While listening to Ed Schultz on Air America, I heard that the looting and lawlessness in New Orleans has convinced many in the U.S. of the need to buy a firearm. A brilliant response! Incidentally, the threat level this past week has been at "Yellow."

Although many people are applauding the mainstream news media for their coverage of Katrina, I've still turned abroad for some of my news.This summation of the situation by the BBC seemed right-on:

It has been a profoundly shocking experience for many across this vast country who, for the large part, believe the home-spun myth about the invulnerability of the American Dream.

I know people everywhere are aghast at how thin the veneer of civilization is; how we all become animals in the face of survival. But I've found it to be a learning situation myself. For example, I'd never really understood the concept of stoning before. Now that my civilized impulses have been worn away by so many image of suffering, I not only understand, but am ready to embrace stoning. As the "men" say in Life of Brian, "I'll take three of these large flat stones, and a bag of sharp ones as well."