Blogs of War on Twitter: Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why is Blogs of War following me?

That’s a difficult question to answer. I typically follow back those who follow me but I am always seeking new sources and interesting people to follow. I actively seek out subject matter experts regardless of their viewpoint and follow several people I disagree with on one or more issues. I have no interest in monitoring a stream that only reinforces my opinions. I use Twitter to learn more about these topics and to share that knowledge with others.

2. Why has Blogs of War added me to a list?

I have several lists. Some are public, some private. If I’ve added you it’s because you are geographically relevant to the topic, a subject matter expert, or comment frequently on the issue. If you think that you should be removed from a list let me know and I will be happy to take a look.

3. Why does Blogs of War have an Islam list?

Muslims are increasingly important demographic and are extremely relevant to the war on terror for obvious reasons. I do not consider this to be an enemies list. Rather, I use it as a window into this important (and wildly diverse) population.

4. Why did you just retweet THAT?

I retweet comments or links that are interesting – usually because I agree with them but sometimes not. I don’t always append my opinion to the retweet and this confuses some people. I offer the content up because it’s interesting and don’t always feel the need to force my opinion on my followers. My goal is to inform – not persuade.

5. I don’t agree with anything Blogs of War says. In fact, I’m a tofu eating anti-war pansy. Why are you following me?

Because you’ve probably said at least one thing that I found interesting. I may not generally agree with you either. In fact, I may be following you precisely because I don’t agree with your stance on one or more issues. I may even think that you’re a complete asshat but you can take solace in the fact that you’re probably an interesting or relevant asshat. I’m not looking for ideological conformity in my feed. I just want to learn something. Oh, I like tofu too. My girlfriend is Chinese. We eat tofu all the time – usually with pork.

6. I don’t like Blogs of War so will you please unfollow me?

Feel free to block me but please don’t ask me to actively participate in your stupidity.

7. What is the Blogs of War Watchlist?

This is a fairly large and diverse group but most of them have been added because the tweet consistently relevant content.

8. How do I contact you outside of Twitter?

Use the contact form on Blogs of War.

9. Who are you?

There’s an about page too. There’s not much on it but then there isn’t much you need to know. Blogs of War isn’t a self-promotion tool for me. I do take occasional interview requests (use the contact form or Twitter) but decline many as well. I won’t bite if you ask.

10. Will you connect with me on Linkedin or Facebook?

Maybe. Feel free to ask. In rare cases I may send people in my circle a request as well. This isn’t something that I do frequently so don’t be offended, or take it personally, if I decline.

11. How do I become a source for Blogs of War or get added to a list?

I’m constantly looking for new sources so just let me know that you’re out there – and why you think I should be watching.

Hurricane Ike: Do You Have Power Yet?

In Houston we now greet each other with “Do you have power yet?”

The answer is still usually no unless you live on the West side of town. Anything along and East of I-45 took a pretty hard hit. Much of that area, especially parts South of the 610 Loop, will be without power until sometime late September or early October. Amazingly, power outages extend up to the Lufkin area and East past Baton Rouge Louisiana. The CenterPoint restoration map will give you a pretty good feel for Ike’s path.

My family in Clear Lake continues to live without power but they were well prepared. They bought a large generator, window unit air conditioner, and a supply of gas before the storm hit. I was well prepared as well but all of my services were restored quickly. One of the advantages of living downtown is that restoration of service to your area will be a relatively high priority.

Gas has been a major problem for many. Lines aren’t as long but they’re still there. I pass by many closed stations every day. I don’t know if a lack of fuel, power, or both is to blame. This issue hasn’t really been an impact for me either. I filled up my SUV before the storm and limited travel as much as possible to conserve fuel. I have been driving to work since Wednesday but I live within 5 miles of my office. I don’t know what people who commute long distances are doing but they must be pretty miserable.

Those of you in Houston, or surrounding areas, who’d like to help with the relief effort can find a list of places that need your help at one of the Houston Chronicle’s blogs. I hope the rest of you will consider making some kind of donation to the American Red Cross. They are going to have their hands full for a very long time. We all will.

Update:
Glenn Reynolds asks “Why do hurricanes that hit Texas get so much less attention than hurricanes that hit New Orleans?”

Also:

Houstonist rides along with CenterPoint.

Hurricane Ike: Clean Up

I’m home now. Power, water, satellite, and Internet have all been restored. Houston’s Midtown is springing back to life with many businesses operating at full capacity or finding some way to make do.

My place did sustain some minor flooding damage. It looks like water came surging up a sink drain. The resulting mess clogged the sink and damaged some carpet. I did have to trash the contents of my fridge but the loss was not significant. My place is still very livable so I consider myself fortunate. I’m working hard to get everything cleaned up and to get ready for work in the morning.

I still have plenty of cash on hand and the gas tank is 3/4 full. I filled up before the storm and tried hard to minimize driving so I haven’t had to wait in a fuel line. I hope to make the gas last long enough to avoid that altogether.

Again, please consider making a donation to the Red Cross. They will be assisting our region for a long time to come.

Hurricane Ike: Recovery

We traveled to Clear Lake yesterday to take a generator, fuel, air conditioner, and other supplies to a friend’s parents. The trip was difficult near downtown. Flooding, fallen trees, roofing material, and other debris made the roads quite hazardous. Drivers blowing through intersections that should be treated as 4-way stops were the biggest threat.

I-45 South was mostly clear. Few of the businesses that lined the freeway were open but those that were had enormously long lines. Clear lake itself was a mess but most of the damage, along Bay Area, seemed tree related. Brook Forest and neighborhoods surrounding it seemed particularly hard with with massive trees down in huge numbers.

My family lives in the Brookwood subdivision and it looked horrible. Most of the homes were structurally sound but many, including my parent’s home, suffered minor damage from fallen limbs and trees. A contractor with heavy equipment was working his way up and down the streets removing fallen trees and patching damaged roofs. He was doing a lot of business and will likely continue to do so for weeks.

My place is still without power so I continue to stay with a friend. We’re the lucky ones though. We have power and we prepared well with plenty of food, water, and gas. We’ve both lived through many hurricanes and tropical storms, Including hurricane Alicia, and knew what the aftermath would be like. We’ve turned most of our attention to supporting family and friends