New Orleans

Like everyone else, I was amazed and awed by the destructive power of Hurricane Katrina, and then dismayed and amazed at the lack of a response by the authorities as the days rolled by.

The lack of initiative and someone with the authority and confidence to give orders was the most disturbing thing, particularly when I know from personal experience the size of some of the military bases down there, not to mention the U.S. Navy which had several days of relatively calm weather to get a fast carrier or two stationed off the coast.

Good 'ole Dubya. He reminds me so much of Ronald Reagan, who basically slept through his second term (with hindsight of course, we know he was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease). Like Reagan, Dubya is utterly lost without a script, and his lack of initiative is legendary. Should anyone be in doubt, rent Fahrenheit 9/11 and watch the infamous scene where Bush is reading to a junior school class and gets the message about the world trade center. Nothing, absolutely nothing. For over eight long minutes...

It's too bad I don't share his religious convictions; otherwise I could say, "May he rot in hell."