Saturday night, when I was at the 24hr computer lab/laundromat all night, I was bombarded by regurgitated discussion regarding the Republican convention, Obama, McCain, and Gustav. You see, the television was left on and since I’ve been rather apathetic to what’s going on in the world lately I thought it would do me some good to listen to the news instead of turning it off or switching it to Cartoon Network. I was there all night after all and Adult Swim equals anime! But I digress.

That evening, when they weren’t harping on politics the news kept returning to hurricane Gustav. They predicted it was going to be bad, very bad. It was going to be stronger than Katrina, it was bordering on a category 5 hurricane already, evacuations were underway, officials were better prepared this time around. Over and over it, but the message was clear, Gustav was baaad news and was going to cause more damage, but hopefully claim less lives, than Katrina.

Have you, by any chance, seen or read the latest news on Gustav today? It’s been downgraded to a category 2 hurricane. Sure there is a strong possibility of flood damage since waves are crashing over the barricades but this is certainly no where near as bad as Katrina. What the hell was with all the hype? Seriously, just listening to the anchors would have been enough to send folks into a panic.

I’m not trying to say that Gustav isn’t bad at all and that the concern was unwarranted. Quite the contrary, I’m glad the evacuations and precautions proved adequate and went well. I cannot, however, help but feel that the media completely played up the severity of the storm and harped on the whole affair in order to gain ratings.

That’s what disgusts me.

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