Free Republic

SNIP A Delta flight that was heading to Puerto Rico from JFK airport on Wednesday managed to outrun Hurricane Irma — flying directly into the path of the Category 5 storm as it was bearing down on the island — before landing and taking off within the span of an hour. The Boeing 737 was reportedly full of passengers after leaving the Big Apple at 8:12 a.m., according to FlightAware. The online tracking system showed Flight 431 arriving in San Juan at 12:01 p.m. — just as Irma was making landfall. SNIP

CNN Headline news reporter just stated that the military will not force folks from their homes. "Refusing to force Americans from their homes", said the noticeably British reporter. Further, they will not let residents deteriorate in their own homes. The military will continue to get water and food to those remaining in New Orleans, effectively undermining Nagin's mandatory evacuation order.

WASHINGTON – Already in trouble over the war in Iraq and soaring gas prices, President Bush is struggling to recover from the most serious political hit of his presidency as he fights to overcome the stinging criticism of his handling of Hurricane Katrina and its devastating aftermath. Even Republicans concede that the administration stumbled out of the gate and was slow to gauge the enormity of the disaster. In recent days, the White House has become a flurry of activity with cameras capturing events showing the president in command. But the damage done by the early missteps will be difficult...

With conditions in the hurricane-ravaged city of New Orleans rapidly deteriorating, Gov. Kathleen Blanco said Tuesday that everyone still in the city, now huddled in the Superdome and other rescue centers, needs to be evacuated. "The situation is untenable," Blanco said, pausing to choke back tears at a news conference. "It's just heartbreaking." The breach of two levees Tuesday meant the city was rapidly filling with water and the prospect of having power was a long time off, the governor said. She said the storm also severed a major water main, leaving the city without drinkable water. "The goal is...