Pray for Memphis - Tornado

Ah, I see the test of my weather machine worked
fine.

Well, mostly. It was supposed to avoid MAHOS and Lethe, which it did...but Apostle is still here.

I'll get right to work on better targeting.

I heard on the radio this morning that are unconfirmed reports of signifigant looting going on at the Hickory Ridge Mall last night, even as the rescue efforts for the peopel trapped inside were going on.

CNN.com headline - "Severe weather kills 23 in Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee"

That'll teach'em to vote for Huckabee!

Gah! We should've gone and defended the mall!

During the storm, I just sat their loading, knowing that if a tornado hit Bartlett, we'd get flooded with so many ghettoites the excellent police force wouldn't be able to help with rescue efforts AND defense of our town.

I'd be hard pressed in a back to back firefight to depend on you for support.

Why? Do you not like accurate fire support?

Yes, I do, which is exactly why. If you shoot your weapon like you shoot off your mouth I'd be real concerned not only about collateral damage, but frankly my own ass.

I assure you, I'm much louder on teh interwebz than in real life.

Better to be silent and be thought a fool...

There wasn't much need for firearms, anyway. A couple of boxes of drugged whiskey in significant areas of the mall would have knocked clean the entire horde.

So, no one died?

My non-prayers worked!

Hallelujah!!

Seriously though, glad you guys are alright.

Just because I didn't rub a rabbit's foot doesn't mean I wasn't concerned.

Pity. You've created a perfect recipe for people to dislike you.

Why don't you try being more honest and see what happens?

CFA.

We are alive. Looks like we lost only two. This could have been much worse.

Waiting to get now internet at the house.

And we're back online!

All I've got to say about it right now is that when it comes to disaster preparedness, our area has our shit together. Local disaster plans were preloaded and ready to go well before the tornadoes hit, and the first responders were boots on ground before the debris had finished falling.
The city ultility provider has been busting ass and getting people back on the grid at an amazing pace considering how many feeder lines and substations were fucked up by the storm.

Well, that's no way to do it. You're supposed to wait for the federal government to come take care of everything for you, and then complain about how unprepared they are if anything goes wrong.

Why do you people hate the federal government? FEMA feels unloved and unwanted now.

It was pretty much like that when a tornado came through my area. The Red Cross was there the next morning, handing out food, clothes, and money. There were police and firefighters and ambulances in my neighborhood in less than 5 minutes after the tornado hit.

We got a letter from FEMA 2 weeks later, asking if we needed help with anything.

Damn what a mess.
All those lives lost. All the destruction.

As much as I'd like to help out, FEMA will have to do without me this round. I have way too much going on unfortunately.

I do so enjoy getting out and helping in these things, helping people get their lives back on track.
It's the shysters that get my blood boiling. Unfortunately I can't call them out on it having to be careful considering it's a public record, but there are ways to toss a flag for the higher ups to do the deed.

I wish all the best in recovery, it looks like there's plenty of work to be done.

No damage in NJ, but I payed honor to apostle by going out and shooting a looter. Or it may have been a mailman, I'm not sure.

There have been more than a few looters arrested. I am told they tend to resist arrest...

That's what shotguns are for.

Unnamed dignitaries are visiting the Union U campus right now. The kind of dignitaries requiring traffic shutdowns so they can be moved around.

Keep 'em safe!

JPD is on that. They sound enthusiastic about it, so it isn't a Clinton or Al Gore.

I'm pretty sure it's G.W.. His intent is to not have another NO delay getting front and center about it.

Why do they build the houses out there with the light stuff (dry walls) and not reinforced brick work?

Many reasons, but in this case even the CM block buildings were leveled.

Block buildings are inherently stronger, but the cost to build/use them is high, not to mention that subdivisions/planned areas have criteria they have to follow which excludes their use save commercial properties.
Then there's insulating factors, condensation, and associated problems inherent to the use of blocks.

Block/concrete is better but is limited.

Nope, t'was the Governor.

Ahh. GW is supposed to be doing a tour today is why I was pretty sure it was him.