Commentary (was Re: NYC IS Disaster declarations??)

Folks (and Chuck),

In a message dated 9/12/01 9:13:02 PM US Eastern Standard Time,
clewis@iquest.net writes:

> According to what Al (Barsa) told me earlier today, he has a BUNCH of
>  clients that are at hot sites... I don't know HOW these folks that do D/R
>  and the sites that host them are going to keep up...

Glad to hear someone actually mention that they had _HEARD_ from Al Barsa!
Personally, I was concerned for his safety and didn't see anything about or
from him on "the lists" since the tragedy.  Those of us on the east coast
were discouraged from using the Internet during this crisis (although the TV
stations encouraged us to "visit their web site for details" in the next
breath).  I would encourage AL to post and let us know how he is, and to let
us know what we can do to help.

As you may or may not be aware, I opposed the "NONTECH" segregation of this
list from its inception.  MIDRANGE-L distinguished itself among the major
media not by its dry dissemenation of technical facts, but by its opinions,
concerns, and arguments over IBM policy.  It also provided help to those of
us in North Carolina during hurricanes Fran and Floyd.  To take this
discussion out of "the list" is to rip its heart out, IMHO.

Speaking of IMHO, that forum was becoming a viable voice for midrange matters
until David could find no regular contributors.  I sent out a plea
(apparently unanswered) for contributors, and told David that this should not
become "Dean's IMHO".  I hold several articles in stasis, but the medium
_REALLY_ needs some "fresh blood".

That being said and this being an international list, I will make my first
and only statement regarding the situation in the US at this time.  Any
responses should be sent to me directly at the address below, rather than to
Midrange-L.  Acknowledging that this is an international, and by nature
thereof interfaith list, I usually try to avoid sectarian postings.  However,
I offer a (poor) prayer at this time:

Dear God, please give comfort to those people and their families that are
victims of this act.
Please give strength to those that seek to rescue the survivors or recover
victims.
Please provide solace to those Americans who would act out of anger.
Please guide our leadership to not act swiftly, but appropriately.
Please protect those that would be attacked out of anger rather than reason.
Please keep those innocents that may be destroyed in our reprisals.
And have mercy on the souls of those that perpetrated this...

Peace,

Dean Asmussen
Enterprise Systems Consulting, Inc.
Fuquay-Varina, NC  USA
E-mail:  DAsmussen@aol.com