ibenez wrote:

Bush: 'I take responsibility'

Damn.

This guy always takes the moral high ground. Impressive.

Taking responsibility would require him to make up for the damage he's responsible for. If that is not possible, he should resign.

RE: CNN.com

Among the many offers of aid for New Orleans and Gulf Coast disaster victims that the Bush administration has either blocked, squandered or delayed is that of a substantial emergency medical brigade from Cuba.

The Cuban government of President Fidel Castro offered in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation to send over 1,000 doctors and 36 tons of medicine and equipment to the disaster zone. After 10 days, the Bush administration has yet to even dignify the Cuban proposal—which has since swelled to more than 1,500 doctors, due to a flood of volunteers—with a reply.

The offer involves real and badly needed aid that is quickly deployable. Cuba is nearer to the affected areas than Miami, barely an hour’s plane trip away, twice as close as New York. Moreover, the country’s doctors are internationally recognized as among the most experienced and qualified in emergency relief, having participated not only in responding to hurricanes in their own country, but in providing aid to disaster-stricken populations throughout the Americas, Africa and elsewhere.

Even Cuba. Its always great to see politics takes precedent over lives.

Bush administration snubs Cuban hurricane relief offer

Troops inside the trucks were given malaria tablets and vaccinations against diseases like Hepatitis, Cholera and Tetanus -- ironically the same shots wary American tourists might get before visiting parts of Mexico.

When even fucking MEXICO says "What the Fuck?" you know we've handled things pretty shitty.

Heads turn as Mexican troops roll into US with aid | Reuters.com

LOS ANGELES -

Bob Denver, whose portrayal of goofy first mate Gilligan on the 1960s television show "Gilligan's Island," made him an iconic figure to generations of TV viewers, has died, his agent confirmed Tuesday. He was 70.

Bob Denver, TV's Gilligan, Dead at 70 - Yahoo! News

We reported last night on the cause of Hurricane Katrina -- at least in the eyes of an antiabortion group called Columbia Christians for Life. The storm, the group says, is God's way of punishing Louisiana for having 10 abortion clinics.
Well, at least that's what the Columbia Christians for Life were saying yesterday. We've just received another e-mail from the group, and now it seems to be saying that God sent Katrina after Louisiana to prevent Southern Decadence, an annual gay-themed bash that was scheduled for Labor Day weekend in New Orleans.

Had to see that was coming...
I wonder which country we're going to go to war with for to avenge No Orleans.

Salon.com Politics War Room | Politics

Good video and picture footage of Katrina damage for those who don't watch TV and whose web browsers CNN hates.

Hurricane photos, video, audio and Flash from Storm2005.com

Chad The Weather Man looses it on national TV.

Chad The Weather Man looses it

In Canada there are snow festivals in the winter in which people make elaborate scupltures out of ice and snow. Nothing I recall seeing up there in the early 80s came remotely close to this. It might be that technology has improved in the past 20 years. It might be that the Chinese are simply taking this a lot more seriously. In any event, the results are simply amazing. Massive functional buildings made entirely of ice and filled with lights!

R Todd King: China Photos 2005 - Harbin Winter

Matthew McGrory, the 7-foot-plus actor who portrayed Karl the Giant
in 2003's Big Fish, died Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles. He
was 32.

Tiny is dead.

The other day while I was working in the yard my son urgently called to me. "Dad, a praying mantis caught a hummingbird!"

Awesome! The mantis totally speared a hummingbird and then ate it.

Praying Mantis Eats Hummingbird (Bird Watcher's Digest)