Letters to the Magazine

Emmett HoopsSaranac Lake, N.Y.

Editor's Note : While "media" is generally used with a singular verb, the Third Edition of The American Heritage Dictionary states that "media" can be used with a singular or plural verb when defining a group of journalists or others in the communications industry.

Out Ahead of Katrina

While NEWSWEEK continues to cover who knew what and when with regard to Hurricane Katrina, I'm disappointed that in all this ongoing coverage, proper respect isn't paid to those who knew exactly what was coming and when ("Katrina's Latest Damage," March 13). Before Katrina fatigue truly sets in, I hope you pay homage to the men and women of the National Hurricane Center in Miami. With their data, insight and forecasting brilliance, they really nailed the forecast track of Katrina days before the gulf catastrophe. Their excellent guidance helped me (and the rest of the broadcast community) inform our audiences days before landfall of what exactly was going to happen. I'm in shock that other layers of the government didn't know what was about to come and am in awe that the National Hurricane Center isn't recognized for its exceptional accuracy and remarkable guidance. While it may be newsworthy that the president was captured on tape getting a hurricane briefing prior to its landfall, isn't it more newsworthy that anyone watching The Weather Channel on TV or reading weatheronline.com knew exactly what was what more than two full days beforehand?

Michael J. Konowicz Hainesport, N.J.

Your cover this week mentions "Bush's Katrina Woes": Despite Katrina, Bush still has a job, a place to live and a reasonably clear picture of his future. A million Gulf Coast residents have Katrina woes; Bush has poll woes. There's a world of difference.