Latest from Outpost Crystal
Thanks again to all of you sending us kind words and support via IMs and the blog. The sheer quantity is staggering. It's amazing to think that so many people are aware of my insignificant existence.

Now for the Team SOTI's 9:30 news report.

As has become their nightly routine, police formed up in 2 rows of 4 cars on Poydras at dusk and started driving around city blocks over and over. I saw some one car stop at a group of people camped out on a Camp Street sidewalk and question them, but then the cops drove off and left them alone.

As I reported earlier, a lot of people were bussed out to Dallas or somewhere from Camp Street, and that combined with a US Marshalls presence along Poydras from Loyola Ave to St. Charles really thinned out the pedestrian flow down Poydras. There are definitely a lot fewer people on the streets tonight.

Apparently the Marines coming in are Reservists not Active Duty. As far as I'm concerned, Marines are Marines are Marines, and they're always welcomed by Outpost Crystal.

Outpost Crystal is still secured and still kicking. We've got people begging us to leave, but that's not going to happen. We might lose Charlie Squad depending on internect connectivity, but Alpha Squad and Bravo Squad are going nowhere until New Orleans' infrastructure is rebuilt or declared permanently and irrevocably destroyed. As far as I'm concerned, this building is my post, and it will not be abandoned until I'm properly relieved.

I have some downtime for a bit tonight, so I'll be hanging out.

What's up, world?

(443 comments) - (Post a new comment)

	darthbeckman 2005-09-02 02:32 am UTC (link)
	God bless you sir. (Reply to this) (Thread)

they need to keep their sites up, they're spammer hosters (Anonymous) 2005-09-02 04:03 am UTC (link)

Like many of you, I get once or twice daily pill-spam from the Russian Spam Gang (Leo Kuvayev et al). Lately RSG has been registering their ever-changing domain names with Directnic. I have been sending a complaint to their abuse address with each spam -- something along the lines of: "The enclosed spam promotes the illegal web pharmacy, crypticname (dot) something, for which DIRECTNIC is the domain name registrar. PLEASE STOP DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CRIMINALS AT THE RUSSIAN SPAM GANG." followed by a copy of the spam. Today Directnic actually answered: - Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - > Thank you for using the directNIC.com Trouble Ticket System. The following > response is from a qualified directNIC customer support team member: > Date: 05/28/05 04:24pm > From: > Hello, > directNIC is not providing hosting for the sites in question. You will have to > contact the hosting company that is providing the DNS services. > We, the registrar (not its registrant) of the domain in question, have no control > over what it does or does not do. In any case involving spam or other abuse, the > registrar has absolutely nothing to do with the problem, unless the registrar and > host are one in the same. > Currentl Nameservers: > Name Server: ALLADIN.AICSTRUNGCB.BIZ > Name Server: GINNY.AICSTRUNGCB.BIZ > If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to email us back. > Sincerely, > > directNIC > Thank you again for using directNIC.com. We hope this response has > sufficiently answered your question. > Please feel free to use the frequently asked questions page at > http://www.directnic.com/help/ to find the answer to your questions. So I guess Directnic has no qualms about taking RSG's dirty money. BTW LARTs also go to the whatever Chinese outfit RSG has engaged for URL implicated in the spam, and to upstream providers, up to and including the peers. Should I keep sending LARTs to Directnic? (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

Re: they need to keep their sites up, they're spammer hosters - blackavar, 2005-09-02 05:04 am UTC

Re: they need to keep their sites up, they're spammer hosters - purly, 2005-09-02 10:32 am UTC

	razorw1re 2005-09-02 02:32 am UTC (link)
	Keep up the good work bro (Reply to this)

	theinsder 2005-09-02 02:33 am UTC (link)
	Not much. (Reply to this)

	kazushinobaka 2005-09-02 02:33 am UTC (link)
	good luck keeping everything going, man. (Reply to this)

	1ragincajun 2005-09-02 02:33 am UTC (link)
	I'm here in sunny Hawaii.... (sorry) but I'm originally from Jeanerette (near New Ibeia). (Reply to this) (Thread)

	(Anonymous) 2005-09-02 03:13 am UTC (link)
	Hey . . my sister lives in Jeanerette! Judy L. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - 1ragincajun, 2005-09-02 09:13 pm UTC

New Iberia - (Anonymous), 2005-09-03 07:02 am UTC

Re: New Iberia - 1ragincajun, 2005-09-05 09:14 am UTC

	(Anonymous) 2005-09-02 02:33 am UTC (link)
	i wish i could send ya some brews man. keep fighting the good fight! (Reply to this)

	heathrow 2005-09-02 02:33 am UTC (link)
	So many of us are reading you to get the true story of life in New Orleans right now. Thank you again, and watch out for yourselves. (Reply to this)

	quodlibetic 2005-09-02 02:34 am UTC (link)
	We're rooting for you here in NYC. Keep the strength. Our best wishes are with you! -2 folks in Brooklyn, NYC (Reply to this)

	If you need a laugh... chorazin 2005-09-02 02:34 am UTC (link)
	http://www.illwillpress.com/kat.html (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: If you need a laugh... terr0rflare 2005-09-02 03:29 am UTC (link)
	Rofl! But, just so true though :D (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

Re: If you need a laugh... - chorazin, 2005-09-02 04:18 am UTC

Re: If you need a laugh... - kingu, 2005-09-02 04:29 am UTC

Re: If you need a laugh... - redmysticspyder, 2005-09-02 04:55 am UTC

	prushrush 2005-09-02 02:34 am UTC (link)
	good to see that there's a police presence good luck to you jursie (Reply to this)

	kalki 2005-09-02 02:34 am UTC (link)
	keep up the amazing work. It's been mind-blowing to read things from "ground zero". Let us know how we can help, if we can. --Jenn (Reply to this)

	mini_dude 2005-09-02 02:34 am UTC (link)
	Go dude Go! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	mini_dude 2005-09-02 02:36 am UTC (link)
	Just a 4.8 earthquake in San Fransisco, nothin much. People being bussed out of New Orleans. Your livin the life there. A little piece of security in a world of Anarchy. (Reply to this) (Parent)

(Reply from suspended user)

	(Anonymous) 2005-09-02 04:23 am UTC (link)
	The island is actually known as Great Britain! (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-09-03 02:35 am UTC

feeds - stubbs2513, 2005-09-02 05:35 am UTC

	jenny_r 2005-09-02 02:34 am UTC (link)
	Here in Vegas we've got a crowd watching out for your posts and we're all cheering you on. Requesting paypal account info so we can set up a beer fund for when things get dry over there. (Reply to this)

	iverin 2005-09-02 02:34 am UTC (link)
	Some friends/boyfriends of my sorority sisters are being called out there, so more help is on the way from Oklahoma. Is the looting still really bad or is it settling down? And what have you heard about the residential parts of town, if anything? Are homes being looted or just mainly businesses? Take care, keep the faith! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	poobrown 2005-09-02 02:47 am UTC (link)
	I think some people from my university (in Tulsa, OK) are going to head down there for labor day weekend to see if they can help out. I wish I could go, or at least go home to houston to help there. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - iverin, 2005-09-02 03:04 am UTC

(no subject) - poobrown, 2005-09-02 03:07 pm UTC

	secretsoflife 2005-09-02 02:34 am UTC (link)
	amazing blog, thanks again for keeping SA up for so long. i'm pretty agnostic but as with the tsunami victims, my prayers are with you guys down there. (Reply to this)

	abrupt219 2005-09-02 02:34 am UTC (link)
	Strike a blow for I.T. Keep it up! (Reply to this)

	Not much from the ArkLaTex (Anonymous) 2005-09-02 02:34 am UTC (link)
	Not a lot happening up here in Shreveport. We have a number of refugees here and the situation is stable. Huge lines for gas at the stations though. (Reply to this)

	(Anonymous) 2005-09-02 02:35 am UTC (link)
	Best wishes to you guys, stay safe! (Reply to this)

	another_myself 2005-09-02 02:35 am UTC (link)
	May you have a safe night. God bless. (Reply to this)

	lout_rampage 2005-09-02 02:35 am UTC (link)
	They're bringing people to Dallas, Tx? I'm here in Dallas and I haven't heard of buses coming here. I know they're going to San Antonio and Houston. Won't you have to leave? They're talking mandatory evacuation of everyone in the city. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Reunion Arena (Anonymous) 2005-09-02 02:43 am UTC (link)
	Pretty sure they mentioned Reunion Arena on the news. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

Re: Reunion Arena - (Anonymous), 2005-09-02 03:08 am UTC

(no subject) - haela, 2005-09-02 02:43 am UTC

(no subject) - lout_rampage, 2005-09-02 03:03 am UTC

(no subject) - haela, 2005-09-02 03:10 am UTC

(no subject) - lout_rampage, 2005-09-02 03:17 am UTC

(no subject) - nmalfoy, 2005-09-02 03:23 am UTC

(no subject) - lossfound, 2005-09-02 03:57 am UTC

(no subject) - nmalfoy, 2005-09-02 04:04 am UTC

(no subject) - loveanddarkness, 2005-09-02 04:05 am UTC

	aijoskobi 2005-09-02 02:35 am UTC (link)
	Glad you're all still safe! (Reply to this)

	Internet Connectivity? (Anonymous) 2005-09-02 02:35 am UTC (link)
	How much internet connectivity do you have? How tenative is it? Plan to get any more soon? And to end the interrogation, do you have a plan for keeping your blog updated if your main internet connectivity fails? (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: Internet Connectivity? (Anonymous) 2005-09-02 02:59 am UTC (link)
	I think they have one OC3 or OC4 left. They originally had several, I think, and those have gone down one by one. Last I heard many people from the other ISPs were helping to get them back up but since there has not been an update to that effect I take it that it hasn't gone well. (Reply to this) (Parent)

Re: Internet Connectivity? - (Anonymous), 2005-09-03 04:40 am UTC

	How do you continue? (Anonymous) 2005-09-02 02:35 am UTC (link)
	I'm amazed at how you're continuing to get through this. All of the folks in the New York/New Jersey area are with you in spirit. Relief is coming, I swear! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: How do you continue? (Anonymous) 2005-09-02 01:15 pm UTC (link)
	Hey, don't forget the other state in the Tri-State area ;). We're with you here in southern CT too... kick some ass for the IT people and SysAdmins around the world! (Reply to this) (Parent)

	spookshow1313 2005-09-02 02:35 am UTC (link)
	Apparently you are quite the popular guy now! My friend heart8 just touted how she admires that you are basically broadcasting from the center of the crisis zone. I sort of remember conversing with you a few times in other communities... but I think you had a different username back then. Anyway, here's wishing you the best.... (Reply to this) (Thread)

a good commentary and timeline (Anonymous) 2005-09-02 03:09 am UTC (link)

IIRC The Department of Homeland Security is responsible. The Secretary was chosen by the President and he also agreed on who the head of FEMA should be. Therefore they should be in charge and responsible for any screw ups. Rudy did a great job of handling a tiny crisis in New York relative to what is going on in LA, MS and AL. He is so good at what he did, he probably should also have been sent to Iraq to lead our troops to victory and then use his "crisis manager" skills there. I heard FEMA actually did some practice disaster releif exercises in NO so they should have had a plan and a knowledge of the nuances of the governmental structure, the location of supplies, the transportation system, the levies etc. However, as Bush plays war hero president, the ability of FEMA to respond was weakened. It may have been due to stupidity or not caring or robbing Peter to pay paul the Iraq fiasco or a simple desire to reduce the domestic budget. This piece from the Washington Journal gives an interesting look at the management and the funding of FEMA: "CHRONOLOGY....Here's a timeline that outlines the fate of both FEMA and flood control projects in New Orleans under the Bush administration. Read it and weep: a.. January 2001: Bush appoints Joe Allbaugh, a crony from Texas, as head of FEMA. Allbaugh has no previous experience in disaster management. b.. April 2001: Budget Director Mitch Daniels announces the Bush administration's goal of privatizing much of FEMA's work. In May, Allbaugh confirms that FEMA will be downsized: "Many are concerned that federal disaster assistance may have evolved into both an oversized entitlement program...." he said. "Expectations of when the federal government should be involved and the degree of involvement may have ballooned beyond what is an appropriate level." c.. 2001: FEMA designates a major hurricane hitting New Orleans as one of the three "likeliest, most catastrophic disasters facing this country." d.. December 2002: After less than two years at FEMA, Allbaugh announces he is leaving to start up a consulting firm that advises companies seeking to do business in Iraq. He is succeeded by his deputy, Michael Brown, who, like Allbaugh, has no previous experience in disaster management. e.. March 2003: FEMA is downgraded from a cabinet level position and folded into the Department of Homeland Security. Its mission is refocused on fighting acts of terrorism. f.. 2003: Under its new organization chart within DHS, FEMA's preparation and planning functions are reassigned to a new Office of Preparedness and Response. FEMA will henceforth focus only on response and recovery. g.. Summer 2004: FEMA denies Louisiana's pre-disaster mitigation funding requests. Says Jefferson Parish flood zone manager Tom Rodrigue: "You would think we would get maximum consideration....This is what the grant program called for. We were more than qualified for it." h.. June 2004: The Army Corps of Engineers budget for levee construction in New Orleans is slashed. Jefferson Parish emergency management chiefs Walter Maestri comments: "It appears that the money has been moved in the president's budget to handle homeland security and the war in Iraq, and I suppose that's the price we pay." i.. June 2005: Funding for the New Orleans district of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is cut by a record $71.2 million. One of the hardest-hit areas is the Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project, which was created after the May 1995 flood to improve drainage in Jefferson, Orleans and St. Tammany parishes. j.. August 2005: While New Orleans is undergoing a slow motion catastrophe, Bush mugs for the cameras, cuts a cake for John McCain, plays the guitar for Mark Wills, delivers an address about V-J day, and continues with his vacation. When he finally gets around to acknowledging the scope of the unfolding disaster, he delivers only a photo op on Air Force One and a flat, defensive, laundry list speech in the Rose Garden. ." (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

Re: a good commentary and timeline - (Anonymous), 2005-09-02 03:10 am UTC

Re: a good commentary and timeline - (Anonymous), 2005-09-02 03:31 am UTC

Re: a good commentary and timeline - (Anonymous), 2005-09-02 03:38 am UTC

Re: a good commentary and timeline - marajolie, 2005-09-02 11:00 pm UTC

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(443 comments) - (Post a new comment)