Saturday, September 09, 2006
9/11+5 "What Do You Know That The Rest of Us Don't?"
9/11/05 heading south very fast...
9/11+5
Escape From America...
Run for the Border
It's partly a joke, partly a political statement, partly our ongoing desire to be outta' here...
One right-winger blogger flamed on me..."You fuckin' lloyd doggett lovin' austin liberal! You would turn your back on your own country, which has given you all these freedoms, at the time it needs you most?! You would turn tail and run away?!"
That almost was worth the effort right there! "Doing my part to piss off the Religious Right," as the bumper sticker sez. I DO think there is a chance that "sumptin's gonna' happen" on 9/11...just probably not IN America.
Press Release:
8 Hours to Escape America!
Join Jim Ellinger and “The World’s Most Dangerous Blonde” for their annual “Run For The Border” on the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Ellinger and crew will leave Austin, Texas on Sunday, September 10th and travel to an undesignated country south of the continental US in a rehearsal of a prepared evacuation of the country following another terrorist attack and/or natural disaster in the States. Their goal is to be prepared to leave the US on eight hours notice. They will have prepared maps, rendezvous points, vehicles, border crossings, etc. They will take with them equipment and provisions including medical supplies and gear, radio/ communications and surveillance gear, maps and listings of local services and resources, food/water/chocolate, alternative/supplemental power sources, tools, etc.
According to the Washington Post, 30% of Americans do not know what year the 9/11 attacks occurred. The November, 2004 edition of Texas Monthly featured a report, “Attack Here,” that stated “most security experts agree the Houston Ship Channel is one of America’s top targets.” The August, 2006 issue of Harper’s “Imagine There's No Oil, Scenes from a Liberal Apocalypse” reports on the growth of the so-called Peak Oil Movement.
In Richard A. Clarke’s “Ten Years Later,” cover story in the January/ February, 2005 The Atlantic Monthly, he theorizes on al-Qaeda’s possible future terrorist attacks on the US infrastructure. These include attacks against the internet, subways, chemical plants, shipping containers, civilian aircraft, etc. In his description of “attacks on shopping centers and malls,” Clarke makes mention of a conceivable scenario that would include “attacks aimed at New Year’s Eve festivities on Sixth Street in Austin…”
Ellinger is widely known for his community media work, including most recently “What It Feels Like to Be Run Over By the FEMA PR Machine;” the battle to provide radio services to the thousands of Katrina evacuees in the Houston Astrodome. He has previously served as Reporter/News Anchor for KOPN's "NewsWave," PR Director of Austin Community Television, Communications Director of the Austin Music Network, Membership/PR Director of Wheatsville Food Co-op, Founder of KOOP Radio, Producer/Host of “Austin Airwaves” and radio columnist for the Austin Chronicle.
Since 9/11, Ellinger has focused most of his radio activity on third world and developing nations including Mozambique, the former Soviet Union, Nepal, New Orleans’ 9th Ward, and most recently the Darien Gap of Panama. He will serve as a North American Delegate to the AMARC9 international radio conference in Amman, Jordan this November.
The World’s Most Dangerous Blonde is widely considered the top EMT/Paramedic in Texas. This year they will be joined by The Blade.
September is both National Passport Month and National Preparedness Month.
Follow Ellinger’s escapades at http://www.radio4houston.com/ and
http://acksisofevil.org/innerside.html, and blogs at http://austinairwaves.blogspot.com/
Ellinger’s website http://jim.ellinger.org/ lists many of his past travel adventures.
Re-Sources:
The Atlantic Monthly http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200501/clarke
Harper’s http://www.harpers.org/MostRecentCover.html
Texas Monthly http://www.texasmonthly.com/preview/2004-11-01/feature5
Stratfor Daily Terrorism Brief 09.01.2005 Strategic Forecasting, Inc. (Stratfor) Austin, TX http://www.stratfor.com/ analysis@stratfor.com
Planeta Borderlands
http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/border/borderlands.html
Escape From America Magazine real estate/travel magazine (no connection)
http://www.escapeartist.com/
September is National Passport Month
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/passport/
September is National Preparedness Month
http://www.ready.gov/america/npm/index.htm
National Preparedness Month 2006 Coalition Member Tool Kit: https://neimangroup.sharedwork.com/sr/QPjhkbVJkTNV2V31UPwZSbw5WP1ZyMwAjMx0Ta
AMARC http://wiki.amarc.org/index2.php?topic=amarc9_home&style=amarc9&site=amarc9&lang=EN
Learning from Katrina: Value of Contingency Plans
Learning from Katrina: The Value of Contingency Plans
The order to evacuate New Orleans as Hurricane Katrina stormed through the Gulf of Mexico on Aug. 28 sent more than a million people rushing to find safety. The mass evacuation choked the interstate system and other roads for miles upon miles -- although many people, no doubt, waited to flee the oncoming disaster while they frantically searched for family members. With communications knocked out by the hurricane, however, thousands of people still remain clueless as to the whereabouts and well-being of family, friends and employees. The point is that this chaos followed some warning, albeit short, that danger was imminent. Should a disaster on a similar scale happen with no warning whatsoever, even worse bedlam would erupt.
In order to successfully cope with a natural disaster on the scale of Hurricane Katrina -- or with a major terrorist attack such as the detonation of a dirty bomb in a large city -- it is vital to have business and personal contingency plans in place. Such plans will mitigate much of the confusion and panic that make dealing with a calamity difficult for companies and individuals. Corporate contingency plans should focus on re-establishing contact with employees and assessing the impact to business operations brought on by the event. Personal contingency plans should focus on establishing contact with and accounting for family members.
Perhaps the most value derived from having a personal contingency plan is a reduction in the amount of stress that would result from not being able to immediately contact a loved one. Knowing that everyone is following the plan -- and that contact eventually be established -- frees each person to concentrate on the more pressing issue of evacuation.
Corporate contingency plans should establish a centralized operations center with reliable communications. This center would serve as a single point for integrating information and keeping track of the status of employees and business operations. Executives and employees should know to establish contact with the operations center as soon as possible after the event. Provisions should be made for retrieving vital electronic data, which, incidentally, should have been backed up regularly before the event to prevent a total loss. In case of a disaster on a huge scale, an alternate location for the operations center should be established. All employees should be familiar with the contingency plan and know when to initiate it.
Personal protection details for executives should have plans that allow for multiple scenarios and include alternate transportation and safe havens. Other people can at least make personal plans tailored to their particular situation.
Eight Hours to Escape America, Page Four of Five
Those responsible for the security of executives and other VIPs should develop contingency plans for the home office and for areas where the executive is traveling. The plan should be flexible, and account for multiple scenarios with alternate evacuation plans. In some cases, such as when no transportation is available, it could be best to simply stay put and ride out the crisis. Even that possibility should be anticipated.
Those responsible for VIPs also must have personal family contingency plans in place. It is their job to care for their charge, and they will be unable to ignore that responsibility to care for family members. Knowing that a spouse and other loved ones are executing the contingency plan, will allow the security professional to focus on the job at hand.
Even the best contingency plan can be compromised by the reactions of and protective measures taken by authorities in an emergency situation -- such as road or bridge closures, or a shutdown of air travel. It therefore is vital to have several alternate plans ready for use.
Planners should assume that communications will be interrupted, or not available when putting their contingency together. In addition, similar considerations should be given to the potential lack of public transportation and electricity. If ground transportation is available, a nearby "safe haven" location outside the city should be pre-arranged, and equipped for a lengthy stay.
Contingency plans for the traveling executive should be coordinated with the home office, so that the home base has an idea of the status of its people. Even if movement and communication are not possible, having a plan that has been coordinated with the home office will be better than reacting to events as they happen.
Family contingency plans should provide for a rally point, as well as an alternative rally point should the first one be unavailable. Family members also should know whom to call when disaster strikes. In order to ensure that important personal and family documents and information are not lost, a "fly away" kit should be prepared well in advance of any disaster. This kit should contain important papers, titles to vehicles, deeds, licenses, birth certificates, passports and credit card information. Food, extra clothing and medicine can also be included. All family members should know to follow the plan if contact cannot be immediately established with the others. For a personal contingency plan, situational awareness is essential -- as that makes it possible to determine the best way to deal with or to escape an emergency situation.
8 Hours to Escape America!! 9/11+5
September 9, 2006 (512) 796-4332
8 Hours to Escape America!
Join Jim Ellinger and “The World’s Most Dangerous Blonde” for their annual “Run For The Border” on the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Ellinger and crew will leave Austin, Texas on Sunday, September 10th and travel to an undesignated country south of the continental US in a rehearsal of a prepared evacuation of the country following another terrorist attack and/or natural disaster in the States. Their goal is to be prepared to leave the US on eight hours notice. They will have prepared maps, rendezvous points, vehicles, border crossings, etc. They will take with them equipment and provisions including medical supplies and gear, radio/communications and surveillance gear, maps and listings of local services and resources, food/water/chocolate, alternative/supplemental power sources, tools, etc.
According to the Washington Post, 30% of Americans do not know what year the 9/11 attacks occurred. The November, 2004 edition of Texas Monthly featured a report, “Attack Here,” that stated “most security experts agree the Houston Ship Channel is one of America’s top targets.” The August, 2006 issue of Harper’s “Imagine There's No Oil, Scenes from a Liberal Apocalypse” reports on the growth of the so-called Peak Oil Movement.
In Richard A. Clarke’s “Ten Years Later,” cover story in the January/February, 2005 The Atlantic Monthly, he theorizes on al-Qaeda’s possible future terrorist attacks on the US infrastructure. These include attacks against the internet, subways, chemical plants, shipping containers, civilian aircraft, etc. In his description of “attacks on shopping centers and malls,” Clarke makes mention of a conceivable scenario that would include “attacks aimed at New Year’s Eve festivities on Sixth Street in Austin…”
Ellinger is widely known for his community media work, including most recently “What It Feels Like to Be Run Over By the FEMA PR Machine;” the battle to provide radio services to the thousands of Katrina evacuees in the Houston Astrodome. He has previously served as PR Director of Austin Community Television, Communications Director of the Austin Music Network, Membership/PR Director of Wheatsville Food Co-op, Founder of KOOP Radio, Producer/Host of “Austin Airwaves” and radio columnist for the Austin Chronicle.
Since 9/11, Ellinger has focused most of his radio activity on third world and developing nations including Mozambique, the former Soviet Union, Nepal, New Orleans’ 9th Ward, and most recently the Darien Gap of Panama. He will serve as a North American Delegate to the AMARC9 international radio conference in Amman, Jordan this November.
The World’s Most Dangerous Blonde is widely considered the top EMT/Paramedic in Texas. Ellinger and the WMDB will be joined by The Blade.
September is both National Passport Month and National Preparedness Month.
Follow Ellinger’s escapades at www.radio4houston.com and
http://acksisofevil.org/innerside.html, and blogs at http://austinairwaves.blogspot.com/
Ellinger’s website http://jim.ellinger.org/ lists many of his past travel adventures.
On air interviews are available for scheduling now. Non-commercial, community-based media outlets will be given priority. Contact Jim Ellinger at Austin Airwaves, Inc. at (512) 796-4332 or jimedia@grandecom.net. Call or email for exact schedule.
Re-Sources:
The Atlantic Monthly http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200501/clarke
Harper’s http://www.harpers.org/MostRecentCover.html
Texas Monthly http://www.texasmonthly.com/preview/2004-11-01/feature5
Stratfor Daily Terrorism Brief 09.01.2005 Strategic Forecasting, Inc. (Stratfor) Austin, TX www.stratfor.com analysis@stratfor.com
Planeta Borderlands
HTTP://WWW.PLANETA.COM/ECOTRAVEL/BORDER/BORDERLANDS.HTML
Escape From America Magazine real estate/travel magazine (same name, no connection)
HTTP://WWW.ESCAPEARTIST.COM/
September is National Passport Month
HTTP://WWW.LONELYPLANET.COM/PASSPORT/
September is National Preparedness Month
HTTP://WWW.READY.GOV/AMERICA/NPM/INDEX.HTM
National Preparedness Month 2006 Coalition Member Tool Kit: https://neimangroup.sharedwork.com/sr/QPjhkbVJkTNV2V31UPwZSbw5WP1ZyMwAjMx0Ta
AMARC http://wiki.amarc.org/index2.php?topic=amarc9_home&style=amarc9&site=amarc9&lang=EN
Harris County Officials Block Efforts to Provide Free Radio Services to Evacuees
"And your town Jim, Austin Texas, has opened its heart to us here in Algiers and New Orleans. Thanks for the work with the station. Thanks for all you have done. Thank you!"
Malik Raheem, longtime Algiers housing activist speaking on WBAI- FM/Pacifica Radio in New York City 12:30am 9/14/05
[A 40w transmitter, antenna rig and related gear made its way from Austin to Algiers last week. The station went on the air yesterday. Folks from Free Radio Santa Cruz, Free Radio Berkeley, Portland IndyMedia and others deserve credit for their efforts as well. -jre]
“Evacuees” Please...
I wasn't gonna’ bother weighing in on this again, but here I go. The term "evacuees" is NOT "ridiculous," friend. And in speaking to several hundred of them in and around the Astrodome, while giving out our little FM radios, this seemed to be the most common self-reference. "Internal refugees?" Gimme' a break! Actually the second most common answer to describe these poor folks was "pissed off." Or to put it another way, I asked a young lady with three kids in tow what she preferred to be called, and she said, "You can call me Leticia, Sugar. Whadda' ya'll wanna' be called...?" jre Mon, 12 Sep 2005
Partial list of stories on Evacuee Radio Project at Houston Astrodome:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/08/national/08houston.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1126206930-3khUyITTyAgRN8w+6GN1gw
http://?www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-radio8sep08,1,2504520.story?coll=la-news-a_section
http://www.wired.com/news/hurricane/0,2904,68806,00.html?tw=rss.TOP
http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0537,ferguson,67701,2.html
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/09/07/1415231
http://www.houston.indymedia.org/news/2005/09/43349.php
http://www.reason.com/hitandrun/2005/09/radio_comes_to.shtml
http://www.billboardradiomonitor.com/radiomonitor/news/business/top_news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001096280
http://politics.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/09/09/2046217
http://www.prometheusradio.org
http://www.kpft.org
http://jacob.wordpress.com/2005/09/08/do-you-wish-you-could-contact-the-people-blocking-the-lpfm-radio-station
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-TBYX1126212496014.html
http://www.rwonline.com/dailynews/one.php?id=7721
http://flickr.com/photos/ioerror/sets/905698/
http://jacob.wordpress.com/2005/09/07/radio-station-has-been-blocked/
http://www.reason.com/hitandrun/2005/09/radio_free_bure.shtml#010879
FEMA Rejection Form: http://houston.indymedia.org/news/2005/09/43075.php
jim ellinger 9/14/05
