Querido Idelber, hoy por fin tenemos la paz y los medios para escribir desde Houston. Felipe, Inma, Dani, Alejandra Sanchez, Michelle, Aaron Walker, Cynthia Garza y la que escribe, salimos en distintos momentos de la tormenta de Nueva Orleans y nos hemos reunido gratamente por aca. Queriamos comentarte que algunos de nosotros pasamos el huracan con Renata, Aaron y la mama de Renata, despues de esto nos separamos y no volvimos a saber de ellos, pero sabemos que estaban llamando a California. No se si recuerdas a Kathleen, una senora americana-chilena que entro al programa de Latin American Studies con mi generacion, ella es muy amiga de la mama de Aaron Lorenz y Aaron Walker nos dara su email manana para contactarla y saber noticias de ellos. Solo quermos decirte y decirles a lo que leen este blog, que ha sido una experiencia muy fuerte en todo sentido pero que asi mismo hemos recibido un carino muy importante de conocidos y extranos. Un fuerte abrazo. Alejandra Osorio

Alejandra, !!!qué alegría saber noticias de ti!!!! Me tranquilizé cuando hablé con Michelle por teléfono y ella me dijo que tú, Felipe, Inma, Dani y Ale habían logrado escaparse de la ciudad después del huracán. Pasé 24 horas aquí muy angustiado sin saber si habían podido salir. Me da mucha pena estar acá y no poder hacer mucho, pero la alegría de saber que están bien lo compensa todo. Ya sé que la situación debe ser muy dura, y quiero que cuenten conmigo para lo que necesiten. Te enviaré mi teléfono por email, llámame collect a cualquier hora que quieras. Cariños y un abrazo fuerte,

Idelber,

como não tenho tevê e como na semana passada, por conta de um trabalho, praticamente não naveguei, a primeira menção ao Katrina que li foi aqui no Biscoito.

Desde então, tenho acompanhado pelas manchetes da net e por seu blog. Como em todas essas tragédias, é impossível não ficar chocado, atônito. Mas acompanhar esta tragédia por aqui dá nomes e rosto a ela.

Acho que todos nós que lemos o Biscoito, mesmo quem, como eu, não tem uma relação direta com Nova Orleans, aprendemos a gostar da cidade através de seus relatos.

Agora, acho que compartilhamos todos esse desespero que vc sente por todos os amigos ainda não localizados, a grande tristeza de ver a cidade submersa, a angústia por não poder fazer mais por estar longe, a revolta com a demora do governo em providenciar socorro. E o alívio por vc estar em BH. Em BH, mas fazendo o que vc pode fazer e que é admirável.

Grande abraço.

Fico aqui na torcida pra que vc encontre os amigos e que a cidade demore o menos possível pra se reerguer.

Querido Idelber e todos os amigos de Tulane,
Estamos todos bem: eu, Aaron e minha mãe. Estou muito tocada com sua preocupação Idelber, muito obrigada meu amigo. Agora são 3:20h da madrugada aqui em Carpinteria, na Califórnia, onde acabamos de chegar depois de uma exaustiva viagem de 4 dias. Saímos de New Orleans na terça-feira à tarde depois de ouvirmos no rádio e vermos com nossos próprios olhos que a cidade não parava de encher. Passamos na casa de Felipe e Alejandra para avisar que estamos deixando a cidade mas não havia ninguém lá. Resolvemos vir para Califórnia porque aqui temos o apoio da família do Aaron. Felizmente timos um carro e condições de deixar a cidade. Estamos com nossos corações apertados e uma profunda tristeza com tudo o que está acontecendo com a população de New Orleans.
Felipe, Alejandra Osório, Inma, Dani, Alejandra Sanchez, Michelle, Aaron Walker, Cynthia Garza e Tatjana Pavlovic, Chris Dunn: que bom saber que vocês estão bem!
Meu novo e-mail é: renatavnascimento@hotmail.com
Um forte abraço em todos, espero nos vermos logo.
Idelber, me envia pelo hotmail seu telefone em BH para nos falarmos.

Graças a Deus!!!! Que alívio!

I am so relieved to hear that Renata, Aaron, and Ione are safe and sound in California. This is what I was hoping for.

Does anyone know what happened to the great Afro-Peruvian singer, Susana Baca? Susana joined our Tulane community last month as a Rockefeller fellow. I last saw her with Cynthia Garza last Thursday before the storm. I just hope that someone helped her out of the city.

I spoke with Nicasio last night and he told me that Yaoska Tijerino was safe in St. Louis.

Gracas a Deus que a Renata apareceu e esta bem (acordei pensando nessa menina, me lembro da participacao dela no post das cotas ai do Biscoito)!!! O Alex tambem esta super bem instalado na casa da irma dele...claro que estamos na torcida para que outros aparecam rapidamente.
Prof. Idelber seu blog tem sido maravilhoso e seu trabalho para localizar amigos, abrir contas de e-mails e passar todas as informacoes necessarias sobre New Orleans e Tulane tem sido incansavel,fundamental pra muita gente que esta com acesso cortado ou que nao tem pra quem recorrer...Parabens, mestre! Parabens!!! Ainda bem que o senhor foi poupado de assistir essa tragedia ao vivo e a cores e esta confortado entre os seus. Um grande beijo no seu coracao que como bem deixou claro o Alex eh de ouro! Axe e que os demais aparecam com noticias ainda hoje!

Renata querida!!!!

Eu nem lhe conto a dor no coração durante todo o dia de ontem, quando todas as pessoas iam aparecendo e você, Aaron e sua mãe não davam notícias.

Foi muito apavorante. Desculpe publicar uma foto velha sua sem autorização, mas o desespero era grande.

Chris, obrigado pela informação sobre Yaoska. Ela me escreveu e está bem.

Também não sabemos nada sobre Ricardo Crespo, lembram dele?

Será que vamos passar toda essa tragédia "somente" com perdas materiais? Se for o caso, ela merecerá uma festa que nos renove o espírito.

Salve Renata ! :-))))

Idelber, we've never met but I was a faculty member in the dept. from 1991-98. I'm so relieved to see that many of my friends and colleagues are safe. I'm still anxiously awaiting news about Kathleen Davis, so please post anything you might hear. I think Harry Howard was away on sabbatical--does anyone know for sure? And Maureen Shea?

I have been trying to transfer information from this blog over to the master list of people who are ok/people who we're looking for, but since I'm not familiar with all of the names on the blog it would probably be a good idea for someone currently from Tulane to check the lists and send Kim Koster an update: nolagrl4ever@yahoo.com.

Thanks so much for all of the info, Idelber. My heart goes out to all of you, and if there is any way I can help from the Rutgers/New Jersey area, please let me know.
Susan Martin-Marquez

Querido Idelber: Hay muchos nombres que se me vienen a la cabeza. Espero, sin nombrarlos, que todos ellos y ellas se encuentren bien. Un abrazo desde California. J.

Dear Idelber,
Thank you for turning your blog over to the tragedy and for keeping track of our friends and colleagues. Hamilton, Gabriel and I are fine in Orlando, although still shell shocked. And now so very, very angry by the lack of response of our federal government to this crisis. FOr the time being my email is thewildkidz@gmail.com; stay in touch and feel free to give it to anyone.
Ana

I forgot to mention that I am fairly certain that Kathleen Davis left. She lives across the street from me on Dryades and Upperline. I left on Saturday, but Hamilton stayed until Monday night. He says that her entire building was clearly empty by the time he left and during the storm.
Ana

Dear Ana: Thank you so much for visiting and confirming that you're fine. We heard you were safe before we heard confirmation about Hamílton, and we spent a day or so quite anguished about him. Please let anyone in the administration know that whatever I can do from here, I will do. It's not much but I've got time, phone lines, and a blog, so that's a start.

Please let any student or faculty from Tulane University know that the site idelberavelar.com is at their disposal to generate safe and reliable email accounts for them. I'm quite angry about the aftermath of all this as well. Please be well and get some rest. I'll write to you soon.

Jesus, gracias por la solidaridaridad. Te mando un abrazo fuerte. [

Susan, thanks so much for joining the effort and offering us your support. If I hear that any of our friends in the New Jersey area I'll be sure to let you know. Please stay in touch. Abrazos,

Dear Idelber & All:

The offer still stands for displaced faculty & staff in need of long-term housing to find such in Spartanburg, SC with the Wofford College community. Just contact me. Also, Warren Wilson in progressive Asheville, NC, is offering a spot to a Latin Americanist. The posting appeared on www.livejournal.com/community/lastulane and I've copied part of it below.

Thinking of you all.
Laura

from Warren Wilson University
Job for Displaced Faculty - Please Pass On
Warren Wilson College - Asheville, NC

We are seeking a one semester full time family leave replacement in Anthropology/Latin American Studies.
Beyond the job description, interested applicants can email or call me directly at 828-771-3709 (office) or feinberg@warren-wilson.edu
Ben Feinberg

More on the College at http://www.warren-wilson.edu

Susan, we're all guessing Kathleen was able to leave town, and hoping for the best. I have not heard anything about Harry or Maureen yet.

Obrigado, Cláudio :)

Thanks so much, Laura, I'll be sure to let any potential candidates know about these positions. Again thanks for your solidarity. Best,

I didn't return to Bahia, as many of you might have thought I did. I am in Las Cruces, New Mexico. I spend a few days in Houston, TX, and then headed west. I think I'm gonna stay here now... at least, for the time being. I'm okay. I've been better though. I'm not even watching tv, in order not to get more depressed. I've met some nice people here... another "baiano," and will pick up from where I left off. It's just extremely sad to see N.O. in this situation... it really is. If you wanna get in touch with me, just e-mail me at gutopitta@yahoo.com.br and I'll e-mail you right back. Do also take advantage of this "free time" and visit my webpage at http://geocities.yahoo.com.br/gutopitta/ and send me your comments. I'd appreciate that very much. At last, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Idelber for responding to my e-mail and for putting in touch with all of you again.

GOD bless us all!

Jose Augusto PITTA

Los papás y el hermano de Ana María Ochoa se escaparon de New Orleans y están a salvo, ellos en Nueva York y él en Houston.

idelber, qual eh seu telefone de casa? e seu email funcional nao-tulane? escreve pra mim. please....

te liguei agora mas nao tinha ninguem em casa, ja anotei, pode apagar, valeu

i know that Berkeley, SF State and Mills at least are also accepting Tulanians. Is there anything I can do from here? Contact people? My love to you. maria

Idelber, ja tinha visitado o seu blog algumas vezes, mas esta eh a primeira vez que posto. Venho aqui hoje atravez do Blog da Denise.
Olha, o Craigslist.com tem paginas dedicadas somente a pessoas que procuram por conhecidos desaparecidos, ou pra quem quer ajudar de alguma maneira
http://neworleans.craigslist.org/
http://batonrouge.craigslist.org/
http://mobile.craigslist.org/
http://montgomery.craigslist.org/
http://pensacola.craigslist.org/

Laurinha, muito obrigado pelos links! Vão ser muito úteis para vários amigos.

María, thanks so much for your willingness to help. We've got some people in California, I'll be sure to put them in touch with you.

Abraços,

I created a chat to see if people can reconnect in Houston:

http://www.borderculture.com/houston

I'll try to check it as much as possible. Let's see if it works.

cs

Alex, mandei o email e deixei recado no telefone da Christiana. O telefone da Globo em NYC é 1-917-551-3501. O nome dela é Cristiana Souza Cruz.

does anyone know how to get ahold of Alfred?
give out my info to whomever
mariaasturias@sbcglobal.net
(209)617-0487

idelber, jah falei com a christianna no tel, ela nao prometeu nada, mas pode apagar esse comentario enorme que eu fiz com meus tels e endereco... mais uma vez, valeu mesmo

Idelber, que lástima tudo que está acontecendo aí!
Acompanho aqui através de alguns canais mas confesso, com uma angústia danada. Assistir esse povo sofrer por incompetência do senhor presidente é de revoltar tanto quanto nos revoltamos com os fatos correntes no Brasil.
A gente percebe que a grande maioria é negra, o que dá mais raiva e tristeza ainda!!!!!

Boa, muito boa sorte e força a todos vocês aí. A gente aqui pede a Deus que cutuque o safado do Busho, que ele se toque e mexa aquele traseiro gordo para resolver essa calamidade, como fez em Nova Iorque de 11 de setembro.

Abração
Gin

Obrigado, Gin!

À medida que se amontoam as histórias de negligência criminosa do governo Busho com a nossa cidade, a revolta de todos nós vai aumentando. Obrigado pela solidariedade, grande abraço,

Caro Idelber,

Continuamos em houston ouvindo noticias das condicoes de tulane e new orleans, sera que alguem sabe se vamos ter salario esse mes ou esse semestre?

Brigadao - michelle e refugiados

Michelle, a minha esperança é que pelo menos aqueles TA's que estão registrados em "direct deposit" receberão seus estipêndios normalmente. É uma esperança. Não sei. Os que buscam pessoalmente seus cheques em Tulane estão, claro, numa situação mais complicada.

Scott Cowen tem uma entrada sobre o assunto no blog de emergência de Tulane:

http://emergency.tulane.edu/

Querido Idelber,

Me alegro mucho saber de tantos que estan a salvo, gracias a tu blog. En www.mla.org crearemos una pagina para facilitar el contacto entre los que buscan situarse en otra universidad y los que ofrecen puestos/becas/oportunidades.

Que tragedia para la comunidad academica y para el pais . . .
Un abrazo,

Rosemary

TRAGÉDIA NOS EUA

Diários virtuais, facilitados pela conexão sem fio, se destacam na cobertura da devastação do furacão Katrina

Na dúvida, mundo se informa por blogs

SÉRGIO DÁVILA
DA REPORTAGEM LOCAL

Se o 11 de Setembro foi o evento marcado pelos recados nos celulares e pelos e-mails enviados pelas vítimas e o período oficial da Guerra do Iraque não viu mais do que meia dúzia de diários virtuais narrarem os acontecimentos do front (como Salam Pax), a tragédia do furacão Katrina entrará para a história como o dia em que a imprensa tradicional cedeu lugar aos blogs.
A começar pelo principal jornal de Nova Orleans e região, o "The Times-Picayune", que, impedido de rodar em papel, passou os últimos dias tirando suas edições virtualmente, até sexta, quando voltou ao normal -mas há dúvidas sobre sua sobrevivência financeira, assim como a de diversas empresas de diversos setores de lá.
Seu blog -termo que é uma abreviatura de weblog, diário virtual-, porém, continuava um dos mais visitados na sexta-feira à noite, principalmente o fórum das pessoas desaparecidas, criado na última quarta. Só nas primeiras 24 horas, o endereço recebeu 7.400 mensagens.
A característica da tragédia explica a dificuldade de a imprensa tradicional chegar até o local, o que levou os diretores de notícias das três principais emissoras de TV norte-americanas (ABC, CBS e NBC) a fazerem um mea-culpa coletivo no fim da semana.
Estradas interrompidas, telefones e celulares em pane, eletricidade incerta e dificuldade de acesso: os mesmos problemas afligiram e estão afligindo tanto o resgate do governo como o repórter.

Presos
Assim, a agilidade dos blogs reside numa palavra: "wireless" (sem fio, em inglês). Muitos dos cidadãos, jornalistas ou não, que continuaram a escrever in loco lançaram mão do serviço de conexão para computador, que prescinde de meios tradicionais.
Foi o caso, por exemplo, do Humid City (cidade úmida), e do Nola View (Nola, acrônimo de New Orleans e LA, por sua vez sigla daquele Estado americano, Louisiana), dois dos mais vistos. O último trazia na sexta à tarde uma mensagem desesperadora:
"Sexta, 2 de setembro de 2005
Presos em Bayou Road
16h03
Nome: Siddika Jacson
Assunto: Minha história do furacão - Presos na Bayou Road
História: Há pelo menos 5-6 pessoas presas numa casa no número 1735 da Bayou Road. Alguém por favor os ajude!!!!"
Até mesmo brasileiros entraram no ar. Um deles é o Liberal, Libertário, Libertino, de Alex Castro, 31, estudante de pós-graduação na Universidade de Tulane, uma das mais atingidas, e que comoveu o mundo virtual ao narrar o sumiço de seu cachorro, o Oliver (até a conclusão desta edição, não se sabia o destino do poodle). No meio da crise, seu site completou um milhão de "page views".
Outro, Idelber Avelar, fez de seu O Biscoito Fino e a Massa um necessário centro de divulgação de nomes de pessoas, a maioria brasileiros, que se encontravam no centro do furacão e, passado o pior, já deram sinal de vida ou continuam desaparecidas.
Ele relata: "Conversei com dois sobreviventes hoje à noite: se o que você está vendo na televisão é horrendo o suficiente, você não imagina o que são os relatos dos que escaparam. Pelo que pude avaliar até agora: Ninth Ward, Chalmette, St. Bernard Parish não existem mais, simplesmente. Airline Highway e West End continuam submersos. O Oakwood Mall foi incendiado. Há partes do French Quarter que não estão submersas, mas lá é onde os saques (e inclusive incêndios) campeiam. Nossa cidade, a mais brasileira de todas as cidades americanas, está literalmente sendo destruída. A sensação de impotência aqui é muito grande."
Até um grande jornal inglês, o "Guardian", resolveu abrir seu metablog emergencial, um blog que cobre os blogs que estão cobrindo a catástrofe, como os citados acima. Chama-se "A Fúria de Katrina" e está sob a chancela "reportagens especiais".

Na Folha de São Paulo de hoje

Idelber, é emocionante este verdadeiro esforço solidário que estás fazendo nestes momentos tão tristes para o povo de New Orleans. abraço, Su

Valeu, menino! Vou linkar vc no meu blog, espero que nao se incomode.
Abraços.

Rosemary: muchas gracias por solidaridad, querida. Gracias también por el trabajo del MLA en la centralización de informaciones para nuestros colegas.

Daniela: obrigado pelo link! Vou ali na banca comprar o jornal :)

Su: obrigado, mas era o mínimo que eu podia fazer, estando nesta situação tão privilegiada em comparação com meus colegas

Andréa: obrigado, claro que não me importo. Linkania livre!

For those who love dogs : LET'S TRY TO HELP ALEX CASTRO'S DOG, see the RESCUE message here : http://liberallibertariolibertino.blogspot.com

Hi everyone,

renata and I are in California now still overwhelmed with the crisis in New Orleans and the trapped people who are still suffering there - our trip out of the city was filled with anxiety and fear, but so easy that I can't believe that it has been so hard to get help in and people out of the city... I am curious about others plans? I have heard that other institutions are accepting grad students... Does anyone know the contact information for UCLA or UCB - Spanish and Port/Latin American Studies Dept.?

Also, any idea if grad students will be receiving their stipends? I have left a message on the tulane.edu website so if I get any info - I'll keep you all informed - at least, it is clear that the university has lost all of our records so if you have direct deposit, you must reregister...

Our phone number here in Santa Barbara is 805 684 4085... please post your new email adresses and phone numbers when you post - thanks Idelber and everyone for your concern and help (P.S. Idelber, the picture above isn't Renata :))

Querido Idelber,

Só agora me lembrei de comentar que ocorreu alguma confusão com a fotografia que você usou. A pessoa da foto é muito simpática, como eu...rs...rs...rs, mas não sou eu. Depois te envio algumas fotos minhas.
Adoraria entrar em contato com você e com o Chris, mas estou sem o contato de vocês.
Meu novo email é: renatavnascimento@hotmail.com

Forte abraço

Renata Nascimento

It is so good to find this website and know that everyone seems to be doing ok. I am sound and safe at State College, PA.
I would like to leave the phone number of the Spanish Embassy (202 728 2340 or 202 728 2356) and to invite all the Spanish grad students and or faculty at Tulane to call requesting some kind of help for the Spanish victims. I got in touch with Roberto Varela, the consul at New York, and I think I was the first one calling. It is important to let them know we are safe and to ask them for some kind of help.
Thanks, Idelber, for putting your blog at our service. Giuli Dussias, here at PennState, asked me about you yesterday.
I send you all a big and warm hug. Be well and take care.

Estimados todos,

Me siento aliviada de saber de la gente que ha aparecido sana y salva! Quisiera saber si alguien sabe como comunicarse con Ibtissam, he tratado de contactarla a su telefono movil pero no lo he logrado.
Como todos, sigo pensando que esto es una pesadilla. El desastre es increible, y la irresponsabilidad del gobierno despierta tanta colera.
Y, Avelar, puede enviarme su correo? Necesito escribirle y no lo encuentro. Mi correo es ahora malbizur@yahoo.com
Animo a todos.
Un abrazo,
Monica

Idelber,

Kathleen here. David and I have made our way up to Omaha, Nebraska to stay with his parents for a while. My new e-mail address is keds2003@yahoo.com. I'm particularly worried about new graduate students who weren't experienced in hurricane evacuation and would like to hear from them as well as from everyone else. Thanks for the service you are doing with your blog to let us know how everyone is.
Kathleen

Olá Amigos! O meu amigo Ricardo Crespo também é conhecido por um apelido, Conguinha, não sei se ele usa esse apelido nos EUA pois me parece que deve ser dificil de pronunciar. Mas sempre é mais uma dica. Um forte abraço para o Idelber que coloca seu blog a disposição para a gente encontrar nossos "elos de vida".

Idelber: você, Alex e Oliver trouxeram Nova Orleans pra dentro de nossas casas. Sofremos junto com vocês.
Fraterno abraço.

Nota para os estudantes de pós-graduação do nosso departamento: Recebi a seguinte mensagem do José Luiz Passos, professor de literatura brasileira na UC-Berkeley:

"Tenho certeza que o Departamento acomodará os estudantes que nos procurarem.
A pró-reitoria da pós-graduação está tomando as medidas administrativas
necessárias para se preparar para a chegada deles. Até agora as instruções
da nossa decana são as seguintes: "The Graduate Division will direct
displaced students who inquire about attending classes at Berkeley to the
appropriate academic departments or programs for consideration in the status
of Visiting Students, Concurrent Enrollment students, or Exchange Scholar
Program students. Details are still being worked out, and more information
will be shared with you early next week."

Recebi mensagens calorosas também de Candace Slater que está oferecendo um seminário especial sobre a questão da violência.

cd

Pat Frank's 1959 novel, Alas Babylon, deals with the aftermath of a nuclear attack on a rural community of Central Florida. The events in the novel delve into what happens to a polite society when devastation, the breakdown of order, and the law of scarcity kick in. The main character, has to take the role of family, military, and municipal leader and is able to restore a semblance of order to what was fast becoming chaos. He did this by clear leadership, decisiveness, and a willingness to get his hands dirty.

As we drove down to help on Friday we first stopped in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The air was thick with concern and hostility. Wild tales of brothers shooting sisters in the head over a bag of ice were traded nervously by wild-eyed people at gas pumps. We had six 5-gallon gas cans tied to the roof of our truck. We felt like people were eyeing them enviously. Gas was $2.99 a gallon, down from the $3.19 we had paid in Atlanta. We said that we were going to load our firearms when we got to Meridian, Mississippi. We had a 12 gauge Mossberg shotgun and a little 25mm pistol. We drove the next 75 miles to Meridian where we waited an hour to buy gas at $2.49 a gallon. They were limiting purchases to $30 of gas at this point. We filled our tank up with a mere $12 and they were prohibiting people from filling up containers--only vehicles. A lady approached us with a can saying that she had run out of gas. She was in tears. My Dad and I are big guys so we blocked so that the Marines guarding the gas station couldn't see and we filled her can for her. We spent $29.30 on gas. I was unable to get a receipt. I relate this story for a reason. Not because I want approval, for I firmly believe in the Savior's admonition that "When thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth, that thine alms may be in secret" but because I want to convey to you the sense of palpable desperation in people's lives two days ago. The air was lense tense than it was in Tuscaloosa, so we left the weapons unloaded. Please know that while I would never look for a firefight with someone, and while I would most likely give my things over to someone rather than fight them, I would not hesitate to fight back if someone sought to take away my life or the life of someone else. I went in armed for that reason. Luckily, I never even had the remotest need to load my weapon.

On the drive south as we got below Meridian on I-59 there was no electricity for 50 miles. We could not see a thing as there was a new moon and clouds covering the stars. We began to notice two smells: that of freshly tilled soil and a strong aroma of pine scent. This was due to the enormous number of broken and uprooted pine trees along the road. Eastern Mississippi is essentially still an enormous empty forest. We drove on through the night unmolested. We arrived at Picayune, Mississippi shortly before midnight. We located the Picayune Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and drove up to their doors. I got out of our truck holding a Coleman latern to my face with my hands up in as unthreatening a posture as I know how. As I approached, the door opened and I was queried as to who I was and what I wanted. When I told them that I was simply there to help, they opened their doors most enthusiastically. The 8 people had been holed up in the church for five days without electricity or communication. Amazingly, the church had no damage only downed trees on the property. Even more amazing, they water and gas never went out, so not only did they have potable water, they had hot water as well. We brought much needed fuel for their generator, fresh fruit, more food, work gloves and all the other things that we had bought.

The church members there were nearing their wit's end. They had had no communication with the outside world since the day after the storm hit. The anticipated of help from FEMA and the Church Welfare System hadn't arrived. They were running low on supplies (other than food which they had plenty of) and were visibly angry that the government wasn't helping them. The bishop had no way of checking on all of his church members because his congregation covers the whole county and he didn't have enough gas, plus well over half the roads are still impassable due to downed trees and power lines. It was hotter and stickier than a sweaty armpit there and they desperately needed news. We brought them that. Essentially, I feel that the main thing we did for them was give them hope.

Yesterday we had made plans to go and look for the daughter of a man that attends my parents church here in Woodstock, Georgia (she eventually showed up where we were). The Church Welfare Service showed up delivering food, generators, chainsaws, two volunteers to man them, and a satellite phone to the bishop (it costs $2 a minute to use). With their spirits lifted we set about cleaning up the church grounds and then went off to remove trees from the roads. With many people having evacuated, you can't start removing trees from houses until the insurance company assays the damage. As I suffer from gout and was starting to develop symptoms due to sweating so much (if a gout sufferer gets dehydrated, uric acid accumulates in the blood, triggering an attack), I was sent on a reconnoitering mission to go and get more gasoline. We drove back to Hattiesburg, MS and we able to fill our truck's tank and get several more cans of gas. Gas was worth its weight in gold yesterday. We waited in line for an hour and a half and only about 10 more cars were able to get gas after us because they sold out. The National Guard was in force at the gas station making sure that everyone behaved. I saw no instances of selfishness that was criminal. We also called tons of people from our cell phones (which didn't work down in Picayune) for people who wanted to let their families know that they were alright. Also, we drove over to Petal, Mississippi to make sure that my friend Paul Dunn's ex-stepdad was alright (he had evacuated and his house was fine). We drove back and started a campfire and cooked hot dogs. It was the first hot meal that they had had in a week. I gave $20 cash to the missionaries serving in Picayune because the banks are closed and since the gas stations are only taking cash as payment, it is scarce. They looked like they were going to bawl (they live off of $140 a month each). I only mention this because I promised to make an accounting of all my expenses. I will post the receipts I was able to obtain in the next couple of days.

We slept on the floor. I awoke every 20 minutes. This morning, with my foot stiff and my Dad and I both exhausted, we determined that we needed to come home for now.

Picayune, Mississippi is about 15 miles north of Slidell, Louisiana and in the direct path of Hurricane Katrina. Picayune was in the western eyewall. It has suffered great damage, about one in twenty houses has a tree that has fallen into the house crating gaping holes in the structure. About one in 5 houses has been hit by a falling tree. Every house has sustained some sort of damage. Strangely, north of Picayune about 40 miles is Hattiesburg, Mississippi home of Southern Mississippi University. They have electricity there, but it looks like a giant has come through with his lawn mower and scalped all of the pine trees. The odd thing is that the tree stumps are there, most of them broken off about 10-20 feet up, but the tops of the trees are gone, carried off by the storm. Last Saturday when we evacuated, we drove through a gloriously verdant forest of loplolly and slash pines, oaks, cedars, maples, and poplars. Today driving home, it looked like Winter with most of the trees having only say 15% of their leaves still on the branches.

We're home now. I am exhausted. I saw on a satellite image that my car is not flooded at 3613 St. Charles Ave. My home looks like it might have taken on water just a little bit. It's too hard to tell from satellite images.

I still do not know what happened to one of my boy scouts, Eric Ezekiel Walker. I pray that he is safe and sound, and most importantly--not alone; a 14-year-old boy all alone in this situation makes me want to cry.

Alas, Babylon's image of post-apocalyptic living is strangely similar to what's happened, happening, and what will happen to our beloved New Orleans. The main character's wealth made him a loner who barely practiced his profession (law), but once put through the refiner's fire, he cleanses himself of petty things and creates a life truly worth living. He redirects not only himself, but his community, bringing it back from the brink of incivility and desperation. We have had a disaster, have devolved into lawlessness and despair, and yet, we shall overcome.

Dr. Dunn,

If I were to enroll for thesis credit at BYU where they only have masters credit, would that be sufficient for the department or do I have to go somewhere that offers a phd?

I would prefer to be at BYU where I have friends and family, that's why I ask.

Also, does anyone know if Tulane plans to pay TAs for the semester? I've been out of the loop for two days.

Thanks,

Mac

kathleen, thanks for your concern, idelber and I were also very worried about you. of my class of new grad students (none of which I know personally) I have gotten in touch with them all. Shaun, Brandon, Peter and Jon are all accounted for.

Shaun is in orlando, florida.

Brandon and jon are in jasper, texas, at brandon's parents'.

Peter is also at his parents', in tenessee, I think.

Caramba, até países do EIXO DO MAL (classificação atribuída por Donald Rumsfeld a alguns países do planeta Terra) estão oferecendo ajuda aos EUA. E o BRASIL?? Alguém ficou sabendo de alguma coisa?? A maior população brasileira fora de território nacional está nos EUA! Alguém poderia me informar se algo OFICIAL foi feito, alguma coisa, qualquer coisa??
E voltando ao pato Donald Rumsfeld: se essa tragédia não servir para nada nesse mundo maluco, que ao menos sirva para que crápulas como ele (Rumsfeld) calem-se, reflitam sobre as bobagens que disseram, e quiçá recolham-se na mediocridade de suas existências mesquinhas. Odradek

Idelber, good to see you are well. If there's anything I can do for Tulanians in Spanish and Latin American Studies from here in British Columbia, feel free to email.

Thanks, Jon!

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