Well, it's been many days, but limited Internet access has been restored. The Mississippi Gulf Coast has been hammered by a tremendous storm, but we will rebuild. Thanks go out to all who took time in their prayers to think of us, and thank you also to everyone who sent materials, services and aid to those affected by Katrina, we are in your debt ...

OceanArcher and CopperTop

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Glad to see you back and good to hear you made it through ok.

Thanks Bill -- It was one rough ride, and not one I'd care to repeat ...

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While you were gone they change from html to phpBB Code for your sig. Go to mundayweb.com and get the phpbb code and change the sig on your account page.
Welcome back

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Fred
BOINC Alpha, BOINC Beta, LHC Alpha, Einstein Alpha

Well, it's been many days, but limited Internet access has been restored. The Mississippi Gulf Coast has been hammered by a tremendous storm, but we will rebuild. Thanks go out to all who took time in their prayers to think of us, and thank you also to everyone who sent materials, services and aid to those affected by Katrina, we are in your debt ...

OceanArcher and CopperTop

Hi Ocean, Really glad to see that you made it thru!!! Best I could do was Donate to the Red Cross, (From up here in S.E. MI)! But I was Praying for you all!

I'm a Retired Guy like you, but if I was younger, I probably would have hopped in my Car, Drove down..., and saw how I could've helped out, with Relief There!

Good to hear from you!

-daav- ";^)

Glad to see yo alive and well.

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BOINC WIKI

Well, it's been many days, but limited Internet access has been restored. The Mississippi Gulf Coast has been hammered by a tremendous storm, but we will rebuild. Thanks go out to all who took time in their prayers to think of us, and thank you also to everyone who sent materials, services and aid to those affected by Katrina, we are in your debt ...
OceanArcher and CopperTop

Hi Ocean .... I'm glad to hear that you ...
your family and your loved ones ...
are safe and sound ... from that terrible hurricane ... Katrina ...
all the people who suffered and are suffering ... are in our prayers
I sent a cash donation ... to the American red cross ...
what I could afford .... I hope it will help someone ...
I wish I could do more .....
please take care and best wishes .... byron

Hi Ocean. Glad all is OK with you and yours after that terrible event.

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Well, it's been many days, but limited Internet access has been restored. The Mississippi Gulf Coast has been hammered by a tremendous storm, but we will rebuild. Thanks go out to all who took time in their prayers to think of us, and thank you also to everyone who sent materials, services and aid to those affected by Katrina, we are in your debt ...

OceanArcher and CopperTop

As far as the people from North Carolina feel we were very happy to "repay" all the people that helped us during our time of need. That is what we all do for each other and will do so again when needed. The storms bring out both the good and bad in people, let's just hope it's more good then bad! Also i have heard some people say that the people were sending help to the gulf BEFORE FEMA could even get their act together!

Ricky

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As far as the people from North Carolina feel we were very happy to "repay" all the people that helped us during our time of need. That is what we all do for each other and will do so again when needed. The storms bring out both the good and bad in people, let's just hope it's more good then bad! Also i have heard some people say that the people were sending help to the gulf BEFORE FEMA could even get their act together!

Ricky

To those from NC and everywhere else who have contributed to Katrina relief: Thanks and keep up the good work.

On the other hand, it gets really old hearing "FEMA screwed up" time and time again. It's FEMA *MANAGEMENT* that has screwed up. The rank and file FEMA worker is doing an outstanding job considering the poor training, conflicting directives and blatently BAD orders they've been given.

Kudos to those FEMA workers who have disregarded red tape, bad orders and even put their job on the line, in order to get the REAL WORK done.

[edit] Here's an example of what I mean: http://macsmind.blogspot.com/2005/09/where-was-fema-right-there.html
[/edit]

On the other hand, it gets really old hearing "FEMA screwed up" time and time again. It's FEMA *MANAGEMENT* that has screwed up. The rank and file FEMA worker is doing an outstanding job considering the poor training, conflicting directives and blatently BAD orders they've been given.

Kudos to those FEMA workers who have disregarded red tape, bad orders and even put their job on the line, in order to get the REAL WORK done.

[edit] Here's an example of what I mean: http://macsmind.blogspot.com/2005/09/where-was-fema-right-there.html
[/edit]

Some people seem to think that FEMA exists to be the first responders in catastrophes. It does not. Local government is in charge of first response. States are in charge of what might be dubbed "second response" (National Guard troops, etc.). Aside from the logic of having better local knowledge, this principle is enshrined in US law. Federal troops cannot be deployed within the United States unless requested by the state's governor or during a foreign invasion. Once the troops were allowed in (they had been pre-positioned for days before the storm), they made quick work of most of the most visible problems. Many who blame the federal government for not pre-empting the governor are the same people who think that the Patriot Act is a dangerous expansion of federal powers. Interesting dichotomy there.

It is not FEMA's job to create and execute evacuation plans for individual cities. FEMA simply doesn't have the manpower to even try. Somehow, these huge logistical problems did not occur in Mississippi and Alabama. They didn't occur when killer storms bore down on Florida several times a year. The difference was that state and local governments there didn't freeze and hope that FEMA would make everything alright. The same goes for midwestern states that deal with dozens of tornadoes per year, Pacific states that deal with earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, etc.

In the same manner as Randy, I am not saying there weren't individual acts of heroism among Louisiana's first responders, but the administrations in place acted with such mind-boggling incompetence that rational people are grasping for any other explanation than the painful truth.

There were definitely shortcomings on the federal level, but remember who is responsible for what.

Also, see this editorial about the local, state and federal responses.

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No animals were harmed in the making of the above post... much.

In the years that I have been where I am, the worst we've had is occasional minor flooding and dust storms. Problem with a landlocked country.

For all that the States have done for others, I certainly hope that the same (nay more!) is being done for yourselves.

You are in our thoughts.

Best Wishes to a speedy recovery.

While you were gone they change from html to phpBB Code for your sig. Go to mundayweb.com and get the phpbb code and change the sig on your account page.

Thanks Fred -- took a bit of research on my part, but once I realized all I had to do was replace the "img src" command with the bracketed "img" command, everything fell into place ...

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