Weathering the Storm:
Three Perspectives From Women in Business
By Lauren de Albuquerque

For all if us here in Southwest Louisiana, our lives have completely changed.

It started with Hurricane Katrina, so close to home. We all watched the horrifying story unfold on television, the images of destruction and despair forever etched in our minds. We met the evacuees, lost and confused, at shelters throughout our parish, shuffling through food lines, curled up on cots. We fed them and clothed them and listened to their stories, all the while thinking, “That could be me.” Suddenly and swiftly, the tables turned, and it was us who had to flee. We had to make those agonizing decisions: where to go, what to bring, what to leave behind. We packed enough clothes for a week. Old family photos, our wedding album and my father’s drawings were stuffed in a suitcase. We boarded up our windows, dragged the porch furniture and grill inside, took down our mailbox. We fled in the night to a great unknown. What would we come home to?

Now we know. Most of us have returned home to various degrees of destruction. Our houses and our city are not what they once were. Businesses are closed, buildings are condemned and hundreds and hundreds of beautiful old trees are down. Rita evacuees have been added to the ranks of Katrina evacuees. Cameron Parish is devastated. Every single structure on Holly Beach is gone.

But it’s not the end of the story. It’s the beginning of a new chapter for Southwest Louisiana. The women I’ve spoken to are not giving up; rather, they are moving forward with more determination than ever.

I would not have expected anything less.

Didn’t Miss a Beat
Denise Rau has been a financial planner for 22 years. This past January, she opened her own business, a move that she calls the best thing she’s ever done. “I’m so glad I did it,” she says enthusiastically. “I wanted to do it for my clients, but I needed to do it for myself.”

I asked Denise how she prepared her business for Rita.

“We had talked about implementing a contingency plan for disaster, but we kept procrastinating. Then Katrina hit,” she said. “Katrina gave us a warning.” Every Thursday, Denise has a staff meeting. The Thursday before Rita hit was the day they were planning to discuss their contingency plan. Instead, they were forced to implement it.

Regarding her physical office space, Denise had clear thoughts in her mind as to what needed to be done. “We put all loose paper in bags and got all the files off the floor to prepare for possible flooding,” she said. “We took our laptops and our cell phones and our clients’ e-mail addresses and phone numbers when we left. And because of modern technology, the hurricane was almost a non-event for us in terms of business interruption.”

Denise remembers another weather-related catastrophe that occurred close to 10 years ago when the city was hit by an ice storm. She was working for a major bank at the time, and things were a lot different. “Most of us didn’t have cell phones back then and we didn’t use the Internet the way we do today. It was a huge contrast to what happened this time. It was amazing how my business went on without a glitch.”

On a personal level, Denise had to deal with Katrina first. Her in-laws are from the New Orleans area and they moved in with her when Katrina hit. Ironically, the Thursday that Calcasieu Parish evacuated was the day the power came on in their neighborhood and they were able to return home. That same day, Denise and her husband and children headed for her sister’s home in Dallas. “Everyone was so nice in Dallas. We were treated fabulously. When people saw our license plates they knew we were evacuees. Everyone wanted to help.” They remained there for almost two and a half weeks, until power was restored in their neighborhood.

And what did they come home to? Denise feels blessed: there was minor damage on her home—shingles off the roof and some trees down, and some roof damage on her business—but nothing major. And it was good getting back to the office. “Yesterday we had our first meeting since we’ve all returned, and we reviewed our disaster contingency plan to determine what worked and what didn’t. It was clear that communicating with one another was very important, and that everyone must have laptops.”

As far as the future of Lake Charles goes, Denise is confident that the city will bounce back. “Right now we are grieving. It breaks our hearts to see those beautiful trees down. And the situation in Cameron is so sad. But the infrastructure of Lake Charles is intact, and we have a winning attitude here.” Denise thinks the faith and spirit of the city will bring everyone together. “The New Orleans folks [who evacuated from Katrina] were so impressed with our community,” she pointed out. “ We aren’t going to lose business. Money will be coming in. There will be federal assistance if we use it right. We’ll get everything new again.”

A Challenge for the Arts
Susan Reed is the Executive Director of the Imperial Calcasieu Museum. For her, Rita came at a most inopportune time: she had had major surgery just ten days before it hit. Since she couldn’t drive, she was planning on riding out the storm with her two cats. A friend convinced her otherwise. “She made me pack, picked me and the cats up and we headed to Austin, where my son lives.” The trip took 21 hours.

Prior to evacuation, Susan had some big decisions to make. As museum director, she was faced with special challenges trying to secure the building and preserve its contents. The current art exhibit featuring the works of Boyd Cruise was taken down and locked in the attic, along with irreplaceable Audubon papers. (“High is better than low.”) Temporary walls were moved away from the bay windows, and any potential flying objects were removed from the front of the building.

Luck was on Susan’s side when she decided to remove a live oak whose branches were encroaching on the building just a few weeks before she had surgery. The resultant damage to the museum if that tree had fallen could have been devastating.

When she returned home two weeks later, she found minimal damage to her downtown home. “I was very fortunate,” she said. “And my electricity and water are now on.” With her home secure, she could concentrate on the more immediate needs of the museum.

“One tree did hit the roof where the kitchen is, but no artwork or antiques were damaged,” she said. The cupola of the Louisiana Crafts Guild Gallery blew off and rainwater collected in a light fixture, but the artwork is secure. In addition, one of the columns in front of the museum, which was from the old Majestic Hotel, will have to be replaced. But things could always be worse. “A big pine tree that was at the entrance of the building uprooted and fell across Jo’s Party House’s parking lot. It could have fallen on top of our building,” she said.

But potentially serious problems remain. The museum is closed because it is still without power. This is creating a new dilemma: without air circulation, irreplaceable materials and documents could be permanently damaged. Katrina wreaked havoc on cultural sites throughout the Gulf Coast and Rita is adding insult to injury.

“The arts community has been dealt a pretty heavy blow,” Susan said. “We need to send out an SOS for conservators and restorers. There’s no more important time than now. Once art is gone, it’s gone. We all need to come together with one goal: rebuilding our cultural economy.”

The museum will reopen as soon as power is restored. Susan hopes to go forward with the Walter Anderson exhibit that was scheduled to open in November. And she is also working on additional funding sources such as the Upscale Attic Sale. “We will be selling antiques, rugs, garage sale items, you name it. If anyone would like to donate items, please call us.”

“We can’t indulge in doom and gloom,” Susan said. “We have wonderful resources here and with everyone pulling together, we’re going to make it.”

The Housing Dilemma
Being a realtor in a hurricane region has its own peculiarities. Just ask Derenda Grubb, who has been with Century 21/Bessette Realty in Lake Charles for nine years. “We spent the entire week before Rita hit with one eye on the weather. Once a hurricane hits the Gulf, you cannot take out insurance on a property,” she said. “The key is to close as early as possible.” All other clients were notified that everything was put on hold until after the storm. “Still, no one dreamed it would come this way,” she said.

Like Denise Rau, Derenda’s laptop and cell phone were her best friends during her evacuation. Derenda and her family boarded up their windows, packed their RV and went to northern Mississippi. When they realized that they would have to be away for a longer period of time than anticipated, they came back to their Sulphur home to assess the damage (there wasn’t much) and clean out the refrigerator before heading to San Antonio to sit out the remainder of their evacuation. “I stayed in touch with most of my clients from there,” Derenda said.

Derenda found herself telling clients that the houses they were interested in might not even be there when they returned. “No one knew what to expect,” she said.

To her surprise, people have been very flexible. “They’ve been unbelievably cooperative,” she said. “They’ll look at a home for sale that’s been damaged and say ‘It looks better than mine! When can you get it fixed?’ Everyone is willing to work with you. It’s amazing how much character the people of this community have.”

Derenda got right back into the groove as soon as she returned home, as her office luckily did not sustain much physical damage. Two days after she came back, she had a house under contract. In addition, she is responsible for four vacant homes that are owned by large corporations who use them when staff is relocating to the area. All were damaged; one severely, and Derenda is overseeing repair operations.

The biggest change that has occurred in Derenda’s business since Rita hit is the number of panicked people who are calling her, desperate for a home. “It’s an emotional roller coaster,” she admitted. “It’s so sad when you have no rentals or homes in their price range and they are living in a car. I’ve actually cried with these people. All I can tell them is to try calling the government offices for help.”

This leads us to the acute housing shortage in Lake Charles. It’s a seller’s market because there isn’t much available. Rentals are virtually non-existent. The slew of apartments recently condemned by FEMA has put more people in shelters. In addition, many apartments that were rented by Katrina evacuees are now vacant because their occupants fled Lake Charles when Rita hit, and haven’t been heard from since. But their belongings are still there and their rent has been paid for the month. Landlords have no way of getting in touch with them to find out if they plan on returning. “There are so many people who could use those apartments,” Derenda said. “Please, if anyone is sitting on vacant property, put it on the market! Put it to good use. Even if it’s a warehouse—it could be made into apartments.”

I asked Derenda what she sees in our future. “There’s no question that this is a setback. It’s going to hurt at first, but it’s not going to kill us. This is a 10-year problem, not a three-year problem, so we have to think out of the box. We’re going to have to build and we’re going to have to make things new. And then we’ll have the biggest boom you’ve ever seen in your life!

Hybrid Vehicles -
High Tech and Green

A?s gas prices continue to climb, more motorists are taking a long look at hybrid vehicles as a way of saving fuel and safeguarding their wallets. No longer laughed at as a futuristic toy that has to be plugged in each night for an engine recharge, hybrid vehicles now meld computerized technology and sophisticated fuel cells with the internal combustion engine -- and still make a stylish statement on the highway.

Bob Rogers at Lake Charles Toyota helped us check out the Hybrid Highlander and the sporty Hybrid Prius. And Bob told us that a new Camry Hybrid will debut soon.

The Highlander and Prius both boast Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive System. Unlike the Honda’s gas-with-electric-assistance engineering, Toyota utilizes electricity as the primary fuel, and the gasoline engine assists. Bob points out that the result for both Toyota and Honda hybrids is the same – each manufacturer just takes a different approach to the technology. Computers tell the Prius and the Highlander when to switch from electric to gas for the best fuel efficiencies. And you can track, chart and calculate the efficiency of your vehicle on the dashboard computer screen.

“Everything but the squeal!” That’s what Midwest farmers used to say when asked about the efficient process of turning pigs into sausage. “We use everything but the squeal,” they’d tell you proudly. We were reminded of that old-fashioned process, oddly enough, as we looked over Toyota’s line of high-tech Hybrid Synergy Drive vehicles. Everything is utilized for maximum efficiency. The electric motor serves as the transmission and primary power. The gas engine is secondary and the bank of batteries recharge when you brake.

Regenerative braking is some of the magic of Hybrid Synergy Drive. Any time the Highlander or Prius is coasting or braking, the wheels act as generators, recharging the high capacity battery (the engine can also charge the high-capacity battery during normal driving as well). Batteries are warranted for 8 years or 100,000 miles.

Using a series of sophisticated computers and sensors, it constantly monitors multiple on-road variables to provide an ideal blend of power and fuel efficiency during any driving situation. The Hybrid Synergy Drive system for the Highlander 2WD model combines the power of a 3.3-liter DOHC 24-valve VVT-i V6 gas engine with the efficiency of a high-torque electric motor at the front axle. The 4WD-i model is equipped with an additional electric motor at the rear. From initial acceleration to low speeds, power is provided by 4WD-i Highlander Hybrid high-torque electric motors. Energy is supplied by a compact, durable, high-capacity storage battery. Whenever the power supply is low, Highlander Hybrid automatically recharges the battery without needing to be plugged in.

We took a test drive in the Hybrid Highlander. And the first thing Bob pointed out is that,
unlike a conventional engine that needs to rev up to reach its torque potential, the electric motor achieves maximum torque from the start, giving Highlander Hybrid plenty of power. You turn the key and wait briefly for the “ready” light to announce that you are good to go. Without the usual “vroom” sound of a gasoline engine ignition, you would not think the car is running – it’s that quiet. A light pressure on the accelerator and the Highlander responds. When the gasoline engine “kicks in” you can hear it – barely. Braking is a bit more sensitive that what most of us are used to – but just think; every time you step on the brake, you are energizing your batteries!

An in-dash computer screen displays where the vehicle is deriving and distributing energy. It calculates fuel use and efficiencies for each trip you take. This is so fascinating, we have to remind ourselves to pay attention to the road – not watch the monitor!

In normal driving conditions the Highlander Hybrid runs on the front motor and is assisted by the engine as needed. For exceptional highway performance, Highlander Hybrid's gas engine powers the wheels and electric motor via the generator. As with low-speed driving, battery recharging may also occur -- the key to why Highlander Hybrid never needs to be plugged in.

During heavy acceleration, the 4WD-i Highlander delivers smooth, seamless and instantaneous acceleration from the gas engine while the battery supplies increased power to the front electric motor for additional drive power. The rear motor is also activated as traction conditions warrant. And the transition is so smooth we never really notice as we pull onto 2-10 from Hwy 14.

During deceleration and braking, Highlander Hybrid's electric motor becomes a generator, converting otherwise wasted kinetic energy into electricity stored in the high-capacity battery. We feel so “green” – wasting nothing – not even the energy it takes to step on the brakes. And that’s when we all remembered the “Everything but the squeal” analogy. “Actually,” said Bob, “the only thing wasted is maybe the engine heat – but I’m sure the Toyota engineers and designers are working on a way to recycle that into air conditioning!” In fact, in the quest for efficiency, nothing was overlooked. Even the air conditioning, power steering and water pump were designed to run off the high-voltage battery rather than the gas engine. As we slow down and stop at the red light at Hwy 14 and Prien Lake Road, the Highlander’s gas engine shuts off to conserve fuel and reduce emissions as the electric motors stand silently ready for action.

The combined range of the gas motor and the batteries could, in theory, take you coast to coast. But should you ever ignore the warning “low fuel” light and run out of gas, the batteries take over. The gas tank is an aircraft-type of fuel bladder and it collapses as you use fuel.

The Highlander Hybrid with Hybrid Synergy Drive has the power, versatility, refinements and comfort of a mid-size SUV, yet the fuel economy of a 4-cylinder compact sedan. It’s EPA-estimated at 33 mpg city, 28 mpg highway. Prius has a whopping EPA-estimate of 51 mpg. But mpg in our Lake Area stop-and-go driving is about 46 to 48 mpg. Actual mileage will vary, of course. Drivers may get different mileage depending on the speed they drive, weather conditions, trip length, condition of the vehicle and vehicle equipment. Still, it’s a great way to go green, fuel efficient – and stylishly sporty into the 21st Century.

Gaidry's Forecasts Color
and Comfort for Men's
By Connie Seal

So much color, such sumptuous fabrics! Soft teals and turquoise, sea-foam green and lime, orange, melon and pomegranate – it's like being at an exotic marketplace. Drab colors for menswear are gone – gentlemen demand color and comfort this season.

Cashmeres and over dyed sweaters are available in colors that make Jolly Rancher candies look anemic! Shirts are more tonal and solid for autumn, with sophisticated and updated plaids in mini herringbone, with pops of warm orange and yellow-gold. Corduroy is back in deep rich earth tones. Denim is always popular and in style – particularly Tommy Bahamas Indigo Palms jeans.

Comfort is in demand, so expandable waistbands are now available in dress pants. Gentlemen can coordinate comfortable trousers with beautiful French cuff dress shirts. Suits are in pronounced pin stripes and bold windowpane patterns, and two-button side vents are in again.

Old and New Remix
Influence Fall Fashion
By Janet Dolan of Serendipity

What was old is new again! Fall offers much diversity in ladies ready-to-wear and accessories. Natural stones embellish belts and jewelry. Crochet returns in eclectic belt loops and handbags. Bone, wood and turquoise are used everywhere – buttons, rings, handbags, necklaces, bracelets – you name it!

Brown is a strong color for fall '05 and you'll see it used in unique ways. Brown will be accented with touches of prints. And brown wooden beads and bangles will team with turquoise to accessorize autumn's browns.

The looks for fall are Bohemian, American Western or Russian – their influences will be seen everywhere. Jeans have long been a fashion staple but this year, team your jeans with smart coordinating jackets for a more "suited" look. And "lingerie" tops have been and will continue to be an excellent compliment for your jeans and they will look great under a jacket.

Computers Don't
Like Hurricanes Either!
By Richard F. Horvath

I was first asked to begin writing tech articles for the Times before Hurricane Rita was even a warm drop of rain. But since it just doesn’t appear that any of the topics I had originally chose to write about seems poignant at this time, I’ll just save those wonderful topics for some other issues and just go over a few FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) about computers and hurricanes.

What to do if your computer took on water?
It may seem obvious to most people but just in case anybody didn’t know – water and electricity do not mix very well and most certainly when dealing with computers. The burning question I would respond with here would be “How much water did it take on?” Surprisingly, as long as no water got into the drives, the computer may actually have survived.

Given that it was unplugged from the wall before the power came back on that is. A computer’s main board (a.k.a. motherboard) is a solid state component that can be cleaned of any mud or other residue. The hard drive, however, is another story. The hard drive is not solid state and while it is supposed to be in an airtight enclosure, does in fact have tiny vent holes though which water, etc. can get into the drive causing catastrophic failure. All of the data on the computer is stored on the hard drive, including the operating system. It is sad to think that many Dell and Hewlett-Packard brand computers have the hard drive located in the lower front of the case. If this part was submerged, chances are that your computer will need to see your insurance adjuster.

My computer was not damaged but does not work since the storm.
Many things can cause a computer to not function after an episode like this. If your computer was plugged in when the power came back on it could have received a jolt of high voltage electricity that a typical surge suppressor will not stop. It could be as simple as a blown power supply, or something as extensive as a complete system short circuit. Interestingly enough, the power cutting out could have actually caused this, but I would think such an occurrence to have been very rare. As a rule of thumb, it is just a good idea to unplug your computer if you know you will not be using it for a week or so. One thing that can keep a computer from starting is an older BIOS battery. This battery is a small, flat battery that keeps the system time. A tell-tale sign of an old system battery is the computer not starting at all to a computer not posting at startup accompanied by series of short beeps. (However, the short series of beeps can be indicative of other issues as well.) It is recommended that you seek professional help if this is the case. Otherwise, such batteries are typically stocked at major retailers in the Electronic or Jewelry Departments.

If my computer was damaged can I get my data off of it?
Chances are, no. There are firms on the West Coast and elsewhere that can retrieve your data from your hard drive, even if it has water damage, but such firms are not cheap and I would not recommend pursuing this option unless you have to retrieve data critical to the operation of a business and the business has enough money to have this procedure done.

I had data stored on optical media that became wet. What are my options?
Burnable CD-Rs and DVD-Rs are actually fairly resilient after being submerged in water, even mud and crud. Scratches from dust are the main enemy with this type of media. Even mildew is not a death knell for disks, but would certainly warrant copying the data to new disks. If the disk has mud or dirt on it first wash it off in the kitchen sink. After that, usually just cleaning the disk with a tissue paper or soft cotton rag along the radius of the disk (following the “groove” of the disk) will clean it enough for use. One error that may result will be what is called a “Cyclic Redundancy Error”. This is when the disk drive tells the computer that there are two or more pieces of data stored on the same sector of the media. While the problem may not have actually occurred, scratches caused by dust can refract the laser making it read in more than one sector at a time causing this error. If you have a Windows PC and are getting this error when you try to read a disk, find a friend with an OSX flavored Macintosh or a Linux computer to attempt to get the information off of the disk for you. The UNIX/Linux platform accesses media differently than does Windows and has a 50/50 chance of reading a disk that a Windows computer refuses to read due to a cyclic redundancy error.

At what price should I consider a new computer versus fixing the old one?
This would probably depend more on what your insurance adjuster thinks. Individual computer parts are more costly, separately than all of the pieces together in a new package. A DIYer (Do It Yourselfer) may spend $150 or more on all new drives. A computer shop will probably ask for at least twice that amount to change all of the drives out. A brand new stock office type computer can be had between $300-500 but may not come with a lot of power, bells, or whistles. It really depends on how new the computer is as to whether or not insurance will cover the cost of a new computer. Outside of three years old, don’t expect a lot of insurance money no matter how much you originally spent on it. For most computer users, I’d simply suggest getting a new computer if you have the means. While computer hardware is relatively simple to deal with, the data is the reason why you have a computer in the first place. A new computer will be the easiest, and for many the only, path to recovering from Rita if she damaged your computer.

Richard F. Horvath has 18 years computer experience and is co-owner of Infinity Prime Media, LLC and has worked with McNeese State University as a Computer Technician and Network Administrator. You can contact him at richard@infinityprimemedia.com.

Choosing a Coach for
your Financial Game Plan

Financial matters can seem, and often are, complicated. If you are in doubt as to your ability to make the most of what you have for your future, then it may be time to consult a professional. But deciding who to call can be almost as complicated as managing your finances. There appear to be many choices: asset managers, investment counselors, stockbrokers, accountants, bankers, financial advisers, planners, and many other categories of financial service providers. How do you know which option is best for you?

The key, according to Denise Rau, Certified Financial Planner and President of Rau Financial Group, is determining what your needs are and then choosing someone you can trust. ";If you just have one aspect of your finances you need help with, then the service you need can guide your choice. Although all of these professionals understand parts of your needs, none of them have the whole picture. If you are looking for someone to help guide you to look at the big picture, and help you get your finances aligned with your life goals, then a true financial planner is the professional with the training and resources you need.";

";If you've hired a financial professional and asked them for a plan, that is what you should get. If their 'plan' is a list of products you should purchase, you may be dealing with someone who is more focused on his/her sales goals than your life goals,"; says Rau. She explains that financial planners are trained to use the financial planning process to help clients crystallize their goals and effectively manage their personal finances to achieve their goals and financial independence. This may or may not involve the purchase of securities, insurance or other financial products. While many financial planners are also licensed to sell certain financial products or registered as investment advisors to help put a financial life plan into action, true financial planners put the interests of the client first, not the sale of products.

";Because financial planners deal with one of the most personal and sensitive aspects of your life -- your personal financial security -- trust is at the heart of the financial planning relationship,"; says Rau. ";Many financial service providers include the word 'planner' or 'financial planning' in their service descriptions, so it is easy to get confused. Even within the financial planning profession, it's important to evaluate your options and choose a professional who can give you comprehensive and unbiased planning advice.";

To help consumers clearly identify financial planning professionals, the Financial Planners Standards Council (FPSC) was established in 1995. This is a not-for-profit, standard setting, professional regulatory organization that licenses qualified individuals to use the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) certification marks. To earn the CFP, an individual must meet rigorous standards in education, examination, experience and ethics. A minimum of two years' work experience in a financial planning is required before an application for CFP can be submitted. Successful completion of an FPSC registered education program and a comprehensive examination is then required, along with fulfillment of annual continuing education requirements to keep abreast of current planning strategies and financial trends. Adherence to a professional code of ethics is the final requirement for CFPs.

A properly trained financial planner will work to integrate your entire financial life into one that focuses on current and long-term personal and financial goals. They examine and explore all your needs and can help with every aspect of finances, including budgeting and saving; cash flow, investments, insurance, college funding, business planning, tax planning, retirement and estate planning. ";While they may work with you on a single financial issue, such as developing a realistic budget,"; says Rau, ";it is always within the context of your overall financial situation -- with the focus on your ultimate goals. It is this global approach to your financial life that sets financial planners apart from all other financial advisors who may have been trained to focus on only one aspect of your finances, such as investments or insurance. Before we talk about money at all, I ask my clients to tell me what is important to them, in their lives, now and for the future. What are their personal values? Is it spending time with their family? Buying a home? Sending their four kids to a good college? Traveling after retirement? Then I take a close look at their current finances to see if their current money management matches their values. In most cases, it doesn't, which always comes as a big surprise to the individuals. Then I work with them to develop a plan that will help them use their money for the things that are most important in their lives. That's what financial planning is to me: putting your money where your heart is.";

For more information about financial planning, call Rau Financial Group at 480-3835.