Hurricane Gustav Approaching South Louisiana

At left is an internet, satellite photo of Hurricane Gustav from NASA/NOAA.

As I write this, the hurricane is approaching south-central Louisiana to the west of New Orleans.

We will be evacuating very shortly. Life in New Orleans was already very difficult post-Katrina; now it will be worse.

But we will carry on because we must.

-- Adrian

Remember Hurricane Katrina -- Aug. 29, 2005

At left is a satellite photo (from the internet) of Hurricane Katrina from NASA and NOAA, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. It shows the situation just as the hurricane was about to hit the New Orleans area.

That was three years ago yesterday, but today we live under the serious threat of another hurricane called Gustav.

It is becoming increasingly more difficult to live in post-Katrina New Orleans.

Yesterday Sr. Lory, Sr. Kathleen, and I attended a ceremony to remember those who died in the Lower 9th Ward in Katrina. We went to the Lower Nine. I had intended to also attend a ceremony for the burial of the remains of those unknown who died in the storm, but Hurricane Gustav preparations have prevented this.

Assuming we survive as a city after Gustav, I will visit the new grave site for the Unknown of Katrina which is near where I live in Lakeview by the Canal Cemeteries -- assuming Lakeview is still here after Gustav. I will let you know more about this on this blog, if possible.

-- Adrian

Remember Katrina: Hurricane Gustav Approaches

Here we are at the 3rd anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. As I write this, New Orleans is in a state of alarm over the new hurricane which threatens us called Hurricane Gustav. It is still uncertain where it will go and what it will do.

Sr. Lory, Sr. Kathleen, and I went to a memorial service at Jordan and North Galvez Streets this morning in the Lower 9th Ward in New Orleans for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. This was the site of one of the major levee breaches in the storm. This was a part of the Annual Katrina Commemoration March. A new plaque and square are there now, built by the City of New Orleans as a memorial; plus Louisiana National Guardmen were present today as an Honor Guard. Speeches and prayers were made.

We also saw some of the houses built by the Brad Pitt and Angelena Joillee project and the Musicians' Village by Harry Connick, Jr. Also, Habitat for Humanity has built several new homes there.
Many, if not most, of the houses in the Lower 9th Ward appear as they did just after the storm; there is no improvement. It is a sad sight to see.
And now we have to deal with Hurricane Gustav. It is a very hard thing to deal with.
--Adrian

Hurricane Gustav - "Once More into the Breach, Dear Friends"

My plans to remember Hurricane Katrina on this blog have been interrupted by the sudden appearance of Hurricane Gustav. As Henry V once said, "Once more into the breach, dear friends." Hurricane Gustav is presently in the Caribbean Sea near Haiti and possibly headed into the Gulf of Mexico and towards New Orleans. It is really too early to tell, but we will have to look back at Katrina perhaps next week instead... if New Orleans is still here next week. Yes, life in post-Katrina / pre-Gustav New Orleans is very stressful and uncertain.
-- Adrian

Ring the Bells !! We have Good News!!

It's time to celebrate! (Yes, I know, I'm bragging now, but good news is so scare in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans that we need to enjoy it when we get it.) I have successfully completed my first year with AmeriCorps and got a certificate (see the story below). In recognition of this and my work at St. Vincent de Paul -- Adult Learning Center, I received a certificate of appreciation from the school as well -- officially signed by Sr. Lory herself. (See photo at left.)

It has been a great year, and I look forward to year two at SVDP-ALC and with Literacy*AmeriCorps New Orleans. My thanks to everyone who has helped make this day possible.

-- Adrian

Time to Celebrate!!

As the photo shows, I have just received my Certificate of National Service for AmeriCorps -- L*AC, Literacy*AmeriCorps New Orleans.

This is evidence of my completing one full year of teaching and tutoring with our AmeriCorps group. It was a great year, and there is plenty more where that came from. I am still with SVDP-ALC and will return again to L*AC in late September... and still be with SVDP-ALC then too.

Yes, it is something to celebrate and be thankful for. Our Literacy*AmeriCorps New Orleans group finished a few days ago with 17 of us getting certificates. Life in post-Katrina Greater New Orleans has been very, very difficult; but Literacy*AmeriCorps has helped to educate many, many students. And L*AC helped to make possible the first ever regional GED graduation held in Louisiana (held in May at Loyola University). Our group sent teachers/tutors out to eleven different service sites around Greater New Orleans to Delgado Community College, the Hispanic Apostolate, YMCA Educational Services, various programs at the New Orleans Public Library, Ochsner Hospital, NOPLAY, YEP, a host of others ... and, of course, to the St. Vincent de Paul -- Adult Learning Center where I taught and represented L*AC. Furthermore, L*AC helped out many times in our community in various service projects from participating in Earth Fest at Audubon Park, helping with the Literacy Alliance and One Book One New Orleans event supporting the Katrina-flooded 9th Ward and, of course, helping to fix the outside of a house severely damaged in Hurricane Katrina in Lakeview, where many houses were under 8 to 10 feet of toxic flood water.

Our L*AC group did a lot this year to help recovering New Orleans. My thanks to everyone who has helped make this possible.

-- Adrian

Sunset and the Station -- a photo from Weeks Heist, USAP pen pal

Another great photo of the sunset over the South Pole Station in Antarctica sent to us from our school's pen pal, Weeks Heist, from his website. Notice that the sun always sits low on the horizon. In the photo you can see the Eleveated Station and the giant telescope used by the scientsts there. Also, note the guidelines at left designed to help people find their way in the ice field. (See Weeks' website for more info and photos: http://www.weeksjr.com/ Weeks permitted us to use this and other photos from his website to post to our blog. If you visit his site, you will see many wonderful photos of Antarctica. But please ask permission from Weeks first before using or re-posting these photos and be sure to credit Weeks for the photos if you use them, thanks.)

-- Adrian

Weeks Heist, USAP pen pal, at the South Pole

Here is a very fine photo from our pen pal Weeks Heist who lives and works at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica. He is standing in front of the new Elevated Station near a sign indicating where the actual South Pole is. (They stuck a pole in the ground there just like in the Bugs Bunny cartoons.) The U.S. flag flies nearby. What a great photo! Thanks, Weeks.

-- Adrian

Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in "Summer"

Our school's pen pal Jason McDonald, who lives at the South Pole, sent us this cool photo of the Elevated Station.

If you notice the semi-circle of flags in front, you will also see a small pole in the middle of the circle. That is the actual "South Pole." That is where the geographic South Pole is. (They really did stick a pole in the ground there, just like in the Bugs Bunny cartoons.)

Right now it is still dark at the Pole, but the sun should return in late September. (See the other photo below which Jason also sent to get a different view of the area.) Jason and the other Antarctica pen pals have been helping to educate our students -- and our teachers too-- about life in Antarctica. All of our pen pals are with the U.S. Antarctic Program which is a part of the National Science Foundation. Jason is also an LSU Tigers fan since he is originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana which is right up the road from New Orleans. Thanks for the cool photos, Jason -- Adrian

South Pole Station in Sunlight, From Jason McDonald USAP

Jason McDonald of the US Antarctic Program sent us this great photo of where he lives at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica. The photo was taken in the Antarctic "summer" which occurs in our winter months. It is still dark right now in Antarctica, but the sun should return in late September.

This photo is good because it helps us see both the new elevated station -- where everyone lives now-- and the old dome which is where people used to live but is now a supply base.

Jason was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, so he knows all about life in both exotic Antarctica and exotic New Orleans. Thanks for the photo, Jason! -- Adrian

The Baby has Arrived !!

Meet the latest addition to Literacy*AmeriCorps: Gibson Fischer. He weighs 8 pounds, 3.2 ounces. He is 20 inches long. And like most New Orleanians, he is a Night Owl, having arrived in this world at about 3 AM on last Thursday.

His mom Sarah, our Literacy*AmeriCorps New Orleans director, and his dad Owyn are both doing just fine (see other photos below); and we at St. Vincent de Paul wish them well and every happiness!!

Welcome to New Orleans and the World, Gibson, from all of us at SVDP-ALC
-- Adrian

The Story of the Year for Literacy*AmeriCorps: Sarah and Baby

Literacy*AmeriCorps (L*AC) has a new family member -- Gibson. This beautiful photo is of Sarah Fischer, the director of L*AC in New Orleans, and her new baby, Gibson, who arrived just last week.

We at SVDP-ALC are thrilled by the new arrival and are very glad that mom, dad, and baby are healthy and doing just fine.

Congratulations, Sarah, from all of us at SVDP-ALC !!

-- Adrian

Baby Gibson and his Mom and Dad -- New Addition to Literacy*AmeriCorps Family

The wonderful photo (above) is of Baby Gibson and his dad, Owyn Fischer. Owyn is Sarah's husband; and Sarah is the director of Literacy*AmeriCorps New Orleans (L*AC).

Sarah and Gibson are in the second photo. Read much more about Sarah in our "Story of the Year 2008" article at http://svdpalc.blogspot.com/2008/08/story-of-year-for-literacyamericorps.html

L*AC works with SVDP-ALC to help educate adult learners in New Orleans.

Gibson just arrived last Thursday; and he is already wildly popular with the students, teachers, volunteers, and staff at SVDP-ALC. The photos of Baby Gibson, Owyn, and Sarah are now on our Antarctica Bulletin board too at the school!

Congratulations and Best Wishes

From all of us at SVDP-ALC!!

-- Adrian

Miss Sharon's Jazzy New Orleans Red Beans and Rice Recipe

(In an effort to improve literacy skills, we at SVDP-ALC have decided to take advantage of one of the things Hurricane Katrina could not destroy -- our great food! So, we asked some of our students to write their recipes for great New Orleans dishes. Here is Sharon Kenney, a wonderful student at SVDP-ALC and her recipe for home-made New Orleans Red Beans and Rice. This is a very, very popular dish in the Crescent City; and it is traditionally served every Monday. Historically, Monday was wash day in New Orleans; and the beans would cook all day while the washing was done. Sharon's recipe jazzes up the dish with some extra flavors and spices.

-- Adrian)

New Orleans Red Beans and Rice Recipe

By Sharon Kenney

Red Beans and Rice is a really famous dish in Old New Orleans, and it really tastes great. It is healthy too.

List of Ingredients:

1. Smoked Sausage; 2. Ham cut in chunks; 3. Onions cut up, garlic, parsley; 4. Dry red beans.

Cook rice separatly, season to taste.

How to cook Red Beans:

1. Wash beans first, then throw away water.

2. Soak beans in new water for many hours, if possible. Then throw away water.

3. Onion, cook in a big pot with garlic and parsley.

4. Add beans and new water to cover beans, cook on low, stir.

5. Sausage and ham must be pre-cooked already. Cut them up and add to the beans, cook.

6. Add salt and pepper to taste while cooking. Add Louisiana-style hot sauce (or cayenne) to taste to individual plate after cooking, if you want.

7. Cook beans down for 2 and 1/2 hours or more, add water as needed, stir. Cook until soft and creamy. Cover pot while cooking.

How to Serve the Beans:

Serve over rice with French Bread or dinner rolls. Serve with lettuce and tomato salad with olive oil or mayonnaise. Pecan pie or apple pie are good for dessert.

(This sounds great, Sharon. I can't wait to try it. Gumbo, Red Beans and Rice, and Jambalaya are really the main three dishes in New Orleans especially to feed a large crowd for Mardi Gras gatherings at home, parties, or anytime really. -- Adrian)

Pop Quiz: Are these photos from Antarctica or New Orleans?

The Quiz Question is which of these photos come from Antarctica and which come from New Orleans?

The answer is that all come from the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica EXCEPT the one photo of the street with the building with a "Spanish Lace" balcony. That one I took on Frenchmen Street in the Faubourg Marigny in New Orleans near the French Quarter.

Yes, these Polies look like they could make it big in the Big Easy with that great looking food and the proper Mardi Gras costume attire. Actually, the great looking cuisine comes courtesy of the lady in charge of the food supply at the Pole, Leah Webster. (That's Leah in the red dress.)

Polies celebrate various days and events at the Pole like Mid Winter, the Sun Rise and Sun Set, and other key days much as we do with Mardi Gras, St. Patrick's and St. Joseph's days, the French Quarter Festival, Jazz Fest, and others.

They don't have these fancy events all the time at the Pole, but we don't have a party everyday in New Orleans either. But "Personal Pizza Night" at the Pole looks really good to me as does the costume party for Sun Set Dinner. They also celebrate "hamburger dinner night" which we will discuss in another post later. Thanks again, Leah, for the great photos.

-- Adrianl

Alenander Solzhenitsyn Died in Moscow Today

(This is a "file photo" from the internet of Alexander Solzhenitsyn when he was a prisoner in the Gulag, the Soviet forced labor camp system.)

Note: We at the SVDP-ALC blog do not cover the news of the world. We leave that to other people. We cover news about our school and topics which relate to literacy education. However, an event of great significance has occurred today, sadly, which relates both to literacy and literature as well as to the issue of social justice -- which is a subject we are concerned with at our school and blog.

One of the greatest authors of our time has died -- Alexander Solzhenitsyn.

I first truly learned about this Nobel Prize winning writer when studying Russian literature at Loyola University in New Orleans with Professor Rochelle Ross (who was born in Russia, lived in Israel, became an American citizen, and taught at Loyola for many years). I was in many literature and language courses with Professor Ross, but two stand out in my mind: Justice in Russian Literature and Freedom in Russian Literature. Most of the skills I learned in language and literature, which I use today to teach my students at SVDP-ALC, I learned at Loyola from her. This included a study of the works of Solzhenitsyn.

Solzhenitsyn revealed to the world the terrible truth about the brutality of Communism, especially as it existed under Josef Stalin. Solzehnitsyn's book One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich brought him international acclaim not only as a great writer but as a moral thinker. Some have called him the conscience of Russia, and to a large extent, the conscience of the world. Like the character in his book, Solzhenitsyn himself was put into the Gulag (Soviet prison labor camp system) for being a political dissident.

Other works of his include The Gulag Archipelago, Cancer Ward, The First Circle, and others.
The SVDP-ALC blog takes note of this day in history, and in our geography class we will discuss this topic with our students further.

Solzhenitsyn once said: "Justice is conscience, not a personal conscience but the conscience of the whole of humanity. Those who clearly recognize the voice of their own conscience usually recognize also the voice of justice.”
May we all learn from his experiences and writings.
--Adrian

The Moon at the South Pole, a John Miller photo

John Miller of the USAP sent us this incredible photo from the South Pole. (See photo at left.) It is of the Moon, strangely with the glow of a cross, over the ice near the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica, which is where he is now with our other pen pals. You will note the flags as well. The sun is not shining there now but will return in later September.

Here is some of what John wrote to us:

"Hello everyone from the dark side of the world. Hope everyone is having a pleasant summer and enjoying sunshine and warm temperatures. We are heading into the last really dark days of winter with the passing of the moon which won’t come back for another two weeks, and then about two weeks past that the sun will begin to peek above the horizon once again with the solstice coming on September 21st.
I took some good pictures of the moon, which was almost full, that had rays shooting out of four sides in the shape of a cross. The sight of this cross was absolutely awe inspiring; pictures do not do the sight justice. If you look closely you can see a very faint aurora in the picture as well."

(Thanks again, John, for the amazing photo from Antarctica. -- Adrian)

Robert Burch, Ph. D. -- Guest Writer on Science

(We at SVDP-ALC are very happy to welcome our next guest writer, Robert Burch, Ph. D. If the name sounds familiar, that is because you read about his father at our blog at our July 19th post about World War 2. I first met Robert when we were students at Jesuit High in New Orleans, and we stayed in contact via mail and email over the years. He now lives up north with his wife Mary, who is also a Ph. D., and their children. He is still very interested in New Orleans and especially the state of education in post-Katrina New Orleans. He has been following our school's blog and has advised me many times on scientific aspects concerning our Antarctica project. After Jesuit, he went to college at Tulane University in New Orleans and then graduate school in chemistry at the University of California at Berkeley.
I asked Robert the following question: Why should someone want to study science? This is the key question for our students. And here is his reply.
-- Adrian)


The Wonders of Science
By Robert Burch, Ph. D.

Do you ever wonder what makes things tick? For example, why do seeds sprout? What causes your heart to beat? What is a rainbow? Why are the days longer in the summer than the winter? All of us have a natural sense of curiosity about the world around us to one degree or another. That’s the stuff of science. It’s the study of the natural and physical world around us, so that we can make it understandable.

I remember a special moment I had early in school. It was in science class, and the teacher taught us about simple machines. There are six of them – pulleys, levers, wedges, incline planes, wheel & axle, and screw. The teacher showed us that examples are all around us, both in manmade machines and in the natural world. It was an Aha! moment for me, because of two things the teacher did. She showed us that complicated machinery is often nothing more than a careful assembly of lots of simple machines. This meant for me that complicated things could be understood in simple terms. Once again, it was the stuff of science.

I remember her teaching us about “mechanical advantage”, which was using basic arithmetic to figure out how much benefit these simple machines could provide in carrying out a job. For me, this was an inkling that science could be used to advantage in real life situations in ways that we could precisely define before even doing the job. It meant that science not only satisfied my curiosity but could be made useful to make people’s lives better. You can call that the practical application of science, or “technology”.

The practical application of science translates into all sorts of arts and crafts and trades we do in the adult world. It’s the basis for things. For instance, if you are a boat welder, how do you know what kind of material to use to weld the joint or what temperature? It comes from science. If you are a painter, how do you know what kind of paint to use for a certain job? It depends on using the right scientific formulation for the conditions the paint is exposed to. If you are a health care worker, how do you know when you’ve provided sanitary conditions for your patients? You use the scientific knowledge you have of how and where germs grow. As a consumer, how do you know what consumer information to believe? You apply the basic science you learned to the consumer product and how you intend to use it.

The sense of wonder and the practical application of science in everyday life, those are the reasons to study science. I made a career out of science, but you don’t have to make it a career to get a lot of benefit out of studying science.

(Thanks, Robert, for helping our students better understand the importance of science. Yes, a knowledge of science is especially important in the technological world of today; and, as our Antarctica project has shown, science can be fascinating and fun to learn too. -- Adrian)

Remember Katrina: Miss Kitty, the Post-Katrina Cat

Allow me to introduce you to a personal friend of mine who sadly passed away last year. Her name is Miss Kitty (see photo at left, wearing a red cat sweater for Christmas time). Miss Kitty and I became good friends while I was "a displaced person" in Hurricane Katrina. Miss Kitty belonged to my sister Marci and her husband Chris -- although I am sure that in Miss Kitty's mind she simply graciously allowed them to take care of her and open her cans of cat food and tuna fish. For quite some time Miss Kitty was my constant friend while I was in Virginia. I would talk to her and she would meow back; it was one of the most civilized and enlightening conversations I have ever had.

Miss Kitty was born in Bucktown (a fishing village/suburb of New Orleans), and pretty much lived the life of an alley cat until being rescued by my sister. While I had the opportunity to exist in her presence, I appointed her as Queen of the first ever Mardi Gras parade in Chatham, Virginia -- the Mystik Krewe of Miss Kitty. She was, of course, Queen Miss Kitty the First. Her royal theme song was "The Miss Kitty Mombo." (It was sung to the tune of "The Mardi Gras Mombo." For example: "Down in New Orleans, Where the Blues was born; It takes a cool CAT, to blow a horn ... The Miss Kitty Mombo, Mombo, Mombo, Down in New Orleans.")

This august Carnival Krewe consisted of precisely myself and Miss Kitty. However, despite the painfully low attendance for her first parade, I do believe Her Royal Majesty was pleased, especially by the Royal Banquet afterwards which consisted of canned tuna fish. Because of this success, I also appointed her as the Irish Princess for the first (unofficial) St. Patrick's Day Parade in that small Virginia town too.

In classic New Orleans Irish Channel style, Princess Miss Kitty the First helped toss out green cabbages to the crowd -- which, as in the Mardi Gras parade earlier, consisted only of myself and the Princess. Miss Kitty did not care for cold climates and eventually returned to hot and humid New Orleans for one last time before the cat diseases of old age took her away from us.

Miss Kitty lives on as a constant memory of a true cat friend who helped me endure what can only be termed as the nightmare of Hurricane Katrina. Cats and dogs and other animal companions really are important in our lives, and they help us humans endure the struggles of life, be they great or small, or catastrophic like Hurricane Katrina. So, we owe the animals a lot. Here's to you, Miss Kitty.

-- Adrian

(Note: We will soon be posting many more Katrina Stories from our students on this blog, so stay tuned.)