September 1, 2005 at 5:25 pm
I haven't heard too much about the technology issues that may have been encountered in New Orleans and the surrounding areas after hurricane Katrina, and with good reason. Too many people have already lost their lives, figuratively or literally, and many thousands more are in danger. As I listen to speculation by various groups of the future of New Orleans, it's amazing how bad things are.
The mayor was very blunt in his assessment, probably a good thing. He's working to basically dismantle the city and move everyone out right now, perhaps because he knows to a large extent the damage that was done.
Flooding has caused most of the city to leave, along with no power, water issues, and more. But with the potential for erosion and contamination by the Gulf waters inside the city, New Orleans as it has been known, may cease to exist. "For the next two or three months, in this area, there will not be any commerce, at all. No electricity, no restaurants. This is the real deal." is the quote from the mayor and it's amazing.
The disaster on the other side of the world was probably similar and it's amazing to see the coverage closer to home on a disaster of this scale. It's truly humbling and no matter what your IT infrastructure and preparations, you would most likely be overwhelmed and unconcerned about computers if you had previously lived in New Orleans.
I've never visited the city, but had hoped to get there some day. Now I may have missed my chance. Worst case predictions are over 3 years to rebuild the downtown, where many buildings may need to be demolished and the sites decontaminated before new structures can be built.
Take a momentof silence and be thankful for what you have and the health of your family.
Steve Jones
September 1, 2005 at 5:51 pm
Thankful is what I have been every single day that I've been following the news and the devastation that katrina has left in her wake...cannot imagine what it must be to lose everything you have in one fell swoop - overnight!!!!
**ASCII stupid question, get a stupid ANSI !!!**
September 2, 2005 at 8:22 am
I am thankfull for everything as well. I also know that a lots of organization wanted cash donation, but my family don't have that much to spare... I wonder if there is anything we could do to help them rebuilt. It is not that they lost everything they own... they lost their livelyhood because they still need to make car payment, house payment and credit card payment and worse of all their identity is at risk of being stolen as well and the worse things is they got no job (this is from an employee stand point). For the employer, most probably won't be able to pay their bill and not to say they still own their employee some money for wages and stuff like that.
mom
September 2, 2005 at 8:36 am
Sometimes eight feet might as well be a mile. Hopefully people will grow and become strong from these trials.
Its times like these where standing up is the hardest and true courage is found.
The last thing I would worry about was pay. I'm sorry to say but the scale of the damage is really beyond token gestures of money. I hear the damage is in the 100's of millions of dollars a day and then there's the long term market effects.
Hopefully insurance and government disaster teams will cover the mopping up generously.
I think I would consider moving further inland, these storms will not go away.
September 2, 2005 at 9:04 am
From an ISP down there: http://mgno.com/
September 2, 2005 at 9:26 am
We should all consider our selves thankful.
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week. If you have never experienced the danger of war, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.
If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed, because most of us can, but few do. If you can hold someone's hand, hug them, or even touch them on the shoulder, you offer healing, and are therefore blessed. If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing because someone is thinking of you, and because two billion people in the world cannot read at all.
My heart goes out to all those affected in the USA from the "other side of the pond".
Stuart
England
-------------------------------Posting Data Etiquette - Jeff Moden [/url]Smart way to ask a question
There are naive questions, tedious questions, ill-phrased questions, questions put after inadequate self-criticism. But every question is a cry to understand (the world). There is no such thing as a dumb question. ― Carl Sagan
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