The Diary of Queen Mothy |
And They Bitch . . . Therefore I Bitch Back written @ 1:19 PM on August 15, 2003 I just read an article on MSN.com in which the Iraqis, commenting on the Northeastern U.S. blackout, have offered suggestions on how to beat the blackout heat. Here's a taste of what they had to say, plus my sardonic comments in italic: 10. Sleep on the roof. That's peachy, except Iraq is also lacking in moisture, unlike the U.S., so it's not like the Iraqis often have to deal with-- shall I say it?-- MOSQUITOS. 9. " 'We sit in the shade,' said George Ruweid, 27, playing cards with friends on the sidewalk. Of the U.S. blackout, he said: 'I hope it lasts for 20 years. Let them feel our suffering.'" Thanks, smartass. If you would go down to the powerplant and help the Marines fix your fucking power, you might be singing a different tune. 8. Head for water. Good call, kids. Keep up the good work. 7. Shower frequently. Watch your water bills. You are, after all, in an arid climate. 6. "BUY BLOCKS OF ICE. When refrigerators shut down, there�s no better way to keep food cool. Mohammed Abdul Zahara, 24, sells about 20 a day from a roadside table. 'When it�s hot people buy a lot of ice,' he said." Question. Maybe I'm missing something here... but don't you need electricity to freeze water and *make* ice? 5. "CHECK FOR BITTER-ENDERS. 'They should go to the power stations and see what the problem is,' suggested Ahmed Abdul Hussein, 21. 'Maybe there are followers of Saddam Hussein who are sabotaging their power stations. That�s what happens here.'" Now that's just extraordinarily sad. Katharine and I agree that both of us were so pissed off yesterday due to various matters, that our psychic energy flipped out and that was what actually caused the blackout. 4. Get a generator. Good call, folks. You're making this American proud. 3. "CALL IN THE IRAQIS. Some suggested the Americans ask the Iraqis how to get the power going again. 'Let them take experts from Iraq,' said Alaa Hussein, 32, waiting in a long line for gas because there was no electricity for the pumps. 'Our experts have a lot of experience in these matters.'" I'm sure they do, honey. That's why they don't have power today, eh? And why didn't we think to call in the Iraqis before? Oh yeah... I seem to remember a bit of a war... but hey, who's really paying attention, right? 2. "USE FOUL LANGUAGE. 'When the power goes out, I curse everybody,' said Emad Helawi, a 63-year-old accountant. 'I curse God. I curse Saddam Hussein. And I curse the Americans.'" And I bet that helps you in the long run, too, eh, buddy? 1. Organize massive protests. "Some said demonstrations can be effective in persuading authorities to turn on the switch. 'We held protests. After that we had fewer blackouts,' Ahmed Abdul Hussein said without even a hint of sarcasm. 'I�d suggest Americans go out and demonstrate.'" The cultural differences here astound me, truly. But in this case, kids, bitching isn't going to a world of a difference. Personally, I think the media has blown this way out of proportion. Yes, it is serious that 15+ million people had been without power (hell, I know what it's like), making it the worst power outage in U.S. history, but I think if people exert a little patience-- the guys are working on the problem, after all-- and simply lock their doors, as well as stocking up on supplies and other necessities, then we'll be okay. You know? Okay, okay, so I may be acting like a bitch about this, but I've been in the hottest weather without air conditioning (4th of July weekend for me was positive proof of humanity's ability to survive without electricity for long periods of time), and being patient and working to solve the problem is the only thing you can do. In any case, those stranded commuters walking the Brooklyn Bridge yesterday seemed like they were having a good time. ;-) I would have joined them, too. I'm surprised my street didn't go out. The power here always jumps on the opportunity to die in rain, snow, and shine... I'm willing to bet the cables here are feeling left out. Ah well. *** I'm out of town to Pittsburgh from Saturday to Monday, posse.
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