PICTURE OF THE WEEK

Photograph from the Associated Press - Tue Jan 24, 2006, 806 PM ET

In the picture above, Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco shows the state’s evacuation guide to reporters on January 24, 2006. Blanco used the publication to prove that the state was prepared for a catastrophic storm. “These brochures fold out to reveal a lovely state map—the perfect instrument to guide an evacuation. Though few residents actually have possession of one of these plans, they are perfect for lamination and ready to be posted in a person’s cabana or recreation room.” The governor had trouble unfolding the brochure, eventually giving up. “Isn’t this just a beautiful graphic on the front cover?” she asked reporters as she fumbled with the document. When asked about the plan for evacuating people without transportation, she replied that, when unfolded, the information sheet can be patterned into a large paper airplane; one which her advisors guaranteed could be used as a vehicle of escape. Blanco went on to identify the ink used in publication as a soy derivative, able to provide nutritive benefits, once chewed. “This is actually a comprehensive survival tool, able to meet the needs of any person stranded in a dire situation.”