Of floods and a national shame

This a photo of Bombay underwater (a late posting). Bombay's July floods now seem like something we might have wished for for our own southern states.

Of course not, and the tragedies there were horrendous and on-going, but at least we can still imagine, and return to, the great port city of the sub-continent.

I have nothing new to add to the tragedy that started last weekend - R and I listened to reports of it intermittently on Bulgarian newscasts and the levee broke while we were somewhere between Milan and Newark (I think).

The news has been devastating and the photos very hard to believe. Hard to believe that the tolls could be so high and, more than anything, hard to believe that it happened here. The photos more resemble something that would happen there. While we're able (albeit abstractly) to get our head around the destruction wrought by the tsunami, and floods, on developing nations, excuse unpreparedness or poor infrastructure or sub-par housing conditions, in our own country it's been a belly-blow.

America is ashamed and when the reports trickle in - of inadequate funds, slack response, unheeded warnings, and (of course) the inadequacy of our own president - it's shame mixed with despair.

My cab driver wanted to talk about it. He turned down 1010 Wins to engage me, share the frustration with someone else. A friend reports the same in her cab the other day. (Even the Post is appalled.)

I'm not sure what we can do but find the worthwhile charities (Mercy Corps seems on top of relief efforts) and get rid of George W before our nation truly sinks.

C – hoping to visit New Orleans one day