>I am sure that those responsible are doing the best they can, but the enormity of the disaster is more overwhelming that any plan they, or anyone, had in place. Sure we see people hurting and we hurt with them, but you cannot just pull help out of thin air. I wish people would stop criticizing those in command unless they have a better plan in place and ready to go. It is mighty easy to say that the emergency response is inept, but until you show me what you would have done, I would suggest you keep your comments to yourself. Finger pointing does no good for anyone at this stage.

At the local and State level, yes they are. At the Federal level that's another story. It shows how woefully unprepared we are. Talk about Homeland Security and preparedness. A joke. If it had been a surprise attack we could not be more unprepared.

But it was not a surprise. We knew it was coming. We saw Katrina in Miami on Thursday night (a week ago yesterday) and today there is still a lot of debris on the streets, and I know several people still without power. My cable-Tv/Modem service was fixed yeasterday (one-full week after).

When Katrina left Florida and out into the Gulf (last Saturday) it was plotted accurately by NOAA and The National Weather Service. It was predicted to be at least a strong Category 4 and that it would hit somewhere in the Gulf Coast. By Sunday we knew it would hit anywhere from New Orleans to Pensacola.

Given that information, how come the USS Comfort (a Navy Hospital ship) did not leave Norfolk towards the Gulf until Tuesday? It's called planning. It's called Prepositioning of Assets. People are dying and the ship is still in transit, two or three days late.

How come they are not dropping water and food from helicopters? How come doctors and nurses and field hospitals are not yet airlifted en masse? How come we have not yet set up tent cities in higher areas (maybe near Baton Rouge?). I could go on.

I lived through Hurricane Andrew. We should know better than this by now. When the Mayor of NOLA criticised the Fed Government yesterday he was absolutely right. There's no excuse.