Beam me to Planet Gore !
Posted on 01/11/2009 6:32:44 AM PST by Libloather
Advice for those going to the inaugural
By Bartholomew Sullivan, Memphis Commercial Appeal
Sunday, January 11, 2009
WASHINGTON -- Think of it as an opportunity to stand still for up to six hours in the freezing cold, shoulder-to-shoulder and front-to-back with hundreds of thousands of complete strangers.
Do you really want to go to the inauguration of Barack Obama as the country's 44th president?
If you do, be forewarned. Here's a compendium of practical advice gleaned from Secret Service, inaugural committee and other briefings in recent weeks:
Plan on it being very cold, and probably wet. You can't bring an umbrella, so pack a poncho or two and some chemical hand-warmers and think about boots and wool socks. Some of the museums -- and all of the Smithsonians -- along the National Mall will be open for warmth and bathrooms. Consider this advice from the Congressional Inaugural Committee: "Please think carefully about whether you can stand outside in cold weather in a large crowd for up to six hours, and whether you are ready for long delays getting home afterward." On average, the high and the low temperature has been in the 30s on Jan. 20. It snowed eight inches the day before John F. Kennedy's inauguration in 1961.
It will be nearly impossible to cover a lot of ground fast because this will be the biggest crowd ever gathered in Washington, and probably the largest crowd you'll ever see unless you attend the Ardh Kumbh Mela in India. That means plan ahead. What you think might take an hour will take three. The swearing-in takes place at exactly 11:59 a.m. Ten percent of the ticketed guests four years ago missed the swearing-in because they were still waiting in line, so planners are suggesting you start lining up by 6 a.m.
Planners are expecting 600,000 people to come to town on 10,000 buses -- a convoy that, if lined up, would be 75 miles long. The bus companies have to register prior to their arrival in the Metropolitan area with the D.C. Emergency Management Agency at ClickandPark.com. The deadline for applying for a permit is Jan. 15. For more information, go online to inauguration.dc.gov/bus.asp.
For those of you who are not staying downtown on Monday night, the 19th, the Presidential Inaugural Committee recommends public transit but warns that you'll still be doing a lot of walking. For anyone within two miles of the National Mall, forget anything but walking. Here's why: Every seat and spot on every Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (Metro) train will be filled at its first stations farthest from downtown. If you decide to try Metro from out in the suburbs, plan to start early. Metro opens all-day "crush loading" at 4 a.m. Also: Buy your tickets from a station kiosk as soon as you hit town to avoid long lines the day of the inauguration. Look at the wmata.com "Inauguration Day" page for additional pass and ticket information.
The District of Columbia's "Inauguration" Web site will have the most up-to-date information on road closures and other travel alerts. The site is inauguration.dc.gov/index.asp.
Backpacks and strollers will be permitted in the unticketed sections of the National Mall west of Fourth Street, but they are being strongly discouraged. The restriction on those items, along with thermoses, coolers, umbrellas and laser pointers, applies in ticketed parade-route and swearing-in areas and at the balls. In ticketed areas, cameras are permitted but tripods are not. Don't bring posters or placards bigger than 18 inches square.
Vehicular traffic and parking near the Capitol itself will be prohibited, even to vehicles with special disability tags and license plates. Many roads will be closed or may only be available to bus traffic.
Planners say to be aware that it may be difficult to talk or send pictures by cell phone because of the crowds. They advise using text messaging for critical messages.
If you still don't have a hotel, word is some chains may have rooms nearer the date, but you may want to get your name on a list. Craigslist has a section for renting houses and apartments.
**SNIP**
Cleaver Warns of Inauguration Headaches
Reported by: Larry Seward
Last Update: 1/10 12:11 pm
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - If you're planning a trip to see Barack Obama's Presidential Inauguration, U.S. Congressman Emmanuel Cleaver, II suggests you think long and hard about the physical demands. He says they can be overwhelming. Still, a group of Obama supporters are ignoring the warning.
"It doesn't bother me if it's cold or what," said Dorriss Lyman, owner of Papa Lew's restaurant and an Obama campaign volunteer. "I've got my ski pants. I'm taking my grandchildren. I'm going to have my thermals on and my gloves. I don't care what it takes. If I've got to sleep outdoors, I'm still going."
Even without tickets, Lyman is taking 106 people to Washington D.C. on a bus.
"It doesn't matter," Lyman said. "I'm going on faith."
A million more plan to do the same. As the district prepares for the masses, Congressman Cleaver warns it's going to be very uncomfortable to witness history. (Getty Images) Cleaver says visitors will have to leave their hotels before 4 a.m. the morning of the inauguration. Many streets will be closed. Parking will be extremely limited. Visitors will also have to wait in long lines for public transportation then walk several miles. They can also expect to stand for eight hours in the cold.
If you think it's something you can't handle, Cleaver suggests you stay home.
"I don't care how cold it is," said Yvonne Brown. "I don't care what's going on. My plan is to be there and support him whatever we can do."
Some local Obama campaign volunteers refuse to miss the opportunity to see him sworn-in.
"We registered people, the young, old, sick 24 hours a day, seven days a week," said Arretta Shannon, an Obama campaign volunteer. "This is the reward."
"At my age, I didn't think I would even see the day we would be electing a black man as president," Brown said.
"Can't nothing stop me, as long as God wills," said Dorriss Lyman. "If I get sick, take me any way!"
Obama needs to do something about global warming!
Well, then... they'll be used to high-density living by the time they get there!
any one who wants to see this travesty deserves the worst possible weather....
I remember Bush’s 2000 inauguration when it was drizzly but then it stopped and the sun came out.
“...and the IQ of DC - already many sigmas to the left (in all meanings of the term) - will draw immeasurably near its asymptote...”
And the population will pass the “intelligence horizon” wherin they will never again be among the world of logic.
Sounds like they stopped just short of ‘raising the dead’ in their registration process - I’m surprised they didn’t report the number of votes they managed to push through from all that effort.
God has nothing to do with election rigging vote scams.
these people and other goofs like them are going to end up in public shelters at taxpayer expense -
the city is going to look like a winter time version of Hurricane Katrina day-after
Get there early with the rest of the herd. 
Now that was a funny thing to watch.
I’m still hoping that God will have mercy on our country and open (and then close up) a huge hole underneath the grandstand just when the Marxist is taking the oath of office.
....and at my age and white, I didn't think I would live to see an incoming president telling the nation daily how bad off we are and planning to spend another trillion to prop up the already propped up by putting the nation on welfare..............
Those attending better wear a Depends. There’s supposed to be 5,000 public toilets...this article says a crowd of 4 million is estimated ...persons per toilet, 800. The article says the optimum number of people per toilet usually is 300/toilet, so if 1.5 million show up, they’re okay, but 4 million...it’ll be a nightmare.
VIPs will be able to answer nature's call in the lap of luxury compared to the masses. The senators, representatives and lucky ticket-holders permitted inside the tightest security cordon around the Capitol building will have access to portable toilets that are heated and well-lit, have hot and cold running water - and flush.
Remember the saying “When Hell Freezes Over”? Well it is about to do just that..I could not imagine standing in any weather like that waiting to see the devil be sworn into the highest office in the world..
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