Disaster

A lot of people are starting to complain about the pace of the hurricane relief effort. I don't know enough about disaster relief to be sure (and I don't want to make excuses for any screw-ups) but I suspect that the agonizingly slow pace is nevertheless incredibly fast, given the scale of the operation. Here's a thought I had that gave me some perspective: My wife's company … [Read more...] about The Pace of Relief

Here's an idea of how bad it is in New Orleans right now: The Mayor has told the Fire Department to stand down. The firefighters are securing the firehouses against the storm and heading to shelter. Update: Woke up around 6am and turned on the TV. New Orleans has just lost power. In the Superdome, the emergency lighting system kicked on. Ten thousand people will be stuck … [Read more...] about Katrina Approaches

As I write this, Hurricane Katrina is climbing up the Gulf toward the mouth of the Mississippi and the City of New Orleans. The winds have slowed from 175 miles per hour to about 160, but the warm Gulf water could drive it faster at any time. If you've ever stuck your hand out the window of your car at 55 miles per hour, you know how much force that is. Katrina's cyclone … [Read more...] about The City That Care Forgot