs: http://www.mirawebdesign.com/katrina.html

FLOOD AID UPDATE: Here are some places you can donate to hurricane Katrina relief: (Bumped to top -- scroll down for current posts.)

http://www.redcross.org/

Catholic Charities: http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/news/katrina.cfm
is involved, and probably has lots of resources to draw on in the heavily Catholic New Orleans area.

Austin Bay is recommending Episcopal Relief and Development.http://www.er-d.org/

Liz at Rightalk suggests that animal lovers donate to the
https://secure.hsus.org/01/disaster_relief_fund_2005?

Here's a link to Mennonite Disaster Services http://www.mds.mennonite.net/. The Sanity Inspector says they're highly efficient.

Reader Peter Viditto recommends The Mercy Corps
http://www.mercycorps.org/

Here's the link for Methodist Relief http://www.methodistrelief.org/site/pp.asp?c=bhKNI4PHIpE&b=876335.

The Salvation Army http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/ does good work. (WalMart just gave them a million dollars, but that's just the barest beginning of what's needed.)

Hugh Hewitt recommends Samaritan's Purse http://www.samaritanspurse.com/

Scott Ott recommends Southern Baptist Disaster Relief http://www.namb.net/site/c.9qKILUOzEpH/b.224451/k.7BDB/Disaster_Relief_Homepage.htm

Jay Allen has a further suggestion:

I would suggest people donate through their companies whenever possible. Most major corporations offer matching funds to the dollar for charitable donations. Find who's collecting money for relief efforts, then file for a match through your employer instead of sending to the agency directly.

Not bad -- if your employer is supporting this.

Chuck Simmins is tracking corporate donations http://blog.simmins.org/2005/08/katrina-donations-begin.html

UPDATE: The plan for tomorrow's flood-aid blogburst: I'd like each blogger participating to put up a post recommending a charity, or other action to help, and linking back to this post where I'll keep a comprehensive list of both bloggers and charities. Basically, a Carnival of Hurricane Relief. That way readers of any blog will have ready access to recommendations on all the blogs. If anyone has a better idea, let me know.

Technorati Tags: flood aid, Hurricane Katrina
http://technorati.com/tag/flood%20aid
http://technorati.com/tag/hurricane+katrina

THE MUDVILLE GAZETTE has a massive roundup on the military response to Katrina, which is quite extensive
http://www.mudvillegazette.com/archives/003462.html

Courtesy of Hewitt at http://instapundit.com/

Also Craigslist has lost and found list for family members and those who can help in any way:
http://neworleans.craigslist.org/laf/

Search and Rescue and current needs: http://www.mirawebdesign.com/katrina.html