Honoré on NOLA: So much to be done
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David M. Reisner
AC360° Digital Producer
Nearly three years after Hurricane Katrina devastated their city, President Bush spoke to people in New Orleans today. Among his guests at the ceremony was Lieutenant General Russel L. Honoré, known best for serving as commander of ‘Joint Task Force Katrina.’ He was responsible for coordinating military relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina-affected areas across the Gulf Coast. Now retired, he spends much of his time in the region, and works to prepare families for future natural disasters.
I caught up with the general as he was traveling from his Georgia home to the ceremony this morning. Our conversation covered as much ground as the general did, and we will share with you parts of that conversation over the next several days, leading up to the 3rd Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. We started by talking about today’s event:
So where will the President be commemorating the 3rd anniversary of Katrina?
We're headed to ‘Jackson Barracks’, home of the Louisiana National Guard. Their equipment was stored there prior to Katrina, and unbeknownst to them, when the levees burst, it flooded the equipment. So the equipment the National Guard was depending on to help rescue people in New Orleans ended up 12 feet underwater.
Would this be your first time back to Jackson Barracks since Katrina?I was in Jackson barracks about 3 months ago. I went through for a tour. Many of the buildings were about 80% complete. So I imagine all those buildings are complete now, but it has taken that long, 3 years, with full resources. That’s how long it can take even when you are fully resourced to do a significant project. So when folks say ‘well, we don’t have all the schools back online or we have fire stations that are not completed...’ its going to take time to get a lot of this stuff done.
What are looking to hear from the President today?
FULL POST
Blackout: Where were you?
David M. Reisner
AC360° Digital Producer
Five years ago today, at this very moment – we were in the dark.
I had only been with CNN for a short time, and had been working the 6a-2p shift. It was a busy morning and I had just made the commute back home to Brooklyn.
I threw my bag on the floor, flipped on the AC – and was probably asleep before I hit the pillow. Then I got call from my mom, frantic. She was in Atlantic City... and asked if I had seen the news.
Sleepy-eyed, I reached for the remote... no power. The AC was off too. As I got up to open a window I thought 'great, a brown-out hit Williamsburg.'
What I saw next shook all the sleep out of my eyes;
FULL POST
Minneapolis Bridge Collapse: Then & Now
David M. Reisner
AC360° Digital Producer
One year ago today the nation saw one of the worst bridge collapses in a generation.
The Interstate 35W bridge collapse killed 13 people and injured more than 100...
Just this week, the National Transportation Safety Board released new evidence in the collapse investigation. One of its findings revealed that a plate connecting the support beams under the bridge had fractured along a section that was corroded. This was a concern that state officials had in fact realized... 15 years ago... but did not see as 'critical' to repair.
The board did not draw any conclusions about what exactly caused last summer's collapse... But as people plan memorials today for the victims, where are we one year later in Minneapolis? Today a skeleton of the new bridge spans the river where the old one once stood… You can see the progress that has been made in one year in these ‘Then & Now” photos I put together.
But where are we one year later in America? Days after the collapse calls came from every town, city, and state official for ‘immediate repairs’ to other bridges… and still, two out of three of the busiest bridges in the United States. ... with known problems… have had no work done beyond regular maintenance …
Program Note: CNN’s Campbell Brown investigates the nation's crumbling infrastructure in a special report, "Roads to Ruin: Why America is Falling Apart." Special guests include California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell. Friday, 8 p.m. ET
Who are the FARC? And what do they want?
David M. Reisner
AC360° Digital Producer
Held hostage for more than 5 years, three Americans are now free. They were among the 15 hostages held by Colombian rebels rescued today. Former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt has also been rescued, held for almost 6 years.
Known as FARC, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the rebel group is known to hold at least 750 hostages in the jungles of South America.
So who are the FARC? and what do they want?
Take a look at this recent piece by CNN’s Karl Penhaul (posted before the recent news of the release, and the recent death of leader Manuel Marulanda) to better understand today’s new developments:
Have a Happy 2nd of July!
David M. Reisner
AC360° Digital Producer
So I wanted to be the first to wish you a Happy Independence Day! So what are you going to do tonight to celebrate? Yes, that’s right… you heard me… Tonight
On July 2nd 1776 the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia. On the table, a resolution brought before the congress by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia:
Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.
That it is expedient forthwith to take the most effectual measures for forming foreign Alliances.
That a plan of confederation be prepared and transmitted to the respective Colonies for their consideration and approbation.
…And on that day, July 2nd 1776, they approved the Resolution Of Independence… A free nation was proclaimed and the United States of America was formed. No fireworks, no cheering crowds, just a handful of men in Philadelphia knew what had happened.
Dear Candidates: See you in ‘Hell’ (Michigan)
David M. Reisner
AC360° Digital Producer
The candidates have been tackling election issues Americans care about… But there’s something else the candidates appear to care about: Location, location, location.
Seems the candidates are ‘taking issue’ with town names, and the issues they bring up…
Last week Democratic candidate Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton traveled to Unity, New Hampshire to show a sign of … well… Unity. And Monday Sen. Obama stressed patriotism on his visit to Independence, Missouri…
Coincidences? Not a chance… So that got me thinking – I should put together a week-long itinerary for the candidates … to locations around the United States that would put their issues right on the map.
Let’s begin, shall we?
FULL POST
Beat 360° 06/27/08
David M. Reisner
360° Digital Producer
It appears the captain has illuminated the ‘Beat 360°’ sign...
Everyday we post a picture – and you provide the caption. Our staff will get in on the action too.
Tune in every night at 10p ET to see if you are our favorite! Can you Beat 360°?
Here is the ‘Beat 360°’ pic of the day: Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton talk on board Obama's campaign plane June 27, 2008 en route to Manchester, New Hampshire.
Have fun with it.
Make sure to include your name, city, state (or country) so we can post your comment.
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But wait!... There's more!
When you win ‘Beat 360°’ not only do you get on-air prime-time name recognition (complete with bragging rights over all your friends, family, and jealous competitors), but you get a “I Won the Beat 360° Challenge” T-shirt!
Good luck to all!
UPDATE: Check out our Beat360° winners
Beat 360 06/26/08
David M. Reisner
360° Digital Producer
Bear with me here ok?! It’s time for ‘Beat 360°!’
Everyday we post a picture – and you provide the caption. Our staff will get in on the action too.
Tune in every night at 10p ET to see if you are our favorite! Can you Beat 360°?
Here is the ‘Beat 360°’ pic of the day: Children from local schools in the Paddington area of London celebrate Paddington Bear's birthday with the bear himself on yesterday in London, England. Paddington Bear's birthday is celebrated on the 50th anniversary of the first of Michael Bond's Paddington Bear books being published.
Here's one to get you started:
Paddington Bear feels the backlash from today’s court ruling; giving citizens of Washington D.C. “the right to ‘bear’ arms.”
Have fun with it.
Make sure to include your name, city, state (or country) so we can post your comment.
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But wait!... There's more!
When you win ‘Beat 360°’ not only do you get on-air prime-time name recognition (complete with bragging rights over all your friends, family, and jealous competitors), but you get a “I Won the Beat 360° Challenge” T-shirt!
Good luck to all!
UPDATE: Our staff winner is David with, "In DC today, Ms. Smith’s 2nd grade class misunderstands today’s court ruling; Taking “The right to ‘bear’ arms” a bit too literally". For the viewers, Erin wins with, "Paddington Bear exercises his right to bear hugs and not arms."
Congratulations!
Beat 360° 06/25/08
David M. Reisner
360° Digital Producer
It’s time for ‘Beat 360°!’
Everyday we post a picture – and you provide the caption. Our staff will get in on the action too.
Tune in every night at 10p ET to see if you are our favorite! Can you Beat 360°?
Here is the ‘Beat 360°’ pic of the day: U.S. Speaker of the House Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Hillary Clinton leave after they spoke to the media yesterday on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Clinton joined the House Democratic leaders to speak to the media after she spoke to a closed House Democratic Caucus meeting.
Have fun with it.
Make sure to include your name, city, state (or country) so we can post your comment.
________________________________________________
But wait!... There's more!
When you win ‘Beat 360°’ not only do you get on-air prime-time name recognition (complete with bragging rights over all your friends, family, and jealous competitors), but you get a “I Won the Beat 360° Challenge” T-shirt!
Good luck to all!
UPDATE:Check out our Beat 360° winners
TV Talk: "Get ready for a hotroll!"
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David M. Reisner
AC360° Digital Producer
Hey gang,
In the spirit of giving you more behind the scenes action, I wanted to share with you things that we say around the newsroom... Language we use, for things you watch.
So from time to time we'll bring you a new phrase in our TV vocabulary:
Here is today’s "TV Talk:"
So last I left you, we realized we were 'crashing a package...'
So what happens if we don’t have enough time to finish?
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"Get ready for a hotroll!"
Playing a piece of edited material directly from the editing station
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When there is no time to save the material you are editing as one item, it's time for plan B: To literally 'roll' the story 'hot'... in-real time. Not from tape, not from a computer file, but directly from the editing station where you are working.
In TV, this is a phrase you never want to use, and the phone call you never want to make.
The producer calls the control room to let them know the package is going to 'hotroll.'
The director can normally see all completed pieces of video on a screen in the control room, but not if the piece is incomplete – like our hotroll... the director now needs another way to see the story. The control room routes the signal from the edit bay. Now the director can see the piece, to make sure the colors look OK, the sound is good, etc...
At this point the director tells the edit bay when the hotroll will happen, to manually queue the editor to press 'play.'
This is always an awkward and difficult dance.
Think about it from the director's view: The director must take into account the anchor's introduction before the story, the satellite delay, and a whole series of other problems... before calling out 'play.'
Think about it from the editor's view: Imagine you are watching a CNN.com/video clip on your computer... and you were on the phone with the director, who is going to tell you the exact moment to hit play.
- Hit play too early and the world misses your story's introduction...
- Hit play too late and every viewer will see a frozen shot to start.
Even if you hit play at the precise moment needed, you aren't out of the woods yet:
If the computer playing the piece fails... or someone hits pause by accident... or if a piece of video is missing... it will show up on-air... and the control room must be ready at any moment to 'dump out' of the hotroll.
If you are lucky, the piece plays exactly when it needs to, and plays with no audio or visual problems...
The viewer at home won't even know there was a hotroll, and you can wipe the sweat off your brow, and vow never to go through that again.
