• US disaster and blogging

    Media coverage of Hurricane Katrina seems to have intensified on this side of the Atlantic over the last day or so, with more and more 24 hour news outlets devoting huge portions of time to the disaster.
    One interesting point that seems to be true at the moment is how the rest of the world doesn’t seem to be as bothered as they would be if it were another country. Some people would like to tell you that this is a sign of anti-American hatred in the rest of the world, but it is probably the fact that no one thinks America needs our support as much as other places. People just don’t seem to think that American’s could ever be in desperate need, at least not as much as Eastern Europeans, African or Asian people would be. One personal example was how the BBC referred to the temporary residents of the Superdome stadium as refugees, a term that probably hasn’t been applied to a United States resident in some time. They are though, they’ve lost their homes and belongings and now they are seeking refuge.
    One site worth a mention is The Interdictor, a personal blog that has transformed into a blow by blow account of the chaos in New Orleans (do beware of his Army-Man comments though, it gets a bit tired after a while). It’s pretty interesting, as well as disturbing, to read from day 1. The writer goes from optimistic and cocky to downtrodden and depressed, especially at the amount of looting and lawlessness that seems to be going on. If his account is to be believed the media, here at least, are keeping very quiet about the level of anarchy in the city .
    This is where social media like blogging truly comes into its own. It’s not quite the Baghdad Blog, but it’s a vital tool in understanding the situation on the floor without actually being there. Word of a breakdown in police services is possibly the most worrying thing of all.