Mac, I am sorry to hear about your garage, but I do have a question, when you were a teacher did you ware a red tie that flipped up like an 'L'?

River

Sorry to hear this Wolfie, But I am so glad to hear you didnt get harmed.

Love you, and BIG HUGS!! Lilac

JesusA (imported) wrote: Thu Oct 08, 2009 6:54 pm While Uncle Mackie doesn't have telephone (or modem hook-up) yet – I tried calling him about 5 minutes ago - the power company says that his electricity went back on just over an hour ago. Progress has been made. I'll keep after the phone company....

Thank you, Jesús, for being so kind.

I just tried to call Mac, all I get is a phone company message about a network error, I dont think that they have fixed his phone as of yet.

As of Thursday 1:00pmish, I have no electricity, phone, gas nor Internet

I'm using a computer at a computer store around trhe corner.

I love bureaucracies!!! Southern California Edison assured me yesterday that Uncle Mackie's electricity was turned back on at 5:34 pm. After reading his message above, I called them again. This time they said that they will not turn on his power until the city's Building and Safety Department sends them a report that the house itself is not damaged. Then they will start work to get his power back. Building and Safety will TRY (not promise) to get someone out there this afternoon. With budget cuts their office is closed tomorrow, and it would be Monday otherwise.

The phone company has been totally unresponsive and I've finally got Adult Protective Services working on that part of getting Uncle Mackie connected to the world again.

I've been promised calls back from everyone, but only the city's Aging and Adult Services department has done so. They're referral only, and don't take any active role....

Oh, my...

And I thought, that russian bureaucracies are bad, but they are all the same.

Mac the Wolf, I can only hope that this situation will be resolved quickly.

Fhunter

(Knowing from practical experience, how it feels to stay for two weeks without electricity).

Slight progress has been made. The head of the Dept. of Building & Safety called back. He did manage to get an inspector out to Uncle Mackie's place today. He filed a report that will allow the electric company to reconnect the house. The dept. head said that he both telephoned the electric company and faxed them the report. He also gave me the name and direct phone number of the appropriate person at the power company to begin bugging tomorrow afternoon, if the power isn't back on by then.

He said that the inspector reported that there were several people at Uncle Mackie's house when he was there. I expect that would be the people from Adult Protective Services who promised to send someone this afternoon to make certain that there was food, water, etc. available. They said that they would arrange temporary housing if all else failed.

MAYBE the bureaucracy is working. Slowly, but working. I'll post updates as I get more information....

The building inspectors were VERY responsive. I have had a lot of contact with inspection departments and, therefore, I held out little hope that they would be able to act so fast. I was even concerned that they would require that the remains of the garage be torn down and haulled away before they would certify the house was safe to occupy. Good job all the way around! Now, if the utility providers will be as prompt, this may have a happy ending. --FLO--

Other than the Building and Safety Department, I take back any positive thoughts that I had about bureaucracy. I just spent over an hour on the telephone, working up the hierarchy at Southern California Edison. All I could get from them was that they would "try" to get someone out to Uncle Mackie's house today, and that just for an inspection to see what needs to be done!

We're coming up to a holiday weekend for them and, depending on the necessary work, Uncle Mackie's electricity could be turned on again anytime between late afternoon today and the end of next week (or even longer, should the inspector find work that needs to be done).

I was told to call back just before closing time this afternoon and they would give me an update.

Unfortunately, I live a 10 hour drive from Uncle Mackie, so there's really no way that I can check in on him.