Emergency Management

I recently came across a set of images depicting two current residents of the White House. The composition of these photos was so strikingly similar that I at once thought I had uncovered a pair of twins separated at birth. Of course, the circumstances behind each caused me to think again.

Follow me to see for yourself...

(Cross-posted at the new Appalachian Voices blog)
The Steep Slope Task Force in Boone, NC has approved an extension of a steep slope building moratorium. To be enacted, the measure has only to pass the Boone Town Council, which I suppose it will.

The task force recommended adoption of a 120-day moratorium on multi-family development on steep slopes of 20 percent or more grade.

I mean ,after all, we have been told they have Back up system after back up system, security cameras and more federial police!

Story here... http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2006/04/28/data_storage_fi... Story below: --------------- Data storage firm apologizes for loss of railroad data tapes Information on as many as 17,000 workers at risk By Chris Reidy, Globe Staff | April 28, 2006 Iron Mountain Inc., a Boston data-storage firm, apologized yesterday for losing personal data, including Social Security numbers, for thousands of Long Island Rail Road employees.

The new Appalachian Voices blog is shoving off today across the great Southern American blogosphere!

As we embark on this journey I invite you to join us for Mountain Oyesters and barbeque, sweet tea and moonshine, Smokey Mountains and Clean Smokestacks!

The Appalachian region has traditionally been more in need of Democrats and progressive leaders than any region in the country. We are victims of some of the highest poverty in the country, some of the worst air and water quality, some of the highest unemployment, lowest median family incomes, and highest mortality rates during wartime.

Only The Facts! The Whole Truth about Chicken Halwks and nothing but the Truth.

1.You have the Right to remain Silent, You Did!

2.You have the Right to a Attorney during Questioning, You waved that Right, And shot off your mouth without counsel!

3.Anything you say can & WILL be used against you in a court of Law! And again, It will be!

4. At this time you have indicated that you did not want a attorney and you wish to enter into evidence the following evedence

Please paste the following into your Browser and be sure to have speakers on.

Funniest thing you've seen in a while.

Duke, like most universities, openned its doors to Katrina refugees early this year. Now it is telling them: "Do not let the door hit you on the way out." From the Duke Chronicle:

Twelve freshmen who matriculated at Duke after being displaced by Hurricane Katrina cannot apply to transfer to the University next semester, members of the administration confirmed Thursday.

The reason for this, these students did not fit under the current admission policy that does not allow freshmen to tranfer to Duke. And the administration would not change this policy for people that have had their lives destroyed by this national natural disaster:

Administrators said a revised policy would raise certain institutional concerns and would be unfair to other transfer students, among other complications and difficulties.

And this announcement came the same day that many of these students learned that there would barely be a university to return to:

The University’s confirmation was released on the same day that Tulane University announced that it will lay off 230 faculty members. Many of of the displaced freshmen—some of whom are from Tulane—said their home colleges will probably look very different than the schools to which they applied last fall.

Shame on Duke. Turning their backs on those that have lost everything. I have never been happier in my decision to attend UNC over Duke than this moment.

Based on Raleigh's News & Observer's report, "glitch" is perhaps a word too mild:

CHARLOTTE, N.C. --

Hundreds of Hurricane Katrina refugees face possible eviction because their federal relief checks haven't arrived - four weeks after the money was promised.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency was to send checks of $2,358 to cover three months' housing. But evacuees said FEMA has mailed checks to former addresses in New Orleans or to the wrong address in Charlotte, which never reached their intended recipients.