Before Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans was known as the place where life was easy, where modesty and time are abandoned. 'Craps" hedge betters bottomed out their bankrolls. This was not the flood warning to toss die on. One year earlier, discussions adressed, without action, potential disaster. New Orleans sits below sea level, as do other American cities ripe to be swallowed.

Slung in the mighty bend of a lazy river, the city's smells and sounds drew suitors to her. Her beauty beguiled some to sin, others to fall in love, lose control or forget, once there, life as they knew it. Jazz, zydeco, Cajun, blues and Harry Connick Jr. were born of its nooks. Connick returned home to find haunts he suckled his musical career in devastated. This was no longer the city, Tennessee Williams wrote about, saying "Don't you just love these long, rainy afternoons in New Orleans when an hour isn't an hour - but a little piece of eternity dropped into your hands..." The city whose toes tapped long into the morning from the day before now sounds death knells. The temptress William Faulkner described as a courtesan "whose hold is strong upon the mature, to whose charm the young must respond. And all who leave her... return to her when she smiles across her languid fan," Connick says, is resilient.

New Orleans steamed into a convention city "must" when actor Ellen Barkin's "The Big Easy" on-screen intimacy with Dennis Quaid re-enforced its reputation for "everything goes." National FOP, Fraternal Order of Police, held their annual convention there, a few weeks back visiting "Night Court" star Harry Anderson's speakeasy "Oswald's." Anderson's second wife sells everything concerning sideshows freaks, geeks, and more, at their store, "Sideshows." Anderson invested in New Orleans French Quarter property after selling land in Ireland.

Wanda asked on bigeasy.com if the second half of her September Voodoo fest package will be charged to her account. Ingrid posted messages for family. John wants to start a fund for "the Fat Man" if he needs it.

Shmuley Boteach's callers implying God punishing New Orlean for evils of gambling, sexual immorality and a now cancelled city wide gay rights parade, are answered "What is finally needed, after thousands of years of religious unrest, is the defiant man of faith who believes that his principal religious calling is to defy the heavens in defense of human life."

There is no dignity for the dead. Painful images of dead grandmothers left, covered in their wheelchairs beside doors in the Convention Center, are broadcast over daytime TV. Geo is outraged. Where are the countries that demand and take, fist over hand, monies from America.

Now is the time political capitol President Bush has been building in the East Room and Crawford with Aussie Prime Minister John Howard, Tony Blair the British Prime Minister, PNA President Abbas and others will be evidenced. White House spokesman Scott Mclellan says foreign aid offered is not being accepted. Presidential life lesson- part of giving is learning to receive. French president Jaques Chirac wrote a "Dear George" letter offering empathy. Israel, expert in flattened buildings, offered assistance.

America's role of Daddy Warbucks doling out grants, loans and gifts in kind to the world's financially downtrodden seeking aid, is legendary. Cato Institute senior fellow Doug Bandow explains America's international outlays have been growing. The administration's request for a 1.2 billion increase for the State Department and Agency for International Development, USAID, aside Bandow says since "World War II the United States has spent nearly $1 trillion (in 1997 dollars) on foreign aid." Nelson Mandela stated at the Brookings Institution on Massachusset's Avenue "The U.S. and other donor nations should provide substantially greater economic assistance on terms that are more flexible and responsive to the priorities set by African concerns." Mandela was in DC seeking financial support for his Nelson Mandela Legacy Trust a US based tax exempt "charitable structure designed to support his Africa-based bodies."
The World Bank, down on K Street, one of many non-profits populating DC, admits it "is rarely called upon to respond to tsunamis." Their site says "The World Bank should be involved in natural disaster response from the outset."

Americans are helping Americans. The Red Cross has raised $21 million. Individual donations outweigh corporate gifts. Lubavitch World Headquarters, NY, announced its hurricane disaster relief fund. Virginia based Catholic Charities USA, spokeswoman Shelley Borysiewicz says, "The response is right up there with the calls we had after 9-11." Houston's YMCS seeks aid. The celebrity community fresh from Live 8 has ideas in the works. "Driving Ms. Daisy's" Morgan Freeman plans to drive dollars to Louisiana's recovery with an online fundraiser. MSNBC's "A Concert for Hurricane Relief" airs Friday evening. Larry King is planning a 3 hour how-to-help-the-affected. James Carville and wife Mary Matalin's fundraiser will be in DC. CNN's morning host pushed Carville to tell her what he is doing today. Picking up the pieces. Volunteers are needed. Congress poises to provide aid. The recovery will go on. And on.

America's national response involves the U.S. Coast Guard, National Guard, departments of Agriculture, Transportation, Health and Human Services, Defense and Labor, Americorps, FEMA, the Red Cross and more. Arianna Huffington's Hurricane blog smeared the administration, at a time when it is best to bring truce across the political divide, not a time for finger pointing for fault. Huffington issued no requests to save lives, give money or volunteer. The anti-war organizers preparing to converge on DC, where they are headquartered in non-profit tax-exempt status, haven't announced if their three-bus-tour will divert to mitigate the disaster. Rev Sharpton, in Crawford, described Ms. Sheehan "as having become the conscience of this nation." It would be breathtaking if the conscience of the nation would lead her funders, USPJ, ANSWER, ISM's from mass mobilizing against the Iraq War, but, with the voice Casey's death gifted her... encourage American to disregard political leanings and dig deep.

The true test of friendship is the people who stick with you when life's chips are down. As with most things, life and friends are taken for granted. Jason Otis had no way of knowing the weight of his words, "Know what it means to miss New Orleans." The behind the scene struggling humanity neon lights hid are in public view. This is America's time to learn who her friends are. Geo says, if the countries who take money from America, don't come to her aid, cut them off. C'mon world, show America the money.

BIO: Carrie Devorah is an investigative editorial photojournalist based in Washington DC reminding people before the cash is given or the check is cut, regardless if the asker is friend, family or strangers, research the legitimacy of the charity you are donating to on www.guidestar.org. Ask to see an IRS registration number. Call and confirm with the state attorney general's office to insure the charity and fundraiser are independently authorized with their office. Anyone can put up a website that looks good. So don' be afraid to ask the tough questions for the dollars you work hard for. Such as does 100% go to the victims. Or 80%. Or 20%. Checks can always be written after the charity is vetted. If they are real, they will be patient, wait, and not rush your need to donate, now! No need for there to be victims of charitable fraud too.