The Artdog Image of Interest 

Not all of the blue tarps are even from FEMA. This photo originated from a shout-out to Samaritan’s Purse, via Twitter and Greta Van Susteren @greta.


It’s been a year this week since Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico and most of the Virgin Islands, in the wake of Hurricane Irma (Maria neared her peak 9/19/2017 just southeast of Puerto Rico, closing in on the island). About the same number of people have died as died in the 9/11 attacks. Sorry, Mr. Trump, that’s REALITY. We only WISH it was fake.

For another “blue tarp tour,” check the short slide show from the VI Free Press. Too many people are still living in tents and under tarps. Too many people lack access to basics such as power, clean water, medical care. These are AMERICAN CITIZENS. This is just WRONG.




My heart broke all over again when I saw this NBC video on the news. If you think this is disgraceful, I urge you to take action.

Write to Congress, to the Senate, and to anyone else you can think of (or call, since that’s faster), to express your outrage. Get on social media and post something. Then open your purse as well as your heart.

My favorite means of sending direct financial aid to Puerto Rico is The National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce. They match every donation dollar for dollar. Think what you may of Franklin Graham (he’s not my favorite Christian), his Samaritan’s Purse organization has persisted in Puerto Rico, and it makes several of the “best places to donate” lists. But so do lots of others. Check them out and choose well.

Also, if you believe in such things, please keep Puerto Rico in your prayers for mercy this hurricane season. If praying’s not your thing, I get it. But whatever you do, do something. Please.

IMAGES: Many thanks to Greta Van Susteren via Twitter for the aerial photo of the blue tarps from last November. Unfortunately, too many of them still remain. I also wish to thank YouTube and NBC News for the latest article about Vieques. Their original piece aired October 15, 2017, and they’ve kept going back. I only hope we all keep going back, till the place is fixed better than before.