80 Degrees/40 mph wind/and some thoughts on Katrina

Two days after Christmas, and the temperature yesterday was in the lower 80's. What can you say? Texas weather. Today is supposed to be just as warm, but with about a 40 mph wind. At least I was able to turn the heaters off.

After perusing the fave blogs this morning, and glancing at the Drudge Report and FNC online, I have decided to continue my news fast for another day. With the exception of the story commented on at Blackfive , relating to the Sun Herald's story about the plight of Mississippians in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

As we know, the southern Gulf Coast was hit with a tsunami-like wave, larger than that which nailed SriLanka. There was nothing anyone could have done to prevent either the wave or the damage resulting therefrom. Compare to New Orleans, which, as this story points out, has been designated by the major media as the poster-child for Katrina's wrath.

Now, as you may remember, the morning after Katrina struck New Orleans, every single MSM reporter in New Orleans, was rattling on and on about how "The Big Easy" had dodged another bullet. The rest of the Gulf coast (including coastal Lousiana) was devastated, but, hey! No problem. New Orleans was safe. Until the levees began to leak. Then, suddenly, there were lough cries about the failure of FEMA to evacuate New Orleans. Dunderheads who didn't have enough snap to get the hell out of the way of a forecasted Category 5 hurricane in a city below sea level, had to wade out of their neighborhoods. A mayor who had plenty of time to put his famiy on a plane to Dallas, and enjoy a fine dinner in a posh restaurant while awaiting the hurricane, completely blew off the formal evacuation plans (which were even posted on the city's website), and prohibited FEMA and other relief agencies from sending food and water to the people who did actually go to the shelters as indicated by said evacuation plan. A U.S. Senator from Louisiana and the Governor of the same state, have had the audacity to cry and whine and demand more Federal monies for building and/or repairing levees, but have not explained what happened to the billions of dollars poured into that State in the past decades for that express purpose.

My sympathies, such as they are, go to the citizens of New Orleans. I trust you have learned that your local and State government is not only corrupt, but unbelieveably stupid. I hope that you have figured out that a forecasted Cat. 5 means, "Leave now!" I pray that in the next emergency you face, you will try to take care of yourself and not wait for others to risk their lives to rescue you.

On the other hand, are the forgotten people of the rest of the Katrina-ravaged area. You have been great. You have been virtually ignored by the media, and based on the "squeaky-wheel" effect, have likely not gotten as much assistance as you need from federal and other relief agencies. Still, you have "made-do", in the tradition of real Americans, when faced with major challenges. No doubt, you surveyed the damage the morning after the storm, uttered a few choice words, and then went about trying to figure out what to do to return your little piece of this world to it's pre-storm condition. It will take a long time. Your towns and infrastructure weren't developed overnight, nor will they be replaced overnight. May God give you strength, wisdom and discernment, and a more than generous helping of humor, because you are going to need all of those attributes while you re-build your lives. Also, please know, there are many Americans out here, who have sent as much as we could to you, in the form of money, food, clothing, and actual boots on the ground. We applaud you and will help you if you will just let us know what you need.