What's going on down in Texas?

[gldstwmn]

http://galvestondailynews.com/story....8628c780c2a319

Galveston officials begin to restrict media access

By Rhiannon Meyers
The Daily News
Published September 15, 2008

GALVESTON — Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas on Monday ordered all city employees not to talk to news reporters. She did not say when that order would be lifted.

Thomas and City Manager Steve LeBlanc will be the only officials allowed to talk to reporters.

City spokeswoman Mary Jo Naschke vehemently denied the city was trying to clamp down on news coverage.

She said emergency personnel and city employees were too busy to talk to reporters. Naschke also said the city had been accommodating news reporters by allowing them access to the island when others weren't allowed, giving them escorted rides to damaged areas and allowing them to move about outside during a curfew.

But at a noon press conference on Monday, Thomas and LeBlanc talked for less than 30 minutes and refused to answer any more than five questions. Thomas said she would try to hold another press conference Tuesday.

Daily News reporters who tried to speak to city employees at rescue sites were denied information and told no one was authorized to talk to them except for the mayor and city manager.

"It's the worst thing the city could do. Those who will suffer most are evacuees," Publisher Dolph Tillotson said in statement via text message from the island. "The media will have to turn to other sources that might be less reliable. I can't imagine a dumber move under these extreme circumstances."

Before the press conference started Monday, LeBlanc asked reporters whether he could go off the record. Some television crews agreed and turned their cameras off. LeBlanc then asked news crews to urge their bosses and managers to show more coverage of the island on television because evacuees didn't care about what was happening in Houston.

All reporters who were staying at the city's emergency operations center, stationed at the San Luis Hotel, were asked to leave Monday. San Luis hotel owner Tilman Fertitta was housing reporters at the nearby Hilton Hotel, which he also owns.

Reporters would be allowed on the island, but only if they had proper identification, Thomas said. She didn't clarify what that meant.

Reporters were also forbidden from visiting areas on the far West End of FM 3005, Thomas said. She did not explain why.

[belladonna.]

uh, that sounds a little scary. what the hell?

[steviefan59]

hey guys...as u know, if u read the thread i posted in this forum, arlene (steviefan49) lives in houston...i talked to her last late on sunday nite as that was when she was able to get a signal and she told me they were not able to even use cell phones during the day as fema has taken over...the mess as far as i can tell is that ppl were told to evacuate galveston and galveston island and some reports said 20,000 to 200,000 refused to leave and now they're spending all their resources trying to get these ppl out instead of restoring power and working on infrastructure...the reporters are only trying to tell the rest of the world exactly what is happening and that's all...hugs pat

[SuzeQuze]

I suspect these officials don't want all their blundering reported and recorded.

[gldstwmn]

Lots of information and photos here. It looks as though some of these places were completely wiped out:

http://jakeabby.com/cb/

[ajmccarrell]

It's because BushMcCainPalinCheney CAUSED the hurricane, BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

[Steviefan49]

Originally Posted by steviefan59

hey guys...as u know, if u read the thread i posted in this forum, arlene (steviefan49) lives in houston...i talked to her last late on sunday nite as that was when she was able to get a signal and she told me they were not able to even use cell phones during the day as fema has taken over...the mess as far as i can tell is that ppl were told to evacuate galveston and galveston island and some reports said 20,000 to 200,000 refused to leave and now they're spending all their resources trying to get these ppl out instead of restoring power and working on infrastructure...the reporters are only trying to tell the rest of the world exactly what is happening and that's all...hugs pat

What a sweet post Pat.. Thanks SOOOO much! I just walked in to my house to come home and pick up a few things, as I've been staying with a Aunt, who was lucky enough to have power, and my power was on! I haven't seen a computer since a week ago and am SOOOO glad to have power.. I sat here with tears running down my face.. Anyway, we're ok, as we just had some really strong winds and rains- and didn't get flooded out or anything, but there are a TON of trees that are down, and hardly any businessess were open. They are now, slowly coming back on, power wise, and one by one restaurants are opening, along with grocery stores! Grocery stores still don't have everything - especially meat and dairy products yet, but little by little everything seems to be getting back to "Normal".. You know, you just don't appreciate the "little" things in life until you lose them. Electricity has been a scarce commodity in our area for a week now, and we were just told yesterday that it's going to be up to another "month" for some parts of Houston, and Galveston.. It's horrible.. But anyway, just wanting to let everyone know I'm ok, and finally have power back! Boy, did I miss you guys! LOL


Hugs to all,

Arlene

[gldstwmn]

Yay! You made it through the storm. Welcome back.

[Steviefan49]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Yay! You made it through the storm. Welcome back.

Hey Chris!

Thanks SOOO much! It's SOOOO good to be back..


Hugs,

Arlene

[estranged4life]

What's going on down in Texas? I'll tell ya what's going on down in Texas...

(Chorus) "Watch dog will get you if you don't watch out
Watch dog sees and watch dog knows.
Watch keeps us on our toes
Watch dog assures you that the laws the law
No exception to the rule, watch dog ain't no fool.

Watch dog protects you, he's out on the prowl.
Guards and checks the best he can ,watch dog is a
fighting man.
Watch dog will throw, he's beam of light around
If some folks don't toe the line, watch dog's light
will shine.

(Solo) Texas has a whorehouse in it.

(Chorus) lord have mercy on our souls.

(Solo) Texas has a whorehouse in it.

(Chorus) lord have mercy on our souls.

(Solo) I'll expose the facts although it fills me with disgust
Please excuse the filthy dark details, and carnal lust.

(Chorus) Filthy dark details, and carnal lust.

(Solo) Dancing going on inside it, don't you see they gone
I inquired no one denied it, now I think I'm getting
riled
Bodies close together, arms and legs all rearranged.
And the sheriff does not close him down.
That's very strange.

(Chorus) Does not close him down ,that's very strange.

(Solo) Mean eyed juiced up brillitene honkytonk cowboys.

(Chorus) Oh no

(Solo) Mixing with green eyed thin lipped hard as nails
peroxide blonds.

(Chorus) Oh no

(Solo) Not to mention some types ,that you never guess would
venture near.
I can all depraved and loose and wild, ninety miles
from here.
And now our own Melvin P Thorp Sangers.

(Chorus) Texas has a whorehouse in it

(Solo) I'll not let this scandal fade

(Chorus) Texas has a whorehouse in it

(Solo) All uprooting , our crusade.
I can smell corruption, and I'll fight it to the top.
Loveless copulation going on.
And it must stop.

(Chorus) Stop this copulation
Stop that copulation
Loveless copulation
Stop that copulation

Texas has a whorehouse in it.
lord have mercy on our souls.
Texas has a whorehouse in it.
lord have mercy on our souls.
Watch dog smell corruption and will fight it to the top.
Loveless copulation going on, going on, going on, going
on, going on
going on.

(Solo) Don't touch that dial
This is Melvin P Thorp saying I'll be back, with new and
revealing
information about this and other cases.
Watch dog never sleeps.

(Chorus) And it must stop.
Watch dog going to get you
Going to shine his light on you
Watch dog going to get you
Going to shine his light on you."

[gldstwmn]

More pictures here:

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/200...l_life_of.html

[strandinthewind]

Those pics are horrific in the destruction they show. And, this was a large, but relatively weak storm with a relatively low storm surge. Imagine what a Cat 5 with a 20 ft. surge could do.