Inconceivable: (From the Times-Picayune Breaking News weblog) “Late Tuesday, Gov. Blanco spokeswoman Denise Bottcher described a disturbing scene unfolding in uptown New Orleans, where looters were trying to break into Children’s Hospital.”

Technorati Tags: katrina, neworleans

Disaster relief agencies: Poynter’s Al Tompkins (former Nashvillian) explores the question: How do you find a responsible relief agency that is working to help storm victims? Lots of good information and links.

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Andrew Jackson’s volunteers: I live in Nashville a couple hundred yards from the trail Andrew Jackson started down as he led his volunteers to New Orleans to defend that city 190 years ago. When I read the quote, understandably said in the midst of great grief and disbelief, from a former mayor of New Orleans, who fears, “We lost our city,” I can’t help but think of the Tennesseans who to this day are knowns as “volunteers” because they voluntarily risked (and gave) their lives to defend New Orleans. Tennesseans — and the rest of the nation — are not going to allow New Orleans to be lost. Defending her is a part of our heritage. It’s a part of who we are.

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Seeking small victories: Michele Catalano is compiling stories of hope and courage regarding the aftermath of Katrina.

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(via: Tom Biro)

Incomprehensible: ”We’ve lost our city,” said Marc Morial, a former mayor of New Orleans. “I fear it’s potentially like Pompeii.” (AP)

In Mississippi’s Hancock County, emergency workers went from house to house and put black paint on those where people died, CNN said. They planned to return later to pick up the bodies. (Reuters)

Technorati Tags: katrina, neworleans

The Times-Picayune survives as a blog: From Doc Searls: “When the Times-Picayune had to leave the building, and failed to circulate its print edition on the streets of New Orleans, they went on the Web, much as many residents of New Orleans went up on their roofs. Now the T-P survives as a blog.”

Observation: The time has come to officially end all “blog vs. traditional media” debates. It’s the story that matters. It’s the lives that matter. It’s whatever it takes to get the word out that matters. I’m sorry it has to come down to life and death for some folks to get this.

Technorati Tags: katrina, neworleans

How high’s the water: The Times-Picayune staff has left the building as the water rises. Their breaking news page has been very blog-like in form and function, including the personal approach to explaining what’s going on and where they are heading.

Like Evite without the registration and password: Goovite from Mark Hurst and Good Experience.

(via: Jason Fried, who says about Goovite, “(It’s) an example of … an app-less web-app — one without the traditional username and password and account overhead. Just the core functionality and nothing else.”)

All clear: Feeling grateful this morning — especially in light of the devastation elsewhere. Nashville is very fortunate. A month without significant rainfall apparently helped the ground soak up all the rain the remants of Katrina could pour on us over night. The drive into work revealed no major storm damage along Harding Road. Our power didn’t even blink during the night (kudos to those NES crews who spent much of spring pruning).

Ironically, once I made it into the office, I discovered the carpet had been cleaned last night and the cleaning crew placed several drying fans around. The brand of the fans is “Mytee Windstorm.”