Dazed

The floodwaters of New Orleans are slowly receding as the massive pumps start up. Of course, Lake Ponchatrain will turn into a massive toxic cesspool when all the brackish water from the streets of New Orleans is pushed back over the levee. The mayor of NOLA is predicting 10,000 fatalities. The price of crude dropped to $66/barrel due to releases from the strateigic oil reserve. The finger-pointing blame game is picking up momentum (seems to me that everyone from all levels of government can assume some of the blame for this tragedy). For the first time in my lifetime, the U.S. is accepting foreign aid!!! From Bangladesh, among others!!!!

My 9 year old started fourth grade at a new school today. I saw her off this morning. I was dazed and fuzzy as I waved good-bye to her - the Gulf Coast disaster and unrelated mundane nonsense caused me to sleep fitfully last night. My mind was flopping like a fish in a boat. My dazed state has continued as I sat in my Chicago Loop office trying to be productive. I actually was productive, but it was a huge effort.

And to add to my sense of spaciness, Bob Denver died.
I am a baby boomer; Gilligan meant something to me, as did Maynard G. Krebs. Yes, they were fluffy, inconsequential TV creations, but they put my whole family in a good mood for 30 minutes each week (not an easy achievement, believe me). Bob Denver was 70 years old - not very old by today's standards. He will live forever in syndication.

At least Fats Domino survived Katrina and is safe. Like so many residents of the Gulf Coast, he has lost everything. Allen Toussaint also got out and is in New York after being evacuated from a flooded NOLA hotel. The music has been silenced in New Orleans for now - washed away by the evil storm.