Folks, I made the roll call thread for our missing friends to check in, and it would be easy for us to find them. BUT, it has been spammed up with other thoughts and topics (the map idea is great, btw). So I am making this thread so that we can take our discussion of the recent Hurricane here, and leave the roll call thread free for our missing members to check in. If it regards the hurricane, say it here. I am very worried about our missing friends and don't want to sift through random discussions to find the one post that says, I'm alive. So thank you for understanding. Can we now, please, keep roll call free for check-in's. Thanks everyone.

Why isn't anyone accepting the help from 20 other countries?

I got an E Mail from FEMA the Federal Emergency Management Agency. CAlif State OES has learned that trapped victims are calling family, friends. These calls need to go immediately to the US Coast Guards Rescue Line at 800-323-7233 to have these persons accountable. The message at this number will provide information about how to report people to the Lousiana State Police Officials. This number is legitimate.

I winder if they will refurbish the dome to be used as a sports arena again. Or maybe they will turn it into a memorial...

Thankfully, the latest reports seem to indicate the death toll will not be as high as originally feared...good to see the pets being rescued too...on another note, I received a forward in my email today that suggested the breaking of the levees may have been intentional and caused by some sort of explosion...anyone else heard of this?

I have not heard about the levee's being intentionally broken...as for the animals...I know that ARF, SPCA, and I believe PETA are taking donations for food and medical attention for animals left homeless and possibly injured by the storm. You can make donations to your local SPCA or go to the national SPCA hotline. I read that actor Matthew McConaughy (sp?) personally went to NO to help aid with rescuing pets...now thats cool...I wish more high profile folks would get "dirty" helping out in some way.

Yes, I heard that some people are saying that the levees were deliberately destroyed to releive the pressure so that the more "expensive" neighborhoods would be saved. Personally I think this sounds rather unbelievable. I don't think anyone in power would have had the presence of mind to think to do this, for a start.

http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer
that is the site for the ASPCA if anyone wants to help out the homeless pets.

http://www.petfinder.org/disaster
this is a site if you are in a hurricane hit area and have lost a pet, they try to help you find your lost friend

http://news.bestfriends.org/index.cfm?page=specialreports&mode=cat&catid=04061773-BDB9-396E-9001EF6EC01318A4
this is another site you can send donations to.


And please, give what you can. I am far from rich, but I have donated $20 to Red Cross along with good conditioned baby clothes and my "one day I will fit back into you" clothes. I have also given blood, and donate canned food to the Red Cross and Salvation Army. If I were in NO when the hurricane hit, I probably wouldn't have made it out. My car only sometimes runs, my husband is unemployed, and I am on SS Disability. My family has been living off of very meager funds, yet I have tried to give what I can. I ask that you do too...and ask your friends to give as well. Every little bit helps.