A person cannot feel bad about her life

for very long when reading stories about the experiences of those who were in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Even the round-the-clock CNN stream cannot prepare one for tales like:

This (by San Francisco EMS workers who formed a small community with 200 other trappees)

and this (by a N.O. resident Black Panther who blames lack of organization for deaths)

and this (a death penalty opponent's stories of racism during the tragedy).

Please. Click on these links. Read these stories. And do two things: (1) give money to help the victims and/or volunteer in some way to help; and (2) do not forget what happened after the excitement dies down--VOTE, and when you do, hold the government players who failed these people responsible for the result.