Katrina Relief

Watching the aftermath of Katrina in New Orleans is heart wrenching. The devastation, by American standards, horrific. We, as Americans, are accustomed to seeing this on our TV, in foreign countries. We think we are immune to this in our country. However, nature has a way to prove us wrong, in simply the worst of ways.

I watch the coverage and my heart goes out to all of those affected. The families that have lost everything -- including sometimes each other. However, watching the coverage on this saturday morning I think I will make some observations --

One story reported a Brit as saying it was hard to see a super power humbled -- I guess when you see the coverage on TV maybe you get that impression. The destruction and devastation is pretty big. President Bush in his address today said the area of devastation was the size of Great Britain. Wow! Thats not a small amount of territory.

It is interesting that the disaster preparedness people always use New Orleans as a worse case -- and still the worst case scenarios don't seem to have gone far enough. Make no mistake about it, I don't think we were properly prepared. And the response from Washington has not been overwhelmingly quick -- and not exactly performed with the greatest of effectiveness. But, lets take a second to ponder some things.

• There was a mandatory evacuation order given -- Get out of New Orleans and the low lying areas. Now, living in Florida, I have not always evacuated when they advised it. But, after last year, you don't need to tell me the difference between recommended and mandatory evacuation. Mandatory evacuation says get the heck out. Don't think about it, don't worry about it -- just get out. The people that stayed, stayed against orders. They were told to leave and chose for some reason to ignore it. Some may not have had transportation -- I will acknowledge that and concede those people were somewhat trapped. They were told to go to the Superdome -- which suffered damage and lost power. Not the best of circumstances -- but, at no point can any shelter be fool proof. When they say leave -- leave.
  
• Some chose to say -- then criticize relief efforts to get them out. Let me get this right -- first it is "No, I will not leave, you can't make me." Then "You didn't come get me fast enough." You can't have it both ways. Be thankful they came after you. I wonder if you will leave next time? Just wondering.
• Grandstanding -- First up -- Rev. Jesse Jackson -- someone tell him to just get a clue. That man has squandered any credibility that he once had. At one point in the interview he said 200,000 people needed to be evacuated still in the city of New Orleans. His next sentence was " We don't know how many people need evacuation." Pick one Jesse -- 200,000 or we don't know -- it can't be both.
  
• Next up -- some news organization used a guy named Colonel Jacobs (USA/Retired). That guy is clueless. My favorite quote -- "The national guard is not equipped to handle this kind of situation." Where was he during the Total Force briefings. Disaster efforts are one of the missions of the National Guard -- not the active forces. The National Guard exists to help in these efforts -- they are the states forces -- and not many reasons for the states to go to war...this mission is their bread and butter. If you want to send the active forces in to help -- that is fine -- but lets not criticize the states for activating Guard troops and sending them to do their mission. You need to schedule some Total Force Briefings or stay at the bank.
  
• You do realize that most of the Combat Service Support is in the Guard and Reserves -- right? New Orleans is not going to need a tank battalion -- they are going to need CSS units like water purification. Go figure out how many active units there are with those specialties. I will give you a hint -- use one hand, using all of your fingers curled - touch your thumb with finger tips -- you see the number?
• Unrest in the superdome -- MSNBC had a woman on that said there was lawlessness in the Superdome during the hurricane aftermath. Fights -- an 8-year old raped, and a guy plunged to his death in a successful suicide. Let me help out a little here ... people have got to take responsibility for themselves sometimes. Someone has got to step up and say no more -- the government cannot always protect you -- someone rapes an 8-year old -- you take him up to the second level -- and he gets to jump too. If we are going to allow the thugs to be in control -- we have lost. We must step up and serve as our own civil control. Things happen because people allow them to happen like this. Don't tolerate it... take responsibility and enforce control.
  
• Other countries -- America will rise from this. Maybe I am wrong -- but I frankly don't care for the sympathy of the French or other countries that will not step up to their responsibilities in the World -- and criticize us. As was demonstrated after 9/11 == America is resilient. We may wonder around a little -- but the recovery will be amazing. We don't need your sympathy or condescending attitute. Go bake some cookies or something. For our allies -- thanks for you concern. Give us a little space and time. Step up to help in the areas you are already helping in -- we might need a little slack time -- but, we will live up to our commitments. Don't worry about us.

NCAA and Idiots Part Dieux

Ok ... I will relent somewhat on my rant against the NCAA. They have proven that when presented with overwhelming evidence of their stupidity, they notice it. There recent acceptance of the position of the Seminole tribes of the US (Florida and Oklahoma) that the tribes were in agreement with the Florida State University use of their tribal name as a nickname for their sports program's teams, and thereby associating the university with the tribe. Congrats NCAA, you are not as dumb as you act all the time.

However, let us not forget, this is the same organization that helps defend the dumbest student athletes on the planet. "Who, you ask?" -- The NCAA Division 1-AA football teams. "What, you mean the major schools like UF, FSU, UA, and your beloved Tigers of Auburn?" Yes, unfortunately.

You see, the NCAA is concerned that these athletes cannot miss any more school. Instituting a playoff system would mean that these poor kids would miss more school, and thereby endanger their ability to earn a degree -- maybe another day we can talk about basketball programs....where the goal isn't even a degree. "Why do you pick on Division 1-AA?" Because all of the other divisions are smart enough to be able to play in a playoff system. Those athletes can miss the classwork. It is only the Division 1-AA that can't.

Oh, and by the way....didn't the NCAA just rule that Division 1-AA teams could schedule an additional game? What is that....doesn't that promote the possibility that athletes will miss another day of beloved classes? We can't have a playoff system -- that would largely be conducted during the break between fall and winter semesters, but we can add another week to the schedule? Come on NCAA -- treat us like adults.... If its the money, just say so. I could handle that. But, your sham of excuses you keep offering probably don't even make sense to you. Now, be honest.....its the money of the bowl system right?