Katrina Relief Fund
This is really cool.
I got an invitation on flickr this morning to join a group Hurricane Katrina Relief Auction. If you don't know what that means, well, basically flickr is all about social photo sharing and there are group pools of various themes.
The theme of this one is amazing.
Basically, I choose a picture. I say: I will frame and matte an 11x14 version of this picture and send it to you, wherever you may be. You bid on the picture. The winning bidder donates the said amount to the Red Cross to support Katrina victims then forwards the receipt of that donation to the moderator of the group who then gives me the thumbs up. Then I send the picture to you.
So: I donate picture, framing, matting and packaging.
You: Donate money to the Red Cross (which you might have done anyway) and get a framed picture.
Pretty cool, huh?
I've put this picture into it. If you like it, please please bid on it. I don't know if you need to be a flickr member or not, but if you do, it only takes a minute to sign up. If you like some of my other pictures better, let me know and I'll donate one of those, too, so you can bid. Or if you want a specific picture of London, well, the weather's amazing and is supposed to stay that way all weekend, so I'll go out specially for you and take some good ones and then you can bid.
To bid, go here. (It's linked from the picture as well.) OR bid on one of the other amazing pictures up for auction.
Anyone interested? I think this is the coolest idea ever. :)
Racism
Racism, originally uploaded by dustin3000.
Wow. The blatant racism, as pointed out, is astounding.
Crazy.
Safe in the Midwest
The flight to Chicago was pretty good, if terribly long. We're here and we're safe so that's all that matters, really. 'Here' is currently Wausau, Wisconsin, on the way up to Bessemer, Michigan. We had intended to make the entire 8 hour drive tonight but, seriously, we ended up just being far too tired.
And we got to a late start. So tomorrow we finish the drive (only a couple of hours) and we visit with my grandparents out at the lake and see some waterfalls and naturey things like that. I'll have the camera with me so hopefully I'll be able to post some pictures... that is, if I can connect to the internet with my Mac. Much to my surprise, there is wifi in the Holiday Inn here, but I was just not having any luck connecting with my PB so I ended up just using the hotel computer.
I should sleep probably. I should be terribly jetlagged, but I'm just sort of wound up. The last couple of days are a blur. Yesterday, I was miles away from all of the terrorism and today I'm across the ocean in one of the most non-threatening spots my imagination can conjure up. It's a striking contrast. Layer on that the fact that I've had maybe ten hours of sleep in the last two days and the world is a bit hazy just now.
I'm not sleepy, though. Just weary.
I should try to sleep.
USA Today
I was quoted in today's USA Today about blogging and the terrorist attacks. It's a little more than halfway down the page.
edit: my picture is on page four of the real paper!
Heathrow
I've just posted to the London Metblog about our journey in to Heathrow this morning, and the increased security measures taken when we arrived. You should read that.
Thank you
First off, a big thank you to everyone who's asked after us today. More than thirty people have approached me - be that via email, AIM, on the MUSH, through blog comments or by phone - and a number more have approached my parents. I appreciate your concern and thank you for your kind thoughts and wishes.
Second, everyone pick up a copy of the USA Today tomorrow. I was interviewed by Mark Memmott today about the bombings and how that was affecting the blogsphere. Last I spoke with him, he wasn't sure yet whether or not the story was going to run, but if it is, it will be in tomorrow's paper (and online) and there may even be a picture of me (courtesy of Scott) in there, too. Either way, it was an interesting conversation.
We're packed and ready. We're aiming to leave the house just before 6AM for Heathrow. We're driving because we cannot rely on public transportation in any way when we have a plane to catch. Also, I have no idea if the Heathrow Express is open or will be open by then. So yes, driving. And way early, because we anticipate everyone else will draw the same conclusions.
Wish us luck. Hopefully we'll get to the airport way early and I'll post again from there.
Technorati tags: terrorism | explosion | london | bomb | tube | 070705
That didn't take long
From BBC News:
The BBC's Frank Gardner said Arab sources said the blasts were probably the work of al-Qaeda.
It didn't take very long to point that finger, did it?
Technorati tags: terrorism | explosion | london | bomb | tube | 070705
We're fine!
We're fine. James is safe at his desk (his building is probably among the most bomb proof in London), I'm safe at home. James did take the bus to work today (EARLY) but I'm trying not to think about that too hard.
I'm getting that one of the 'incidents' has been near Old Street, from which I live three blocks away.
I'm freaking out. In a big way.
News stories: Sky News | BBC News | CNN
Edit 11:04: There are all sorts of sirens right now. Eugh.
Edit 11:13: The incident at Old Street was reportedly one of the power surges. I was vaguely worried one of the buses we frequent had blown up. That would've been unnerving.
Edit 11:28: According to this article, there was at least one explosive device on the Underground. :P
Edit 13:37: To put things into perspective, for those of you who don't know, we live about a mile away from both Liverpool Street and Moorgate stations, both of which had exploding tube trains this morning. James works metres from Liverpool Street. So all of this is really close to home. Literally.
Technorati tags: terrorism | explosion | london | bomb | tube | 070705
