See also: Celcus
Update: In regards to Southern Scrap below, please read this, it is apparently, quite ugly indeed.
The Good
PBJ – Though despised by much of the blogoshere, Jindel’s robot routine actually provided a soothing, systematic voice throughout.
Forecasters – They were pretty much on the money with much of the predictions, as evidenced by this amazingly accurate 6-day forecast after Ze German left Haiti.
Local News – No, not Nola.com, the radio and TV stations: WWL, WDSU, WGNO, WVUE and all the radio stations that stayed on the air, particularly Garland Robinette and Eric Asher. Also, whoever Matt Witherspoon is, you rule for putting together the local news aggregation.
The Bad
‘Straight to Angola’ order – Not because it was ever uttered in the first place but because it was just another example of flaccid city government. Though many attempts at looting were reported, there haven’t been any articles about the ‘straight to Angola’ order actually being enforced.
CNN – Though they can generally be relied on to provide decent footage, (This is) CNN was outpaced by the locals at that as well. Reports from Canal st, vague descriptions of where other reports were from, very little coverage of where the shit was actually hitting the fan – That was what one got from them. There was a ton of footage of the water lapping against the Industrial Canal, as if they were just waiting for it to burst so they could be there to catch it. Of course, they couldn’t wait after a while so they just reported it had breached after a spurt equivalent to a water hose began squirting through. I guess it is technically a breach but one normally thinks of this when they hear the word, rather than something the reporter himself could have fixed by simply putting his finger in the dike (sound).
Evacuation and Reentry – Though it is getting better, evacuation don’t seem quite there yet. The closing of I-10 in Mississippi was a disaster fro anyone moving east away from the storm and merged them in denser traffic in a direction they weren’t going. Also, there is the simple fact that Baton Rouge was thought of by many as a closer, safer haven even though it was 25 miles closer to the path of storm than New Orleans. As for reentry, it’s mostly spoke of in detail here.
The Ugly
Ray Nagin – A text book example of how not to handle a disaster. His hysterics during Katrina were appreciated because, at the time, hysterics were called for. Hysterics based on speculation of a storm’s possibly strength and landfall only made him look impotent after the storm simply knocked out power in his city. Then there was the botched reentry and his unwillingness to simply change the plan after other local governments didn’t back him up and the citizens voiced their outrage. Instead, he kept with the plan and chose not to enforce it so he could save face. It would have taken integrity to simply take action and alter the plan rather than being passive aggressive and not enforcing it. This makes him look like he has no power whatsoever. The refusal to enforce his own rules hurts him, kind of like that “Angola” thing above.
Southern Scrap – Few had ever heard of them before Gustav and now they are reviled by all. Really? 70 ships?
Democrats – As the two-party system becomes more and more asinine, it is shit like this and other bullshit that accentuates the notion that there really is no one on South Louisiana’s side in this whole debacle of shrinking coast and looming peril. Who cares about Houma right? Just so long as it plays well politically? During Katrina, Bush wasn’t doing shit but, where were the rest of you?
I did not include the NHC forecasters, but you are right, they have been dead on this year (relativity speaking).