Why, why, why? (Corrected)

[heidi]

Many of you have seen it since I tried and failed to post it yesterday but here it is again: DailyKos has a list of offers of aid which were refused (see Chicago) or delayed (see various foreign countries whose offers had to wait for Condi to finish theater-going and shoe-shopping before being deemed worthy of consideration). Thanks cleolinda for the heads-up. Also, who posted the narrative by one of the members of the Neville family?

Tobias Buckell has info on sending books to the Astrodome.

purebloodgryff has a narrative from on the ground and E&P also has a personal account from a volunteer who went to help at the Astrodome. They also have a call from the editors of NO's Times-Picayune for the resignation of Michael Brown (Dir-FEMA (Incompetent)). Andrew Sullivan concurs.

He, of all people should have the power to bring the USS Bataan into the fight against the spectre of death that is assaulting those left in New Orleans. They can make water. They have speedboats and zodiacs. My God, we here in South Florida know that if the streets are flooded, you can get around and get out on jetskis and zodiacs. I guess Michael Brown, who gets his news from newspapers (why is there any ranking official in government at this point bereft of a blackberry?) doesn't know that.

How does he not know this? Jeb Bush knows - why isn't he advising his brother to utilize all reasonable methods of accomplishing the goal of getting everyone out?

For a good syndication-feed of updates here on lj, friend dailykos.

Two fundraising reminders:
TheHungerSite is donating to help the displaced each time someone clicks their button.

And I am already set to donate almost $200 to the Red Cross per my pledge to donate for each entry edited or created. I'll be donating via my husband's firm, who will match all contributions up to the first thousand dollars, so the Red Cross will now be getting at least four hundred dollars, and I'll be continuing the pledge for the rest of the week.

Comments

*head explodes*

[roguebitch.livejournal.com]

Never have I felt so useless and stranded in my Midwestern state.

I've been trying to find someplace to donate my *stuff* only to be told that materials donations aren't being accepted. I don't actually have the wherewithal to make a cash donation -- but clothes I have.

*grinds teeth*

[ginsu.livejournal.com]

They also have a call from the editors of NO's Times-Picayune for the resignation of Michael Brown (Dir-FEMA (Incompetent)). Andrew Sullivan concurs.

I do too, but this doesn't go far enough.

The spoils system in general, a legacy of Andrew Jackson, is crippling to the nation. Competence (see also Clinton's appointee James Witt) is routinely dismissed in favor of cronyism. Some form of objective evaluation should be put in place to prevent these manifest losers from obtaining mission-critical positions of power; surely if we can require a president to be native-born and 35, we can take a few more logical steps in the same direction.

You don't even get to run the deep-fryer at McDonald's when you've had no training and no experience. Why FEMA, or for that matter, the White House?

I'm at least glad to see Witt has been hired by the State of Louisiana.

Re: *head explodes*

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

I have a friend in Mississippi who is collecting things to bring to people who've been evacuated from Gulfport to her town a bit inland; I can ask her if I can pass her info onto you.

[plaidphoenix.livejournal.com]

You know, I was thinking, it might be worthwhile to put the book collection thing up on FA. I mean, there have to be a ton of kids down there with NOTHING at all to do.

Re: *head explodes*

[(Anonymous)]

Oh, fantastic! Please do, I would be overjoyed to send this all down to her. Thanks.

[rookie131.livejournal.com]

I think I'm going to do a book drive at work. Any idea how a package to the Astrodome would be addressed? I'm afraid that if they don't know what is in the package that they might not open it.

Thanks for all the info.