Live blog/cam from New Orleans

[saintjohn]

Michael Barnett works for Directnic.com, based in New Orleans. He and some associates are holed up on the 10th-11th floors of their office building in downtown New Orleans, still working and trying to defend themselves:

Chad from mises.org tells me that the supplemetal feed (http://old.mises.org:88/NO2) peaked at 442 and currently stands at 438 viewers. We've got 50 on our direct feed (mms://204.251.3.10:3349) That means almost 500 of you are watching Lord of the Flies II: Escape From New Orleans on our webcam. Hope you're enjoying the feed. Got any question about what you're seeing, just ask. Dozens of helpful people are answering everything in the comments section.

http://www.livejournal.com/users/interdictor/

[CrzyC]

Can you please explain a little further as to what Im reading and looking at. I understand where they are but how do they have the ability to communicate with the outside world?

[saintjohn]

They're in a 27-storey office building in a relatively dry part of the city. Apparently, they have a large diesel generator and plenty of fuel, food, and potable water (and, hopefully, guns and ammunition). About directNIC:

CNET has reviewed DirectNIC in the past as a low-cost hosting service (favorably, too), but it's actually a moderately priced registrar with a great set of à la carte hosting options. With a $15 domain registration, DirectNIC throws in unlimited e-mail aliases and URL forwarding (redirecting Web traffic to an existing site). While it's not as inexpensive as Go Daddy--nor is it the easiest way to build and host a Web site at your domain with no experience (for that, we'd lean toward eNom)--DirectNIC performs well and offers the best pricing for the best combination of basic and additional features. If you're going to start by forwarding your domain to an existing Web site, then gradually move toward Web hosting and adding e-mailboxes, DirectNIC is the discount domain operator with the best upgrade path.

http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6540_7-726622-1.html

A message from the CEO:

Intercosmos Media Group, Inc. wants to thank all of its directNIC.com customers for the overwhelming support and inquiries into our wellbeing.

We are based in New Orleans and located in a secure and dry skyscraper, where our datacenter has remained fully operational.

Our staff is safe and well -- some have been working around the clock in New Orleans to keep clients running smoothly, and other employees have left to safer locations to keep an eye on the network from afar.

We are pleased to announce that we haven't lost service once during this entire distaster, and we have three weeks of backup power secured, and more resources are on the way.

Additionally, backup options outside of New Orleans are being implemented as an added precaution.

Thank you for your support and know we are working hard to maintain our excellent services even during this castrophe.

Sincerely,

Sigmund J. Solares, J.D., M.B.A.
CEO
Intercosmos Media Group, Inc

http://www.directnic.com/katrina.php

The last blog entry:

Security has become a major concern now, because the NOPD is ineffective and the looters terrorists are roaming the streets. Word is now that they're lighting buildings on fire, but I can't confirm that. Anyway, we have to run guard shifts and patrol and it limits our downtime.

It is a zoo out there though, make no mistake. It's the wild kingdom. It's Lord of the Flies. That doesn't mean there's murder on every street corner. But what it does mean is that the rule of law has collapsed, that there is no order, and that property rights cannot and are not being enforced. Anyone who is on the streets is in immediate danger of being robbed and killed. It's that bad.

http://www.livejournal.com/users/interdictor/

Sound like they're going to need a rooftop helicopter extraction.

[saintjohn]

Getting worse:

All of our providers are dropping. We're down to one. We have enough fuel to keep us powered for a long time, but we could lose internet access soon if our last provider drops.

So I guess what I'm saying is that any moment could be my last moment online. If we do lose internet, Outpost Crystal might have to be abandoned by all but Sig and Myself. I've got to get Crystal out of here safely and relocated to someplace out of this state. I'm working on escape routes now.

Calling any and all Intercosmos and Directnic employees. We need you to contact Donnie in email and on ICQ ASAP.

Situtation is critical.

I'm not leaving, so stop asking. I'm staying. I am staying until this shitstorm has blown itself out. Period. End of discussion.

Now for some updates:

1. Been too busy to debrief the police officer, so that will come later. Low priority now.

2. Buses loading people up on Camp Street to take refugees to Dallas, or so the word on the street (literally) is.

3. Dead bodies everywhere: convention center, down camp street, all over.

4. National Guard shoving water off the backs of trucks. They're just pushing it off without stopping, people don't even know it's there at first -- they drop it on the side in debris, there's no sign or distribution point -- people are scared to go near it at first, because the drop points are guarded by troops or federal agents with assault rifles who don't let people come near them, which scares people off. It is a mess. When people actually get to the water, they are in such a rush to get it that one family left their small child behind and forget about him until Sig carried him back to the family.

5. Lots of pics coming soon when Sig has time to update.

It's raining now and I guess that's a relief from the heat. It's hot as hell down there in the sun. Crime is absolutely rampant: rapes, murders, rape-murder combinations.

I have really cut back answering IMs. Not enough time. I apologize people.

In case anyone in national security is reading this, get the word to President Bush that we need the military in here NOW. The Active Duty Armed Forces. Mr. President, we are losing this city. I don't care what you're hearing on the news. The city is being lost. It is the law of the jungle down here. The command and control structure here is barely functioning. I'm not sure it's anyone's fault -- I'm not sure it could be any other way at this point. We need the kind of logistical support and infrastructure only the Active Duty military can provide. The hospitals are in dire straights. The police barely have any capabilities at this point. The National Guard is doing their best, but the situation is not being contained. I'm here to help in anyway I can, but my capabilities are limited and dropping. Please get the military here to maintain order before this city is lost.