While you're at it, throw up a good vibe for the Mississippi Coast.

[nolabear]

Katrina damn near destroyed most of it. I know people who tell of standing in the Pascagoula City Hall, a couple of miles inland, and watching a sea turtle swim by outside. I know police officers who went down and ended up tying themselves together and to a stand of trees when everything else washed away. I know people whose houses just plain blew down, sometimes around their ears. With insurance companies doing what they do best, some have only recently gotten settlements. This won't be that bad, but that's a whole lot of ocean out there and a lot of wind to blow things around.

The salt water will kill off a lot of still struggling wildlife and plants. Fishing boats will be destroyed and livelihood in an already on-edge area will be damaged. Pets and livestock will be lost.The government will lose money as the shipbuilding industry has to shut down and you better believe those oil rigs are in danger.

Mississippi has beaucoup problems, but honestly, it does have an astounding amount of beauty: music, art, literature, food, nature, a lifestyle most of us wish we could have. And people there know, more than most, how easily it can all be lost. One thing you don't ever, EVER hear from the average person down there except in rueful humor is the wish that it would veer over and hit their neighbor instead of them. Let a storm barrel up and everyone knows they're just the same, and give help when it's needed, and receive it pretty well too. But let's hope they don't need to either give or recieve too much.

Gulf Coasters are a tough and proud and pragmatic breed, but honestly, folks can take only so much.

[MuseRider]

1. My dear dear friend just moved

to Ocean Springs. He is a conductor. I have tried to get in touch with him but I think they have been ordered to evacuate. He has only been there 2 weeks and this happens! I am following it closely worried sick about him. He is just a few blocks from a bayou and not all that far from the beach.

Good luck to all of you. As slow as it is it could cause any number of problems to a large area.

[nolabear]

3. I know Ocean Springs well. Let's hope the little local merchants all get through.

And thanks. I'm physically far away but I got a ton of people down there.

[Generic Other]

2. My mum's best friend was one of those whose community was hard hit

Good luck to you!

[nolabear]

4. Me by proxy but like your mum I got tons of people.

And everything I knew when I was little kid. It'd be nice to have a LITTLE left, you know?

[WillyT]

5. (((((((Mississippi Coast))))))) (((((((Entire Gulf Coast))))))) (((((((nolabear)))))))

& Rec !!!

[nolabear]

6. Since Jimmy's from my little home town on the coast I'll put up his commentary