Raw Story reporter in Florida says situation "extremely dire"

[highplainsdem]

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Raw_reporter_in_hurricane_zone_says_1026.html


Raw reporter, in hurricane zone, says situation extremely dire

Larisa Alexandrovna


WEST PALM BEACH -- Many residents of Broward County, Florida remain without food, water or medical supplies days after being pummeled by a stronger-than-expected Hurricane Wilma.

RAW STORY’s Larisa Alexandrovna, who lives in the county, said the situation is far worse than the mainstream press is reporting. She believes part of this is due to the fact that residents are without phone service and largely unable to reach the outside world.

<snip>

Calling into RAW STORY from a payphone at the West Palm Beach airport, since home and cell phone service have been adversely affected, Larissa explained, “We can't call out. No one’s covering this because they think if there were problems people would call, but we can’t.”

<snip>

“I know people aren’t drowning here, but we don’t know how many people are dead because nobody’s bothered to check,” she said. “They’re stuck in their homes.”

<snip>

Please read the entire article. It does sound as if it's a much worse situation than the MSM reports have suggested.

[goclark]

1. kick

[carolinalady]

2. I don't wish them ill will but I hope they remember this at election

time.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

17. I hope you remember what you said in your post if people start dying....

...in Florida.

If you have a problem with any of the 2000, 2002, and 2004 elections, maybe you should be looking at the massive election fraud perpetrated by the NeoCons instead of blaming your fellow human beings in their time of need.

[MojoXN]

24. Don't forget '06...

It's not THAT far off, now is it?

MojoXN

[SammyWinstonJack]

27. Who stole '00 and '02 and '04? It wasn't the voters in Florida. We've al

been victims of Diebold!

[Jack from Charlotte]

47. South Florida is very strong for the good guys.*

[brainshrub]

3. I have a lot of relatives in Florida.

It's messy, but not nearly as bad at Katrina or Rita.

I would take this story with a huge grain of salt.

ON EDIT: My brothers partner called me from a friends house in Ft. Lauderdale. My Mom called me Coral Springs on her cell-phone, My other brother called me from West Palm Beach.

I'm not saying it's a cake-walk, it's not nearly as dire as this story is making it out to be.

[highplainsdem]

6. I just checked Google News and found this on some of the phone-

service problems:

http://www.local10.com/hurricanes/5184757/detail.html


855,000 Lose Phone Service

POSTED: 9:32 pm EDT October 26, 2005

MIAMI -- BellSouth says that Hurricane Wilma affected approximately 855,000 customer lines from Brevard County south to Monroe County.

In the event of a commercial power outage, all of BellSouth says their central offices are equipped with generators and remote terminals sites have back-up battery power. Ample fuel and portable generators are available and ready at strategic staging areas to replenish emergency power.

Customers who have lost electrical power but still have phone service are encouraged to keep their calls short. Telephone service to those customers is provided by remote terminals utilizing back-up battery power that lasts approximately eight to ten hours, depending upon use.

If back-up power is depleted, BellSouth crews will enter the area as soon as it is safe and accessible to deploy generators or back-up power sources.

The headline's deceptive because it's 855,000 customer lines that are out -- 855,000 homes and businesses.

[highplainsdem]

10. And another article on phone problems from the Palm Beach Post:

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/business/content/business/epaper/2005/10/26/a2d_phones_1026.html


Power outages drag down phone service
By Lori Becker

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Widespread power outages kept the phones quiet Tuesday after a day without electricity drained backup batteries for cellular and land-line systems.

Most phones were operating Monday morning while Hurricane Wilma chugged across Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast. After the power failed, those systems ran on batteries that generally last from four to 10 hours depending on usage.

Phone service was sporadic Tuesday as those batteries ran out of juice.

<snip>

Cellphone towers and land lines need electricity. Backup batteries generally maintain service in short-term outages, but generators or other sources are needed for longer power loss.

<snip>

Anyway, it seems as if many people who were able to call out right away after the hurricane no longer have phone service.

[berner59]

13. My Mom in Boca has no phone service...

...people in her building who've been there for 16 yrs say they have NEVER lost power...let alone phone so it's bad there...no stores are open to buy food - they are pooling food together and having cookouts...that can only last a few days... They are being told it could be 3-4 weeks...that's crazy!! There are alot of elderly people there...trees are down everywhere... All of the people there agree that were not prepared for a CAT 3 storm...sorry Jebby - you did a crappy job...

[highplainsdem]

23. I hope your mom and her neighbors will be okay. I caught a news story

tonight about a 74-year-old woman having to climb 11 flights of stairs to her apartment. Another resident in the building who's disabled couldn't leave at all. I hate to think how many thousands of people there might be in dire situations but unable to call for help because they don't have phone service.

[marions ghost]

33. having been through a devastating hurricane

I know that there are many people now suffering in Florida, no matter what the news reports. It can take WEEKS for the full extent of problems to be known in the immediate aftermath. To get functional again takes months, and of course to really repair and rebuild takes years.

One of the most discouraging things I experienced was the general impression from the outside world that everything was OK after a few days, when the truth was that a kind of paralyzed chaos had taken over. For example--an elderly aunt of mine died during the storm and there was no way to keep her body cool. People had to literally go to live with other people whose houses were intact. One friend was in the process of moving from one house to another, and BOTH of the houses were destroyed. Traffic lights were out at every intersection. Many people were without cars. No showers for many days. Even the hospital had no water. People were getting injured and killed all over the place from dangerous treework. Those are the kinds of things that are happening down in Florida right now.

[malaise]

64. Most phones went down Sunday or Monday

the harder part is that people have no electricity and have been told two to three weeks. It is very bad indeed particularly for seniors who have no gas to seek food. Medicine that requires refrigeration is spoiling.

[speedoo]

45. "messy"???

You call being without power for weeks, being forced to wait in gas lines for almost a full day, not knowing if you're actually going to get gas... "messy"?

There is no fucking power in 99% of South Florida and little prospect of things getting any better anytime soon. People are starting to lose patience and if you are not here, you have no fucking idea how bad it is and it's going to get a lot worse soon.

Being without power and without gas it is very very difficult just to get through the day.

Of course it's not as bad as Katrina, because the death toll will not be nearly as bad. But the story never said it was as bad as Katrina.

The story is accurate.

[brainshrub]

50. A hurricane hit, what do you expect?

This story makes it sound like Florida is about to sink into the sea, and the media isn't covering it.

[speedoo]

55. Fine, whatever you say.

Tell you what. Get on a plane and fly into Fort Lauderdale.

Stay there for a week or so and then come back to me and tell me where the story is off base.

If you're not there, and dealing with the problems, you don't know what you're talking about.

[brainshrub]

56. Neither do you.

But I'm the one with over a dozen relatives there who's been in constant contact with them.

[speedoo]

57. I was there.

I sat in the dark every night, trying to figure out how I'd find some food the next day, and wondering whether my body odor was getting so bad I'd have to avoid people. I was in a gas line for four hours.

I got the hell out of there as soon as I could, and I am very concerned that people in South Florida are about to riot.

Your relatives are either very lucky, or not giving you the real story.

I know what I'm talking about, and you don't.

[DRoseDARs]

4. Jeb tried to warn them, but did they listen? NoooOOOOOooo!

They'll just have to learn to listen to the Governor next time... :eyes:

[TheDebbieDee]

5. Yeah...It's their own fault! Besides, they only stayed behind so

they can loot!

[SoCalDem]

30. and don't forget.. Jebbie has Decreed a "No Criticism Zone" (around him)

and FEMA is doing a fantastic job....so THERE

[lildreamer316]

7. Kicking

to remind me my life is absofuckinlutley wonderful. Really.
I hope they ge some help....and not from FEMA.

[aquart]

8. WTF is the Red Cross?

I note the Salvation Army showed up. Again. But the Red Cross hasn't been seen? Again?

[Coastie for Truth]

21. You may be talking about a specific block in a specific neighborhood.

We sent a lot of volunteers from the Pacific Coast.

The number I saw on CrossNet for Wilma was over 1200 volunteers manning the Shelters in Florida.

We prioritize - volunteers at the shelters first. Then emergency response volunteers for people who are remote from shelters (that's the hard job - rely on locals and Coast Guard and FEMA to locate the people). And remember - the primary mission is "Mass Sheltering" - including "Mass Feeding" with the Southern Baptist Brotherhood -- and the "Social Services" are "Shelter Centric."

If you're serious instead of just blogging - take the weekend quickie sheltering class - get an idea of the mechanism for dealing with local authorities, mobilizing volunteers, opening a shelter, and the logistics of a shelter. If you're a DUer - it's worthwhile ---->

AND IF YOU'RE A SERIOUS POLITICAL ACTIVIST -- IT'S A VERY GOOD WAY TO MEET YOUR COMMUNITY - REMEMBER THAT TEACHERS, NURSES, FIRE FIGHTERS, SALVATION ARMY VOLUNTEERS AND RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS ARE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH CREDIBILITY "WHO WERE THERE" ;)

[nadinbrzezinski]

40. Sorry but I will say this

I did this with the Mexcian Red Cross for 10 years and let me tell you I have a very bad taste in my mouth when it comes to the ARC.

Not to pount but what happened to INDEPENDENCE and NEUTRALTIY? We never relaied on the local authorities... we went in.

[SoCalDem]

29. red Cross always wants MONEY..and then complains about

how "they couldn't get into (insert name of place here)" and then they just keep asking for donations, and eventually get the US treasury to "reimburse" them.. They are the Amway of Charities..

[Coastie for Truth]

31. I'll remember you when the Northridge II hits

But I'll still be there in Southern California for you.

Because I do more then Blog and Complain.

And, SoCalDem -- I will be at Valley Fair this weekend working against Gubernator Boobengrabber's Propositions.

GET OFF YER BUTT - VOLUNTEER -
BE THERE FOR THE BIG ONE
BE THERE TO WHIP THE GUBERNATOR

Too many friggin DUers (and Freepers and CUers and LUers) spend there time bloggin' and complainin' -- and not volunteering.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RED CROSS VOLUNTEER
UNITED STATES COAST GUARD VETERAN
CERT VOLUNTEER
HAM RADIO VOLUNTEER

[SoCalDem]

35. Any organization is only as good as its current set if policy-makers

and the ones in charge now, seem to cast a very short shadow. Northridge was a long time ago, and the ones running the show (at the top...NOW..where decisions are made) seem to be lacking.

The people at ground level are always eager to help, and do a good job, but unless they are allowed and helped to do their jobs, the people in need are the first to suffer..

No place is immune to disasters, and the first responders always bear the brunt, and for that I am thankful. The chain of command for the RC, these days, seems to have some very weak links at the top ...that was my point..

[Coastie for Truth]

36. VOLUNTEER - YOU can make a difference

when I am standing in the rain - on my cell phone - at 2AM -- arranging temporary housing for my non-English speaking neighbors, displaced from their Section VIII Housing by a multi-alarm fire (in an unsprinklered and unalarmed building) by some doper cooking meth in another apartment.

And my mind will go back to the bodies I recovered from Lake Ponchatrain in my first Coast Guard "Search and Rescue" mission.

You can make things better - do the liberal progresive thing

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

VOLUNTEER

I'm old, diabetic, and hypertensive - I need some help -I can't do it alone -- VOLUNTEER

<>

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RED CROSS VOLUNTEER
UNITED STATES COAST GUARD VETERAN
CERT VOLUNTEER
HAM RADIO VOLUNTEER

[nadinbrzezinski]

42. I beleive in the movement, but what I have seen from the ARC

has left a very sour taste in my mouth oh and that includes Northridge, could tell you stories


Whistling the tune of mutual aid

[Coastie for Truth]

44. My kids live Mid-Peninsula, my aunt and cousins in Piedmont

both areas, Mid-Peninsula (Mountain View, Los Altos, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Atherton) and Piedmont are in prime earthquake zones -- and urban wildfire zones.

Integrated through their respective "Emergency Services Directors" (an office in their main fire stations) they have very active with combined -- volunteer organizations, working out of their local fire departments and full trauma hospitals (Peninsula, Stanford, Alta-Bates).

Realize, these are affluent, stable areas, with a good demographic (age) mix.

Also, these communities are home to two of the California Urban Search and Rescue Teams.

Question: what about people with lower incomes?

[freeplessinseattle]

53. did you even read her post?

alright we get it-volunteer. but you are missing her point altogether.

[Coastie for Truth]

54. NO- I read her append and her previous append

Her first append was "how "they couldn't get into (insert name of place here)" and then they just keep asking for donations, and eventually get the US treasury to "reimburse" them.. They are the Amway of Charities.." which I responded to..

I was on the ground on September 7 --- waiting to get in.

She also talked about the reimbursement. This is payment due under a PO - and is in full compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regs. As one who has lived off of research grants from ARPA and DOE -- I think I know a little bit about the Federal Acquisition Regs.

After Katrina I have been a pain in the butt to my wife and kids -- my wife ia an arthritic with scoliosis and osteoporosis -- and she has just completed the and got her green hard hat, and she realized how useless her toy GMRS handi-talkie is -- and is studying for her ham radio license.

The kids started on 10/8.

With budget cuts to the local Professional First Responders --- and the gross incompetence of FEMA --- and all of the problems some people seem to be having with the Red Cross ---- you had best get some hands on training - and it doesn't matter if its Campfire Kids or the Scouts or Red Cross or CERT or Civil Air Patrol, or Coast Guard Auxiliary or even NRA (only kidding about the NRA)--- because you may be on your own a lot longer then you would have been a decade or two ago.

I have done my "Recovery" (corpse retrieval). Been there - done that - Semper Paratus and all that stuff.

[freeplessinseattle]

62. ok still don't get it, but I'll give you the praise you're looking for

you deserve it-and your family, though I hope you aren't nearky as condescending and self-righteous to them, they deserve better being your family. The point remains that no matter how many people volunteer the higher-ups are corrupt and inept, and preventing YOU from doing your job to your fullest extent-don't you want the organization you work for to work to it's full potential instead of putting a wrench in the efforts of people like yourself.

*she is not attacking you, or other volunteers, she is criticizing the corporate heads*

[Coastie for Truth]

65. Say what you want - even with Posse Comitatus still on the books

Rummie and Chertoff, and Cheney, and Rove really want to run the show. They screwed up Katrina horribly - and it looks like they are screwing up Wilma royally -- now they want to get rid of Posse Comitatus.

How do you want calling the shots -- ARC CEO Marti Evans or Reichsfuhrers Rove and Cheney and Rummie and Chertoff and Marine Corps General/JCS Chair Peter Pace?

And - if the Red Cross went away - if CERT went away - if RACES went away who would do the heavy lifting?

[Coastie for Truth]

34. "eventually get the US treasury to "reimburse" them"

The "reimbursement" has to do with being paid for the small fraction (very small) that they perform under PURCHASE ORDERS for the Feds-- and in the case of some sheltering - that they perform under state and local government PURCHASE ORDERS .

Please do fact checking before blogging.

<>

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RED CROSS VOLUNTEER
UNITED STATES COAST GUARD VETERAN
CERT VOLUNTEER
HAM RADIO VOLUNTEER

[Erika]

9. This is a duplicate thread.

My brother is in Coconut Creek. He lives in a concrete block house but all his preparation work would be voided if his roof was torn off.

Jeb doesn't know what he's talking about it by blaming SE Florida residents.

Anyway, as I asked on the other thread, has anyone heard how Coconut Creek is doing? I haven't heard from my brother since Sunday morning.

[highplainsdem]

12. Not a dupe. There was no thread about this when I posted -- I did a

keyword search first as well as checking the latest subject lines -- but I checked just now (searching for the reporter's name) and saw that MelissaB had posted another thread about the story at the exact same time (10:01) that I posted the first message here.

[highplainsdem]

16. I hope your brother is okay. Re your question about Coconut Creek -- I

just checked Google News again, and this was all I was able to find so far specifically about Coconut Creek, with the relevant quote:

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/12997118.htm

The massive power outages did not affect water or sewage treatment facilities in most of Miami-Dade, but several broken water mains meant low water pressure for some neighborhoods.

In Broward, Tamarac, Deerfield Beach, Coconut Creek and Fort Lauderdale suffered some of the worst water main damage.


Editing to add another link:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-cwater25oct25,0,1248943.story?coll=sfla-news-broward

Coconut Creek is included in the boil-water advisory.


And a link to the city's website:

http://www.creekgov.net/

[Erika]

28. Thanks so much for the update

It's truly appreciated!

[highplainsdem]

32. You're welcome. I wish I could have found more. I was looking for

a Coconut Creek message board like the one on Nola.com -- someplace where you might be able to ask someone who could get online to check on your brother -- but I couldn't find one. I hope the phone service is restored soon, and the other utilities.

[Angry Girl]

11. kick

[senegal1]

14. Yesterday afternoon I talked with several people from

the security industry who had arrvied in Mexico from Florida -- around the Miami area -- and they all indeed mentioned it was much worse than reported by the media.

[mmonk]

15. Well Larisa can write about it to the world

and if they really screw this up, I'd really like to see how they (FEMA/bushco) spin it. Heard Jeb was going to take the blame (for the locals fault spin).

[kestrel91316]

18. Well, they had plenty of time to evacuate. If they stayed and now

are having problems, they have no one to blame but themselves. What do they expect, government assistance???

:sarcasm:

Guess Jeb couldn't do any better than LA's governor, eh?

[alcibiades_mystery]

19. Y'know what I think about that?

Awwwww, I'm not even gonna bother...;-)

[sniffa]

43. i think most know what you think about that

[Name removed]

51. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[sniffa]

52. nice

[Coastie for Truth]

20. With the collapse of the cell phone and land line nets

Remember - a cell phone is NOT a "point to point" radio system. It is a low wattage radio (your handset) to a cell tower, and from the cell tower via land lines with amplifiers, and running off of electricity, to a ROUTER (computer) and then through land lines to a cell tower with (electric powered) amplifiers and (electric powered) transmitters.

Bottom line: THE CELL SYSTEM IS NOT PARTICULARLY "ROBUST"

Our son was in Washington DC on 9/11 - and his cell was DOA -- and my wife was in a state of absolute panic. That got me back into Ham Radio. And after Katrina the whole family is working on getting into Ham Radio.

I had let my Boy Scout and Coast Guard era ham radio license lapse through the 1970's ---> within a month I had a new ham radio license--->
<>
and



<>

ham radio -- and the .

YES! THIS IS A SALES PITCH --- THE LIFE YOU SAVE MAY BE MINE

[highplainsdem]

22. kick

[Blue_In_AK]

25. I hope RagingInMiami is okay... n/t

[Larissa238]

59. He should be fine.

I just got off the phone with Geomon666, and he is in the Miami area. He says that it sucks, but everyone in the area is okay.

[highplainsdem]

26. Sun-Sentinel article on problems hospitals are having:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-rxhospitals27oct27,0,6283882.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines


<snip>

Patients dependent on oxygen were coming in to get refills, but that's not something hospitals can provide, said Michelle Marsh, a spokeswoman for Westside Regional Medical Center and Plantation General Hospital.

<snip>

Most of the 30 acute-care hospitals in Broward and Palm Beach counties were running on backup generators, but Florida Power & Light Co. was restoring power to the institutions one by one, health officials said. Bethesda Memorial Hospital in Boynton Beach has had problems with its doctor-paging system, forcing officials to go to their houses to reach them, said hospital spokeswoman Lisa Kronhaus. At some medical centers, lack of electricity, water and gasoline is becoming critical.

<snip>

South Florida hospitals were dealing with some of the same kinds of problems most South Floridians have -- toilets that have to be flushed by pouring in buckets of water, no water to wash dishes.

Maria Soldani, spokeswoman for Holy Cross Hospital, said the hospital is still lacking water and electricity and is unable to sterilize instruments.

<snip>

[RockaFowler]

39. The Real Problem Is . . .

We have a lousy system down here in SOFLA. I live in a mobile home park that has a well for the water supply. This only works on power. Same with the lift station. So yes, we all filled up our tubs and we took great care to have as much water as possible, but it is running out. I am lucky. I have a resourceful husband who would never let us be without water. We take showers at his work. We bought water at Publix (yes they have it). But we have no Gas to run the generator. Oh well Jeb is right, we should have been prepared. TOTAL SARCASM

[Pacifist Patriot]

37. I don't doubt it at all. I'm a couple of counties north of Broward

and we still have folks without power. I have several neighbors who experienced more damage from Wilma than they did from Frances and Jeanne combined. It has to be far worse to our south.

[alittlelark]

38. It is much worse

My hubby has been working 15+ hours a day trying to get a branch of our co. back up and running. They cannot find diesel for their generators and are contracting w/ a co in Penn. to bring diesel. The calls are being re-routed to Houston. They still haven't contacted one of the VP's and a few employees.... every employee has damage to their homes, and a few are living at the office.

They seem shocked that no one is talking about it.

[tgnyc]

41. My brother-in-law works for Florida Power and Light and

he said one-third of the state lost power in the immediate aftermath. He and his colleagues are working 18-hour shifts to get the power back on, and they are doing the hospitals first, then the police stations.

This was a "perfect storm" in that it looked like it was going to be managable to those on the east coast of Florida, so unlike with Andrew and other recent storms nobody on the east coast left in advance. Hence the surprising level of chaos and number of southeast Floridians stuck living in primitive conditions.

And once again, FEMA is out to lunch. What the fuck is their purpose?

[Boomer]

46. Wilma is the new "normal"

As global climate change escalates, no hurricane can be ignored and a new level of general preparedness and effort will be needed to cope with the heightened intensity and unpredictability of storms.

Housing codes will need to be upgraded substantially, a larger portion of the population will need to maintain a higher level of general emergency supplies, and there will be a need for a decentralized system of shelters within easy walking distance of every residential neighborhood. Add to that, a registry of individuals with special needs due to age or disability.

Anything less than that effort will result in annual bouts of chaos and unnecessary deaths.

[Angry Girl]

48. "The latest from South Florida (very bad, getting worse)...."

Check out the thread
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=5191739&mesg_id=5191739

[underpants]

49. BIG RED THINGS

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=5190905&mesg_id=5190905

[MidnightWind]

58. They are telling people in MIAMI that it may be November 15-22nd

before they get their power back up. How would you like to be without power for even three or four hours-let alone a frigging month! It IS much worse than is being reported. I have a friend in Miami and the gas stations there are running out of gas. Fights are breaking out in gas lines. There aren't sufficient water/ice/food distrubtion points to serve the population and the ones that do exist have run out of supplies on a consistent (daily) basis. Go to Miami.Com (the Miami Herald's website) and read all about it. They are reporting it, it's just not being picked up and focused on by the national media to any large degree. They can only focus on 1 or 2 stories at a time and right now, it's Miers and the Indictiments.

[DawnneOBTS]

60. My thoughts are with you...

and, yes, I VOLUNTEERED (food, water, supplies drive at my college in the health sciences department-everything we could get into a van) so I don't want to hear any crap from the person from CA. Someone with a motel that I'm in school with opened it up to everyone that she could in South Florida. There are people that she can't reach. I can't believe that there are people 200 miles south of me (I'm in Daytona Beach) who are starving, etc. This ain't Louisiana. Jebbie is the governor, the asshole's brother, fucking rethugs. This just never ends. Katrina can happen anywhere and this shows it, flood or not. I hope that everyone can see that neither of them give a damn about this country, or this state-they don't care about anyone except their circle of freepers. The people in Central Florida are thinking of you down there-at least some of us are.

[BeachBuckeye]

61. I wouldn't put much stock in what Florida Power and Light

says about restoring electric service. I met with a group of them who had massed at a local stip mall yesterday morning around 10am and asked them when my power would be back on after telling them where I live. They told me it would be at least 10 days. It came back on at 2pm the same day. I've heard other stories locally about service being restored much quicker than the estimates being reported on radio and tv. I don't say this in defense of FPL but just to let you know the reality of the situation.

I live very near where Wilma came ashore and have also visited the east coast since she hit. Things are not nearly as bad as some would have you believe. Don't get me wrong. Its not a picnic but its not Katrina either.

[Kurovski]

63. Kick.

The only report I saw in corporate media today was of Bush babbling in the sunshine about getting gasoline to people. Not to say there were not other reports that took the situation seriously, or reports that revealed that things could potentially turn deadly.

I'm going to have to call my ma to see if she's heard about our relatives in the area.