If you are in Austin TX, keep checking back here because I am still adding local hurricane relief opportunities as they are sent to me. Also, check the comments here.
A bit of Jewish wisdom from a friend in Austin:There's a traditional Jewish blessing said after using the bathroom, expressing awe at the complexity of the human body and thanks that we can rely on this system. Atheists and agnostics can search-and-replace God with Nature.Blessed are You, Hashem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who formed man with wisdom and created within him many openings and many hollows (cavities). It is obvious and known before Your Throne of Glory that if but one of them were to be ruptured or if one of them were to be blocked it would be impossible to survive and to stand before You (even for a short period of time). Blessed are You, Hashem, Who heals all flesh and acts wondrously.The Katrina disaster shows how much we have become utterly dependent on manmade systems of wondrous complexity:
- water
- sewer
- electricity
- telecommunications
- natural gas
- gasoline
When these sytems are disrupted as with Katrina our civilization dissolves. This is incentive to give thanks every day for systems that we take for granted and for their maintainers. Every day there is light and water and indoor plumbing and net access is a day to be thankful.
One can extend this analogy by pointing out that all infrastructures need to be maintained on a daily basis, and we need to think into the future about how they might fail. Thus we buy health insurance and floss every day and back up our data and get the oil checked. (Some of us, anyway.)
When we repeatedly notice the wondrous complexity of these systems, we are more likely to take responsibility for them, and less likely to take it for granted that God or somebody will repair any breakdowns. Paradoxically, giving thanks (which is one of many techniques of mindfulness) transfers the ongoing creation of the miracle from God to ourselves.
Worthwhile observations. today the children who ap.re evacuees in Austin, and all over the areas taking in hurricane victims, will start to school as homeless kids. If there's any way to make that easier, I would suggest readers/posters think about what they can do, and if they have or know kids in school, a word supporting the hazardous acts of befriending the newly homeless will help.
Meanwhile, it's worth giving thanks for deeds of kindness, too. Singaporean helicopters & pilots are flying in the USA to support the operation (it's such a small country that they train in Texas). That relationship has become quite close, and they're going to be an increasingly critical ally in the coming decades.
Lots of international assistance on the way, too, and that's good. Helping hands are also a blessing.
But responsibility remains the first requirement. And gratitude and awareness remain an important gateway to taking responsibility.
B'yamim ha'hem, b'zman ha'zeh (In days of old, and in our day too).
We must maintain our infrastructure. And protect it. And it is important to get people in the jobs that count and not use FEMA as a patronage trougth:
Top FEMA Deputies Make Brown Look Qualified
If Bush were to fire FEMA director Mike Brown the agency would be run by the Chief of Staff and the Deputy Chief of Staff. (See the FEMA organizational chart).
The Chief of Staff is a guy named Patrick Rhode. He planned events for President Bush’s campaign. Rhode has no emergency management experience whatsoever. From Rhode’s official bio:
His first position with the Bush Administration was as special assistant to the President and deputy director of National Advance Operations, a position he assumed in January 2001. Previously, Mr. Rhode served as deputy director of National Advance Operations for the George W. Bush Presidential Campaign, in Austin, Texas.
The Deputy Chief of Staff is Scott Morris. He was a press flak for Bush’s presidential campaign. Previously, he worked for the company that produced Bush’s campaign commercials. He also has no emergency management experience. From Morris’s official bio:
Mr. Morris was also the marketing director for the world’s leading provider of e-business applications software in California, and worked for Maverick Media in Austin, Texas as a media strategist for the George W. Bush for President primary campaign and the Bush-Cheney 2000 campaign.
These guys make Brown look qualified. And that’s no small feat.
Good catch Mike.
Might explain why Brown wasn't fired last week.