The US Government vs. Reality.

Great article from CNN.com, with links to the videos.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/02/katrina.response/index.html

Diverging views of a crumbling New Orleans emerged Thursday, with statements by some federal officials in contradiction with grittier, more desperate views from the streets. By late Friday response to those stranded in the city was more visible.

But the conflicting views on Thursday came within hours, sometimes minutes of each of each other, as reflected in CNN's transcripts. The speakers include Michael Brown, chief of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, evacuee Raymond Cooper, CNN correspondents and others. Here's what they had to say:

Conditions in the Convention Center

FEMA chief Brown: We learned about that (Thursday), so I have directed that we have all available resources to get that convention center to make sure that they have the food and water and medical care that they need. (See video of Brown explaining how news reports alerted FEMA to convention center chaos. -- 2:11)

Mayor Nagin: The convention center is unsanitary and unsafe, and we are running out of supplies for the 15,000 to 20,000 people. (Hear Nagin's angry demand for soldiers. 1:04)

CNN Producer Kim Segal: It was chaos. There was nobody there, nobody in charge. And there was nobody giving even water. The children, you should see them, they're all just in tears. There are sick people. We saw... people who are dying in front of you.

Evacuee Raymond Cooper: Sir, you've got about 3,000 people here in this -- in the Convention Center right now. They're hungry. Don't have any food. We were told two-and-a-half days ago to make our way to the Superdome or the Convention Center by our mayor. And which when we got here, was no one to tell us what to do, no one to direct us, no authority figure.

Go watch the video clips. Thenask yourself why it took FEMA two extra days to figure out there were people at the Convention Center.

WooHoo!

The Giants are in second place! 6.5 back of the Padres! Noah Lowry continues to dominate, and Randy Winn may be the best pick up we've made in several years.

Giants climb into 2nd

Phoenix -- Noah Lowry had to battle indoor rain in the desert, a tight strike zone, heightened expectations after a 5-0 August, an early 3-0 deficit and, most of all, his control. In his 28th start of 2005, Lowry was not particularly sharp.

He was particularly stubborn, however. Despite a first inning so bad manager Felipe Alou had Jeff Fassero getting loose, Lowry lasted six innings and truly earned his sixth consecutive victory, a 9-4 takedown of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Giants have won six of their last seven games. After it took them nearly four months to climb from fourth place to third in the National League West, they needed 24 hours to move into second, their first visit there since April 17. They remain 6 1/2 games behind San Diego but at least have a clear view of the Padres now.

Lowry improved to 12-11, his first winning record since he was 1-0 two starts into the season. Moises Alou (3-for-3, homer, stolen base) and Randy Winn (two solo homers) led the way offensively.

GO GIANTS!!!

Spam of the Day

"Make good money with panda research "

Everyone has to read this.

Bad Reporter: Embedded at Burning Man

One of the Chronicle's snarkier cartoonists has been doing a series about life on the Playa. Read and giggle!

Five (and a half) back!

Giants win again! The heat is rising in the NL Worst, threatening to break through the frozen pond of mediocre baseball that we've seen all year.

San Francisco Giants: 3
Arizona Diamondbacks: 2

Read the story, if you are so inclined.

Randy Winn is still impressing me. This means that he'll slip on a rubber duck in the hotel tomorrow, breaking half his bones and tearing ligaments on the rest.

And you know what's next? Here's a clue...

BEAT LA!
BEAT LA!
BEAT LA!

GO GIANTS!!!

OK, these people need to be summarily executed.

On their knees, pistol behind the ear, let the alligators have the bodies. No mercy, no excuses, no appeal.

Police shoot gun-toters in New Orleans

Police shot and killed at least five people Sunday after gunmen opened fire on a group of contractors traveling across a bridge on their way to make repairs, authorities said.

Deputy Police Chief W.J. Riley said police shot at eight people carrying guns, killing five or six.

Fourteen contractors were traveling across the Danziger Bridge under police escort when they came under fire, said John Hall, a spokesman for the Army Corps of Engineers.

They were on their way to launch barges into Lake Pontchartrain to help plug the breech in the 17th Street Canal, Hall said.

None of the contractors was injured, Mike Rogers, a disaster relief coordinator with the Army Corps of Engineers, told reporters in Baton Rouge.

The bridge spans a canal connecting Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi River.

Deputy Police Chief W.J. Riley said the shootings took place on the Danziger Bridge, which connects Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi River.

No other details were immediately available.

Anyone who shoots at the very people trying to save lives and repair an entire city has forfeited their right to share my oxygen supply. The best I'd settle for is that anyone caught doing this be put into involuntary labor units (martial law, no problems with Constitutional rights here!) and made to do the dirtiest, most awful work until the decree of emergency is lifted. For 10 cents an hour. But I think that killing them out of hand makes more sense.

Yes people, this is what I'm like at the core. When fucktards try to accelerate the destruction in a situation like this, I say kill them all and don't even worry about who has to sort it all out.