New Orleans

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If she had been a valued employee, her employer would have bent over backwards to accomodate her hardships. It is prohibitively expensive to hire and train a new person, even to the point where "poor" workers are tolerated in the average workplace...at least they're a warm body completing the minimal tasks needed.

I think presenting this as a bad mark against the employer is silly. There isn't an employer around who'd be willing to take the publicity hit for firing someone seeking to do good in the midst of a natural disaster. My guess, the woman was on the block anyway and the company was just biding its time until they could document another offense in her personnel file. It can be very tricky to fire someone, especially under union conditions.

 

Getting back to the hurricane and its aftermath:
Age article

Another article I thought was worth sharing. Again, it's got an Australian spin to it, one which possibly crosses the line into Bush-bashing, but which is (I think) worthy of consideration at this time. Especially since Australia tends to follow in the footsteps of the US, socially and politically.

Another article which is more critical, but also emphasises the same point: that in a society which calls itself moral or civilised, the objective after a disaster should be to fix the damage first, rather than attempt to use it for political gain. This article blasts Bush without pointing a finger at others who did not act; a failing in the piece. However, it also points out that ignoring people until you have to pay attention, rather than being diligent in one's duties, is a poor way to run a country.

On a more flippant side note: I am exceedingly annoyed that one of my favourite pro-wrestlers is being lobbied against because of Katrina and his gimmick. Shane Helms' wrestling persona is "The Hurricane", which is essentially a goofy superhero gimmick. Since his entrance begins with, "Stand back! There's a hurricane comin' through!" he has been pulled from shows and the company he works for has been pressured to pull the character. This reeks of the "Freedom Fries" mentality to me...

 

NonSequitor, I agree with you. I don't think that the entertainment industry should be bullied around by society because some bad things happen elsewhere. I agree with the decision by the band Anthrax not to change it's name after 9/11. But at the same time, it might be in poor taste to use some entertainment. Perhaps a compromise, giving Shane Helms a bit of a vacation until this blows over (bad pun, I know...)

 

Good comment on the actual reporting, and the pityful state of the fourth estate.