GALVESTON

[Froderik]

Let's talk about the weather and the morons who insist on turning a blind eye to mother nature and expect the rest of us to pay for it!

You'd think that after 7000 fucking people died there along the coast years ago that some wisdom would be gleaned from that experience, BUT NO, these dumbass Texans insisted on developing near that part of the gulf and what happened?? Well, that's fine if they wanna be that stupid, but should the rest of us have to shell out for their stubborn idiocy!?!?!

[TheWho]

I watched them interview some of these selfish idiots and they wanted to sit and barBQ while the storm came.  I suggest the city or state just charge each of them for the cost of their rescue by deducting their welfare checks or attaching a lean to their property.  They should then have them apologize to the other people who have to put up with their ignorance day in and day out and finally they should do time for putting the rescuers lives in jeopardy or maybe have them help clean up the beach and streets before they collect their welfare payments instead of sitting around watching everyone else clean up for them.



...

[iamartsy]

You guys are assholes who don't know what you are speaking about. Galveston has a strong history as the "wall street" of the south. Okay, make all the jokes you want. The ship channel of Houston is a major shipping port. there are refineries etc there. I doubt it was the rich who stayed. They mostly have weekend homes. Galveston is a very poor area. Much of history was washed away in this storm, but you would not know that since you are not from there. Yes, you will always have the one surfer who wants to surf the hurricane undertow, but I doubt that is who stayed. Unfortunately, much of the the public beaches were converted to private homes in recent years. These homes had no seawall, but even along the seawall there was a great deal of damage.

http://www.jhvonline.com/default.asp?so ... ne&he=.com

Galveston is also a cruise port. In recent years it has been transformed from a rather poor town to a tourist location. As a Houstonian, it has been interesting to watch. There is also a large artists community. So basically I am saying, stuff it. If you don't live somewhere then shut the hell up. I stayed in Houston, because i have elderly parents who would not leave. I have now left until my house is repaired, and livable. Hopefully in ten days I can return home. You cannot imagine what any of this has been like. The sadness, negativity, depression and grief that we have all suffered.
So cram it both of you.

Houston and Galveston photos for you to look at:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/hurricaneike/pool/

This is our world right now. Either come down here and help us clean it up, or shut up.

[Froderik]

My apologies; I have a weakness for devil's advocacy sometimes. Regardless of anything I said, I hope things start to look better down there for everyone affected by the disaster.

[Anonymous]

Froderick,
Thanks for the apology.

Here are three more links for you to check out:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/met ... 17721.html

Three blocks from where I live:
http://www.truveo.com/Residents-protest ... 1224599855

Much of the the inner loop of Houston remains without power, but unfortunately, you have to download this map to see the outages:
http://www.centerpointenergy.com/static ... tages.html

The effort to get a city the size of Houston up and running again is sad at best. I wish it were faster. I am lucky that people here in Austin are looking out for me now. So many people have come to my aide that it restores some of my faith in mankind. I just wish that the institutions had not ruined my ability to go outside. People keep wondering why I barely leave my hotel, and it is hard to explain. I have been agoraphobic ever since Timberlawn, and really wish I could explore the Central Texas hills. What scares me worse is the thought that this could have happened while I was institutionalized. Think of the havoc they could have wreaked on me back then in a situation such as this.

I am still pondering how all of us can put together an art show that would travel and bring awareness to every parent. The places we were in were damaging. I will never be the same, I know.

While sitting in this hotel I am contemplating how to write a proposal to the NEA to do such a show. Since I have a fear of going out I have time to read and think. So there, I have stopped bitching.

Iamartsy

[iamartsy]

Here is a pic I took before I left Houston last week of the errant power pole that is keeping a good part of the neighborhood without power. One friend is on his second generator. His first one after 10 days.

P.S. If this code can be fixed so that the picture is not a download please fix it. Thanks.[attachment=0:1i9ilcwu]P9180035v2.jpg[/attachment:1i9ilcwu]

[Froderik]

The effort to get a city the size of Houston up and running again is sad at best. I wish it were faster. I am lucky that people here in Austin are looking out for me now. So many people have come to my aide that it restores some of my faith in mankind. I just wish that the institutions had not ruined my ability to go outside. People keep wondering why I barely leave my hotel, and it is hard to explain. I have been agoraphobic ever since Timberlawn, and really wish I could explore the Central Texas hills. What scares me worse is the thought that this could have happened while I was institutionalized. Think of the havoc they could have wreaked on me back then in a situation such as this.

I am still pondering how all of us can put together an art show that would travel and bring awareness to every parent. The places we were in were damaging. I will never be the same, I know.

While sitting in this hotel I am contemplating how to write a proposal to the NEA to do such a show. Since I have a fear of going out I have time to read and think. So there, I have stopped bitching.

After I was out of Straight, Inc., I wanted (and still want) to be outside and don't like to stay inside all day. I used to go outside to sit and read somewhere, or just go walking aimlessly. And I usually prefer open windows and fans to closed windows and AC.

I went to in TX back in 1985 and again some years later. I liked Austin; the band I was in (Reptile House from Balto) opened for a TX punk band called The Dicks at some hall or theater there. I liked them a lot. We also played in Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio.

The traveling art show is great idea! Maybe people could contribute writing (to give or sell) too!

Was Timberlawn a Str8 spin-off?

[iamartsy]

Timberlawn was probably CEDU like. It was a hospital that integrated both CEDU and Str8t methods. When insurance ran out people were sent to state hospitals or str8t. Milieu system was used. Phone calls were listened in on and were a privilege. My agoraphobia came on after first hospital and then after a bad situation while doing social work. In truth, I love the outdoors, but getting myself outside is hard. It might stem from my days in PDAP (Bob Meehan's) program. You were discouraged from hanging with anyone outside of PDAP. The world became a small place. Granted PDAP was very calm compared to Straight.

I found this on PTSD an it relates to my world since Timberlawn:
http://naffoundation.org/Prisoner%20Abuse%20&%20MC.htm

I admire your band approach. Mine is through art. I might go minimalist living and got back to painting, poetry, and metalworking to rid myself of of these demons.

I hope this makes sense. Not trying to argue who went through a CEDU like program. My apologies on that.

I Am Artsy

[psy]

Where do you get that Timberlawn was a CEDU spinoff?  I get that they used PDAP methods, quite similar to Straight as noted on thestraights.com... but I don't see where there is a CEDU connection.  Maybe i'm missing something or haven't done enough research.

[iamartsy]

We've talked about this.They used the circle in circle method and the milieu system with privileges and all. Quite like CEDU. They took Brown students who Brown got rid of. Three meetings a day. Trying to break you. Whole deal. Privilege system that I gave up trying to take part in. I quit asking for privileges because it was futile. So it was CEDU like not necessarily CEDU or Straight. Either way there is probably some PTSD associated with my ordeal. Excuse any faux paux.