Learning Joy

Here’s Bradley & Baby Max!! 

Just a note to let you all know I had to add a comment verification thing to my blog. Now when you post a comment (which I hope you will continue to do, even more frequently), you will need to type a random word. There’ll be a box, with a word in it, and you will be asked to type that word before you can post your comment. This is because people are mean & have been sending me unwanted comments – ads for spyware & other such things. So to keep my blog a safe place, I fixed it. 🙂
Thanks for commenting!!

Today is the 11th day since Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. We’ve all heard a lot about New Orleans, but have you heard about other places? I haven’t very much. FOX tries to be “fair & balanced”, but I think they are falling short here. They focus a lot of time on New Orleans rather than other places along the Gulf Coast. FOX does have people in Mississippi reporting, but they only get about five minutes an hour. Think I will have to do my own research. 🙂
We’ve been learning more & more about why help didn’t come to New Orleans. I don’t think I realized the way things worked before all this happened.
Did you know that it is the state’s & city’s responsibility to evacuate? I think I knew that one.
Did you know that the President couldn’t help until he was asked? I didn’t know that one.
Did you know that the governor of the state is in charge of the National Guard for that state? I didn’t know that one, either.
Did you know it is then the Govenor’s responsibility to send out the Guard to help in an emergency?
The President seems to be getting a lot of heat for “not responding fast enough”. Even O’Reilly says President Bush was not “pro-active” enough when it came to dealing with the Govenor of Louisiana. Personally, I think he did ok. I think President Bush is coming from a standpoint that says the states need to have their own authority, and it isn’t his job to step on toes. In any normal situation, we wouldn’t want the federal government just jumping in and taking over. Well, ok, some people might, but I wouldn’t!
This whole situation amazes me. Every day a new piece unfolds & I am even more dumbfounded. Here are things as I understand them. You all can comment & correct me if you think I am wrong.
It was Gov. Blanco’s responsibility to send out the national guard and have them in place before the storm hit. She did not do this. She also could have ordered a mandantory evacuation, but she did not do this, even though she had been urged by President Bush on SUNDAY (the day before the storm hit) to do so.
It was Mayor Nagin’s responsibility to evacuate New Orleans. A year ago, his office issued a DVD in regards to evacuating in case of a hurricane. This DVD said it was the poor person’s responsibility to get themselves out. Even though he had a lot of school buses at his disposal, and public transportation available, Mayor Nagin did not aggressively encourage or demand people evacuate.
President Bush had no control over any of these things. These were all state- & city-level problems.
We found out just recently that the Red Cross didn’t get in to the Superdome because city officials didn’t want to create a “magnet” for more people to come to! They wanted to get people out, so they prohibited the Red Cross from entering.
It wasn’t until Wednesday, I think, that Gov. Blanco decided to let the federal government take over. Even then she needed 24 hours to decide.
This whole situation just amazes me. I cannot get over it. If you want to see pictures, FOX News (click on photo essays in kinda the middle of the page) has photo essays from day one – when Katrina hit FL, and on to today.
Anyways … fill me in on your views. How do you think the media is handling this disaster? How do you think President Bush is doing? Who do you think is most to blame, if blame were assigned?

Today was our first day of school. 🙂
To begin with, I took Nicholas to the Nature Alphabet at The Tacoma Nature Center on 19th St. (otherwise known as Snake Lake to natives). Their website said the Nature Alphabet started at 11:00a.m. Nicholas & I arrived at four minutes to 11. The only person there was the lady behind the desk (usually there are a lot of children & parents/grandparents milling about).
I asked her if I was late, and she said, “Yes, ma’am, you are.”
I looked at my watch and said, “When did it start?”
“10:30,” she replied.
“Your website said it started at 11.”
“It did?”
Then we had this whole conversation on when the next class was going to be. She said it was at 9:20, but she meant it was ON 9/20. That one starts at 1:30. Grrrr.
So now, instead of having something easy to do every other week with Nicholas, we have this THING to remember. The first week of the month it is at 10:30a.m. The third week of the month it is at 1:30p.m. IF I can remember, Evva said she’d take Nicholas to the ones in the afternoon. Good grief, though – it’s tough enough to remember a once a week thing! I don’t know why I am making this into such a big deal. I am pretty sure we can remember this. Guess it is just that no apology was given, no “oh, dear, we’ll have to fix that right away!” Only a “do you get our newsletter?” (because all the correct information is in the newsletter) GRRRR. Sometimes customer service (or lack thereof) really gets me.

Anyways, Nicholas & I came home. He was sad to come home, even though he’d been worried about going before we left. 🙂 Jef had been teaching Jonathan about FTPing and other things computer-related. They worked on TostaCaffe’s website. You can check it out, if you’d like. 🙂

Once I settled down (I was so sad this morning & the whole nature center thing really threw me off), we started school. We began with prayer & the pledge of allegiance. Then we talked about the 5 senses. We did an experiment on how fish hear without ears. Then we learned about Delaware, the first of our 50 states. 🙂 The boys are learning how to sit still. They both read a couple poems out loud, and Mommy read one too. We talked about why you would write poems instead of just saying something.
It was time for Jef to go to work, so we had lunch. Then the kids did their paper work – math, writing, filling out a map of Delaware, and a word-search on Delaware. I did the dishes.
I let them play on Starfall for 15 minutes then it was naptime. Nicholas had fallen asleep earlier, so I didn’t get a whole lot of down time. But that was ok.
Nicholas and I worked on counting. We talked about what horses, pigs & bunnies like to eat.

Now they’ve had supper so we are going to watch “The Velveteen Rabbit”. After the movie, they will go to bed!

Tomorrow we will study Delaware some more, go for a walk, and do some poetry writing. 🙂

FOXNews.com – Politics – Rice: All Foreign Aid Offers Will Be Accepted

Here is the answer to my question, “Where’s the international aid?!” I found out that we have received offers, we just haven’t taken anyone up on them yet. I thought it was weird, though, that some countries offered help “if asked”. Can someone explain this to me?

Hey ya’ll. Jef suggested I check out the links I listed before, because some places/people will (of course!) try to scam people out of their money using this tragedy. (people stink) So I looked up the hurricane on www.snopes.com (where I go to check all my stories!). That led me to the FEMA website, which has the following info on its homepage. You will notice that some of the links are redundant when compared to my previous post. Those are the places I would think are most reliable.

Cash Sought To Help Hurricane Victims, Volunteers Should Not Self-Dispatch
Release Date: August 29, 2005Release Number: HQ-05-177

» More Information on Alabama Hurricane Katrina» More Information on Mississippi Hurricane Katrina» More Information on Louisiana Hurricane Katrina» More Information on Florida Hurricane Katrina
Additional Hurricane Katrina Resources
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Voluntary organizations are seeking cash donations to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina in Gulf Coast states, according to Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response. But, volunteers should not report directly to the affected areas unless directed by a voluntary agency.
“Cash donations are especially helpful to victims,” Brown said. “They allow volunteer agencies to issue cash vouchers to victims so they can meet their needs. Cash donations also allow agencies to avoid the labor-intensive need to store, sort, pack and distribute donated goods. Donated money prevents, too, the prohibitive cost of air or sea transportation that donated goods require.”Volunteer agencies provide a wide variety of services after disasters, such as clean up, childcare, housing repair, crisis counseling, sheltering and food.
“We’re grateful for the outpouring of support already,” Brown said. “But it’s important that volunteer response is coordinated by the professionals who can direct volunteers with the appropriate skills to the hardest-hit areas where they are needed most. Self-dispatched volunteers and especially sightseers can put themselves and others in harm’s way and hamper rescue efforts.”
Here is a list of phone numbers set up solely for cash donations and/or volunteers.
Donate cash to:
American Red Cross1-800-HELP NOW (435-7669) English, 1-800-257-7575 Spanish;

Operation Blessing1-800-436-6348

America’s Second Harvest1-800-344-8070

Donate Cash and/or Volunteer
Adventist Community Services1-800-381-7171
B’nai B’rith International1-888-388-4224
Catholic Charities, USA1-800-919-9338
Christian Disaster Response 941-956-5183 or 941-551-9554
Christian Reformed World Relief Committee1-800-848-5818
Church World Service1-800-297-1516
Convoy of Hope417-823-8998
Corporation for National and Community Service Disaster Relief Fund(202) 606-6718
Feed the Children1-800-525-7575
Lutheran Disaster Response800-638-3522
Mennonite Disaster Service717-859-2210
Nazarene Disaster Response888-256-5886
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance800-872-3283
Salvation Army 1-800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769)
Southern Baptist Convention — Disaster Relief1-800-462-8657, ext. 6440
United Jewish Communities1-800-462-8657, ext. 6440
Union for Reform Judaism
United Methodist Committee on Relief1-877-277-2477

For further information: visit the website for the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) at: http://www.nvoad.org/.
This list of organizations is provided by the National Organization of Voluntary Agencies Active in Disaster. Please email EST-DONAT-A@dhs.gov if you are interested in having your organization added to the list.
Please check with your tax advisor or the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for more information regarding the tax deductibility of your donation.The listing of or omission of an institution or organization on this Web site does not refer to programmatic capability nor does it confer any official status, approval, or endorsement of the institution or organization itself. This listing does not purport to be a listing of all organizations that are providing relief in the affected area. Additionally, there may be organizations providing relief in the affected area that are not accepting donations at this time. It is not the purpose of this Web site to make, or enable to be made, any representation to the public concerning the organizations listed. This listing is for informational purposes only. Any contributions you choose to make from links on this Web site are at your sole discretion.
FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

Here are some links to help people who have lost everything in Hurricane Katrina.

KSBJ, a local Houston radio station, is accepting gift cards for the refugees. They are also networking many people together, so if you are willing to open your home for a dinner or to offer a place to sleep, they could probably tell you where to call. They also have several College Station area churches that are offering shelter listed on their web site. http://www.ksbj.com/

Northridge Baptist Church in Houston is collecting gift cards to send to First Baptist Church, Slidell, LA. The pastor has friends who attend there who will distribute the gift cards to church members. At this point, the church is under 8 feet of water. Please bring your gift cards to Northridge Baptist Church by MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH. Try to stick with Wal-Mart, Sam’s, Target, McDonald’s, etc. They may not have the same grocery stores there as we do here. If you have questions about either of the above, please contact the church at 936-756-6596.

Red Cross – If you would like to make a donation to the Red Cross, please call 1-800-HELP-NOW or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may also be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013. Internet users can make a secure online credit card contribution by visiting http://www.redcross.org/ or www.houstonredcross.org.

Houston Food Bank – http://www.houstonfoodbank.org/

West Houston Church of Christ is collecting gift cards (phone, gas, food, Wal-Mart, etc) in any denomination to be distributed to Hurricane Katrina victims in Red Cross shelters in Texas. The collection will extend through the month of September and cards may be brought to West Houston Church of Christ, 17100 West Road, Houston, TX 77095. For additional information, see our website http://www.westhoustonchurch.org/ or call 281-856-0001.

ICNA Relief-Helping-HandP.O. Box 572181, Houston – Texas 77257 www.icna.org

Project Noahwww.projectnoah.org
Starting as a lifeboat for the many home schoolers and other families hurt by Tropical Storm Allison in June of 2001, Project Noah soon became a loving facet of the homeschool community with the mission to help homeschool families in crisis. They are now helping families whose children will be staying home from public school for the next two months due to Hurricane Katrina.
Samaritan’s Pursewww.samaritanspurse.org
Samaritan’s Purse is dispatching its Disaster Relief Units and mobilizing hundreds of volunteer workers to help repair as many homes as possible. Two tractor-trailers loaded with emergency supplies and equipment are ready to roll into devastated communities as soon as the storm passes and it is safe to work.
Baton Rouge Area Foundation Establishes Hurricane Katrina Disaster Funds
The Baton Rouge Area Foundation announced today the establishment of two new funds in response to the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Katrina to southeast Louisiana. Donations are now being accepted. Tax deductible donations to one or both of these funds are now being accepted online at http://www.braf.org/. Donations by check should be made out to the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and the designation of the fund noted on the memo line. Checks should be mailed or delivered to 402 North Fourth Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802.

And here are more contacts:
Operation Blessing: 800-436-6348
America’s Second Harvest: 800-344-8070
Adventist Community Services: 800-381-7171
Catholic Charities, USA: 703-549-1390
Christian Disaster Response: 941-956-5183 or 941-551-9554
Christian Reformed World Relief Committee: 800-848-5818
Church World Service: 800-297-1516
Convoy of Hope: 417-823-8998
Lutheran Disaster Response: 800-638-3522
Mennonite Disaster Service: 717-859-2210
Nazarene Disaster Response: 888-256-5886
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance: 800-872-3283
Salvation Army: 800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769)
Southern Baptist Convention – Disaster Relief: 800-462-8657, ext. 6440
United Methodist Committee on Relief: 800-554-8583

I had to throw in a comment about the hurricane & lack of help people in New Orleans are receiving. I’ve seen a lot of people on the news (not newspeople, just regular people) saying that this is the government’s fault & such. I have yet to hear, though, of one single international offer of help. When the tsunami hit Indonesia, we were there within HOURS. NO ONE has offered help. You might think that some countries who have oil & such would offer a cut in prices, so our gas prices don’t skyrocket. Nope. You might think that other countries (whom we have helped many a time when they were in need) might send over relief troops or just supplies. NOPE. This morning I watched The FOX Report that Jef taped for me yesterday. At the beginning, I thought, Shep is standing on a road, and there are buses & trucks going by. Why isn’t the Red Cross getting in there? Why aren’t there people posting sign to help the stranded know where to go? But then Jef reminded me that there are millions of people stranded, water everywhere, and we are doing the best we can. Where Shep was was like a high place – I don’t even know if that overpass led anywhere.
Anyways — all that to say – where is the world when America needs them?? We go everywhere to help everyone. We send money, at the very least, and more often send tons of relief in the form of people & supplies. I just found it cynically humorous that the world does not do the same for us.
~Note (9/1/05 5:49PM) ~
Jef told me that America is receiving international aid, and many churches are also helping out. So I am revising my statements above. I am wondering why we aren’t hearing about this help & support on the news?? The news was all over the countries offering aid during the tsnuami. Curious.

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There are some pretty neat pictures here. Couldn’t get them to just post here, so I am posting the webpage. 🙂 Enjoy!
(because I used to live near Cape Canaveral, FL, I *love* the space shuttle & watching it launch & all that stuff.)

Today is a nice day. It has cooled off a bit, although I still have the fan going. 🙂 It is a nice day. I am tired, because Jef & I stayed up last night watching “the Office” a silly Britcom that we got from blockbuster.com.
Did laundry today. Now I am avoiding the dishes, but I will do them as soon as I am done here.
Yesterday I thought I would never get done! Jef went out looking for businesses, as you know, so I started cleaning our room. Cleaning is the wrong word. Mostly, I began by piling everything I could on to the bed. Then I moved my dresser (it was next to the bed) and vacuumed. We used to have one of those decorator tables with three legs, you know – the pressboard kind, that you can put a glass top on? I found the legs, but couldn’t find the top. Kinda freaked out for a bit, as I had done so much work, and there were still piles on the bed, and I needed to move my dresser back! Thankfully God gave me another solution. It took all day, but now my room is clean! It isn’t like a hotel room (like FLYLady says it should be), but it is clean, tidy & nice. 🙂
Ok. Off to clean some more! Hope you all are having a good day!!
Oh, question of the day … what do you think of New Orleans being flooded?