Black-out... and I don't mean Nelson Mandela

God Bless the great state of Kalifornia and its citizens, otherwise we don’t have a chance.

Everyone is talks about national security, how we must spend more money to make our selves a safer nation. We establish new councils and pass new acts. We are now the proud owners of Homeland Security, and wonderful bills that allow the federal government to make conference calls out of our private phone conversations.

All this protection and yet when LA on September 13^th had a power outage, the state government was in a complete panic, they had no clue what had happened. Half the city thought it was under a terrorist attack and the other half was in the dark altogether. Traffic lights where out, people where stuck in elevators, and downtown high-rises where promptly evacuated.

Rest assured everyone it was no terrorist attack, the only real terror is our education system; one of two DWP workers had cut the so called “wrong wire” while conducting maintenance. This incident had triggered the system to go offline, it’s a safety measure that the DWP employs in case of an emergency, and thus three million people where left in the dark.

All this money for protection against would-be terrorist, and we’re not even prepared for a blackout.

ABC TV Store, run by Delivery Agent, sucks big time

In the middle of July, I ordered a few things from the ABC TV store as a gift. Today, September 9th, not a single one of the three items that I ordered has shipped. Today, as I was looking pointlessly through their site for a phone number, I found a Rate The Store link. So here's the wisdom I unloaded onto them:

Selection is horrible, prices are ridiculous, and if one item is backordered, nothing gets shipped. There's zero communication about order status, customer service reps couldn't care less, and a phone number is impossible to find. Having shopped online for the last 10 years, this is absolutely positively the worst experience I've ever had - an order placed in the middle of July has yet to be shipped, 2 months later, and I haven't received a single notice or update. And you wonder why people buy unlicensed goods? It's because the official outlets like yours are clueless, pointless, and frustrating.

It's pointless, since the feedback just goes back to the same clueless dolts who run the place, but it felt nice to unload. Next step? Find actual independent ratings sites, and spread the word. And this whole nightmare could have been avoided by one simple adjustment to their policy - ship items as they become available, not once the order is complete. Lesson here - sometimes it pays to order each item as an individual order, shipping savings be damned.
So in conclusion - DON'T SHOP AT ABC TV Store, run by Delivery Agent. And I've removed ABC, ESPN, ABC family and Disney channels from all of my TVs - it's like they don't exist.
A $50 order snafu has now resulted in loss of several eyeballs for four channels, as well as exposure to many, many eyeballs online - so, Disney - who do you think got screwed by this transaction?

Pet peeves

Had a frustrating experience today. One of my pet peeves - yeah, I know, get over it - is bad grammar, spelling, or misused words. As I was walking through a building today, there was a row of vending machines. The soda machine (the only one with H2O in it) was out of order. And what was scribbled, with a black sharpie, on a hastily torn piece of paper taped to the machine?
"out of order.
thank you."
How about you apologize, you arrogant vendor people?
Thank you for what? For spelling the words right? For not being able to buy some water after spending 2 hours in a doctor's office? For filling out horribly worded surveys, that inquire if I had sex in the past year without a condom? Right after asking if I had sex in the past year without using birth control? Hello!!?? Or not being able to download the paperwork ahead of time, and have it filled out - and instead having to rush through a mound of paper the size of my employee manual? ARRRGGHHHHH!!! At least this time, the hernia check was optional - thanks, doc, for not having to drop trou! ooh, went off on a tangent, didn't I?
Perhaps next time I miss a deadline, I can just say "Thank you"? /rant

My favorite explanation for why "Bush Don't Care About People"

According to "Nan Thrax" (yeah, how clever), responding to a post on boing boing:

What everyone fails to understand about the Bush Administration response to Katrina is the underlying reasoning. My wife (who is an Evangelical Christian) explained to me that this is the beginning of the 'End Times'. Katrina is just one of the portents. Bush et al are just marking time until Rapture. God smote the modern Sodom as a sign of his might (on this Dr. Dobson and Bin Laden agree). This event in just another sign of the Second Coming. By controlling the press, freedom of movement, etc. Bush is help people to get ready for the Rapture. None of the problems are the fault of Bush, they are controlled by God. So do not blame Bush, it is not his fault, God made him do it.

While I understand that this is how conspiracy theorists thrive, doesn't this just make you slap yourself on your head, and go "well that makes sense"?

Fishing's good if you don't mind the gators or the floaters

Yes, it is photoshopped.
And yet, it's still funny as hell.
thank you, boing boing

RSS feed url updated

Just a quick admin note: just noticed, and fixed, the wrong link in the sidebar to our RSS feed.
Speaking of which, I've been using bloglines.com to handle my RSS feeds, and been loving it. It's like IMAP for your e-mail. Since you read everything in a browser, you just pick up where you left off your last session, no matter where you are.

You will also note the new and improved sidebar, featuring two new ways to add us to your reading list:

The lighter side of NOLA's demise

Here are a few things I've found that made me exclaim "whoo-hoo", to no-one in particular:

1) Editorial about Bush:

George W. Bush gave one of the worst speeches of his life yesterday, especially given the level of national distress and the need for words of consolation and wisdom. In what seems to be a ritual in this administration, the president appeared a day later than he was needed. He then read an address of a quality more appropriate for an Arbor Day celebration: a long laundry list of pounds of ice, generators and blankets delivered to the stricken Gulf Coast. He advised the public that anybody who wanted to help should send cash, grinned, and promised that everything would work out in the end.

2) Who knew Condee is the new Omarosa?:

According to Drudge, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has recently enjoyed a little Broadway entertainment. And Page Six reports that she's also working on her backhand with Monica Seles. So the Gulf Coast has gone all Mad Max, women are being raped in the Superdome, and Rice is enjoying a brief vacation in New York. We wish we were surprised.
What does surprise us: Just moments ago at the Ferragamo on 5th Avenue, Condoleeza Rice was seen spending several thousands of dollars on some nice, new shoes (we've confirmed this, so her new heels will surely get coverage from the WaPo's Robin Givhan). A fellow shopper, unable to fathom the absurdity of Rice's timing, went up to the Secretary and reportedly shouted, "How dare you shop for shoes while thousands are dying and homeless!" Never one to have her fashion choices questioned, Rice had security PHYSICALLY REMOVE the woman.

3) Anderson Cooper berates Senator Landrieu - John Stewart couldn't be prouder

Was it possible for us to love Anderson Cooper more than we already did? Yes, it turns it out, it was possible. Our love grew at about 7:30 last night, in the middle of 360°, when Coop, who's been in New Orleans for days, finally, well, flipped out. Mad as hell, you say? Madder. He was talking to Sen. Mary Landrieu, Democrat of Louisiana, and we can bet she's not going on his show again soon. Round one:

COOPER: Does the federal government bear responsibility for what is happening now? Should they apologize for what is happening now?
LANDRIEU: Anderson, there will be plenty of time to discuss all of those issues, about why, and how, and what, and if. ... Let me just say a few things. Thank President Clinton and former President Bush for their strong statements of support and comfort today. ... I want to thank Senator Frist and Senator Reid for their extraordinary efforts.
Anderson, tonight, I don't know if you've heard -- maybe you all have announced it -- but Congress is going to an unprecedented session to pass a $10 billion supplemental bill tonight to keep FEMA and the Red Cross up and operating.
COOPER: ... I haven't heard that, because, for the last four days, I've been seeing dead bodies in the streets here in Mississippi. And to listen to politicians thanking each other and complimenting each other, you know, I got to tell you, there are a lot of people here who are very upset, and very angry, and very frustrated.
And when they hear politicians slap -- you know, thanking one another, it just, you know, it kind of cuts them the wrong way right now. Because literally there was a body on the streets of this town yesterday being eaten by rats, because this woman had been laying in the street for 48 hours. And there's not enough facilities to take her up.
Do you get the anger that is out here?

Does she get the anger? Does she? (And will she thank another politician? Of course she will.)
Anderson whups some more senatorial ass -- and we finally start feeling just a touch less embarrassed to be citizens of this banana republic.

LANDRIEU: Anderson, I have the anger inside of me. Most of the homes in my family have been destroyed. Our homes have been destroyed. I understand what you're saying, and I know all of those details. And the president of the United States knows those details.
COOPER: Well, who are you angry at?
LANDRIEU: I'm not angry at anyone. I'm just expressing that it is so important for everyone in this nation to pull together, for all military assets and all assets to be brought to bear in this situation.
And I have every confidence that this country is as great and as strong as we can be do to that. And that effort is under way.
COOPER: Well, I mean, there are a lot of people here who are kind of ashamed of what is happening in this country right now, what is -- ashamed of what is happening in your state, certainly.
And that's not to blame the people who are there. It's a desperate situation. But I guess, you know, who can -- I mean, no one seems to be taking responsibility.
I mean, I know you say there's a time and a place for, kind of, you know, looking back, but this seems to be the time and the place. I mean, there are people who want answers, and there are people who want someone to stand up and say, "You know what? We should have done more. Are all the assets being brought to bear?"
LANDRIEU: Anderson, Anderson...
COOPER: I mean, today, for the first time, I'm seeing National Guard troops in this town.
LANDRIEU: Anderson, I know. And I know where you are. And I know what you're seeing. Believe me, we know it. And we understand, and there will be a time to talk about all of that. Trust me.
I know what the people are suffering. The governor knows. The president knows. The military officials know. And they're trying to do the very best they can to stabilize the situation.
Senator Vitter, our congressional delegation, all of us understand what is happening. We are doing our very, very best to get the situation under control.
But I want to thank the president. He will be here tomorrow, we think. And the military is sending assets as we speak.
So, please, I understand. You might say I'm a politician, but I grew up in New Orleans. My father was the mayor of that city. I've represented that city my whole life, and it's just not New Orleans. It's St. Bernard, and St. Tammany, and Plaquemines Parish that have been completely underwater.
Our levee system has failed. We need a lot of help. And the Congress has been wonderful to help us, and we need more help.
Nobody's perfect, Anderson. Everybody has to stand up here. And I know you understand. So thank you so much for everything you're doing.
COOPER: Well, I appreciate you joining us on the program tonight. I can only imagine how busy you are. Thank you very much, Senator Landrieu.
LANDRIEU: Thank you, Anderson. Thank you so much. Thank you.
COOPER: And good luck to you and all the people working to solve this problem. Because, at this point, it is very hard to try to figure our how this problem is going to get solved.

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In case you are wondering, it's the google ad at the bottom that's ironic.

5) New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin gave indignation an elegant if slightly blue gloss yesterday on local radio. Listen to the interview (mp3) or read the full "excuse my French everybody in America, but I am pissed" transcript.

"After 9/11 we gave the president unprecented powers to take care of New York and those other places.... you mean to tell me that a place where thousands of people and thousands more people are dying, we can't figure out [how to get them help]. . . somebody need to get their ass on a plane and sit down, the two of them, and figure this out right now.

And he offers a fine suggestion:

"I don't want to see anybody to anymore more goddamn press conferences. Put a moratorium on press conferences. Don't do another press conference until the resources are in this city."

the kicker: the Pres spoke at New Orleans airport at 2:50PM.

6) Vacation is Over... an open letter from Michael Moore to George W. Bush
Need I say more? Michael Moore (Fahrenheit 911) blasts the prez over his handling of the NOLA disaster.

7) I heart NOLA t-shirts