Hellicane

If you pay any attention to the news, you know that Hurricane Katrina broke all hell loose on the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Please make a donation to help the people and also to help the animals caught in this horrible storm and its wretched aftermath.

Donate to the charity of your choice, but donate sensibly. Don't be scammed. Don't make a donation to someone who solicits you over the phone. If you receive an email asking for donations, don't click any links in the email.

Your best bet is to donate directly to the charity itself on that charity's website (and make sure it's a known charity, not some fly-by-night thing set up to rook people via Paypal or other means), or send a check through the mail. Also consider donating through telethons. If you didn't donate during the MSNBC telethon, another celebrity 'thon is coming up on September 9, 2005, and this weekend is the Jerry Lewis MDA telethon. This year, he's collecting for Katrina victims as well as for the muscular dystrophy kids. Go, Jerry.

Look out for yourself while you're looking out for others, and your money will go to those who need it, not to crooks.