In Houston, a group of folks got together & came up with an idea: Hey! Why don't we create a low power FM station for the People living at the Astrodome? And provide them with FM Radios? We can broadcast hourly updated info on everything from how to ride the Houston Metro bus system (that'll take 'em awhile to master!Wink ) to how to get their kids enrolled in local schools. Plus, the refuge...I mean Temporary Residents at the Dome could listen to music & get their minds off their situation for a little while.
So this group of people got OKs & Encouragement from the Mayor of Houston, the Governor of Texas, the Red Cross, FEMA, the Harris Co. Dept. of Health & Human Services, the FCC, and also got a lot of donations to buy the radios, batteries for the radios, equipement, etc. They were all ready to put it in Wednesday...then R.W. Royall Jr., the incident commander of the Joint Information Center -- the group temporarily governing the operations of the Astrodome campus -- showed up:
http://www.wired.com/news/hurricane/0,2904,68806,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_7
I've seen a lot of self-important pathetically useless Morons in Appointed Positions of power in Houston/Harris County before, but this guy truly takes the cake. As someone who has heard the "No! Seriously! We DID Upgrade it this time! (Not like the OTHER 27 times we said we did)" PA system in the Dome BEFORE it has sat virtually unused for the past couple of years, I can tell you that it's only good for measuring the near-infinite number of times the same sound wave comes bouncing by. As a domed roof on a many-stories tall round cylinder made of concrete & iron 40 years ago, it's bloody impossible to actually UNDERSTAND anything said over the PA...& that's with Professional Announcers speaking into the mics, not some poor volunteer who has never used one in their life.
I hope that R.W. Royall Jr. gets what he deserves...put him INSIDE one of those speakers at the Dome for 12 hours listening to a CD of Harry Carey calling a Cubs win over the 'Stros.
Love & Peace, Clarence
UPDATE: As of Thursday, they are trying to get an OK to set up the station outside the Dome.
Mr. Royall's regular title is chief of emergency operations with the Harris County Fire Marshal's office.
Also, the unofficial word is that ALL temp residents of the Dome have to be gone by Sept. 18th. The Texans' opening home game is that date & the NFL Stadium was built on part of the Dome's parking lot. Oh brother. Exclamation
Se the pics taken of the Dome & it's Residents here: http://flickr.com/photos/ioerror/sets/905698/
These faces could be you or your family.