Follow the Seattle WTO Protest with up-to-the minute grass roots web coverage updates from the Seattle Independent Media Center.

http://216.173.206.96/imc/

http://www.indymedia.org

Last night I heard a live interview on public access T.V. (Madison WI)with the director of the Center. He was very concerned as he had a bus load of protestors at the old Naval Base (being used as a temporary prison) surrounded by Seattle police with gas masks who were about to gas the bus because the protestors refused to disembark for processing. One of the protestors on the bus had a cell phone and was calling the Center providing updates and pleading for help. The center director was tried to get lawyers from the Lawyers' Guild on the scene, but they were denied access to the Naval Base.

My understanding is the Seattle Police DID gas the bus. The outcome unknown at the time.

I hope the lawsuits bankrupt the City of Seattle.

-- NOtoWTO (NOtoWTO@everywhere.net), December 02, 1999

Answers

NOtoWTO,

I used to live in Madison-- still have ties. Care to give a general assessment of "y2k get-it-ness" there? (Sorry that this is OT to your OT-- but perhaps in this case two offs make an on...)

-- murphy (notreal@this.time), December 02, 1999.

As you well know city of Madison WI has a radical history as best that I can determine directly related to the University of WI unlike other cities that have a tradition of "homegrown" radicals. I believe that radicalism is nothing more than a thin veneer at this point applied over a very conservative larger state population. IOW Madison is more an abberation than ever. Suffice it to say that when WYOU (public access T.V.) broadcast their live interviews from the Independent Media Center they couldn't find anyone from Madison to speak with nor did they have a local contact elsewhere on the scene.

-- NotoWTO (NotoWTO@everywhere.net), December 02, 1999.

Sorry. Your question was related to y2k getitness.

I've spoken with Madison sewer and my local non-Madison water provider. Zero contingency plans as of several months ago. Tried to convince the water providers to store additional treatment chemicals. No go. Full faith in Alliant, MG&E and the JIT system.

Sewer guy got a little nervous when I indicated that I had been tracking MG&E's y2k budget and expenses through SEC docs and indicated they could be exaggerating their level of progress when compared to their budget. Alliant was impossible to track. He managed to shake off any doubts be the end of the conversation.

Public meetings have been of the "calm the public" variety.

I have made it a point not discuss y2k with neighbors. The few I have mentioned it to are largely clueless and not interested.

All in all very disappointing for a city known for such "activism."

North Farm Food Cooperative reports a booming business, but even they don't get it and think it's an over-reaction.

-- NOtoWTO (NOtoWTO@everywhere.net), December 02, 1999.

Thanks, NOtoWTO. Had to LOL when you wrote, "Madison is more an abberation than ever." I believe it. (LOL in that sad-funny sort of way.)

Relating to 'getitness' factor there, I suspected as much. Nonetheless, it is, as you said, a disappointment.

Thanks for your views. Best to you,

-- murphy (notreal@this.time), December 02, 1999.