Today marks a watershed moment in California history as the Courage Campaign goes live.
This is a new grassroots movement that has a few simple goals. Make California's education system the best in the world. Provide health care for all Californiains. Build the world's best, most equitable, and vibrant economy in California. Make California a model for energy independence. Preserve our priceless environmental heritage for future generations. And beat gridlock with a model transportation system of the future.
We can do this if we work together, locally, to move our state in the right direction. I'm one of the Couragous Moderators for Santa Barbara County, so come join me as the Courage Campaign gets started. This Courage Campaign blog just might finally provide another contender for Most Important Blog... Ever.
Overnight, Israeli forces killed three Palestinians in West Bank raids. In response, Palestinian militant groups in the West Bank announced that the tenuous cease-fire that they had been observing was now null and void. This doesn't sound promising.
But, once again, no Israelis were killed and therefore no headline appears on any of the US news websites that we monitor. This is the 23rd time since January that we've noticed Palestinian violent deaths caused by Israelis that the US media hasn't reported with a front-page story. We've only twice seen Israeli violent deaths caused by Palestinians ignored in the same way.
Full project details here.
If a bomb falls in the middle of a major city, but there are no Americans there to hear it, does it make a sound?
Today, the 5th anniversary of Ariel Sharon's blatent use of violence to rise to the Prime Minister post in Israel, marks the 5th day in a row that the Israeli army has rained bombs down on Gaza while simultaneously making mass arrests in the West Bank. The Israeli government has also openly restarted its illegal policy of targeted killing. But don't look on any of the American news media sites for this story, because no Israelis have been killed, meaning that it's not worthy of a headline.
In other news, Israel has cancelled a planned peace summit with the Palestinians. So, it looks like Israel is happy to continue delaying the implementation of the Road Map to peace.
And in still other news, Israel has again been accused of being the only nation in the Middle East to have nuclear weapons which remain unchecked by international observers. Israel's response to the declaration that their secret weapons of mass destruction threaten peace and stability in the Middle East? "You're just being cynical."
Look, I love Israel. I want what's best for Israel, so she can remain a beautiful, thriving, vibrant, peaceful home for the Jewish people. That's not going to happen as long as the Israeli government insists on subjugating and bombing Palestinians, hiding nuclear weapons, all while refusing to negotiate a just and lasting peace. Maybe if the Americans paid a little more attention to the problem, we'd have a chance to fix this whole thing. The road to peace and a stronger Israel starts with a simple idea: end the occupation.
Remember a few months back when a new study came out saying that social factors actually had more of an impact on preventing heart disease than alcohol?
Well, screw that. Cheers!
The coverage over the weekend of the escalating violence in Israel and Palestine will be incorporated into this project shortly. Over the weekend, about a half dozen people were killed in Israeli airstrikes, and the US media did report on this horrific turn for the worse. For now, though, we'll focus on today's events.
Today's events include the discovery of a murdered Israeli settler near Ramallah in the West Bank who (according to the Israeli authorities) was killed by Palestinians in a politically motiviated hate crime (or terrorist act if you prefer). This story has not appeared on the front page of any of the US media websites we monitor, so this marks the second time we've noted that the death of an Israeli at the hands of Palestinians has gone unnoticed in the United States.
In other news today that has not been widely reported in the US -- the Israeli military continues to wage a multi-pronged aerial assault on the Gaza Strip. Over the weekend, several people were killed by these attacks. So far today, some serious injuries but no casualties have been reported. We're monitoring the situation.
In the US, today's most widely covered news is not the battering of Gaza by Israeli jets and helicopters, but instead the news has focused on Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's success in fending off a political challenge from within his own party. More on that when we finally publish our long-awaited treatise on the Gaza withdrawal method.
Full bias proejct details are here.
OK, kids -- we're back to Condition: Orange here at the Important Blog as I'm off to fabulous Las Vegas where my cousin -- the lovely Carilyn -- will be married at Caesar's Palace. So, while I'm off in the Sin City, haters all around the world can rejoice at my temporary absence from the blogosphere. See you in a few days with the latest important commentary.
That long-awaited article on the ineffectiveness of the withdrawal method in Gaza is coming up soon, so stay right here.
Courtesy Krista Bywater, who was inspired by Fu-zu Jen's appearance on The Most Important Blog... Ever.
This story does not appear on any of the mainstream US newsmedia websites that we monitor, making this the twenty-first time we've noted that a story about Israeli troops violently killing Palestinians has failed to appear on the front page of US news websites.
Only once have we noted a time when Palestinians killed Israelis and the story failed to make headlines on US news websites. We started monitoring in January.
The tallies have been updated, and full project details are available here.
Anyway, I digress. Check this out. The Republican corruption in Ohio has started to fall in on itself. Now's your chance! Here's a straightforward list of 10 things you Ohioans can do to finally start the process of getting back on my good side, and indeed, the good side of our nation. Hurry up.
Northwest's mechanics went on strike to protest a plan by the airline to fire half of the mechanics and cut then cut health benefits and slash the pay of those who remained. Unfortunately, union solidarity fell apart as the Northwest flight attendents and pilots chose to stand by their company and continue working rather than standing by their fellow workers on the picket line. Thanks to scab replacement mechanics and the loyalty of the flight attendants and pilots, Northwest has continued its business with little interruption.
Today, Northwest announced a big "thank you!" to its loyal workers. 1,400 flight attendents will be laid off starting next month, and 400 pilots will lose their jobs shortly as well. Super.
But I heard a rumor that former presidents Clinton and Bush visited the Lions at halftime on Sunday. I guess that's not a good sign.
We're not happy about it, but we were right. We've been fucked. Especially the victims of Katrina who weren't bussed out in time. And we've still got three more years of this baffoon -- I guess we'll just have to hope that no more natural disasters show up. Whoops.
Well, folks, so far the Most Imporant Sports Blog... Ever is 1-0. We picked your Detroit Lions to destroy the Green Bay Fuckers, and boy were we right. The Lions routed the oldest team in professional sports 17-3, holding Faevr to the lowest score ever since he became a starting quarterback. Biggest surprise was the bruising efficacy of Edwards and the rest of the Lions defense.
This week, the undefeated Lions head to Soldier Field to face division rival and former NFL powerhouse, Da Bears. This team is so bad it doesn't feel right making fun of them. Rex Grossman, Bears starting quarterback (who is perhaps the worst starting quarterback since Charlie Batch) was injured in the preseason, which means that Chicago is rolling with rookie Kyle Orton. Yeah, so basically the Bears have no running game, a shaky quarterback, and only one wideout in last year's fluke star Mushin Muhammad. No offense to speak of on this team, but their defense is pretty fearsome.
Thankfully, your Detroit Lions have an even more fearsome offensive juggernaut. Kevin Jones will continue to tear up the field, and veteran tight end Marcus Pollard has proven extremely effective in the Lions scheme adding yet another threat to the already dangerous receiving corps of Roy Williams, Charles Rogers, and Mike Williams. And with last week's defense still in good shape, I'd say the Bears just might get shut out here.
Your Important Prediction - Lions 14, Bears 0. The Lions rocket out to another 2-0 start and sit atop the NFC North from now until the playoffs.
Here's your stream of consciousness connection starting at Tony Blair and ending at cactus.
START: Tony Blair
Great Britain
Disgusting Food
Martha Stewart
Prison
2Pac Shakur
Instead of a War On Poverty, They Have a War on Drugs so the Police Can Bother Me
George Bush
George W. Bush
Iraq
END: Cactus
Thank you. Next, it's your turn! Here are some suggestions -
Start at Detroit Lions, end at Orange Juice.
Start at Toyota, end at Toilet Paper.
Start at Scarlet Johansson, end at Barry Manilow.
Start at Shoelace, end at Taiwan.
Or, create your own!
Here's a stunner: since the year 2000, health insurance premiums for a family of four have shot up by 70%. From today's Los Angeles Times:
Rising costs are forcing many businesses, especially smaller companies, to stop offering coverage and are causing some employees who can no longer afford insurance at work to buy it on their own — or go without.
"What we are seeing is an unraveling of the way we finance healthcare in the United States," said William Custer, director for the Center for Health Services Research at Georgia State University in Atlanta. "It is coming apart at the edges, and those edges are small business and low-wage workers. The levees are breaking."
Oh, and don't forget that it's harder than ever to find a job in the US, much less a good job with benefits.
President Bush is expected to make a statement shortly on the situation: "We're making progress."
Nice (if long) analysis of My Personal Hero's book designed for us stoned slackers. Thanks to JC, and by JC I mean JC Chasez.
Religious conservatives claim that Katrina was sent as God's punishment to the United States. And, the redoubtable Pat Robertson manages to relate Justice Roberts to Katrina as well! This guy is awesome.
Thanks to the good folks at Mediamatters.org, who somehow manage to watch even more TV than I do.
That's right, ladies and gentlemen, today your Detroit Lions will begin a groundbreaking season which will undoubtedly land them in Super Bowl XL on their home turf at Ford Field.
Today the Lions face the Green Bay Fuckers in Detroit to start the season. The cheeseheads have 65 year old quarterback Brett Faerv, who will try to connect with wideout Javon Walkoff. But against the new Lions defense which includes Pro Bowler Dre Bly and new safeties Keroy Kennedy and RW McQuarters, things don't look good for the NFL's oldest offense.
The Lions offense, on the other hand, looks like the second coming of last year's Colts, only better. Running back Kevin Jones (above), the league's best and most underrated running back since Barry Sanders, will run all over Green Bay's shoddy defense. And when he's a bit winded from running 100 yards over and over again, Detroit's three ridiculously good wideouts will be all over the place, getting at least a touchdown apiece from breakout quarterback Joey Harrington.
Your Important Prediction: Green Bay 14, DETROIT 45.
And here's your Important, Guaranteed Lions season prediction: 11-5, winning the NFC North, and the one of the founding teams of the NFL is in the Super Bowl for the first time ever.
First up was Wednesday's first-ever presidential election in Egypt where Egyptians could choose to have their vote rigged for Mubarak or, if they preferred, they could also just vote for Mubarak outright. That's Mubarak on the right next to another world leader famous for controversial elections.
So, yeah, Mubarak has only been president of Egypt for 24 years, so this really is starting to look like a democracy. Especially since this time, unlike previous Egyptian elections, voters could choose between several candidates. Previously, voters had one choice: yes or no on Mubarak. Of course, Mubarak won 89% of the vote this time around, and only a few whiny, aluminum foil hat wearing, conspiracy theorists are trying to say that the election was rigged. Don't they get it? It's plain as the nose on my face: the US war on Iraq is spreading democracy across the Arab world! Bush: no comment.
Anyway, we here at the Important Blog are happy to endorse Koizumi's opponents, the Democrats (no joke). We'll keep you updated as the results come pouring in to our Tokyo offices.
Regular readers of ENN will recall that back on June 15, 2005, I was sitting just steps from the beach in lovely Isla Vista, California watching the Pistons whup the Spurs in the NBA Finals on ABC television.
Unbeknownst to us, down in Southern California, sometime during the third quarter of the game a huge earthquake shook in the ocean off of Crescent City (no relation to New Orleans) way up near Oregon. The earthquake was so strong and so near the coast that it triggered an immediate tsunami warning.
Yes, the system we have in the Pacific Ocean said that there might be a tsunami from this earthquake that would have affected the entire West Coast of the United States.
But we quaint college students in the beachfront community, watching ABC television, had no idea whatsoever. We probably had about half an hour, maybe less, to get to higher ground. But the thing is, we didn't even hear about any tsunami warning until about an hour and a half later, when the game was over and someone from across the street came and told us he had seen the news on the internet.
So, at the time, I trusted that FEMA and the Califonria authorities must have looked at this situation and fixed it for next time.
Now I'm not so sure I can trust the government to come save me if there's a little event like a mammoth Category 4 hurricane or a tsunami, or maybe an earthquake.
I mean, after all, to get any attention from Bush and his Republican buddies you basically need to be the CEO of a major company. Otherwise -- this is America. Look out for yourself and don't count on the government to give you any warnings.
That's how this American feels after seeing the government bungle yet another event of national significance.
We also suspect the media will have been inundated with "hero" images of the National Guard, the troops and the police struggling to help the "victims" of the Hurricane. What you will not see, but what we witnessed,were the real heroes and sheroes of the hurricane relief effort: the working class of New Orleans. The maintenance workers who used a fork lift to carry the sick and disabled. The engineers, who rigged, nurtured and kept the generators running. The electricians who improvised thick extension cords stretching over blocks to share the little electricity we had in order to free cars stuck on rooftop parking lots. Nurses who took over for mechanical ventilators and spent many hours on end manually forcing air into the lungs of unconscious patients to keep them alive. Doormen who rescued folks stuck in elevators. Refinery workers who broke into boat yards, "stealing" boats to rescue their neighbors clinging to their roofs in flood waters. Mechanics who helped hot-wire any car that could be found to ferry people out of the City. And the food service workers who scoured the commercial kitchens improvising communal meals for hundreds of those stranded. Most of these workers had lost their homes, and had not heard from members of their families, yet they stayed and provided the only infrastructure for the 20% of New Orleans that was not under water....
As we approached the bridge [across the river and out of New Orleans], armed Gretna [suburban] sheriffs formed a line across the foot of the bridge. Before we were close enough to speak, they began firing their weapons over our heads. This sent the crowd fleeing in various directions. As the crowd scattered and dissipated, a few of us inched forward and managed to engage some of the sheriffs in conversation. We told them of our conversation with the police commander and of the commander's assurances. The sheriffs informed us there were no buses waiting. The commander had lied to us to get us to move.
We questioned why we couldn't cross the bridge anyway, especially as there was little traffic on the 6-lane highway. They responded that the West Bank was not going to become New Orleans and there would be no Superdomes in their City. These were code words for if you are poor and black, you are not crossing the Mississippi River and you were not getting out of New Orleans."
The complete, amazing story is available here.
No major US newsmedia website carries this story on its front page, making this the twentieth time since January that the US media has missed a story about Palestinians being killed by Israelis.
We've only once noted a time when the US media missed a story about Israelis killed by Palestinians.
Tallies updated. Full project details here.
Bush has declared he will lead the governmental investigation into how badly he fucked up in the response to the worst national disaster in our history. This is not going to fly. Here's what to expect in the political world as the fallout continues.
That's right, folks, here are your Important Guaranteed Predictions for the ramifications of this tragedy.
- Karl Rove, King of Douche, and his minion Bush will try and fail to pin the failure on the Governor of Louisiana. He'll probably not criticize (Republican) Mayor Nagin, who has a pretty good public profile. But Governor Blanco is seen as weak and will be the prime target of Rove. Her and Bill Clinton, of course.
- Bush's credibility will finally be brought into question by the media. Unless CNN and others go back to just being pawns of Sir Douchebag Rove.
- Actually, the media are having a tough time doing their jobs, because the National Guard seems to be under orders to keep them away from Ground Zero and away from survivor camps.
- Oh, and the media are being force-fed the standard Republican spin, and they're happy to oblige the Bush camp.
- If the media do their jobs, Bush will not be allowed to head the investigation into governmental failures, and Katrina will be Bush's Lewinsky, to paraphrase Hero Jon Stewart.
- The "War On Terror" will be refocused on funding for first-responders, planning, and other domestic readiness issues. Finally.
- The War in Iraq will at last be seen as completely detrimental to the War on Terror, and will increasingly be seen as a huge mistake, a waste of American resources and an unacceptable loss of American soldiers' lives.
- We've got a new set of politically powerful folks similar to the 9/11 families: Katrina survivors. What the surviors say about the government's failure will be given special attention in the months and years ahead. Only trouble for them -- many are black, so the Republicans will have an easier time of "playing the blame the victim game" by depending on America's original sin - racism.
- The Department of Homeland Security will eventually be deemed a failure and will likely be reorganized significantly.
- Some political appointments will get unprecedented attention for a while, so that horse lawyers can't be given positions of extreme importance like, oh, say the director of federal emergency management.
- After the initial shock wears off, comedians will have a field day for years to come on this one.
The Republican Spin Machine has gone into emergency high warp speed.
NBC Nightly News Anchor Brian Williams writes that media are being barred from New Orleans. Photographs of the floodded area are apparently hard to come by as the National Guard is turning away all media.
And we've got a huge cover up to add to the finger pointing being carried out by this disgrace of a Republican government.
I didn't know that they kept the First Amendment in New Orleans -- because apparently it sank along with those poor people who FEMA left behind.
More from Kos.
That's right. Under clear and strict marching orders from His Doucheyness, Karl Rove, the White House has unveiled a spectacular plan to help save the reputations of Republican ass clowns who shamefully and completely bungled the relief effort before and after Katrina.
So, it's not like the White House just can't do anything to contain disaster. It's just that they only go and try to contain disaster when it suits their interests. In other words, they're asking, "What about me?"
Oh, and those quick Congressional inquiries announded yesterday into what went wrong? Forget about them -- DeLay and other Republican ass clowns have cancelled them, because really, what went wrong?
Three Duke students, whom in ordinary circumstances I would make fun of, have proven to be heroes. They got in their Hyundai Elantra (again, restraining myself) and drove to the New Orleans Convention Center last week. Yes. They drove there in a little two wheel drive car. There were dry roads leading to the Convention Center where all those thousands of people were holed up without food and water. Listen to this ridiculous story:
The group, led by South Carolina native Sonny Byrd, say they also managed to drive all the way to the New Orleans Convention Center, where they encountered scenes early Saturday evening that they say were disgraceful.
"We found it absolutely incredible that the authorities had no way to get there for four or five days, that they didn't go in and help these people, and we made it in a two-wheel-drive Hyundai."
If these three Dukeies could make it to the damn Convention Center in a Hyundai, where the FUCK were the FEMA people for the FIVE DAYS that people were stranded there? Where was the National Guard?
Let me guess. They were too concerned with how those people at the Center would treat relief workers to actually go and help them.
There had better be a huge, indpendent, sweeping investigation of exactly what went wrong here, folks. If we can have a huge, independent, sweeping investigation of whether Bill Clinton got a blow job -- then we can do an investigation into how FEMA allowed people to die for lack of food and water at the New Orleans Convention Center.
Since January, this is the 19th time that we've seen a Palestinian killed by Israelis, and the incident has not gone reported on the front page of any US mainstream media outlet. We've only once seen the converse -- Israelis killed by Palestinians that escapes US mainstream news website attention.
Tallies updated. Full project details here.
Our (obviously important) take on the Gaza situation is still in draft form, and if we weren't so preoccupied with the horrible hurricane story, you'd see it today. Coming soon.
We'll stay focused on the victims of this terrible tragedy as we work to get to the bottom of how the government failed so, so badly both before and after the storm hit.
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COREY FLINTOFF: From NPR News in Washington, I’m Corey Flintoff. (or, since we’re dreaming…)
Chief Justice William Rehnquist has administered the Oath of Office to John Forbes Kerry, officially making him the 44th President of the United States. President Kerry’s six-and-a-half-hour inaugural speech was greeted by cheers, in stark contrast to the rainy parade of rotten fruit and vegetables that former President George W. Bush endured in 2001.
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Thursday, August 25, 2005
LOVE: From NPR News in Washington, I’m Erik Love.
Hurricane Katrina struck south Florida today with strong winds and torrential rains, causing flooding and toppling trees. It was Florida’s sixth hurricane since August 2004 – the first time on record that six hurricanes have hit Florida in a calendar year. At least eleven people are known to have died. The storm is headed toward the Gulf of Mexico, where forecasters warn it will strengthen and hit the Gulf Coast in about three days.
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Friday, August 26, 2005
LOVE: From NPR News in Washington, I’m Erik Love.
Hurricane Katrina, now in the Gulf of Mexico and strengthening, has been forecast to hit the Gulf Coast near New Orleans late Sunday or early Monday. Governor Blanco has declared a state of emergency in Louisiana. New Orleans sits below sea level on the Gulf Coast and has long been cited as a city particularly vulnerable to hurricanes. Some 10,000 National Guard troops have been dispatched to the Gulf Coast.
President Kerry, on a two-week vacation at Kennebunkport, has ordered Homeland Security Secretary Richard Clarke and FEMA Director James Lee Witt to coordinate with local officials in helping residents evacuate from threatened areas.
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Saturday, August 27, 2005
10:00AM
LOVE: From NPR News in Washington, I’m Erik Love.
Hurricane Katrina, now a dangerous category three storm with 115mph winds, moved slowly toward the northwest today, and meteorologists warn that it will strengthen still further and strike near New Orleans late Sunday or early Monday.
As the hurricane grows, preparations at the local, state, and federal level are rapidly ramping up. President Kerry has returned to the White House and is coordinating with the governors of Louisiana and Mississippi as tens of thousands of National Guard troops mobilize. Fearing what has been called a nightmare scenario for a city that sits perilously below sea level, New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin has declared an emergency and urged residents in low-lying areas to evacuate as soon as possible.
* * *
Saturday, 5:00PM
LOVE: From NPR News in Washington, I’m Erik Love.
In the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Katrina, a Category Three hurricane with maximum sustained winds of more than 115mph, is bearing down on Louisiana and the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Meteorologists, saying that this is potentially a “nightmare scenario,” predict that the eye of the storm will make landfall on or near New Orleans early on Monday. The President has canceled his vacation at Kennebunkport to return to the White House, where he addressed the nation.
AUDIO CLIP
PRESIDENT KERRY: “We are anticipating the worst, whilst still harboring a tenuous hope for the best.”
LOVE: With more on the story we go to Ian Douglass in New Orleans.
IAN DOUGLASS, reporting: Hurricane Katrina could represent the worst case scenario feared for decades in New Orleans. Mayor Ray Nagin has made an unprecedented mandatory evacuation order for the entire city today. Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security and FEMA Director James Lee Witt, who is operating here in New Orleans, urged the mayor to issue the declaration. Witt has also telephoned the governors of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana to begin the coordination of an unprecedented evacuation effort, set to begin late tonight and early tomorrow. The freeways leading out of New Orleans are jammed with traffic at this hour.
SOUNDBITE: Traffic.
National Guard teams are beginning work to evacuate tens of thousands of Gulf Coast residents who would otherwise have no access to transportation out of the region. The city of New Orleans will present the biggest challenge, officials say, but with much of the city sitting ten feet below sea level, the National Guard and New Orleans Police Department will work to get as many people as possible out to avoid possible flooding. Mayor Nagin noted today that the levees protecting New Orleans were designed to withstand a category three storm, but warned that they may fail if New Orleans suffers a direct hit from this storm. Ian Douglass, NPR News, New Orleans.
* * *
Sunday, August 28, 2005
LOVE: From NPR News in Washington, I’m Erik Love.
Hurricane Katrina, now a rare Category Five storm with sustained maximum winds greater than 160 miles per hour, continues to barrel toward New Orleans today. Preparations for the storm including mandatory evacuations have continued with some sporadic scenes of panic reported in New Orleans after President Kerry spoke directly to the residents of the Gulf Coast from the White House.
AUDIO CLIP
KERRY: My fellow Americans, I do not wish to invite panic, but this hurricane is unusually powerful and hazardous. I implore you, do not remain in your domiciles. Board the evacuation coaches as they arrive and heed the instructions of local authorities. This hurricane may well develop into one of the worst natural disasters ever visited upon our nation.
LOVE: A massive relief effort continued to build. The Pentagon has dispatched a flotilla of relief ships from Norfolk, Virginia. The ships, led by the USS Comfort, are expected to reach the Gulf Coast just after the hurricane makes landfall. Tens of thousands of National Guard troops poured into the region this morning, preparing food and water and coordinating a massive effort to bus hundreds of thousands of people away from communities all along the Gulf Coast. From New Orleans, NPR’s Ian Douglass.
DOUGLASS, reporting: Hundreds of National Guard troops are patrolling the streets of this city, but sporadic reports of violence are punctuating an increasingly tense scene here. Many residents have packed area freeways with their cars, driving themselves away. The National Guard and New Orleans police are coordinating a huge evacuation effort for the hundreds of thousands of New Orleanians without the means to evacuate themselves. Buses are gathering people from dozens of evacuation points which have been set up across the city, including one at the landmark Superdome. While many are boarding busses, headed for camps being erected in Texas and northern Louisiana, many residents are refusing to leave their homes. Mayor Gavin, in an emergency press conference, pleaded with residents to leave, saying that he fears the levees will not withstand the strong winds and heavy rain from Katrina. Those unable or unwilling to board busses are being offered shelter in several locations in the city including the Superdome and the Convention Center. If the levee system fails, large sections of the city may flood. Ian Douglass, NPR News, New Orleans.
LOVE: The military-supported evacuation of the Gulf Coast will continue until 2AM tomorrow. The storm is expected to make landfall by 9AM.
* * *
Monday, August 29, 2005:
LOVE: From NPR News in Washington, I’m Erik Love.
LOVE: Hurricane Katrina, a strong Category 4 storm with 145mph winds, made landfall just east of New Orleans at 6:10 local time this morning, causing devastation across the Gulf Coast from Louisiana to Alabama. A massive relief effort, building up since Saturday, has begun. A slight turn to the east meant that New Orleans was spared a direct impact, but the communities of Gulfport and Biloxi have been extremely hard hit.
* * *
Tuesday, August 30, 2005:
LOVE: After initially breathing a sigh of relief, the city of New Orleans faced devastating flooding after three breaches in its levee system. Mayor Nagin says that 80 percent of his city is underwater. While many residents fled over the weekend, at least several thousand remained in the city either in their homes or at designated shelters. Several hundred residents have already been rescued from rooftops, and many more sought refuge at the Superdome and other designated shelter areas. Military helicopters, amphibious vehicles, and boats have begun deploying into the city from makeshift bases set up by the National Guard on Saturday and Sunday. National Guard troops with food and water are patrolling the city and have prepared to evacuate even the shelter areas if conditions continue to deteriorate. President Kerry is expected to tour the area tomorrow afternoon.
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Wednesday, August 31, 2005:
LOVE: President Kerry toured the Gulf Coast today, 48 hours after hurricane Katrina roared through and caused massive devastation to hundreds of miles of coast. Facing the prospect of a long-term flood, officials decided today to evacuate the remaining residents of New Orleans to massive tent cities being set up by the National Guard in Texas and Louisiana.
Army Lt. General Russ Honore reports that plenty of food and water have reached survivors of the storm holed up at the Superdome, the Convention Center and other shelters in the city, but that floodwaters present too much of a health hazard for a sustained relief effort in the city.
Some Republican critics, including Mississippi Senator Trent Lott, have blasted President Kerry for reacting “too swiftly” to the crisis, saying that his cautions and warnings before the storm caused unnecessary panic. Republican governors of Mississippi and Alabama, breaking ranks, praised the President’s response and the actions of FEMA as both measured and appropriate.
* * *
Compare this to what really happened. Or for less detail and more graphics, check here.
1-800-HELP-NOW.Long drive. And anyone heartless enough to blame the victims of Katrina for not evacuating from the coast (even when many of the victims who remained had no means of escape, car or otherwise), F YOU. Driving away from home is not only incredibly difficult, but damn expensive, too. I have no room to complain about my long drive, though -- I've been too busy listening to news reports and getting terribly sad and terribly furious.
Anyway, I'