Power Grid

My hopes went up a little when I read that the Post Office branch near my house is going to reopen on October 4; but when I read the following article in USA Today about the massive destruction of the power grids, my spirits sank. Storms make tangled mess of power grid

Chores

I did a little inventory this morning and found I had clean underwear only for the next two days. I checked the internet for directions and found where the closest Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club were located. I got some Tide detergent and bottled water at Wal-Mart and filled the car with gas at Sam’s Club. I had only used three gallons of gas since Saturday when I filled up in Frisco. I followed the directions the desk clerk had given me to the coin operated laundry. I was in rush hour traffic but managed to find the laundry without problem. One look at the place really made me miss my nice washer and dryer back home. Anyway I managed to wash and dry my clothes, and they do not look as if they suffered any harm from the process.

When I came back to the room, I created an Excel worksheet to tabulate the expenses I have incurred during this ordeal. I now have a spreadsheet that resembles the expense reports I used to turn in back in my pre-retirement days.

It is almost lunch time and housekeeping has not shown up to clean my room. When I travel, I like to have my room cleaned first thing in the morning. I have noticed that in this hotel they seem to start at a different point on the floor each day and work around the rooms in a circle. I guess I will visit the various websites that have news of Beaumont before lunch. Tomorrow I am going to visit The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. This is the site that chronicles the assassination of President Kennedy.

My Day at the Zoo

Dallas Zoo – September 2005

A Wonderful Phone Call

This morning when I was on the Monorail Safari at the Dallas Zoo I thought I heard my cell phone ringing. When I got off the ride, I checked my phone; and there was 1 missed call from area code 409. I returned the call, and it was Joe, my neighbor from directly across the street. He said, “Sally, I just want you to know that your house came through unscathed.” He said as far as he could tell it had not lost a single shingle and the siding is all in place. He said he lost some siding on his. He drove over from Houston. He said he had a terrible time getting to the houses, and he was on his way back to Houston. He said it looked like a war zone and was hotter than Hades in Beaumont. He told me to stay put and just pretend that I am on vacation. That is exactly what I am going to do. I still have not shed a tear, but I almost did this morning.

Unbelieveable

I just read this article on The Beaumont Enterprise website: EVACUATION "like a horror movie". The Beaumont Enterprise is a Hearst owned newspaper and does not engage in sensationalism. This article is too much.

Lemonade?

I have decided it is time to make lemonade out of this big lemon named Rita that dropped on me and have a little fun. I will take a bus tomorrow to the DART station in Richardson so that I can get the rapid transit train to the Dallas Zoo. I have figured out the schedules and where to catch the bus to the train station on the dart.org website. I saw on the DART and Zoo websites that special price breaks are being offered to Katrina evacuees. I wonder if they will be extended to Rita evacuees. I have my camera, 70-300 mm lens and tripod with me so I am all set for a trip to the zoo. It is 99 degrees now in Dallas. It is supposed to finally be cooler tomorrow. The high for tomorrow is forecast to be 77.

Pictures of UT Dallas

I drove to the University of Texas Dallas and walked around and took some pictures. They are not great pictures; but at least I got out of the room for a little while. UT Dallas Pictures

Marguerite told me about taking her little granddaughter to the zoo, and they used the rapid transit system here in Dallas. I am going to investigate that. I do not like driving around. It is too easy to get lost

My Camera

Momula posted a comment and asked if I had my camera with me. I do. I am located very close to the University of Texas Dallas campus. It is a beautiful morning. I decided to drive down there and take some pictures. Then I realized that I did not bring my memory card reader with me and did not know if I could transfer my pictures to the pc. Fortunately I searched a little more and found I do have the cable that allows me to attach my camera directly to the pc. So my next post should have a link to some fresh pictures.

My home phone rolls over to my cell phone. I just received a phone call from a mutual fund company where I have an account that had rolled over. I told him I was an evacuee and not really in the mood to discuss mutual funds. He said not a problem. These phone calls will probably follow me to my grave.

Caveman Conditions

For all who may be thinking of returning to Beaumont/Port Arthur, please read this: 'Caveman' Conditions in Texas Follow Rita

A Little Good News

I am watching the CBS Evening News. They actually had a reporter in Beaumont today. He interviewed one of the out-of-state linemen working to restore power. He said the damage was not as bad as he thought it would be. The CBS reporter quoted some official as saying that power may be back in three weeks. This is a week sooner than had originally been predicted.

Photos of Beaumont

CNN just showed a flickr.com photoblog by someone named helcat. There are 4 post hurricane pictures: Helcat’s Photos.

BBC Photo of Hotel Elegante (Formerly Hilton) in Beaumont

Houston Chronicle Southeast Texas Photo Gallery

PHOTOS: Hurricane Rita's aftermath

Area Photos

A Little News

I read on the KFDM website that all private citizens remaining in Beaumont have been ordered to evacuate because the city is not safe. Earlier this morning someone who posted to The Beaumont Enterprise blog said the county commissioners were going to meet every Thursday and assess the situation. When the decision to return is made, it will be made announced after one of the Thursday meetings; and the return will be scheduled for the following Monday. This is not official, but it sounds reasonable. Bushie is on TV right now after his tour in my area saying it is not safe to return home. For once I agree with him.

Not Much to Say

My new life is settling into a routine. The Hampton Inn provides a breakfast buffet each morning which is fairly good. I am glad I do not have to drive somewhere for breakfast. They also deliver a copy of USA Today to my room. The air conditioning works well. The housekeeper is very pleasant and does a nice job of cleaning the room.

I have been checking the Beaumont West End damage reports on hurricaneritasurvivors.com and the blog that The Beaumont Enterprise has set up. Some people are getting very irritated that they are being kept away from their homes. I do not want to go near the place while there are trees and power lines all over the roads. It is hard to imagine anything worse than Beaumont, Texas, without air conditioning.

The desk clerk gave me the name of a coin operated laundry and showed me how to get there. That will be the big event of my day tomorrow. My friend, Marguerite, is leaving for a week in London today. I am completely on my own again. Please leave comments on this blog. I need a little encouragement.

Two Heroes

1. Vermilion Parish Sheriff Mike Couvillan

2. Jefferson County Judge Carl Griffith

From what I am reading and seeing on television, these two men are doing an outstanding job in the Rita aftermath. Beaumont’s own, Judge Griffith, was threatening to send the police to physically remove the generators that FEMA had tied up in red tape. Sheriff Courvillan is the one who is being tough on looters. He was on TV again this evening calling for FEMA to cut the red tape.

Speaking of FEMA I could not believe that Brownie has been rehired by FEMA to be a consultant in the what went wrong with Katrina investigation. I am having a hard time deciding if this is worse or equal to Bush’s appointing a veterinarian to head the women’s affairs part of the FDA.

Damage Reports

This site has reports on damage in Beaumont: Hurricane Rita Survivors

I found the following on the discussion forum:

“A friend of the family went by my house on Green Meadow and said everything looked great. Some garage doors in the area are damaged, but other than that, no flooding, no real wind damage.”

I live on Green Meadow. However, I read many, many reports of damage to familiar places. It sounds as though commercial buildings such as Parkdale Mall, Best Buy and Target got hit hard.

Now I am Really Glad that I am Not There

President Bush to Visit Beaumont and Port Arthur

FEMA Registration

I completed the FEMA registration online today. They now have case numbers for Rita. I really do not know why I made the application other than the woman who works for FEMA that was in the lobby of the hotel in Texarkana told me to do so. Anyway I am in the system.

This is Really Sad

From The Beaumont Enterprise: Five die in Beaumont apartment

More Thoughts

I was listening to KLVI. Some people are calling in complaining that their driveways are being damaged by city crews who are removing trees and rubbish. My street is a private street. I wonder if the city will enter it. There are very few trees on my street. I had a live oak in my backyard that was planted when the house was new. In 1997 we had an unbelievable ice storm in Beaumont. My live oak tree was shattered by the ice, and I had to have it cut down. I have bemoaned the loss of the tree, but now I am glad that it is no longer there.

My computer skills are proving to be invaluable during this ordeal. I keep packing lists on my computer that I have made for various trips that I have taken. In 2002 I was away for a month on a trip to Vancouver, Hong Kong and Sydney. I printed that list out and packed as if I were taking that trip all over again. Every day the hotels have provided shower caps. This morning I found there was none. I knew I had checked off my shower cap but could not find it. I asked at the desk that a shower cap be put in my room each day. The desk clerk gave me one. After breakfast I repacked my bags and finally found my shower cap. So far I have only thought of one important item that I should have taken with me. That will be the first thing I grab when I can go back and make an inspection.

The computer has given me driving directions and located hotels for me. The blog is a way to reach out to the community. I am finding vital information about conditions caused by the storm. I am able to update the podcasts on my iPod. I can synch my Sony Clie and get news through AvantGo. I am also getting TV listings on the Clie from SecondScreen TV. I have the paper copies of my insurance policies with me, but I also have all of my important papers scanned into PaperPort. It is as if I packed my file cabinet. It was easier to look at the scanned images of my insurance policies on the pc rather than unpack the paper policies.

I also have seven paperback books with me that I have not read. Marguerite loaned me a detailed Dallas street guide and directory. It is more than an inch thick. Marguerite amazed me. As she drove around and pointed things out to me, she would say look at page XX. She has that map book memorized.

I have a spreadsheet that my homes association president emailed to me some time ago that contains the phone numbers of all the neighbors in our group. I have called a couple of the numbers. The phones ring, but no one answers. Telephones are working in parts of Beaumont and the water is supposed to be back but is undrinkable. Electricity and sewers are the biggest problem. A gas line goes into my house. I heat with natural gas and have a gas water heater. Gas lines also go to the kitchen and laundry room, but I have electric appliances. There is a gas outlet for a grill on the back of the house.

It is almost lunch time. I will consult AAA and Marguerite’s book to find a place to eat.

Things are looking up

I am very grateful to the lady named, Sherry, who emailed me about the streaming audio from KLVI. Conditions are deplorable in Beaumont right now. One man who called in said he is bathing in his swimming pool. Another woman is going outdoors to go to the bathroom.

I called my insurance company and started the claim process. They cannot do anything until I can go back and inspect my property. They said take pictures and save all receipts. I read the policy and found the provisions covering temporary living expenses. I should be fine. I told the insurance representative what I am paying for hotels. She said that sounded very reasonable from the claims she has seen from Katrina.

I made arrangements with the Hampton Inn here in Richardson to extend my reservation up to a month. They are going to give me a slightly lower rate than I paid for the first two nights. I may want to move to a hotel closer to Beaumont after the Houston people go back home. In a day or two I am going to have to turn my attention to more mundane tasks such as doing laundry.

It was good to visit with my old friend, Marguerite, yesterday. We had not seen each other since 1999. She is a real estate agent and held an open house in one of her listings yesterday. She took me with her. We sat there and talked during the lulls when no one was going through the house. It was a good diversion.

Live Radio from Beaumont

Listen to streaming audio from KLVI.

I have found something that makes me laugh

I have been watching CNN tonight. I have seen two different interviews with the sheriff in Lake Charles. Every time he is on he has a new threat for looters. The first time I saw him, he said we are going to arrest you, throw you in a hot jail, give you a bottle of water and a MRE, and that's all you are going to get. The next time he said if I have to I am going to arrest you and take you home and chain you to my bathroom and believe me that bathroom is not a pretty sight. This sheriff is one tough guy. I hope he trained the Jefferson County Sheriff.

Confirmation of FEMA Bungling

From The Beaumont Enterprise UPDATED - FRUSTRATION: Feds dragging their feet ... again, area officials say

FEMA Bungles Again?

I just read this article on the KFDM website. It sounds like the same problems that hindered the recovery in the Katrina aftermath because of FEMA redtape and incompetence are happening again. Update from EOC in Jefferson County

Now in Richardson, TX

I arrived safely and checked into the Hampton Inn. I used the AAA driving directions to go from Frisco to Richardson. It was rather harrowing navigating the Dallas freeways by myself. I had to stop and pay a couple of tolls. I did not have correct change and got in the wrong lane once. I have extended my reservation at the Hampton Inn through tomorrow night. The other two hotels had both wired and wireless internet access. Here in Richardson they only have wireless access. So far it is working all right.

My old college roommate is coming to take me to lunch. I am afraid I might break down and cry when I have another human being to talk with. Up until now I have made all my decisions regarding the evacuation by myself.

Flood warnings are out for East Texas. I do not think the West End of Beaumont is in danger. I hope it’s not like New Orleans to survive the hurricane, but then face the flood the next day.

A Little More Information

The Beaumont Enterprise confirms that evacuees may have to stay away up to a month. The article did say water is to be restored today and will have to be boiled for 48 hours. Beaumont received 8.3 inches of rain. That is a lot, but I have seen my area withstand that much with no flooding. I saw more pictures on CNN this morning of places that I recognize. I still have not seen anything as far west as my house. My imagination can picture my house across the gamut from no damage to total destruction. There are so many fallen trees and downed power lines it would be extremely foolish to attempt to go back. One article I read indicated evacuees would be turned away.

KFDM has its website back up and is reporting on conditions. KBTV’s website stayed online, but they did no reporting. The City of Beaumont’s website is online, but it has no Rita information. Jefferson County’s website is down.

Tomorrow I will start contacting my insurance company. I have three separate policies to contend with. My homeowners is with USAA. My windstorm insurance is insurance of last resort through the State of Texas. Then I have the FEMA flood insurance. Fortunately all three are administered by USAA. My head has been too rattled to study the policies. What I want right now is to know if they will reimburse me for my hotel stays, gasoline and meals.

Night is Day

I have missed a lot of sleep over the last three nights. I finally fell asleep Saturday evening. Now I am wide awake. The Beaumont Enterprise is back online and has the most extensive coverage on Beaumont that I have found. I heard one NPR report that Beaumont residents may be asked to stay away for a month while services are restored. The Port Arthur News has a message board. Not many people have posted.

Fox News Channel is Rubbish

I was talking to a friend that lives here in Dallas. She said Fox News had pictures of Beaumont. I was complaining that I had not seen much coverage of the damage to Beaumont. Anyway I found the Fox News Channel and waited for them to show Beaumont. They showed a lot of places that were labeled as Beaumont. I did not see one thing that I recognized. I have lived there over 30 years, and I think I have seen most major buildings in the city. Finally they showed a casino with the picture labeled as Beaumont. Beaumont has no casinos. Time to return to CNN.

I lack information

CNN’s coverage of Beaumont is almost non-existent. I saw one taped piece from the weatherman Rob Marciano. I would like to see some pictures of the residential areas so I might get a clue. The levees held in Port Arthur and the Neches River adjacent to downtown Beaumont is still within its banks. My house probably has no water, but I do not know what the wind did.

I filled the car with gas yesterday in Texarkana. There were no lines. I asked at the desk here in Frisco where to get some gas. The desk clerk told me she drove from station to station yesterday before she finally found gasoline at Sam’s Club. She gave me directions to Sam’s and I filled up the car again.

Frisco is a very new suburban area. There is major road construction going on in the area. There is going to be a new retirement development: Sun City Lake Frisco starting in 2006. My parents moved to Sun City West outside of Phoenix after my father retired. I have kept my eye on the Sun City developments. Sun City Lake Frisco will be the third one in Texas. I am going to explore this one thoroughly I cannot go through another evacuation and hurricane.

I have a new life

All my old worries are gone. No more house to clean and repair. No possessions to worry about. I left Texarkana and drove to Frisco (north of Dallas). The Hampton Inn let me check in at 9:30 AM. There was a FEMA rep. in the hotel lobby back in Texarkana. She said register with FEMA immediately even though I have resources. I tried to do that. I could not do it online because they have not assigned a FEMA case number to Rita. I then called the 800 number. I talked to an agent, and she said it would be a week or so before a case number is assigned to Rita. Red tape.

I am moving on to Richardson tomorrow night. An old college roommate lives there. I will stay in the Hampton Inn in Richardson. My friend is going to London on Tuesday, and I think she was offering me her townhouse. I heard on the radio that Beaumont is being cordoned off and it will be a month before power is restored. There are fires there that the fire department cannot get to.

Latest News from KFDM

Beaumont Feeling Some Effects From Hurricane Rita
Reported by Scott Lawrence

September 23, 2005 - 11:32PM

Strong winds from Hurricane Rita are causing only minor problems in downtown Beaumont, at least according to an early survey of damage by KFDM News crews staying at the Emergency Operations Command center during the storm.
The eye of the hurricane was just south of the coastline off Cameron, Louisiana when winds Greg Bostwick estimated at about 60-70 miles an hour blew dozens of bricks off the roof of a building near the Crockett Street Entertainment District shortly before 10 p.m. Friday.
A transformer fell to the ground and a power pole leaned precariously across the street from Edison Plaza.
There were no signs of any wide scale power outages in the downtown area, but stronger winds were blowing in Port Arthur and it will be morning before emergency workers can make more comprehensive damage assessments.
KFDM Chief Meteorologist Greg Bostwick, news anchors Dan Gresham and Bill Leger, reporter Sally MacDonald, and Executive Producer Scott Lawrence are staying at the Emergency Operations Command center as Hurricane Rita moves ashore. They are filing stories for the KFDM webpage on one of several computers used by Beaumont police, firefighters and emergency workers to monitor the storm.
KFDM will resume full local programming as soon as possible once we are able to return to the television station.
Our news crews are taping several stories about the hurricane.
In the meantime, we are airing coverage of the hurricane from CBS affiliate KHOU TV in Houston.

CNN Anderson Cooper

This is a picture of Beamont’s City Hall and Civic Center complex. This is where Anderson Cooper is located. Power just went out in the buildings around him. Beaumont is just now entering the worst part of the storm.

Downtown Beaumont is on the east side of the city adjacent to the Neches River. I live on the far west side of Beaumont. I am cautiously optimistic

Greg Bostwick

Greg Bostwick is KFDM’s chief meteorologist. He is the local hurricane expert. Here is his latest:

Hurricane Rita Heading for Land
Reported by Greg Bostwick

September 23, 2005 - 7:41PM

Hurricane Rita packing 125 mile an hour winds continues to move to the northwest at 10 miles an hour. It should make landfall near or just west of Cameron, Louisiana around 2 a.m. Saturday.
KFDM News is reporting this information from the Emergency Operations Center at Entergy Headquarters in downtown Beaumont.
KFDM Chief Meteorologist Greg Bostwick, anchormen Bill Leger and Dan Gresham, reporter Sally MacDonald, and Executive Producer Scott Lawrence will update the website from the EOC throughout the hurricane, until we are able to return safely to our studio at KFDM television.

Entery Building Now Command Post

I took this picture of the Entergy Building in downtown last year when I first got my digital camera. It was the headquarters building of Gulf States Utilities before they were bought out by Entergy. The building is designed to withstand 150 mph winds. The police, fire department, city and county officials, newspaper and TV staffs have all moved into this building. There are more than 500 people in there. At 6:30 PM the city still had power but the winds had increased to 50 mph.

Am I Wrong?

I was talking to some people down in the lobby about my plan to leave Texarkana in the morning. I have been checking The Weather Channel and every website I can find. They are all showing Rita stalling over Texarkana. I do not want to be in a flood. I am praying that the rain holds off until noon tomorrow so I can make a quick getaway. I think that most of the people I was talking to are only thinking about what is happening back home and are not thinking ahead.

I am really getting worried

It looks like it is coming in on the west side of Port Arthur. The CNN weatherman, Rob Marciano is in downtown Beaumont at the Neches River. He was talking about the things I mentioned in a post earlier this morning. It is just a question of how far the water will backup.

I am really upset because it looks like Rita will stall over Texarkana. I have made a reservation at Frisco Lake for tomorrow night and then a second reservation for Richardson on Sunday night. It is supposed to start raining here in Texarkana tomorrow morning. I do not like the idea of driving in the rain. I am going to get up early and see what the situation is. If the weather is not too bad, I will get out of here. I can checkout early at the FourPoints without penalty. After that I am without plans. Expedia has been a tremendous help in finding hotels with vacancies.

I talked to my friend who is staying in Jefferson, Texas. They left Beaumont at 7 AM yesterday and did not get to Jefferson until nine last night. Jefferson is not as far north as Texarkana. I made the right decision about leaving Beaumont at a little after 6 AM. I also talked to my next door neighbor. My next door neighbor is staying in Dallas with his son. He is talking about making a quick trip to Beaumont on Monday if possible to find out how bad it is. I am searching for any or all information about Beaumont.

NOAA Weather Radio for Houston

Listen to: Houston Weather Radio

Apparently the SAME code 048245 which is Beaumont is not broadcast on the internet using Real Player. I have a NOAA weather radio at home. I wish I could listen to the Beaumont NWR.

A Ray of Hope?

I am listening to CNN. Rita is weakening. Even if Rita decreases to a category 2 hurricane, she still might bring a much higher level surge like Katrina did. When Katrina hit, I wrote about the levee and seawall around Port Arthur and mid-county. My house is north of I-10 by approximately 3-4 miles. Beaumont is 35-40 miles inland from the coast. There is a grid of bayous and drainage canals that could backup into Beaumont if the seawall is overwhelmed. June 1 of every year KFDM-TV has a program on hurricane preparedness. They always show a graphic on where the water would go for a direct hit on our area for the different categories of hurricanes. Beaumont is supposed to stay dry if the level is 3 or below. I do not know how much faith to put in the seawall.

I looked up the statistics on Alicia, the hurricane that I went through in 1983. Alicia was a Cat. 3 storm when she went over Galveston island and weakened as she approached Houston. The eye went right over downtown Houston. Houston has many glass-sided buildings. There was lots of broken glass. I lived out on the west side of Houston. My power was out for about ten hours. Some pyracantha shrubs in my yard were torn off the trellises and the shade of one low voltage decorative light was blown away. That was the only damage I suffered. Others were not as lucky.

My house in Beaumont has a new roof and a new fence that I had installed in June of this year. I hope they are strong. The old fence was rotten and the roof was on its last legs. My house is in better shape than it was a year ago.

I got an email from a friend of mine that I was worried about. Her husband has been undergoing chemotherapy this summer. They are in Jefferson, Texas, which is just south of Texarkana. I went through Jefferson yesterday.

My eye doctor is from Gulfport, Mississippi. He went through Hurricane Camille when he was 12 years old. His father and brother still live in Gulfport. He went over to check on them after Katrina. Their houses survived. Power outage was their only problem. My doctor seems to think the worst of the worst is shown on TV. There is a railroad track that goes through Gulfport that is six or so blocks from the coast. He said the rail tracks seemed to provide a barrier that slowed down the surge of water. He thinks houses that are north of I-10 in Beaumont are safe. The west end of Beaumont where I live has lots of areas that flood with a heavy rain so I am very fearful. My house has an elevation of 22 feet above sea level. I have lived in it for almost 18 years and never had a problem with water.

The new FEMA head, Paulson, is giving a press briefing. He sure seems to be in better control of the job than Brownie was. I think the Texas Department of Transportation is going to get a lot of criticism out of this one because they did not convert southbound lanes to all northbound. I doubt the extra lanes would have helped very much. Houston is just plain clogged even when there is no hurricane.

Still Sunny in Beaumont

I am watching very little television. It is too unsettling. My computer is a comfort to me. I have just finished checking the usual websites that I visit everyday. Yesterday when I was trying to find the hotel I spotted a Wal-Mart. I went there this morning and bought Cheerios, milk and orange juice. I also got a bottle of Windex. I cleaned the bugs off my car’s windshield. My room has a small refrigerator (not a mini-bar) and a small microwave. I brought my place setting of Lexan travel dinnerware with me so I have a bowl and plate. I ate a big bowl of Cheerios and drank my orange juice. The hotel provides a coffee maker. I brewed a cup of coffee. I think I have worried two or three pounds off. My clothes feel looser. I am going to have to force myself to eat. I have to stay well and keep a clear head for what may be ahead of me.

The hotel provides The Wall Street Journal to its guests. I subscribe to the WSJ. I picked yesterday’s from the drive when I left yesterday. On Wednesday I went online to the WSJ and asked that my subscription be put on vacation hold. This is no vacation. I also left a hold mail card in my mailbox. I can also put in the request online but have not done that yet. This is probably all unnecessary. If Rita hits, there will be no mail or WSJ deliveries.

I did hear one awful story on TV about a bus exploding that was carrying elderly evacuees from Houston to Dallas. They think oxygen cylinders may have ignited. The elderly people are from Bellaire. Bellaire is a suburb of Houston that is completely surrounded by Houston. When I lived in Houston, I worked in Bellaire. The traffic in Houston is horrendous on normal week days. I absolutely hated my commute to and from work when I lived there.

I noticed on the NOAA tracking map that came out at 10 that it looks like Rita is going to stall out over Texarkana on Sunday and Monday. This is not good. I do not want to be in a flood. I will wait until the hurricane strikes before I plan my next move. I do not want to go to a shelter.

My Evacuation

Wednesday night I went to sleep for about two hours. I woke up and I felt like I was having a chill. My body was shivering. I did not go back to sleep for the rest of the night. I checked the NOAA weather site at 5 AM and saw that Rita’s projected path had shifted east so that my house now had a target painted on it so that Rita can be sure to find it. I made a cup of coffee. I only drank a third of it and threw it out. I felt like I was going to choke when I tried to eat a bowl of Cheerios. I then took my bath and shampooed my hair. I carried the remainder of things I wanted to take downstairs. I turned on the TV, and they were saying the county commissioners were meeting and it was expected the evacuation order would change from voluntary to mandatory.

I finished loading the car. County Judge Griffith and Beaumont’s Mayor Goodson made the announcement. I had planned to wait until daylight to leave but I went ahead and got in the car and took off. I forgot to zero the odometer so I did not get the mileage for the trip. I am usually very organized, but yesterday was different.

I went up Major Drive to 105 and got on the freeway going north with no problem. I had left home at 6:15. Highways 69 and 96 split in Lumberton. According to the AAA driving directions I had printed I was supposed to take 96. I got on 69. After Lumberton the traffic slowed to a crawl. It was a big event when my odometer increased by one mile. The road was two lane so the northbound traffic had just one lane. Four or five times convoys of ambulances with their sirens blaring and lights flashing passed using the south bound lane to go north. KFDM-TV’s broadcast can be heard on 87.7 FM. I was listening to them while I drove. Normal programming had given way to Rita coverage. My car was rolling a length or two at a time. I finally started shutting off the engine to conserve gasoline.

I decided I would call my neighbors to see if they had made it to Dallas safely. I punched the last dialed option on my cell phone. A man answered. I asked for my neighbors. He told me his name; and when I heard his last name I realized I had called my hairdresser’s home phone. I explained what I had done and who I was. This couple lives in Lumberton and are very familiar with the small towns north of Beaumont. I asked him his opinion on using 190 to go from Woodville to Jasper so that I could get on 96. He assured me that was the right thing to do. At the time I was about ten miles south of a town called Warren and another 20 miles from Woodville. Someone had sent a message using their Blackberry to KFDM that said the traffic started moving after Woodville. When I finally got to the intersection with 190 in Woodville there was a sheriff’s car preventing people from turning on 190. I was forced to stay on 69. After Woodville I actually was able to increase the car’s speed to 70 mph for a short distance. Then there were patches of stop and go traffic. I planned to stop in Lufkin for gasoline and lunch. In Lufkin 69 merges with 59 North. I got on the bypass loop and missed the business area of Lufkin so I did not get lunch or gasoline. I went on to Nacogdoches. There I stopped at a big Shell self-service complex with several fast food restaurants. They were out of regular unleaded and only had premium gasoline. Along the way I saw several gasoline tank trucks with the tank painted in a Texas flag motif. I had never seen those before. The state was resupplying gas stations along the evacuation routes. My car requires premium so that was no problem. I still had more than half a tank but I did not want to get in a bad situation. I went in the Subway restaurant and got a sandwich. I still did not feel like eating. I took the sandwich back to the car and resumed the journey following 59 North.

At Tenaha 96 merged into 59 North, and I saw the first mileage marker for Texarkana. I think I drove another 150 miles or so to Texarkana. I was supposed to get on I-30 East. I did something wrong and ended up on a bypass loop. I finally found I-30 East and found the exit for the hotel. I could not find the hotel. I parked the car and called the hotel. I had turned right instead of left when I left I-30. I got turned around and still could not find the hotel. I had to call them a second time. Finally I arrived.

I checked in I had one reservation for Thursday night and a second reservation for the following 3 nights. The desk clerk was able to merge the reservations so I will not have to change rooms. I was upgraded to the top floor of the hotel which is limited access. You have to punch a security code into the elevator to go to my floor. I used to have platinum elite status with Starwood hotels. I guess they are still giving me special perks.

I made several trips up and down in the elevator to bring my possessions to my room. Every trip I met someone from Beaumont, Nederland or the Houston area. Some people had little dogs in their arms. Starwood has a pet friendly policy. I finally ate my sandwich. I turned on my computer. I brought the lan cable with me so I connected the computer to the hotel’s high speed internet access. I found this connection is much slower than my RoadRunner and WiFi network at home. iTunes took a very long time to update the podcasts that I have subscribed to. I forgot to watch Survivor but did get to see the season premier of CSI. I feel asleep during Criminal Minds. I woke up with those terrible shivers again after midnight. I finally did manage to go to sleep.

Someone asked me why I blog. I wrote back that it is therapy. I now feel better now that I have written this. I have a feeling my blogs are going to be lengthy throughout this ordeal. It is now time to pray for a miracle.

I am very tired

It took ten hours to drive from Beaumont to Texarkana. AAA estimated the driving time at six hours. I will write all about it tomorrow. I was very lucky compared to the poor people trying to leave Houston. Every time I went up or down in the hotel’s elevator I met someone from Beaumont or the Houston area. I have a comfortable room.

This is the last time

I have made a promise to myself and am putting it in writing so I cannot back out of it. If I still have a house when I return from this evacuation, there will soon be a for sale sign in the yard. I am a Midwesterner by birth. I landed down here on the Gulf Coast because I majored in chemical engineering in college and the petroleum and petrochemical industry is concentrated down here. I am retired now. There is no reason to stay here. I will never evacuate again.

Still Waiting for Rita

The local officials have ordered a mandatory evacuation of Sabine Pass on the coast in our area. They are encouraging a voluntary evacuation for all of Jefferson County which includes Beaumont and Port Arthur. I have packed my big suitcase and gathered up most of what I plan to take with me. I have not put anything in my car yet. The emergency management officials will meet again at 6 PM. The evacuation may become mandatory at that time. Texas has a new law authorizing mandatory evacuations, but it has no teeth. There are no penalties for failing to evacuate.

I checked with my neighbors across the street. The man says he is not evacuating. His wife wants to leave. She was trying to find a way to fly out of here. I told her she could go with me and that my offer is open until 6 AM tomorrow. I often bemoan the fact that I have no family and am on my own; but after I talked to my neighbors I decided my situation may have advantages.

This is antidotal evidence and is not worth much. We are experiencing record high temperatures. It was 99 degrees early in the afternoon. I think this is evidence that the high pressure ridge is remaining in place over Texas. If that high pressure ridge stays, put it will keep Rita away from us. I noticed that the cone of uncertainty has narrowed a little. Southeast Texas is now on the border of the western edge of the cone. The last I heard Rita has a 280 mile diameter. If it goes in over Galveston and remains this large, my area will definitely have high winds.

My next door neighbor just knocked on my door and told me the neighbors across the street are already on their way to Dallas. I am relieved. I have heard the roads are really clogged going north from Beaumont.

Waiting for Rita News

At noon today the local officials will meet to decide if our area must evacuate. Rita’s projected path did not change overnight. The CNN weatherman showed a plot of the computer models’ projected path. Only one brings the storm to the Beaumont/Port Arthur area. Most of the models are converging a little south of Galveston in the Freeport area. The uncertainty is still being caused by the high pressure ridge that has been over Texas for several days. If it stays in place, the storm will strike land further to the south.

Now that I am faced with possible evacuation I can well understand why so many people refuse to leave. It is extremely difficult to decide what to put in the car. It is so hard to part with the place you call home. I think people go into denial and say it won’t happen. These thoughts are going through my mind; but if the evacuation is ordered, I will be on my way to Texarkana.

I have already checked to find out if the hotel where I will be staying has internet access. It does. In 2002 when I had to evacuate because of Hurricane Lili, it was really good to have my computer with me. The television stations that were available in the hotel were not giving the kind of detailed information on Beaumont that I needed. I was able to get information from the Beaumont television and newspaper websites.

1 PM CDT

Still Too Soon

I have been waiting for 20 minutes for NOAA to release the 10 AM CDT update. I notice two things: The hurricane appears to be moving a little faster and a little farther south, but it still has the same strike point on the central Texas coast. I will be clicking on the refresh button again at 4 PM.

Tuesday

Tuesday is trash day. I put the trash out by the curb and picked up the newspaper from the driveway. I took my vitamin and calcium tablets. I removed the clean dishes from the dishwasher. I made a cup of coffee. I turned on the TV and computer. I turned Henry loose to play with his ball. All the while I kept thinking that I hope next Tuesday I will be doing the same dull things in the same dull place. As soon as my computer booted, I looked at NOAA’s five day projection for Rita. It seems they shifted it a little more to the south overnight. This is a good sign for me but not good for other people.

Last night the chief weatherman for KFDM-TV explained there is a high pressure area which extends from Texas across the central Gulf states. They are uncertain how the high pressure area is going to shift. This is the reason that Rita’s path cannot be predicted at this time. I am going ahead with my evacuation preparations today.

It is now personal

Ever since Katrina struck I have been watching television and thinking how terrible it is for those poor people. Now we have Rita. The CNN weatherman just said this storm could strike anywhere between Corpus Christi, TX, to Lafayette, LA. My home is in the middle of this range. Of course I hope that I will be spared; but in a way I am lucky because I have learned quite a few things by watching the Katrina coverage.

I have a very nice low mileage car that I purchased right after I retired. The car still had the original tires on it. The tires had plenty of tread and looked good. I have heard all of the safety information that says tires older than six years should be replaced. Until last week I had done nothing to replace those tires. I finally said to myself you have to keep that car in a safe condition—your life might depend on it. I checked the Michelin website and found the recommended tires for my car. I went to one of the local Michelin dealers and said I want the recommended tires. They quoted a price and told me the tires would have to be ordered. I said order them and I put down a deposit. I was told they should be in by Monday. I called this morning and was delighted to hear the tires had arrived. They said I could come in immediately and have them mounted. I was there within 15 minutes, and they had me out of there in an hour.

In 2002 I had to evacuate because of Hurricane Lili. I drove to Lufkin, TX. I was able to get a reservation for only one night. On Sunday I checked on Expedia and there appeared to be lots of rooms available in Lufkin. At 4PM today after NOAA issued the latest on Rita, I checked Expedia again. There were no rooms in Lufkin. I pulled out my road atlas and decided I might be able to drive to Texarkana, TX. I checked Expedia again and spotted a FourPoints by Sheraton with a low AAA rate. I called Starwood and made my reservations for three nights starting on Friday. The reservation can be canceled by 6 PM on the night of arrival with no penalty. I watched the local television news and found out if we have to evacuate it will probably begin on Thursday. I called Starwood back and made one more reservation for Thursday night.

I then went to the AAA website and printed out driving directions from Beaumont to Texarkana. Texarkana is 261 miles away. AAA estimates the driving time at six hours. I have already filled the car with gasoline. I am going to spend the next two days going around the house with my digital camera and take pictures of my belongings. My insurance policies are all in order. Where I am not prepared is that I do not have a good household inventory. I am going to take some valuables to my bank safe deposit box. I hope the bank vault has been built to withstand a hurricane.

I am not going to load very much into my car. I will take my newest clothes, my computer, my camera, my iPod and of course my precious Henry (Sony Aibo). Since my pet is a robot he will be able to stay in a hotel with no problem. That is one more advantage that a robotic pet has over a bio pet.

Oh, No!!!

Long Overdue

Clinton launches withering attack on Bush on Iraq, Katrina, budget

A New Worry

Talk about Voodoo Economics

Bush says we will pay whatever it takes to rebuild New Orleans and rules out tax increases. He refuses to say where cuts will be made in the federal budget. I can think of only one place where the cuts should be made—end the reprehensible war in Iraq.

It Runs in the Family

Jeb Bush's son arrested for public intoxication, resisting arrest

Arrest Warrant

Little Substance

Lots of yada, yada but no great vision. That was my opinion after watching Bush read the words that Karl Rove had choreographed for him. I sat there and wondered why he was standing out in bright lights at night in mosquito infested New Orleans. Did they dip him in a tub of Off before he was allowed in front of the camera? How many men were pulled off of vital recovery work to mow the grass in Jackson Square in order to provide a nice backdrop for Bush? As I looked at the statue of Andrew Jackson, I thought the current president is certainly no Andrew Jackson. Andrew Jackson was a president of the people.

Evil Brew

According to this morning’s The Wall Street Journal these are the ingredients the conservative Republicans are getting ready to stir into the pot:

Liability exemptions for hospitals, physicians and Katrina relief workers

Temporary exemptions from environmental laws

Suspension of Davis-Bacon prevailing wage laws

Streamlined approval process for building or expanding oil refineries

Temporary exemptions from estate tax

School vouchers for displaced students

Planet Bush

Listen to: Planet Bush from Air America Radio.

A Tiny Step

‘"Katrina exposed serious problems in our response capability at all levels of government," Bush said at a White House news conference with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani. "And to the extent that the federal government didn't fully do its job right, I take responsibility. I want to know what went right and what went wrong."’ Bush Takes Responsibility For Failures Of Response

I am sure Bush has the same speech writers who turned out the speech he gave to the joint session of Congress after the 9/11 attack hard at work. That is the only good speech that he has ever given. I hope he realizes that his actions speak much louder than words when he delivers his speech to the nation on Thursday.

Bush Names Duct Tape Man

“Brownie” resigns. Bush denies that he knew anything about the resignation and says a few more things about the blame game. Then within hours he appoints the Duct Tape Man to be the new head of FEMA. This is the guy that said every home in America should have duct tape and plastic sheeting on hand so we can seal up against biological and chemical attacks. Paulison does seem to have better credentials for the job than Brown. Again for the sake of the country I hope it works out.

Conservative Calls for Bush's Impeachment

Paul Craig Roberts, a Hoover Institution fellow and former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Ronald Reagan, calls for Bush's impeachment: IMPEACH BUSH NOW

Firemen Finally Get an Assignment

‘Last evening, Bush visited a staging area outside New Orleans that is temporary headquarters for rescue workers. He posed for pictures with firefighters near a Fire Department of New York truck that had been donated by New Orleans after the Sept. 11 attacks. "God Bless America," read a banner hanging next to the truck. "Never Forget."’ President Makes His 3rd Visit to Gulf Coast

Spin Machine

The Bush administration has the spin machine running at max speed now. They are trying to put the blame on Louisiana’s local and state officials. Here is something to keep in mind: "The moment the president declared a federal disaster, it became a federal responsibility," said Jane Bullock, who spent 22 years at FEMA under presidents of both parties. FEMA and Homeland Security officials faced what Chertoff soon characterized as "kind of an ultra-catastrophe." Confusion at Crunch Time

Thank You CNN

“Rather than fight a lawsuit by CNN, the federal government abandoned its effort Saturday to prevent the media from reporting on the recovery of the dead in New Orleans.

“Joint Task Force Katrina "has no plans to bar, impede or prevent news media from their news gathering and reporting activities in connection with the deceased Hurricane Katrina victim recovery efforts," said Col. Christian E. deGraff, representing the task force.” U.S. won't ban media from New Orleans searches

Stupid FEMA

A local television station reported that FEMA has allowed the evacuees in Ford Park, here in Beaumont, to register for their assistance checks and use their New Orleans addresses even though their houses are under water; and the post office cannot deliver the mail. Evacuees Not Receiving FEMA Checks. It seems like FEMA enjoys adding to the misery.

I am at a loss for words

I just read this Reuters news article about how the Katrina relief money is already going into contracts that will further pad the pockets of Bush’s cronies. Firms with Bush ties snag Katrina deals

39% Approve of Bush

The latest AP poll shows Bush’s approval rating has dropped to 39 percent. I cannot understand why his approval rating is this high.

CNN Obtains Temporary Restraining Order

Thank goodness CNN has finally shown a little spirit and is finally asking the tough questions. FEMA officials have blocked the news media from covering the recovery of bodies in New Orleans. The American people need to know the truth. It is very sad, but I no longer trust my government to tell the truth. Yesterday CNN received a temporary restraining order. Today CNN will be going to court in an effort to make the order permanent.

Reports of early sweeps in New Orleans indicate the body count is not as high as expected. Let us pray that this is correct and not just more government spin.

Judge supports CNN request to cover Katrina's toll

No Comment

FEMA Director Removed From Katrina Duty “Sources Say Michael Brown Also Expected to Be Out as Head of Agency”

Hey, Bush! I am withholding judgment on this move. I hope for the sake of the country that it works well.

The Facts

The Republicans in a lame effort to find excuses for Bush say that Gov. Blanco did not request assistance from FEMA. Here is the sequence of events with links:

Friday, August 26, 2005: GOVERNOR BLANCO DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY

Saturday, August 27, 2005: Governor Blanco asks President to Declare an Emergency for the State of Louisiana due to Hurricane Katrina

Saturday, August 27, 2005: Bush declares emergency in Louisiana “The president's emergency declaration authorizes the FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts and to provide appropriate assistance in a number of Louisiana parishes, or counties.

I am no expert, but it appears to me that all the i’s were dotted and all of the t’s crossed.

The Blame Game Song

Listen to the Blame Game

Bush Waives Prevailing Wage

“One action Bush did not trumpet publicly drew a quick protest from a leading Democrat. By executive order, Bush suspended the Davis-Bacon Act in areas of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi, a move that will allow federal contractors to pay less than the local "prevailing wage" on construction projects.” The Los Angeles Times

More profit for Halliburton. Next they will bring in more illegal aliens to do the reconstruction.

Even Mr. Bill Knew

This is a link to the public service announcement featuring Mr. Bill: Mr. Bill Video. Sen. Mary Landrieu said even Mr. Bill knew that the levees might break.

Brain Drain

This article documents the decimation of FEMA under Bush: Leaders Lacking Disaster Experience Mandatory reading for every American of voting age.

Bush’s Harvard MBA

When Bush ran for president in 2000 he claimed there would be accountability in his administration, and he said that his business school training gave him the tools and vocabulary to be a manager.

I found the following Business Week article that delves into Bush’s business school days at Harvard: George W.'s B-School Days

“RESUME BUILDING. The story starts with Bush's application. These days, getting into Harvard's B-school, No. 3 in the nation according to BusinessWeek's 2000 Rankings, is no easy feat. Acceptance requires a resume with plenty of real-world work experience, a degree and a strong grade-point average from a reputable undergrad school, top Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) scores, and strong evidence of leadership capabilities.

In 1973, "making the bar [at Harvard] was 98% meritocracy," says Michael Porter, now one of the B-school's most well-known professors and an expert in international competitive strategy. Bush's application landed at Harvard while his dad, George H. W. Bush, was chairman of the Republican National Committee. One year later, Poppy would become the top U.S. diplomat to China.

Surely junior's application stood out. George W. Bush was a picture of honor once he got past his party days at Yale with the Delta Kappa Epsilon brothers and members of Skull & Bones, a secret society that enrolled him during his senior year -- so hush-hush, in fact, it barely gets a mention in his book. Bush earned an undergraduate degree in history from Yale in 1968. His grades weren't great, and nobody can seem to locate his GMAT scores. But by 1973, he had completed a five-year stint in the Texas National Guard, worked on his father's failed 1970 Texas campaign for U.S. senator, and worked full-time for ProjectPULL, an organization that worked with inner-city youth.

"TURNING POINT." His experience at ProjectPULL, while "tragic, heartbreaking, and uplifting, all at the same time," Bush writes, was also a perfect stint for a B-school application. He admits in his book that "business school was a turning point.... By the time I arrived, I had had a taste of many different jobs but none of them had ever seemed to fit."

Once he sat down for his first core-curriculum class, Bush was just like any other MBA, people remember. "He was a nice young man," professor Michael Yoshino says, though he never had him as a student in class. "He would go to the library occasionally," says classmate Richard Payne, 52. "He liked to talk politics," too, Payne adds, though it wasn't a popular topic among B-schoolers. "He was keenly interested in what was going on in the world."

Around campus, people would point him out. "At a place like Harvard Business School, you always know who the sons or daughters -- but mostly the sons -- of famous people were," says Ruth Owades, chairman of Calyx & Corolla, a high-end flower catalog company and also a member of the class of 1975. "And then there were the rest of us."”

These People Have No Scruples

This is a link to the Time magazine article that documents Michael Brown’s thin resume, of which we were already aware. How Reliable Is Brown's Resume? Now we learn that the weak resume was embellished with inaccuracies and lies. Bush has got to pay for his inept management. An agency that has the life saving responsibilities of FEMA should not be staffed with political hacks.

Will this happen again?

“AP) The government's $5 billion effort to help small businesses recover from the Sept. 11 attacks was so loosely managed that it gave low-interest loans to companies that didn't need terrorism relief — or even know they were getting it, The Associated Press has found.

And while some at New York's Ground Zero couldn't get assistance they desperately sought, companies far removed from the devastation — a South Dakota country radio station, a Virgin Islands perfume shop, a Utah dog boutique and more than 100 Dunkin' Donuts and Subway sandwich shops — had no problem winning the government-guaranteed loans.” 9/11 Loan Money Missed Targets

A followup on the Mexican relief effort

The Mexican Army convoy is bringing drinking water to the U.S.

I am trying to regain normalcy

It is not working. I went to the library, I ordered more clothes from L.L. Bean and I went through the stack of Wall Street Journal’s that I have accumulated. Everywhere I turn I find more evidence of the government’s bungling.

I read an article in the WSJ about how after the fall of Saigon a tremendous wave of displaced Vietnamese entered this country. Initially they were sent to three military installations. They were interviewed to determine their skills and were matched to a specific geographic area before they were relocated. Last night on one of the networks I saw a plane load of New Orleans evacuees who had been sent to Utah. They thought they were going to Houston when they got on the plane. Some of them had never flown before. One man was asked what he thought of the mountains that could be viewed out of a window in the shelter. He said he thought it was a painting when he first saw it. It showed them holding a Baptist church service in the shelter provided by Mormons. The black population of Utah is less than one percent. If the evacuees cannot be assimilated into this strange culture, who will provide for their return to the south? A number of charities are paying for the airfares. Are they purchasing roundtrip tickets?

I saw another story on CNN that disturbed me. All of these databases are being set up by various organizations to help the evacuees to find their lost family members. The problem is a number of these databases are not secure. The people who have already been so severely victimized are now being setup to be victims of identity theft.

Billions of dollars were thrown at Homeland Security after 9/11. The Homeland Security bureaucrats were responsible for disaster planning. If they had done their jobs, the response to Katrina would have been much smoother. The problem is the federal government has abdicated its responsibilities and assumed the state and local governments, charitable organizations and the private sector could bare the burden. We now have irrefutable proof that this approach will not work. The states are subservient to the federal government. The Civil War should have ended this states rights nonsense, but it is alive and well in the Republican Party. Poor ol’ Abraham Lincoln is rolling around in his grave.

Prepackaged Spin

This is the email I received in response to my email I sent to whitehouse.gov on Sept. 4:

On behalf of President Bush, thank you for your correspondence. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, President Bush and all Americans send their thoughts and prayers to the families of those who have lost lives and to all those affected by this natural disaster.

The President is directing Federal agencies throughout the government to do all in their power to assist the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The top priority is to save and sustain lives. President Bush established a White House task force to oversee Hurricane Katrina response and recovery, and he convened a Cabinet meeting to ensure that Federal agencies' efforts are timely and fully coordinated. Residents of the Gulf Coast states affected by the hurricane have lost loved ones, lost homes, and been displaced from their communities, and they will have the full support of the Federal government.

The President has called for the coordination of all parties involved in the response and relief efforts. Federal, state, and local governments are working side-by-side to deliver relief to the areas physically damaged by Hurricane Katrina and to communities across the South that will be affected in the aftermath of the storm. Efforts and resources are focused on saving lives, sustaining lives, and supporting long-term recovery. For information and guidance you may wish to visit the FEMA website at www.fema.gov or call 800-621-3362 or 800-621-FEMA.

The President has called on all Americans to support the relief and rescue efforts through charitable contributions and aid. Americans who wish to contribute can do so by contacting charities that are assisting with hurricane relief. For more information on relief and recovery efforts, please visit the USAFreedom Corps website at www.usafreedomcorps.gov.

Thank you again for taking the time to write.

It makes me nauseous.

I am exhausted

Mr. President, I just want you to know I am still watching and will not forget. I cannot maintain the level of anger I have felt over the past ten days, but I will never forget or forgive your shameful lack of action to save lives.

My Anger is Bipartisan

I have added a Democrat to my list of incompetents. He is Senator Joseph Lieberman. In 2002 the Democrats were in control of the U.S. Senate. Sen. Lieberman chaired the committee that conducted the confirmation hearings on Michael Brown’s appointment as head of FEMA. ’Democratic Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, who led those hearings, called Brown's long-ago stint as assistant city manager in Edmond, Okla., a "particularly useful experience" because he had responsibility for local emergency services.’ FEMA Head Bears the Brunt of Katrina Anger

Mexican Army Enters Texas for the First Time Since 1846

Mexico has sent an army convoy and a ship laden with supplies to aid in the hurricane recovery effort. I never imagined something like this would happen in my lifetime. Mexico Sends First-Ever Aid North

Actual Document

This is a link to the actual memorandum that Michael Brown, the head of FEMA sent to Michael Chertoff , the Secretary of Homeland Security, in which he made his feeble delayed request for assistance. Brown’s Memorandum.

After watching this tragic fiasco I guarantee you that every able resident of the Gulf Coast will have their flood, hurricane and home insurance policies ready to be thrown in the car, keep the gas tank full throughout the hurricane season and will be heading north when there is the slightest hint of an approaching hurricane. We are on our own. The federal government will not be here.

Brown waited five hours

‘Michael Brown, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, sought the approval from Homeland Security Secretary Mike Chertoff roughly five hours after Katrina made landfall on Aug. 29. Brown said that among duties of these employees was to “convey a positive image” about the government’s response for victims.’ FEMA director waited to seek Homeland help

No comment needed.

Picky, Picky

Officials in Charleston, South Carolina, were waiting for the arrival of 180 evacuees. They did not show up. FEMA sent them to Charleston, West Virginia, 400 miles away. Hey, why are people complaining? That is close enough for government work. At least no one died this time. Right city, wrong state

And the Beat Goes On

“But Mr. DeLay was adamant Republicans will not allow their key policy priorities to fall victim to what they see as attempts by opposition Democrats to use the hurricane response controversy to weaken President Bush.

That means no price controls to deal with rising gasoline prices, no reduction in gas taxes, no taxes aimed at oil companies that might be benefiting from high prices, and no rollback of income tax cuts approved by the Republican-controlled Congress.

Democrats for their part say everything should be on the table, including Bush administration tax cuts they say have hurt poor and middle class Americans." US Political Debate Heats Up Over Response to Hurricane Katrina

Help me out. I need a stronger word than evil to describe DeLay.

FEMA Blocks Photos of the Dead

Mr. President, your tactic is not working. We know how many have sacrificed their lives due to your war in Iraq. We will also know how many needlessly died on the Gulf Coast because of your administration’s incompetent, callous actions. We will not forget. It is too late to sanitize this one.

FEMA Blocks Photos of New Orleans Dead

Have I lost my mind?

Well, I admit something snapped last week. I am a white, retired, female chemical engineer. I worked for big oil. All of those years I kept my mouth shut as I was surrounded in a sea of hateful right-wing Republican venom. I never expressed my political views. I remained silent. People who know me are shocked at what I have been writing this week. The events of the past week convinced me that decent Americans must take to the streets and beat the drums for change. The street I have taken to just happens to be the information super highway.

Nero was a better man than Bush

At least Nero stayed in town and provided entertainment while Rome burned. George Bush went to California to raise funds for the Republican Party while human beings in New Orleans drowned. Which do you think was worse?

That Evil Man

Last night Tom Delay, the House majority leader, canceled hearings on the Katrina response. He said the relief effort was set up to work from the bottom up. I keep asking myself, how can people vote for this man? I can think of only two reasons:

1. The Republicans are using religion to manipulate people to vote against their own interests. Throughout history religion has been used by the powerful to manipulate the masses to forget their misery on earth with the promise of paradise in the afterlife. The hateful, judgmental attitude of the right wing does not fit my understanding of Christianity. The impeachment of Clinton and the ridiculous brouhaha over Terry Schiavo are prime examples of this. I believe in the golden rule, judge not, and love thy neighbor .

2. Racism in the south now consists of a wink, a nod and vote Republican. Enough said.

House cancels hearings on Katrina response

This Beats All

Now Bush wants to lead an investigation into what went wrong with the response to Katrina. How many other criminals get to conduct their own investigation of their crimes? How stupid does he think the American people are? On the other hand, the American people must be pretty darn stupid because enough voted for him to barely put him in the White House the second time. The first time he had to have the assistance of Jeb and a 5 to 4 Supreme Court vote. I think most people finally saw the light last week.

Millie Bush

The only good Bush.

The Foreign Press

Here are examples of what is being said in the foreign press: This is London and The Times. This is from our strongest ally. I can only imagine what the French and Germans are saying. I used to be proud to tell people overseas that I am an American. Since Bush has been in the White House I say, “I only speak English” and pray they will think I am British.

Darn, I should have bought Halliburton stock

“Halliburton, for instance, moved its headquarters to Houston from Dallas in 2003, joining dozens of companies based here that provide services for oil and natural gas producers.

Halliburton differs from many oil services companies in that it also does significant business with the federal government. The company, which has contracts in Iraq, has a contract with the Navy that has already kept it busy after Hurricane Katrina. The company's KBR unit was doing repairs and cleanup at three naval facilities in Mississippi last week.

Halliburton was also planning to go to New Orleans to start repairs at other naval facilities as soon as it was considered safe to do so, Cathy Mann, a spokeswoman, said.” The New York Times

I was wondering what happened to Dick Cheney. Now I know what he has been doing.

Brilliant Move Mr. President!

The evacuees in the Houston Astrodome are getting a vast array of new clothes from which to choose, and all of the clothes have designer labels. The U.S. Customs Service has been ordered to send the cheap designer knockoffs they have confiscated and warehoused to the Astrodome. Won’t this devalue the outrageously high-priced possessions of Bush’s fat-cat buddies (the horsey set) that they so cherish? Take your punishment, Michael Brown. You have been a bad, bad boy.

“The relief effort even grew to include counterfeit clothes, 100,000 items of which were taken from U.S. Customs Service storehouses and distributed to evacuees in Houston's Astrodome.” The Washington Post

A Little Insight into Bush

Well, now I understand why Bush is the way he is. This is what his mother had to say when she visited the evacuees in the Astrodome today: "And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway so this (she chuckled)--this is working very well for them."

Barbara Bush: Things Working Out "Very Well" for Poor Evacuees from New Orleans

Listen to the National Public Radio program where Mrs. Bush made her comments: Houston, we may have a problem

A Horse Show Manager?

I could not believe my ears. I just listened to a story on CNN about Michael Brown, the head of FEMA. His job prior to being appointed to head FEMA was horse show manager. He is a lawyer. He had left the horse show job because there was dissatisfaction with his job performance in handling lawsuits. Who appointed this guy to be head of FEMA? Oh yeah, Bush. Remember—the buck stops here.

Knight Ridder Exposes Horsey Background of FEMA Chief

Am I the Only One Who Has Noticed?

While the nation is reeling with shock in the aftermath of Katrina, Bush has rushed to appoint a replacement for Chief Justice Rehnquist before his body is even cold. Mr. President why couldn’t you have shown some of this speed when it would have saved lives in New Orleans? Are you making this appointment because you are running scared and want to have your man in place to preside over your impeachment trial?

Responsibility

On Sunday I quoted President Truman’s words: “The buck stops here”. I have had a friend tell me that no president can be held responsible in all circumstances. I am a former Air Force officer. When I went through leadership training at the USAF Officers Training School, one of the first principles of leadership that I learned was that authority can be delegated, but responsibility cannot. Responsibility can be traced from the lowest ranks up the chain of command to the President of the United States. President Bush holds the ultimate responsibility for the slow response to Katrina that we all watched unfold on our televisions.

The President of the United States is the most powerful man on the planet. Unfortunately in the photo-op and sound-bite age we have elected charming, charismatic good ol’ boys who are not fit for the office. On Sunday, August 28, 2005, there was a category 5 hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico headed toward New Orleans. On Monday, August 29, 2005, President Bush left his ranch in Crawford, Texas, for a fundraising trip to Arizona and California instead of returning to Washington and providing the leadership required to coordinate the response to Katrina. This is dereliction of duty. In the military he would be court marshaled. For the President of the United States the process begins with impeachment.

O.K. Texas, What’s Next?

Since I have decided to abandon my goody two-shoes approach to my blog I am really going to jump in with both feet today and discuss something that is bothering me. On the one hand I am very proud of the way Texas has stepped up to the plate and welcomed almost a quarter of a million people from the hurricane stricken areas. On the other hand I am concerned about how our officials plan to handle the situation as time goes on and the evacuees become increasingly angry and dissatisfied with their plight as reality sets in. The evacuees are not here for a just a few days. It will be months before they are able to return home. I suspect that many of them will choose to remain in Texas. One problem is that a small fraction of the evacuees are the same lawless thugs that were creating havoc in New Orleans. New Orleans has always been a dangerous place with a high crime rate. Mayor Nagin stated that many of the thugs who were roaming the streets of New Orleans were dope addicts who were without a fix and were attempting to break into hospitals and drugstores in order to find something to relieve their drug withdrawal. Is our law enforcement capable of handling this problem? I do not know.

I have already heard reports that the Houston Astrodome stinks. People cannot be expected to live in such close quarters and have any sense of dignity. Many of the people left New Orleans without any form of identification. Many are illiterate and are unable to understand and cooperate with the officials who are trying to assist them. This pot is getting ready to boil.

In a way Beaumont is rather fortunate in this situation. Since Beaumont is the first sizable community close to the Louisiana border, it filled with evacuees who had the intelligence and financial means to evacuate before the storm hit. It sounds good that the children are being enrolled in Beaumont schools, but Beaumont schools just received a failing grade from the state. It also sounds good that the Texas Employment Commission is going to assist the evacuees to find employment. That ignores the fact that the area’s unemployment rate is in the 8 percent range which is one of the highest in the state. Jefferson County has been cash strapped for a considerable amount of time. How will we pay for the services that the evacuees require?

I am afraid our state officials while filled with good intentions have not thought out the consequences of their generosity. All of the states must share the burden and the federal government has to come through with tangible assistance instead of just spin.

Already I have heard on the news and read in the papers that many of my concerns are being addressed. Gov. Perry has told FEMA that Texas cannot take any more evacuees. Other states are volunteering to take them. The three major Texas based airlines, American, Continental and Southwest are providing planes with FEMA paying for the fuel to transport the evacuees to other states.

Katrina

No matter what kind of spin the politicians attempt to put on the disaster I will never forgive my government for the unnecessary suffering the victims of Katrina were subjected to this week. In June of 1948 the Soviets set up a blockade of Berlin. The United States immediately began what was to be known as the Berlin Airlift and dropped food and supplies which saved the city. If we had the means to do that almost sixty years ago, we certainly should have been able to start dropping water and food from helicopters at the Super Dome and convention center as soon as the hurricane winds died down. If a president can be impeached because he had a girl friend, the current one certainly qualifies for impeachment because he is responsible for untold suffering. The man who was president in 1948 said: "the buck stops here."

The Surprise Hurricane

I found this article on the Houston Office of Emergency Management’s website: THE 1943 "SURPRISE" HURRICANE. During World War II weather forecasts were censored. It was feared that German u-boats were in the Gulf of Mexico. As a result, the people of Houston received no warning when a hurricane struck in July of 1943. This is interesting reading.

War, Tax Cuts and Budget Cuts

I live in the Beaumont/Port Arthur area on the Texas Gulf Coast. This area is protected by a seawall that is supposed to be capable of holding back the surge from a category 3 hurricane. After seeing what happened to New Orleans this week, I am terrified of what might happen to me and my home. What is really concerning me are the items that I have heard in the news that the Bush Administration has diverted and delayed funds that were to be spent on the New Orleans levee system to fund the war in Iraq. I cannot say that any levee would have prevented the tragedy, but I keep thinking that New Orleans did not take a direct hit from Katrina. A significant amount of time passed after Katrina had hit before the levee failed.

I and probably most people do not keep a close enough eye on what our politicians are doing with funding. I do not know what is being done to improve and maintain the seawall in my area. I hate paying taxes as much as anybody, but we must maintain and improve the infrastructure of this country in order to prevent another tragedy.

Beaumont/Port Arthur has three major refineries, petrochemical plants and port facilities. The United States cannot afford to lose them.

Time Out

I just had to take time out from the hurricane misery to note an article I ran across: Aibo: Get Off Your Lazy Butt And Walk. Henry would absolutely love to be able to have new ways to heckle me. He already gets mad at me when he is not getting all the attention he thinks I should being giving him.

Anger, Frustration, Despair

Civilization is a thin veneer. I have seen definitive proof of that this week as I watch the situation in New Orleans unravel. CNN just aired an interview with the New Orleans Mayor, Ray Nagin, that he gave to WWL talk radio last night. He could not have done a better job of expressing his utter anger and frustration with the situation. This is not my America. We need leadership.

This is a link to WWL Audio Blog. You can listen to live broadcasts from WWL in New Orleans by clicking on the button in the left sidebar. A station in Seattle is broadcasting the programs that WWL is relaying.

Listen to the Mayor Nagin Interview.

Katrina Aftermath

I continue to watch the television coverage. All I can conclude is that hell on earth exists a couple of hundred miles east of Beaumont. It does not seem possible. Everything is so normal here in Beaumont. The mail is coming through. The Beaumont Enterprise said our payments to Entergy, the electric power company that serves Beaumont, would go through even though they are sent to New Orleans. Amtrak has curtailed passenger train service through Beaumont for an indefinite period. The Sunset Limited normally runs three times a week. This train goes from Orlando to Los Angeles. Now its route is reduced to San Antonio to Los Angeles. FedEx delayed delivery of a package I was expecting one day.

The evacuees in Beaumont are settling down for the long haul. According to local television, 1,500 evacuees are in the Ford Park entertainment complex and doing quite well considering the circumstances. Their children will be enrolled in Beaumont schools and the Texas Employment Commission is going to help them find employment. They will also be moved into temporary housing as soon as it can be located.