Making Sense Out of Nonsense

February 1, 2006 Dr. Simkowski: Thank you for taking the time to contact me. I value thecorrespondence I get from people back home in Wisconsin, and Iwould like to take this opportunity to address your concernsregarding the rebuilding process in the Gulf Coast. As you know, when Hurricane Katrina came ashore onSunday, August 28th, its high winds and heavy rains devastatedareas along the Gulf Coast in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.In its wake, Katrina has displaced thousands of Americans,destroyed homes and businesses and left entire towns literallyunderwater. In the wake of the Hurricane, I, like many Americans, wasdisappointed with the scope and effectiveness of the FederalEmergency Relief Administration's (FEMA)'s immediateresponse. The potential for the destruction of the complex levysystem, and especially the need to protect New Orleans, wasknown on all levels of local, state, and federal government. Failureto adequately prepare for a disaster on the level ...

This is a quick note while I am in New Orleans. The weather is great, but everything else is still a struggle. We went to Biloxi yesterday to see what we could. If you weren't familiar with it, you'd assume it was just a remote, uninhabited place. Everything is gone. There is so much that needs to be done down here and I"m not sure that these people can help themselves. There are still so many of the walking wounded. I visited a friend's flooded home yesterday. They have sort of emotionally and mentally "shut down" have not done dealt with renovations yet. It's so overwhelming that I'm sure that they don't know where to start. I'm staying in Algiers Point with another friend. I've never really explored that neighborhood and didn't realize how lovely it is. The houses are sooooo pretty. I wish I could transplant this place to somewhere safe.