[George W. Bush]

New Orleans is a suicide bowl. Elsewhere along the Gulf Coast is only a few feet above calm seas.

Truth this blunt is seldom rewarded at FR. But you're absolutely right. The dangers and lack of preparation for disasters has been on the record for years.

Your remarks suddenly made me think of the tornados that hit Denver about 15 years ago. Just as I was burrowing under my (basement-less) house, I saw entire families up and down the block, standing in the street looking at the pretty tornado.

Right at that moment, it was tearing 60-70 foot cottownods out of the ground only five blocks away.

Go figure.

[HKMk23]

I saw entire families up and down the block, standing in the street looking at the pretty tornado.

Man, I'd like to see a picture of that. Reminds me of that scene from "Independence Day" with all the crowd at the big "let's go make nice with the space aliens" party on top of the building in Los Angeles. Next scene: Alien ship depolys main energy weapon and unloads fatal mega-ZOT to all of L.A. and nearby -urbs.