There's a Stiff Wind A' Blowin'

From today's New York Times:

"I'm afraid this is the one we've dreaded. I don't think the scenario could be any worse for us."ROBERT R. LATHAM JR., director of Emergency Management Operations for Mississippi.

-------------------------------

As a native Californian who travels to and talks to the rest of the country for business, I'm constantly asked, "How do you people live with those earthquakes?"

My answer, "How do you live with those hurricanes (and tornadoes)?"

Response, "But we can see them coming!"

Counter-response, "Doesn't seem to do much good."

In 47 years of living in California, most of it in the Bay Area, I've rolled through two major shakes and any number of minor ones. Ain't no big. You roll with, pardon the pun. Since you -don't- have warning, you don't worry about it.

I can't imagine anything scarier than seeing a big. black twister barrelling toward you, or the wind picking up more and more speed as the hurricane descends. That's a living horror movie, where the monster/crazed maniac slowly sneaks up on the helpless victim, who can do nothing but think about the dismemberment to come.

Hurricanes come early and late, and seemingly quite often. You have "hurricane" season. Ever hear of "earthquake" season? There ain't one. There ain't even an earthquake decade.

Who foots the bill to rebuild every mosquito infested "Red state" after its monthly attack by Hurricane Kickass? Why, the Blue staters, of course, through the generosity of our contributions to the federal government. Third World economies in Alabama, Mississippi and South Carolina certainly can't do it. Only the hard-working stiffs of the coastal and Northeastern states have that collective capability.

Perhaps we Blue staters should consider withholding our portion of the federal budget for this. After all, why should we subsidize their poor choice of where to live?