I'm a libertarian. Of course.

You are a Social Liberal (61% permissive) and an... Economic Conservative (75% permissive) You are best described as a: Libertarian Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid

So much to catch up on.

This should be first. My father passed away on August 28th, 2005. He was a good man. He was the best man I ever knew, with a sense of nobility that most people can never attain.

He was sick for a couple of months, so I was given the gift of being able to say goodbye. Not everyone is given that gift. If you haven't done so already, make sure you let your loved ones know that you love them.

-John

About Katrina...

I just sent this in to the NYT, in reply to an editorial where they blamed Bush for a lack of response.

I'm not including the entire thing, but the bulk of it. I'm hoping that someone picks up on these ideas:

The New York Times addresses, briefly, the money that was “slashed” from the budget for New Orlean's levees. But the Times ommitted that the money was earmarked for a study on the levees- a typical government study- that wouldn't have been completed until 2006, and would not have changed a damn thing.

There are things that can be done, but those things will take fortitude and the backing of such institutions such as the New York Times.

• The city needs to be completely evacuated, and martial law needs to be instituted today. Anyone found looting should be shot. Its that simple. We need to ensure that the residents of New Orleans have something to go back to, and that lawlessness is stopped overnight. Moreover, we need to make it possible for the rescue crews to do their job, without threat of harm from predators.

• No one, except authorized rescue personel, should be allowed back into New Orleans. The perimiter should be patrolled by the National Guard.

• Every available gas-powered water pump that can be donated should to be shipped to New Orleans, today. Ten pumps will not make a dent. A hundred pumps won't make a difference. But once the levees are repaired, a thousand pumps or five thousand pumps arrayed around the levee, and manned by volunteers, could speed up the rate at which the city would be emptied of water.

• We need to move the population of New Orleans out of the New Orleans area. Those people who can visit relatives should be transported there immediately. We need to spread out the population of New Orleans to areas that can help them, insteead of trying to ship food and shelter to New Orleans. Names of residents should be taken, and each family assigned an e-mail address with the New Orleans domain, so that they can receive updates on the status of the city. Then we can resettle them if and when New Orleans is emptied of water.

• A public works project should be instituted without the instrusion of unions into the process. Residents capable of work, should be put to work. Their first projects should be to clean and inspect those public buildings needed for basic services, like water and electricity. Then government buildings can be rebuilt and repaired, so they will be in place as the residents return. Schools can be repaired, so kids will be out of the way as their parents deal with rebuilding.

• Finally, every effort should be made to build up the floor of New Orleans. Essential buildings should be raised far above sea level, and a few large shelters should be built for the next emergency that are independent of outside electrical and plumbing needs.

There is enough space to criticise a lot of people at the end of this tragedy, starting with those people who choose to live below sea level in an area smack dab in hurricane territory. But the New York Times should focus on helping people now, not the casual placing of blame on their least favorite politician.