We finally made it to Brunch at Madra Rua, the Irish Pub On Montague Avenue, in North Charleston.

I had a Ham & Cheese Omlette with home fries and toast, washed down with a pint of Guinness. Kathy had a steak with fried egg, and home fries, and blueberry scone, accompanied by a Mimosa (champagne and orange juice). It came to around $33 plus tip.

Brunch at Madra Rua is a post from: The Eye An Eyebeemania Blog

It doesn’t seem wise to be disbanding Federal Emergency Management Agency, and certainly not after the devastation of Katrina. FEMA really came into it’s own after Hurricane Andrew made such a mess in South Florida in 1992. Until now, Andrew had been the costliest natural disaster to hit the United States. It looks like Katrina could surpass that, not only in terms of the financial cost, but the cost in human lives, livelihoods, and suffering.

The writing has been on the wall for FEMA ever since the first GW Bush administration came into office in 2001. Since 9/11 the accent has been very much focused on the prevention of terrorism, and plans to deal with the aftermath of any such activity should it occur.

Whilst this is surely important, one thing is for sure – there will be more hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, floods, and other major natural catastrophes, which are certain to happen again, sooner or later.

A Rethink Needed? is a post from: The Eye An Eyebeemania Blog

When we wake up this morning and start the commute to work many of us are angry that gas prices are climbing thru the roof right now, when we stop to gas up our vehicles. Those gas stations that are taking advantage of the situation, and blantantly price gouging deserve to be boycotted until they go out of business. There is no excuse to make a quick buck out of such a tragedy, period.

However, let’s put this into perspective.

• Some people are waking up in the Deep South this morning with no vehicle to gas up.
• Some people are waking up this morning with no job to go to.
• Some people are waking up this morning with no home.
• Some people aren’t going to be waking up any more.

So although you might have to bear some pain in the pocket right now when you gas up, just thank God that you’re still here, that you still have your vehicle, your home, your job, your loved ones. Just thank God it wasn’t you, or the folks you hold so dearly, and pray to God that those that survived the hurricane get out of the aftermath unscathed, and go on to rebuild their shattered lives as quickly as possible.

Gas Prices after Katrina is a post from: The Eye An Eyebeemania Blog

They need help in New Orleans. Now. They needed it yesterday, and the day before. For the people there it’s the longest week of their lives… and some of them won’t live the week.

Hurricanes are too big a drain on resources and money for any state alone. That’s why FEMA was set up. Why oh why, aren’t people in places ready to roll at a moment’s notice when a storm is obviously going to hit an area, like Katrina was?

OK, so it’s not known the EXACT spot where landfall will happen, but supplies and resources could have been stocked up ready to go as soon as that storm hit.

The politicians talk, and people die. People are dying that needn’t have died, because they should have all evacuated. That’s fine and dandy to say but not everyone has the money or the means to leave. For those that don’t have those means, but do want to leave, is it beyond the capability of this country to provide the logistics? It is just a question of organizing, and organizing quickly some mass transit.

Also, as good neighbors, should we all do more if we’re in one of those affected areas? Take an elderly or poor neighbor with us when we leave?

It’s never going to be possible to persuade everyone to go, but surely more could be done to get more people out.

If New Orleans had been empty, then it wouldn’t have mattered as much what happened afterwards.

It’s a well-known fact that as many if not more deaths happen after a hurricane than during it.

Let’s hope, and it’s surely a vain hope, that lessons are learnt from this tragedy. A tragedy that, for many people, could have been greatly lessened.

Katrina is a post from: The Eye An Eyebeemania Blog