New Orleans in Katrina's Cross-hairs

[June1]

Oh, man... I hope that everything goes well, and that you and your family and everyone you know, for that matter, stay very safe! I'll pray for you!!!

[aefibird]

Good luck Greg! I hope that you and your family stay safe.

[JKN Dean]

Kicks, from what I've been reading and watching on the news, I'm beginning to wonder if you'll have a New Orleans to return back home.

What a horrible situation it's turned into.

I hope you are all safe at least, but I also hope you haven't suffered any major property losses either.

[Kicks]

thank you for thoughts and prayers. its hell, total hell here. i evacuated twice, the first place wasn't far enough away. we lost power before the storm even hit land. we are now in baton rouge. the house im in just had minor damage. my home..i dont know. i live near lake pontchatrain, that big lake that is now splilling into new orleans. yesterday i heard tha a hopital neaT my hosue had 6 feet water in the lobby. i didn't turn my gas off when i left home..rushed out too quicklly. if i dont get back before electricity is turned on the spark could lite my house on fire, some are already burning and fire dept can't get to them because the entire area in and around new orleans in flooded. peopel are still on roof tops. snakes, rodents, fire ants, alligators, and such are a hazard. we still don't know how many people are still trapped in their attics and cant get out because of flood waters. many have drowned in their attics. i heard we may be able to go back in a week but only to get important items, assest damage and secure as best we can from further damage and looters. im not worried about ny stuffd. my family is OK. i just dont know if i'll have my job anymore. my compant my be wiped out. there's no electricity and will probably be oput for weeks to months. water won't be drained for weeks or months. our fresh water system is polluted. business and homes are destroyed. there is no more economy here. new orleans is a tourism town. you can't get here. bridges and road are destroyed or impassable. every person living here will be starting over. no one is uneffected. this will even affect you. have you seen the price of fuel. our oil rigs in the gulf are down. where are those reserves??? we will rebuild. we will survive. we need help though. pray for us.

[vertigo]

Well, as bad as your situation sounds, it is good to hear that you and your family are safe, Greg. You're in our thoughts and prayers... stay safe.

[Patrick]

A good friend of mine lives in Metairie. Him and his family got out (to Florida, drove) but what they'll have to go back to... who knows (I read in a news report that there was "at least" 4 feet of water there).

[Shorin Ryuu]

Everyone be sure to open up your hearts and do what you can to aid disaster relief. It is a trying time and as we can see even from posters here, affects many of us.

[Kicks]

Update from kicks:

we are still doing ok for now. we have moved locations again. we are in our 4th location since leaving home Saturday night. I only have two pair of shorts and 3 T-shirts. my wife and kids have about the same. That and our family photos is all we have. family and friends are helping us out with places to stay and meals. We don't know yet when we can go inspect our house.

We are hearing stories of mass looting, riots, and death. One of our stores (I work for a local wholesale and retail distributor) was looted. My main office building, where i work, is under water. Our other store survived the storm and flood but we don't know if it was looted.

People are calling in to the radio stations asking them to have the police come remove the dead bodies in the streets. One person called and said that there are some dead two year kids in the gutter by her house and no parents around.

The convention center, where just last month we enjoyed so much wonderful competition at the AAU junior olympics,. is now being used as a make-shift shelter. but their is no power, no water, no food, no bedding. People are fighting there and some are dying. Police are reports incidents of rapes and beatings. They are piling up dead bodies around the convention center. Its pitiful. Very sad.

A friend in Baton Rouge who has a TKD school is organizing a fund raiser to help some of us displaced TKD folks. Several of us are in the Baton Rouge, Lafayette area. They are so sweet. I wish I could do something to help others also, but I have nothing. That makes me sad not being able to help.

I'll keep in touch.

[Maddwraph]

oh my. i am so sorry to hear what has happened to you and everyone else in those areas. your family and all those who have suffered will be in our prayers. may God be with you.

[Shorin Ryuu]

Hugh Hewiit had a great idea on his radio show today. He said essentially it is one thing to rebuild a city and another thing to rebuild a community. Therefore there should be a concerted effort for peer-to-peer institution charity. In other words (an example he uses), the American Red Cross will not rebuild a chess club, but there are tons of chess clubs that may sponsor the rebuilding of New Orleans chess club. Or churches, garden clubs, sports teams, etc.

As Kicks mentioned, a TKD school is organizing a fundraiser to help displaced TKD folks.

Right now, the focus is rightly on the necessities. But when it comes time to rebuild, there needs to be a rebuilding of the various avenues for spiritual and cultural pursuits.

Maybe there can be a concerted effort for martial arts dojo sponsorship in devestated areas?