This makes me think we should keep Bentley away from the adoption days until more is found out.
Alerts go out on dog influenza - OrlandoSentinel.com:
Friday, September 30, 2005
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Advice Goddess Blog
Heh. From now on, I'm going to reply to all interupting cold calls with:
"I'm sorry, I'm busy right now. Can you give me your home phone and I'll call you back later."
Advice Goddess Blog
"I'm sorry, I'm busy right now. Can you give me your home phone and I'll call you back later."
Advice Goddess Blog
Hurricane Katrina: Folklore vs. Fact
Hmmmm. Used to be you could trust what you read in the papers and heard on the news.
Gateway Pundit: More Hurricane Katrina: Folklore vs. Fact
Gateway Pundit: More Hurricane Katrina: Folklore vs. Fact
Apple admits problem with iPod nano
For once I'm happy not to be an early adopter! But it's still soooo cooooool and I want to get one once they fix it.!
(blogged while under the influence of Itunes...)
Apple admits problem with iPod nano
(blogged while under the influence of Itunes...)
Apple admits problem with iPod nano
Michelle Malkin: TOM DELAY INDICTED
Wonder how this will play in the Orlando Slantinel and St. Pete Liberal times:
Michelle Malkin: TOM DELAY INDICTED
Michelle Malkin: TOM DELAY INDICTED
OpinionJournal - Best of the Web Today
The St. Pete Times Poynter Institue is teaching it's liberal students (minions) to lie in order to push forward it narrative:
OpinionJournal - Best of the Web Today: "The chaos in the wake of Katrina seemed to affect some reporters and editors, says Kelly McBride, who teaches ethics at the Poynter Institute, a journalism research and education center in St. Petersburg, Fla.
'You get so hung up as a reporter on what the big picture is that you use generalizations that become untrue.'"
What ever happened to just telling the freakin truth?
OpinionJournal - Best of the Web Today: "The chaos in the wake of Katrina seemed to affect some reporters and editors, says Kelly McBride, who teaches ethics at the Poynter Institute, a journalism research and education center in St. Petersburg, Fla.
'You get so hung up as a reporter on what the big picture is that you use generalizations that become untrue.'"
What ever happened to just telling the freakin truth?
OpinionJournal - Best of the Web Today
From OpionJournal:
"The problems with the New Orleans Police Department are nothing new. In February 2004 the Gambit Weekly reported on a study conducted by the University of New Orleans for the New Orleans Police Foundation, which found that the NOPD was quickly losing officers. In just the preceding three years, a force of 1,700 had become a farce of 1,500; the foundation estimated that 2,000 officers were needed to police the city adequately:
Recounting the 'three major reasons' cited in the UNO study for the shrinking NOPD--poor pay, lack of consistent promotions, and the city's strict residency requirement--the Foundation then offered three more contributing factors for the reduction in force:
• 'Housing costs are higher in Orleans Parish than other Parishes in the metro area, and the residency requirement forces our police officers to bear these higher costs.'
• 'NOPD officers do not consider the Orleans Parish School system adequate; 84 percent send all or at least one of their children to school elsewhere, usually at additional expense.'
• 'NOPD officers make less (money) than their peers in other agencies; they have not been promoted as promised. This is especially crippling when coupled with the negative impact of the residency requirement, higher housing and education expenses.'
Result: The Big Easy became the country's murder capital. "For New Orleans to have a murder rate that is on par with New York City's, our city would have to record only 36 murders per year," the report found. "This is 221 fewer murders than the 257 murders recorded in 2002."
The Gambit notes that the study, which was actually issued a month before the paper's report, was supposed to have been a "blockbuster," but instead it "became quickly swallowed up in a 24-hour news cycle of bloody crimes."
"The problems with the New Orleans Police Department are nothing new. In February 2004 the Gambit Weekly reported on a study conducted by the University of New Orleans for the New Orleans Police Foundation, which found that the NOPD was quickly losing officers. In just the preceding three years, a force of 1,700 had become a farce of 1,500; the foundation estimated that 2,000 officers were needed to police the city adequately:
Recounting the 'three major reasons' cited in the UNO study for the shrinking NOPD--poor pay, lack of consistent promotions, and the city's strict residency requirement--the Foundation then offered three more contributing factors for the reduction in force:
• 'Housing costs are higher in Orleans Parish than other Parishes in the metro area, and the residency requirement forces our police officers to bear these higher costs.'
• 'NOPD officers do not consider the Orleans Parish School system adequate; 84 percent send all or at least one of their children to school elsewhere, usually at additional expense.'
• 'NOPD officers make less (money) than their peers in other agencies; they have not been promoted as promised. This is especially crippling when coupled with the negative impact of the residency requirement, higher housing and education expenses.'
Result: The Big Easy became the country's murder capital. "For New Orleans to have a murder rate that is on par with New York City's, our city would have to record only 36 murders per year," the report found. "This is 221 fewer murders than the 257 murders recorded in 2002."
The Gambit notes that the study, which was actually issued a month before the paper's report, was supposed to have been a "blockbuster," but instead it "became quickly swallowed up in a 24-hour news cycle of bloody crimes."
OpinionJournal - Best of the Web Today
OpinionJournal - Best of the Web Today: "Remember a few weeks back when left-wing commentators were citing Katrina as an indictment of Ronald Reagan's small-government philosophy? What we see here is Democratic big government at work. Employees walk off their job when they are most essential, and weeks later their bosses haven't figured out if that's a firing offense!"
Monday, September 26, 2005
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Everything in Michael Crightons "State of Fear" is true
Here is an article about Arianna Huffington showing up to a Sierra Club meeting in a Chevy Suberban limo.
Michelle Malkin: DRIVING MISS ARIANNA
Last night Betsy was watching Fox News and some eco-zealot was spouting off about global warming and rising oceans causing more hurricanes. When his opposite pointed out the oceans weren't rising and global warming doesn't exist globally he retorted
"I wish I was paid by Exxon to go on these shows and lie about global warming."
If you haven't yet, go out and find a copy of State of Fear
Michelle Malkin: DRIVING MISS ARIANNA
Last night Betsy was watching Fox News and some eco-zealot was spouting off about global warming and rising oceans causing more hurricanes. When his opposite pointed out the oceans weren't rising and global warming doesn't exist globally he retorted
"I wish I was paid by Exxon to go on these shows and lie about global warming."
If you haven't yet, go out and find a copy of State of Fear
Sluggo?
I kinda like the name Sluggo for Bentley. Sluggo is: "Nancy's best friend and constant companion. He's a sweet kid and a loyal friend. Sluggo's certainly not the brightest kid in the gang, but he's always there when you need him."
EBay to Buy Internet Phone Firm for $2.6 Billion - New York Times
Skype was sold to EBay for between 2.6 Billion and 4.1 billion.
Yikes, and here I thought it was just an internet toy!
New York Times
Yikes, and here I thought it was just an internet toy!
New York Times
Friday, September 16, 2005
More stories of frustrated volunteers
If this doesn't get you mad I don't know what will. Doctors told to mop floors instead of saving dying patients because the lawyers were concerned about liability? FEMA not allowing a water truck to unload because of paperwork? Firefighters sent to Atlanta to take sensitivity training while New Orleans burned?
What the hell is going on with our government? If I were drowning in a cesspool and had a choice between rescued by an abusive firefighter, or drowned and dead because the would be abusive firefighter is in Atlanta learning how not to offend me I'll take the former thank-you-very-much.
CNN.com - Leadership vacuum stymied aid offers - Sep 15, 2005
What the hell is going on with our government? If I were drowning in a cesspool and had a choice between rescued by an abusive firefighter, or drowned and dead because the would be abusive firefighter is in Atlanta learning how not to offend me I'll take the former thank-you-very-much.
CNN.com - Leadership vacuum stymied aid offers - Sep 15, 2005
Katrina - What Went Right
Interesting article on what went right in the New Orleans rescue effort. It would seem that with no unified command and no communication systems established that multiple rescue groups simply went about there work saving people without recognition. While the press was reporting that nothing was going on, and in the process making a politcal issue out of it, thousands of lives were being saved.
"Urban also notes one explanation why the rescue operation flew below the radar of the media: Individual federal and state units were not coordinating their efforts overall. There was no central clearing house for information on rescue efforts. What looked like a hurricane relief breakdown was in fact a press release breakdown."
So while we had a near total governmental breakdown at the local, state and federal level the people and agencies themselves went about their work.
"Urban also notes one explanation why the rescue operation flew below the radar of the media: Individual federal and state units were not coordinating their efforts overall. There was no central clearing house for information on rescue efforts. What looked like a hurricane relief breakdown was in fact a press release breakdown."
So while we had a near total governmental breakdown at the local, state and federal level the people and agencies themselves went about their work.
Lack of plan hurt Katrina-hit states' response
Here is a great article from the Palm Beach Post about Florida's emergency management agency planning and practices.
Lack of plan hurt Katrina-hit states' response
Lack of plan hurt Katrina-hit states' response
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Hurricanes
Following the disaster in New Orleans has led to a few thoughts.
I never think much about how nice it is to live in the relatively rich and well governed State of Florida. Usually it's just the opposite. We worry about if our education system is competitive with other states. Or if we can keep up with the demands for emergency services, roads, sewers and all the other infrastructure with so many people moving here. Then you see the total disfunction of Louisiana and are startled into the clear idea that Florida simply operates at a much higher level. Kind of like watching the UF Football team play Louisiana Tech last weekend.
In Florida we got:
1. Jeb Bush declares state of emergency for huge swaths of Florida as any hurricane approaches and puts the Guard on alert.
2. Florida opens emergency headquarters and starts preplanning deployment of assets including FEMA, Nat'l Guard, Red Cross, and Power companies.
3. Maintains constant contact with local officials.
4. Unhappy, but relatively orderly Floridians somberly trying to get their lives back together while waiting in line to meet with insurance agents, FEMA officials, contractors and power companies.
5. In other words, a catastrophe, but general order.
Just last month the last blue tarp caused by Charley on our street was replaced with a new roof.
Since it's a storm and the storm never actually agrees with the track that National Hurricane Center estimates, there are mistakes. Last summer 800,000 people from Pinellas/Hillsborough drove to Orlando only to see Charley smash into Punta Gorda. Nevertheless, the Pinellas Beaches were under mandatory evacuation. Those who chose to ignore it were told under no uncertain circumstances that they would be on their own and fending for themselves.
In Louisiana we seem to have:
1. A crying governor
2. A screaming mayor of New Orleans
3. The head of Louisiana Emergency Management heading to New York a week into the crisis to speak at a symposium. Huh?
4. A police department left on its own with 50% deciding to quit.
5. The federal government paying off an angry mob of people looking for handouts to the tune of $2,000 each.
6. Oh yeah, disorder, looting, rape, pillage, murder, in other words, chaos.
I remember being angry when Andrew hit Homestead because our response was so much worse than Charleston's response to Hugo. We were running in circles where Charlestons mayor was absolutely heroic. But clearly Florida learned our lessons about planning, response, and the need for martial law to prevent mayhem and looting. I seem to recall Lawton Chiles grumbling about where the Nat'l Guard was too, and that he had to be reminded to fill out the freakin paperwork before they were allowed to deploy.
But Florida learned. And not because of who Jeb is related to, but because the Chiles government left behind a program that the Bush people picked up and studied. And when Charley, Jeanne, Francis, Ivan, Dennis etc. etc. etc. happened they executed the plan at a high level. Not perfectly, because you can't be perfect in response to a natural disaster. But competently, at least as competently as human nature and mother nature allowed for. Jeb Bush's response has been CEO like. Calm and careful, and in charge with clear goals like a.) limit loss of life, b.) keep channels of communication open, c.) perform triage while keeping people informed of their status and where they fit in the plan to (eventually) receive the government response they think they need. Katrina's romp across southern Florida as a Category 2 was almost ho-hum even though 1.2 million residents had at least a temporary loss of power.
One year later, 1300 families still live in temporary FEMA housing in Punta Gorda and 1000 still live in FEMA trailers after Ivan
These storms are huge deals, and the disruption they cause is catastrophic and long term. But I feel so much better about living here in Florida than in Louisiana.
I never think much about how nice it is to live in the relatively rich and well governed State of Florida. Usually it's just the opposite. We worry about if our education system is competitive with other states. Or if we can keep up with the demands for emergency services, roads, sewers and all the other infrastructure with so many people moving here. Then you see the total disfunction of Louisiana and are startled into the clear idea that Florida simply operates at a much higher level. Kind of like watching the UF Football team play Louisiana Tech last weekend.
In Florida we got:
1. Jeb Bush declares state of emergency for huge swaths of Florida as any hurricane approaches and puts the Guard on alert.
2. Florida opens emergency headquarters and starts preplanning deployment of assets including FEMA, Nat'l Guard, Red Cross, and Power companies.
3. Maintains constant contact with local officials.
4. Unhappy, but relatively orderly Floridians somberly trying to get their lives back together while waiting in line to meet with insurance agents, FEMA officials, contractors and power companies.
5. In other words, a catastrophe, but general order.
Just last month the last blue tarp caused by Charley on our street was replaced with a new roof.
Since it's a storm and the storm never actually agrees with the track that National Hurricane Center estimates, there are mistakes. Last summer 800,000 people from Pinellas/Hillsborough drove to Orlando only to see Charley smash into Punta Gorda. Nevertheless, the Pinellas Beaches were under mandatory evacuation. Those who chose to ignore it were told under no uncertain circumstances that they would be on their own and fending for themselves.
In Louisiana we seem to have:
1. A crying governor
2. A screaming mayor of New Orleans
3. The head of Louisiana Emergency Management heading to New York a week into the crisis to speak at a symposium. Huh?
4. A police department left on its own with 50% deciding to quit.
5. The federal government paying off an angry mob of people looking for handouts to the tune of $2,000 each.
6. Oh yeah, disorder, looting, rape, pillage, murder, in other words, chaos.
I remember being angry when Andrew hit Homestead because our response was so much worse than Charleston's response to Hugo. We were running in circles where Charlestons mayor was absolutely heroic. But clearly Florida learned our lessons about planning, response, and the need for martial law to prevent mayhem and looting. I seem to recall Lawton Chiles grumbling about where the Nat'l Guard was too, and that he had to be reminded to fill out the freakin paperwork before they were allowed to deploy.
But Florida learned. And not because of who Jeb is related to, but because the Chiles government left behind a program that the Bush people picked up and studied. And when Charley, Jeanne, Francis, Ivan, Dennis etc. etc. etc. happened they executed the plan at a high level. Not perfectly, because you can't be perfect in response to a natural disaster. But competently, at least as competently as human nature and mother nature allowed for. Jeb Bush's response has been CEO like. Calm and careful, and in charge with clear goals like a.) limit loss of life, b.) keep channels of communication open, c.) perform triage while keeping people informed of their status and where they fit in the plan to (eventually) receive the government response they think they need. Katrina's romp across southern Florida as a Category 2 was almost ho-hum even though 1.2 million residents had at least a temporary loss of power.
One year later, 1300 families still live in temporary FEMA housing in Punta Gorda and 1000 still live in FEMA trailers after Ivan
These storms are huge deals, and the disruption they cause is catastrophic and long term. But I feel so much better about living here in Florida than in Louisiana.
Monday, September 12, 2005
Jim Geraghty on Katrina on National Review Online
Jim Geraghty on Katrina on National Review Online: "We Failed You? Try Again."
Pictures
Apparently the problem with having a 1 GB memory card in the digital camera is you can store lots of photos before downloading them. I went to download a picture of our new foster Bentley this morning and there were 187 pictures stored on the card dating back to June. So I did a little catching up and posted a few shots.
This is Bentley (aka foster #8) who is a four year old boy and a huge love sponge. If he gets his way, he would like his head scratched for between four and six hours a day. Left outside his whole life, developed heartworm so his owners wanted to euthanize him. Nice of them to go out of their way. He is very nice and extremely gentle. Doesn't seem to know any commands or be very familiar with a leash, yet is very well behaved and picking up on living in a house very quickly. September 11, 2005
click on image for larger picture
Jack Kelly: No shame
More reading: Jack Kelly: No shame The federal response to Katrina was not as portrayed
Jack Kelly: No shame
Jack Kelly: No shame
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Frustrated: Fire crews to hand out fliers for FEMA
Update: I fixed the link, it is here
They've got people here who are search-and-rescue certified, paramedics, haz-mat certified,said a Texas firefighter. We're sitting in here having a sexual-harassment class while there are still [victims] in Louisiana who haven't been contacted yet.
They've got people here who are search-and-rescue certified, paramedics, haz-mat certified,said a Texas firefighter. We're sitting in here having a sexual-harassment class while there are still [victims] in Louisiana who haven't been contacted yet.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Instapundit.com -
Update: here is the working link
SOME KATRINA LESSONS: We're going to see a plethora of commissions and inquiries (most about as useful and non-partisan as the 9/11 Commission), but here are a few lessons that seem solid enough to go with now:
SOME KATRINA LESSONS: We're going to see a plethora of commissions and inquiries (most about as useful and non-partisan as the 9/11 Commission), but here are a few lessons that seem solid enough to go with now:
New York Daily News - Home - Michael Goodwin: Don't blame only feds
New York Daily News - Home - Michael Goodwin: Don't blame only feds: "The charge of racism-inspired foot-dragging isn't just nonsense. It's pernicious nonsense, as in destructive and malicious. You know that's a fact because loony Howard Dean, the Democratic Party boss, is now peddling it. He's joined by Jesse Jackson, who said the squalor in New Orleans 'looks like the hull of a slave ship.' Oh, please."
OpinionJournal - Extra
Wall Street Journal reviews Local and State responsibilities in an emergency and gives the mayor and governor a failing grade. OpinionJournal - Extra
Carolina Journal | A Gathering Storm for the Media
Carolina Journal | A Gathering Storm for the Media: "A Gathering Storm for the Media
Misreporting on hurricane further eroding public's trust of media"
Misreporting on hurricane further eroding public's trust of media"
Katrina - The Report Card
Here is a fair and balanced commentary on the preparation and response to Katrina. RealClearPolitics
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