nola at Brave New Films

Part 2- Big Easy to Big Empty

2009-01-07T20:25:43Z

August 29th 2006 marked the one year anniversary of the devastation in New Orleans caused by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. This Special Greg Palast Report brings you exclusive footage and the stories you won't hear on the other networks — the hidden political agendas and the suppressed eyewitness reports.

Big Easy to Big Empty - The Untold Story of the Drowning of New Orleans
In this half-hour film, Greg Palast and his team travel to New Orleans to investigate what has happened since Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast last year. On his visit, he discovers that the population of New Orleans is miniscule, the reconstruction sparse, suicide rates are climbing, and many have not, nor know how to, return to the city that care forgot. He examines why residents had to leave, what really caused the flood and why they aren't returning.

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Big Easy to Big Empty

2009-01-07T20:25:43Z

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John McCain: Town Hall Meeting 07/09/08

2008-10-27T21:29:47Z

John McCain
Town Hall Meeting
Portsmouth, OH 07/09/08

TRANSCRIPT:
QUESTIONER: "I've been a teacher for about 31 years. What is your feeling about No Child Left Behind?"

JOHN MCCAIN: "Thank you. By the way, did I mention that Cindy was a teacher of special education before I took her out of that honest line of work?

MCCAIN: "[...] I think No Child Left Behind needs to be fixed. However, I think it was a right beginning. I think we need to be able to judge [...] students' performance all over America. [...] But now [...] we need to go back and sit down together again Republican and Democrat and fix what needs to be fixed.

MCCAIN: "And [...] some of what needs to be fixed is more full funding for some of the programs that were never adequately funded, as you know. Including special education. Including this terrible problem that you're very aware of in this rise in autism amongst children in America. It's a terrible thing that's happening. And it's going to require additional educational capabilities.

MCCAIN: "So I want to fix it but I also have to give you a little more straight talk. I'm for choice and competition. Now Cindy and I had the money to send—the ability to send our kids to Catholic school. I want every American to be able to send their child to the school of their choice.

MCCAIN: "[...] Charter schools work. Charter schools are good competition. Some of them don't work. Some of them don't work, so they should fail. But if you look at New York City today and if you look at New Orleans [...] New York City's education has improved rather dramatically. And also, New Orleans because they had to start from Square One because of the tragedy of Katrina; they know have 30 charter schools there. And the quality of education is improving.

MCCAIN: "Learn the lessons of No Child Left Behind. Fix the problem. Reward good teachers. Find bad teachers another line of work. Fix education, which is the future of America."

LABEL: JM OH 7-9 (SD#25) GHBST-ClipE

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John Edwards' Speech In New Orleans

2009-01-07T20:48:14Z

He exited the race as gracefully as he entered it. And we're all better off for his forcing the discussion of endemic poverty in the United States back into our newsrooms for the first time in a generation.

I hope former Sen. Edwards stays active in progressive politics. We'll all benefit from it.

Liveblogging/transcript here.

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Brad Pitt: Make It Right (Better Days)

2008-10-17T21:31:15Z

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New Orleans Perfect Gentlemen Secondline 1.6.07

2008-10-18T03:30:53Z

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The American Society Of Civil Engineers Tries To Censor Levees.org Re Hurricane Katrina

2008-10-22T09:29:36Z

What's new in the age of Bush? Was The Army Corps of Engineers responsible for the failure of the levees in NOLA during Katrina?

That is what a functioning democracy would want to know. This government, however, has no interest in the truth. The truth is their enemy.

So when a local advocacy group spoofed what appeared to be a whitewashing of an investigation of their record in the years leading up to that day, the American Society of Civil Engineers, who conducted the investigation, did what this crowd does best. They called for the YouTubed spoof (made by a 17 year old, now that's citizen journalism at its best!) to be banned.

The video is attached. Watch it and see what is obviously too dangerous for most of our minds to handle.

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John Edwards - Building in New Orleans

2008-10-22T15:30:19Z

John Edwards and the winners of our "Build with John" contest went to New Orleans to help rebuild an area devastated by Hurricane Katrina. November 3, 2007

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Riz Khan- Katrina NOLA Recovery- 29 August 07

2008-10-25T03:30:04Z

We talk with Malik Rahim, who is focused on rebuilding communities impacted by Katrina.

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KABC7 on When The Saints Go Marching In

2008-03-22T21:54:31Z

On the eve of the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina KABC7 Los Angeles covers the Los Angeles premiere of Brave New Foundation's video "When The Saints Go Marching In." Whatch the newscast and then find out how you can help at WhenTheSaints.org

John Edwards - New Orleans Town Hall

2008-10-14T11:27:40Z

John and Elizabeth Edwards arrive for a town hall meeting in New Orleans. The forum was broadcast on ABC's Good Morning America on July 16, 2007.

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New Orleans 20 Months After Katrina

2008-10-16T21:31:01Z

A short compilation of video footage I took when visiting New Orleans earlier this month. While some parts of the city have made significant progress, the poorer and lower situated areas like the Lower 9th Ward remain devastated. And the worst part wasn't even seeing the destruction up close but rather witnessing the lack of activity, building, people and hope. All were conspicuously absent. Hence the final clip taken from the Convention Center just after Katrina of the stranded masses chanting for help. While 20 months have passed since those desperate cries nothing, it seems, has changed.

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