Re: Arghhhhhh!!!, below, spoke too soon. Phone company can't fix the DSL internet access problem until there are no clounds in the sky within a hundred mile radius, apparently. They call it "storm damage", and since the outage only affects the data lines of a couple of folk are not interested in fixing it until they are good and ready. Totally frustrating. It only "up" about two or three hours a day - on average - and there's no predicting just which hours those might be.
So posting, etc., will be lite until it's over, or when I switch over to another provider on our return from the UK in early May.
Cannot believe the low level of customer service communications am experiencing with SBC! What total failures! All they would have to do is phone me, but they apparently no longer believe it is important to do that. Losers!
Friday, April 14, 2006
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Who ARE these people?
Ran into this story and headline on MSNBC's web site today, courtesy of the trusty old MSN Explorer home page, and immediately thought, "Don't they know how to spell 'razed'"? Meaning 'leveled'? 'Cause after all, we all know that many flood-damaged homes in New Orleans have to be eventually demolished and rebuilt, right?
But no. Lo and behold the authors of the story and headline did mean "raised", as in 'elevated'. They just didn't seem to "get" that a major and repeated portion of their story was based on a homophone that could be confusing to many readers.
UPDATE: MSNBC themselves must have realized the problem, because since I first read the story they have added a new sub-headline about "hiking" the houses one to three feet.
Who ARE these people at MSNBC? And how did they get this far along into so-called modern "journalism" without displaying more awareness of nuances in the English language? Am I the only one who sees a "gap" in the information related by this story and it's execution in prose?
But no. Lo and behold the authors of the story and headline did mean "raised", as in 'elevated'. They just didn't seem to "get" that a major and repeated portion of their story was based on a homophone that could be confusing to many readers.
UPDATE: MSNBC themselves must have realized the problem, because since I first read the story they have added a new sub-headline about "hiking" the houses one to three feet.
Who ARE these people at MSNBC? And how did they get this far along into so-called modern "journalism" without displaying more awareness of nuances in the English language? Am I the only one who sees a "gap" in the information related by this story and it's execution in prose?
Arghhhhhh!!!
For over six weeks now have been telling the phone company something is intermittently wrong with the DSL line. For over five and a half weeks nothing happened afterwards, other than the intermittency got worse and worse and worse and ..........
Finally, last Friday saw somebody working on the line about 5 blocks from the house and shortly after received a phone call from someone whose grasp of the English language was of apparent short duration. After many attempts I finally understood, "Yes, something is wrong. Our repairman can't fix it. We have a 'contractor' scheduled to work on the problem next Wednesday. Thank you for choosing - "(you get the picture).
In all fairness, at odd times every day the DSL would come up - however briefly - but not stay up. It just bounced and bounced and then dropped off again as if into a deep well. Never to be seen again until the following day - but only during a time when it wasn't raining or storming outside. Hmmmm. Could that be a clue?
Anyway, today is Wednesday. Around noon the DSL line mysterious came up - staggered for a few minutes - and has now been up longer than at any other period during the previous month - for almost six hours. And still no phone call telling me it is "fixed", or IF it is fixed, or anything. Whoever in the phone company is in charge of customer service must have retired about 10 years ago and was not bothered to be replaced. Because they obviously don't care a fig for their customers. When we get back from our London holiday I think their DSL line will pretty quickly (at least by their standards) be replaced by a cable modem.
Not so cheerful
Finally, last Friday saw somebody working on the line about 5 blocks from the house and shortly after received a phone call from someone whose grasp of the English language was of apparent short duration. After many attempts I finally understood, "Yes, something is wrong. Our repairman can't fix it. We have a 'contractor' scheduled to work on the problem next Wednesday. Thank you for choosing - "(you get the picture).
In all fairness, at odd times every day the DSL would come up - however briefly - but not stay up. It just bounced and bounced and then dropped off again as if into a deep well. Never to be seen again until the following day - but only during a time when it wasn't raining or storming outside. Hmmmm. Could that be a clue?
Anyway, today is Wednesday. Around noon the DSL line mysterious came up - staggered for a few minutes - and has now been up longer than at any other period during the previous month - for almost six hours. And still no phone call telling me it is "fixed", or IF it is fixed, or anything. Whoever in the phone company is in charge of customer service must have retired about 10 years ago and was not bothered to be replaced. Because they obviously don't care a fig for their customers. When we get back from our London holiday I think their DSL line will pretty quickly (at least by their standards) be replaced by a cable modem.
Not so cheerful
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Hidden in plain view – if only someone were watching!
Wretchard the Cat of the Belmont Club is always worth a daily read. His concluding commentary yesterday on “In Plain View” (linked below) should be required reading for modern journalistic aspirants the world over. But sadly, most are not able to "mind the gap" – or else fail to understand it’s full significance.
“W” writes, “…….. three of the decisive weapons of victory in Iraq will have been the 190 military transition teams (MTT) which raised the new Iraqi Army, the Transitional Administrative Law which made a new coalition government possible, and the US Armed Forces itself, which held up the shield behind which the training and political components could take shape. It now seems fairly clear that many of the 'far better' strategies which were suggested (by others) in 2004 and 2005 in place of CENTCOM's (plans) may not have been as good as they were made out to be.”
And then concludes, “If the public has (n)ever heard of the MTTs, the political transition process or the River War it will not be the result of their concealment. These three decisive weapons were lying in plain view from the end (of) 2004 onwards though their significance had not been noted -- their existence hardly even acknowledged -- by the Press even until now. Ironically, this may have contributed to (their) overall success. The enemy in reading the leading newspapers of the West remained ignorant of the doom descending upon their heads, confirmed in their eventual victory even as catastrophe overwhelmed them. Thank you MSM.”
One needs to read the entire The Belmont Club: In Plain View to drive home the point, but “the press” draws ever nearer to being permanently mistaken for a proverbial group of sightless individuals describing an elephant! They still fail to see facts not supporting their preconceived ideas. Talk about shallow reporting! Follow the links “W” provides. The MSM either can’t or won’t understand what is happening!
Examples. The Washington Post wastes time and energy criticizing the military for either not being clairvoyant enough three years ago, or for learning from their mistakes now– its just not clear which perceived “failing” their writer has discovered. The AP (by way of Portland’s channel 6) thinks it aids the public weal to report not all locals near Samarra welcome the presence of Operation Swarmer troops. Go figure!. The BBC goes to great length (and lots of words) to worry about ‘deception’ from the U.S. military because their own editors don’t understand military terms. Only ABC gets part of the picture, and even that portion is more closely tied to eventual U.S. troop withdrawal plans than an ultimate success or victory strategy for Iraq.
And of course the “pajama media” keeps being disparaged by the MSM. Could it be that the 'hoof beats of history' have already passed by today's media and are now growing ever weaker? And that the press still can’t figure out why they are less and less relevant?
Nah! Couldn’t happen!
“W” writes, “…….. three of the decisive weapons of victory in Iraq will have been the 190 military transition teams (MTT) which raised the new Iraqi Army, the Transitional Administrative Law which made a new coalition government possible, and the US Armed Forces itself, which held up the shield behind which the training and political components could take shape. It now seems fairly clear that many of the 'far better' strategies which were suggested (by others) in 2004 and 2005 in place of CENTCOM's (plans) may not have been as good as they were made out to be.”
And then concludes, “If the public has (n)ever heard of the MTTs, the political transition process or the River War it will not be the result of their concealment. These three decisive weapons were lying in plain view from the end (of) 2004 onwards though their significance had not been noted -- their existence hardly even acknowledged -- by the Press even until now. Ironically, this may have contributed to (their) overall success. The enemy in reading the leading newspapers of the West remained ignorant of the doom descending upon their heads, confirmed in their eventual victory even as catastrophe overwhelmed them. Thank you MSM.”
One needs to read the entire The Belmont Club: In Plain View to drive home the point, but “the press” draws ever nearer to being permanently mistaken for a proverbial group of sightless individuals describing an elephant! They still fail to see facts not supporting their preconceived ideas. Talk about shallow reporting! Follow the links “W” provides. The MSM either can’t or won’t understand what is happening!
Examples. The Washington Post wastes time and energy criticizing the military for either not being clairvoyant enough three years ago, or for learning from their mistakes now– its just not clear which perceived “failing” their writer has discovered. The AP (by way of Portland’s channel 6) thinks it aids the public weal to report not all locals near Samarra welcome the presence of Operation Swarmer troops. Go figure!. The BBC goes to great length (and lots of words) to worry about ‘deception’ from the U.S. military because their own editors don’t understand military terms. Only ABC gets part of the picture, and even that portion is more closely tied to eventual U.S. troop withdrawal plans than an ultimate success or victory strategy for Iraq.
And of course the “pajama media” keeps being disparaged by the MSM. Could it be that the 'hoof beats of history' have already passed by today's media and are now growing ever weaker? And that the press still can’t figure out why they are less and less relevant?
Nah! Couldn’t happen!
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. and her fantasy war
The gap between fantasy and reality continues to widen in congresswoman Nancy Pelosi's poor mind. She just doesn't "get it".
Quoted here today, she says, "“The fact, that it (operation Swarmer) is necessary shows you the failure to date"” of the administration'’s war approach, she said. "“Three years later, we have major offensive; it just doesn'’t jibe"” with prewar promises. "“It'’s amazing how failed this effort has been,"” Pelosi said.
Apparently Pelosi buys into the theory that once the initial insertion of coalition forces into Iraq was complete, resulting in the rapid failure of the previous regime, then Bush promised us everything afterwards would quickly and easily be coming up roses. Unfortunately, that's not what I recall and she fails to substantiate her POV with the record - thus everything that follows is simply a mistaken opinion.
In actual fact operation Swarmer demonstrates precisely the success desired of our military's approach. When we first started into Fallujah in late 2004 our Marines ran into such a buzz-saw they found it prudent to withdraw for a few days to soften up the target and rework their strategies.
Not so now with the Swarmer operation, which is centered in and around Samarra - the site of a massive insurgency bombing of a Shiite shrine on February 22. So far this operation has taken less time, used fewer troops and gunships, run into much less resistance and received much more cooperation from locals on the ground than that experienced by our forces in Fallujah. As a matter of fact, during the initial attack - and the following day (today) - the gunships so far HAVE NOT NEEDED TO FIRE at insurgents on the ground. One can only hope that will continue.
Somehow, even in the mind of an ultraliberal, that should not equate as "failure". But by the fractioned reasoning of the distinguished but illogical representative of Bagdhad-by-the-bay, it is but another example of the standard left-speak "Bush lied" mentality.
Predictable, but not honest or realistic. The reality gap in her mind may at last have become dangerous to her political health - if her constituents actually were able to reason on their own. Fortunately for her, so far few have demonstrated that ability.
Quoted here today, she says, "“The fact, that it (operation Swarmer) is necessary shows you the failure to date"” of the administration'’s war approach, she said. "“Three years later, we have major offensive; it just doesn'’t jibe"” with prewar promises. "“It'’s amazing how failed this effort has been,"” Pelosi said.
Apparently Pelosi buys into the theory that once the initial insertion of coalition forces into Iraq was complete, resulting in the rapid failure of the previous regime, then Bush promised us everything afterwards would quickly and easily be coming up roses. Unfortunately, that's not what I recall and she fails to substantiate her POV with the record - thus everything that follows is simply a mistaken opinion.
In actual fact operation Swarmer demonstrates precisely the success desired of our military's approach. When we first started into Fallujah in late 2004 our Marines ran into such a buzz-saw they found it prudent to withdraw for a few days to soften up the target and rework their strategies.
Not so now with the Swarmer operation, which is centered in and around Samarra - the site of a massive insurgency bombing of a Shiite shrine on February 22. So far this operation has taken less time, used fewer troops and gunships, run into much less resistance and received much more cooperation from locals on the ground than that experienced by our forces in Fallujah. As a matter of fact, during the initial attack - and the following day (today) - the gunships so far HAVE NOT NEEDED TO FIRE at insurgents on the ground. One can only hope that will continue.
Somehow, even in the mind of an ultraliberal, that should not equate as "failure". But by the fractioned reasoning of the distinguished but illogical representative of Bagdhad-by-the-bay, it is but another example of the standard left-speak "Bush lied" mentality.
Predictable, but not honest or realistic. The reality gap in her mind may at last have become dangerous to her political health - if her constituents actually were able to reason on their own. Fortunately for her, so far few have demonstrated that ability.
Friday, March 10, 2006
A needless tragedy?
News Friday confirming the death of Tom Fox at the hands of a self-identified Iraqi terrorist group calling themselves the "Swords of Righteousness Brigades" is quite possibly a double tragedy. And not because of his own loss of life - or the tragic times facing his loved ones.
Mr. Fox was a member of a Canadian-led team belonging to "Christian Peacemaker Teams" (CPT), which according to their website is jointly based in Chicago and Toronto. Formed in the mid-80's by a coalition of North American Mennonites, Brethren and Quakers, as well as others, the teams like to say they are "committed to reducing violence by getting in the way".
Obviously, each of the founding organizations come from a "pacifist" tradition or background. I will comment further about "pacifists" another time. Suffice it to say most I've known appear to be solidly based believers, hold strong beliefs in the 'rightness' of their doctrine, and are extremely courageous and helpful in living for Christ among their communities.
CPT uses the following scripture references from the NRSV to justify their official "missions".
Exodus 20:13 You shall not kill.
Matthew 5:43-44 "You have heard that is was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."
Matthew 26:52 Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword."
John 15:13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends.
Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
As far as what CPT was doing in Iraq, their official site also states, "Iraq: (has been) a Baghdad-based presence since October 2002. Team members accompanied the Iraqi people through the U.S.-led 2003 war and continue during the post-war occupation to expose abusive acts by U.S. Armed Forces and support Iraqis committed to nonviolent resistance."
I find this official explanation from CPT extremely troubling, creating a dangerous gap between their ministry and the results of their actions. Why did they only link the term "by U.S. Armed Forces" with efforts to "expose abusive acts"? Wouldn't an informed Christian viewpoint have included exposing abusive acts by all forces? Of course it would! Does nothing the insurgents do come up to the level of abuse? What utter rot! Of course it does. Almost everything the insurgency does is "abusive" in nature, and if they were but uniformed troops of an organized state would be acting virtually completely contrary to international law. How deceitful!
The only explanation I can come up with is this. The "enemies" of the CPT are not the insurgents. Those irregulars have morphed into becoming their friends. Instead, the CPT have decided among themselves "U. S. Armed Forces" are now their enemies. And in so doing they have totally failed to follow Matthew 5:43-44. In their eagerness to "get in the way", they just haven't recognized (or admitted) this disconnect yet.
And so the double tragedy. Tom Fox was a believer, trying to perform an important "ministry" and in so-doing demonstrate a noble Christlike spirit. But it can NOT be noble to just willingly 'give up' your life for a mistaken purpose. And I challange anyone to construct a 'supporting' peaceful purpose in Fox's slaying. It changes nothing, and it makes the group of which he was a member also seem to be ineffectual in their 'ministry' efforts. They publicly ignored a true evil, and the outcome has now become a double disaster. I am so sorry.
Unlike results portrayed in the movie "The End of the Spear", this story seems much more likely to end up merely an unimportant postscript, and not become the "tipping point" his group probably sought. I fail to see how this tragedy will bring glory to God, even though I pray I am wrong, and that eventually it might.
Reasoned comments will be recognized.
Mr. Fox was a member of a Canadian-led team belonging to "Christian Peacemaker Teams" (CPT), which according to their website is jointly based in Chicago and Toronto. Formed in the mid-80's by a coalition of North American Mennonites, Brethren and Quakers, as well as others, the teams like to say they are "committed to reducing violence by getting in the way".
Obviously, each of the founding organizations come from a "pacifist" tradition or background. I will comment further about "pacifists" another time. Suffice it to say most I've known appear to be solidly based believers, hold strong beliefs in the 'rightness' of their doctrine, and are extremely courageous and helpful in living for Christ among their communities.
CPT uses the following scripture references from the NRSV to justify their official "missions".
Exodus 20:13 You shall not kill.
Matthew 5:43-44 "You have heard that is was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."
Matthew 26:52 Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword."
John 15:13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends.
Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
As far as what CPT was doing in Iraq, their official site also states, "Iraq: (has been) a Baghdad-based presence since October 2002. Team members accompanied the Iraqi people through the U.S.-led 2003 war and continue during the post-war occupation to expose abusive acts by U.S. Armed Forces and support Iraqis committed to nonviolent resistance."
I find this official explanation from CPT extremely troubling, creating a dangerous gap between their ministry and the results of their actions. Why did they only link the term "by U.S. Armed Forces" with efforts to "expose abusive acts"? Wouldn't an informed Christian viewpoint have included exposing abusive acts by all forces? Of course it would! Does nothing the insurgents do come up to the level of abuse? What utter rot! Of course it does. Almost everything the insurgency does is "abusive" in nature, and if they were but uniformed troops of an organized state would be acting virtually completely contrary to international law. How deceitful!
The only explanation I can come up with is this. The "enemies" of the CPT are not the insurgents. Those irregulars have morphed into becoming their friends. Instead, the CPT have decided among themselves "U. S. Armed Forces" are now their enemies. And in so doing they have totally failed to follow Matthew 5:43-44. In their eagerness to "get in the way", they just haven't recognized (or admitted) this disconnect yet.
And so the double tragedy. Tom Fox was a believer, trying to perform an important "ministry" and in so-doing demonstrate a noble Christlike spirit. But it can NOT be noble to just willingly 'give up' your life for a mistaken purpose. And I challange anyone to construct a 'supporting' peaceful purpose in Fox's slaying. It changes nothing, and it makes the group of which he was a member also seem to be ineffectual in their 'ministry' efforts. They publicly ignored a true evil, and the outcome has now become a double disaster. I am so sorry.
Unlike results portrayed in the movie "The End of the Spear", this story seems much more likely to end up merely an unimportant postscript, and not become the "tipping point" his group probably sought. I fail to see how this tragedy will bring glory to God, even though I pray I am wrong, and that eventually it might.
Reasoned comments will be recognized.
Monday, March 06, 2006
More re: Mrs. Dweet
Last week my love again saw her bariatric surgeon - the one who first found a problem in her lungs last spring - and he has agreed to again consider by-pass surgery for her in about 90 days if she is first able to pass a few other tests, or re-tests, and meet some conditions. Since short peoples' weight impinges more stringently on their lung capacities - and the bottoms of her lungs are clearer than the upper quadrants - this was good news! Not a cure for PAP, perhaps, but an encouragement as to the possibility of breathing easier post-surgery as the weight rolls off.
Speaking of which, I'm down about 90 pounds since early October. And feeling great - except for some sore ab muscles in the area of my other (intestinal) surgery - due I think to stubborness while unloading a few heavy objects after a Costco run late last week. Ah, the perils of bulk shopping!
Speaking of which, I'm down about 90 pounds since early October. And feeling great - except for some sore ab muscles in the area of my other (intestinal) surgery - due I think to stubborness while unloading a few heavy objects after a Costco run late last week. Ah, the perils of bulk shopping!
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Up-date from Mrs. Dweet.
At a Palo Alto hospital yesterday, Mrs. Dweet found out her latest CT scan shows the disease she carries has progressed, but not a lot. Her pulmonary function tests were essentially unchanged from the last time. There is nothing seriously wrong with her bone marrow or blood, although she is manufacturing some strange blood cells. All this is good news. The medication she’s injecting is not working, so she will finish up her current supply and stop. (One can't just return or toss away 60 bottles of precious medication valued at $843 each!)
There is some talk of an aerosol supply of this same med that has worked for some. Her doctor is finding out more about it. He has also prescribed a 6 week pulmonary rehab program that will not clear her lungs, but should make the muscles that work them more efficient. Her doctor still thinks she is qualified for and should receive bariatric surgery. The resultant weight loss should open up the bottom part of her lungs (the section that is now being compressed by extra weight). The Dweet’s will see that particular surgeon next week and ask for his input.
Spiritually speaking, she knows the Lord has given her more opportunities to share her faith because of the ugly oxygen tank she hauls around. Last week at the golf tournament, she really saw that more than ever. She wonders how she can ask that her problems be removed if the Lord is using them in a positive way? So her prayer is that she continues to see and use those opportunities to be a witness, and to remain in the center of His will for her, WHATEVER it is. And that while there, she can truly experience "the peace that passeth understanding."
Thanks to all who have expressed love and concern. Your prayers and thoughts have been an awesome blessing.
There is some talk of an aerosol supply of this same med that has worked for some. Her doctor is finding out more about it. He has also prescribed a 6 week pulmonary rehab program that will not clear her lungs, but should make the muscles that work them more efficient. Her doctor still thinks she is qualified for and should receive bariatric surgery. The resultant weight loss should open up the bottom part of her lungs (the section that is now being compressed by extra weight). The Dweet’s will see that particular surgeon next week and ask for his input.
Spiritually speaking, she knows the Lord has given her more opportunities to share her faith because of the ugly oxygen tank she hauls around. Last week at the golf tournament, she really saw that more than ever. She wonders how she can ask that her problems be removed if the Lord is using them in a positive way? So her prayer is that she continues to see and use those opportunities to be a witness, and to remain in the center of His will for her, WHATEVER it is. And that while there, she can truly experience "the peace that passeth understanding."
Thanks to all who have expressed love and concern. Your prayers and thoughts have been an awesome blessing.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
London Calls!
Now that 49er's big mid-winter activity spree is over, it's time to begin preparing for springtime in London. England. Great Britain. The U.K.
Mrs. Dweet's longtime goal of returning once more to the mother country will soon be upon us. Many, many arrangements need to be made vis-a-vis oxygen supplies for her whilst there. But time is also being spent determining which plays starring Dame Judith Dench will still be playing, which day trips will be the most rewarding, and etc., etc., etc. It's quite fun!
Re-establishing contact with our favorite church on line 74 is in progress, too, and viewing our new hotel and it's surroundings, or "digs", via "google earth" has been a high priority.
Travel is fun. Traveling in London is great fun! The tubes, the buses, the trains, the buskers, the language differences, everything! Great fun!
Can't wait.
Mrs. Dweet's longtime goal of returning once more to the mother country will soon be upon us. Many, many arrangements need to be made vis-a-vis oxygen supplies for her whilst there. But time is also being spent determining which plays starring Dame Judith Dench will still be playing, which day trips will be the most rewarding, and etc., etc., etc. It's quite fun!
Re-establishing contact with our favorite church on line 74 is in progress, too, and viewing our new hotel and it's surroundings, or "digs", via "google earth" has been a high priority.
Travel is fun. Traveling in London is great fun! The tubes, the buses, the trains, the buskers, the language differences, everything! Great fun!
Can't wait.
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Minding the Gap is sometimes discouraging
Life has a way of intruding on the firmest of plans. And it is bad enough when one family member becomes overwhelmed. If both responsible parental figures in an otherwise dynamic family consisting of multiple physically challenged and dependent adults are unexpectedly afflicted, the "gap" understandingly becomes unmanageable. That is a brief outline of just why this site has been inactive.
Suffice it to say times have been both tough and challenging, but the Dweet's faith (and their bodies) continue to survive. The short version reads something like the book of Job, except Mrs. Dweet plays the role of Job and her husband fills in some additional background and color by impersonating a new character called Job lite!
Mrs. Dweet was diagnosed last summer with an extremely rare lung condition, and at the beginning of 2006 was not quite holding her own against the disease (PAP). She is continuing a daily, self-inoculation medication regimen, and is in frequent contact with a research specialist physician at Stanford. She is on oxygen 24/7, but has learned (with her doctor'’s help) she can spend a few quiet periods off it on occasion, and gladly takes several brief respites each day from dragging the long tube [or a rolling tank with a short tube] around behind her. But when active, or sleeping, she needs the O² to cope and survive.
She has a blood test twice a week, with results forwarded to her doctor the same day. The key element they check is her blood'’s ‘white count’ levels. The medication was designed for some types of immune deficiency patients, and it supposed to stimulate the growth of white cells in the blood. In patients like her that do NOT have an immune deficiency condition, her own body'’s natural reaction may be to ‘fight off’ the medicine. When that happens the normal dosage is increased, and increased, and increased again until it finally theoretically overwhelms her ID system and goes to work in her body wherever bad things are happening, in this case the tiny air sacs in both lungs. Once she reaches that stage, it should take a month and half or so to de-protein-ize (49er's term) those myriads of tiny sacs, a few at a time.
As time goes by more and more information about PAP has become available on the internet. The Dweets have discovered data showing 90% of patients respond favorably to lung lavages. She didn'’t. Furthermore, about 50% of those that did NOT, do respond well to the medicine inoculation regime. Only time will tell if she will be in that group. (Regardless, the Dweets know the Lord is in charge and trust on His mercy and love for them).
The continued treatment prognosis beyond that point could be grim, but she first must see a hematologist before the end of the January to determine why her white cell count is so counter-intuitively low.
49er, after working as a volunteer in a special event in mid-August, and participating in an exciting (and emotionally rewarding) junior-senior PGA tournament, spent the balance of September helping out with grandson and winding down after both activities.
The first week of October brought elective surgery, which was successful, but two weeks later he had to have emergency surgery to remove about 18"” of lower intestine that had suffered too much blood loss from an undiscovered mini-stroke, and had subsequently ‘died’. That surgery was thankfully successful, but its result was the insertion in the lower stomach of a gastric feeding tube leading to the abdomen, and a large open longitudinal wound in the center of the abdomen, at first requiring thrice-a-day re-dressings. 49er was in the hospital about 12 days, and then home with almost daily visiting nurse care for one of the re-dressings, while Mrs. Dweet did the other two.
49er was making good healing progress with the wound, for a few weeks, but eventually developed some type of infection and simply stopped eating. He then dropped about sixty pounds but grew increasingly weaker, so the doctor put him back in the hospital in November for a 5 day ‘tune-up’. He also started daily tube feedings then and 49er was sent home with a gastric pump that pushed liquid food 23 hours a days. So he had something to carry around that seemed to match what Mrs. Dweet was carrying around. Great fun!
Since then, 49er has weaned himself from the tube feedings, the wound has almost healed and the tube has been removed. He is once more eating on his own.
This just in: Update from Mrs. Dweet: After being on the max dose of her injectible meds, she saw the hematologist at Stanford just this week and came away with more questions than answers. He saw some things in her blood that could be problematic. He cannot explain why the white cell count is below normal when the medicine's job is to increase the white count. There are a couple of possibilities, but he has to find out how to test for these. In the meantime, she will continue on the meds. She has another CT scan next week, and pulmonary function tests coming up mid-February. So the Lord continues to ask her to trust Him for the unknowns, and she has determined she will. As always, her only prayer request is she remain in the center of God's will. She know's that's the best place to be, with or without the crazy oxygen tank she lugs around!
But to get back to minding the gap. She and 49er have become increasingly tired of answering the reasonable and well-intentioned question, "How do you feel"? Or, "Any improvement?" Or many similar variations. After each hospital or doctor visit, and after repeatedly experiencing the disappoinment of not receiving a direct answer as to 'why'?, it takes longer and longer for them to wait on the Holy Spirit and allow Him to rebuild their spirit in His likeness. Sometimes they just don't want to be around people for a few hours or so, so they won't have to "be brave" for a while longer. Pray for them, and if they have been short with you or let you down at any time, please forgive them and try to understand.
Suffice it to say times have been both tough and challenging, but the Dweet's faith (and their bodies) continue to survive. The short version reads something like the book of Job, except Mrs. Dweet plays the role of Job and her husband fills in some additional background and color by impersonating a new character called Job lite!
Mrs. Dweet was diagnosed last summer with an extremely rare lung condition, and at the beginning of 2006 was not quite holding her own against the disease (PAP). She is continuing a daily, self-inoculation medication regimen, and is in frequent contact with a research specialist physician at Stanford. She is on oxygen 24/7, but has learned (with her doctor'’s help) she can spend a few quiet periods off it on occasion, and gladly takes several brief respites each day from dragging the long tube [or a rolling tank with a short tube] around behind her. But when active, or sleeping, she needs the O² to cope and survive.
She has a blood test twice a week, with results forwarded to her doctor the same day. The key element they check is her blood'’s ‘white count’ levels. The medication was designed for some types of immune deficiency patients, and it supposed to stimulate the growth of white cells in the blood. In patients like her that do NOT have an immune deficiency condition, her own body'’s natural reaction may be to ‘fight off’ the medicine. When that happens the normal dosage is increased, and increased, and increased again until it finally theoretically overwhelms her ID system and goes to work in her body wherever bad things are happening, in this case the tiny air sacs in both lungs. Once she reaches that stage, it should take a month and half or so to de-protein-ize (49er's term) those myriads of tiny sacs, a few at a time.
As time goes by more and more information about PAP has become available on the internet. The Dweets have discovered data showing 90% of patients respond favorably to lung lavages. She didn'’t. Furthermore, about 50% of those that did NOT, do respond well to the medicine inoculation regime. Only time will tell if she will be in that group. (Regardless, the Dweets know the Lord is in charge and trust on His mercy and love for them).
The continued treatment prognosis beyond that point could be grim, but she first must see a hematologist before the end of the January to determine why her white cell count is so counter-intuitively low.
49er, after working as a volunteer in a special event in mid-August, and participating in an exciting (and emotionally rewarding) junior-senior PGA tournament, spent the balance of September helping out with grandson and winding down after both activities.
The first week of October brought elective surgery, which was successful, but two weeks later he had to have emergency surgery to remove about 18"” of lower intestine that had suffered too much blood loss from an undiscovered mini-stroke, and had subsequently ‘died’. That surgery was thankfully successful, but its result was the insertion in the lower stomach of a gastric feeding tube leading to the abdomen, and a large open longitudinal wound in the center of the abdomen, at first requiring thrice-a-day re-dressings. 49er was in the hospital about 12 days, and then home with almost daily visiting nurse care for one of the re-dressings, while Mrs. Dweet did the other two.
49er was making good healing progress with the wound, for a few weeks, but eventually developed some type of infection and simply stopped eating. He then dropped about sixty pounds but grew increasingly weaker, so the doctor put him back in the hospital in November for a 5 day ‘tune-up’. He also started daily tube feedings then and 49er was sent home with a gastric pump that pushed liquid food 23 hours a days. So he had something to carry around that seemed to match what Mrs. Dweet was carrying around. Great fun!
Since then, 49er has weaned himself from the tube feedings, the wound has almost healed and the tube has been removed. He is once more eating on his own.
This just in: Update from Mrs. Dweet: After being on the max dose of her injectible meds, she saw the hematologist at Stanford just this week and came away with more questions than answers. He saw some things in her blood that could be problematic. He cannot explain why the white cell count is below normal when the medicine's job is to increase the white count. There are a couple of possibilities, but he has to find out how to test for these. In the meantime, she will continue on the meds. She has another CT scan next week, and pulmonary function tests coming up mid-February. So the Lord continues to ask her to trust Him for the unknowns, and she has determined she will. As always, her only prayer request is she remain in the center of God's will. She know's that's the best place to be, with or without the crazy oxygen tank she lugs around!
But to get back to minding the gap. She and 49er have become increasingly tired of answering the reasonable and well-intentioned question, "How do you feel"? Or, "Any improvement?" Or many similar variations. After each hospital or doctor visit, and after repeatedly experiencing the disappoinment of not receiving a direct answer as to 'why'?, it takes longer and longer for them to wait on the Holy Spirit and allow Him to rebuild their spirit in His likeness. Sometimes they just don't want to be around people for a few hours or so, so they won't have to "be brave" for a while longer. Pray for them, and if they have been short with you or let you down at any time, please forgive them and try to understand.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Separation of Church and State
Interesting development today as reported by MSNBC, with FEMA said to be setting up guidelines for reimbursement of certain disaster relief expenses of "faith-based organi(z/s)ations" - OK, churches - responding to critical public requests for humanitarian services in their communities due to the hurricane(s).
As may be expected, divergent and critical viewpoints are aired in the story, and the whole thing should be read to catch their true flavor. The most illuminating bit, however, in my view is the final portion:
Almost no churches are so well-off they have enough funds available to live without regular giving (income) from their members for more than a short period, probably one to four months. Beyond that, to be prudent they would need to restructure their long-term debt, cash in CD's, adjust their payroll (cut people or hours back) and/or make other adjustments to their outgo. Just the fact they still have a facility to use for worship and service is truly a blessing.
That said, I would caution churches to be extremely careful if they decide to request any degree of reimbursement. Things like extra ministry or payroll support costs should be scrutinized, and only costs associated with specific line items or services requested in writing by the public entities, such as excessive janitorial, maintenance, utility and security expenditures - all clearly over and above like periods from previous years - should be submitted. The expense to replace fixtures or items accidently destroyed due to excessive or careless public use should be clearly prorated to reduce the amount sought by the extent of the known previous wear and tear.
Absolutely no storm damage or ministry opportunity costs or supplies should be included, no matter the amount. The occasion is simply a gift from God of an opportunity to serve others. What more could a church seek? Why else would we exist?
One other thing. Likely all requests will be classified as public records, meaning any unabridged financial records included could become fodder for every self-styled investigative anti-religious crackpot to travel down the pike for years to come. Figure out a way to comply with requests for cost or expense verifications that do not include submitting an intact annual financial statement. Or else refuse to submit the request.
Churches should gratefully use this opportunity to serve, care and demonstrate selfless love for their neighbors and community members without regard to financial gain. To do otherwise is to shame the name of the Lord we serve.
As may be expected, divergent and critical viewpoints are aired in the story, and the whole thing should be read to catch their true flavor. The most illuminating bit, however, in my view is the final portion:
No income coming inFull disclosure: The writer serves both on the board and finance committees of a small (under 150 member) independent protestant church, and has some familiarity with church budgets, exclusive of the mega and mainstream varieties. This type of use is exactly why the church is there. The churches on this continent, and probably the world, could no more turn down a request from a public entity for this kind of emergency aid than they could promote a professional tractor-pulling contest - OK, they probably could do that in North Dakota or Saskatchewan - but you get the picture.
For some individual churches, however, reimbursement is very appealing. At Christus Victor Lutheran Church in Ocean Springs, Miss., as many as 200 evacuees and volunteer workers have been sleeping each night in the sanctuary and Sunday school classrooms. The church's entrance hall is a Red Cross reception area and medical clinic. As many as 400 people a day are eating in the fellowship hall.
Suzie Harvey, the parish administrator, said the church was asked by the Red Cross and local officials to serve as a shelter. The church's leadership agreed immediately, without anticipating that nearly a quarter of its 650 members would be rendered homeless and in no position to contribute funds. "This was just something we had to do," she said. "Later we realized we have no income coming in."
Harvey said the electric bill has skyrocketed, water is being used around the clock and there's been "20 years of wear on the carpet in one month." If FEMA makes money available, she said, the church definitely will apply.
Almost no churches are so well-off they have enough funds available to live without regular giving (income) from their members for more than a short period, probably one to four months. Beyond that, to be prudent they would need to restructure their long-term debt, cash in CD's, adjust their payroll (cut people or hours back) and/or make other adjustments to their outgo. Just the fact they still have a facility to use for worship and service is truly a blessing.
That said, I would caution churches to be extremely careful if they decide to request any degree of reimbursement. Things like extra ministry or payroll support costs should be scrutinized, and only costs associated with specific line items or services requested in writing by the public entities, such as excessive janitorial, maintenance, utility and security expenditures - all clearly over and above like periods from previous years - should be submitted. The expense to replace fixtures or items accidently destroyed due to excessive or careless public use should be clearly prorated to reduce the amount sought by the extent of the known previous wear and tear.
Absolutely no storm damage or ministry opportunity costs or supplies should be included, no matter the amount. The occasion is simply a gift from God of an opportunity to serve others. What more could a church seek? Why else would we exist?
One other thing. Likely all requests will be classified as public records, meaning any unabridged financial records included could become fodder for every self-styled investigative anti-religious crackpot to travel down the pike for years to come. Figure out a way to comply with requests for cost or expense verifications that do not include submitting an intact annual financial statement. Or else refuse to submit the request.
Churches should gratefully use this opportunity to serve, care and demonstrate selfless love for their neighbors and community members without regard to financial gain. To do otherwise is to shame the name of the Lord we serve.
Saturday, September 24, 2005
Gaza Greenhouse Disorder
other suggested titles:
Hate trumps reason every time. Remember this! Even when it apparently doesn't, it eventually does! Ultra unthinking, blind-faith liberalism is akin to a mental disorder! One may be as nice as pie and smart as a whip, but to deny the existence of evil and hate when the evidence is so overwhelming is just plain sick!
We criticize those in New Orleans reluctant to leave their homes even though told the rising waters, etc., would kill them. They 'wasted' too many public resources, we said, trying to convince them to leave. We asked the question: "How many others could have been rescued with those same resources?"
I ask the same question of blind-faith liberals. "How much more justice and freedom could have been wrought with your 'wasted' resources if you had used better sense? How many man-hours of 'property protection' time were wasted trying to protect these greenhouses? Could the money have been better spent?"
Please note, I'm not accusing them of hating Israel, hating the US, or hating Bush. I'll leave those judgmentss to others. I do accuse them of being terminally stupid. It will probably take some additional years to prove my point, but remember, you saw it here first.
- Hope Springs Eternal....................................no,
- Stupid Is as Stupid Does...............................no,
- A Fool And His Money....................................maybe!
If there is any one act that can serve as a symbol for the shattered hopes for a democratic Palestinian state, it is the sad fate of the greenhouses left behind by Israeli farmers forced to abandon their businesses in Gaza.See also this LA Times story, earlier. In the past, some liberal readers have objected to my earlier post vis-Ã -vis mental disorders. And I freely agree that many ultra conservatives seem to be linked closer to escapees from a funny farm than participants in a rational discussion. That said, why is it so many liberals cannot see the fallacy of Jewish Philanthropists (or anybody else) expecting any other result in Gaza from the giving of this expensive 'gift'?
Rather than being dismantled like the settlements, the greenhouses were purchased for the Palestinians by American Jewish philanthropists. These wealthy individuals hoped this would allow a thriving agricultural business, which had been carved out of the sand by Israelis, might become an engine for Palestinian prosperity.
But it appears that the Arabs who might have benefited from these greenhouses had other ideas. Along with the remaining synagogue buildings, these structures were smashed by Palestinian mobs, who surged through the settlements after Israel pulled out. For them, destroying any vestige of the Jewish imprint on the land was more important than jobs and the economy.
This story could serve as a wake-up call for the well-intentioned souls who believe that economic development is the key to peace. They need to remember that, for Israel's foes, the hope of prosperity still ranks a distant second to hate.
Hate trumps reason every time. Remember this! Even when it apparently doesn't, it eventually does! Ultra unthinking, blind-faith liberalism is akin to a mental disorder! One may be as nice as pie and smart as a whip, but to deny the existence of evil and hate when the evidence is so overwhelming is just plain sick!
We criticize those in New Orleans reluctant to leave their homes even though told the rising waters, etc., would kill them. They 'wasted' too many public resources, we said, trying to convince them to leave. We asked the question: "How many others could have been rescued with those same resources?"
I ask the same question of blind-faith liberals. "How much more justice and freedom could have been wrought with your 'wasted' resources if you had used better sense? How many man-hours of 'property protection' time were wasted trying to protect these greenhouses? Could the money have been better spent?"
Please note, I'm not accusing them of hating Israel, hating the US, or hating Bush. I'll leave those judgmentss to others. I do accuse them of being terminally stupid. It will probably take some additional years to prove my point, but remember, you saw it here first.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
People With Too Much Time and Money on Their Hands
In what can only happen when the collective mind suffers too many attacks from the "slings and arrows" of modern big city living, New 'Yawkers' are currently being treated to the inspiring view of a barge disquised as an 'island' being drug around by a tug boat in the waters off NYC. Read it and wonder at the mind set that sees a significant societal 'benefit' from this experimental art form.
Now if they would only charge an admission fee for an hour's ride on the floating hay bales, the idea might turn out to be of some use. But the 'artsy' mind doesn't appreciate the commercial value of that type of thing. Too practical.
Now if they would only charge an admission fee for an hour's ride on the floating hay bales, the idea might turn out to be of some use. But the 'artsy' mind doesn't appreciate the commercial value of that type of thing. Too practical.
Saturday, September 10, 2005
FEMA, You read it here, first
Its time now for two specific predictions from the 49er.
Prognostication one. FEMA, as we now know and love it, will be replaced under a new law creating a “newer, better, more responsive agency” sometime within the next six months – or my name is Abner Doubleday.
And forecast two. Somewhere within the new law, as it is crafted by a crafty congress, will be provisions for el presidente to federalize an entire disaster area when certain conditions are met.
Prognostication one. FEMA, as we now know and love it, will be replaced under a new law creating a “newer, better, more responsive agency” sometime within the next six months – or my name is Abner Doubleday.
And forecast two. Somewhere within the new law, as it is crafted by a crafty congress, will be provisions for el presidente to federalize an entire disaster area when certain conditions are met.
- The disaster area is widespread, and covers significant portions of more than one state, and
- The governor of at least one of the involved states requests such action, or
- The anticipated potential loss of human life or property exceeds - say 200 persons or one billion dollars.
Thursday, September 08, 2005
The Saints Go Marching On
Just finished reading a piece at the LA Times website. 1. This is unusual because their site is normally only open by subscription; and 2. By principle I refuse to register for any subscription news site, so do not waste much time reading news I consider universally biased and too far out on the left for my taste. (This system works surprisingly well). And 3. It was sports news. (That might be why it was free).
What I read was a fresh story about the New Orleans Saints, which by definition are a US based National Football League football team formerly based in New Orleans, Louisiana, which once upon a time existed somewhere between the Mississippi gulf coast and Galveston, Texas. Before some woman named Katrina blew into town and sort of wrecked things. But I digress.
Many of you reading this blog do not know much of anything about the National Football League OR the New Orleans Saints football team. The writer does not know very much about the NFL or the ‘Saints’, as they are lovingly referred to by some three hundred or so faithful fans. But I do know they need more fans. And since they are from (accent on the from) New Orleans, I’d like to suggest a fun experiment. One we can all play and enjoy. Even the kiddies. And the vicar. (Extra points when you involve the vicar).
The experiment is “Let’s everybody get together, regardless of which sports team we really, really like, and for one full football season make the New Orleans Saints “North America’s Team” (as contrasted to the Dallas Cowboys whom some marketing genius years ago labeled “America’s Team”, even though they weren’t and still aren’t.
Here is a link to the story that today inspired me so fatefully. And here is a link to some information about the team. Those of you who join in and faithfully swear or affirm we will on our honor support and respect the on the field efforts of the 2005 New Orleans Saints Football Team will be eligible to win huge prizes after a gigantic post-season raffle drawing (void where prohibited) in front of a community Red Cross office somewhere, or in the parking lot of a Salvation Army post, whichever at the time seems most convenient or appropriate.
Prizes will not be limited to just an all expense underwater tour for two of the former New Orleans superdome, but may actually be limited to simulated rides for four through the eye of an artificial hurricane in authentic replicas of U.S. Hurricane hunting aircraft. Thrilling, isn’t it?
So everybody clear your calendars for the next !@~ months, and come back here every week for an enlightening discussion of just what football is, at least in the NFL’s point of view, and we jointly learn how to be brainless sports fans just like those in Boston and Edmonton, (unless, of course, you live in Boston or Edmonton – and then we’ll be emulating people who live in Chicago or Green Bay – a state just south of Saskatchewan).
There is no charge to participate in this fun event, but think of the 'discussion points' you'll accumulate, allowing you to show off in front of the ladies as you 'hang' around the cracker barrel at a Tim Horton's, or sip your double latte at Starbucks. Simply Priceless!
Our next post will discuss what is usually called "the game coming up this week-end", with enough information that it might actually hit you somewhat like a too-fragrant shrimp louis from an overly hyped french quarter cafe. Stay tuned and tell your friends! They will be excited to be part of history in actually cheering for a down and out American team.
What I read was a fresh story about the New Orleans Saints, which by definition are a US based National Football League football team formerly based in New Orleans, Louisiana, which once upon a time existed somewhere between the Mississippi gulf coast and Galveston, Texas. Before some woman named Katrina blew into town and sort of wrecked things. But I digress.
Many of you reading this blog do not know much of anything about the National Football League OR the New Orleans Saints football team. The writer does not know very much about the NFL or the ‘Saints’, as they are lovingly referred to by some three hundred or so faithful fans. But I do know they need more fans. And since they are from (accent on the from) New Orleans, I’d like to suggest a fun experiment. One we can all play and enjoy. Even the kiddies. And the vicar. (Extra points when you involve the vicar).
The experiment is “Let’s everybody get together, regardless of which sports team we really, really like, and for one full football season make the New Orleans Saints “North America’s Team” (as contrasted to the Dallas Cowboys whom some marketing genius years ago labeled “America’s Team”, even though they weren’t and still aren’t.
Here is a link to the story that today inspired me so fatefully. And here is a link to some information about the team. Those of you who join in and faithfully swear or affirm we will on our honor support and respect the on the field efforts of the 2005 New Orleans Saints Football Team will be eligible to win huge prizes after a gigantic post-season raffle drawing (void where prohibited) in front of a community Red Cross office somewhere, or in the parking lot of a Salvation Army post, whichever at the time seems most convenient or appropriate.
Prizes will not be limited to just an all expense underwater tour for two of the former New Orleans superdome, but may actually be limited to simulated rides for four through the eye of an artificial hurricane in authentic replicas of U.S. Hurricane hunting aircraft. Thrilling, isn’t it?
So everybody clear your calendars for the next !@~ months, and come back here every week for an enlightening discussion of just what football is, at least in the NFL’s point of view, and we jointly learn how to be brainless sports fans just like those in Boston and Edmonton, (unless, of course, you live in Boston or Edmonton – and then we’ll be emulating people who live in Chicago or Green Bay – a state just south of Saskatchewan).
There is no charge to participate in this fun event, but think of the 'discussion points' you'll accumulate, allowing you to show off in front of the ladies as you 'hang' around the cracker barrel at a Tim Horton's, or sip your double latte at Starbucks. Simply Priceless!
Our next post will discuss what is usually called "the game coming up this week-end", with enough information that it might actually hit you somewhat like a too-fragrant shrimp louis from an overly hyped french quarter cafe. Stay tuned and tell your friends! They will be excited to be part of history in actually cheering for a down and out American team.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Louisiana Office of Homeland Security 'craps out'
According to this on Right Wing News the Lousianna state office of emergency services specifically barred the Red Cross before the flooding began from taking critically needed supplies to the Superdome and Convention Center in the Crescent City because they "wanted people to evacuate," not hunker down for the duration (my words).
Since this supposedly was broadcast live on Fox News there should be sufficient independent confirmation of the information.
Could it be as simple as a state bureaucrat making a critical and fatal mistake in judgement?
Since this supposedly was broadcast live on Fox News there should be sufficient independent confirmation of the information.
Could it be as simple as a state bureaucrat making a critical and fatal mistake in judgement?
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
49er's Updated Grades
NOTE: None of what follows will be supported by links or references. Mainly, because most of it has been freely available to everyone wishing to look. Later, if challenged, I reserve the right to look it up and add it – if it suits me, and I can find the time.
After bouncing around between the net and the tube, including some of the side stories that have yet to receive wide spread recognition, the 49er has come up with the following weighted governance grades IN HIS OPINION for the period beginning three days before Katrina blew through FL, until midnight NOLA local time yesterday, 9/5/2005:
NOLA governance C minus
Orleans parish governance D minus
LA governance F
FEMA relief efforts D minus
GWB relief efforts C minus
Neighboring states’ relief efforts A
Other national statesmen’s efforts D minus
MSM local coverage efforts B plus
MSM national coverage efforts C minus
Kicking people when they’re down efforts A
International responses A minus
Here is his reasoning, much of which is repetitive from other postings (He’s tried to depersonalize this as much as possible).
The city of NOLA receives good marks for forcefully telling everybody to leave town ahead of time, and later for warning those going to the superdome to take food, water and blankets because they would be there on their own for several days and it would be ‘rough’.
They receive bad marks for earlier in time allowing the installation of a police radio system that could fail so completely during the foreseeable disaster they’ve since suffered. Whoever spec’ed out and okayed that system should be investigated criminally for neglect of duty. An emergency response force is useless if they can’t communicate on multiple levels. Many reports suggest the only communications left to them were primitive line-of-sight single-frequency “tach” channels. Cops outgrew those in the 1940s.
They receive a failing mark for saving their buses but not their citizens. Reports say during planning meetings when they came to the question of how to help evacuate the poor, the answer was silence. Effective leadership would have years earlier directed a team of action people to resolve that dilemma. No evidence has yet surfaced that this was attempted. (And, yes, besides reading of the city buses that were driven to safety, 49er saw the photo of the school bus yard containing over 300 partially flooded school buses). [He hates it when arrogant “suits” make final decisions based on their limited knowledge and ability. It still happens to him, and he’s retired – for crying out loud].
The city receives good marks for ‘getting with it’ once the scope of the flood was finally understood. When your power is out and you are operating on batteries, and your emergency services people can’t talk and report back at will because their communications are down, leaders are blinded and naturally hesitant. They recovered from that problem fairly rapidly, apparently, so he gave them the benefit of the doubt.
NOLA also receives good marks for making a controversial decision to oppose anarchy by forsaking some safety and recovery efforts, and directing increased enforcement resources back against looting, crime, etc. The humanitarian drama steals our emotions, but anarchy is extremely insidious and once it had been allowed to gain a foothold the human cost could easily have been worse and longer lasting than from the flood.
And they receive good marks for yesterday realizing their emergency responders were wearing out and badly needed personal and recreational time away from the disaster zone. Sending them to Atlanta and Lost Wages was a good idea. Their local knowledge will be vitally needed as the body recovery program begins in earnest, and when they return they should have clearer eyes and strengthened hearts.
Orleans Parish seems to be almost completely composed of the downtown portion of the Crescent City. 49er has found little to clarify its relationship with NOLA city governance. It may be that some city officials wear two hats, similar to the city and county of San Francisco, but he cannot confirm that at this hour. Never the less, the parish portion of the job seems extremely poorly done. For a parish that lived for decades under the threat of total disaster if a hurricane of a certain size descended upon its neighborhood, disaster planning was terribly lackluster and incomplete. Their web-page was/is a laugh. The term “second rate” gives it too much praise. As the interim level between city and state, it should have been jumping the gun to get things going days before Katrina hit, and then once again when the levies were breached. To this day he can find no record of them responding. Curiously, 49er can find response activity records for neighboring St. Bernard, Jefferson, and Plaquemines parishes, just not Orleans.
State governance did a good job of facilitating the original motorized evacuation a couple of days before Katrina’s second landfall. That went by plan and was pretty smooth. Personal friends that were in it said it was slow at first, but they reached Houston safely in well less than a day, and were pleased with the support they received.
LA state authorities were given access to resources and “federal disaster area” legal status a full day ahead of time by the feds, but seemed to “sit on it”, rather than take pre-cautionary actions. Why this failure to act occurred will be interesting to determine. It is probably the worst and most critical failure noted. A state can always step in and override a parish or city, but the feds cannot override a state without approval from congress.
The worst failure of the state, in 49er’s HO [Ok, tm is right. He’s not that humble], is for years accepting the limited safety of a defective levy system that was too low and too old. (A new type of system – originating in LA –for reinforcing their bases with permeable clay and building up levies was only partially used in and around the mighty Mississip, before it was imported to other river cities such as Sacramento and St Louis, etc.) If a levy is too low, it is TOO LOW. If it is too old, it is TOO OLD. The state of Louisiana failed miserably to make that dangerous situation a matter of the national conscience. That was their collective duty. They blew it.
FEMA is too full of bureaucrats (sorry, Q). There is a place for them, but that number should make up less than 1/5th of the staff. Instead, they seem to run it. And the way they run it is about three decades behind the times. Two examples. First, officials in St. Bernard Parish, east by southeast and seaward from New Orleans, as of midnight last night had still to hear a from anybody at FEMA even though they had been leaving phone messages at FEMA headquarters for five days.
Second, for any flood victim to apply for aid – as of 5 PM yesterday – required them to phone or email for a packet, WHICH WOULD BE MAILED to the claimant’s address for them to complete and mail back. So now to qualify for disaster aid, a citizen must not be in so much of a disaster as to lose either phone or email service, and/or a bona fide mailing address. Ridiculous. FEMA needs a good flushing of its top-level administrators. They don’t need to just administrate “smarter” (the old saw), but they need to administrate “realer”, to coin a phrase.
Interesting comment last night on Fox from Newt Gingrich, when asked why the delay in response from GWB. His reply, “He was getting too much conflicting information”. Since 49er and others believe that has been true for two or three years, it is easy for them to accept. If he learns otherwise, he reserves the right to alter his grade.
Texas, Mississippi, Alabama all came through this with their states performing like champs --even though vast areas of the last two had been wiped out. Was the flooding the only difference? Maybe, maybe not.
Life on the Bayou and Gulf Coast always brings out vile and pesky critters that can prove to be very bothersome. They are considered nuisances. Some of the nuisances do not have wings or feelers, but instead ride around in limos and hang out in the halls of congress. Those critters are now coming out in force hoping to put a political spin on anything done in the name of humanity. If we only hadn’t rid ourselves of the protection afforded by DDT, maybe they wouldn’t be so pesky.
These last grades are based on much shorter observation time periods, and are therefore subject to adjustment, later, as warranted.
Great job (in 49er’s opinion) by national, regional and local media in bringing accurate and timely local stories to light. Kudos to several for informing the world – and the authorities – of problems not previously known to exist.
On-the-other hand their big media brothers back on the least coast have wasted little time in ‘spinning’ negative comments and critical specials. Exceptions noted were MSNBC and FOX, but 49er is probably biased. (He feels we don’t need to be told what to think. Given facts we are capable of reaching our own conclusions, apparently unlike the vast hordes national MSM talking heads are trained to inculcate).
The Al Sharpton wannabe brigade has been hard at work, winning stellar marks for turning tragedy into race-baiting opportunity. When will a national black leader with the courage to tell it like it is – both ways – emerge?
Lastly, the response from almost every quarter of the world has been enlightening and edifying. Most peoples – if not their governments – truly wish to be kind to the down-and-out, and their communications and offers of help have been extremely heartwarming. Good show!
After bouncing around between the net and the tube, including some of the side stories that have yet to receive wide spread recognition, the 49er has come up with the following weighted governance grades IN HIS OPINION for the period beginning three days before Katrina blew through FL, until midnight NOLA local time yesterday, 9/5/2005:
NOLA governance C minus
Orleans parish governance D minus
LA governance F
FEMA relief efforts D minus
GWB relief efforts C minus
Neighboring states’ relief efforts A
Other national statesmen’s efforts D minus
MSM local coverage efforts B plus
MSM national coverage efforts C minus
Kicking people when they’re down efforts A
International responses A minus
Here is his reasoning, much of which is repetitive from other postings (He’s tried to depersonalize this as much as possible).
The city of NOLA receives good marks for forcefully telling everybody to leave town ahead of time, and later for warning those going to the superdome to take food, water and blankets because they would be there on their own for several days and it would be ‘rough’.
They receive bad marks for earlier in time allowing the installation of a police radio system that could fail so completely during the foreseeable disaster they’ve since suffered. Whoever spec’ed out and okayed that system should be investigated criminally for neglect of duty. An emergency response force is useless if they can’t communicate on multiple levels. Many reports suggest the only communications left to them were primitive line-of-sight single-frequency “tach” channels. Cops outgrew those in the 1940s.
They receive a failing mark for saving their buses but not their citizens. Reports say during planning meetings when they came to the question of how to help evacuate the poor, the answer was silence. Effective leadership would have years earlier directed a team of action people to resolve that dilemma. No evidence has yet surfaced that this was attempted. (And, yes, besides reading of the city buses that were driven to safety, 49er saw the photo of the school bus yard containing over 300 partially flooded school buses). [He hates it when arrogant “suits” make final decisions based on their limited knowledge and ability. It still happens to him, and he’s retired – for crying out loud].
The city receives good marks for ‘getting with it’ once the scope of the flood was finally understood. When your power is out and you are operating on batteries, and your emergency services people can’t talk and report back at will because their communications are down, leaders are blinded and naturally hesitant. They recovered from that problem fairly rapidly, apparently, so he gave them the benefit of the doubt.
NOLA also receives good marks for making a controversial decision to oppose anarchy by forsaking some safety and recovery efforts, and directing increased enforcement resources back against looting, crime, etc. The humanitarian drama steals our emotions, but anarchy is extremely insidious and once it had been allowed to gain a foothold the human cost could easily have been worse and longer lasting than from the flood.
And they receive good marks for yesterday realizing their emergency responders were wearing out and badly needed personal and recreational time away from the disaster zone. Sending them to Atlanta and Lost Wages was a good idea. Their local knowledge will be vitally needed as the body recovery program begins in earnest, and when they return they should have clearer eyes and strengthened hearts.
Orleans Parish seems to be almost completely composed of the downtown portion of the Crescent City. 49er has found little to clarify its relationship with NOLA city governance. It may be that some city officials wear two hats, similar to the city and county of San Francisco, but he cannot confirm that at this hour. Never the less, the parish portion of the job seems extremely poorly done. For a parish that lived for decades under the threat of total disaster if a hurricane of a certain size descended upon its neighborhood, disaster planning was terribly lackluster and incomplete. Their web-page was/is a laugh. The term “second rate” gives it too much praise. As the interim level between city and state, it should have been jumping the gun to get things going days before Katrina hit, and then once again when the levies were breached. To this day he can find no record of them responding. Curiously, 49er can find response activity records for neighboring St. Bernard, Jefferson, and Plaquemines parishes, just not Orleans.
State governance did a good job of facilitating the original motorized evacuation a couple of days before Katrina’s second landfall. That went by plan and was pretty smooth. Personal friends that were in it said it was slow at first, but they reached Houston safely in well less than a day, and were pleased with the support they received.
LA state authorities were given access to resources and “federal disaster area” legal status a full day ahead of time by the feds, but seemed to “sit on it”, rather than take pre-cautionary actions. Why this failure to act occurred will be interesting to determine. It is probably the worst and most critical failure noted. A state can always step in and override a parish or city, but the feds cannot override a state without approval from congress.
The worst failure of the state, in 49er’s HO [Ok, tm is right. He’s not that humble], is for years accepting the limited safety of a defective levy system that was too low and too old. (A new type of system – originating in LA –for reinforcing their bases with permeable clay and building up levies was only partially used in and around the mighty Mississip, before it was imported to other river cities such as Sacramento and St Louis, etc.) If a levy is too low, it is TOO LOW. If it is too old, it is TOO OLD. The state of Louisiana failed miserably to make that dangerous situation a matter of the national conscience. That was their collective duty. They blew it.
FEMA is too full of bureaucrats (sorry, Q). There is a place for them, but that number should make up less than 1/5th of the staff. Instead, they seem to run it. And the way they run it is about three decades behind the times. Two examples. First, officials in St. Bernard Parish, east by southeast and seaward from New Orleans, as of midnight last night had still to hear a from anybody at FEMA even though they had been leaving phone messages at FEMA headquarters for five days.
Second, for any flood victim to apply for aid – as of 5 PM yesterday – required them to phone or email for a packet, WHICH WOULD BE MAILED to the claimant’s address for them to complete and mail back. So now to qualify for disaster aid, a citizen must not be in so much of a disaster as to lose either phone or email service, and/or a bona fide mailing address. Ridiculous. FEMA needs a good flushing of its top-level administrators. They don’t need to just administrate “smarter” (the old saw), but they need to administrate “realer”, to coin a phrase.
Interesting comment last night on Fox from Newt Gingrich, when asked why the delay in response from GWB. His reply, “He was getting too much conflicting information”. Since 49er and others believe that has been true for two or three years, it is easy for them to accept. If he learns otherwise, he reserves the right to alter his grade.
Texas, Mississippi, Alabama all came through this with their states performing like champs --even though vast areas of the last two had been wiped out. Was the flooding the only difference? Maybe, maybe not.
Life on the Bayou and Gulf Coast always brings out vile and pesky critters that can prove to be very bothersome. They are considered nuisances. Some of the nuisances do not have wings or feelers, but instead ride around in limos and hang out in the halls of congress. Those critters are now coming out in force hoping to put a political spin on anything done in the name of humanity. If we only hadn’t rid ourselves of the protection afforded by DDT, maybe they wouldn’t be so pesky.
These last grades are based on much shorter observation time periods, and are therefore subject to adjustment, later, as warranted.
Great job (in 49er’s opinion) by national, regional and local media in bringing accurate and timely local stories to light. Kudos to several for informing the world – and the authorities – of problems not previously known to exist.
On-the-other hand their big media brothers back on the least coast have wasted little time in ‘spinning’ negative comments and critical specials. Exceptions noted were MSNBC and FOX, but 49er is probably biased. (He feels we don’t need to be told what to think. Given facts we are capable of reaching our own conclusions, apparently unlike the vast hordes national MSM talking heads are trained to inculcate).
The Al Sharpton wannabe brigade has been hard at work, winning stellar marks for turning tragedy into race-baiting opportunity. When will a national black leader with the courage to tell it like it is – both ways – emerge?
Lastly, the response from almost every quarter of the world has been enlightening and edifying. Most peoples – if not their governments – truly wish to be kind to the down-and-out, and their communications and offers of help have been extremely heartwarming. Good show!
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Grading the Gap
Caught up as I was in the late night response effort on other blogs commenting on the governance failures surrounding Katrina, at one time recently I graded the response efforts as follows:
which was based on this initial rationale:
What gives me the right to grade these efforts, you ask? I'm a US citizen and I have EVERY right to grade them, that's why - I respond.
But further than that, in previous lives I've had many years of fleet and system planning experience, spent several years on the board of an outstanding ambulance (and first responder) service, spent years as a CA trained county peace officer and supervisor, and volunteer each year to oversee the public and volunteer transportation segments of at least two internationally known public events - duties which require months of preparation each year, even though they are basically repeats of a previous year's successful efforts.
In the next few days I plan on revisiting and revising this subject based on information obtained in the interim.
Cheers
NOLA city goverance - D minus
LA state goverance - D
US Admin governance - C minus
which was based on this initial rationale:
US law places upon local and state administrations, and not the feds, the responsibility for performing every manner of disaster planning and response. The fed support was in place and available. But the local effort was ill-planned.
What gives me the right to grade these efforts, you ask? I'm a US citizen and I have EVERY right to grade them, that's why - I respond.
But further than that, in previous lives I've had many years of fleet and system planning experience, spent several years on the board of an outstanding ambulance (and first responder) service, spent years as a CA trained county peace officer and supervisor, and volunteer each year to oversee the public and volunteer transportation segments of at least two internationally known public events - duties which require months of preparation each year, even though they are basically repeats of a previous year's successful efforts.
In the next few days I plan on revisiting and revising this subject based on information obtained in the interim.
Cheers
Thursday, August 04, 2005
A brief hiatus - - - -
---seemed in order. Mrs. Dweet's medical condition ended up occupying most of his time the past three weeks, and the result has been practically zilch in the "land of blog". Thanks to those who've been so kind over this period. Dweet has appreciated it more than mere words convey.
Since two of the Monterey Bay volunteer events Dweet pretends to be involved with run later this month, he will be away even longer. But by Labor Day things should be back closer to 'normal'. Yeah, like that's gonna happen!
Cheers
Since two of the Monterey Bay volunteer events Dweet pretends to be involved with run later this month, he will be away even longer. But by Labor Day things should be back closer to 'normal'. Yeah, like that's gonna happen!
Cheers
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Breaking News: The Chemist is cleared - Bush implicated
Al Jazeera reports today that Egyptian agents - after an extremely thorough and comprehensive examination - have been able to determine the chemist orginally suspected of involvement in the London bombings is actually completely innocent.
London authorities in Scotland Yard are now exploring various options as to just how they will be able to criminally charge George Bush for masterminding the bombings.
"Egypt has said that a detained chemist wanted by Britain for questioning over the London bombings has no links to the attacks or to al-Qaida. Government spokesman Magdy Rady was quoted by Egypt's Middle East News agency as saying that a cabinet meeting on Tuesday reviewed an Interior Ministry report that "made clear that there is no link between Egyptian chemist Magdy El-Nashar with al-Qaida or the bombings".Asked to explain the discrepancy created because exact traces of the explosives used in London were found in the drain assembly of Mr. El-Nashar's bathtub in Leeds, a spokesman for the Egyptian Securities Ministry stated, "We have no need to discuss that. Isn't Leeds north of London? Wasn't George Bush in Scotland when the bombings occurred? And isn't Scotland also north of London. Could not George Bush have had time to "plant" the explosive traces in Mr. El-Nashar's bathtub drain around the time of the bombing? What is there to prove or disprove? George Bush the Liar is the mastermind behind the bombings, and we will have three million witnesses saying that they saw him do it by this time tomorrow."
London authorities in Scotland Yard are now exploring various options as to just how they will be able to criminally charge George Bush for masterminding the bombings.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
