Caution: NOLA Rant!!!!!

I was going to go for a bike ride but it started raining, so I'll wait a little while and then go.

I've been reading many peoples comments about Katrina and it's time to get my 2 cents in. First off the whole thing is completely beyond belief. Everytime I see pictures from there I can't help but cry. It's really hard to believe something like this could happen to us. Okay, having said that; this whole thing pisses me off. Over 3 years ago a study was done and showed what would happen to NOLA if a major storm hit - WHY DID NO ONE PAY ATTENTION TO THAT??? Wasn't it just last year Georges almost hit them?? WHY DID NO ONE PAY ATTENTION TO THAT?? Wasn't it on 9/11 that we were hit by terrorists and realized how vulnerable we really are?? WHY DID NO ONE PAY ATTENTION TO THAT?? Why doesn't every major city/community in this country have an emergency plan for disaters (both natural and man made)?????

Who the hell is this mayor of New Orleans and governor of Louisiana?? Talk about leadership qualities - they clearly have none!! Yes, the Federal Government should help in these situations but it's up to the local officials to be the first responders. These elected officials should have stood up and took control and started issuing instructions and orders on what is to be done. Clearly they are no Rudy Giuliani!!!! Being elected mayor, governor, city council member, dog catcher, imparts a responsibility of leadership. In times of crisis these are the people who are supposed to step forward and take control to help maintain order. They are on site!! The federal goverment may be days away!!! These folks did none of that. The mayor was on TV begging for help. God knows I'm glad that whiner is not my mayor. And the governor looked like a deer in the headlights of a fast moving car. Now everyone is already trying to point fingers on who is to blame. YOU ALL NEED TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR!!! And as for Senator Landrieu thanking all those politicians - SAVE IT!! You all can pat each other on the back and tell yourselves what a great job you did after this mess is over. And you'll have to do it cause we won't!!!

I read a post the other day on Renee's site that really hit home for me. Black, white, rich, poor, democrat, republican, gay, straight, or anything in between; at this point it doesn't matter. All that matters is getting the living out of the worst areas and making sure they have food, water, and a place to sleep. Frankly, since I have no attachment to dead bodies (I think everyone should be cremated) the recovery of the bodies ranks very low on my list of priorities. Anderson Cooper told Sen. Landrieu he saw a body being eaten by a rat; big deal!!! Watch The Lion King, it's the circle of life baby!! Our resources are stretched to the breaking point now, recovering dead bodies can wait till we take care of the living.

This is one of the worst disasters I've ever seen and I can't believe the finger pointing and blame placing that's already started. WHO THE HELL CARES WHO DIDN'T DO WHAT!!! YOU DO IT!!!! I'm a huge proponent of personal responsibility (can you tell???) and unfortunately it appears people in New Orleans are not. It certainly appears this is what you get from a society of victims. When people are raised all their lives to believe they are victims, you have no personal responsibility at all. They expect everything to be done by the government for them. Well guess what??? It ain't gonna happen!!!

I live in Hawaii and we have hurricanes here too. We have been lucky and haven't had one in 13 years I think. We are in a much more vulnerable position than anywhere on the mainland because if we are severly damaged it would take over a week for ships to get here to help us. In the last hurricane, which was originally headed straight for Honolulu, the navy started sending ships with supplies 2 days before it hit because they knew it would take 6 days to get here. What has this taught us?? We need to rely on ourselves. During hurricane season I keep a supply of bottled water, canned food, canned dog food (wouldn't the dogs love that??), bandages, all kinds of supplies, because I DON'T EXPECT HELP!!! I fully expect to be on my own for a couple of days. SO I HAVE TO HAVE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND TAKE CARE OF MYSELF!!! I don't understand how people can stand around just waiting for someone to save them. It's a different story if you're old, or invalid, or in some way incapacitated. But if you are healthy and strong - get your ass moving and save your own hide!!! I have visions of me walking through chest high water with my 3 dogs on leashes swimming behind me trying to get to high ground.

As you may have guessed, I'm really PISSED off over this whole thing. You give people handouts their entire lives and this is what happens. OH!!! And the looters!!! Hello!! Why wasn't the shoot to kill order given when the looting started?? Why did it not get given until yesterday??? Policital correctness be damned. These people are the scum of the earth and don't deserve to live or for us to waste our resources on them. I'm not talking about people taking food and water. I'm talking about the scumbags with the TV's and DVD's and jewelry and such. Again, absolutely no personal responsibility so they can't think of anyone but themselves. They've been handed everything their entire lives so they think they are somehow entitled to take what they want.

When you look at the tsunami disaster and this disaster you can really see the differences. People in Thailand are way poorer than people in NO yet there was no looting and firing weapons at rescue crews. Could it be because the government of Thailand doesn't hand out money for doing nothing??? Could it be because the poor people of Thailand have to provide for themselves and not rely on the government??? Could it be because the poor people of Thailand are used to taking RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEMSELVES????

This country has turned into a bunch of wimpy, whining, scumbags, and I really hope as a nation we learn from this. But we won't!! People like Michael Moore will continue to spout his insane bullshit about how this was all Pres. Bush's fault and unfortunately ignorant people will continue to believe him. Oh by the way Michael, Bush did not cause the hurricane!!! Having minored in Oceanography I can say this with some confidence!!!

Okay, I'm off my soapbox. All I ask is that people take responsibility for themselves. I don't EXPECT the government to do anything for me and I assume most people feel that way; but clearly I am wrong.

Everywhere in the country there are different types of natural disasters; hurricanes, floods, tornados, earthquakes. Wherever you live, take all the necessary precautions and be prepared to take care of yourselves. Do not assume that someone will come along to help because, as we have seen, it may take days for help to get there. Take care of each other, that's really all we have...... 'K, nuff said..