Monday Morning Smile

K + 11, remembering

Eleven years seems like a lifetime when you look back at where you were.

And in some ways, it seems like a long time since Katrina. And in some ways she never leaves our memory.

Back then, people communicated via text messages and forums. Since Katrina Facebook, Twitter and
a myriad of other social media have taken off. I'm so glad that we have these methods of communications now.

11 years ago was the birth of the Katrina blogosphere.

Throughout the past eleven years, the areas' blogs have marked August 29th each year by saying We Are Not Okay. That sad anniversary sometimes showed things not much better than the previous year.

I can speak only for myself in saying that I guess we're okay now. But not in a lot of ways. Our coasts are still vulnerable to just the right conditions of steering currents, the temperature of the Gulf of Mexico and other things. Yet we stay. And people ask why. In the past 11 years we have seen a LOT of crazy weather, climate-change related or not. So I ask you people in tornado alley, the California coast where there are wildfires and mud slides, you guys up in the Great Lakes and Northeast with your insane winters WHY DO YOU LIVE THERE? Because you love it. That's why. So PLEASE try not to question our choice of homes.


What I'd like to do today is share - with whomever is interested - some of the most in-depth, well-written Katrina
blogs I discovered and read daily way back then and still visit them now and then.

I cyber met so many wonderful, smart, funny people thru reading their blogs. I cried, laughed, learned new words
like "fuckmook", "asshat" and the phrase "fuck you, you fucking fucks" .

Katrina was a mindfuck, and not only to the people in New Orleans. , In fact, post Katrina mental health issues may still linger in some poor souls.


Out of this group of fantastic writers was born Rising Tide, a conference about the future of New Orleans in the Post-K world. I never made it to any of the conferences (too shy, didn't feel I was "good enough" to be in the company of these people), but followed the proceedings via the NOLA Blogosphere.

Combing thru my list of Katrina related blogs created in 2006, I am making a list here of the blogs that are still available to read.

Toulouse Street , in my opinion the best Post Katrina blog. The writing, the feelings and pictures Mark Folse creates were addicting to me.

Michael Homan's account of going through the storm and the aftermath was riveting as well as heartwrenching.

Mosquito Coast, written by Swampwoman. You'll get a good feeling of how it was back in July of 2006.

After the Deluge, by Josh Newfeld . Josh remembers events via comics (not the funny kind), using real people's experiences after the flood.

Varg Vargas, an artist and reverend, recalls the haunting and hilarious after the storm in New Orleans.

NOLAblogger brings back those "great memories" from 2006.

Library Chronicles . Jeffrey - who acts like the grumpy old man he WILL BE in 40 or so years - will give you a great perspective of what was happening in his world back then.

Metroblogging New Orleans. Check out the list on the right side of the screen for the blog authors. The ones that begin with 'no_' are your post Katrina blog observations. Good reading here. Especially Craig.

Bayou Creole, written by a now Facebook friend.

And last, my blog posts beginning in 2006. I was new to blogging and wanted to get the truth out there, that's why I started: to tell the world out there the TRUTH.

If you read any of the links above, I hope you will come away with a bigger picture in your mind about the way this area has healed since Katrina the bitch visited us. Thanks to all.

Why I Love Cats

Obama and Babies

Monday Morning Smile

What the Hell Do You Have to Lose?

OMG, Did he really say this:

trump, claiming to win a majority of the black votes in November quote:

 "You're living in poverty, your schools are no good, you have no jobs, 58% of your youth is unemployed -- what the hell do you have to lose?" Trump asked the audience in an unscripted moment from a speech in which he otherwise stuck to his teleprompter.

Later, when interviewed on CNN,   trump spokesperson Jack Kingston, was corrected hat trump was speaking to a mostly white audience in Wisconson replied:

KINGSTON: "I mean, maybe it would have been nice if he went and had a backdrop with a burning car........"


Here's the video

Regrets, NONE

 

The BEST Trump Evah

This is the only thing I like about Trump!!!! This is the best. Backstory (

NEW YORK (AP) — It's Donald Trump like you've never seen him before.

Life-size naked statues of the Republican presidential nominee greeted passers-by in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle and Cleveland on Thursday. They are the brainchild of an activist collective called INDECLINE, which has spoken out against Trump before.

In a statement, the collective said the hope is that Trump, the former host of "The Apprentice" reality TV series, "is never installed in the most powerful political and military position in the world."

The statues were created by an artist in Cleveland. They are of a stern-faced Trump with his hands folded over a bulging belly. Some parts of male genitalia are visible while others seemingly are missing.

"It is through these sculptures that we leave behind the physical and metaphorical embodiment of the ghastly soul of one of America's most infamous and reviled politicians," INDECLINE said in its statement.

Trump's campaign declined to comment on the statues.

A statue in New York's Union Square quickly drew the attention of people, many of whom posed for photographs with it, before it was removed by the city's parks department.



"NYC Parks stands firmly against any unpermitted erection in city parks, no matter how small," parks spokesman Sam Biederman joked.


A video posted by DNAInfo showed onlookers booing and groaning as workers snapped the statue off its base, leaving the feet behind, and loaded it face-down into the back of a pickup truck. One woman yelled, "Take his nasty feet, too!"



Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio, when asked about the naked Trump statue, said, "That is a frightening thought. When he's wearing clothes I don't like him."

INDECLINE said statues on the West Coast were still in place.

This wasn't the group's first anti-Trump endeavor. The collective also has spray-painted a U.S.-Mexico border fence in Tijuana, Mexico, with an image of a gagged Trump.

The group's other projects have included putting the names of African-Americans killed by police over the inlaid stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and painting the words "This Land Was Our Land" across an unused airstrip in the Mojave Desert.

When a leisurely stroll turns into an encounter with #NakedTrump. 😱😱😱https://t.co/whEacXbbPQ pic.twitter.com/HslpVNitGh

— GIPHY (@giphy) August 18, 2016

Answers for Louisiana Flooding Questions

Patrick Armstrong

1 hr · New Orleans, LA · 

The August 2016 Louisiana Flooding Disaster for those of y'all in the rest of America just tuning in:

- Nearly 7 Trillion (with a T) gallons of water fell from the sky in just under 48 hours over an area slightly geographically smaller than metro Atlanta.

- That much water in that short of a time in that small of a landscape would cause problems anywhere on the land surface of planet Earth.

- Massive flooding occurred, causing tragic loss of life, devastating loss of property, and driving tens of thousands of people from their homes and schools and work.

- Just like it would happen anywhere else, the high ground that hadn't flooded in recorded memory ALSO flooded. Nearly 7 trillion (with a T) gallons of water.

- The flood was very, very bad, and at one point shut off all roads west of New Orleans. All of them.

- Local, State, and Federal first responders, who take emergency preparedness very, very seriously and who have trained for events just like this for years, initiated heroic action resulting in tens of thousands of rescues for people and their pets.

- A bunch of civilians who take emergency preparedness (or boating, or both) very, very seriously initiated heroic actions resulting in thousands of rescues of people and their pets. If you hear about the "Cajun Navy" these are those folks.

- Because of professional emergency preparedness planning, authorities had some idea of where to set up shelters for individuals displaced or rescued in the flooding. Tens of thousands of people ended up in such shelters.

- Because floods are weird and don't flood everyone, a bunch of people who didn't flood then started helping out the people who did. It was a little chaotic at first, but things settled down.

- It is only a miracle that more people didn't lose their lives, but hundreds of thousands of people have lost their homes. Recovery is going to take a long time.

- This flood affected people from all walks of life. Wealthy people and poor people, white people and black people and Native American people and a bunch of other people, city people and country people, heterosexuals and homosexuals, cis and trans men and women, young people and old people, Republicans, Democrats, Greens, Libertairans, religious people and atheists. Water don't care who you are or what you believe.

- Those responding to this disaster come from all walks of life. Wealthy people and poor people, white people and black people and Native American people and a bunch of other people, city people and country people, heterosexuals and homosexuals, cis and trans men and women, young people and old people, Republicans, Democrats, Greens, Libertairans, religious people and atheists. Ain't got to agree on everything to know that being flooded sucks, agree to disagree, and load this pallet of drinking water in the truck so we can get it to thirsty people at the shelter.

- No, New Orleans did not flood. We truly appreciate you all asking after us, but we need y'all to join us in helping out Baton Rouge, the Florida Parishes, and Acadiana right now. And Mississippi. Just like how it always happens, part of MS got clobbered by this too but we hear even less about them.

- Almost everyone in New Orleans has been sending food, water, diapers, formula, clothes, and other relief supplies west as the roads have opened. When you live in a community that has faced disaster, you are empathetic with other communities facing disaster. If you need your faith in humanity restored that people will go to great lengths to help one another, call your people in Louisiana, we can get you directly in touch with miracle workers.

- Now, if you live somewhere else, you may not have heard about all this on the news over the noise of a presidential campaign and a swimmer being a jackass in Brazil.

- The flooding is still going on. It has continued to rain down here and that hasn't helped. Interstate 10 reopened just this morning east of Lafayette. Dozens of state highways are still underwater. The water is still rising in some areas downstream.

- The rescue is still going on. There are still first responders in boats helping people. There are still thousands of people in shelters, and thousands of others who have lost everything in their homes.

- The recovery will go on for a long, long time. This is where Louisiana is going to need the most help. Please stay tuned. If you want to help now, call your people in Louisiana, we can get you directly in touch with the miracle workers.

Important Note:

- You may hear some people elsewhere arguing about the President playing golf. This is not germane to this disaster in any way. Federal authorities are here and are doing their jobs, and from all reports they are doing their jobs well, and are a tremendous help to state and local authorities who are doing their jobs well. We'll be sure to let all y'all know if something goes wrong with that. But for now, traffic is bad enough in areas affected by the flood as things stand, and a Presidential motorcade for a photo op is not necessary at this time. Please resist the urge to get distracted by this and start arguing about it. Louisiana needs real help, not fake umbrage.

In Other News.......

Where to donate flood relief items (NOLA.COM)

If you're looking for ways to donate time, money or drop off items in the Greater New Orleans area, click here for that list. That page also has a map to help identify the closest location to you. 

 If you'd prefer to donate time, money or items for animal-specific causes, click here for that list. 

If you know of another organization that is accepted mailed donations of items, email details of what they are accepting and where items should be sent tocbrasted@nola.com. We'll update this list as that information is available. 

• United Way of Southeast Louisiana

What they need: Buckets, bleach, cleaning detergent, mops, Shockwave for mold, mops, brooms, paper towels, large garbage bags, rubber gloves, masks, scrub brushes, scouring pads, sponges, air freshener, toiletries, hand sanitizer, shampoo, conditioner, bar soap, hand soap, adult diapers, disposable razors, shaving cream, toilet paper, diapers for babies, baby wipes, baby food, baby formula, sippy cups and bottles, pet cages, kennels, leashes, collars, pet food, cat litter, bottled water, nonperishable food items and school supplies

Where to mail items:

United Way of Southeast Louisiana, 2515 Canal St., New Orleans, LA 70119

United Way of Greater New Orleans, 411 W. Coleman Ave., Hammond, LA 70403

• Jefferson Parish Animal Shelter

What they need: Leashes, pet treats, pet food, dog toys, cash donations, temporary fosters. 

Jefferson Parish Animal Shelter, 1869 Ames Blvd., Marrero, LA 70072

• Companion Animal Alliance, Baton Rouge's city animal shelter

What they need: Leashes, pet treats, pet food, dog toys, cash donations, temporary fosters until transportation is available Wednesday, Aug. 17.

Where to mail items: Companion Animal Alliance, 2680 Progress Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70807