Slashdot Mirror
T-Mobile Offers Relief for Hurricane Victims
lilrowdy18 writes "Eweek reports that T-Mobile is offering free Wi-Fi to areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. This relief will be free until Sept 2 and an evaluation will be done to see if it will continue after that. The hot spots are only available to residents of Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi and does not include phone service. The article also includes a link to a map of T-Mobile hotspots. At least we can use some form of communication to get in touch with loved ones."
I had a friend, located in Biloxi, MS contact me via SMS this morning to let me know that he and his family were all ok. Their house and their cars were flooded out. He had to turn off the mobile after a couple messages to conserve energy.
Now, I saw this story ahead of time (and t-mobile's site was already snail slow) but I got to the page for Mississippi. My SMS to him:
t-mobile is offering free wifi to hurricane victims: Flowood (Borders),
Kinkos (Hattiesburg & Jackson), and Starbucks (Ridgeland & Southaven)
Now, after I sent it, I thought about it. In the entire state of MS they have *5* wifi hotspots? Are these locations operational? Will they offer some electric draw for those that need it?
I really think it's great that t-mobile is offering this to those people affected by the storm but so few locations and many w/o power? What good can it really do? Skype, where are you?
Most of these people would probably prefer telephone service over Internet access. Luckily this guy was able to e-mail via SMS and get in touch w/those that care about him.
I'm just glad that one of the people I know from the area is ok and I wish all those affected by the storm the best of luck for a speedy and safe recovery.
I have put up a mirror of locations in text format. Hopefully this will be easier to disseminate.
This relief will be free until Sept 2
That doesn't make any sense. Why would you only do it for 3 days and then "evaluate" whether you'll charge or not. Why in the world wouldn't you offer it for at least a week or two before evaluating? So if you are stuck in the disaster area and want to get a hold of someone that way, you've only got until Friday. After that you are out of luck or you might have to pay.
I think it's good they are helping out, but that's almost a cheap way to get some good press.
If you are a company like that and you really want to help, then go in whole-heartedly.
A man with a gun is called a citizen. A man without a gun is called a subject.
Well that's good. What people without electricity, food, drinking water, and a roof over their heads really need is internet access!
So, exactly how does someone without power get a computer working? Are they really that hard up for porn?
Hey T-mo! Stop pushing your products and instead give something that could really help. Like phone service so people can call loved ones, or cold hard cash to help bring relief.
We may not have a house, a vehicle, or any earthly posessions for that matter, but at least we have free WiFi with our frappuccino!
people need food, shelter, power, etc and you give a month of free wifi. Well, the people who do have a laptop, despite they have no home, they still have their inet porn!! woo!
This is just great, this is just what these people need. Free WIFI for a couple of days
Actually this is a clever PR stunt by T-Mobile, it is not like anyone actually has electricity to use these hotspots.
These victims need water, food, clothing and shelter. And of course money to rebuild, why not donate a couple days of revenue instead of free WIFI?
T-mobile does realize that there's no power, right?
If they want to help, they can get more manpower working on the phone system. I evacuated from New Orleans to north Alabama, and my t-mobile phone service has been spotty at best. I haven't been able to make outgoing calls for the last 3 days and I've only been able to get a few incoming calls.
-----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK----- Version: 3.12 GIT d? s: a-- C++++ UL++++ P++ L+++ E- W++ N o-- K- w--- O- M+ V PS+ P
Another option is to go meet your friendly neighbor ham radio op. I'm sure there is an emergency net operating right now.
Krispy Kreme is offering residents whose homes were destroyed a chance to win a free dozen donuts.
Similarly, Pizza Hut is offering a Buy-1-Get-1-Free offer for anyone who lives in New Orleans (good until tomorrow morning).
Wer mit Ungeheuern kämpft, mag zusehn, dass er nicht dabei zum Ungeheuer wird. --Nietzsche
I'm sure this will help many people deal with the emergency by using the net to communicate.. an interesting side effect, since phone service isn't provided, is people will probably use more VOIP programs such as Skype, which are an alternative to T-Mobile's regular service..
oh wait.. did i say a month? im dumb. i meant 2-3 days. THANKS A BUNCH!
Fantasy World is giving free lapdances at their nearest location.. do they really need it at that hour? they could set up some more towers or join other mobile operators and provide a blanket coverage all over these states for greater accessibility (free roaming or so)
Army Corps of Engineers: water is no longer flowing into New Orleans from Lake Pontchartrain
So are you saying you're going to pay for everyone to mail letters!? You are a nice guy.
Stop Global Warming!
Just say no to irreversible processes!
What great guys they are at T-Mobile! Reaching out with free wifi. I'm touched. Its a great marketing move, and during the next catastrophe they can plan ahead and hand out free 6oz bottles of water with a "T-Mobile" label.
At really big emergencies, they can give out free "T-Mobile" blankets
For the next terrorist attack, they can hand out bandages with "T-Mobile" subtly stitched in.
The only PT Boat Journal on the web: http://www.PT171.org
A coworker told me that he has been using Nextel to communicate with people in the area without any problems whatsoever. Not free, but he said it works.
Best Windows Freeware
It's better than going to Six Flags. Free Admission to KATRINA Evacuees Over Labor Day Weekend http://www.sixflags.com/parks/astroworld/ParkPress /Katrina.html
Hey! House under water? Everything you own destroyed? Come eat overpriced food, spend your last $80 and watch other people have fun!
...this laptop I just looted!
Sorry, bad joke, but I couldn't help it.
What would be more helpful is if T-mobile brought over generators and created computer kiosks in shelters and surrounding areas with free Internet access (and phones!) so people can contact their loved ones and let them know, "Hey I made it out safely!"
Otherwise I agree with what people have already said... This is PR bull-caca!
Well not all of Louisian is under martial law. Just New Orleans.
While others are donating real money out of their personal pockets, T-Mobile is donating a couple of hundred dollars worth of Wi-Fi. How about handing out some of the cheap pre-paid phones with service. Or better yet, some communications centers with computers and phones that people can come and try to get a message out to their families.
A couple of trucks with personnel, generators, multiple GPRS data connections, computers and a dozen cell phones - might cost $50-60,000 (being generous). Far less than one television ad with what's-her-name, and would actually be of some use to those in Louisiana.
Oh yeah, bring some bottled water with you.
Let's see here. We are looking for someone in New Orleans who fits the following description: 1) Has a dry cell phone 2) Has a charged cell phone 3) Has T Mobile service 4) Who knows T Mobile is offering this service I'll bet that's approximately no one. T Mobile should get off their arrogant butts from offering free Wi Fi access for THREE DAYS to a destroyed city and offer some real help.
And where exactly do I get the power for my laptop?
T-mobile does not have electricity, food, drinking water, or building materials. They could possibly buy such things, but it isn't what they have on hand. What they have is wireless communication services. They are a cell phone company. They are giving what they have.
I'll agree that perhaps this isn't going to be the most realistically useful thing ever. But at least they are doing something.
Yes, free cell phone service would have possibly been something that t-mobile has which would be even more useful, but there are practical barriers there. That is, most people don't have cell phones which you can just reassign to a different cell phone carrier at will, and even with phones with such features most people don't know how to use them. It seems likely either you're an existing t-mobile customer and can already use their network, or you're not easily going to be getting on their cell network anyway. Wifi may have a more limited utility than cell service, but there's fewer logistics involved in letting people use it.
In the meantime, if you or anyone else reading this is really concerned with being productive, something easy to do to help would maybe be instead of complaining on slashdot, take the time in the next couple of days to donate blood
Irritable, left-wing and possibly humorous bumper stickers and t-shirts
and an evaluation will be done to see if it will continue after that.
Relax, complainers. It's not that T-Mobile is deciding whether or not they WANT to continue it. They just don't know whether their network will hold up after a few days. And this has nothing to do with the hurricane, just business as usual at T-Mobile. When I use their Starbucks hotspots, I'm lucky to have one workday without a service interruption, let alone a few days.
What's your damage, Heather?
It's nice to know that someone can get reception with T-Mobile. ;)
(Yeah, I'm jaded. Hey T-Mobile, another tower in the higher elevations of 34689 would make me the happiest man alive)
I read about people using craigslist to try and post info about missing loved ones... It would be helpful if the free hotspots would redirect people to a missing persons / general information page where they could get an idea of what services are available and what their best bet is for locating people or letting others know where they are.
Get your torrents...
Louisiana's state constitution does not allow for martial law. A state of emergency has been declared for the areas most impacted by Hurricane Katrina, but that is a far cry from a state of martial law.
From TFA: T-Mobile service locations include Borders, FedEx/Kinko's, Starbucks, Hyatt Hotels, Red Roof Inn motels, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and US Airways. If I am staying at Hyatt or am near prominent office/location/outlet, do I need a Wifi?
Ya know -- we sit here and make jokes about hurricane victims not really needing WiFi services, but let's look at a more relevant "web community" issue...
Apple.com and Amazon.com jumped on the donation (Red Cross and other charities) bandwagon within a day or two of the tsunamis last December. I really admired them for doing that -- it spoke highly of their awareness of the powerful community of online customers/users that they could tap for donations to help the victims of the tsunamis.
I e-mailed them today asking where the dedicated homepages for Red Cross donations for hurricane relief. So many people visit their sites every day -- they have a real opportunity to stem the relief effort tide now rather than later. It's odd that a local American disaster hasn't registered as quickly, EVEN IF the loss of life is so much less.
Maybe I'm expecting too much for massive property damage (hurricane) vs. massive loss of life (tsunami). Maybe they've not had enough time to come up with something. I would definitely hold them in high esteem for getting something up -- such an opportunity there.
Meanwhile, if you want to donate to the Red Cross, be sure to use a localized website (e.g. http://www.atlantaredcross.org/) if you're having trouble getting to the main Red Cross website. You'll get through to online donation forms, and you'll also have a better chance of earmarking donations for hurricane relief rather than general relief funds.
IronChefMorimoto
This'll go great with the laptop I just looted!
Cingular Wireless has set up free emergency calling stations at its open company-owned retail stores across Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana to help the many individuals and families who are without power and phone service due to Hurricane Katrina.
Free phone calls to friends and family anywhere in the United States can be made at Cingular stores during normal store hours. The calling stations are available to anyone who simply needs to use a phone.
The company has also set up a free mobile calling station at the Cajundome in Lafayette where thousands of evacuees are being housed.
All Cingular stores will offer free calls as they open.
Gather round the camp fire chilin'! Grandpa is going to regale us with stories of how T Mobile came to the rescue when the city was destroyed.
T Mobile will long be remembered for this, I'm sure.
I know they are doing it out of the goodness of their hearts, but come on, they can do better than that! Until sept 2nd????? I bet there are thousands who lost their wallets and such, can't find there credit cards.
Relief is what you get when someone takes over for you.
Relief is what you experience when you get something you badly needed.
Relief is what you feel when your pain is removed or reduced.
Getting free WIFI access in a few limited locations where there is no freaking power to charge a laptop (or probably even run the hotspot) is not relief, it is a PR move.
Check out our infosecurity industry blog: http://securitymusings.com/
Office Depot: $1m
BP: $1m cash + $/$ match of employee donations
Capital One: $1m cash
Anheuser-Busch: $250K cash + 875K cans of water
Eli Lilly: $1m cash + $/$ match of employee donations + $1m in insulin
Kellogg: $500k cash and food
Home Depot: $1.5m cash
Wal-Mart: $1m cash
Exxon Mobil: $2m cash
Amerada Hess: $1m cash + $/$ match of employee donations
Chevron: $5m cash
JP Morgan Chase: $1m cash + $/$ match of employee donations
DuPont: $1m cash
GM: $400k cash + vehicles
Culligan: 5 semi trailers of water
CVS: $250K cash + $254K in food and water
~Someday, I hope to be an aspiring author.
no house, no car, no food, no water, employer underwater, but dang it, I can still play my addictive MMORPG!
"Flame away, I wear asbestos underwear"
Some other companies are donating some more useful things. Here is a link that describes what some different companies have donated or promised so far:8 -30.html
http://www.onphilanthropy.com/onthescene/os2005-0
From the page, it seems Cingular is offering something more practical:
Cingular Wireless: Cingular Wireless has created free emergency calling stations in its retail stores in affected states. When conditions allow, it will send out vans to offer the service on a mobile basis.
Here in Pensacola we were nailed pretty hard by the eastern eye wall of Ivan last September. Nothing like these poor blokes but pretty bad.
Within a few days, virtually every cell phone provider in the area had brought in mobile cell towers on trailers and crates full of cell phones. Anyone who could make it to one of the many locations was allowed free, unlimited use of the phones from that location. This went on for SEVERAL days.
It's great PR and it was incredibly beneficial to the residents whose homes had been washed away.
My guess is that T-Mobile is offering this now because of the near impossibility of entering these areas. Be patient and rest assured that companies like Verizon and Alltel won't pass up the chance for good press, a positive brand impression on consumers in a given area and , let's hope, the opportunity to do some good for people who are in desperate need.
In related news, Taco Bell has announced that if the water level in New Orleans reaches a certain mark on their Taco Bell FloodMeter(tm), everyone in America wins a free taco.
Celebrate the finer things in life
Now that Vinokourov has signed wit hLiberty Seguros. Basso's gonna win it next year anyways. (Note to self: what's the overlap of the nerd and bike nuts domains?)
=======
Science -- Sealed, Delivered.
Depending on how fast a connection you're offering, there are enough voice-via-Internet clients out there that T-Mobile's offer could very well count for phone service.
Hey, don't get me wrong, I'm all for donating blood in principle.
But people are dying of exposure and drowning. Blood transfusions will do nothing for them.
I'm sure there are some injured people around who do need some blood, perhaps more than normal. But given that there aren't refrigerated trucks to get the blood there (hell, there isn't even gas), what good is this influx of blood really going to do?
Honestly, cell phone service would probably be more useful than blood in those areas right now.
Cue the hams...
http://lkml.org/lkml/2005/8/20/95
This is a generous (marketing) move by T-Mobile. But a bit of an empty gesture in much of the area. New Orleans is now Atlantis, at least 80% submerged. Without power. Anyone with the money for a computer has fled the city, probably not to return for weeks or more. Power won't be restored, certainly not to most of the city, for days or weeks - maybe months, knowing New Orleans, and the possibility that the city won't ever be repopulated. None of the desktops will work without power, and laptops will be dead by now without recharging. Emergency services might use this offer, but they've got their own wireless comms, with their own bands, which aren't WiFi.
This offer reflects well on T-Mobile. But it doesn't mean that much, at least in New Orleans and other similarly devastated towns. Considering its hollow benefit is worthwhile to everyone considering how such a disaster changes fundamentals in the region. Most of us have our own catastrophe risks to consider. We can't expect something like "free WiFi" to help us when our world actually turns upside down.
--
make install -not war
I see all these people getting pissed at T-Mobile... it's understandable, yeah. I mean, their entire life just got blown to shit, no pun intended.
But T-Mobile is not an energy company, or a grocery store chain, or Goodwill. They are a telecommunications company, and that's what they know. Just like I'm a geek. If I were a company, I'd be doing exactly the same thing: doing what I can to help out. I wouldn't be flying helicopters, I'd be setting up communications. I have a bunch of computer hardware, not medical supplies. I wouldn't expect Motorola to jump in with Insulin, or Apple to show up at the stadium with 9k people stuck inside with fresh food -- and if they did, I bet the same shout would come up. "It's all a big PR stunt."
They're a company with a bunch of wireless access points in various cities. And now they're opening them up so you can email whoever and let them know you're okay (or look at pr0n, or troll Slashdot, or whatever).
And you're complaining about it.
I bet if their cellular network could handle it, they'd open that up, too.
(FD: I'm a T-Mobile customer.)
I agree with the Parent poster. If people will loot merchandise during times of need and disaster, they'll abuse other resources during that same period.
I don't moderate anymore. Karma penalty for 90% fair mods? Can I mod that unfair?
Microsoft, I'm sure, will just have to top this and offer free Windows site licenses for the emergency camps.
"The article also includes a link to a map of T-Mobile hotspots" T-Mobile has hotspots? (gee, I hope slashdot doesn't get sued for me saying that.)
Eweek reports that T-Mobile is offering free Wi-Fi to areas affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Well, I can't imagine the offer is as welcome by the locals as bottled water, or a few porto-lets would be. Perhaps T-Mobile thinks websurfing will occupy the homeless who would otherwise be looting. Ofcourse they have no power or computers. What are these idiots thinking?
an ill wind that blows no good
Cell providers (like Sprint for one) and other companies have in place mechanisms for providing account credit to allow for cost-free service for any disaster situation. The difference is they don't require wide-spread recognition for their contribution.
Okay, I said it. Open up the black clouds and clobber me with lightening (or high winds & rain?).
---
"The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple." Oscar Wilde
"If you didn't see the movie (when it aired in mid-June), here it is in a nutshell: a category four hurricane destroys a vital pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico...panic sweeps of the nation...speculation drives the price of crude higher and higher...U.S. government turns to Saudi Arabia for oil...Saudi extremists commit terrorist attacks, killing 300 American oil workers...America sends troops to Saudi Arabia...still major lines at gas stations...Americans begin to turn against each other...the U.S. government decides to turn to Russia for oil...the Russians help in return for an investment in the upgrade of their pipelines...oil falls from it's high of $153 a barrel down to around $77...and all is right with the world."
"Speaking the Truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act." -- George Orwell
Why does the rest of the world need to help us? We're the ones who pour billions of aid and resources into the rest of the world yearly - we can handle our own affairs just fine.
In fact, I think it would be an embarassment to our status as a wealthy and resourceful nation if we can't take care of something like this.
Our society has some of the best military, engineering, and public safety resources of the world. We don't need to beg less capable countries for help they can't give.
Lord High Crapflooder The Right Honourable Vlad Craig Esther McDavenpherson III
Destroyer of Mercatur.Net
I'm as cynical as the next guy about large companies, probably more, but $3 or more per gallon is entirely reasonable in a normal supply and demand situation. The refineries in this country have been running at almost 100% to meet demand as it was, and 20% of the refining capacity for the nation is down. That's close to 100% for the affected region. That's going to increase prices, probably without increasing profits.
I expect to see shortages and rationing within two weeks if the refineries stay offline (due to significant damage). Yeah, it's great that W decided to tap the strategic reserves -- but those reserves, if I remember correctly, are heavy crude, not refined petrol. It's an excellent move politically, and it does help with a major problem -- panic -- but it's not going to help with refined petroleum prices or availability.
-30-
Comment removed based on user account deletion
This offer is for the displaced populations, not for the destroyed areas. That 's why it overs all of three states (and needs to cover SE Texas too.)
Considering the entire 600K+ population of greater N.O. is going to be dispersed to random places all over the South for an extended period of time, this is useful, assuming you have a laptop. Because it's going to be a long long long time before your DSL works again.
Give a man a fish and you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish, and he'll say "WHERE'S MY FISH, YOU IDIOT?"
Where are these profits going? Don't most companies reinvest some profits to making their workings better?
It's either on the beat or off the beat, it's that easy.
I moderate therefore I rule!
--
...in New Orleans alone (now that they're finally giving an honest estimate, they say there are floating corpses all over).
I'm not saying this is ANYWHERE near as bad as the 04 Tsunami, but it is pretty bad for America (where nothing ever goes wrong, right?), and it'll only get worse. Just wait for the intestinal diseases to start hitting these poor folks.
I've made my Red Cross donation, I recommend you all do so as well.
With the first link, the chain is forged.
These people are so poor do you really think even a tiny fraction of them have laptops with wifi cards?
http://www.livejournal.com/users/cixel
Shame. I pay the equivalent of around $8.37/US gallon (about £3.85/imperial gallon) for petrol. And about 80% of that is tax.
I know this might not sound true, but I think if you were a hurricne victim who recently lost your house and family relatives, having an _wireless_ Internet connection might not be your priority
The Bush administration agreed Wednesday to release oil from emergency stockpiles to help Gulf Coast refiners hobbled by a loss of shipments due to Hurricane Katrina. The administration also moved to temporarily ease some pollution standards on gasoline and diesel fuel to avert shortages.
So are we going to see a lot of clogged up catalytic converters in the next few years?
There are a huge number of yeast infections in this county. Probably because we're downriver from the bread factory.
Louisiana is in a state of emergency rather than a state of martial law. Should someone be apprehended for violating the law in one of the areas for which this state has been declared, will that person be tried before a civilian jury or by military tribunal? Certainly this state of emergency has some aspects of martial law, such as suspension of habeas corpus. But until you show me civilians being hauled up in front of military tribunals for civilian crimes, I don't think that what is going on in New Orleans counts as martial law. At most, the US military can hold individuals without charges. We won't be seeing any military tribunals in Louisiana.
Your point about Lincoln is misplaced. It was only after the Civil War that the Supreme Court placed further restrictions on key aspects of martial law in the US. Chief of these restrictions is that the US military is only allowed to resort to military tribunals in the absence of functional civilian courts. Given that civilian courts are functioning within the state of Louisiana, I don't foresee the possibility of martial law in the near term.
But, then maybe you're speaking of Marshall Law rather than marital law.
I can understand how you may be under that misconception, however Guard units are designed to be anywhere in the world within a matter of hours. Sorry if I sound like a know it all, but this is an issue that is near and dear to my heart...h istory.html
w orld.asp
Check out a bit about our history in conflicts here: http://www.1800goguard.com/whatistheguard/whatis_
Try moving thousands of people, from a branch that was never designed to be mobile far beyond state borders Read a bit about our federal mission, if interested, here: http://www.arng.army.mil/about_us/protecting_our_
then figure out which state national guards have experience/training with water rescue then coordinate the efforts of all of those remaining with no clear high level chain of command. This would take about 5 minutes. The Army is not inept, as is the common misconception. The commanders know exactly who is trained to do what...
As far as leadership:
(I'm pretty sure theres no General of the National Guard.)
see this link for structure: http://www.arng.army.mil/about_us/organization/
Director of the Army National Guard, Lieutenant General Clyde A. Vaughn
Brigadier General Frank J. Grass Deputy Director of the Army National Guard, Brigadier General Frank J. Grass
Colonel Matthew L. Murphy Chief of Staff of the Army National Guard, Colonel Matthew L. Murphy
Command Chief Warrant Officer of the Army National Guard, Chief Warrant Officer Five Poyas Haynes
Command Sergeant Major of the Army National Guard, Command Sgt. Maj. John D. Gipe Command Sergeant Major of the Army National Guard, Command Sgt. Maj. John D. Gipe
http://www.arng.army.mil/Leaders/
And All I Ask is a Tall Ship And a Star to Steer Her By
The Mississippi river is higher than the lake. So the water will now flow from the break by the river into the city, then out into the lake.
So the water won't be still at either location.
And besides, fixing the levee on the lake side now will only cause the city to flood more, so the levee that needs fixed most is the one by the Mississippi and it is still flowing just like before.
http://lkml.org/lkml/2005/8/20/95
There are bodies floating all over the place in New Orleans... probably several thousand.
While I doubt that a douchebag like you gives a shit, I suggest you sit and think about the impact that the utter destruction of a city of 1.5 million has on those people. Whether its 1,000 or 50,000 or 250,000 people, its a disaster of biblical proportions.
Try setting your home on fire. See how minor of a problem it is to lose all of your possessions and your home.
Conformity is the jailer of freedom and enemy of growth. -JFK
Anheuser-Busch is one of my largest customers and they are the real deal. I have spent a lot of time in St Louis with them and the company is full of stories like this. They really do "the right thing" most of the time.
Logistics, management and coordination would be a nightmare.
um, the National Guard is an organization designed with logistics, management and coordination in mind. National Guard units get deployed all over the world in fact. They are mobile and I'd say they likely have a very good idea of what units have the required training, as that would be critical tactical information.
no clear high level chain of command. (I'm pretty sure theres no General of the National Guard.)
The National Guard is part of the Army. They probably have the most structured chain of command in the world. You are right about not having a general though, he's just a Lt. General (Lieutenant General Clyde A. Vaughn
you're all figments of my deranged imagination
Is there anything, that the average /. geek could do? Maybe create a website to search for missing persons or something like that?
They've got 10 days of reserve on hand. Well, 7 now... Heck, it happend in Phoenix two years ago too, without the hurricane.
-Pan
I said no... but I missed and it came out yes.
OK, I am biased since I work for a competitor.
Now, with that disclaimer out... My company has deployed mobile sites, is donating thousands of radios to search, rescue and relief, has assisted in setting up shelters and donations, has given $250,000 to the American Red Cross, is matching employee contributions to the ARC (up to an additional $100,000), etc. I expect to head to the area myself soon to relieve employees working alongside public safety and other entities.
But oh.... FREE WiFI!!! Wow....
Come play Moral Decay!
I'm interested in knowing why you left the "t" from the DOT (.) in "/.ted".
blog & fiction: jd87
how in the flying fuck is that flamebait?
Look, moderators, it's not that hard:
If someone is Attempting to get people to flame them, they are FLAMEBAIT. If someone is trying to make a joke and ISNT FUNNY, they are OVERRATED.
-- 'The' Lord and Master Bitman On High, Master Of All
There is no General in charge of the National Guard. There is a Chief, National Guard Bureau (LTG Blum) that speaks on behalf of the Army National Guard and the Air Guard. Keep in mind that the National Guard comprises two services and they actually belong to the governors, not the President. He doesn't command the National Guard (ARNG and ANG) nor does he command the ARNG or ANG. He does have direct links to the SECDEF and the Joint Chiefs, but not to the Chief of Staff of the Army (GEN Schoomaker).
The Director, Army National Guard, is LTG Vaughn who is in essence the Chief of Staff, or CEO of the ARNG. He doesn't lead or command troops. He facilitates and manages staff actions for the Army National Guard. He has direct links to the Chief of Staff of the Army (GEN Schoomaker), but not the SECDEF or the Joint Chiefs.
It's complicated, I know, and not intuitive. Don't try to understand, just nod your head. How do I know this? I work for LTG Vaughn.
I knew someone on slashdot would be able to clear all the confusion up for us. I guess this explains why all those highly trained water rescue guard troops from all over the US have been airdropped into New Orleans with all their equipment.
I bet the folks in New Orleans are really glad they have got that dike all plugged up.
I appreciate free speech on this site and all of that, but I wish Taco would frigging ban this nitwit's IP.
"As the intrepid kobold companion continues his journey, he begins to wonder... if priests raises dead, why anybody die?
I actually heard a reporter refer to this water in the city as "toxic gumbo"
Sounds appetizing?
Libertas in infinitum
What a great idea I hope the other wireless compaines get onboard with helping in similiar ways.
The link I made above to the actual governor's proclamation, I think, would be definitive. It clarifies that there is no state of martial law.
I'll concede that an arguable case may be made that martial law has been declared, but I think that there is presently good reason to reject the term for the present state of affairs. Martial law is when the military becomes the sole means of justice. Presently, the military has taken over the role of the police in New Orleans. But there are many other cases where the military does police work, so I don't think that the military enforcing the civilian code of law ought to be referred to as martial law.
If the military were trying individuals before military tribunals or creating a new code of law to be enforced, I would agree that martial law is present in New Orleans. As it is, though, if military personnel arrests individuals, will be tried before civilian courts. Further, the military is only enforcing the decrees and statutes of the civilian government of Louisiana.
Consequently, I think that
The media cluster-fuck that is CNN, MSNBC, etc, is concentrating on the poor people who are stuck in New Orleans. If you RTFA and MFP this offer is for the entirety of all three states (and ought to be extended to Texas) where the majority (and probably more like 80%) of New Orleans residents evacuated on time, with their laptops and a bare minimum of other possessions, and are sitting around in shelters wondering just what the hell they are going to do with their lives.
Give a man a fish and you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish, and he'll say "WHERE'S MY FISH, YOU IDIOT?"