Katrina

Apologies for yet another absence, but my new "digs" lack an internet connection, making it rather difficult to post.
In any case, the recent debacle of Hurricane Katrina has been on everyone's mind as of late. My thoughts on this are few, but perhaps controversial. Here they are-
1)Complete failure of local responsibility. Despite receiving more federal funding for flood control than any other state, the group of New Orleans decided to use it on pork projects instead.
The mayor refused to evacuate, the governor dallied and by doing so refused to declare martial law or allow FEMA aid. Thanks to these clowns in Louisiana, the fed will undoubtedly centralise power dramatically using this disaster as licence. They should all be shot.
2)Looting. The actions of some irresponsible jerks (such as shooting at rescue helicopters) have moved the New Orleans Police to order the confiscate all civilian arms. In some parts of the city, private individuals bearing arms are the only protection against looters, as the National Guard isn't enough to stop them. The looters will hide their arms, while honest citizens will give theirs up, leaving them in the capable hands of the police department. They'll probably never get them back. Another interesting fact is that, as of yet, no one has discovered where the mayor derives this new authority to order the confiscation of arms. His major power, as far as is known, is to stop the sale of arms in the city.
Of course, the hired bodyguards of the rich do not have to give up their weapons. It seems there's a definite double standard between those who have it (such as Dianne Feinstein, who wants to ban civilian arms, but was issued a special concealed weapons permit), and those who don't (poor suckers like you and me).
3)New Orleans vs. Mississippi. New Orleans is a disaster area, but Mississippi got hit much worse. Why aren't there looters shooting people in Mississippi, or more precisely, looters brazen enough to merit non-stop news coverage? I think the answer lies in the fact that ill-educated red-staters have to shoulder a greater burden of personal responsibility than the welfare-statist New Orleans types. Some will undoubtedly point to race as the deciding factor, but Mississippi has a large black population, and they are just as well-behaved as the whites despite being in a materially poorer condition than their cousins in Orleans.
4)The Bush-bashers and entertainers. Gee, these types are now blaming the BusHitler McChimpyChump Halliburton for the poor response to the Hurricane. I hate to break it to them, but there's a little notion called "subsidiarity" that demands that those most proximal (i.e. closer) to a problem fix it first, followed by more help from outside. However, it seems ol' Dubya, despite being "Chimp Shrub," has managed to control the weather and limit federal response because there was a majority of blacks in one area hit by the disaster.
5)Media-whores. These people get worse with every disaster. My displeasure is better expressed by this fine talking squirrel.

After this hurricane, New Orleans won't be the only thing taking a pounding. Our civil liberties will certainly be hit hard under new "disaster" legislation. It's enough to make me want to pack up for Alaska with a fine PTR-91 (before they're banned, that is) and live in a cabin for the rest of my days.