A few of the guys from Directnic (Headquartered in New Orleans) are holed up there protecting their property and that of their customers) have started a weblog of whats happening in front of their eyes.
It’s a scary and a fascinating read…Like my blog the top update is the most recent
I urge you all to check this out, it is truly amazing on the spot coverage you wont get anyplace else.
Here are a few samples:
Noon Yesterday:
You Want News?
New Orleans Police Department Status: The situation for the NOPD is critical. This is firsthand information I have from an NOPD officer we’re giving shelter to. Their command and control infrastructure is shot. They have limited to no communication whatsoever. He didn’t even know the city was under martial law until we told him! His precinct (5th Precinct) is under water! UNDER WATER — every vehicle under water. They had to commander moving trucks like Ryder and UHaul to get around. The coroner’s office is shut down so bodies are being covered in leaves at best or left where they lie at worst.
They don’t even know their own rules of engagement. He says the force is impotent right now. They have no idea what’s going on, no coordination, virtually no comms, etc. the National Guard is gonna air drop a radio system for them with 200 radios? They are getting very little direction.
The 3rd District bugged out to Baton Rouge because they flooded out.
His quote: “It’s a zoo.”
More first hand information direct from him shortly. He’s trying to recover.
I am not trying to be an alarmist, but until we get a military presence of signicance in the city, the roving gangs of thugs own the streets.
1230 Yesterday
More from the Police Officer. I’m typing as fast as i can while he talks to us:
He’s only hearing bits and pieces. The people in the city are shooting at the police. They’re upset that they’re not getting help quickly enough. The fireman keep calling because they’re under fire. He doesn’t understand why the people are shooting at the rescuers. Here it is 5 days ago the Mayor said get out of town and nobody went and now they’re pissed.
The National Guard was at the Hilton, but now the Hilton is evacuated. When they said the CBD was gonna get 6 feet of water, it seems like everyone evacuated.
He turned the corner onto Canal Street and it looked like a flea market. People breaking into every store, going to the neutral gound (median) and trading and selling everything.
They broke into Winn Dixie Monday Night. Do they steal food? No. Cigarettes and liquor. Store was a mess. All the meats were going to waste so the districts went over there to salvage food for officers. Many cops have been eating MREs.
The Iberville Housing Projects got pissed off because the police started to “shop” after they kicked out looters. Then they started shooting at cops. When the cops left, the looters looted everything. There’s probably not a grocery left in this city.
Over 30 officers have quit over the last 3 days. Out of 160 officers in his district maybe 55 or 60 are working. He hasn’t seen several since Sunday. HQ is closed, evacuated. No phones to contact them.
“HQ, be advised, we’re going 10 7.”
“Ok, y’all coming back on???”
“We don’t know.”
830 Today
I’m Awake
Best night sleep I’ve had so far. Woke up without back pain for the first time since before this thing started. I’ve been sleeping on the carpet, and that’s a very thin layer covering the hard concrete. It takes about 3 days to get accustomed to sleeping on concrete — I know that from my my days of sleeping on asphalt when the army couldn’t provide better. I need to perform personal hygiene in a little bit, but I wanted to check in first and let everyone know that Outpost Crystal is still a viable and functioning camp of civilization in the face of the lawless barbarian hordes who threaten at all times to turn what’s left of New Orleans into the war of all against all. It’s like Mogadishu out there, but we’re in a fixed defensive position and prepared.
I’ve got some office maintenance stuff to do here before I clean up.
Back in a few.
1030 Today
1. There is a mass exodus for the Mississippi River Bridges (Crescent City Connection) from the CBD. We are not sure what’s going on, but we are assuming until we hear differently that people are fleeing the city. So if you’re watching the feeds, that’s what you’re seeing — throngs of people moving toward the bridges.
2. Cannot confirm any of the following: Superdome fire, 2 shot police officers this morning. We hear all kinds of stuff, but no way to verify those.
3. Can confirm: The National Guard, FEMA, the NOPD, and City authorities DO NOT have the city under control. There are live radio feeds for the National Guard comms and NOPD comms which have been circulating the web, and you can listen to the chaos and disarray for yourselves. I am not going to post the links, but I’m sure others have and will. I doubt the government’s ability to reestablish order without a full active duty military presence to crush the mob mentality. This of course will mean no civil rights and everyone being treated equally — as a criminal. Rock | Hard Place.
4. I’m happy to report that my parents are accounted for. My mother made it out to Jackson, Mississippi, and my father, the only person more strong-willed than myself, is still in Harahan, healthy but refusing to leave. Mounting a rescue operation to bring him into the Outpost Crystal is a very low priority mission at this point. He’s gonna have to tough it out for the time being. For him to read later, when this is all over: “Dad, I love you. I have to say it — I told you so.” Stubborn guy, my dad.
5. More pics coming soon.
More later.
Noon Today
My first tactical mistake. We were unprepared to accept the fuel when it arrived. The fuel arrived way too soon for us and we did not have all the empty drums down one ground floor when they got here. The driver had other deliveries to make, so rather than waste his time, I told him we’d recoordinate and be ready for him later today or tomorrow.
That’s the bad news. Here’s the worse news:
All of our providers are dropping. We’re down to one. We have enough fuel to keep us powered for a long time, but we could lose internet access soon if our last provider drops.
So I guess what I’m saying is that any moment could be my last moment online. If we do lose internet, Outpost Crystal might have to be abandoned by all but Sig and Myself. I’ve got to get Crystal out of here safely and relocated to someplace out of this state. I’m working on escape routes now.
Calling any and all Intercosmos and Directnic employees. We need you to contact Donnie in email and on ICQ ASAP.
Situtation is critical.
I’m not leaving, so stop asking. I’m staying. I am staying until this shitstorm has blown itself out. Period. End of discussion.
Now for some updates:
1. Been too busy to debrief the police officer, so that will come later. Low priority now.
2. Buses loading people up on Camp Street to take refugees to Dallas, or so the word on the street (literally) is.
3. Dead bodies everywhere: convention center, down camp street, all over.
4. National Guard shoving water off the backs of trucks. They’re just pushing it off without stopping, people don’t even know it’s there at first — they drop it on the side in debris, there’s no sign or distribution point — people are scared to go near it at first, because the drop points are guarded by troops or federal agents with assault rifles who don’t let people come near them, which scares people off. It is a mess. When people actually get to the water, they are in such a rush to get it that one family left their small child behind and forget about him until Sig carried him back to the family.
5. Lots of pics coming soon when Sig has time to update.
It’s raining now and I guess that’s a relief from the heat. It’s hot as hell down there in the sun. Crime is absolutely rampant: rapes, murders, rape-murder combinations.
I have really cut back answering IMs. Not enough time. I apologize people.
In case anyone in national security is reading this, get the word to President Bush that we need the military in here NOW. The Active Duty Armed Forces. Mr. President, we are losing this city. I don’t care what you’re hearing on the news. The city is being lost. It is the law of the jungle down here. The command and control structure here is barely functioning. I’m not sure it’s anyone’s fault — I’m not sure it could be any other way at this point. We need the kind of logistical support and infrastructure only the Active Duty military can provide. The hospitals are in dire straights. The police barely have any capabilities at this point. The National Guard is doing their best, but the situation is not being contained. I’m here to help in anyway I can, but my capabilities are limited and dropping. Please get the military here to maintain order before this city is lost.
Doing what we can, this is Outpost Crystal getting back to work.
Shoot The Looters:
In the never ending stream of coverage coming out of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina one of the most troubling is the looting and it has got me to thinking about who is behind this ideology that what I can steal is mineand I came across this in my buddy Neal Boortz yahoo group.
“What do you expect to happen after generations of political whores have taught these people that it isn’t thier fault that they are poor, that it’s because those evil rich people have more than thier fair share?
When you see those films of looters you are seeing the result of that. You are seeing the politics of the Liberals at it’s raw naked essence. They have simply eliminated the government middleman and are directly taking what thier political leaders have allways told them was thier fair share. That dosen’t excuse the thieves, it just points out who taught them to be thieves.”
There is a lot of truth in what the man is saying and if I were faced with the decision to evacuate or ride it out I most likely think I would ride it out…with a good supply of ammo.
JapChick Writes:
Hey South, don’t hold your round eye’d breath till you are in the AVN Hall of Fame, you have done a lot for porn, you shine lights where AVN will not dare to look, places like AIM and the FSC, you hold people accountable and accountability is something that most of the people in porn seem to think involves a “second set of books” or something.
Well baby in a way yer right but I don’t really kiss enough ass either….But I still want to be in there.
Want The best Coverage Yet of Hurricane Katrina?
Check out Ill Will Press and click the “Foamy The Squirrel Live From Louisianna” link
John Writes:
While I feel for the people in New Orleans what do you expect when you build a city near the ocean below sea level? This was a man made disaster, even the French were smart enough not to build New Orleans there….it was originall about a hundred miles farther inland.
It will happen to Los Angeles some day too and when it does you won’t have to worry about being in the AVN Hall of fame my friend, because you will OWN porn in the US.
Damn…talk about a mixed blessing, but then I’m starting to add up all the people in L.A. that I’d miss and there ain’t that many….
