Hurricane Irene and not being in NYC

Hurricane Irene, tropical storm approaching Miami

 You may remember last year in the very hot, humid summer in New York, Manhattan, I was diagnosed with Bronchitis, but with all the blood I coughed up my UK Doc told me it was more likely Pneumonia, and as an asthmatic that can happen too easily when it's all too humid mixed with pollution: just as the movie 'In America' shows,
when Samantha Morton is finding it hard to breathe- also an asthmatic- and her endearing husband, drags home an air conditioning window unit, hook or by crook through the streets of NY.




This year it worked out well then, that this summer we have travelled a lot, with our new base in Miami, Arizona and also to Northern California.

Its hard to see but it's pouring of rain and windy, but very warm

Thanks to serendipity, Hurricane Irene just gave us in Miami a bit of a whipping on the Thursday before it hit NYC, as my pictures show, by way of a tropical storm
But New York got hit by a category one, which was so much stronger, fellow blogger based in NY state, Clintondale, who lost power until today has posted this on You Tube as the streets were ripped apart by Hurricane Irene.

Thank heaven this hurricane has passed now, and hurricane season is almost over! Though it's pretty scarey with the anticipation, even when it's not as strong as they thought it would be.

UK News coverage on US TV

As a journalist, and one born and bred in London, I try to follow the News in the UK as much as I can.
The Murdoch/Brooks/ News International and NotW scandal  and the London riots have shocked me as much as anyone - I've endeavored to follow as much as I can.

Some channels seem to like personalities to read the news it seems rather than broadcast readers who simply give you the news straight, they are often glamorous, have tonnes of make up, in brightly coloured studios and frequently have chats and air their personal views on a story... I know it sounds a bit like ITV1. The only exception I've found being New York 1 - which is the news channel specifically addressing news covering only NY, Manhattan including the state of NY, professional and very focused on the stories they need to report, with no frills.

 Still both these particular stories hasn't held much air time it seems so far, so aside from what I can get from BBC live feeds and online papers, I've tried many different news stations/channels.

Don Lemon on CNN interviewed an ex editor of NotW, the ex editor was saying that phone hacking was apparently common practice, he was not specifically referring to any particular paper, but Don Lemon was quick to say  words to the effect of 'oh no, that doesn't happen here at all, that's not how we do journalism in the US' then cut him off.  Now, of course, the potential phone victims of 9/11 being hacked are suddenly making bigger news here.
Some US stations have made the point that if UK Law 'has it's way' that James Murdoch 'may not inherit his legacy',  also giving Wendy Murdoch lots of credit to 'fending off'  Jonathan May-Bowles shaving foam pie, making her a celebrity and giving her lots of kudos. Piers Morgan is a CNN presenter, and although locals I've spoken to don't understand why he won such a coveted spot, CNN is backing Morgan despite the involvement he is accused of having in the hack-gate affair.
Wired, US have even been talking about starting to cast the 'News corp-Hollywood version'.

So when the London riots began, I discovered it Sunday in a 30 second blurb on the news on CNBC, I wasn't taking risks this time and have been following this time watching constantly on BBC online and The Guardian, although my NY buds tell me CNN made it the story of the day yesterday.
I'd be interested in what you think of the news coverage, and what your experience is of the tough times Londoners are facing.
I hope you've all been safe, my heart is with you all, it's actually a very hard time to be away.