Just reported on CNN....buses being turned away at the Astrodome....

[Media_Lies_Daily]

...the police are saying the Astrodome is already filled with 5000 people.

OMG.

[skooooo]

1. I'm sure they have other places set up...

they said there would be other places available when the dome filled up.

[Southsideirish]

3. And you actually believe them?????

[Mugsy]

63. I'm here in Houston. 'Tis true.

A steady stream of busses filed in over the first day and a half, so they could easily have 5000 people in there.

However, they've been telling everyone... even reporting on the news... that the Dome could house over 25,000 (a seating capacity of over 60,000, but that would be too cramped), so if they are stopping after just 5,000, they must be fairly spread out. Cots across the arena with no one sleeping in the seats.

I should note, no local TV cameras have been allowed inside for us to see what's going on.

[Sugarbleus]

65. I saw a quick clip of people setting up cots inside the Astro..

I also heard a report from (I forget his name)the guy who is heading up the shelter/refugee operation there. He said they had other shelters available for overflow or for those who have managed to get to Houston on their own...

[SammyBlue]

70. 5000 people is capacity???

I remember the Astros playing to a full house of over 45,000. Texas. . .heart of compassion. The yellow, cold heart of Texas.

Fuck Texas. Best this out of Texas is I-10.

[LeftyChristian]

86. The cold yellow heart of Texas indeed.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4577094

In San Antonio alone...opening up Kelly USA, opening the schools to refugees to stay and enroll, opening up private homes, a jobs hotline.

45,000 in the Astrodome for about three hours for a game. Tell me how it would be to have 45,000 in a dome for several months? Get your facts straight or is just more fun to bash Texas?

[AnneD]

93. Begging your pardon?

You might want to get your facts straight first before you spew your anti Texas venom......I work as a school nurse so I am 2 steps above ground zero. Just in NOLA alone there have been over 1 million displaced. Think they can all squeeze into the dome comfortably or safely for 3-6 mos. People here have not only opened the Dome up but their personal homes to displaced families and total strangers. Every facility that might be able to open up is preparing space. Many of us have relatives in La and we are more than familiar with floods and hurricanes-we're bayou country too.
We are responding as fast as we can but this is beyond anything we could have planned for. The Dome has taken more than was planned. We opened other convention centers and are scrambling to find shelter for those refugee that continue to pour in. Remember this for an extended stay. All the effort, material and services, etc. have been volunteers and non-governmental agencies. The schools started taking in kids as early as Monday (those that left La. early). Right now, I can barely walk through my clinic office for all the school uniforms and play clothes we have gotten. The PTO is giving out school supplies and a new uniform and will be getting shoes socks and under ware too.
State leaders are now opening centers in San Antonio, Dallas, and anywhere else that has space. The thing to remember, we are setting up shelter etc FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. So frankly, SammyBlue, make your way to I-10 and just keep going. We have plenty of people who count their blessing that they are in Texas.

[AuntieM1957]

101. Assmouth, send me a plane ticket

and I'll gladly send someone to YOUR HOUSE.

You can clothe, feed, and minister to them.

In the meantime, keep your ugly mouth THE FUCK OFF MY HOMETOWN.

I HAVE HAD MORE THAN ENOUGH OF YOU PEOPLE JUDGE THOSE OF US IN THE MIDST OF THE FLOOD OF HUMANITY.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

12. The point being made is that the authorities stated that the Astrodome....

...could hold 25,000 people. Evidently, that was a lie, too.

Those people have ridden on those buses for 12 hours after trying to survive the last four days.

If they had other places to take the people why haven't they said so?

[Scout1071]

49. Why wouldn't they radio, re-route and announce to the media there

Plan B for this desperate situation?

Because they don't effin' have one.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

89. Plan B?

They didn't have Plan A...

[Fescue4u]

53. 25k vs 5k

Its one thing to accomodate 25k people for a few hours to watch a game.

Quite another to house 25k for months on end, along with sleeping arrangements, food, water and toilet.

5k would sound about right imo.

[Telly Savalas]

81. Then they shouldn't have said 25k initially.

[AnneD]

96. Sometimes......

you don't know how much sauce the container holds until you pour it in. I guess we could take out the children's play area and squeeze in more cots. Yeh, we can rip out the seats in the nosebleed section and but that family with the toddlers up there-I'm sure that railing is safe. Plan B, hell we are on Plan M now.
I just want to ask one queston.....how many refugees did you or your town take in today????? How many did you hug or offer a tissue. All I've heard today from the people whose opinon matters the most to me has been heartfelt thank yous.
Just try taking in the numbers that we have been hit with and THEN tell us how to do it. Houston was the first large city to open their doors and hearts. It has been chaotic and by the seat of your pants planning with numbers like this, but our town has given with open hands and hearts. We know it could have been us in this situation. We are helping our family and neighbours now.
So I ask again....How many refugees did you help today? In Texas, we haven't finished counting...

[SammyWinstonJack]

they are bringing some to KellyUSA in San Antonio last I heard on

the local news tonight. They were setting up when I watched the news. Bringing cots and provisions.

[walldude]

8. Yeah San Antonio is pulling out the stops for these people

America is rising up to the occasion, as usual.

[SammyWinstonJack]

14. It looks like they were really preparing for them.

[jean]

can't the idiots 'in charge' - bushes cronies COUNT? Did they not

even try to guess how many victims could be comfortably accomodated at the AStrodome? Doh.

[Southsideirish]

2. Friggin' insane!

[eleny]

4. And did Aarorn Brown say their coverage will be all night long?

I think he said it before going to commercial. So, it's going 24 hours, now.

[SeattleGirl]

5. Unbelievable!

I thought Aaron Brown was going to fall off his chair when his reporter told him that!

[Broken_Hero]

6. wondering...

is there a site wher eyou can volunteer to take soem of these people in? i'm in SW missouri, and i know my wife and i could take in a famiy of 5, at the most, but suited perfectly for a family of 4...but i know we can handle a fam of 5, is there a place to find out this info?...

[proud2BlibKansan]

22. MoveOn is sending an email out

asking for people to do just what you are offering. I deleted it or I would post it here. Maybe you could look on their website?

[itzamirakul]

32. I would try contacting the Red Cross....

they are probably interviewing folks and could set you up with someone compatible. Remember...even though your heart is big, it can be difficult living with even a relative, let alone living with strangers for more than three days. You need to have someone you can get along with.

[brystheguy]

40. www.hurricanehousing.org

[DLnyc]

46. MoveOn Housing page

http://www.hurricanehousing.org/?id=5945-608668-ztwveEfcDw1TAxcF5omO_A

(link on DU front page, about three topics down)

[Rose Siding]

7. Last night: 25,000 La. refugees head to San Antonio

AUSTIN, Texas -- After opening the Astrodome in Houston to Hurricane Katrina refugees, the state of Texas has agreed to take in 25,000 more evacuees from Louisiana, state and local officials said Thursday.

Louisiana requested that Texas provide shelter for the evacuees, and Texas Gov. Rick Perry has spoken with the mayor and county judge in San Antonio to begin making the plans, said Robert Black, spokesman for Perry.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apus_story.asp?category=1110&slug=Katrina%20Texas%20HK4

[Media_Lies_Daily]

Where are they going to put the 20,000 that couldn't be placed in....

...Astrodome?

[Rose Siding]

25. You're guess is as good as mine, sugar

and probably better than Perry's.

[Pallas180]

48. churches...churches are taking people in-bush privatizing everything

we're all on our own..

this is not a government.

[shanti]

55. isn't that what he wants?

:shrug:

[ClintonTyree]

74. Yep, making federal government "so small that it can be.......

drowned in a bathtub", I believe is the official quote about their intentions. :eyes:

Let's see how far this "faith based" bullshit goes when it comes to housing and feeding thousands of poor people. The lily white baptists will be saying, "well, we didn't mean THOSE kinds of people".

[Tyranny_R_US]

9. WTF they said they could bus out 23,000

[KyndCulture]

10. Jesus it just gets worse and worse.

[Spazito]

11. I was sure they said the Astrodome could hold up to 20,000 victims!

When they talked to officials in Texas before, they were told they could house all the victims from the Dome which, at that time were at least 15,000.

[Rose Siding]

18. Today, a reporter (Lavendero?) said he'd counted just 2,000 cots

on the floor of the stadium. He was questioning how they'd fit 25K in- if they'd sleep in shifts.

It's another sign of how the govt is unwilling to communicate the truth to us.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

20. Bingo. That's exactly what I heard, too. 20,000-25,000 people.

[Igel]

97. And they should have talked to the fire marshall.

The Astrodome can hold more.

But not safely.

Having been stuck in the same situation at one point I'll say that the officials in charge were shortsighted, but that's about all--we had a room that was posted for holding more than a thousand people, but the way we were using it caused the fire marshall to say "no" and reduce the amount when he finally saw the plans.

It's nice to know that so many would automatically assume I lied when I said something at the time I believed to be true, instead of the more accurate "I was misinformed" or "I foolishly didn't get all the necessary information."

[AlGore-08.com]

13. They also reported one death inside the Astrodome

CNN reporter did not know the cause.

[all.of.me]

15. i wish i had 100 acres of farmland where they could all camp out.

i'd invite them all.

[WillyT]

17. There's Always Bush's Ranch !!!

:shrug:

[mikelewis]

24. I beleive we actually have a nice camp setup right out side the gates...

of the Bush Cowboy set.

[chicagiana]

45. Perhaps camp Sheehan will be replaced ...

... by camp New Orleans!!!!

[For PaisAn]

57. Yes

my Mom said the same thing today, that Bush should make his ranch available and set up a refugee camp there for these people.

[Donailin]

33. why not invite just one or two?

http://neworleans.craigslist.org/roo/

[txindy]

16. Only 5,000?

The Astrodome is HUGE! Why are they only accepting 5,000 people? There were many times that number at every pro sporting event held there. It can hold so many more! They have the resources. It's not like putting them in the Superdome without electricity, food, or water. There's no reason not to house many more there.

[Telly Savalas]

84. I think the issue is fire/evacuation safety...

when there are 30,000 or so in the Astrodome watch a game, 95% of the people are dispersed in the seats and each individual is close to an exit without there being 1000 people in the way. With everyone on the field however, there are a limited number of nearby exits per person and a lot more people using these ground level exits. It's my understanding that it was the fire marshall who said no more could come in.

This is not meant to be a blanket defence of the so called relief efforts. If my little theory is indeed correct about the reasoning, then they should have figured it out long beforehand and gave fair warning. They should also have a lot more relief shelters set up, and it's doubtful they do otherwise the media would be at them.

[nonconformist]

19. they just said on Nightline they said they could accomodate

25 THOUSAND people.

:wtf:

[Media_Lies_Daily]

31. Well, maybe they over-estimated a little just trying to be helpful.....

:yoiks: :yoiks: :yoiks: :yoiks: :yoiks: :yoiks:

[KoKo]

39. Thats what Cables said all day Astrodome 20-25,000 so they lied!

How do we know where the hell they are taking them. Most haven't bathed or anything in days...and now they are on an all afternoon, all night bus ride thinking they are going to Astrodome and now it's who knows where? :wtf:

[Igel]

98. "... so they lied" is rather a logical stretch, isn't it?

How about 'so they were wrong'? Or is being wrong the same as lying?

Possibly "mistaken"? "Ill-informed"? "They didn't have all the facts"?

And I think the final numbers were higher than 5k, if I remember the morning's local news a-right.

[killbotfactory]

21. I heard on NPR earlier that there are other cities in Texas waiting..

for when the astrodome got full

[LSK]

28. San Antonio is prepping an old Military Base n/t

[SammyWinstonJack]

35. Kelly USA

:woohoo:

[justabob]

23. I don't understand

why they are only using the field area..... there is a whole lot more square footage available in that building. What is wrong with using the concourses and upper levels?

[LSK]

26. kick - this is the new big story

In a long line of major cluster fucks. Another FEMA operation is what I hear.

[NYC Liberal]

27. Wait a second

Why couldn't they let people stay in the stands? CNN has video and it was just people on the floor. Sure it wouldn't be the best but it WOULD be something.

[LSK]

30. beause its FEMA and they dont know what the fuck they are doing

[Rex]

29. Bring them down here to the Alamodome!

nt

[apnu]

what the hell? The astrodome can 'seat' 62,000 in football

by this link's statement: http://www.ballparks.com/baseball/national/astrod.htm

Are you sure you heard that right?

[Catherine Vincent]

43. They can but that's for seating.

That can't put that many cots in there I don't think. Plus the fire marshall halted the buses.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

44. Yep. It was totally unmistakable.

[AuntieM1957]

76. back off, please

Do you live in Houston?

Do you believe all data and facts you hear?

The dome is humanely full. To avoid the chaos that occurred at the Superdome.

And FEMA IS NOT INVOLVED IN THE DOME OPERATIONS.

It's the Red Cross, and local volunteers. Plain folks are showing up at the Dome and offering people shelter at their homes.

WHY DO YOU INSIST ON BLAMING MY HOMETOWN?

We are not the villains, rather we are trying to do locally here what the federal government is not doing.

My city is full to the brim with evacuees and you have the nerve to mock us?

Listen, before you judge, please.

[Telly Savalas]

87. Nobody is blaming Houstonians

(or is it Houstonites?)

I was under the impression that FEMA was guiding the efforts in getting buses to the Astrodome, with the Red Cross doing the actual gruntwork of making sure people get food, cots, and medical attention. Most of the outrage I see is that after screwing around for a few days FEMA finally gets around to trying to evacuating people from NOLA, then makes blatnantly false claims about the capacity of the Astrodome. People want leadership here. That's not Houston's fault, and pretty much everyone here is aware of that. We have nothing but gratitude for the efforts of the fine people of Houston.

[AuntieM1957]

100. we are Houstonians

and we are scrambling.
Still no FEMA presence here.

Everything we are doing is local Red Cross, churches, and individuals.

It just hurt me so much to have the original poster slam Houston for not overcrowding the Dome.

Sans any help at all from BushCO, we're doing what we do best - open our hearts, homes, and wallets.

I'm amazed at how widespread the area of these shelters has become.
As far as 30 miles north of Houston, I'm volunteering to help serve dinner to about 500 evacuees at a church. They need everything, new clothes, diapers, shoes, underwear. It's all coming from the people.

What I'd like every DUer to understand about my hometown is that is NOT A REPUB STRONGHOLD. These are good hearted people working without a leader to do what they can to ease the pain of their fellows.

I'm finding that the only thing that eases my ANGER at BushCo is helping others. If I couldn't do that, I'd have a stroke. My blood pressure is way up this week.

Sorry for the rant, please pray for us.

[meganmonkey]

88. Right on

My heart goes out to the kind people who are offering their kindness to these victims.

:hug:

[tk2kewl]

34. busses travelling from NO to Houston w/ no A/C and windows don't open

[Media_Lies_Daily]

37. They were probably wishing they were back in the Superdome.

[dasmarian]

36. *'s next move?

Maybe he could ship the all young black men to the nearest recruitment center . . . solve a bunch of problems at once? Now that they have experience with living through hell, they're already 1/2 trained for duty in Iraq anyway.

[For PaisAn]

59. Sounds about right

something Bush would do, oppotunistic heartless murdering fuck that he is.

[VADem11]

38. How many shelters are there?

It's a massive number of people. They should open up every stadium in Texas. In Houston there is Reliant Stadium, Minute Maid Park, and Toyota Center. They need more shelters.

[Catherine Vincent]

41. They just interrupted on the local station here in Houston that

they will no longer accept people from NOLA.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

42. You can almost feel the love.

[Not_Giving_Up]

47. The fire marshall is the one who shut it down

While the Astrodome does have concourses that could house cots, for whatever reason, FEMA was only using the floor. This could have been for security reasons...this way everyone would be visible, less chance of rapes and such occurring.

As for Reliant Stadium...my guess is they're not using that one because football season is gearing up and that's where the Texans play. The NFL won't wait, you know.

I live outside of Houston, and I can't believe that they aren't opening up the other stadiums. How about Lakewood Church (It was formerly Compaq Center/ The Summit before that...previous home of the Rockets).

[Pallas180]

50. c heezus. only 4000 people have been taken out of 35,000

not counting the convention center\

they're doing this the same way they run the Iraq war.

[DollyM]

52. I hear there is a house setting empty . . .

in Crawford Texas right now. I heard it has a pool and is nice and roomy and has lots of land to camp out on. Whoever owns that property should offer to house a few of the hurricane Victims . . .

[Fescue4u]

51. Well it was only a matter of time

Certainly the Astrodome cant hold the entire city of New Orleans.

But clearly, a list of additional sites needs to have already been established, with folks inroute to them.

[Lost-in-FL]

54. If we had a National Guard...

They could set up a camp just like they did in Afghanistan... At the least they can get a bite to eat and some water!!

[LouisianaLiberal]

56. About an hour ago

I passed almost one hundred school buses lined up on the shoulder of highway 49 just north of Alexandria. All facing NO. None appeared equipped with any supplies, but it was dark so I can't be sure. Only three days late. I hope they are going to the convention center - and then, on to where?

I have seen many more buses on I-10 and other highways, but not in this number.

And it seems that almost ALL gas stations from Shreveport to Baton Rouge have lines of twenty of thirty vehicles long. Is this common in other areas?

I know the population of BR has doubled, but long lines at 10 PM? I'm weary of politics right now, and don't feel like conjecturing about the reasons. Bushschmertz I'm afraid.

[tedzbear]

58. But the media said the astrodome would hold 23,000 refugees!

I am getting sick and tired of being told stuff that turns out to be false.

[Lost-in-FL]

60. Might be a miscalculation

Maybe they refer to 25,000 seated at the arena and not within the playing field where they lay all of the cuts or sleeping bags

[VPStoltz]

69. The governor, The Chimp's old lap dog, told Gov. Blanco

that the Astrodome would accomodate 23,000.

[Bleeding Blue]

61. Where is my president?

I want to see my President out there, on the line, handing out bottles of water. I want him to tell the rest of us, thousands of miles away, that he is there, helping my fellow people, expediting, cutting through red tape, getting resources cleared, and feet on the ground.

This America, people, we are the richest country the world has ever known. Much forethought was done, but when push comes to shove, it was all BULLSHIT. All talk, no action.

Now I want to see my leader down there, taking command. But no, all we get is a couple of days shaved from the "vacation". And a "fly-over".

Oh, well I guess that is just wishful thinking...LA went for Bush, and he ain't running again.

[egadsbrain]

62. Convert all the megachurches to shelters n/t

[Virginian]

66. The de-commissioned military bases should work for temp housing.

There are plenty of abandoned factories, too.

[batmansmom]

67. Or else...

Or else, consider this to be a drill for the next disaster.

[Texas_Kat]

64. When I first heard this....

The Astrodome seats 50,000. If the floor can 'house' 8 thousand, there are wide interior walkways on every floor. That could probably still house another 8 thousand.

The Astrodome is privately owned.

San Antonio is converting a 'large building' at what was formerly Kelly AFB. The mayor of San Antonio indicated that "the City Council voted to open its own checkbook' with the understanding that FEMA would reimburse them at some later point.

I wonder if FEMA told the private owners of the Astrodome told them that payment wouldn't be soon.....

The 'firemarshals' are the ones who conveniently (and surprisngly) shut down access to the Astrodome.

[WolverineDG]

80. KellyUSA building

According to the SA paper, the building being prepared (rather quickly,I might add)is Building 1536, which is pretty big. It's 1/4 mile long & used to house aircraft components. They had city crews in there yesterday to clean up & sand down bolts in the floor so folks wouldn't trip. It doesn't say how many people they can house there, but they are already looking into overflow spaces around the SBC center. Also in today's paper is the fact that the JROTC at MacArthur High School has 25 families staying there.

I heard from a friend who was on his way from SA yesterday that the freeways are jammed with refugees looking for a place to go, so please stop slamming Texas...we're taking them in as fast as we can.

dg

[lavenderdiva]

68. just reported: Astrodome took in 11,375 people...

link: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/topstory/3334057

[dorktv]

71. Hell, they should send them here to Pheonix!

We have BOB, Colisium<-spelling, the Sun Devils Statium, Tempe Diablo park, Scottsdale's resorts (if we promised the resorts tax rebates you think they may go for it?), and I can put up someone!

Or we could swtich on the AC at the old Maryvale mall...I can think of a few other places too. The sports teams can just go play ball in the few empty fields around Phoenix!


That could take care of at least 10,000 to 5,000 people. Hell, shut down ALL sports games and house people in the those stadiums that the local taxpayers paid for.

[Albert Cirrus]

72. Astrodome

Why are these people being sent to stadiums and not hotels? Didn't these people already survive the hurricane in the Superdome?

[momisold]

92. I live in Houston

Hotels are full.

[gasperc]

73. there we're supposed to take 25,000? WTF is going on?

[AuntieM1957]

75. Yep, it's capacity

they actually have a HUMANE plan at the Astrodome.

Not sitting in the aisles.

Rather they all have cots and room to navigate.

I've seen the photos of the shelter set up in the Dome. It's far superior to what they did in NO.

In order to have humane, sane conditions - they are honoring the capacity requirements.

But no to worry, all over this city there are shelters. I live 30 miles north of the city, and we have evacuees here in my little town. Today, at lunch the local high school is throwing a cook out to feed them.

All these efforts are grass-roots, though. THERE IS NO ORGANIZED HELP FROM GOV RICK PERRY.

REPUBLICAN CAN'T, REPUBLICAN'T, REPUBLICAN'T GOVERN!

[Bridget Burke]

77. KHOU said the Dome was at capacity with 20,000 refugees.

There was a mixup during the night when buses arrived, but some of those refugees we put in Reliant Hall. That's an exhibit hall next to the Astrodome & will be used as a staging area.

A call went out for volunteers & quite a few showed up--with food, water, etc., as well. Medical volunteers are also needed, since many of the people arriving are dehydrated, hungry, etc.

[RoBear]

78. Where is FALWELL??? ROBERTSON???

and all the other pseudo-religious hacks. They should have mobilized people long ago. Oh, sorry, forgot. They're all about making money, not helping anyone.

[melissinha]

79. Come to Austin!

The Burger Center is already open....

You'd think we could spare all the empty business buildings throughout.

[theHandpuppet]

82. IF EVERY CHURCH IN THIS COUNTRY OPENED ITS DOORS

There'd be no problem finding shelter for the displaced.

I'm waiting....

[ronnykmarshall]

83. This is strange

This morning there are showing buses in LA heading down to the Superdome to take the people to Houston.

Where are they taking the people if the Astrodome is full?

[pointblank]

85. I saw pictures on the news last night of them setting up cots

in the Astrodome...all on the playing field. Looked pretty cramped, all of the cots were basically right next to each other, pretty much touching....but al of the seats were still in place.

Could they not remove the seats? I am pretty sure they could.

[AnneD]

Removing the seats take lots of time...

days and days...these people are coming in NOW. They need food, water, showers NOW. And don't forget the toilets and sewage. And security. Yeh, we could cram more people in but wouldn't that be like the Superdome all over again. By the way, I heard we have now opened the George R Brown Convention Center now. Hurray for Mayor Bill White.

[AnneD]

95. Removing the seats take lots of time...

days and days...these people are coming in NOW. They need food, water, showers NOW. And don't forget the toilets and sewage. And security. Yeh, we could cram more people in but wouldn't that be like the Superdome all over again. By the way, I heard we have now opened the George R Brown Convention Center now. Hurray for Mayor Bill White.

[FighttheFuture]

90. It's nice that Texas is dining this, BUT....

it appears that many of the refugees are being bused to the "blue areas", Dallas, etc. rather than the lilly-red areas in between. Hmmmm.... will their gerrymandering protect them from this influx of new, pissed-off voters in 2006?

[Igel]

99. Crawford doesn't have a large arena.

The refugees are being bused to large cities. Large cities tend to have large venues.

Large urban areas tend to vote blue.

[Liberal In Texas]

91. We're getting 25,000 in Dallas at the unused Reunion Arena.

Heaven forbid that they turn the American Airlines Center (big new arena) into a refugee center as well.

[thereismore]

94. that started last night already. Fire hazard claimed. n/t