The Blog Report: Lack of Power in New Orleans

Abstract

The Survival of New Orleans blog (aka Interdictor before the storm and flood), a livejournal blog (previously produced by one person for "smack and chat"), chronicled the storm and its aftermath (and included a team of five helping produce the now internationally important blog). The team included owners, employees, and friends associated with an Internet provider. The now famous site chronicles the storm, the chaos, and shameful (lack of) government response to the hurricane and flood in New Orleans. The site, produced from the 10th and 11th floor of a corporate high rise on Poydras Ave., right near St. Charles, began modestly, by the main contributor waiting for Katrina to make landfall, "We have generators and tons of food and water. It is 5 of us total. I am not sure how the internet connection will be affected. I have a camera and my gun." The site also charts the mainstream media's coverage. The site includes documentation of the bizarre and willful refusal of the National Guard to allow, for example, a flotilla of 500 or more private boats, with experienced captains, to enter the flooded city to help with the rescue. Many other blogs, including DailyKos, and news outlets, like the UK's Mirror News, have linked to, and discussed the Interdictor site produced from New Orleans.