Monday
Aug272012
Mississippi's Gulf Coast | Katrina +7
Monday, August 27, 2012 at 8:30AM Produced by Jim Albritton | As Hurricane Issac heads toward the northern Gulf Coast, here's a look back at the devastation Hurricane Katrina's 32-foot storm surge wreaked on Mississippi's coastline (AKA the landmass between New Orleans and Mobile on The Weather Channel) in 2005.
Reader Comments (11)
Jim,
From the sounds of it, you are not from these parts. So, to help you out and maybe make your job a little easier, a little more believable, that "Landmass between Mobile and New Orleans" is MISSISSIPPI. It is an honest to goodness STATE of these United States of AMERICA. Mississippi was organized as a territory in 1798 and was admitted as the 20th state to join the Union on December 10, 1817. Jackson is the capital city and the largest metropolitan area.
We have a population of over 2,976,297 people with 46,923.27 square miles of "landmass". We have a Govenor, US Representatives, and we
actually VOTE here in MISSISSIPPI. We have more churches than probably any where else in the world.....that is why we are called The Bible Belt.
Have you ever heard of ELVIS PRESLEY??? Look him up, read about him. He was BORN here Jan. 8th, 1935. Also born in MISSISSIPPI was Jimmy Buffet, Medger Evers, Brett Favre, B.B. King, Oprah Winfrey, Archie Manning. Surely, you may have heard of some of these people.
Your article title Is in very poor taste. The Gulf Coast doesn't start with Mobile and then just jump over to New Orleans. There is a real STATE in between
the two and it actually has a name....M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I. And for a little more information, Katrina, that big rain shower 'bout 8 years back??? Well, MISSISSIPPI and her residents took a pretty hard hit. People lost their homes, some actually lost their lives. I happen to know this because I am an Emergency 911 Dispatch Supervisor and I actually had to work day and night during the days and weeks after Katrina. HOW the whole world missed this remarkable information is probably due to reporters such as yourself not actually investigating the news before you print it, or maybe y'all just like to deliberately omit news such as the devastation of Katrina in the State of MISSISSIPPI.
So, if you need anymore help with your reporting or with our History, feel free to contact me or any one of the TWO MILLION plus human beings that inhabit this Landmass. PS Do you have any openings for a reporter that can actually report the facts and what does it pay? Or just tell me what you make, then I'd have a good idea that a really good reporter would make more.
Just a little Mississippi hospitality coming your way,
Shannon McAlpin Alday
His "title" is in response to the weather channel referring to Mississippi as a landmass. He is not trying to disrespect MS. He is trying to backfire at TWC who belittled our state to a landmass. Good gracious.
Thank you for sharing this! Very nice job Jim!
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Shannon McAlpin Alday? Really?
You are SO off the mark.
Actually, the "landmass between NOLA and Mobile" only covers about half of our lovely state as well as parts of Alabama and Louisiana. I wonder how cities like Vicksburg, McComb, and Natchez feel about suddenly being left out of our state now that it has been defined as just being between NOLA and Mobile. Maybe I should make a notation on my map.
Nice job, Jim.
Also, nice comments Shannon Alday. Unfortunately you are directing them at the wrong reporter. Jim's video is showing TWC that Mississippi is more than a "land mass between NOLA and Mobile". His video is there to prove to them who we are and what we went through.
I think you made a mistake and maybe an apology to Jim would be nice.
Thank you for your efforts, Jim!
Mississippi Math and Geography Test:
If Billy Bob starts at the city limits of Mobile Alabama and drives to the city of New Orleans Louisiana, name the states he will drive in.
A. Mississippi
B. Alabama
C. Louisiana
D. All of the above.
Good Job, D is the correct answer.
How many states does that make (you can use your fingers and toes if need be)
Good Job, 3 is the correct answer.
They can’t describe it as Mississippi because that leaves out part of it and they can’t name all 3 states because that covers Texas to Pensacola.
Now wright this sentence on the board and stare at it until you think you have the correct answer!
Why are you so paranoid and insecure about the national perception of Mississippi?
Rachael, you are right, I did make a mistake, and as soon as I realized it, I reposted my original post (minus Jim's name) on The Weather Channel. And I do owe Jim an apology. I, also, appreciate your kind post. Thank you.
Woodward Slanger, what is wright? Do you mean write? I could be confused because I'm from Mississippi, and we don't know how to read or write. At least, that is the perception I run into all the time when I travel outside the South. Also, I find myself having to explained that, yes, Katrina was quite devastating to outside of New Orleans including Mississippi. You see, this whole landmass issue may seem silly to you, but to us it's an issue we deal with all the time. At one time, Isaac was predicted to hit Biloxi directly, but if watched the Weather Channel at that time, Mississippi was barley mentioned instead coverage skipped from Florida to New Orleans. So yeah, "landmass" does technical included more than just Mississippi but not much.
Normally we just shake these things off, but with it being close to the anniversary, it touched a nerve.
Since CITIES in Alabama and Louisiana were important enough to be mentioned by name, those states would not be part of the Land Mass, do you think, Woodward. "Why are you so paranoid and insecure about the national perception of Mississippi?" Take note of your point and your superior attitude in making it: (You can use your fingers and toes if need be) Do you think you're the only one who thinks we're all too dumb to count? (Pun intended) Does that answer your question?
Thank you for such a BEAUTIFUL video...great work! And a huge THANK YOU for showing the coast as it is now!
The first images you pictured are forever burned into my memory. I will never forget my frantic search for my sister and family who live in Waveland. The local newspaper had a list posted on its website of coast residents with a status checked as either alive, deceased, or unknown. For two long and agonizing days after Katrina, my sister's status said unknown. I kept going back to that website hoping to see a change in her status. She was unable to call out because all cell towers were of course destroyed. She was finally able to find a sweet spot in one remaining piece of Bay Bridge where a line of people were using that spot to call loved ones to let them know, "We survived!". I was at her door ... or what remained of it ... within five hours to wrap my arms around her for a memorable hug. She and her children stayed with me in the Brandon area for six weeks while they waited for their Katrina trailer. Her husband, a gifted carpenter, stayed behind to rebuild their home with the help of a multitude of volunteers.
As we left the Gulf Coast area, I smelled and viewed the worst devastation I had EVER witnessed.
And when I arrived at my home, I immediately changed the status on that website for Dana Polk Finch from "unknown" to "alive". And, of course my heart was singing with praise to God for His protection of my sister and her family.
Great job...watching the video bittersweet. Our beautiful Gulf Coast has survived the tragedy and will continue rebuilding, no matter how long it takes.