Katrina

1) It seems that the internet account circulating about the 2 paramedics trying to leave New Orleans was true. The woman was actually interviewed extensively on NPR Saturday Sept. 10 on the show "This American Life". See http://www.thislife.org/.

2) At least until the end of last week, the Red Cross was not allowed into New Orleans.
American Red Cross FAQ
"The state Homeland Security Department had requested--and continues to request--that the American Red Cross not come back into New Orleans following the hurricane. Our presence would keep people from evacuating and encourage others to come into the city."

3) Charmaine Neville (of the same family that produced the musicians The Neville Brothers) was interviewed about the complete lack of help for people in her part of flooded New Orleans. She rescued people by boat but no helicopters would help them get off rooftops. Alligators ate people. See the original video. There is also a
text transcript.

4) A church in Oklahoma offered its summer camp space for refugees, but fresh food was refused -- refugees will be fed two MREs a day -- and clothing was rejected; in spite of good kitchens in each cabin, nobody will be allowed to cook. Local churches offered to pick people up on Sundays and bring them to town for church services; but the camp director said that anyone who left the camp for any reason would not be allowed back in. Even the depression-era Hoovervilles were better run!
Source

5) A nurse who helped out at the Superdome said that even the elderly and the nursing mothers were lined up in 90 degree sun to wait for busses that staff knew weren't coming; several people died from this treatment. Read her blog.

6) There's been a link circulated that purports to show dogs in New Orleans being shot. I can't possibly watch it.

I'll try to post links to where I heard or read each of these, but the information seems credible.

-- Rachel

You can help re. Katrina; no money required

If you can cut and paste information from one screen to another, you can help katrina victims locate each other.

http://katrinahelp.info/wiki/index.php/Katrina_PeopleFinder_Project

--Rachel Holmen