Hurricane Notes
==> I thought that the left side of the blogosphere would react similarly to the hurricane as it did to the tsunami. However, despite some derangement there’s some real compassion out there. Via Instapundit’s long list of donation sites came Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, challenging people to donate to the Red Cross. I know how frustrated I was when the right side reached out–and got smacked–over at dKos and DU.
Skippy, you’ve got my $100.01. Thanks.
==> A colleague at work has Red Cross connections, whereof comes this story. A 76-year-old man fell and couldn’t move. He waited until the water came to his chest and activated his lifeline button “fallen-and-can’t-get-up” thingy–and the center was there, but they couldn’t get through to anyone. They called the American Red Cross, and the call center in Omaha got the word. They hooked up with an amateur radio operator there, who got in contact with a ham in Louisiana, who got aid in.
==> I mentioned REACT, and I should mention the ARRL. Those fancy trunked radio systems don’t work even on good days. The cell phones go down fast. When the phones are gone, only radio and messengers work–and messengers ain’t too effective. REACT uses volunteers and CB radios. The ARRL uses shortwave in all its forms, and they’re doing great work.
==> They found Fats Domino–but where is Alex Chilton? Oh geez.
==> Went to a Cracker Barrel for lunch. They had a sign up saying “here’s a list of needed donation items, and we’re shipping what we get to our employees affected by Katrina.” Makes a lot of sense, and it actually works, apparently, because last year they did it for their guys in Florida and wound up donating overage to the Red Cross–76,000 pounds worth. Good for Cracker Barrel.
==> At least twice in my life I and the family I lived with lost everything to natural disaster. It’s a lot worse when you lose the entire neighborhood and your job. Stuff is just that–just stuff–but losing people and livelihood is much harder. Wish I were on the ESG pulling in…
3 Responses to “Hurricane Notes”
Trackback URL for Hurricane Notes: http://gmapalumni.org/chapomatic/wp-trackback.php?p=1170
September 2nd, 2005 at 6:53 pm
thanks so much chap! i’m happy that i can motivate others to help our fellow countrymen!
September 3rd, 2005 at 6:00 am
My father is a ham radio operator and he still goes out with his 2 meter rig for ” ARRL Field Days.” The ARRL is one of the best organizations on the planet in my opinion, although people don’t notice them much in these days of the internet. I even had a HAM liscence once, W3NTVP was my call letters. Unfortunately I liked girls too much and let it lapse. Then I joined the Navy and they beat so much electronics inot my head that the last thing I was going to do was “go DX”ing. Accordingly, I discovered booze and golf.
February 6th, 2007 at 12:33 am
[...] Skippy the Bush Kangaroo is someone I disagree with on a pretty regular basis. On the other hand, we worked together once toward a common goal, and he was a decent sort. So if he’s getting dropped by Kos and Duncan Black/Atrios, the least I can do is add him to my meager blogroll. Hope his server can handle the almost weekly pageviews this linking will generate. [...]