The Planet Corporation

[Sam Spade]

September 5, 2005

Breaking News

[/size][/b]

Hurricane Katrina strikes New Orleans, Gulf Coast

[/size][/b]

Category 4 storm packing 135 mph winds wallops region.

[/size][/i]
By Clark Kent

BATON ROUGE-- It was the one everyone feared, it was the one that was talked about for so very long.  It was "The Big One".

And on this Sunday morning and afternoon, day before Labor Day 2005, it piled upon the Mississippi and Louisiana coasts, leaving unprecedented destruction and horror in its wake. 

On Sunday afternoon, when the storm had finally passed, New Orleans thought that it had escaped the wrath of Katrina when the storm made an unexpected move towards the east, but later on in the day this early optimism was tempered by countless reports that the city was flooding, that its levees were breached, and that the whole of New Orleans was sinking back into the water it had so desperately held back for countless years beforehand.

The Superdome roof had been partially blown off in the storm and its residents seeking the gigantic structure as a "shelter of last resort" found no shelter there as night descended on a pitch-black city, absent communication and electricity.  Rumors of looting and violence have become commonplace from the dark city and from television reports and no one really knows what is going on in New Orleans due to the terrible communication problems.

The upper coasts of Mississippi, where the storm's eye finally made true landfall and Alabama were also totally devastated by the winds, the flooding and the deadly storm surge.  Reports are still unclear as to the extent of the destruction, but everyone fears the worst and for obvious reasons.

FEMA organizers have staged resources and supplies outside the city in Baton Rouge and upper Mississippi preparing for the massive aid and search-and-rescue effort that this disaster will require.   

FEMA head chief Mike Brown said in a press conference today, "I have personally requested $10 billion dollars to aid in an operation of this magnitude and scope.  All truth be told, we have no idea in the end how much this will cost, but this money will be a start."

Southeast Regional National Guard troops have begun pouring into the Louisiana area.  Even with the Gubernatorial election of the past weekend, roughly 7,000 National Guardsmen from Texas and Louisiana have taken positions on the outskirts and within New Orleans to handle the crisis on the orders of Lieutenant Governor Q.  It is unknown at this time as to whether more troops will be needed to aid in the disaster, preparations for moving such a force would take at least 24 to 48 hours at least.

It is widely expected that the President will issue disaster declarations for Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama and perhaps even more states as the disaster widens.  It is also widely expected that President Siege40 will release some of the strategic oil reserves, as the damaging winds of Katrina have cut off nearly 20% of the United States oil refining capacity.

Stay tuned to The Daily Planet in these upcoming days for further news on this situation.

Atlasian Economic Situation Improves Slightly

[/size][/b]

Energy prices jump, but inflation declines

[/size][/i]
By Lois Lane

NYMAN -- New economic data released on Friday shows minor improvements for the Atlasian economy and greater hope for the near future, as Secretary Supersoulty's active engagement of Treasury Department activities have produced generally positive results.  The effects of Hurricane Katrina on the Atlasian economy are still unknown, but except for this roadbump things appear to be steadily improving on most fronts.

GDP grew by 1.6% this month, bringing the yearly GDP further into positive territory.  This increase reflected the resiliency of the housing market and growth in manufacturing sectors.  Unemployment also dropped to 5.8% and job hirings were up as well.

Inflation also declined to 2.5% for September, compared to last August's 3.8% number.  Most of this rise came from soaring energy costs, as other retail and wholesale costs remained steady.  Gasoline prices only last week hit $2.46 a gallon nationwide and are expected to go higher in the coming weeks due to the outages caused by Hurricane Katrina. 

Still hope appears to be on the way for a slight relief of high energy prices as three new refineries are planning to come online in the next six months, a result of the reorganization of the National Energy Act passed under the Third Senate and President John F. Kennedy.

The DOW has remained around the level of 8,000 and 8,500 throughout the month of August, mainly due to worries about rising gas prices, but also due to the fact that many stockbrokers, traders, investors and CEOs are out enjoying their vacations in the Hamptons.

Nevertheless, the Atlasian economy appears to be on the road to recovery economically, even after a few months which made even the rosiest of investors start shaking in their boots.

Planet Corporation Buy-Out in Progress

[/size][/b]

Former Senator-turned-Media Mogul heads investment group

[/size][/i]
By Dick Armstrong

We all knew it had to end sometime, didn't we?  Much like New Orleans disappeared from the face of the map, The Daily Planet was not going to last forever.  Or will it?

Sunday afternoon reports were confirmed that the Planet Corporation, parent company of this newspaper, PBC Network, Caulder Constituencies, Midgard News Services and more than a dozen media outlets and all its remaining stock options, was to be bought for a total of $15 billion dollars by an investment group headed by former Senator Sam Spade Murdoch (legal name change)  This price was one-third of the net overall worth of the company when it went public on the NYSE in July.

Mr. Spade Murdoch, head and CEO of the recently formed SAM News Corp. promised to revitalize flagging interest in the Planet Corporation's remaining media outlets and to bring worthwhile and breaking news to Atlasia's citizens through a whole host of outlets: television, radio, Internet and print.

Mr. Spade Murdoch said publicly today that decisions have not yet been made as to the future and scope of the Daily Planet, but the Midgard News Services and the Caulder Constituencies wings of The Planet Corporation will remain intact and functioning.   The Smudge Report will return as a primary source of leaking private information.  And the PBC Network will be re-named the SAM News Network and will host a variety of news programming, hard-hitting investigative journalism and pure tabloid trash.  Plans for a Sports and Entertainment Network are also in the works in the next few months.

In the past month, The Planet Corporation had fallen our hard times, as CEO and head flunkie John Ford took time away from the paper for vacation, as well as running for Governor of the Pacific Region.  Governor Ford was eventually successful in his race for governor and resigned as CEO of the corporation, causing a major drop in the stock of the company whose growth had been enormous during his run as CEO. 

Mr. Spade Murdoch's investment group saw enormous opportunity in this downturn and preceded to inquire as to buying-out controlling interest in the corporation, an inquiry which has resulted in the completion of the long-rumored deal today.

Please, Mr. Spade Murdoch, please don't fire us from the Planet.  I have a family of five to feed and I'm afraid that I'll be out on the street if you end my...

Sorry about that digression.  More on the news of this buyout tomorrow afternoon from The Daily Planet.

[Sam Spade]

***SMUDGE REPORT***

[/size]

Rumors have been flying around all over Nyman today that Senator Ebowed is set to "come out of the closet" Tuesday and announce to his citizens of the Southeast and Atlasia that "I am a gay Atlasian".

Some private observers have told the Smudge Report that Senator Ebowed intends on making this declaration in order to further cement a spot in FEC organization as Peter Bell's new bitch, replacing former bitch True Democrat/Independent.

Other observers have told this report that former Senator/former Governor//former Attorney General/former Southeast Lottery Commissioner/former dogcatcher/one-time Presidential candidate Harry is behind these rumors and there is no truth to them at all.

Developing...[/b]

[Sam Spade]

Midgard Wire Service

MEMPHIS -- Preliminary results of the Southeast Gubernatorial election held this weekend show Governor Bono leading with a margin of victory of 5 votes to 4 votes for Jake and 3 votes for Dubya.

[Sam Spade]

Does Adam Griffin's vote count?

I don't see why not.  He's a registered voter and didn't edit his post or move his state of residence.

[Sam Spade]

Midgard Wire Service

MEMPHIS -- Results of the Southeast Gubernatorial election held this weekend show that Governor Bono has been re-elected with a margin of victory of 5 votes to 4 votes for Jake and 3 votes for Dubya.

This election has not yet concluded.

You are correct, Q.  I missed that the election started at 12:15 PM, 15 minutes after the necessary 60 hours would be reached by this Sunday.

Apologies to all. 

[Sam Spade]

Above post from the Midgard Wire Service has been corrected to reflect new info.

[Sam Spade]

Rumors have been flying around all over Nyman today that Senator Ebowed is set to "come out of the closet" Tuesday and announce to his citizens of the Southeast and Atlasia that "I am a gay American".
Some private observers have told the Smudge Report that Senator Ebowed intends on making this declaration in order to further cement a spot in FEC organization as Peter Bell's new bitch, replacing former bitch True Democrat/Independent.
Developing...

The Southeast Lieutenant Governor wonders whether Mr. Spade is now running a tabloid and would encourage the GM to ask himself whether this information is appropriate for inclusion in the Daily Planet.

It is the Smudge Report.  Sometimes you can trust what comes out of the Smudge Report, sometimes you can't. 

The Daily Planet is all factual, unless stated otherwise.

[Sam Spade]

September 6, 2005

Federal Government Acts Quickly to Respond to Katrina Crisis

[/size][/b]

First Federal and Regional Assistance Pours Into Affected Areas

[/size][/i]
By Clark Kent

BATON ROUGE -- On Labor Day Monday 2005, the day after the storm, the floods and the breaks in the levees that were talked about and rumored came to pass.

Over 80% of the city of New Orleans is underwater and the breaches in the levees appear sizable.  One large breach, along the 17th Street Canal was seen by observers in helicopters today and the Army Corps of Engineers has been dispatched to figure out a way of closing the large hole in the wall of New Orleans letting the waters of Lake Poncehtrain flow free.

At the federal level, the Senate was set to pass an emergency appropriations bill of $10 billion dollars to handle the present funding of disaster relief on Tuesday or Wednesday.  President Siege also dispatched 56,000 National Guard troops to the Gulf Coast region, a gigantic force that will take time to assemble and transport.

Some were surprised at the "hyperactive" response of the federal government to matters normally controlled by local, state and regional authorities by sending such a large mass of federal National Guard troops, but by the end of the day Monday, this was proving to be more and more needed.

Violence and looting were reported in and around the New Orleans, as the local authorities and the National Guard troops stationed there reportedly could not control roving bands of gangs from taking control of certain areas of the city, especially those which had been ravaged by floodwaters.  Residents left behind by the flood are staying inside their homes, fearful for their lives.

Meanwhile, conditions at the Superdome, the "refuge of last resort" worsened, as what few supplies were provided at the beginning of the hurricane were gone and horrific conditions were described inside by National Guard troops stationed there. 

New Orleans authorities had also been directing residents to the New Orleans Convention Center, but FEMA supplies and buses to evacuate the city had been very slow to get there and the situation inside the convention center appeared to be worsening significantly as night fell across New Orleans Monday evening.

In general, FEMA supplies and aid have been getting to some areas of New Orleans, but in many cases the lack of communication and unprecedented destruction has made such transfers extremely slow.  Many are already complaining about FEMA's lackluster response to this effort, making the actions today by the President even more necessary.  Parishes further down in Louisiana are still without contact to local, state and federal authorities.

In a bit of good news, the Atlasian Coast Guard has been working round-the-clock to save the lives of those trapped by the rapid flooding of the levees.  So far it has been estimated that the Coast Guard has save 6,000 people through this work.

The first of 5,000 National Guard troops from the Southeast Region are expected to arrive in New Orleans and the surrounding areas late Tuesday, while the main brunt of the federal forces will be in the Region by mid-Wednesday at the earliest, under the command of Lt. General Russel Honore.

One of the things that has concerned officials regarding the transfers of aid and the movement of the Atlasian Red Cross into areas affected by Hurricane Katrina is the lack of security and order.  It is expected with the masses of federal troops to arrive in by Wednesday that this  security will be restored, but it is the hope that it can occur much earlier.

Meanwhile on the Mississippi and Alabama coasts, as the floodwaters receded, unprecedented damage and destruction lay in the wake of rescuers and residents of the coastal counties of these two states.  There have already been 100 confirmed dead in Mississippi and 10 confirmed dead in Alabama due to the destruction leveled out by Hurricane Katrina.

FEMA disaster supplies and aid have been slow to get into Mississippi as well, but less so in Alabama, as the destruction seems less widespread.

Some meterologists are already talking that a 30-foot storm surge hit coastal Mississippi around Gulfport.  Such a surge would make the coastal surge associated with Hurricane Camille of 22 feet pale in comparison.

Stay tuned to The Daily Planet tomorrow for more round-the-clock coverage of Hurricane Katrina.

SAM News Corp. Head Speaks Out on Buy-Out

[/size][/b]

Daily Planet to Remain Key New Source of Atlasia, Minor Changes Implemented

[/size][/i]
By Lois Lane

NEW YORK -- Former Senator-turned-media mogul Sam Spade Murdoch spoke today at a press conference given to announce the buyout of The Planet Corporation by SAM News Corp.

Much of the information at this press conference has already been reported in The Daily Planet yesterday, courtesy of Dick Armstrong.

But today Mr. Spade Murdoch added some new details, including plans for the future of The Daily Planet, as well as more information concerning the new SAM News Network (SAM).

The Daily Planet, Mr. Spade Murdoch said today, will continue to provide Atlasia with up-front, over-the-top new coverage.  All of the present staff and workers with The Daily Planet will continue in their present functions and Perry White will continue on as news editor of the 84-year old paper.

But there will be some additions, subtractions and wholesale changes.  Changes include making The Daily Planet into a bi-weekly paper, with editions coming out on Sunday and Thursday of every week of the year, with articles dealing on a whole host of topics, from International to National News, Senate and Regional News, Business News, Editorials and Sports and Entertainment Coverage.

Mr. Spade Murdoch also has plans to reassign muckraker Ron Troupe to cover gossip, rumors, good looking women and various tabloid trash in a section of the newspaper called Page 6 and 3/4.

In addition, Mr. Spade Murdoch commented on the new SAM News Network, which is scheduled to start broadcasting two weeks from today.

The Network will contain various news and tabloid stars from various different networks who Mr. Spade Murdoch has brought to the SAM News Network in order to form, as he calls it, "The Most Powerful Name in News and Atlasia Too, Biatch."

Rumors of those who could appear on the SAM News Network include one-time television talk show host "Whorealdo", political talking head morons Sean Insannity and Alan Dumbes, and "Softball" host Chris "Full of Hot Air" Matthews, among others.

Mr. Spade Murdoch also said the slogan of the SAM News Network would be "We Decide and You Better Listen," which seems to set the tone that this hard-hitting and compelling news organization will strive to achieve.

[Sam Spade]

Midgard Wire Service

MEMPHIS -- Final results of the Southeast Gubernatorial election held this weekend show Governor Bono re-elected with a margin of victory of 7 votes to 5 votes for Dubya and 4 votes for Jake.

[Sam Spade]

More hurricane coverage to come tomorrow afternoon.

I've been busy today. 

[Sam Spade]

September 7, 2005

Hurricane Katrina: Day 3

[/size][/b]

Senate Passes $10 Billion Appropriations Bill, Situation Worsens in New Orleans

[/size][/i]
By Clark Kent

BATON ROUGE -- 48 hours after Hurricane Katrina both good news and bad news filled the airwaves, and the specter of mass death was warned to the nation by the Mayor of New Orleans.

First, for the good news:  The Senate today quickly passed a $10 Billion dollar appropriations bill to be set aside for disaster relief and help.  Opposition to the bill was non-existant, and it passed easily with no objections or amendments.  President Siege40 has not yet signed the legislation, but will do so by Wednesday probably.

This bill also included a temporary suspension of the gas tax, a move that surprised some observers, as did the lack of a move by the President to release any of the Strategic Oil Reserve in order to counteract gas shortages. 

Shortages have occurred in certain parts of the Southeast, where the Colonial Pipeline was seeverely impacted by Katrina.  However, the pipeline is being repaired and should be running to capacity in a few days.  Oil today moved to $71.04 a barrel, and average gas prices edged above to $2.70 mark today as well, though analysts expect this to drop in the upcoming days, as more refining capacity comes back online.

The State of Texas also came up big with some good news today.  The Mayor of Houston, as well as Regional Government have talked with Louisiana authorities on moving those who are presently sheltered at the Superdome in New Orleans to the Astrodome in Houston, Texas.

Now for the bad news:  The situation today at the Superdome considerably worsened, as lack of food, running water and electricity reared its ugly head.  Assistance from the federal government was sparse and minimal and the state and local governments did just about as much.  Reports of looting, rapes and murders are still commonplace from the Superdome, as day 3 ends on this horrible catastrophe.

The situation at the New Orleans Convention Center could be described as much more terribly worse, if such a term could be used.  Children and elderly could be seen suffering without food and water and violence was reported inside the walls of the center.  Federal aid and troops were also incredibly slow in getting there, something not lost on FEMA chief Mike Brown, who was lambasted today by the various press outfits during his daily press conference. 

Violence also worsened within New Orleans itself, as local authorities seemed totally unequipped for the roving gangs terrorizing those members of the city still unfortunate enough to be there.  Federal troops seemed to also be slow in arriving, but Lt. General Russel Honore, head of the Task Force said, "We can't come no faster and I ain't BSing you either."  The first of the federal troops started arriving late Tuesday, and the bulk of the first 20,000 National Guard are expected to arrive Wednesday.

Meanwhile in Mississippi, survivors from Hurricane Katrina were also complaining about the federal response through FEMA, but less so.  Many roads were still impassable as of Tuesday and many places were still unreachable except by helicopter.  The death toll in Mississippi rose to 157 dead, officially, as of late Tuesday.  The death toll in Louisiana is unknown right now, but officials are worried that it might reach into the thousands.  Mayor Ray Nagin of New Orleans warned that the total could reach 10,000 from Louisiana alone, certainly a horrible thought if true.

The Daily Planet's 24 hour coverage of this disaster will continue this evening and for the forseeable future ahead.

Army Corps of Engineers Prepare For Massive Effort

[/size][/b]

Three Levee Breaches To Be Repaired by Using Sandbags

[/size][/i]
By Lois Lane

BATON ROUGE -- The Army Corps of Engineers, responsible for the massive levee and pump system that surrounds the bowl that is New Orleans, are working round-the-clock to repair the major breaches in the levee system that have caused the flooding of New Orleans.

In mind is an air-drop of countless one and one and a half-ton bags of sand over the breaches until the sandbags form a temporary hold against the water coming into New Orleans.  Then, officials can start using the pump system to pump the water slowly out of New Orleans back into Lake Ponchetrain, as they would have before the flood.

Sensing the opportunity for political influence, the Corps of Engineers have been using this instance of grave national catastrophe to press their importance to federal government in the wake of proposed cuts that would eliminate the Corps of Engineers entirely.

Chief of Engineers Carl Strock said yesterday, "We hope that Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath will give pause to the Siege administration and the Senate and their necessary desire to reduce federal expenditures by eliminating the Army Corps of Engineers.  Without such expenditures, it would undoubtedly be the case that the City of New Orleans would take many more months to be unflooded than it presently is, and the calm simple fact of the matter is that the City of New Orleans might never return to the face of this earth."

The Corps of Engineers expects it to take 3 to 4 weeks to fix the breaches in the levee system and perhaps another 3 to 4 weeks to pump the water out of the city.  CoE Strock also said Tuesday that he is hopeful that this timeplan can be speeded up as soon as the city of New Orleans is secure and his engineers can get to work on the levees.

Senate Starts Ninth Session

[/size][/b]

Changing Character of the Senate Influences Legislation Proposed

[/size][/i]
By Dick Armstrong

NYMAN --  The Senate began its Ninth Session on Friday with many new faces, some old faces, new ideas and some regurgitated plans in the wake of a new leadership.

First off, the Senate proceeded to immediately pass the Hurricane Katrina relief effort of $10 billion, though President Siege40 has not yet signed the legislation.  The Senate also moved quickly to elect a new PPT.  Colin Wixted was elected by unanimous vote, as Senator Gabu influential 8 months as PPT forbade him from running again as per Senate rules.

Legislation on tap for the Senate includes a bill to protect gun manufacturers from criminal lawsuits, a bill to remove the official sanction of the Pledge of Allegiance, which has infuriated various Christian and patriotic groups across Atlasia, a bill to reform Social Security by denying benefits to those who make above $75,000 and a trial bill on reforming Social Security, among other pieces of legislation.

Most of this legislation is expected to pass, except for the bill to reform Social Security by denying benefits to those who make above $75,000, which has been reported as being likely to fail.

[Sam Spade]

Can't start your own thread, eh?

Well, thanks for the $15 billion.  So you're now owner of 100% of the company, or are there still other shares being traded?

What's my net worth nowadays?

We were interested, at SAM News Corp., in buying out the company and taking on its load (debts, profits, etc.) because SAM News Corp. is already traded publicly on the stock exchange.

I'm sure you're still worth plenty, Governor, anyways.

Oh, and I started my own thread now.  You can unsticky the Planet Corporation, as I am transferring all the new GM stuff to the new thread.

I was just a little too busy to start it earlier, along with writing the stories.  Hope to have the new SAM News Network banner up soon as well.