Archives: September, 2005

Rising Premiums Threaten Job-Based Health Coverage
By Debora Vrana, L.A. Times Staff Writer
The average cost of health insurance for a family of four has soared past $10,800 — exceeding the annual income of a minimum-wage earner, according to a survey released Wednesday.
For some, this year's survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research Educational [...]

WASHINGTON - Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown, the principal target of harsh criticism of the Bush administration's response to Hurricane Katrina, was relieved of his onsite command Friday.
He will be replaced by Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad W. Allen, who was overseeing New Orleans relief, recovery and rescue efforts, Homeland Security Secretary Michael [...]

Sent this morning to Ancestry.com:
I'm writing to inform you that the information contained in the Ancestry.com database regarding the death of one Lori A. Scheirer is falsified.
Ms. Scheirer faked her death because she was caught on an online message board in a false claim that she was involved in a high profile murder in Los [...]

I'm delighted that Kelle Gabriel of the Marion Star has given me permission to post the transcripts from the three maniacal messages Lori Scheirer left on her voicemail during the investigation that led to debunking the obituary.
Lori made the first call after she was found to be alive and well and working at the Allentown [...]

Two paramedics who were trapped in New Orleans by Katrina while attending a conference there, have written the following eyewitness report describing their experiences trying to evacuate. Who would have believed that a portion of the good ol' U.S.A. could become much like a third world country in the span of a mere few [...]

An employee of an Internet company in New Orleans is blogging about the aftermath of Katrina, with regular updates here. This is the real news you won't see in the mainstream media, and it isn't pretty. In one entry from September 1st, he describes the desperation of survivors seeking help from the authorities, [...]