September 29, 2005
The families compelling and poignant appeals were made during the nationwide televised 9/11 memorial service. Many others wore Tshirts showing their anger over this museum being built there and detracting from the solemness of the site through its anti-american exhibits.
In the end, political expediency won over money& connections.
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September 28, 2005
I went out for lunch, and to my surprise guys started winking right back at me.
One in particular, this sweet 70 year old, short, bald guy, followed me from the street into the elevator and once the doors closed he turned to face me and smiled a big ol’ toothless gum filled grin and said to me, “Hello beautiful… whatcha got cooking?”
Grinning at such spunk and just as the elevator door opened onto my floor I said, “I’ve got nothin!” As I stepped out he quickly replied with a twinkle in his eye: “well how’s about you come over to my place and share some of my nice soft warm gritz?” At hearing this even the security guard was smiling.
I stopped for a moment to think about what would be the best face-saving reply I could give him…. “Thanks for the offer, but I just had lunch. But try me again tomorrow and I just might be hungry enough for those gritz you’re talking about.” He straightened up, smiled an even bigger grin as he went back down and out of the building. As for me, I just made a mental note – order lunch in the next time I have an eye twitch.
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September 27, 2005
- Greenspan still sees "froth in housing market." He based his comments, given at the Mortgage Bankers convention, on new data developed by Fed staff economists on increased home values, how much has been extracted in home equity loans, and the latest loan to value ratios.
- President Bush offers continued access to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Yesterday, following a briefing at the Energy Department, President Bush offered further access to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and noted work to open refineries and pipelines, to allow foreign hulls to bring gasoline imports, and to waive EPA blending regs. Mr. Bush concluded with a strong call for conservation by motorists.
- The Former and Current head of FEMA testified today that it has spent $16.0 b. so far. That leaves $46.3 b. to be spent. House Appropriations will begin today three days of hearings on hurricane relief spending starting with FEMA, Homeland Security and HUD tomorrow, the Army Corps of Engineers on Wednesday, and the Transportation Department Thursday. President Bush is readying a third package of rebuilding aid to send to Congress that could exceed that amount. Senator Frist's (R-TN) top budget aide Bill Hoagland told a Washington audience today that federal hurricane relief and rebuilding funding would be closer to $100 b. than to $200 b., which "has no basis in analysis." But who's to know what the cost will be?
- Continuing resolution till November 18th will be enacted by midnight Friday. With only two appropriations bills enacted so far, out of 13, Congress and President Bush have no choice but to enact a continuing resolution. The House has passed all its appropriations, and the Senate has four more to go, and conference committees are working on five. transfer from airport requested via hotel.
- 18 Al Qaeda Operatives Sentenced in Spain. Europe's biggest trial of alledged al Qaeda members to date concluded in Madrid today with sentences ranging from 6 to 27 years in prison. Suspected al Qaeda cell leader Imad Yarkas drew the longest sentence from Spain's High Court, 27 years, for conspiracy and leading a terrorist organization. Yarkas was found guilty of collaborating with the 9/11 plotters, but he was cleared of any specific role in the attacks in NY & DC. The High Court dismissed the most serious charges. Six additional defendants were acquitted of all charges.
So that's all the news I have time to print. Gotta get back to work and do massive amounts of reading today. If you're looking for me I'm the one that is surrounded by mountains of paper. Too bad it's all white, I could use some color!
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September 25, 2005
It was started in 1982 by the American Library Association, the American Booksellers Association, the Association of American Publishers and the National Association of College Stores to raise awareness of censorship problems in the United States and abroad. For the past 22 years, it has remained the only national celebration of the freedom to read.
Book banning is nothing new. Dante's The Divine Comedy was burned in 1497 on religious grounds. Queen Elizabeth censored parts of Shakespeare's Tragedy of King Richard II in 1597. Jean Jacques RosseauÂ’s philosophical work was placed on the Roman Catholic ChurchÂ’s Index of Prohibited Works in the 18th century.
Visit the American Booksellers Foundation or the American Library Association to view their lists of Banned and Challenged Books of 2004/5 and see if your favorite author is listed. In reviewing the list I could not believe that some of my favorite author's were banned or challenged. Off the list this year, but on the list for several years past is "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain.
Buy/read a banned book in order to safe guard the intellectual freedom of our future generations. I wonder what Bou's sons would say if they knew that the Captain Underpants Series and "To Kill a Mockingbird" are banned books in some places across the US.
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May they all have a wonderful race!
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September 22, 2005
Being on this committee meant that prior to, or during a natural or man-made disaster, we would be willing to work long hours from any location. All of us on that team are highly mobile except for me. As a single mom, my 1st job is my son and all my other commitments come 2nd. The good thing is that my firm supports my priorities and has enabled me to work as hard as my colleagues in a very different way.
Over the years IÂ’ve put in many long hours at my home computer, ensuring that our firm, itÂ’s staff and resources were made available to employees (and their families) from affected disaster areas around the globe. When I first took this job I never expected that this role would be as demanding or as rewarding as it has been. As a volunteer for this committee it means that these duties are performed in addition to our regular jobs. 9-11 was my first disaster and it not only tested all the plans our firm had in place, it tested the emotional and mental strength of those on the committee. On that day, though we lost a friend and great leader in Rick, we were able to forge ahead through his leadership, dedication and endless (and I truly mean endless war-game and) practice scenarios, able to save many lives.
In the last 10 months that strength has been greatly tested in a number of disasters; from the Tsunami after last Christmas. to earthquakes in the spring, and now 2 major hurricanes back to back. What many people donÂ’t realize is that after any disaster it can take up to a year for lives to get back to normal. During that entire time we are there ensuring that our firms resources are available to employees and their families. That level of support and planning makes almost triple the work for us. Unfortunately, that is much more than I have to give right now, which is a double edged sword.
more...
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September 21, 2005
Your Birthdate: June X |
 Born on the Xth day of the month, you have a special gift for business, as you can conceive and plan on a grand scale without batting an eyelash. You have good executive and entepreneurial skills and you're a good judge of values and character. You should try to form your own business, because you have such a strong desire to be in control. You are generally reliable when it comes to handling money and can be trusted in this regard. Idealistic by nature, you are never too busy to spend some time on worthwhile causes, especially if managerial support are needed. There is much potential for material success associated with this number. |
Had anyone said this about me 12 years ago I would have said they were lying. My reaction now is that's pretty much on the money. The difference is that since then I was able to serve 2 terms as President of Student Gov't at my old university, governing over a constituincy of 30,000 students with a fiscal budget of 3.5 million dollars. There are 2 things that stand out about that time: 1) how every one wanted me to throw money to solve every problem, something I refused to do and as a result was labeled the cheapest Pres in the school's history (hey, but I balanced our budget!); 2) How terribly sleep deprived I was, still am in fact. Tonight I plan on correcting that!
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September 20, 2005
Apparently, there are 3 employees who have been diagnosed with Infectious Mononucleosis or Mono, and 2 more who are now exhibiting symptoms. 2 of the diagnosed individuals worked with me in the relocation of Gulf coast employees from the temporary working and living environments our firm had set up prior to Katrina to now more permanent locations further inland throughout the south. My assigned location was Virginia and thatÂ’s where all of those diagnosed were with me.
So the health dept. has been called and warnings issued and notices posted everywhere including the bathrooms. The essence: Wash Your Hands People! This is something IÂ’m fanatical about, but it seems that the microbes from this virus can survive for long periods of time on surfaces.
IÂ’m currently not feeling my usual great self as IÂ’m fighting off a bad sore throat (one of the symptoms) but so far thatÂ’s all. IÂ’ll be calling my doctor later today to see about the blood work I need in order to check. But must say, this absolutely friekinÂ’ sucks! Unfortunately, I have to now alert everyone IÂ’ve been in close contact with, whom I might have shaken hands with or kissed on the cheek.
Do you know how many people that is? With the French delegation alone I not only shook hands, I kissed them on both cheeksÂ….. hmmm. I guess this would be one trade export theyÂ’ll have no say so onÂ….heh, heh, heh!
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September 19, 2005
The last time I fell behind I came across Something Positive and Nerdrotica over at Thunder and Roses. I had forgotten all about these links until now because it's hard for me to believe that this could possibly be true. If it were, I would not be able to continue having lunch with some of the IT guys and keep a straight face.
Well, today after starting my day with a bit of rocket fuel I came across a link to an article that talks about A Japanese android called Cyberminx. It's a really long article, some I've pasted the relevant parts below:
"Repliee Q1Expo or Cyberminx, is an animated, lifelike representation of a human female...that boasts silicon skin, 42 compressed air-controlled actuators and is controlled by a computer which enables the robonymphette to mimic the movements of a real human - right down to fluttering her eyelids and breathing."
"It's creator, Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro of Osaka University, admits it's a pretty poor substitute for the real thing, as he explained to the BBC: "[It] can interact ... [and] respond to people touching it. It's very satisfying, although we obviously have a long way to go yet.... [but in certain] situations, [people don't realize it's an android for] perhaps 10 minutes, he conceded."
The author of the article believes that "Repliee Q1Expo [or Cyberminx] was in fact a fully-functioning sex droid programmed to seek out and extract low-grade male sperm suitable for the propagation of submissive drones. As we have previously noted, this puts online gamers and Linux programmers at particular risk from attack, especially since few, if any, have ever seen a real woman in the flesh. Accordingly, the robostrumpet does not have to be a particularly convincing physical representation of the human female form."
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September 17, 2005
As co-host I had to stick around for awhile, even though all I wanted to do was go home take off my 3.5 inch heels, get out of my clothes and slip into something infinitely more softer (like my 500 thread count cotton bed sheets) and hook up with something more familiar (like my beloved laptop named Bob).
But work demands continued, so I had to stick around. My role became a sort of voyeour, consultant, and Cyrano for a few of my colleagues who were floundering in their attempts to find "true love" [or temporary love for that matter]. You see this is a very unusual bar, where everyone sits in small groups at these booths or tables that have webcams and flat screens on them. With a push of a few buttons at the base of the screen you're able to look at or check out people sitting at their tables or booths through out the bar. In other words guys or gals no longer have to be shot down when they approach someone in person. Nope, now they can be shot down from the comfort of their barstool and at a distance and with humiliatingly lightening speed, just with the end of . Yes folks, that's urban dating in the 21st Century. more...
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September 15, 2005
This is my reaction to the unprofessional behavior others are having today. So as others blame me for stuff I didn't do but tried to avert, I have no other choice but to send in Rambo Kitty.
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It might also have to do with my father being a minister and a missionary, who took us to live in various countries in this incredible world of ours. It was in these travels that I discovered the incredible power of language, but especially of words. Any good attorney can tell you that picking the right word can be the difference between conveying innocence, guilt or enough ambiguity in order not to reveal anything. Do you all remember this quote from a very famous politician: “I guess it all depends on what the definition of ‘is’ is.” I think I’ve made my point.
ThatÂ’s what I love about language and the blogosphere, the essence of who you are comes through in your posts. ThereÂ’s so much I can tell from just reading a bloggerÂ’s posts on a daily basis: from their sense of humor, to how they relate to the non-blogging world around them. ThereÂ’s times when you spend a bit of time reading a new blogger and BAM! You get glimpses of incredible brilliance or amazing writing ability and youÂ’re hooked. That's what happened with me the first time I read Sgt. Hook, he then led me to Black5, Parkway Rest Stop and later I discovered Eric. As a reader, I knew I was going to keep going back to read them because aside from being incredible writers, they have a gift, which readers like me go back to receive and share with them each day.
ThatÂ’s why I make a point of reading my favorite blogs daily, even if I don't agree with their politics. To me it's worth spending a quiet lunch hour reading my PDA bloglist on my Treo 650. Some bloggers whom I love, I've downright hounded to get an automatic PDA format just so I could read them on my Treo. I've yet to work my magic on my Blog Daddy, but I'm hopeful, if I continue working on him I'll read gems like these.
ThatÂ’s also why IÂ’ll stop by to read this new blogger, from now on. This blog came up when Eric, of Straight White Guy and I were discussing over lunch bloggers we admired and who had incredible talent and writing ability. It was a new blog for me so I couldnÂ’t help but go to check him out. When I got there I was a bit thrown off by his style. But as soon as I got to the 2nd post I could the incredible depth behind his style. DonÂ’t be fooled by his phonetic style of his writing, go beyond the obvious and look closely at the puns and double entendreÂ’s in this poem. To me it was sheer brilliance.
As for Eric, meeting him was a great opportunity to confirm he is the witty person he comes across on the screen. These are all great blogger to read daily, and I'm looking forward to getting to know them better through their words!
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September 14, 2005
The worst part of this has been me (who hates crowds) having to be out there n all that mess to attend meetings. Yesterday my appointments lasted until 8:15pm when I finally dragged my weary bones home.
There has been one singular highlight to my week. That is aside from the daily smiles, hugs, and happy conversation IÂ’ve shared with my son every evening as I pick him up (IÂ’ve made a point to do that and to have dinner with him each night). Well, the singular highlight of my week was finally meeting my second family blogger. Can anyone guess who it is? No? Then read on McDuffÂ’s.
It was a fun and enjoyable time finally meeting up with a blogger whoÂ’s writing I admire, and getting to know his charming wife, who he lovingly and humorously writes about at times. Unfortunately, somehow the time and their stories (which I donÂ’t have permission to divulge here right now) went by too fast. The time was just too short and unfortunately my day was too crammed (much like this city) to be able to meet up with them again this week.
That’s the truly sad part of living in this city. You meet someone you’d like to spend more time getting to know and well, there’s not enough time in the day let alone in the week. I truly felt bad about that, as I would’ve loved to have taken them around my fair city for a tour as only a native can. In a week the pace is frenzied like this, where security in the “Frozen Zone” and elsewhere makes it a nightmare for travel, it’s good to have a guide which knows all the shortcuts around town.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that in spite of the crowds and traffic they're enjoying the sites and are having a great time. Next, they visit New Jersey, although why in the world they would choose to do that is still a mystery. That is like going from Buckingham Palace to ???? Well, there is no comparison. This last comment is aimed directly at Jim of Parkway Rest Stop! Yes I intend to further inflame the NJ/NY rivalry here at this site! And he best not retaliate because I know IÂ’ll win.
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September 13, 2005
Still, your kind, empathetic words touched me and were a nice place to retreat to, and a great reminder for me to remain reflective about my present life and focused on living it.
Again, THANKS!
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September 10, 2005
You've been gone for some time now.
Your hugs and laughter are no more,
the memory of your smiles have faded away
and I miss you all the more.
Yes... I miss you.
More than words can ever say,
more than my letters can convey,
in every single way,
since the day you passed away,
I've missed you.
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September 09, 2005
Because his email is long I've placed it in the extended entry. ItÂ’s very life affirming, so if you have the time please read it. Thanks!
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September 06, 2005
After having worked several very long days at Catholic Charities staffing phones, I felt almost like I did shortly after 9-11, a bit sad but mostly numb. I needed to be numb in order to do the work I was doing. Working with others to arrange for the relocation of almost 750 evacuees from N. O. and Biloxi to private homes, parishes and apartments through out the city.
For the first time in days I was able to go online and try and unwind and connect back to myself when I came across your post. You ask some incredibly poignant questions. My reactions began to germinate when I started reading my blog sisÂ’ post, Bou of BoudiccaÂ’s Voice, who had thoughts leaning in your direction in a post she wrote last week. However, as I read your post it provoked a knee jerk reaction and I began to talk to you via the screen, which really doesnÂ’t work that well in driving my point across. So, I decided to respond to you directly via my own post (my response became too long for your comment section).
First, I felt the overwhelming need to remind you that this country has endured other devastating tragedies and financial challenges and our economy has still managed to endure, survive and thrive. This country has gone through several economic depressions dating back to our civil war; it dealt with a nationwide gasoline crisis in the 1970's; 2 real estate bubbles; dot.com's going belly up; Enron, MCI, Tyco & others corporate giants stealing from investors and employees, eventually closing; Hurricane Camille, Hugo, and Andrew, and letÂ’s not forget that it was only 4 short years ago that we suffered a great economic downturn as a result of a terrorist attack.
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September 05, 2005
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September 02, 2005
Below you will find most of what you need to help you get back on your feet.
The normal place to start in any disaster is with the American Red Cross. Red Cross volunteers at Disaster Relief Centers normally come equiped with xeroxed sheets of local/state contact numbers and victims or their family members can call to apply for services, temporary relief (in the form of shelter, food and clothing) and long term recovery programs (for government aid from agencies such as FEMA).
One thing to keep in mind as you deal with each agency is that each one is set up differently and have different time frames in which they will provide support for a victim. For instance, the American Red Cross is an agency geared to provide immediate and short term disaster relief. Short term can be 24 to 48 hrs for a small disaster (such as a fire or local flood/rain or snow storm) to up to several months as we will see in this case. FEMA on the other hand, is geared to provide initial support to communities and government entities and later to individuals.
Things you'll need
1) notebook & pen/pencil
2) plastic bag ziploc type large enough for notebook/pen
3) patience - you have to register with each agency which means giving the same info over and over again. Please keep your registration numbers in the notebook, you'll need to refer to your case as you follow up with each agency.
Please note, I am not an expert and have not worked in Disaster Recovery or as a Relief worker in almost 10 years. I am doing this to have informaiton handy for those who need it, like you and my best friend, Susan. She will need it when she finally gets to her 1st temporary destination: Dallas.
Where to start:
HereÂ’s a list of Domestic Disaster Relief Organizations that are legitimate, have a longstanding history of disaster relief services, and that IÂ’m familiar with. There's a brief description of what they do and some initial contact info that I was able to hurriedly put together. More info/links will appear as soon as I get a chance to get back here.
For those needing immediate shelter in Louisiana, please call 1-800-469-4828.
Additional Shelter Information:
Special Needs Shelter Information
Triage Phone Numbers:
Alexandria: 800-841-5778 Shreveport: 800-841-5776
Baton Rouge: 800-349-1372 Monroe: 866-280-7287
Houma/Thibodaux: 800-228-9409 Slidell/Hammond: 866-280-7724
Lafayette: 800-901-3210 Lake Charles: 866-280-2711
Equine Shelter/Evacuation Site Information
Locations for Animal Evacuation:
Alexandria - Large & Small 318-442-4222 (all vet clinics will accept)
Lamar Dixon - Gonzales - Large Animals
Shreveport - LSU-S (pets only, no livestock)
West Monroe - Ike Hamilton Coliseum
Louisiana Hotel Information 1-800-99-GUMBO
Emergency Shelter Information Points:
Tourist Welcome Center, US 65 & 84, 1401 Carter St. (US 84), Vidalia, LA
Tourist Welcome Center, TA Truck Stop, Tallulah Exit (Hwy 65 & I 20)
Paragon Casino, 711 Paragon Place, Marksville LA
Sammy's Truck Stop, I-49, Exit 53, 3601 LA 115W, Bunkie, LA
Med Express Office, 7525 US 71, Alexandria, LA
P.E. Gym, LSU- Shreveport, One University Place, Shreveport, LA
Pickering High School, 180 Lebleu Rd., Leesville, LA
Mowad Civic Center, 5th & 10th St., 1 Block off US 165, Oakdale, LA
Connecting with Loved Ones - SATERN - The Salvation Army's Team Emergency Radio Network has been activated. Click link to send a health and welfare request regarding family and friends you otherwise are unable to locate. Also contact the Red Cross with your loved ones info. as they cross reference missing info reports with their victims relief support database. There is also this site which I'm not familiar with, but it's free and uses today's technology to reunite families.
American Red Cross - 1(866)-GET-INFO (438-4636) This is the starting point for all information, from immediate relief, and local/state recovery efforts, to information about loved ones and long term aid efforts. Their emergency assistance includes fixed/mobile feeding stations, shelter, cleaning supplies, comfort kits, first aid, blood and blood products, food, clothing, emergency transportation, rent, home repairs, household items, and medical supplies. Additional assistance for long-term recovery may be provided when other relief assistance and/or personal resources are not adequate to meet disaster-caused needs. The American Red Cross provides referrals to the government and other agencies providing disaster assistance. You can apply for relief at any local Red Cross Office (see link).
Catholic Charities USA Disaster Response - 1(800) 919-9338 - provides
assistance to communities in addressing the crisis and recovery needs of local
families. Catholic Charities agencies emphasize ongoing and long-term recovery services for individuals and families, including temporary housing assistance for low income families, counseling programs for children and the elderly, and special counseling for disaster relief workers.
Christian Disaster Response (CDR) - provides disaster assessments, fixed/mobile feeding facilities, and in-kind disaster relief supplies. CDR also coordinates and stockpiles the collection of donated goods through their regional centers.
Church of the Brethren Disaster Response provides cleanup and debris
removal from damaged or destroyed homes and personal property. Volunteers
are trained through the Cooperative Disaster Child Care Program to establish
child-care centers following major disasters.
The Episcopal Church Presiding BishopÂ’s Fund for World Relief responds to domestic disasters and sends immediate relief grants for such basics as food, water, medical assistance, and financial aid within the first 90 days following a disaster.
Friends Disaster Service (FDS) provides clean-up and rebuilding assistance to the elderly, disabled, low income, or uninsured survivors of disasters. The Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) provides for immediate disaster response, in both natural and technological disasters, long-term rebuilding efforts, and support for preparedness planning through synods, districts, and social ministry organizations.
Gift of Sight - assists victims in replacing their glasses lost from the hurricane.
Humane Society of the US - helps with reunification pets and owners after a disaster, referrals of care and provides communities assistance with rescue of pets.
Mennonite Disaster Services - assists disaster victims by providing volunteer personnel to clean up and remove debris from damaged and destroyed homes and personal property and to repair or rebuild homes. Special emphasis is placed on assisting those less able to help themselves, such as the elderly and handicapped.
National Emergency Response Team (NERT) meets the basic human needs of shelter, food, and clothing during times of crisis and disaster. NERT provides Emergency Mobile Trailer units (EMTUs), which are self-contained, modest living units for up to 8-10 people, to places where disaster occurs. When EMTUs are not in use, they serve as mobile teaching units used in Emergency Preparedness programs in communities.
National Organization for Victim Assistance provides social and mental health services for individuals and families who experience major trauma after disaster, including critical incident debriefings.
The Salvation Army - provides emergency assistance including mass and mobile feeding, temporary shelter, counseling, missing person services, medical assistance, and distribution of donated goods.
Victims Needing Assistance Please call 1-888-363-2769.
Second Harvest National Network of Food Banks - collects, transports, warehouses, and distributes donated food and grocery products for other agencies involved in both feeding operations and the distribution of relief supplies through its national network of food banks. (Food Bank Locator here)
The Society of St. Vincent De Paul provides social services to individuals and families, and collects and distributes donated goods. It operates retail stores, homeless shelters, and feeding facilities that are similar to those run by the Salvation Army. The storesÂ’ merchandise can be made available to disaster victims. Warehousing facilities are used for storing and sorting donated
merchandise during the emergency period.
The Southern Baptist Disaster Relief - provides more than 200 mobile feeding units staffed by volunteers who can prepare and distribute thousands of meals a day. Active in providing disaster childcare, the agency has several mobile childcare units. Southern Baptists also assist with clean-up activities, temporary repairs, reconstruction, counseling, and bilingual services.
UJA Federations of North America organizes direct assistance, such as
financial and social services, to Jewish and general communities in the U.S.
following disaster. It also provides rebuilding services to neighborhoods and
enters into long-term recovery partnerships with residents.
United Methodist Committee on Relief (800) 554-8583 - provides funding for local units in response and recovery projects based on the needs of each situation. This
agency also provides spiritual and emotional care to disaster victims and long-term care of children impacted by disaster.
Federal Emergency Management Agency - FEMACall to Apply for Assistance 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). The speech or hearing impaired may call (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. You may also register online at the link above.
• For use ONLY by people in designated federal disaster areas.
• Be prepared to give your Social Security number, describe your losses, provide financial information, and give directions to the damaged property.
• If you get a busy signal, try to call in the evening after 6:00 p.m. or on the weekends when call volumes tend to be lighter.
The information you provide is put into the computer. You are now in the system and the recovery process begins:
• An inspector will call back to schedule an appointment.
• Inspector will visit damaged property
• Packet will arrive in mail
• You MUST fill out and return application to be eligible for any further assistance.
For Small Business Owners:
Small Business Administration (Low Interest Loans)
US Chamber of Commerce (Low Interest Loans)
Finally, some Gas, Electric, Telephone and MORTGAGE service providers have announced temporary bill/debt forgiveness for those in the federally designated disaster areas. To be eligible for this, you MUST REGISTER WITH FEMA and provide your service providers with your FEMA Registration information.
Regarding Telephone Numbers/Service: This one is from personal experience during 9-11. Both cell and land phone carriers will hold your telephone number for a certain period of time (check your provider's website). They will allow also allow you to resume service under your old number once you return to your home. That is what happened to the residents of Lower Manhattan and most cell phone subscribers in NYC. You can also temporarily port your number another area. Again, check with your service provider.
Additional information was compiled by The Bastard of Bring It ON.
Thanks to my Blog Dad, Harvey of Bad Example for the reminder that sometimes people need all the info in one place.
Technorati tags: flood aid; Hurricane Katrina
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