A blog has sprung up from a group of kids who are stuck in New Orleans but have a generator, internet access and a bunch of servers. Obviously some techno-nerds. They are streaming a live webcast also. The latest from them:
4:00 pm
Been Busy.
My screw-up earlier with respect to diesel preparations has been rectified. We’ve got 18 drums on the floor level awaiting the next truck delivery today or tomorrow. We had to empty all drums into the tanks, move them down there, work on the building’s small emergency power generator to get the freight elevator working (this included hand-pumping a couple of drums of fuel into the tank), and a whole lot of other crap…. Not gonna bore you with the mundane.
Then we had to take a router down to city hall to try to get the city rolling on their internet. That included wading through water. God, the city is a mess when you head down Poydras that way. The Superdome looks like the Jenin refugee camp. God help this city. Whether or not it ought to be rebuilt is secondary to the real issue: can it be rebuilt. Looking around, I wouldn’t know where or how to start. Good luck with that.
Will update in a bit.
1:28 pm
The word is that in Jefferson Parish and Orleans, FEMA has “bugged out.” They haven’t brought supplies in.THE REAL MILITARY IS NOW FLOWING IN. National Guard is being replaced before our eyes. Watch the feed.
Word is that the Marines are at 1515 Poydras where our OC4s are. I think we’re coming back online in force shortly.
On another note: I’ve just been told that we’re being monitored in Iraq! To all the troops there, from one soldier to another, we’re hanging tough here and you hang tough too. No matter what you’re hearing, we love you guys and want you to know that we know how hard you’ve got
1:05 pm
If anyone who works for or has connections with Bell South or Telcove is reading this, tell us what it’s going to take to get those OC3s back up and running. We will try to coordinate and make it happen.
11:50 am
Update
My first tactical mistake. We were unprepared to accept the fuel when it arrived. The fuel arrived way too soon for us and we did not have all the empty drums down one ground floor when they got here. The driver had other deliveries to make, so rather than waste his time, I told him we’d recoordinate and be ready for him later today or tomorrow.That’s the bad news. Here’s the worse news:
All of our providers are dropping. We’re down to one. We have enough fuel to keep us powered for a long time, but we could lose internet access soon if our last provider drops.
So I guess what I’m saying is that any moment could be my last moment online. If we do lose internet, Outpost Crystal might have to be abandoned by all but Sig and Myself. I’ve got to get Crystal out of here safely and relocated to someplace out of this state. I’m working on escape routes now.
Calling any and all Intercosmos and Directnic employees. We need you to contact Donnie in email and on ICQ ASAP.
Situtation is critical.
I’m not leaving, so stop asking. I’m staying. I am staying until this shitstorm has blown itself out. Period. End of discussion.
Now for some updates:
1. Been too busy to debrief the police officer, so that will come later. Low priority now.
2. Buses loading people up on Camp Street to take refugees to Dallas, or so the word on the street (literally) is.
3. Dead bodies everywhere: convention center, down camp street, all over.
4. National Guard shoving water off the backs of trucks. They’re just pushing it off without stopping, people don’t even know it’s there at first — they drop it on the side in debris, there’s no sign or distribution point — people are scared to go near it at first, because the drop points are guarded by troops or federal agents with assault rifles who don’t let people come near them, which scares people off. It is a mess. When people actually get to the water, they are in such a rush to get it that one family left their small child behind and forget about him until Sig carried him back to the family.
5. Lots of pics coming soon when Sig has time to update.
It’s raining now and I guess that’s a relief from the heat. It’s hot as hell down there in the sun. Crime is absolutely rampant: rapes, murders, rape-murder combinations.
I have really cut back answering IMs. Not enough time. I apologize people.
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