Yes, I've been watching the news - What the heck do you expect 'the federal government', state and, local agencies to do - there's debris all over the roads, roads are flooded, power is out, sewage systems under water and non-funtional - New Orleans isn't the only place that's been hit hard - Mississippi is a mess and has looting going on too... Roads have to be cleared so busses can get to the people... the people have to get to collection sites so the busses can then take them on...

How do you stop the flow of water through an broken earthen levee without the whole thing collapsing on itself? What the heck do you think you could have done better? You're a smart guy.. put that geology cap on and look at New Orleans... It should never have been there to begin with and MILLIONS are spent yearly trying to keep the water out - and now it's Bush's fault that a cat 4-5 hurricane damaged the place built to withstand a cat 3 hurricane? And because it's taking more than 48 hours to evacuate thousands of people, who decided to stay behind during a mandatory evacuation, you're saying the response is inadequate?

In all reality - I say let them have the inventory of food and water and clothes in those stores... Those who own the inventory aren't coming back for it - those people do need food and water - It's just too bad they also got the guns and ammunition.

It all could have gone so differently - instead of rioting, they could have looted and doled out the food and organized a community effort..instead of every man for himself...

There are good stories and people are helping -

I wonder if all we're getting here in our cozy armchairs is a media slant on the worst cases - we're not seeing much examples like the guy who took 17 kids out of danger on a row boat.. and now he's trying to take care of them...

I truly expect no different from my government when a 7.5 hits under LA... Maybe it's a matter of thinking - I don't depend on the government for my welfare now - I don't expect to have to rely on them when we're hit by a quake - I'm a realist - it will be a real nasty situation.. and yes.. we've had our riots... they taught a lot of people around here that guns are a handy thing to have...

We are prepared with food, water - tents, supplies - having a quake is a lot different that being flooded out - at least we don't all live below sea level in hurricane territory...and we'll be able to camp out in our yards...

Canie