GTO WORLD WIDE

VOX POPULI

Where YOU give us The Message

This is where our readers and writers get to talk to each other.

Enjoy!


FROM OUR MAILBAG 1/13/98 - 1/19/98:

From: Mark B.[NO CITY PROVIDED]:

Ron & Rod:

Thanks for the article. Doing this site for her helps me a lot and I appreciate your contribution.

Your story struck home in several places and had me crying by the end. It's weird, I didn't cry for over a decade and since her murder it's become too easy. But I am grateful to be able to appreciate the loss.

I was wondering if you mind if I reformat the story with a rolling ragged right margin? If you do mind it's not that big a deal to me, it just looked like it was formatted with some missing graphics in mind. I will set it up however you want.

By the way, yesterday the DA charged her ex with having contracted the murder for insurance money. Not that it is a surpise or really even matters that much in light of her absence. There was a news conference today and it'll be on the news tonight.

Thanks
Mark

From: Drew S., Los Angeles, USA:

Subject: The Lee Atwater Invitational Dead Pool

Rod-

We're writing to introduce you to The Lee Atwater Invitational Dead Pool, an online version of a game which features two of America's favorite obsessions - fame and death. You're probably familiar with the concept, but in the event you are not, a Dead Pool is a game in which players compose lists of the celebrities they determine are most likely to die in the coming year. Whoever gets the most right wins. We're based in Los Angeles, we have 580 entries for 1998 and the first place prize is $1,500.

But we're more than just your standard Mom and Pop Dead Pool. Our site takes an irreverent look at the very concept of fame, the worship thereof and, yes, death. Most people find our site humorous, but we have had our share of negative reactions.

To date, we have been profiled by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. We have also been interviewed by WWOR-9 News in New York, along with radio stations in Miami, Atlanta, Seattle, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Providence, Toledo, Norfolk and Des Moines.

We believe that Celebrity Dead Pools are an emerging cultural phenomenon and we think our game and site makes for an interesting story. Let us know if you agree.

Zachariah Love,
Greg Hicks

and Andrew Scharlatt
stiffs.com

ROD RESPONDS: Guys, we're on it! We've known about the Dead Pool phenom for a while now, but hadn't heard about yours. (Huh? Where were we?) I'll be on it this week. Thanks for thinking of the G-21. Come back soon!

HOT SAUCE, ANYONE?

FROM Darryl C., Hershey, PA, USA:

Subject: Emergency Preparedness -- A Community Action Perspective

Dear Friends --

Ice storm havoc recently inflicted upon northeastern states of the U.S. and adjacent Canadian provinces encourages consideration of emergency preparedness on the part of individuals, families, and communities. Below are some relevant websites:

A. American Red Cross

1. Preparedness http://www.disasterrelief.org/library/prepare/

2. Emergency Preparedness Checklist http://www.disasterrelief.org/library/prepare/emerprep.html

3. Your Family Disaster Plan http://www.disasterrelief.org/library/prepare/displan.html

4. Your Family Disaster Supplies Kit http://www.disasterrelief.org/library/prepare/supplies.html

5. Food & Water In An Emergency http://www.disasterrelief.org/library/prepare/food.html

B. Federal Emergency Management Agency

1. Index Of FEMA Website http://www.fema.gov/fema/

2. FEMA: Disaster Preparedness Fact Sheets http://www.fema.gov/fema/prepfact.html

3. FEMA: Publications *(See note, below) http://www.fema.gov/home/pdf/fdp.htm

4. FEMA: Family Disaster Plan * http://www.fema.gov/fema/familyf.html 5. FEMA: Disaster Supplies Kit * http://www.fema.gov/fema/supplyf.html

*(Asterisked FEMA sites must be accessed via Adobe Reader software compatible with your specific computer system, which can be selected and downloaded free from a direct link to Adobe provided on the "FEMA Publications" page (item B.3., above).

Editorial Comments (which reflect views of the undersigned only):

With regard to the concept of individual, family, and community emergency preparedness, some paradoxes seem worthy of examination --

First, in the early decades of the nuclear era, family disaster planning came to be associated with "fallout shelters," which were intended to increase the likelihood of survival in the event of atomic warfare. However, by the late 1960s it began to be clear if a full-scale thermonuclear exchange were actually to occur, fallout shelters would likely be of little value and human life on Planet Earth would probably be snuffed out -- regardless of even the most elaborate attempts to be prepared. From that period onward, the idea of fallout shelters -- together with concerns about emergency preparedness in general -- tended to become somewhat unfashionable and today seem to be largely ignored by a majority of citizens. By analogy, it might be argued that the possibly valid and worthwhile "baby" of civil preparedness was thrown out with the "bathwater" of fallout shelters, which came to be viewed as practically useless.

Second, within the same general time period, some extraordinary and occasionally alarming ideas about "preparedness" came to be espoused by a variety of groups which could be characterized as "paramilitary extremists." This phenomenon had the effect of causing law-abiding citizens to distance themselves from even officially sponsored civil preparedness programs, regardless of the fact that such activities bear little or no resemblance to the plotting of extremist organizations.

Third, from the special perspective of antipoverty Community Action Agencies and nonprofit Community Development Corporations, it may seem questionable to devote time or resources to the matter of disaster preparedness, in view of the fact that clienteles routinely being served live in a more-or-less constant emergency state of apprehension and uncertainty about where and how to obtain such basic life necessities as food, clothing, and shelter. "Stocking up" in preparation for civil disasters hardly seems to make sense when the people you're trying to help don't have enough of life's basic necessities for today.

In response to the factors outlined above, the following "counter-paradoxes" may be worthy of consideration:

The waning of the Cold War and decreasing threat of full-scale exchange of multiple warhead missiles has sadly been accompanied by a rise in trans- national terrorist activity instigated and/or supported by so-called "rogue governments." In current times it could be argued that the most likely scenario for hostile employment of nuclear weapons might be isolated "sneak attack" detonations creating destruction and hazardous fallout surprisingly similar to that for which fallout shelters of the 1950s were designed to offer protection. While such considerations may not warrant a resumption of public or private fallout shelter development, they would appear to justify taking basic steps in support of family and civil preparedness -- perhaps commensurate with those currently in progress on the west coast of the United States aimed at helping citizens and municipalities achieve readiness to successfully manage a brief period of self-reliant living in the event of a major earthquake.

With regard to the matter of paramilitary extremism, major differences obviously exist between the activities of such groups, as compared with civil preparedness efforts undertaken by responsible citizens and institutions. In this regard, the "counter-paradox" worthy of consideration is that if the broad range of civil society should be caught substantially unprepared by some type of large-scale emergency, those suddenly finding themselves enjoying circumstances of greatest advantage and potential influence might be the extremists. The thought of such a possibility should be cause for serious reflection and preemtive action by citizens and leaders alike.

For Community Action Agencies and Community Development Corporations, the hard lessons of experience generally teach that if serious, unexpected, broad- scale conditions of hardship descend upon their areas of operation, those who suffer most are almost always the poor and disadvantaged segments of society. Conversely if there is a satisfactory level of preparedness within the overall community for disasters of various types, it seems reasonable to assume that a greater portion of the resources which become available for alleviation and reconstruction could be channeled to meet the needs of the poor.

A different but related consideration seems to support the advisability of a reasonable degree of emergency preparedness for the families of community agency staff members and administrators. Insofar as the skills and assistance of agency personnel may become critical during a time of disaster, they could conceivably be "mobilized for the duration" in a manner similar to members of the police, fire, and national guard. Should extended duty assignments of this sort be required, CAA and CDC staff members might find themselves preoccupied with justifiable concerns about the safety and welfare of their own families and loved ones. If not alleviated by reasonable assurance that family needs are being met as the result of prior preparation, such worries could seriously impair staff and organizational effectiveness.

In view of the above considerations the bottom line would appear to be that -- within limitations imposed by available staff and resources -- antipoverty Community Action Agencies and nonprofit Community Development Corporations which are not already doing so should give serious consideration to participating and playing an active role in relevant aspects of state and local civil preparedness planning.

I hope you'll find the above comments thought-provoking. Please feel free to share your considered opinion on the matters in question. As usual, contrasting or dissenting views will be cordially entertained.

Best wishes, Dave M

FROM "MileHi", Denver, CO, USA:

Subject: Loved your letter!

To Carlene, this is someone very close to your family heritage. I know live in Denver. Can you guess who I am. Would love to hear from you.

CARLENE RESPONDS: Oh, great, another person that thinks they're related to me. I get these e-mails once in a while. People swear I'm their niece/sister/fourth cousin twice removed. The only people who know about my Website are my mom and dad. Everyone else is oblivious, and mom and dad -- I'd like to keep it that way! If you're telling family members about me, I'll be forced to put you in a filthy, abusive nursing home when you become senile.

FROM Kathy P, San Francisco, USA:

Subject: Keep up the good work

Great article by JEFF WINBUSH. perfect for a MLK Day in front of the computer. Keep up the good work