Above:A 360-degree photo shows a rusted boat and other wreckage at Bayou Caddy, a port west of Waveland. (John Brecher / MSNBC.com)
About this project
In the coming months, MSNBC.com will focus its coverage of the Hurricane Katrina recovery on two cities on the hard-hit Mississippi coast.
Though Bay St. Louis and Waveland are far from the media spotlight on New Orleans, the intertwined fates of the people, businesses and institutions in these towns tell the story of an entire region's struggle to recover from the most destructive storm in U.S. history.
"Walking on Water" is the title of a unique art catalog published by The Arts, Hancock County Mississippi. The purpose of the book is to promote the art and artists of Hancock County. The full-color, 58-page catalog features artwork by 66 of the artist members and includes examples of paintings, sculpture, ceramics, photographs, original prints, books, jewelry, stain glass, collage and wood carvings.
It includes a history of the county and information about The Arts organization both before and after Hurricane Katrina. There is a brief description of the efforts to help artists obtain much-needed art supplies and the address for The Arts Disaster Relief Fund.
First off, let me tell you that I have been a pretty sizable sci-fi geek for most of my life. Although I've never been considered a "Trekkie" or "Trekker," I have owned a pair of lifelike Vulcan ears, which really freaked out an overnight nurse during a childhood hospital stay. And although I don't own a set of Stormtrooper armor (though I wouldn't mind), I did see "Star Wars" 176 times in the theaters, and have easily viewed it over a thousand times on video. I used to have it memorized, sound effects and all -- and still may, I just haven't had much call to recite it recently. I know the difference between "Star Trek," "Star Wars," and "Star Search." (For those of you too young to remember, "Star Search" was a mid-'80s version of "American Idol," except far kinder and gentler and no Simon.) And though I can make the Vulcan "Live long and Prosper" sign at the drop of a phaser, I've never attended a Star Trek convention ... intentionally.
With all of this background knowledge, I have noticed that living in hurricane-ravaged Mississippi is A LOT like living in a sci-fi feature. (I've also broken this into "serial form" episodes, to be in true keeping with the genre.)
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