I'm sure we're all pretty glued to the news following the crisis in New Orleans and the surrounding area. I thought the check out Tulane's website this afternoon for information, and found a Running emergency blog by the University's president Scott Cowen. It starts on August 26 when Katrina was still just a threat, and is now being updated every 6 hours. It's main focus was to provide information for students, family, and faculty and staff -- but under the professionalism you get a strong feel for the confusion and rapid deterioration of what's happened.

I'm reminded of the overwhelming sense of unity felt at 9/11, and the calm with which that crisis was handled. How is it that things have gotten so bad in New Orleans that police are outnumbered and outgunned, and having to resort to protecting precincts with police snipers on the roofs of surrounding buildings? When did anyone hesitate to do whatever was necessary to rescue trapped and dying New Yorkers? There was no rioting, no armed gangs... just people helping people.

Where's that unity now?