Stories from New Orleans

Here, at least in an audio version so far, is another view of the state of New Orleans in the week after Katrina hit. Anderson Cooper was looking for confirmation of the "bridge" story earlier this week on CNN; Ms. Slonsky seems to confirm that no one was allowed out of New Orleans on that bridge, and that the police were the ones refusing to let them go.

There are also more questions raised about the looting and violence in New Orleans, reports that mostly seem to be unconnected from witnesses. Here, also, is one eyewitness account of the "looting" and what was taken, and why.

And a fuller story, is here.

The stories from the ground are much more important than the stories from CNN, or the Department of Homeland Security, or the White House.