And I got a note from the publicists at Sony asking me to stress that the first weekend's attendance will seriously affect what happens next. So if you are in a town that isn't showing it, and you want to see it, getting your friends who are in a town where it's showing to go and see it as soon as it's come out will increase the chances of it getting to you. Or something like that.

Here's the current list of places it's showing... http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/mirrormask/theaters/

The "like ? virgin" in BGM, dance of the cat starts. The photograph of the lovely cat the photograph collection which 200 or more you supply. Also the cat album and the close-up gallery where name of approximately 25 types understands necessary seeing. Photograph: Fukuda Yutaka sentence garden plant Yutaka happiness music: Wide bridge Makiko

Leave Katrina Relief Efforts to Government

...Why should New Orleans' dispossessed have to live in private shelters? We live in the United States, not Mali. There's only one reason flood victims aren't getting help from the government: because the government refuses to help them. The Red Cross and its cohorts are letting lazy, incompetent and corrupt politicians off the hook, and so are their donors.

...For our leaders the optional war against Iraq is such a priority, which the Congressional Budget Office expects to cost $600 billion by 2010. That's four or five Katrinas right there. (That's also where the levee money went.) Because rich people are always a political priority, their taxes have been slashed by $4 trillion over a decade--the equivalent of 32 Katrinas. [read]

TIVO!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm a security guard at the only functional hospital left in N.O. They'd rather I not refer to them by name. I've been here the whole time, helping deal with the sick and injured that come in, as well as keeping the staff and patients safe from the increasingly hostile neighborhood. While I don't have a weblog at the moment, I've been sending out email missives to friends and family. This was the last one, sent on Wednesday. Thought you or any blog readers might like an insider's view.
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Hi everyone,

My cell phone is currently dead, as all the local towers have lost power. Although the hospital is still running on emergency power, we've managed to restore AC to most of the building, and have hot running water in places. We are currently the only functional medical facility within the metropolitan area, and this is the most devastating storm to hit the U.S., which means that I am an active witness/participant in a historical event.

The restoration of AC is crucial. It's been so hot over the last three days that people's tempers have been flaring, and my crew and I have had a great deal of peacekeeping to do around the hospital. Stress and anxiety aren't helping either, and on the average most people are getting about 4 hours of sleep for every 24. Last night one of my friends in the ER gave me an IV of fluids to fight off dehydration. The Red Cross, National Guard and Salvation Army are here, distributing food (our stockpiles were getting low) and blankets. A local grocery store has a distribution warehouse across the street, and they gave us permission to raid it at our whim, which means there's all sorts of canned food and dry cereal now. People are kind of on the barter system right now: a can of peaches for a change of scrubs, a tube of toothpaste for a spare blanket. I traded off a spare razor for shower priveledges in the ER.

There have been several shootings in and around town as of last night. Two individuals assaulted a police station with AK47s, and there are reports (which I'm getting from the cops stationed here to help us out) that medivac helicopters and ambulances are being fired upon. Looters downtown are turning on each other, and some of the bodies floating around downtown aren't drowning victims. Other hospitals have been attacked as well. The hospital has issued each member of my team a sidearm.

Last word I heard is that my neighborhood has stayed fairly dry, even with the resultant flood from the levee breaking. Flooding elsewhere has stablized, not really increasing, not really draining. My car is in a different neighborhood, and is probably underwater right now. I haven't spoken directly to Tristyn since Saturday, although word has reached my ears that the town in Miss. she fled to was hit by Katrina but rode it out all right. Which helps me sleep a little better, but....

I'm doing okay. A few nights ago I found a nice, quiet conferance room to camp out in (no more sleeping on an OB/GYN bed for me!), and in my off hours hole up in there to read/write by flashlight. Given that I'm using my Swiss Army knife to open and consume all of this canned food (Vienna Sausages! Campbell's Spaghetti! Del Monte Pears! SPAM!!) it's a lot like Boy Scout Camp. Except without the fun. I'm currently on my last set of clean clothes, but there's talk that the hospital laundry may be functional again, so we can get some stuff washed. The mayor's office is going to allow us to attempt to return to our homes on Monday, and if I can I'll grab some more clothes. As far as civvies go I only have 3 t-shirts and a pair of jeans, and at this point the pants can walk around without me.

Right before the hurricane hit I worked an unbroken week, which means that I am currently on my 12th day straight without a break. The hospital is paying us, so it's going to be a big damn check. All proceeds will be going to the "Get My Ass Back To Cali" (GMABTC) fund. I'll take an earthquake any damn day of the week.

Oh, and thanks to everyone who's been able to call/write. I'm just as tired/nervy/anxious as everyone else, and you're really doing a lot to help keep my spirits up. I'll try and update as often as I can, and apologize for how sporadic it is--I know everyone's on the edge of their seats.

Love,
Matt