An astonishing array of stories

Heartkeeper Commonroom directed me to this story on Lucianne.com, but for those of us who have never lived through an event that has cost us our homes and livelihoods, it is good to read the story, and see what it is like for the victims of a hurricane evacuation, after the press has written its last sensationalistic headline and moved on to something else.

Hurricane Victims Pile Up Credit Card Debt

Jerry and Deborah Alciatore fled New Orleans with nothing but a couple of overnight bags, an ice chest and their credit cards. The bags emptied quickly, but two weeks after Hurricane Katrina hit, the balance on the credit cards is mounting fast.

What is very interesting here, aside from the story itself, is reading the responses of those commenting on the article, many of whom have lived through the same experience. It is sobering – but perhaps necessary – to read.

And it has made me decide to make another donation – albeit a smaller one than before – to Katrina Relief.

However, after reading this story (also featured at Lucianne.com) I am glad I did not make my first donation to the Red Cross – who seem unable to account for an expenditure of (already!) some $200,000.

I am thinking I will take Hugh Hewitt’s advice and make my donation to one of the smaller, local organizations like civic and church groups who are directly dealing with evacuees, rather than to any more bloated bureaucratic sorts of groups. This is not the first time, I think, that the Red Cross has thrown up its hands and said, “we don’t know where the money went,” and that’s not good enough.

But do go to Lucianne.com and check out the rest of the featured headlines…there is one really interesting story after another:

Senate Kills Bid for Katrina Commission
F.A.A. Alerted on Qaeda in ’98, 9/11 Panel Said

An invaluable resource, that site.

REMINDER: Please remember that any and all purchases you make through Amazon.com via my bookshelf (scroll down the sidebar) will result in a kickbacks which I have earmarked – throughout the month of September – to be donated to the Salvation Army. Normally, all monies realized from the Amazon sales go to the hospice which helped my brother at his end, but for September, those dollars will be diverted to Katrina Relief. A few days ago, we had reached $172 and change, but since then, sadly, the total has limped along to $176 and change. If you have anything you wish to buy via Amazon.com, please consider doing so thru the Bookshelf – you do not have to buy a featured book in order for the purchases you DO make to count! You can be assured that when September ends, I will scan and post the money order I make payable to the Salvation Army, so you will know that you’re not simply feeding my personal coffers! :-)