Comments on: 10 Years Gone

By: Gary

Gary — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 19:41:47 +0000

Thanks for sharing that. I get so frustrated at newsmakers and newscasters sometimes that I feel like there are no people with any conscience left. It’s nice to hear a story where it was not only there, but took precedence over the Almighty Ratings Point.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:34:27 +0000

I have a feeling, that even if your producer was screaming at you to get the shot, you would still do what you did. Your strength and your convictions are truly admirable.

I am glad, though, that you weren’t forced to make that decision. Pat on the back for the station, BIG hug for you.

By: Adam Daniel Mezei

Adam Daniel Mezei — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 21:08:21 +0000

Hi Ike, thank you for your usual slew of word-woven eloquence. I’m always humbled when I read this stuff — maybe one day I’ll be able to write this way.

Well, call it a crazy theory of mine but this story is strangely reminiscent of our 2002 floods that plagued our tiny Czech Republic — especially here in Prague — when the Vltava River inundated and violently spilled over its banks.

It has often been said — recalled fondly over many a quaff of beer here in the capital — that the nation’s normally mutually-loathing denizens showed the *finest* of themselves and their characters during that brief, but impactful, tragedy.

When catastrophes like this occur in smaller societies, especially in the newly-formed democracies of the “Wild East,” there is a different sort of vibe going on. Allow me to explain…

I’m suspecting that US-based ambulance-chasing news crews aren’t as sensitive to an event happens more frequently in the United States (egs. floods, tornados, hurricanes) — whereas compared to a statelet of only 10 million as we are here in the Czech lands, floods and natural disasters are very rare indeed and when they do, in fact, happen nearly everyone pitches in. Even the Czech news crews — normally as opportunistic as their US cousins — are totally shocked to their cores.

Like I said, just a theory…but there might be something there…

By: Jenna

Jenna — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:43:27 +0000

Great post! That was such an interesting story! Thanks for sharing : ]

By: Rob La Gesse

Rob La Gesse — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 14:52:21 +0000

Ike – what a very cool story. In 2004, when one of the four hurricanes that hit us in a 6 week period was just about to strike, a house down the road caught on fire – the news crew valiantly filmed the entire thing – never once even trying to save the three people that died inside. That was in Florida.

Here in San Antonio we have annual flooding that causes roads to be covered in several feet of water – and every year news crews stand by and film car after car driving into the flood – never stopping them. I guess the video is more important.

I’m glad you worked for a better class of humans.

By: motownmutt

motownmutt — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 14:40:27 +0000

Incredible story. Thanks for sharing it!