BLANCO'S FAILING ADMINISTRATION ... NYT TO THE RESCUE!

In Baton Rouge, no one is at the helm of Louisiana state government. Governor Kathy Blanco continues to demonstrate her unsuitability to hold office - and if she ever wins another election - it'll be for an office no higher than DOG CATCHER.

NEW YORK TIMES TO THE RESCUE!

Here's an article they published yesterday to portray her as a tough woman who is just misunderstood by us poor rednecks down here ...

After the Storm, She tries to mend State, and Career ...

Now if you look at this article - some of you will say "What's the problem Verc? Looks like they are just trying to be fair and balanced?"

Would that President Bush receive this kind of balance from the New York Times folks. Bush is blamed for things that NEVER happened and the NYT publishes the accusations in damning vernacular as the God's-honest truth.

Here we have a Governor, who is guilty of incompentance and negligence (case closed) - and the NYT thinks she deserves balance? Give me a break!

Let's recap here ...

Blanco is the Governor of a State with a city that scientists have said for years would be brutally mauled to death if even a CAT 3 hurricane hit it. She knew the forecast and the writing on the wall - YET SHE HAD ZERO PLAN AND WAS CAUGHT COMPLETELY FLAT-FOOTED BY KATRINA.

In order to deflect attention away from her incompetence - she turned to the typical Democratic strategy of first resort - BLAME BUSH! Libs will say that Bush is at fault. Well, I say this - Alabama was hit hard by Katrina - and Mississippi was DEVASTED by the storm - receiving much more damage than even Louisiana. Did their Governors blame Bush? No, they didn't. Their Governors were prepared and did their job. You don't hear anything about MS and AL being in chaos right now do you? You don't hear anything because they aren't. They're rebuilding and cooperating with the Feds and FEMA.

However, in Louisiana - chaos rules the day and folks - it's because of the little school-marm we elected to take the helm in Baton Rouge.

Blanco, facing the "ultimate storm" - the one they all warned us about - balked at ordering a Mandatory Evacuation of New Orleans! Result - over a thousand dead. However, when presented with this fact while testifying before Congress - Blanco opted instead to complain about the 52 Louisiana soldiers who have died in Iraq. Proof that she's not only incompetent - but a card-carrying member in good standing with the Terrorist Rights Party (read: Democrats). Seems to me that Blaco has more in common with Cindy Sheehan than she does your average Louisiana voter.

Bush was blamed for not sending the National Guard in soon enough after the storm to maintain order. However, it was actually BLANCO who caused the resulting carnage after the storm when she BALKED ON ALLOWING THE TROOPS IN!

When the people of the State screamed to high heavens for Blanco to support the bill to get rid of the political hacks currently running the levee boards - and consolidate all of the boards into one - with REAL ENGINEERS and SCIENTISTS on it - BLANCO REFUSED TO SUPPORT IT!

I'm sorry, there's no defense for her here. It was the levees that FAILED that caused the death in NOLA - over a thousand folks. You'd think that even a rookie would recognize that the situation should get priority attention for reform. Not Kathy Blanco though - she's not smart enought to figure that out.

When the effort to consolidate the levee boards failed during the special session - Louisianan's were so pissed-off that they demanded Kathy Blanco call another special session of the legislature to approve it.

Kathy Blanco wouldn't do it ....

Until State Rep. Steve Scalise (REPULICAN) started getting on WWL Radio (AM 870) to berate her. Then he went out and started a petition drive to pressure the Governor into calling another special session.

Once Kathy Blanco got wind that Scalise already had 45,000 signatures and was picking up major steam - Kathy Blanco decides FINALLY to call for another special session. She hasn't announced when it will happen - hasn't even released an agenda of what it's going to be for. But she called it to save face anyway.

Folks, this is not the way a REAL GOVERNOR does business!

What is Blanco's response to all this criticism? Well according to the NYTimes she says ....

"Sometimes people think you are falling down when you are the only one standing".

Huh?

Forget that this, literally, is an untrue statement - and assume that its a metaphor of some type.

Is Blanco then saying that the whole world -- EXCEPT HER -- is wrong? Or at fault?

Who is this woman? The Pope?

She doesn't look like the Pope to me but she has a SCARY resemblance to Emelda Marcos in my opinion -- at least in her outrageous attitude and her dictatorial declarations. And speaking of declarations - she also took the right to vote from us by cancelling elections - indefinitely!

And my favorite line out of this NYT article is this one ...

"But she asserted that she was far tougher than her critics allowed, noting that when she used phrases like "locked and loaded," it was because she knew how to handle a gun."

???

First of all - every woman in the South knows how to handle a gun - it's nothing special. It's a little ironic that this statement comes from a woman who is a member of a political party that has, as one of it's top priorities - the elimination of the second amendment but ...

WHAT IN THE SAM HILL PROMPTS BLANCO TO BOAST ABOUT HER FIREARM EXPERTISE WHEN THE ISSUE IS A HURRICANE THAT FLOODED OUT HER BIGGEST AND MOST VALUABLE CITY???

This woman is from Mars folks - call the MIB - I'm deadfire sure of it!

We need to recall this woman folks - she will kill more of us than the storm did.

And oh, by the way - SHE STILL DOESN'T HAVE A PLAN FOR NEXT HURRICANE SEASON!

Yup - it could happen all over again.

Time to pull the school-marm off the field and put a real pitcher on the mound.

THE RETURN OF THE OLD CURMUDGEON ...

An agreement has been reached by Saints owner Tom Benson (a.k.a. "The Old Curmudgeon") and NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue to return the Saints to New Orleans in 2006. The agreement was announced today. The team will play NO games in San Antonio - and even hopes to play all home games in the Superdome.

Rats!

Paul Tagliabue is obviously more astute when it comes to public relations than The Old Curmudgeon is. Tagliabue recognized the OBVIOUS negative PR affect of a team like the Saints abandoning its home city right after a biblical catastrophe like Katrina.

Personally, I wish he'd left well enough alone. I really don't care about the Saints - but the opportunity to purify this city of The Old Curmudgeon was one I was happy about. Now, thanks to Paul Tagliabue, the Old Curmudgeon will be returning.

And as soon as he gets back to NOLA - he'll start making demands. Demands for money, demands for new facilites ... you name it. You can't change a terrorist and when it comes to terrorism - the Old Curmudgeon wrote the handbook. If New Orleans has $2 left in the bank after Katrina - the Old Curmudgeon will demand that it's his and when he gets it - he'll go to Kathleen Blanco in Baton Rouge and demand more.

If you check the San Antonio newspapers today - you'll see that many of them feel like the Old Curmudgeon jilted them. San Antonio swung for the fence after the hurricane demolished the Big Easy in hopes that they would get the Saints - PERMANENTLY.

They really pulled out the stops - going to extreme lengths to prove to the NFL that they could sell tickets to the games. Businesses got involved, the mayor of San Antonio got involved - they really licked the Old Curmudgeon's boots. I have a point or two on this ...

First - what city would want to profit off of another city's disasterous fate? What kind of "prize" would make a city sell its soul to profit off a disaster?

The answer is ... of course ... NFL FOOTBALL! NFL Football is like a narcotic - you'll lie, cheat, steal - sell out your own family to get it. My question to San Antonio is ... "was it worth it?". Don't you feel like you need to take a shower now?

Second point is related to the first ... NFL is a NARCOTIC. And since it is a narcotic - the high feels wonderful at first - and then the cold reality of addiction sets in. San Antonio is going through withdrawal symptoms now.

However, I ENVY San Antonio. I envy San Antonio because the Old Curmudgeon will be getting on a plane soon and leaving that city. And he'll be returning here where we'll have to deal with his whining while we're trying to rebuild this city. The Old Curmudgeon is NOT a PIONEER. He has nary a bit of the spirit it takes to rebuild this city. Tom Benson is a leach - big fat cat welfare hog.

I SAY ... "HIT THE ROAD TOM BENSON!"

Tom Benson ...

Also known down here in NOLA as "The Old Curmudgeon" ...

Is the owner of the New Orleans Saints NFL Football team.

Before I get into the main points of this blog, let me just recap some Saints history.

The Saints joined the NFL as an expansion team in 1967 - almost 40 years ago. The best season they have ever had, I believe, was a 9 win / 7 loss season that magically occured way back in 1989 - which still wasn't good enough to get 'em into the playoffs. THE SAINTS ... are the undisputed most consistent losers in the entire history of football. NFL fans disagree on a lot of things - but not on this point. The Saints consistency in losing is absolutely STUNNING. Any other team in their shoes would have at least gotten lucky and made an appearance in the playoffs at least once in 40 years - not the Saints though.

In spite of that - the people of New Orleans are the most rabid and dedicated fans of any team in the NFL. They LOVE the Saints. They hate that they lose - but love the "Black and Gold". They've been sustained by the memory of Saints hero's like Archie Manning (who is revered almost as a "God" here in NOLA). Other heros include quarterback Bobby Hebert - who "almost" got 'em to the playoffs. And let's not forget Tom Dempsey who, according to NOLA legend - was born with half a foot and yet still made history in November, 1970 when he kicked that historic 63-yard field goal.

Saints fans are so rabid for the Saints that I fear if the Saints were ever to win a Superbowl - it would result in carnage on the streets of NOLA that would cause KATRINA to look pale in comparison. Folks, I'm not kidding on this point. I literally would be caught nowhere within the city if the Saints went to the Superbowl - win or lose - there would be chaos in the streets.

In 1975, with nothing but losing seasons under their belt, the city of New Orleans built the biggest stadium in NFL history for the Saints. At the time, it was hailed as a virtual wonder of the world - the Superdome. A magnificent facility for the NFL's worst team.

Yes, the city of NOLA loves their Saints.

But this sentiment isn't echoed by Tom Benson, "the old curmudgeon" owner of the Saints. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina - Tom Benson now wants to cut and run from the city and the people who put millions of dollars into his pocket. Tom Benson now wants to move to San Antonio.

My opinion?

I say -- "Get the hell out of here you old curmudgeon!!"

First, I'm not an NFL fan - and I'm amazed at how cities kow-tow and lick the boots of these teams. In 1975, New Orleans built the Superdome for the Saints - and even after a quarter century of more losing seasons, Tom Benson was demanding (even before Katrina) that the city build him an even bigger and better facility! Who else would have the gall to make this kind of demand except an NFL owner? Even more ironic is the fact that it came from the leagues most perfectly consistent LOSING owner. I have refused to watch NFL Football since Johnny Unitas retired. Johnny was a guy who played for the love of the sport - a genuine hero who took his responsibilities as a role model seriously - and he did all that for a pittance compared to what the players today rake in. The players these days are hopped-up on steriods and coke - are routinely jailed for illegal, frequently violent acts and they have no remorse or apologies for their actions - they just keep demanding more money. Not from me boys.

Second, when you've made millions bleeding a city - it's an act of cowardice to abandon that city in it's hour of need. Tom Benson has no problem with this though - to him, the most important thing is the bottom line (read $$). He doesn't care how he'll look to the world for throwing his city to the wolves. He just cares about money. And why? The guy is a multi-millionare who is like 100 years old. He doesn't have many years left. You'd think at this point he'd be trying to build up some good Karma for his meeting with his maker - which is going to be soon. But no, the old curmudgeon only cares about putting more money in his already bloated wallet. It's like he thinks he can take it with him or something.

Tom, if you want my vote - I say get the hell out of here. You're no better than me - or any of the poor folks who lost their homes in the Lower Ninth Ward (and the Supreme Being is going to remind you of this fact very soon when you meet him). This city has done nothing but put it's blood into your team - and you've never paid nary a drop of it back. Good riddance to you! Take your losing team to San Antonio - bilk them for awhile. Every city wants an NFL Football Team - but what they don't realize (but soon will) is that they'll be getting a losing team that has been the mockery of the NFL since the day it joined the league. Only the city of New Orleans could have put up with that and still loved you. San Antonio won't.

Leave the Fleur De Leis here in NOLA though - that belongs to us. Call yourself the "San Antonio Steers" - that's appropriate considering the half decade of impotence you and your team have demonstrated. Tom, really wish all the best - seriously, I do. But don't expect NOLA to put up with your crap anymore...

GO WEST OLD MAN!

I RETIRE FROM THE U.S. NAVY

Well, after 24 years in the USN - I officially retire effective 28 February. I'm actually on terminal leave right now - which means I've worn the uniform already for the last time. Feels a little strange. I haven't gotten a haircut in awhile and I don't shave every single day - I've opted the "every other day" strategy (which is unacceptable in the Navy).

I'm working as a consultant right now and the money is certainly sweet (especially since I'm still drawing my Navy check too!). I calculated that I'm making over $150K per year right now - of course, that will only last until my Navy paycheck runs out at the end of February and at that time, I'll only be making about $5K more than my Navy paycheck was - but hey, it's a raise right?!!

I joined the Navy in 1982 and went from E1 to E9 in 14 years - not many can say they did that. I also served as a submarine Chief of the Boat and did two tours as a Command Master Chief - one aboard an Aegis Cruiser that saw duty in both the Iraq and Afghan wars. I served at the White House for six months of (senior) Bush's presidency and for two and half years of Slick Willie's. I've been a crewmember of the World's Deepest Diving Submarine, and served on a Nuclear Fast Attack Sub that played many cat and mouse games with our old adversaries, the Soviets, during the Cold War.

It's been a very good run.

It would have been longer had it not been for Hurricane Katrina. You see, in the Navy, you have to pretty much move every 3 or 4 years. When you have a flooded house with no flood insurance - you CAN'T MOVE without going bankrupt. Additionally, as a Command Master Chief - I worked at the pleasure of my Commanding Officer - and the skipper and I had a major falling out after the storm about some policy decisions that I felt didn't take care of our Sailors. Nothing against Charlie Oscar - the skipper is the one at the helm but I just couldn't support a skipper making those kinds of decisions. When presented the opportunity to exit the scene - I took it. Nothing against the CO, when BIBLICAL events like Katrina occur - BIBLICAL decisions have to be made that really impact people's lives. I disagreed with the decisions - but don't disagree with the right of the CO to make them. I could have asked for a transfer - but with a flooded house - where else could the Navy send me where I wouldn't have to pay rent or another mortgage?

So now, here I am as a civilian. Man, life sure is differnt. First of all - like I said - I don't have to shave everyday. However, I DO have to pick out something to wear - can't wear the same thing everyday like the uniform days.

At my civvie job - I don't have 20 people tracking my action items. I get a "due date" on a project and people leave me alone until that due date. When I deliver the job to them completed - I get a Thanks! If it's not delivered on time - then I suppose that they would get upset but as long as I perform - life is great. A far cry from my Navy days where everyone is "tickled" for an action item five minutes after it's assigned. My boss gets a little rattled whenever I call her "Ma'am" - she prefers me to use her first name. This takes some getting used to. But it's kinda cool too.

So off I go!

I'll miss not wearing the uniform. I really wanted to remain until we put the nails in the coffins of every Islamo-fascist terrorist out there. Don't know about you - but I genuinely HATE those guys. My memories about 9-11 are still fresh. I wish death on the whole lot of them and I regret I'm not going to be standing over the body of the last one we kill. But let me tell you - these kids in uniform these days ... these kids who are fighting for YOUR right to exist over in Iraq and Afghanistan - these kids HAVE IT!! They are every bit as good as our grandfathers and grandmothers who saved this world from Nazi fascism over 50 years ago. Never thought I'd say that - but by God - it's true. Support them and they will do you proud. They will make YOU the next "Greatest Generation".

So goodbye Globar War on Terror and Hello to the battle of rebuilding New Orleans. However, no matter what anyone in the U.S. thinks - I firmly believe that the battle for New Orleans is a worthy one - and one that will impact our Nation's survival. I think I can pour every bit of passion I had for the Navy into that effort.

So off into my new life as a civilian I go!

THE THIRD WORLD BOMB

Iran is on the verge of making a nuclear bomb - and people are starting to get upset about that.

All I can say is ... "Welcome to the generation of the third world bomb(s)!"

Come on folks - we all knew this would happen - ever since WE invented the bomb. Were we really so silly enough to believe that the technology would not one day spread to countries where we DIDN'T want it to exist? Sure, we took steps to keep the technology from proliferating and those certainly played a role in delaying the spread of it. But you can't hold technology back - even in backward countries.

Everyone wants to know what we can do to prevent Iran from getting the bomb but - what solution are you going to find that also addresses North Korea? Hugo Chavez will have bomb one day. Castro - the dictator that refuses to die - will be making his own bombs one day. This is the GENERATION OF THE THIRD WORLD BOMB - WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

Well, let me tell you. Do you remember a little program that Ronald Reagan began waaaay back in the '80's? A program that folks like Ted Kennedy scoffed at him for. A program that ALL Democrats claimed was a foolish pipe-dream?

A program that was CUT by Bill Clinton but ressurected by George Bush?

A program mockingly labeled by the Democrats as ... STAR WARS?

Well, that "Star Wars" program - which is actually BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE has managed to survive all these years since Reagan breathed life into it. Scientists no longer laugh at the idea of destroying a nuclear missile in mid-flight because this program has already proven that it can be done.

The U.S. already HAS a ballistic missile defense network - bet you didn't know that did you? The problem is - I wouldn't really describe it as a ROBUST one. U.S. defense planners have already concieved a large ballistic missile defense network that is global in nature and employs sea, air, land, and SPACE based components. Some of these components are in place NOW. But to complete the network - to make it really effective - we need to do something that Democrats have been unwilling to do since the days of Reagan. We need to put money and resources into it. We need to commit to missile defense as a national strategy to deal with (neutralize) the coming Third World Bomb.

No, ... missile defense does nothing to prevent a small suitcase-sized nuke from being smuggled into this or any other country and then detonated. And that's one of the big reasons that Dem's have never supported the idea. However, that's a completely different problem - in my opinion, it's a much simpler problem to solve from a technological standpoint. And we will have to solve it.

But we also need to address ballistic missile defense - and TIME IS RUNNING OUT.

We aren't going to stop Iran from getting the bomb. We aren't going to stop North Korea from getting it. We aren't going to stop Hugo Chavez and Castro from getting it any more than we were able to stop India and Pakistan from getting it. Nuclear proliferation is a global epedemic that requires a new strategy.

The U.S. and it's key allies should develop this nuclear ballistic missile defense. We should develop it - and demonstrate it's effectiveness to the world. And after decades of bashing from the Democratic party - we'll have to really prove that the program works.

But once we've done that - we should then announce that our nuclear deterent program has shifted from a philosophy of "MAD" (Mutually Assured Destruction) to a philosophy of "YAD" (YOUR Assured Destruction). Launch a nuke - we shoot it down and then pave your country in glass with our nukes that YOU can't shoot down. It's logical, once you demonstrate a nuclear hostility - we eliminate the immediate threat by shooting it down - then eliminate the remaining potential nuclear threat on the ground - and the only way to do that is by using our own nukes to bomb YOU back into the stone age.

Aquire a robust ballistic missile defense - and announce a "YAD" strategy - and you'll then have the Third World Bomb neutralized except for the small portable hand-carried threat. That threat can easily be neutralized by taking REAL control of our borders and using technologies to detect these devices before they're imported into our country.

That's the solution folks.

THEY GOT OUT OF IT!

Check out the last sentence my last blog where I say "I just don't see how the Dem's can get out of this one."

That comment was made in reference to the pickle the Dem's were in over the Patriot Act this time yesterday. Well, guess what - Harry Reid and his cast of amateurs DID GET OUT OF IT.

Either I'm underestimating the cleverness of the Dems or I''m overestimating the fight in Republicans. I think my err has more to do with the latter than the former.

Completely bent over a barrel yesterday - the Republicans allowed the Dems to escape their grasp and agreed to a compromise extension of the Patriot Act of six months.

Republicans and the President should have stood FIRM on the issue. They didn't - they blinked.

AMATEUR HOUR IN THE TERRORIST'S RIGHTS PARTY

Last Friday, Harry Reid left the Senate chamber of Congress, found an open mike and a group of ready and willing reporters and back-slapingly announced ... "Think of what just happened a few minutes ago in the Senate ... WE JUST KILLED THE PATRIOT ACT!"

Yeah, think about what just happened Harry - YOUR Terrorist's Rights Party just went on record with the American people as obstructionists in the war on terror. Rather than back-slapping, you need to be in a corner crying somewhere my friend - because your party is now backed deep into a very dark corner.

You're in a dark corner because ...

1. You screamed to high heavens when Valerie Plame's name was released to the press. However, that leak DID NOT compromise National Security. The worst it did was end the career of an inactive CIA agent whose career arguably ended when she married her politically operative and very conspicuous husband - Joe Wilson. Let's remember here - spies are supposed to be LOW PROFILE there Valerie. However, when news of the NSA wiretapping was leaked to the press - a leak that DOES cause damage to National Security and will certainly put lives in danger - Harry and the TRP are silent about getting to the bottom of it. The American people aren't stupid enough to miss this hypocracy Harry.

2. "We just killed the Patriot Act" - Harry, rule number one in politics is that you never utter a sentence like that. That's why pro-abortionists call themselves "pro-choice". It just sounds bad to say you're in favor of abortion - because abortion means killing. You don't "kill" a "patriot act" Harry, you amateur. American's like the word "patriot" and they don't want to see you jumping for joy for killing anything associated with the word. If you were smart - you would have thought of another term for the Patriot Act - maybe "Presidential Power Usurpation Act" - or something like that. I don't want to do you work for you though. Just trying to point out what a complete imbecile you are.

3. "We just killed the Patriot Act" - Well, if it doesn't get passed this week - you're darned right - YOU KILLED IT. And now we all have a nice little soundbite (recorded for posterity) from you announcing that YOU are responsible for it. That's going to make some cherry airplay immediately after the next terrorist attack. Yep, Harry and the TRP killed the Patriot Act and that's why we had another successful terrorist attack. Harry, you're an idiot for going on record like this - but I love it!

4. Last but not least - the Prez is fed up with you. I think GW is ready to pull the gloves off and starting kicking some serious brownie. Harry, you've had a good run, but you should've known when to quit - and you should always quit before the bigger guy gets pissed off. But he's pissed now and he ain't gonna take any more of your crap. I predict a painful new year for the TRP. Enjoy Christmas though - er, I mean - "Happy Holidays" to ya!

I just don't see a way the Dem's can get out of this one.

CAN THE CAMERAS ALREADY ... PLEASE!

I think I have come up with a way to both restore some honesty and certainly some productivity to American government ...

REMOVE THE CAMERAS IN CONGRESS!!

Can we just pronounce this a failed program already? I mean seriously, what has our government become since we installed cameras and CSPAN into both chambers of Congress?

Both houses of Congress have become nothing more than vehicles of demagogery since we put those cameras in there. They don't even try to hide it anymore - whoever has the floor just looks right into the camera while they're making their speech. And why not? They aren't talking to the other members of Congress (as they should be) - they're talking to the American people. It's called "face-time" folks. All the members of Congress know they have to get up where their constituents can see them and make stirring and outrageous speeches.

It's sickening. How much would Congress get done if their members weren't constantly auditioning for the next election on the Congressional cameras?

Man, I watch this stuff - and it just upsets me. These guys are ridiculous. Especially when an investigation is going on. Don't ever call me in front of Congress to testify - 'cause I aint gonna take their abuse. Instead of investigating - the members of these committees PONTIFICATE.

Take Congressman Gene Taylor of Mississippi when he was supposedly questioning the former FEMA head Michael Brown. Now, old Gene is from Mississippi, which was hard hit by KATRINA - so Gene figures he has to put on a big show and blast the beejabbers out of Mike Brown. All this so that the folks back in Mississippi will know that GENE TAYLOR - BY GOLLY - IS IN CHARGE AND AT THE HELM!

Little Gene looked like a high school kid in drama class with his tirade against Mike Brown. And let's remember here, by this time - Mike Brown was a "has been" - he'd already been fired - so what in the world did piling on him accomplish?

Answer - nothing.

Message to Gene - how about doing something concrete for your constituents instead of feigning emotional outbursts on National TV? How about doing a Congressman's work the old fashioned HARD WAY? Work the back offices and produce some results! Actions, not words.

Don't mean to pick on Gene - he's not the only example. Congress is full of wackos (read: Maxine Waters) and these cameras allow these people to crawl right into your living room. I didn't vote for these wackos - let them pester the folks who put them in office! Leave me alone. The people who elected them might be idiots but I'm not - so don't treat me like one by telling me that Bush blew up the levees in New Orleans!

It's gotten ridiculous folks - remove the cameras!

NAGIN'S PLAN FOR REBUILDING NEW ORLEANS

No one really knows what Mayor Ray Nagin's plan is to rebuild NOLA. He keeps changing his mind on the particulars of the rebuilding strategy but the first step of his plan he's never waiverd from. What is that FIRST STEP?

Well its ...

"Reinstalling the URBAN POOR"

Nagin is upset and trying desparately to find a way to get the people who can't take care of themselves back into NOLA. Well, isn't that logical folks? I mean, the FIRST STEP in any rebuilding program is to ensure that you have lots of people in place with their hands out demanding that you take care of 'em! That way the rest of the rebuilding plan is in jeopardy!

Nagin wants to do this because he knows those people are his political base - without them, he has no chance of reelection. We can't hold elections in Louisiana right now until we get those folks back into the state. Without 'em - Louisiana clearly goes firmly into the slate of "RED STATES".

But here's the reality - Nagin doesn't have the resources to take care of those folks - so they ain't comin' back!

This isn't racist. I realize that most of those folks are African American but color is irrelavant here. There are also a great number of whites who aren't coming back for the same reason. Who cares?

The reality is - NOLA will be rebuilt by PIONEER TYPES. People who are willing to withstand hardship in an unstable situation that offers a promise of a better life to those who are willing to work their fingers to the bone to get it. NOLA will be rebuilt by the same kind of folks who left their cushy lives in the eastern U.S. and headed west early in our nation's history. The same kind of folks who braved angry Indians and starvation and headed west for the promise of opportunity.

And that doesn't mean they'll be WHITE either!

In fact, at the current moment - it looks like they'll be BROWN. Most of the folks headed to this area to rebuild are Hispanics - Mexicans particularly. Suddenly, businesses are rushing to hire bilingual employees so they can communicate with these people and benefit from their patronage.

My message to these brave Hispanics is ...

"Welcome to Louisiana - I'm here to rebuild with you!"

Ray Nagin hasn't been as welcoming to these new pioneers. In fact, he's been downright racial in his reaction to them.

But here's the facts folks. Drive through east NOLA and you'll see almost no sign of life except these Hispanics - working to rebuild the city. And if they rebuild it - they should own it - or the biggest share in it anyway.

My message to those (of any race) who have a problem with this?

Get over it!

NOLA is a distroyed city - property of no one. Doesn't matter if you were born here or not - if you aren't back here living in a tent and rebuilding by now - you've sacrificed your birthright and it will be reclaimed by those willing to do the hard work.

And that's the way it ought to be.

THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF LOUISIANA

Yes folks, break out your dusty copies of "The Communist Manifesto" which have been put away since the 60's! They'll come in handy now that Louisiana has gone "Communist".

Well, maybe Kathy Blanco and her politboro aren't actually going communist - it's actually much worse.

It's much worse because even the Communists held sham elections.

But not here in Lousiana - we won't even do that.

Millions of Iraqis went to the polls this week to vote - at the threat of being killed by terrorists.

Even Sadaam Hussien, when he was in power - held elections - such as they were.

They hold elections in Iran and China too. Maybe even in North Korea - I'm not sure. They're not legitimate but at least they expend some effort to put on a show.

But not Kathy Blanco - she just issues an edict and CANCELS the elections in Louisiana! Indefinitely! Just cancelled 'em without even breathing a word of when they might actually ever be held!

Note to Kathy Blanco and every other crooked politician in Louisiana ...

We're tired of ALL OF YOU. You let us down after Hurricane Katrina - actually, you let us down WELL BEFORE KATRINA.

I'm told the historical root of the word "Katrina" comes from something in ancient Greek which translates to "the cleansing".

And A CLEANSING is actually what is going to happen here in Lousiana folks! The crooked politicians can run - boy can they run - but they can not hide!

So to Kathy Blanco I say - fine - put the elections off - but your days are numbered gal!

OUTRAGE OF THE DAY ...

The number one issue in the news media today is how the National Security Agency has been "spying" on people.

My Oh My! What has the world come to when an INTELLEGENCE AGENCY is out there COLLECTING INTELLEGENCE???!!! I'm so shocked!

Politicians are rushing to the MSM microphones to articulate just how SHOCKED they are by this outrage - and the MSM just keeps pouring fuel on the fire.

Let me just say one thing folks - since 9-11, there hasn't been a single terrorist attack in this country.

Inspite of the fact that Osama Bin Laden's Islamofacists have declared all-out war on the U.S. In spite of the fact that they have offered untold numbers of virgins in paradise to would-be suicide bombers if they can just get into the U.S. and blow themselves up. In spite of the fact that the U.S. is the #1 target of these Islamofacists - NOT A SINGLE SUCCESSFUL ATTACK HAS TAKEN PLACE IN THIS COUNTRY.

That's a great record, and like all things American - we have to do SOMETHING to wreck that success and pull defeat out of the jaws of victory!

So this week we have ...

1. Complained and demanded that the Patriot Act not be renewed. One of the indespensible tools that has kept our country safe since 9-11.

2. Announced to the world that we don't torture captive terrorists - heck, we won't even degrade them. If they don't want to tell us anything about planned attacks on America - that's okay. Better to suffer a nuke explosion in a heavily populated city that kills millions and wrecks our national economy than to strap one single terrorist on a board and pour water on him! This is awesome news for ... who? The terrorists?

3. Complained and demanded that the NSA halt it's domestic spying activities. Well, what the hay? We might as well seeing as how even if they CATCH a terrorist - we aren't allowed to pump him for information.

Go ahead America - buy into every single bit of it. Give the news media a pass on this and forgive every feigned emotional outrage that these disgusting politicians act out.

And when a nuke goes off in your town - and KILLS YOUR FAMILY...

Don't blame John McCain - who pressured the White House into denouncing torture as a means to get information from terrorists ...

Don't blame Bob Beckel and Dennis Kucinich for crying out that the NSA stop it's domestic spying activities.

Don't blame Harry Reid for killing off the Patriot Act.

No - do what you've always done - and sit by and allow the loud mouths to BLAME BUSH!

Folks, what a short memory YOU have. After 9-11, YOU SCREAMED for the government to prevent future terrorist attacks and guess what - THE GOVERNMENT UNDER GEORGE W. BUSH HAS DONE IT. Zero attacks. Now you want to quibble with his success? You want to rob him of the tools to keep your family safe? How logical is this.

Abe Lincoln saved this Union of ours - and he did it dirty. He suspended Habeas Corpus and took a lot of other illegal actions. Aren't you glad now that he did? If America had been split into the United and Confederate States when Adolf Hitler set out to conquer the world - do you think we'd have stopped him? Think about it.

For the record - I favor ...

1. The NSA snooping my emails and everyone else's. They can even monitor my own phone calls - I've nothing to hide!

2. I favor the renewal of the Patriot Act ...

3. If necessary to gain information on a pending attack on the U.S. or it's citizens - I favor holding a hot blow torch to a terrorist's testicles if it'll make him talk! And believe me - IT WILL MAKE HIM TALK.

You won't have me or George Bush or anyone else who supports WINNING the Global War on Terror to blame for the next attack. No Sir - that will be ON YOUR HEAD. Better get off your duffs and write your congressmen and women and tell them to QUIT THE NONSENSE! GET SERIOUS ABOUT FIGHTING THIS WAR AND PROTECTING AMERICA!

REMEMBER!

BLANCO'S BOTCH ...

This week many of the Blanco administration's post-Katrina emails leaked to the news media. Those emails show just how void of leadership Louisiana was at the critical moment immediately after Katrina destroyed New Orleans. And yes, I said DESTROYED - the French Quarter is not New Orleans folks. But that's a topic for another blog.

Governor Blanco, and her merry band of cronies are nothing more than mental midgets. They are unqualified even to serve on a local levee board - let alone the Governor's mansion. It is clear that they had one strategy from the start of this tragedy - "BLAME BUSH".

My message to Kathleen - who happens to TEMPORARILY occupy the Louisiana Governor's mansion is this - "Don't even try it!"

Don't even try it because, as negligent as you were in the days before and after the storm - that's nothing compared to your negligence since you entered the Governor's mansion.

Governor Kathleen Blanco knew full well when she took office what the situation in New Orleans was, long before the storm - and she did nothing about it. She knew the city sat below sea level in a ringside seat on the Gulf Coast's "hurricane alley". She knew that most of the inner city poor there had no means to evacuate if the "big one" came. She knew that the levees constructed by the Federal Government to protect New Orleans, even under the best circumstances, could possibly only protect NOLA from a Category 3 storm or less. She's familiar with NOLA - she knew the city would descend into lawless chaos at the drop of a hat!

What was Governor Blanco's plan six, nine months ago to mitigate a catastrophe that most experts said WOULD happen one day?

Did she ever put forth a plan to evacuate the inner city poor? Did she have a plan to keep law and order? Did she have any plan that could be implemented when the "big one" came?

No, she did not.

She neglected the problem until the "big one" finally came and made some frantic phone calls to FEMA the day before the storm hit to get some evacuation buses down here. She waffled on the issue of allowing Federal troops in to restore order. And she'd have you believe that those strategies are worthy of the term "leadership".

Who was responsible for devising the plan to evacuate NOLA? Who was responsible for devising a plan to maintain order? Was it President Bush? The man who is busy fighting the Global War on Terrorism? A man who isn't even familiar with the particulars of NOLA or Louisiana?

No, it's not George Bush - it's KATHY BLANCO that's to blame for the magnitude of the calamity in NOLA. As a Lousianan - Blanco knew full well just how in jeopardy NOLA was. She knew how exposed NOLA was and she knew how bad a disaster could get. Worse - she was POSITIONED perfectly to do something about it.

She did nothing - her only plan was to call Uncle Sam - a day or two before the disaster - and demand miracles.

And guess what - SHE STILL HAS NO PLAN. Even in light of all we've been through - she has no plan to do any better the next time the "big one" comes to visit. And that visit might only be eight months away.

Will someone recall this sorority girl and put her in a job that she's qualified to perform? I'm thinking something along the lines of a secretary or real estate agent. She has NO leadership ability whatsoever and she's demonstrated it.

When the plan was proposed to the state legislature to consolidate all of the levee boards and replace the political hacks that currently serve on them with REAL PROFESSIONALS - where was Kathleen Blanco? Did she throw her support behind this intiative and dare the legislature NOT to pass it?

No- Kathleen was AWOL. She didn't want to firmly commit one way or the other.

Governor Haley Barbour of Mississippi threw several recovery plans to his state legislature and told them - "Pick one and approve it - now!". When the casino's balked at rebuilding on the Gulf Coast because Mississippi state laws confined the casinos to barges on the water - Barbour, a man who had campaigned to keep gambling LIMITED within the state - threw the full weight of his office behind a new law allowing the casinos to rebuild on land. And he got it passed within weeks after the storm! That's leadership folks.

But don't expect that kind of leadership to come out of Blanco's administration.

KATRINA PHOTOS ...

Here's a link to some photo's my neighbor took as the hurricane rolled through. HE STAYED (I RAN). He had quite an adventure. One of these photos is a bit humorous as you can see that he's thrown some towels down around his back door to keep the encroaching water out. Didn't help much as all of the houses in this subdivision took anywhere from 5 to 8 feet of water.

Springhill Subdivision, Slidell ...

It really WAS a beautiful place.

ICF - THE GULF COAST SOLUTION?

Okay fellow Gulf Coastians, let's recap here ...

We just got our tails waxed by the biggest storm to ever hit the U.S. But storm trajedy is no stranger to us is it? Remember CAMILLE? FREDERICK? ANDREW? IVAN? BETSY? ...

How many storms have hit us in the last hundred years?

Now, we can be like many of our YANKEE brethren up north - and say that this area isn't worth the effort to live in and that we're idiots for living here. They say we should MOVE out of here - as long as we don't move next door to them!

Don't listen to 'em - they lost the PIONEER spirit LOOOONG AGO. Down here in the Gulf States though - that pioneer spirit is alive and well. Not only that, we have to save our Yankee brothers up north from themselves. Without us - they'd have no oil because they're all afraid of the ecological consequences of drilling and refining (little do they know that 30% of the seafood they consume is caught right alongside these offshore oil rigs down here. Shhhhh!)

So the tough amongst us will rebuild ... but ...

Why don't we do it a little smarter this time? We know another "big one" is going to come - it's just a matter of time. Why don't we take some steps now and BEAT THAT THING when it comes after us?

One thing we can do is put some SANITY into our home construction. Why do we build houses down here the same way they build 'em in California? This isn't California - our storms (and our women) down here are twice as HOT as anything in California. We need a new method of building down here that takes into account the realities of the Gulf States environment.

How about ICF? I'm talking INSULATED CONCRETE FORM houses? We can make those things asthetically pleasing these days. Check out the advantages ...

1. MUCH STRONGER than a house built out of tooth picks. In fact, up to NINE TIMES STRONGER than an ordinary "stick frame" house. These bad boys have been known to sometimes survive even a direct hit from a tornado. The walls of an ICF house can withstand 250 mph winds. I've heard old-timers tell me that Camille generated 200 mph winds where it came ashore - and I've heard many "scientists" dispute that they were even that high. Regardless, a structure that can withstand 250 mph winds would have had little to fear from Camille. And it appears now that the winds from KATRINA were actually lower than those Camille dished out. KATRINA was more deadly only because it was so horrifically large.

2. UP TO 50% MORE FUEL EFFICIENT. Let's face it - the rest of the country is going to need more and more energy, and they're going to continue to look to the Gulf States because we produce and refine it and aren't panty-wastes like the Californians are - who are scared of the ecological effects. So let's take one for the team here and reduce our energy consumption. The personal benifit here is to YOUR wallet - imagine spending 40-50% LESS for your electric / gas bill every month.

3. REDUCED INSURANCE COST. Let's face it, we NEED to put the insurance companies out of business. Those of us who paid homeowners insurance for so many years expecting them to be a "good neighbor" when the big one came - were sadly disappointed. Additionally, the insurance companies want to reduce their exposure along the Gulf Coast - so insurance is only going to go higher if we don't take hurricane mitigating steps in the building of our homes. ICF reduces insurance premiums because it's so strong. Additionally, the insurance companies have figured out that CONCRETE doesn't catch fire!

4. WHO'S AFRAID OF TERMITES? Termites are terrible down here - but when you live in an ICF home - no worries - termites don't eat concrete.

COST PROHIBITIVE? An ICF home costs on average about 4 percent more than a stick house. That 4 percent is recouped in the first few years in reduced insurance and utility costs.

There are other options also - LOG HOMES are tough too, and stand up very well to hurricanes. The bottom line here is this - rather than be "quitters" and just chuck it all for a move to North Dakota - we can use our heads and rebuild BETTER and STRONGER in the place we all love!

SO THAT'S THE WAY IT IS HUH?

New Orleans - the forgotten city.

Most Americans are tired of hearing about New Orleans. Politicians, both Republican and Democrat, either make blatant humiliating comments about the rebuilding of NOLA - or they say nothing, and refuse to give up any of their pork barrel programs to pay for rebuilding this city.

Okay America, let me tell you something. How 'bout you let US KEEP the oil revenues from the rigs right off our shoreline and let US rebuild ourselves? Right now, YOU only allow us to have 0.5 percent of the oil revenues from offshore oil. The rest - YOU take for yourselves.

Meanwhile, New Mexico and other states get 50, some even 100% of the revenues from oil and other natural resources harvested on their federal lands. And the same Senators who benefit from those revenues routinely REFUSE to support giving Louisiana it's due. Put simply, they won't allow us to have the same deal that their own state has with reference to it's natural resources. This is the height of hypocracy and it ought to disgust anyone who discovers it.

SIX BILLION in oil revenues - thats what you get on a yearly basis AMERICA -- from our oil. You give us a pittance - and you shovel the rest into pork headed for California - a state that won't even allow offshore drilling -- nosiree.

American apathy and ignorance never ceases to amaze me. We bitch about gas prices and then turn right around and bitch about paying out dollars to repair the port where 33% of our gas transits through. How dumb is this.

This article from the Times-Picayune says it all ...

It's time for a Nation to repay the favor ...

New York was attacked by terrorists, and the US government moved heaven and hell to fix their problems. New Orleans get whacked by a hurricane - and all anyone wants to do is laugh at us for living below sea level. Well then, maybe we should seceed from the union and allow you all to "pump" green California for it's natural resources huh?

Good Luck with that!

DEPRESSING THOUGHT OF THE DAY ...

Do Americans have the guts to WIN the Global War on Terror?

Sadly, I think the answer is no.

Right now, I'm ashamed of Americans, and embarrased to be one. We forget so easily the lessons of 9-11. Osama Bin Laden has told his followers many, many times that Americans always "cut and run". He's always told his followers that we have no stomach for even minor sacrifice and all they have to do is hold out long enough and we'll cave in. He's always told them that we would destroy ourselves with our open-society and democratic freedom of speech.

And he was right. Democrats (read: Terrorist Rights Party) hold so much hatred for President Bush - they are willing to lose the war in order to embarrass him. Americans continue to give Bush low approval ratings. We're not united, we're cutting our own selves to shreads. We don't deserve to win this war - perhaps we don't even deserve to carry the mantle of freedom our forefathers left to us. We're cowards - that is, all of us except our men and women in uniform on the front lines of this war.

"I'm no coward!!" you say?

Let me ask you something.

Have you been on the front lines of this war fighting alongside our men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan?

If you answered "yes" to that question - then you're right - you're not a coward.

If you answered "no" - then I have one other question for you ...

"Have you taken to the streets yet to support the War? What have you done to SHOUT DOWN these terrorist sympathizer idiots like the Democratic caucus?

Boss - if you've been supporting the war from your living room couch - YOU are a COWARD. If you haven't taken to the streets to stand up for our fighting men and women - YOU are a COWARD. If you haven't written at least 50 letters to the Al Quaida members in the US Congress (like Kennedy, Schumer, Pelosi) - YOU are a COWARD.

And because of your inaction - your refusal to be "bothered" - WE WILL LOSE THIS WAR.

Osama predicted it - and he was right. He's dedicated to his cause - willing to die for it.

YOU aren't willing to pick up a pen and write a letter for yours though.

Who do YOU think will win?

Nuff Said.

MEGYN KENDALL - SMOKIN' HOT

Sorry about the long absence in posting to my blog but, as you know, I'm rebuilding my house after being flooded five and half feet by Hurricane Katrina. More on that in a future, probably depressing blog entry ...

For THIS entry though, I thought I would lament a little on Fox News Reporter Hottie MEGYN KENDALL.



I have a few questions here about her ...

Who is this woman and where does she come from?

Who's the loser that's married to her?

Why does FOX NEWS pigeon-hole this woman in Washington, D.C.? Who is the rocket-scientist executive that sent Megyn to Washington D.C. and Greta Van Sustren to Aruba to cover the Holloway case? That's completely backward. It's warm in Aruba - year round. Party atmosphere down there - and lots of beaches. That translates into LOTS of gratuitous "reporter-in-swimsuit" opportunities. Thank GOD Greta never took advantage of them but Megyn surely could have. Fox needs to put Megyn someplace where they can exploit her ahhhh ... assets.

Why did God make this woman half my age? Clearly, some temporal malfunction or rip in the space-time continuum fabric of the universe is responsible for this egregious error! And due to this mistake - I'm out of a shot at her!

As I get older, I'm not really attracted to younger women. Believe it or not - I tend to look at girls my own age. Don't ask me why - they aren't prettier (certainly) than younger women. But they (to me anyway) are sexier than the younger girls. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I know that women my age can actually hum an ABBA tune or two. I just don't know. But I think it's a good thing - since I find the picture of an older man with a young hottie girl to be a bit "asexual" - if you know what I mean. I think it's the natural order of things - you should pair off with someone approximately your own age - or at least within 10 or 12 years of it.

But then along comes Megyn Kendall, with her blonde hair, beautifully expressive face, red dress and tight bod and all I can say is ...

Damn!

Don't get me wrong here - Megyn isn't as hot to me as my wife is - and my wife is 3 years older than me. My wife IS smokin' hot - I'm not even going to tell you about it (or the dirty little thoughts I still have about her even after being married to her for 18 years). But - and this is where the whole male hormone / brain connection just ticks me off - Why can't I have my wife AND Megyn?

This is the curse of men. When the Lord created the human brain, he built the female one first - he meticulously designed and built it to work specifically in the female body. This was exhausting for God - so exhausting he just said "Screw It". Rather than design and build a brain specifically for us men - he just decided to use the same brain in the male body. To get it to work in us though - he had to pump it up on testosterone and that causes a few problems.

Oh well. This is life isn't it?

GETTING HARD TO REMAIN A REPUBLICAN

Long time since my last post ... I've been busy rebuilding my flooded house in Slidell, LA.

Boy, is it ever hard these days to remain loyal to the Republican party - especially if you're a Louisianan ...

House Majority Speaker Dennis Hasterdt questions the logic behind attempting to rebuild New Orleans.

Sen Larry Craig of Iowa goes even farther - saying that we should leave New Orleans the way it originally was - a wetland. He also goes on to say that Louisiana is the most corrupt state in the union.

Let me just say to Dennis and Larry - THANK YOU!

Thanks for VOLUNTEERING YOUR STATES for hosting all of the oil refineries, oil pipelines, natural gas processing facilities, and all of the other ENVIRONMENTALLY unfriendly (yet nationally vital) facilities that you don't want to rebuild down here in Cajun country.

Where are these guys coming from? What *I*D*I*O*T*S*.

More than 25% of this country's energy either originates, or is processed or shipped through these "wetlands" down here in the New Orleans area. Dennis, Larry - do you think YOUR constituencies would agree to move these environmentally unfriendly activities to YOUR states?

Louisiana ... the most corrupt state in the union?

Tell me something I DON'T KNOW.

That's irrelavant as long as the overriding FACT remains that this nation is dependant on New Orleans for over a quarter of it's energy needs!

What is it about the REPUBLICAN PARTY? Each and everytime they reach the penacle of power - when everything is going their way - why do they insist on sabataging themselves? After the last election - the Dem's were done - stick a fork in 'em. But the Republicans have managed to snatch defeat right out of the jaws of certain victory! These comments by Republicans on the rebuilding of New Orleans are only the tip of the iceberg. Tom Delay is indicted. Bill Frist is under investigation. Karl Rove may be next. Bush still can't articulate the reason why we need to be in Iraq - and seems disinterested in even trying.

The Republicans are being bashed from both the LEFT and the RIGHT. Rather than nominate a clear hard core Conservative to the Supreme Court - Bush nominates Harriet Myers and invites an infilating barrage from his die-hard core constituency - the religious right. He could get anyone he wants appointed to the Supreme Court - but instead he opts to go soft.

Are the Republicans trying to make their base apathetic in the next Presidential election? That's what's happening.

Yep, it's hard these days trying to stay a Republican. Never in my days did I think I'd ever agree with anything that Senator Mary Landrieu said. However, these days - I have an easier time identifying with her sentiments than I do for those of my OWN party.

Reminds me of the depressing days before the '92 election when we all knew that Clinton was going to be the winner - and would probably keep the White House for eight years. I feel the dark ages coming again.

DOW: WASHINGTON ST. TAMMANY ELECTRIC

My "Doofus of the Week" this week is ...

WASHINGTON ST. TAMMANY ELECTRIC (WSTE)

Folks, I thought those of us who live in Southeast Louisiana were trying to REBUILD our communities?

Shortly after KATRINA flooded my home, I immediately went to work to fix the damage. After gutting the house - I repaired the whole electrical system myself and I've tested it - it's good ... it's ready for power.

The State of Louisiana requires that flooded homes be inspected by a licensed Electrician before power can be restored to them. That's reasonable to me and my Electrician is inspecting me on Saturday. Of course, he wants $135 bucks just to do a "look see" - that's not so reasonable to me but what choice do I have?

Anyway -- the electric company, WSTE, tells my wife today that it matters not when my house is certified safe for power - they aren't going to turn me on until at least FIFTY PERCENT of my neighbors are certified safe and ready for power also!

As I stated in an earlier post - many of my neighbors are working hard to rebuild their homes - with no assistance from anyone - just like I am. However - probably most of my neighbors have abandoned thier homes - and unless FEMA agrees to come to their rescue - they won't come back. So they certainly aren't doing anything to get their electrical systems in shape.

WASHINGTON ST. TAMMANY ELECTRIC IS TURNING IT'S BACK ON US CUSTOMERS WHO ARE SELF-STARTERS. THEY ARE TURNING THEIR BACK ON THE VERY PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SPIRIT TO REBUILD THIS AREA.

What if it takes TWO YEARS before 50% of the homes in my neighborhood are certified safe for power? Are those of us who rolled up our sleeves and got to work to fix our homes supposed to just wait that long?

This is complete BS folks. WSTE told my wife that power is available to my subdivision now - but they aren't going to turn any of us on until the 50% requirement is met. This could take months - if not years. In the meantime - I'm ready for power now.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH NOTHING ... WASHINGTON ST. TAMMANY ELECTRIC!

DOOFUS OF THE WEEK.

KATRINA WAR STORIES

War Stories ...

... I was traveling east on I-10 headed back towards Pascagoula a week or so ago after a day of working on my flooded house in Slidell, LA. I was exhausted. It was pitch black night - but suddenly, headed westbound - I saw a motorcade of vehicles with flashing lights on the top of each...

As they passed me - I could see they were all white SUV's - and all had painted, in big blue letters on the side - either "FDNY" or "NYPD". All of these vehicles and their occupants were screaming down I-10 toward New Orleans - and the site brought tears to my eyes. I'm sure I'm not the only one who got emotional at the sight of these "Yankees" coming to our assistance. Finally, on the Gulf Coast anyway - I think the Civil War is finally over.

... At the local Army surplus store in Slidell, La - an interesting sign ...

"Looters will be shot ... Survivors will be shot again!"

... A contractor from some company called KAPE comes by my house while I'm cleaning out the mud in it to tell me that he will replace my whole roof plus pay $800 of my hurricane insurance deductable - all I have to do is pay the rest of my deductable and he'll haggle with my insurance company over the rest of his money. All I have to do is sign a contract and all my worries are over. Yeah right - hit the road carpetbagger.

...Quote from the same carpetbagging contractor ...

"I noticed you have your windows open but that isn't going to help dry out your house ... it's 50% humidity out there."

My response ...

"Actually, if you were from down here you'd know the humidity was more like 80-90% - and, regardless there Mr. Rocket Scientist - would you have me SHUT the windows to dry out the house?"

... From my neighbor, TJ - who STAYED in his house during the storm ...

"So I was in my attic, but I was afraid the flood waters would drown me. I kicked out some vinyl siding, jumped into the water, and swam over to YOUR house. I was going to kick out one of your windows on the second floor - and hide out in there until the storm was over. But every time I jumped on your roof - the hurricane wind blew me back off. So I just swam back to my place, and hung out on my roof. Damn, that rain felt like nails driving right into my face. Some lady down the street was up on her roof, and she kept yelling at me to jump into the water again to save some dog that she was afraid was about to drown. I told her 'Woman - I'M ABOUT TO DROWN - AND MAYBE YOU TOO - I AIN'T WORRIED ABOUT NO DOG!"

KATRINA STATUS REPORT

What do you do with a flooded house when you had no flood insurance?

This is a question that is foremost in the minds of many who reside along the Gulf Coast - from Mobile, AL to New Orleans, LA.

It is clear that most of the homes that were flooded by Katrina had no flood insurance. Many are now looking to FEMA to pick up the tab for rebuilding their homes.

Different people come up with different answers to this question ... "What to do?"

I lived through hurricane Camille and hurricane Frederick, I am a native of the Gulf Coast. I have over a hundred family members spread out along this coast - this is my home. Additionally, I was raised to not expect a handout. I was raised to pull my own weight and to believe that those who could do for themselves - SHOULD DO for themselves.

So my answer to the question ... "What to do?" was simple ...

I have no flood insurance, and judging from the Biblical damage all along the coast - FEMA nor anyone in the Federal government has enough money to make all of us poor souls whole again. So either I "kick in" to save myself - or my family and I drown.

So as soon as I could get back to my house after the storm, I started gutting it. If left to stand on it's own, a flooded house will quickly be overtaken by mold - and the house will rot to the point that it must be leveled by a dozer.

I have a mortgage - a mortgage that I don't intend to default on. And I can't afford to write my house off as a loss and just buy a new one. I had to save it - and I did. I gutted it, replaced the electrical recepticals and light switches - and replaced all the breakers. It's now ready for power when the electric company gets it restored.

Additionally, I originally pulled everything out of my house and put it on the curb - thinking all of it was a complete loss. In the last few days, I've started to pull things OUT of the garbage heap though. Things like a refrigerator - which I fully pressure washed and cleaned. Then I hooked up a generator to my home's electrical system and plugged the reefer in to see if it would work. SURPRISE! It did. So did my power tools when I washed them out and oiled them. My garbage disposal - worked after a good cleaning. I cleaned up my furnace unit and blower to my home's air conditioning system - SURPRISE - that works now! I have two ac compressors outside that were flooded out too - but the compressors are sealed units. I think those will come online too if I replace the relays in them and the starting capacitors - so my whole air conditioning system should work when I get power back. By the end of next week - I could be living in my home again. I may not have power to run my air conditioning system - but people lived down here for hundreds of years without ac - I can too for a couple of months if I need to.

And many of my neighbors are doing the same thing as I am - trying to salvage what we had.

Many others - are no where to be found. They didn't have flood insurance either - but many expect to get FEMA assistance (read - MONEY) to write their homes off as a complete loss. If that doesn't happen - they'll default on their mortagages and take a foreclosure on their property - then they'll complain about how the government walked away from them in their hour of need.

But folks, life is not fair - when you're kicked to the ground - you have to dust yourself off and get back up again - and not blame someone else for your problems. Sure, if I can get some assistance from FEMA - I'll take it - but only what I need. I don't need them to replace my ac, reefer, power tools, garbage disposal - because I have saved those items on my own. Tomorrow I'll start on my diswasher and oven - and God willing I'll get them to work also. And I don't need temporary housing from FEMA - because I'll soon be able to live in my home.

Is it too much to ask that others do the same if their circumstances permit? If I were in my 60's - I wouldn't have the energy to do what I've done so far - so FEMA would have to help me a little more than others. I understand an elderly couple who can't do for themselves. But I have neighbors in their 20's and 30's who could very well do what I and others have done - but just don't want to do it. They expect Uncle Sam to cover their backs without any effort on their part.

Those of you who don't live down here should take note of this. There's going to be a big press for your tax dollars - and my lazy neighbors are going to be reaching into your pocket.

ALIVE!

I am alive!

This is my first blog entry in at least three weeks - interuption courtesy of KATRINA.

Where do I start?

My last blog entry was two days before the storm hit. I boarded up my house and left New Orleans around noon on the Sunday before Katrina came ashore. My safe haven destination was my Dad's house in Pascagoula, MS. I figured I'd be safe in Pascagoula - but I found I really had no appreciation for the SIZE of this storm. It was huge. The winds in P-goula were fearful. The shingles on my Dad's house blew off and a couple of the celings collapsed due to water damage. We fought wind blown water entry into the house like a U.S. Navy damage control party virtually the whole time the winds were whipping - and they were whipping for a long time. This storm happened in broad daylight - so you could see what was going on outside. Trees snapping like matchsticks - all the way over here in Pascagoula. My Dad lost power and didn't regain it for over a week.

As soon as the winds died down, I attempted to get on the road to get back home to check my damage. It was about 6pm when I began the trek westward on I-10. From Pascagoula, I got as far as Biloxi, MS when I was turned around by a Highway Patrolman. Reason? He told me ... quote ... "There's an oil tanker on the bridge ahead".

So back to P-goula I go. On the way back, I had I a hell of a time getting across the Pascagoula River bridge - where a segment of the bridge had been knocked sideways by a big floating crane that had been blown into it by the storm. The whole eastbound side of that bridge is now secured for repairs.

So the next morning, I set out for Slidell, LA via a different route - the northern route.

I took HWY 63 to Lucedale and jumped on west HWY 26 - took that all the way to I-59 South - which cruises right into Slidell. This route would normally take about two hours to complete - but it took me EIGHT.

First - HWY 26 was full of downed trees - which was slow going - but it was passable.

I-59 was a completely different story though. It looked like a nuclear bomb had exploded.

Huge pine trees - all over and covering most parts of the freeway. The northbound side was all but impassable. Northbound cars just migrated to the southbound side and turned their emergency blinkers on while they headed in the opposite direction of the intended flow of traffic. There wasn't a lot of northbound traffic though.

The southbound side of I-59 was impassable too - but National Guard troops were out and clearing it. So the routine would go like this - move 50 yards, wait for hours for NG to clear some trees - move another 50 yards and repeat the process.

But I did make it to Slidell...

But the police didn't want to let me into the city.

So after being turned away on the direct route to the city - I grabbed my map and found a very convoluted "back road" route to get to my house. This was a perilous route - and required me to get out of the car at several points to pull trees and debris out of the road - but I made it.

What I found when I reached the levy to my subdivision was ...

A LAKE. My house was in the middle of a LAKE!

Apparently the storm surge of Katrina topped the levy - filling my subdivision like milk in a cereal bowl. But this stuff, this stuff that came in - was not milk. This was a serious concoction of marsh mud, oil, and - my favorite - sewage! It filled my house with five feet of this black water.

So here's the damage assesment ...

My bottom floor was flooded out about 5 feet with this stinky water and mud. My upstairs was just like I left it - dry and clean - looked beautiful. Actual hurricane damage from winds was minimal. My dishnetwork dish was blown off, and I lost a few shingles and some of my vinyl siding became loose - but didn't come off.

That's amazing. In my subdivision, which was pretty much Katrina Ground Zero (I think only Bay St. Louis, just to the east of us got it worse) - not a single roof was missing - they all held. These homes stood up very well to the actual hurricane winds.

But the flood! Oh the flood! The mold started setting in immediately. As soon as I could, I went in with my family and we started ripping out the carpets and the padding. We ripped out the sheetrock on the walls and the insulation except for a little strip up next to the ceiling. We pressure washed the gunk out and bleached the studs. My house is saved - though it's a fraction of what it was just before the storm.

I had all kinds of hurricane insurance - but I had very little actual "hurricane" damage by insurance company standards.

Most all of my damage was FLOOD damage and - you guessed it - I had not one ounce of flood insurance. I wasn't required to have it - I didn't live in a flood zone. Nevertheless, I was planning on getting flood insurance before the storm - it was on my "to-do list". But it was just one of those things that you figure would be nice to have ... just in case - but that you procrastinate doing. I figured I had plenty of time - but then again little did I know that a HISTORIC record breaking storm was about to hit!

So there you have it folks. I've been working non-stop in my house ever since. Eating MRE's, wondering what day of the week it is and fighting off "carpet bagger" contractors who run through the neighborhoods down here trying to take advantage of the folks who have lost just about everything they own.

It's been damn hard - but you know what? In spite of all that I've lost - there is a positive side to this. First, my family is all fine. And second, something about a record-breaking natural calamity that, when it hits you right in the face, tends to wake you up to the facts of life. I have been moving for the past three weeks with an energy that I haven't had since I was in my twenties - if I even had it then. Neighbors that I barely spoke two or three words to a week - I now speak with on a daily basis. And the conversations are deep too - they're about survival.

I could write much, much, more on this storm - and I will - on another day. Right now I have to hit the rack and get some sleep. Got to work on the house again tomorrow. My goal is to get it "livable" by next week. Of course - no power to my subdivision yet - so "livable" kinds of takes on a lower definition if you know what I mean.

I am fine though! Alive and well! Don't feel sorry for me - I tend to believe that positive things eventually come out of stuff like this. But for the folks in New Orleans proper - pray for them. My experience was pretty traumatic. Theirs was horrific.

More to come later ....

KATRINA UPDATE

Well I'm all boarded up. Tomorrow I'll pack up the family and head out.

Mayor Nagen is on WWL TV right now. He says someone at the NHC called him up to tell him that this storm - KATRINA - is exactly the storm that everyone has been fearing for so long. 20-25 foot storm surge (most of the levys were built to 15 feet - but most all have settled a few feet over the years - probably only 12 feet high in most places now).

Mayor Nagen now says that tomorrow he will probably announce the FIRST mandatory evacuation in the history of New Orleans. A mando evac has been scoffed at in the past because many of the folks in NOLA have no transportation - no way to leave. However, apparently the Mayor thinks ordering the evac will help in some measure.

Could be up to 18-20 feet of water in downtown NOLA after the storm passes. It will take WEEKS to pump that amount of water out of the city. Additionally, it will be a hazardous waste nightmare. Only hope now is if the storm turns or greatly detensifies. It would be nice if this thing would speed up too.

I live in a brand new house, in a brand new subdivision. I have about zero confidence that this house will be standing on Tuesday morning. Katrina's eye is predicted to run right over it. I would have more confidence except I've seen how they build these houses. I wish LA had the same building codes as FL does - but we don't. The houses here are built pretty much like crap.

KATRINA ...

Well, this blog just may go down for a few days due to the approach of Hurricane KATRINA.

I'm doing my hurricane preps now. Just came inside to get away from the Louisiana heat for a few minutes.

Here in Louisiana, if you have any body of water within three miles of your house - that water will certainly have snakes - nasty poisonous snakes. It's likely it'll also have gators. When a hurricane visits - it usually floods - and the residents of the local marsh or lake head for higher ground - and that usually means YOUR backyard. Since hurricane rains can double the size of your grass in the backyard (overnight) - it's a good idea to MOW before the hurricane - and before the creatures start looking for an alternate home. I just finished mowing mine.

Next item will be to board up the house. I have about 40 windows unfortunately - so that'll take some time. On the positive side though, I already keep plywood pre-cut and drilled for my windows. It's smart to do that down here - even Home Depot will scalp you on plywood when a hurricane approaches - so it's best to have it beforehand.

The amazing thing to me is the last time we went through this drill - myself and a few others in the neighborhood were the only one's to board up our houses. Amazing. Most of my neighbors figure insurance will cover their damages and so why bother? My next-door neighbor told me I was crazy for boarding up because the house would blow away anyway in a big storm. I think his exact words were "Well, when your house blows away - at least those windows will still be intact." Thanks alot there, Smart Alec.

Anyway - I'm boarding up. What the hell?

Tomorrow I will be bugging out with the family and heading to my Mom's house about an hour and 15 minutes away in Pascagoula, MS. That's a solid house, well above sea level, over there and has withstood many hurricanes. If this one hits NOLA - then they won't get much wind over there anyway.

Gas station lines are chock full and running out of gas. I'm all gassed up though already.

New Orleans is NOT ready. This storm could hit early Monday morning and the city is not ready - they really weren't looking at Katrina seriously until yesterday afternoon. But now they are - maybe too late. John Gumm, the meteorologist at WWL TV said this morning ...

"What I am trying to do here is convince you to prepare for the worst storm you have ever went through or to heed the advice of emergency management should they call for an evacuation in your area. "

Now, John Gumm is a great weather-guesser. John Gumm has never uttered anything like this in the past when there was a hurricane in the Gulf. If John Gumm says this now - then that means the whole city is in some deep kim-chee if they don't get ready.

You can see the stress on Mayor Nagen's face on TV this morning. He knows that unless a miracle happens to divert this storm away from NOLA - he is about to be overseeing the greatest disaster in the history of the city of New Orleans. There is not much he can do - MANY of the urban poor have no transportation to get out of the city. If the levy's are breached - New Orleans will be a swimming pool.

My advice to anyone reading this blog - if you happen to live well out of the path of this storm - you should probably go and buy gas for yourself now too. New Orleans has so many oil rigs, so many refineries, and so much imported oil comes into the nation down here that you have no reason to smile at our worries down here right now. If New Orleans suffers a calamity - you'll feel it in your wallet - even if you live in Washington State.

QUEEN OF DISASTER

The city of New Orleans is the "whispered" queen of disaster when it comes to hurricanes.

Probably the first question that a weatherman or a news reporter asks when they learn of a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico is ... "Does it have a chance of hitting New Orleans?"

This is because no matter how many times Pensacola gets pounded with hurricanes - that city will still survive and loss of life will be small.

But New Orleans (NOLA) is a different story. A CAT 2 hurricane, were one to hit NOLA, would cause monumental damage. Anything above a CAT 2 - would likely be a disaster rivaled only by catastrophe's you've seen and heard about in THIRD WORLD countries.

For weather reporters, a big hurricane plowing though NOLA is the "holy grail" of stories. A once in a lifetime chance to cover what is anticipated to be the "mother of all disasters". So when a reporter hears of a hurricane in the Gulf - they want to immediately know if it has a chance of hitting NOLA. Joe Bastardi - from ACCUWEATHER.COM - secretly wishes for a big hurricane to hit NOLA. Any time a storm enters the Gulf - doesn't matter what the "models" say - Joe will always predict for the storm to hit NOLA. You watch - if a hurricane ever does head this way - old Joe will be haulin' brownie down to NOLA to cover it. He knows the stakes here.

Hurricane CAMILLE was the last catastrophic storm to hit the Gulf Coast - in the late '60's - and she missed NOLA, making landfall instead just over the LA/MS state line. Loss of life was high - and the Mississippi Gulf Coast was ravaged - it took a generation to repair the damage.

But that was nothing compared to the disaster potential of NOLA.

There are several reasons that NOLA is a disaster waiting to happen ...

The city of NOLA sits below sea level - in a "bowl". If someone spills a glass of milk in NOLA - the city floods. People working in the city are used to listening to the weather reports when they're at work. They watch the skies and judge if a sudden rainshower might turn into a flash flood that would strand them at work. When the water gets high in the streets - the SUV's are about the only vehicles that can crawl through them - and they are on notice - make NO WAKE that will wash into someone's house. People get upset about that.

And that's just what it's like during your standard "summertime" rain season here.

Another reason for NOLA's disaster potential is the loss of the Louisianna wetlands - which are disappearing each day at a staggering rate. These wetlands - what's left of them - serve as a "buffer" between NOLA and a hurricane storm surge. Since those wetlands are only a fraction of what they were a hundred years ago - it's anticipated that NOLA will be ravaged by storm surges.

But probably the number one thing that contributes to NOLA's disaster potential has nothing to do with the geographic placement of the city. It has to do with the sheer volume of urban poor that reside in NOLA. The numbers are massive. The Mayor of New Orleans cannot even order a MANDATORY evacuation of NOLA because many of these people have no form of transportation to evacuate with. There are no hurricane shelters in the city - usually the Mayor will designate the SUPER DOME as a shelter - in the last desparate hours before a storm hits - just so that people will have a place to go. The safety of that place is a crap shoot though. A direct hit from a CAT 3 or above on NOLA will take many lives.

And the flooding from a hurricane. The building I work in is a six story building in downtown NOLA. During Hurricane Camille - which didn't even hit the city - the bottom two floors were completely flooded. But guess what? Flooding is just the tip of the iceberg because there is so much hazardous material in the city of NOLA that those flood waters will create a massive environmental catastrophe in spreading that stuff around.

With all of the above, most experts believe that there will be no such thing as "rebuilding" this city after a major hurricane comes through. They believe it would just be better to walk away from this place - or swim away from it - and everybody go someplace else! And when that happens - your gas prices are going to go through the roof and so are the prices on imports because a huge chunk of the nation's gas and imported goods comes through this city.

Hurricane KATRINA is now in the Gulf, and some are predicting CAT 4 by landfall and NOLA, again, is in the window of possibility for a strike. So now NOLA goes into the hurricane disaster preparation mode that we all know so well. I hope we don't get hit - but we are certainly "due".

By the way - the best hurricane news comes from WWL TV's John Gumm. When a storm is on the way - I'm on the WWL website reading everything he has to say!

GATES OF FIRE

Mike Yon has a new report from Mosul up on his site ....

Gates of Fire...

I don't know how he does it, but Mike has a special talent for actually putting YOU in combat with his writing style. From reading his stuff over the last few months - I can tell he's a guy with a good heart - and a patriot too. Wish all reporters were like him.

In this latest dispatch, Deuce Four has rough run. But the spirit of the guys shines through.

One of the things I found interesting was some of the frustration Mike details in "catch and release" terrorists. Also note how he indicates that Iraqi police just marvel in our tolerant, soft touch methods with captured and wounded jihadists.

In one of his other dispatches he tells how Iraqi police caught four terrorists, and took them out on a "ride" during their interrogation. Unfortunately - the police had to shoot one of the terrorists when he "tried to escape". Of course - this was enough "pressure" to get the others to talk.

Great job Mike on this latest dispatch.

OBL'S MESSAGE TO MUSLIM YOUTH ...

This isn't new - but many haven't read it yet. This is a text of Osama Bin Laden's message to Muslim youth (take particular heed in the portions highlighted in red) ...

December 9, 2001

My beloved brothers in Islam,
Assalamu-alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

We have been struggling right from our youth; we sacrificed our homes, families and all the luxuries of this worldly life in the path of Allah (we ask Allah to accept our efforts). In our youth, we fought with and defeated the (former) USSR (with the help of Allah), a world super power at the time, and now we are fighting the USA. We have never let the Muslim Ummah down.

We should realize that this life is temporary and eventually we have to return to Allah (SWT), the lord of the Heavens and the earth.

"Truly To Allah we belong and truly, to Allah we shall return."

Muslims are being humiliated, tortured and ruthlessly killed all over the world and it is time to fight these satanic forces with the utmost strength and power. Today, the whole of the Muslim Ummah is depending (after Allah) upon the Muslim youth, hoping that they would never let them down.

The Jihad (fighting in the way of Allah) has become Fard-Ain (obligatory) upon each and every Muslim. We advise the Muslim youth not to fall victim to the words of some scholars who are misleading the Ummah by stating that Jihad is still Fard-Kifayah. The time has come when all the Muslims of the world, especially the youth, should unite and soar against Kufr and continue Jihad till these forces are crushed to naught, all the anti-Islamic forces are wiped off from the face of this Earth and Islam takes over the whole world and all the other false religions."

"And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism: i.e. worshipping others besides Allah) and the religion (worship) will all be for Allah Alone [in the whole of the world]. But if they cease (worshipping others besides Allah), then certainly, Allah is All-Seer of what they do."
[Surah Al-Anfal]

We ask Allah (SWT) to rank us amongst His Truthful slaves.

Wassalamu-alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh,
Your brother,
Usama Bin Laden

ABLE DANGER UPDATE

Here’s the status as of today, the following people …

LtCol Tony Shaffer (US Army)
Capt Scott Philpott (US Navy)
James D. Smith (DoD Contractor)

… have all come forward to verify the fact that ABLE DANGER identified Mohammed Atta and his merry band of suicide pilots as early as January / February, 2000 - a year and a half prior to the attacks of 9-11. And although Philpott and Smith haven’t come out yet and specifically said that they told their chain of command about Atta – they certainly know that Shaffer is telling everyone that they did – and they aren’t “correcting” the message he’s sending. Translation – they told their chain of command. Only makes sense since that's about half of the job of a military man - informing your chain of command - about just about everything.

This “allegation” has been in the news for several weeks now – and skeptics have not been able to place a single hole in these men’s stories.

The Pentagon can only say that they can’t find any “documentation” that confirms that ABLE DANGER did what these men say it did.

BUT – the Pentagon will not say a solitary peep about what others who worked with these men on ABLE DANGER say. They have access to these other folks – and some of them are very high ranking – but they won’t tell us what they have to say about this.

Congressman Weldon has told the Pentagon that they should not make any more statements whatsoever about ABLE DANGER until they have completed a FULL investigation. Issuing any more half-cocked statements will make the findings of any Pentagon investigation seem “predetermined” – that’s his word.

Does that sound like the charge of a guy who knows he has a “chink” in his armor? It doesn’t to me. That sounds like a pretty bold warning from a guy who has his ducks in a row and knows he’s bulletproof on the issue. And I have to admit – the identical stories from an Army O-5, a Navy O-6, and civilian contractor are pretty convincing to me.

Any skepticism I may have had that this is the real deal has all but eroded. Unless these 3 guys – and Congressman Weldon are just engaging in an outright conspiratorial lie – then even more people out there exist who will eventually come forward to verify this story.

And more, this blockbuster story has now reopened the whole debate as to whether IRAQ may have played a role in the 9-11 attacks. Liberals have insisted from the outset that Iraq was not involved in 9-11 – and the 9-11 commission backed up their claims in the final report. However, since ABLE DANGER places Atta in the US much earlier than the 9-11 commission does – this calls into question the 9-11 commission’s whole timeline on Mohammed Atta’s actual travel itinerary – and leaves open the possibility that he may have met with Iraqi agents at some point in time as the Czechoslovakian police have insisted all along. Indeed, not only is the 9-11 commission’s timeline on Atta’s travels in question now – virtually everything else in that report is also.

I’m sure there will be more to follow

IN DEFENSE OF PAT ROBERTSON ...

Let me first start this blog entry by saying that I believe what Pat Robertson said in advocating the assassination of President Hugo Chavez in Venezuela was unwise. Pat Robertson should not have publicly called for that action.

Having said that … were I advising President Bush on what to do about the Venezuelan situation – my position might be a little different. Feel free to read between the lines.

Liberal pundits are screaming to high heavens this morning about Pat Robertson and claiming that he’s just a “Christian version” of the radical Islamofascist clerics who advocate violence against “infidels”. We must, therefore, condemn Pat Robertson for saying these things or we are no better than the Islamofascists who are waging war against us.

First, let me say that I wish the Main Stream Media (MSM) was as concerned about Islamofascist hate speech as they appear to be about Pat Robertson’s one comment the other day. But the fact is, Pat Robertson’s comments have gotten far more attention from the MSM than all of the hateful comments that Islamofascists have made in the last four years. And that’s just a fact.

But if they wish to compare Pat Robertson to the Islamofascists – I’ll play.

First, Islamofascist hate speech is peppered with endorsement of violence against men, women, and children. Islamofascists routinely defend the killing of the innocent in their Jihad to bring about a one-world Caliphate under Islamic rule. A Caliphate that proudly places the rule of Islam not only over Baghdad – but over Boise, Idaho as well. They vocally endorse any act of violence, in fact all acts of violence, to achieve these ends. No action, no matter how despicable it may be to civilized conscience, is off limits in achieving this goal.

So what about Pat Robertson? Did he advocate likewise? Absolutely not. Robertson simply advocated the assassination of a Venezuelan dictator who is in cahoots with the Islamofascists that seek to bring about the downfall of the United States. Robertson merely advocated violence against a man who is – far from an innocent bystander – in the Global War on Terror. Robertson advocated violence against a man who has blood on his own hands. Robertson advocated a single act of violence aimed at a man who calls Saddam Hussein a “brother” and wants to help Iranians develop nuclear weapons.

So there is NO comparison between Pat Robertson and the Islamofascists.

Even so, how could Pat Robertson – a Christian – advocate killing a foreign head of state?

Very simple – Pat Robertson is one of the growing numbers of people in this nation that recognize that we are in a global struggle against forces that would destroy us. He recognizes that if we don’t get aboard to fight these forces – then we, as a nation, are doomed.

It amazes me today, even after 9-11, most Americans are still plugged into the “Matrix”. Most of us go about our day to day lives in complete oblivion that we are in a fight for our lives here – and the situation is growing more and more desperate everyday.

Most of us realize we are at war – but we still cling to the notion that we can win this war without compromising ANY of our principles. And to that end – even things like “light” torture of a terrorist to gain information about an impending attack – are off limits. And certainly, we maintain that violence against a foriegn head of state is off limits - even if that head of state is a dictator committed to our destruction.

But ...

Ask any cancer surgeon and he or she will tell you … if the cancer is caught early, there is a very good prognosis even using very simple, benign treatment methods and non-invasive techniques.

But as the cancer spreads, as the patient’s condition becomes more and more desperate, radical, invasive techniques suddenly become an option – indeed, the ONLY option.

Now I’ve said this before – we are in a global fight for our right to exist. The Islamofascists are a cancer that, if allowed to spread – will consume us whole. This cancer is NOT in an early stage – it has metastasized – and it may be well beyond “non-invasive” techniques to destroy it.

And that is what Pat Robertson was trying to say the other night.

Of course, the Cindy Al Sheehani’s out there will claim that Hugo Chavez didn’t attack us on 9-11. And of course – they’d be right.

However, Hugo Chavez is a part of the Global War on Terror – and **News Flash!** -- he’s not on our side. Quite the contrary, he’s thrown his chips in with the Islamofascists who seek to destroy us.

He also controls a large amount of oil down there in Venezuela folks – oil that he’s threatened to cut off from the United States.

Now, I’m sure that everyone has noticed gas prices lately – so you know we have a problem with supply. I don’t care about gas prices though – not in the least.

I DO care about our armed forces though. The fact is, our armed forces consume so much oil that it’s practically pornographic. We **MIGHT** not have had to consume as much today if, in the early stages of this cancer – the government had been allowed to expand nuclear power programs for it’s shipbuilding without being molested by the “Greens”. That didn’t happen though – so our ships must now consume tremendous amounts of oil just to fight the GWOT. And the lack of oil has already impacted our forces. Ships returning from deployment are now foregoing some critical training at sea in order to save gas for our fighting forces. However, that’s grinding up our “seed corn” – because eventually those ships and crews have to deploy again into the GWOT and they have to do so at a lower level of training.

The same is happening with our AIR FORCES and our LAND FORCES. Training missions are being scrubbed in order to conserve fuel. This hasn’t impacted our fighting forces as much – just yet. But if the oil supply is “pinched” – it soon will. You think we are losing Soldiers and Marines in Iraq right now – you haven’t seen anything even resembling the losses we’ll take if we have to start grounding their air support and shutting down armored cavalry due to lack of fuel.

This is an “organic” war we’re fighting here folks – a malfunction in one organ impacts the function of another organ – and the result is a chain reaction of grave consequences for the patient.

So, it’s fine I guess, to insist that we will not compromise even a single one of our principles while we fight this GWOT. It’s not, in my opinion, very smart to do that though. We will not stop this cancer by using “non-invasive”, “benign” procedures – it’s too advanced. We may slow it’s growth – but in the end we will simply be passing the real dirty work off to our children who, when faced with complete annihilation – will have to make a choice between survival and even more drastic compromises of principle than we are faced with today.

It’s our choice. We can make the decision to commit to fighting this war with the knowledge that we may have to get our hands dirty and compromise some of our “lightly” held principles. Or we can punt the decision down to our children – who by then will have to compromise MUCH more in order to survive.

This is what Pat Robertson realizes.

Again, I don’t advocate violence against Hugo Chavez – even as dirty as his hands are. However, again – were I an advisor to President Bush, my position on that might be different if it appeared that Chavez was beyond negotiations and was a clear and present danger to our ability to fight the Global War on Terror. I’m not convinced that he is just yet – but I’m not privy to all the information and realities of the situation. Pat Robertson is convinced that he’s seen enough though – and is convinced that we can’t negotiate with Chavez. He might be right.

Now, I’m a peaceful guy – really. And maybe I’m wrong on this – you decide. However, in a chess game – you have to think more than one move in advance. This “game” won’t be over when the Israeli’s evacuate the West Bank. It won’t be over when we install a Democratic government in Iraq and our troops leave. The Islamofascists aren’t going to let us off that easy because their goal is to destroy us. So some amongst us would be wise to consider what our move will be when that happens. Will we have the ability to even make a move then? We need to think about these things and have a plan. Perhaps we can play through this game “clean” – or perhaps we need to commit to the fact that we might have to get a little “dirty”. In either case, losing is not an option here. I think we can all agree on that.

With that said - if and when Chavez cuts the oil off - what move do YOU think we should make?