The fuddrucker's thing is brilliant.

The thing I don't get is why did they think an overweight baby would be good for promotion?

Just talked to my dad. Official word is S&R teams, stay out for now. It's largely a fucking legal issue (which I understand, but ack! Also, they can't guarantee food and water for s&r, which also constrains them.) He's still on call, but since his group is largely wilderness, he doesn't expect to be called unless it is to search for bodies in the backwoods areas. ABQ urban S&R was called then told not to come after shots were reported fired.

It took the government long enough to call in the NG. Which should have happened eons ago. S&R won't go in until it is secured. Or they go in unauthorized, which is happening.

Evacuee bus overturns in La.; one killed

I saw that on the CNN ticker. It's so awful you have to start laughing, you know?

For ita, and anyone else who's ever had their bandwidth stolen through hotlinks, revenge is a dish best served deep fried: [link]

I think I love that guy.

Anyone watch the Hurricane Relief concert on NBC? Kanye West went off-script, said the slow response time was because most of the victims were poor and black, and closed with "George Bush doesn't care about black people."

Yeah, I saw that. Props to him for saying it, but I'm not sure his presentation or timing would convince people who didn't already agree.

It enlivened the show, anyhow.

Kat, that thing? get it worked out or do I need to make a call?

msbelle, I called. We aren't in their system. Though I got an email from them. The whole thing? sketch.

In news both heroic and encouraging:

**********

Hospital evacuation update
Friday 9:30 p.m.

The total evacuation of the 2,200 storm-stranded patients and staff at Charity and University hospitals is now complete, a top hospital official said Friday night.

About 150 staff and students at the affiliated Medical Education Building downtown are still holed up in their facility but should be moved out soon, said Don Smith Burg, chief executive officer of the Louisiana State University Hospital System, which oversees the medical institutions.

“The buildings are empty,” Burg said, marking the end of an exhausting week of privation at the public hospitals, where supplies of basic provisions ran so low that some staff inserted IV solutions in their arms to stay hydrated.

Some staff members abstained from food and water for days so that the 363 patients would have sufficient nutrition, Burg said. The patients included 28 babies.

Three of the patients died as rescuers were evacuating them, Burg said.

The Charity morgue was left underwater, with a dozen bodies in the morgue and five more on the steps, Burg said. He did not know how many of the bodies were there before the storm.

FEMA evacuated the patients to hospitals across the region, and staff were taken to shelters and other locations.

I'm so tempted to buy this car: [link]

It's a 1982 Ford Granada, which came from the factory as a propane-fueled vehicle. Much less polluting that gas, and cheaper too. Fewer places to fuel it, though.

McGill is offering to take in some displaced Tulane students. [link]

My cousin's daughter, joined the US Army (despite being a born and bred Cranadian) and is now on standby in Maryland to go to NO, instead of being at a wedding full of Newfoundlanders who all do that scream-laughing thing. (Which is terrifying to behold and deafening to experience.)

Well, this Marylander appreciates her going down to help. And I'm sure she's glad to skirt the Newfies;) If someone needs to take her to lunch, let me know.

Believe me, I almost lost my hearing during the scream laughing (which happened everytime another cousin arrived.) She may be better off on standby.

And thanks for the offer!

Map of where it's safe to live in the US: [link]

Hilarious stuff.