I hadn't viewed this thread for a few days, since being in Houston we get a fair amount of news about this without rennteam "covering" it.

Just a few thoughts of mine below.

1-My brother and his family lived in New Orleans, but obeyed the mandatory evacuation and left the day before Katrina landed. Although he probably lost everything he left behind, he and his family are safe, living at my parents' home. While there are some people that lacked the resources to leave, many people that could have left thought they knew better and chose to stay.
2-While there are some desperate people who have "looted" for basic necessities of life, like food and water, there are a number of people that have been taking advantage of a terrible situation. We've all heard about people stealing guns, ammunition, TVs (in a city without power?!). The attempted looting of the local hospitals and firing on rescue helicopters cannot be explained away as "desperation." It's simply a criminal lack of respect for the people that are trying to help. It's not excusable or justifiable under any circumstances.
3- To a certain extent these problems are being exported to other areas. Even though the Houston Astrodome has been open to refugees only a few days, there have already been carjackings, car thefts, robberies and even assaults on the volunteer medical personnel. Again, this behavior cannot be excused or justified. It's simply driven by self-interest at the expense of everyone else.
4- I am sure more could have been done earlier to reduce the suffering of New Orleans' residents, but the PRIMARY responsibility for disaster relief lies with the city and state governments. Obviously something this size will require federal intervention and Bush and his adminstration will have to take their share of culpability. If Bush ultimately determines that such an event falls under the jurisdiction of the Dept of Homeland Security, it seems like we aren't getting much for the billions we've spent.
5- Frankly, the citizens of Baghdad seem more civilized than those of New Orleans. The Iraqis certainly have coped with a far more stressful environment for a much longer period of time with more poise and respect for one another.
6- If I were Iran, I would see the lack of organization during this disaster as a "green light" to work 24/7 on creating a nuclear weapon. It appears the US lacks adequate administrative and logistical resources to deal with more than one problem at a time.
7- Unless you are intimately familiar with someone's personal background, it is probably best not to make assumptions about what adversities they have overcome, and how they have formed their opinions about various aspects of life. Some of us have experienced similar (or worse) circumstances than those in New Orleans and didn't resort to lawless anarchy.

OK, I've said enough. I hope that this disaster is brought under control in the next few days and we can refocus on cars. They're a lot more enjoyable to talk about.

mcdelaug