Mary... I remembered what I was going to say...

Did you see this? Radio Blogger: has a transcript from Hugh Hewitt's show yesterday. It's Hugh (HH) interviewing Fox News' Major Garret (MG):

"HH: You just broke a pretty big
story. I was watching up on the corner television in my studio,
and it's headlined that the Red Cross was blocked from delivering
supplies to the Superdome, Major Garrett. Tell us what you found
out.
MG: Well, the Red Cross, Hugh,
had pre-positioned a literal vanguard of trucks with water, food,
blankets and hygiene items. They're not really big into medical
response items, but those are the three biggies that we saw people
at the New Orleans Superdome, and the convention center, needing
most accutely. And all of us in America, I think, reasonably asked
ourselves, geez. You know, I watch hurricanes all the time. And
I see correspondents standing among rubble and refugees and evacuaees.
But I always either see that Red Cross or Salvation Army truck
nearby. Why don't I see that?
HH: And the answer is?
MG: The answer is the Louisiana
Department of Homeland Security, that is the state agency responsible
for that state's homeland security, told the Red Cross explicitly,
you cannot come.
HH: Now Major Garrett, on what
day did they block the delivery? Do you know specifically?
MG: I am told by the Red Cross,
immediately after the storm passed.
HH: Okay, so that would be on
Monday afternoon.
MG: That would have been Monday
or Tuesday. The exact time, the hour, I don't have. But clearly,
they had an evacuee situation at the Superdome, and of course,
people gravitated to the convention center on an ad hoc basis.
They sort of invented that as another place to go, because they
couldn't stand the conditions at the Superdome.
HH: Any doubt in the Red Cross'
mind that they were ready to go, but they were blocked?
MG: No. Absolutely none. They
are absolutely unequivocal on that point.
HH: And are they eager to get
this story out there, because they are chagrined by the coverage
that's been emanating from New Orleans?"

Photo-ops you wish you could take back.

America's Wetland: "At the America's WETLAND Community & Culture Summit, U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu and Secretary Jack Caldwell, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, presented an AW Flag to Mayor Ray Nagin, City of New Orleans, showing the City of New Orleans support for saving coastal Louisiana."

While reading the press releases and "facts" on the America's WETLAND web page it is not possible to find their ENTIRE position on the levee management in the N.O. area. Their main goal is for "Restoration of Coastal Louisiana" and their contention is that the existing Levee system implemented in 1927 has diverted the Mississippi from where it naturally wishes to go... DUH! That's the whole point.

Well, their contention is that this is ultimately dangerous for New Orleans and contributed to the city's exposure to Katrina, but something doesn't wash here: Katrina actually didn't hit NO that hard, it was just the sheer VOLUME of rain that breeched the levees causing the floods. The city would have been saved if the levees had been larger and fortified from their eighty year-old construction, but this is a plan that this organization has not supported. They prefer to re-route the Mississippi in such a way that the coastline is restored, not necessarily in a way that increases the levee capacity.

Their priority has been protection of the wetlands, not protection of the city. And every Democratic politician from the state can be found on their web page as a supporter.

Mudville Gazette explains the feud between NO Mayor and Louis. Gov.

Mudville Gazetteh has a flashback to the 2003 Louis. Gov. race that sheds light on current bickering:

"In a bold and potentially risky move, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin crossed party lines Monday to endorse Republican Bobby Jindal, who is locked in a tight governor's race with Lt. Gov. Kathleen Blanco, the Democratic standard bearer in the Nov. 15 runoff.
<...>
In recent days, Nagin said he faced considerable pressure from the state Democratic power structure to go with Blanco, citing U.S. Sens. John Breaux and Mary Landrieu in particular.

Without naming names, Nagin said Blanco supporters attached words like 'risk' and 'consequences' and 'repercussions' to the prospect of his backing Jindal.

'They talked about this not being in the best interests of the city of New Orleans and that they would let people know that,' Nagin said.

Using what he described as the 'hip hop vernacular' favored by his teenage sons, Nagin hinted that Blanco's backers issued threats, indicating that 'if we get in we're going to basically ice you out.'"

Earlier this blog stated that "Only the Democratic Leadership could see the burning twin towers and see a fantastic opportunity for a Federal Jobs program.", now, one must observe that this same leadership witnesses the devastation from Katrina and only sees an opportunity for political payback.

Read this before you make another donation to Sierra Club.

John Berlau on Katrina on National Review Online: "The Clinton administration would frequently side with environmentalists on flood-control projects, even against local Democrats. The Army Corps of Engineers under Clinton began implementing a planned %u201Cspring rise%u201D of the Missouri River that would raise water levels on the Missouri River during part of the year. This was supported by eco-groups, who argued that this restored the river%u2019s natural flows and protected a bird called the piping plover. But farm groups and others said that combined with the ice melting from winter, the project could increase the risk of flooding in river communities and affect more than 1 million acres of productive farmland. Nearly all the Republicans and Democrats in Missouri%u2019s congressional delegation opposed the plan, as did Missouri%u2019s late Democratic governor, Mel Carnahan. But the Clinton administration refused to budge, and this was a major factor in Bush%u2019s carrying of Missouri in 2000.

The Bush administration%u2019s flood-control efforts were often relentlessly opposed by environmental groups, and this opposition was frequently echoed by liberal activists and in the press. Bush kept his promise, and his appointees at the Corps of Engineers have stopped the %u201Cspring rise%u201D plan that concerned so many about flooding. Environmentalists launched a barrage of criticism and a series of lawsuits. This was also the case with Bush%u2019s moves to stop the Clinton administration%u2019s plans to breach the dams on the Columbia and Snake Rivers in the northwest. Even though the dams greatly help to control flooding in the region, American Rivers blasted the administration for failing to do enough to save the sockeye salmon native to the region."

Are You Ready...?

I know it seems trite in view of the national tragedy in the gulf states.

And I know there is much more for us to be focused on.

And I know that the Angels are in the heat of a Division and Pennant race...

BUT IT'S FOOTBALL SEASON!!!!!

OC Chronicle will be giving its readers regular update on the fantasy football teams we are managing this season. We currently have:

3 scrimmage squads operating through Yahoo Sports.
2 amateur teams on AOL Sports.
1 minor league team on ESPN.com
1 semi-pro team on NFL.com
and...
the big daddy of them all...
A pro team ready to wein it all on CBS.Sportsline.com owned by brother DOC and managed by yours truly.

Are we sick? obsessed? too much time on our hands?

Oh yes. Oh yes.