Although it hasn't gotten a lot of messages, and although it has become somewhat buried between the various election horse-race articles, it's a good one and I hope Salon will continue pumping resources into researching and producing more articles like this one.

This is a true story.

Three weeks after Katrina, I rode shot-gun on a tractor trailer load of donated relief supplies from Spring Green, Wisconsin to the Mississippi Gulf Coast; as a native of south Mississippi, I knew the lay of the land.

We drove down to Bay St. Louis and Waveland and dropped off a few supplies to the heat-weary locals. Having more in the truck, we headed west as word was that Pearlington was particularly hard hit.

The Pearl River bridge up ahead announced that we had arrived. Pearlington is a very rural place, and even before the storm, it could be easily missed by passing motorists. A road to the left, a road to the right - which one to take? We did not want to turn down a possible dead end street with an 18-wheeler, so I got out and flagged down a car to ask directions.

I hailed the first car that came along; it had just turned around at the closed bridge and was heading back in our direction.

"Where's Pearlington?" I asked.

The two young gentlemen in the car looked at each other, shook their heads, and the passenger said to me "We don't know anything. We're from FEMA."

I'm not making a word of this up.

Check out my Hattiesburg, Mississippi blog - the New American Village:

http://newamericanvillage.blogspot.com/

And for all things Katrina from Bay St. Louis, click on:

http://aminthemorning.blogspot.com/

James Polk, Architect

CDC staffer looks at the data and tells it like it is.

Bush White House looks at data and tells it like it wants it to be.

CDC staffer protests.

Now choose a) or b)

a) CDC staffer gets fired/threatened/muzzled/sidelined.

b) CDC staffer gets pissed off and resigns.

It doesn’t really matter which answer you pick; this is happening with such regularity that a lot of people with guts (and no patience) are being weeded out of public science in the United States. A few with guts (and patience) are hanging in there. But the casualties in the war on science are mounting fast. See http://www.wisdomofwhores.com/2008/01/31/the-white-house-vs-science-whats-a-girl-to-do/