Open Thread

16 Comments

1. 

   mlk19569 on September 3, 2005 at 6:29 pm

   Any other DC area BooTribbers around here?  If so, your help is needed.

   400 evacuees will be arriving in DC shortly and they need supplies.

   Please help if you can.

2. 

   debraz on September 3, 2005 at 7:25 pm

    Bush faked levee repair for photo op yesterday
   by John in DC – 9/03/2005 06:29:00 PM

   From a press release LA Senator Mary Landrieu sent out today:

       But perhaps the greatest disappointment stands at the breached 17th Street levee. Touring this critical site yesterday with the President, I saw what I believed to be a real and significant effort to get a handle on a major cause of this catastrophe. Flying over this critical spot again this morning, less than 24 hours later, it became apparent that yesterday we witnessed a hastily prepared stage set for a Presidential photo opportunity; and the desperately needed resources we saw were this morning reduced to a single, lonely piece of equipment. The good and decent people of southeast Louisiana and the Gulf Coast – black and white, rich and poor, young and old – deserve far better from their national governmeent.

   http://americablog.blogspot.com/2005/09/bush-faked-levee-repair-for-photo-op.html

   • 

     mlk19569 on September 3, 2005 at 7:30 pm

     Why am I not surprised that he faked a photo op?  What I am surprised is that Mary Landrieu actually has the guts to call Bush out on it.  She must of taken her bitch slapping by Anderson Cooper to heart.

     • 

       debraz on September 3, 2005 at 7:36 pm

       The response on her Katherine Harris like interview with Cooper was a swift kick in the ass. Bush is not going help her keep her Senate seat nor is he going to be a welcome presence in LA anytime soon.

       • 

         mlk19569 on September 3, 2005 at 7:43 pm

         Maybe now she’ll rethink all her republican-lite votes.  Especially the bankruptcy bill.

     • 

       chocolate ink on September 3, 2005 at 7:53 pm

       The only thing that surprises me is that anyone would even be surprised especially a democratic politician who should know better.

       I know when I saw bush hugging those people I was thinking that they looked awfully clean and neat..no one really thinks he’d hug some of the unwashed smelly masses of this disaster do ya?(white or black-unless it would have been some of the people from the Ritz who got bumped up ahead of other evacuee’s to leave)

       Why do democratic politicians keep almost willfully insisting on believing this stupid fucker on anything?

   • 

     Other Lisa on September 4, 2005 at 12:19 am

     Wow…I did read it. I made note of it. But the significance didn’t really sink in…this should be spread far and wide…

3. 

   chocolate ink on September 3, 2005 at 7:57 pm

   I got another e-mail from John Edwards with his theme of two America’s…but what was even more interesting is the 3 links he has up for donations.  First being Red Cross of course, then the Moveon hurricane housing deal..good for him and the last..the NAACP..I wouldn’t say for sure but I’d bet that he’s the only white person/politician who has done this?

4. 

   sybil on September 3, 2005 at 8:40 pm

   Live Journal

   Saturday, September 3rd, 2005, 12:52a    
   Situation Critical
         Well, people, I’m not sure how much longer we’re going to have internet. […] Our primary mission will be over and this blog will not be able to be updated.
   […]
         We fought off the hurricane, civil unrest, fire, fatigue, and pressure from everyone to bug out. What we can’t do is run other people’s generators with our sheer force of will. We need them to get their diesel.
   […]
   3:44a    
      Personality Types
         There are basically 3 types of people: Optimists, Pessimists, and Realists. In a crisis situation, it can be difficult to tell the difference between the pessimists and the realists. I consider myself a realist. Brian, the guy who restored our VOIP outgoing phone and has been managing connectivity issues up here since this all began is an optimist.

         When I pressed him for an answer, he told me that he honestly gives us a 75% chance of getting fuel to arrive down the street to our provider in time. I hope I was just being a pessimist earlier.

         Wake me at 5:45.

         Night, world.
         Love you.[…]

         10:57a    
       Now for news about the city.

         The police told my guys downstairs that Saks 5th Avenue is on fire. Another big fire somewhere else, near where the warehouse fire yesterday was.

         11:58a    
       Fuel Drop Successful
         1515 got fuel. We’re solid now. We will maintain internect connectivity.

         2:01p    
      News
         The Riverwalk may be on fire (shopping mall at the river at end of CBD/Quarter). Everytime we talk to the police, we hear about sniper fire at the fire scenes. I cannot confirm that there is any. This is all hearsay, but it’s coming from the police. The police we talk to, while consistent about claiming there is sniper fire, are conflicted about whether it’s police sniper fire trying to take out arsonists or criminal sniper fire trying to take out police and fire rescue teams. Again, this is rumor for now, but we’re hearing a lot of this rumor.

         Now this is something that requires tact, and I do not have much experience with reporting, but I think the world needs to know how overwhelmed the police are out here: I have reports from 3 different police sources that 2 police officers have committed suicide. Out of respect for their families, I will not name them or go into detail. Truly tragic how bad things are. I sincerely hope I did the right thing in reporting this.

         The 3 guys you just saw on webcam are Jeff and Hank of Data Protection Services (one of our customers who swore to their customers that they would not go down because of this storm), and Doctor Tom, an anesthesiologist. These three men heroically found a way to deliver us fuel and supplies into this disaster zone. I say heroically, because the amount of effort it took them to coordinate a way to get a container and fuel and a route in to the city in the face of persistent danger on the streets was absolutely off the charts. Their customers need to know the lengths that these men went to in order to get the job done. I listened to their accounts and I was absolutely impressed by the initiative and resourcefulness of these guys. Their story will be forthcoming on my blog sometime in the coming weeks when this is all over. For now, I want to thank these men in front of the whole world for the service they just performed. […]

         7:01p    
         City Security
         The city is starting to feel more secure now. Much larger military and Homeland Security presence and many fewer civilians left. Of course with this added security comes additional dangers like hyper-suspicious, armed authorities. If you watch the cam or walk the streets, you see that almost every civilian is approached, evaluated for threat potential, then either patted down or left alone. The disconcerting thing is that these authorities always have their guns at the ready and look like they’re enjoying intimidating the people. Two of us have already had guns aimed at us by police — Brian by the Federal Cops guarding the Boggs Federal building while we were waiting for the resupply, and me when we were delivering the router to City Hall.

         Don’t get me wrong, some guys are more professional than others. You can tell the ones who took the job because they wanted to bullies and who took the job to protect and serve. That’s one thing a catastrophic situation does — it sifts people’s true personalities out.

         Nevertheless, aside from the arson, I think that generally it’s much safer today than yesterday.

   The author is holed up in a building in New Orleans with his girlfriend and two colleagues. His site includes live cam and photos taken from the roof of his building showing action on the streets below.

        

5. 

   sybil on September 3, 2005 at 9:19 pm

   Hallelujah! hallelujah!

   Not one more dark night in that hell hole. Everyone is out.

   http://tinyurl.com/7z9ox

6. 

   Renee in Ohio on September 3, 2005 at 9:45 pm

   The big thing on my mind is Frist pushing for a vote on ending the estate tax. My rant of the day is about that.
   Is Frist clinically insane?

   But I really want to do more than rant. I want us to defeat this insane, irresponsible, inhuman proposal with a resounding NO!! vote. I want it stomped into the ground.

   I want us to grab America by the lapels, look it right in the eye and say we need to say no to this thing. Work with me, America! Everybody who is not in the top two percent in income should be outraged–as well as the good guys and gals who are in the top two percent–and Senate offices should be flooded with letters. How dare they throw away an important source of revenue when so many people are in such desperate need right now!

7. 

   ghostdancers way on September 3, 2005 at 9:56 pm

   I have posted a letter to Congress for bankruptcy relief for all the victims of hurrican katrina.
   Please take it, modify it and send it to your reps and senators.

8. 

   urizon on September 3, 2005 at 10:08 pm

   On a slightly cheerful note: tonight the US men’s national soccer team officially qualified for the World Cup in Germany next summer by beating Mexico 2-0.

   FIFA rankings aren’t really a true guage of how good a team is, but did you all realize we’re currently ranked sixth in the world? We’ve come a long way since Kyle Rote, Jr and Shep Messing.

9. 

   sybil on September 3, 2005 at 10:38 pm

   I never liked her singing but watching her weep and rant tonight, I think she is a great person.

10. 

    jpk on September 3, 2005 at 11:25 pm

    The “America Supports You Freedom Walk” is scheduled for Sunday Sept. 11 in Washington D.C., to be followed by a Clint Black concert on the National Mall.

    I wonder if the Machine will be too stupid to cancel it.  

11. 

    Oui on September 4, 2005 at 7:55 am

    .

    World’s Best Female Hockey Player Alyson Annan

    <click on pic for article>
    

    The woman described by those who should know as the best female hockey player in the world, Alyson Annan, has unashamedly revealed that she has fallen in love with Carole Thate, captain of the Dutch hockey team at the Sydney Olympics. The two are living together in Amsterdam.

    The star Hockeyroo had been married to Argentinian national player Max Caldas, but after two years together the marriage fell apart, and the couple officially split just hours after Caldas joined the Hockeyroo gold medal win celebration. The marriage had been in trouble for more than a year, said Annan.

    The International Player of the Year added that Carole had nothing to do with the collapse of her marriage, and that while she didn’t believe she was a lesbian, she was really happy in her first gay relationship and hoped her honesty about it would help others..

    The Hague world class HCKZ field hockey club– with honorary chairman Ties Kruize– and many friends attended Allyson and Carole’s day of happiness, their marriage in Amsterdam.

    Allyson is trainer/coach of a talented HCKZ top women’s team, while Max Caldas is employed as overall HCKZ youth trainer and coordiator – if the Netherlands represents a liberal society, then it is a demonstration of happiness and a community united!

    Dutch European Champions – Dublin

    Field Hockey

    ~~~