Keith D. Milby :: blog

Events such as natural disasters have been happening since the beginning of time. There is practically nothing we can do to stop them. The only thing we can really do if we cannot get out of the way is protect ourselves as best as possible. The last thing we should really have to do is depend on our government to protect us. Hurricane Katrina and the response of our government is good reason to believe that.

Documents Show Political Storm in Katrina Aftermath

Three days after the storm, Blanco wrote Bush asking that the 256th Louisiana National Guard Brigade be sent home from Iraq to help. The governor also asked for more generators, medicine, health care workers and mortuaries.

Five days later, Bush assistant Maggie Grant e-mailed Blanco aide Paine Gowen to say that the White House did not receive the letter.

“We found it on the governor’s Web site but we need ‘an original,’ for our staff secretary to formally process the requests she is making,” Grant wrote. “We are on the job but appreciate your help with a technical request. Tnx!”

The stack of documents also includes a timeline put together by Blanco’s staff detailing the state response; notes expressing frustration about missing items such as a communications center for police and rescuers promised by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and e-mails working out logistics for New Orleans visits from Bush and cabinet members.

I can only speak for myself of course, but as for me and my family I am responsible for taking care of them. If the government can and is available then fine, but never will I depend on them being there. But hey that is just me.

Just so you know where I am coming from. You can count me as the last person to buy into global warming and that humans have anything to do with it.

Now as for this Hurricane Gamma. What a season. Twenty-four ‘caines in one year. That has to be a record. From this early report it sounds like it is.

MIAMI — Tropical Storm Gamma — the 24th storm of the busiest hurricane season on record — formed on Friday off the coast of Central America, and forecasters said it could threaten Florida by the beginning of next week, perhaps as a hurricane.

Tropical storm warnings were issued for the coast of Belize and the Bay Islands of Honduras. Mexico issued a tropical storm watch for the eastern Yucatan Peninsula, which was hit hard in October by Hurricane Wilma. Six to 15 inches of rain were possible.

Well there you have it, it is the busiest year on record. Big deal though. Records are made, records are broken. Life goes on.

I got off the phone earlier with my Mom. Let’s just say she lives in South Florida and Hurricane Wilma passed over her house as it went into the Atlantic. She’s fine, thanks for thinking of her. Now she is all concerned that this one is going to pay a visit and she is ready for this season to be over with. I can’t blame her. All I have to be concerned about at the moment is keeping warm.

There have been so many storms this year that forecasters exhausted the alphabetical list of names and began naming storms after letters of the Greek alphabet.

Well this had to be nice for the weather guys. They were able to utilize some letters never used before.

For all the years that I lived in South Florida, I can’t remember being so concerned about hurricanes. Even though I put very little coin into weather forecasters, (I prefer to wait and see) this year was an exceptional year. I am just glad for my Mom’s sake that it is almost over with. End of November you know.

Keep doing your thing, Good Lord/Mother Nature.

Update: Referred to Hurricane Rita instead of Hurricane Wilma.