Outrage + Despair + Incompetence = ???

I'm not even sure where to begin in thinking about Hurricane Katrina and the devastation it's brought to the Gulf Coast.

I'm now listening to a MP3 replay of Mayor Ray Nagin's press conference from Thursday afternoon (or read my attempt at a transcript that reclaims the first couple minutes that CNN and the New York Times have omitted)-- and it's entirely heartbreaking. (Thanks to the good people at WFMU for tracking and posting the audio, along with their efforts to help rescue community radio station WWOZ.) By now, you've also likely heard about or seen Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard's emotional outburst during his interview with Tim Russert on Meet the Press -- the transcript doesn't do it justice, but the discussion is still riveting. And please don't miss Maria's commentary ... as she says, when Fox News stops spinning, you know it's bad.

The Associated Press has HAD put up an interactive satellite map of greater New Orleans. It's harrowing to pick out a specific address (perhaps with Mapquest or another mapping site to get the landmarks down) and then start toggling between pre- and post-storm images. [The New York Times and Washington Post have similar maps now -- but they're also gummed up with other stuff and likely just as transient as the AP site I had previously linked.]

Margie and I have made donations already (American Red Cross for immediate relief, Planned Parenthood in recognition of short- and medium-term needs) and will continue to do so. If we had more space in our apartment, we'd offer to host Tulane or Loyola law students who will be taken in at George Washington University for the semester. When you donate, please do so to a reputable organization and take the extra 10-15 minutes to see if your employer will match and to complete the requisite paperwork.

Bulletin Boards / Information Exchanges:

• International Red Cross
• NoLa.com (Times-Picayune site)
• WWL-AM
• Craigslist

Last but not least, a few news stories (and one obvious but still relevant rant) that struck me in the past couple days...

• Michael Moore: Vacation's Over -- An Open Letter...
• Washington Post: Storm Exposed Disarray at the Top
• Los Angeles Times: Despite Warnings, Washington Failed to Fund Levee Projects
• Chicago Tribune: Ex-officials Say Weakened FEMA Botched Response