re: Hurricane Katrina AMC Poster special extended/explained

[<eddiestakes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Concerning the Allison flooding, it is estimated (and not by me) that
Allison flooded 10,000 square miles in the week it hovered over Texas.
Harris County (in Houston) was over 2000 square miles of flooding alone.
http://www.chron.com/content/chronicle/special/01/flood/index.html
Go dig in their archives, if you have time to post 'facts' you have time to
research too I guess! Lufkin to Baytown, Galveston to Katy, downstream to
Victoria, Port Lavaca and Palacios. Don't need a Ohio native to reconfigure 
Texas
geography. I'm sure you can say it was just a thunderstorm too.

On the show entries, that was 111 'paid' and yes, there were dozens more in
the parking lot that the people didn't want to bring them in for whatever
reason. Some drove up and were there only Wednesday, never to return for
Thurs-Saturday. Possibly this sort of condesending attitude one just saw
sadly from the former VP of the Houston chapter was one of the reasons. I
documented every vehicle, on, or off, showfield with photos, (not paid
registries!) and one day, if I have time, I'll post them all on my
'amc/events/shows' file, maybe even get rid of the 'amc sw regional' file on
there I guess of why I left the Houston chapter although one of them just
cleared that up for me. Nah, maybe best I leave that there! More 'Eddie
Facts' I guess. You know, I'm sure the people who put on the recent AMO meet
in Georgia could also count cars that were not on paper but on film. I'm
sure anyone who has ever put on a meet like this could tell stories of cars
that drove hundreds of miles only to not make it that final few
feet.....into the showfield. Ever been to Kenosha? You have X amount of
cars on the field, and Y amount that come and go off the field. In 1998
there must have been over 100 of them in the various parking lots
surrounding Kennedy Park and different streets near the meet. Not on
paper.

The shirts I did had nothing to do with Planet Houston AMX, nor me. Look
closely, they don't say Eddie Stakes, nor do they say Planet Anything. I
lost money on them, and I may add few (if any) of the Houston chapter bought
any to support the Red Cross, all of them sold to people out of state and
out of country.
http://www.planethoustonamx.com/parts%20&%20Literature/amctshirt.jpg

The Houston chapter did zero, nada, zilch to help the victims of the worst
tropical storm in US history, which was here in their hometown. If I'm
wrong, and a donation was made to Red Cross, Salvation Army, or other
charity, (for Allison victims) please accept my apologies for this omission.
Otherwise you have zero room to speak.

Above is a photo of the actual shirt, it was a really nice UNOFFICIAL shirt
done to try to help those who lost a lot one month before Houston hosted the
AMO National meet. This is a old file I guess I need to remove off my
website since I finally sold out of them! Thanks to those who DID buy one,
hopefully it made a tiny difference in the Houston area the Red Cross
covered.

"Collectors Edition American Motors  tees shirts, SIZE XXL (2X) or XL (1X)
100% cotton Fruit of the Loom shirts celebrating the 30th anniversary of all
1971 model AMCs. The feature car was the 1971 AMX, which is shown on front
and back, also featured is the NEW STYLE Javelin, the ONLY YEAR SC/360
Hornet, the FIRST YEAR Matador, the first real production year Gremlin, and
also the Ambassador. A generous portion of the proceeds were donated to the
Houston Red Cross from sales of these shirts for victim of the $5.5 billion
dollar damage suffered in the worst tropical storm in recored US history
here: Allison in the Summer of 2001. Paige & I received minor flooding
damage, but over 250,000 homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed by
the 5 days of flooding, over 36 inches of rain. Wear them with pride at your
favorite car show, swap meet, cruise night! $9.00 + $4.00 ship.
SOLD OUT JULY 2005!!!! THANKS!!!!"

"How does your comments help the cause? Or was it just sent to be
vindicative."

Kim, it is par for the course. Sadly, as over 25,000 people (George can
correct this number too) affected by Katrina currently in the Superdome in
New Orleans, will be sent to Houston in the Astrodome (gee, we finally found
some use for it!) one finds time to disparage a tiny effort to help victims
by this. Sure wished he (and others) would contribute instead of gripe and
nitpic and come up with uh, 'facts'.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5246658,00.html

I think what bothers me the most is that Frank Swygert, who is in the
military is being attacked currently in the 'unvarnished' thread while he is
possibly being deployed to HELP people of the biggest American disaster in
US history! That someone took time to espouse all that hate when they could
be down volunteering at the Astrodome, phone bank for Channels 11, 2, 13,
cooking a meal for the thousands of homeless Katrina refugees flooding
Houston, there is so much positive one could do to "try" to make a
difference in a positive fashion. Doc said it best about that thread:

"I thought this was over with months ago? Time to let it go and move on."

My poster offer for the Red Cross will now be extended thru the end of
December. George, if you want a set of posters, you know you too can order a
set. Or, donate directly to those organizations directly on my website; or
in the links below:
http://www.redcross.org/
http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/
And anything anyone can do to alleviate the suffering of tens of thousands 
of
people in those Gulf states would be appreicated, do something positive with
life or get the hell away from the keyboard. Heck, maybe get away from AMC
too if you have zero to contribute in a positive fashion.

Furthermore, if you or anyone else in Houston wish to do something positive
instead of sniping, griping, whining, you too can make a difference. They 
need
a TON OF HELP at the Astrodome where they are overwhelmed by this current
unfolding tragedy, of which is historic in porportions. You too, can donate 
your
time to make a difference:
http://www.harriscountycitizencorps.com/
Maybe the Houston Chapter can get together and take a group dwon there to
help out. It would be good publicity for the club.

Furthermore, if you or the Houston chapter want to match me dollar for 
dollar
in donations to the Red Cross, then let's do it. I hope to raise $1000-$1200
to help victims of this hurricane. You, or the club can match it. If not, 
then there is
no reason to stop in occasionally and post vindictive comments.

Eddie Stakes'
Planet Houston AMX
713.464.8825
eddiestakes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.planethoustonamx.com