I've been reading the Times-Picayune for the last couple of days. (As a cold aside, I'm interested in the way that newspapers can turn their web pages into blogs to keep updates coming quickly and easily during a crisis. Obviously this technology wasn't around when I was in j-school, and I wonder, logistically, how it works. Do the reporters just shoot the content up unedited, or is it the editor doing the blogging, or what?)
Also an aside, they had to evacuate the paper's building earlier today, and the reporters were heading for Houma, hoping to start working again from there. I have a dim view of those guys you see on tv who stand outside in the wind and rain telling you it's unsafe to be outside, but other than that, news people do a hell of a job through things like this. I mean, I'm at my desk in Maryland worrying about people I know of the Gulf Coast, and I have no way to get through to them right now, but at least I can find out what is going on generally.
Ok, the actual reason for the post: the Times-Picayune series Washing Away. I can't tell when it originally ran, but reading it in the wake of this storm is interesting...in a very somber way.
The articles begin:
It's only a matter of time before south Louisiana takes a direct hit from a major hurricane. Billions have been spent to protect us, but we grow more vulnerable every day.Posted by Nic at August 30, 2005 12:54 PM | TrackBack