Katrina

I have resisted writing about the disaster and devastation in Louisiana and the other southern states, in part because I am, like most people, speechless. Many people are equating this to 9-11, and the way in which the two events have awakened the national consciousness are very similar. One of the things that did strike me, though, is the incredible differences between the two events, especially as it relates to the response time of the government, and the general response of the people, especially in New Orleans.

The government has been slow to respond. There a plethora of reasons people are promoting for this, including everything from racism to general ineptitude within the government to a President who, like me, just doesn't know what to say. Regarding racism, I also found this interesting article. Still, the question remains as to why the government has taken so long to get to these people and help them?

Quite frankly, I don't even have the heart to go into the atrocities and general stupidity encountered in the wake of this horrible event. I remember the way New Yorkers banded together to help each other, and the direct opposition to the response of many people in the Katrina disaster just sickens me. There will be stories that come out about how people have supported and saved one another, but for now the news is not pretty.

If gas prices are going down, as per this article, someone should really tell the guy who puts up the prices at my local pump. A very long tunnel, indeed....