ENOUGH ALREADY WITH THE HURRICANE

Let me begin by saying how happy I am the Saints finally won a Super Bowl.  Not many other teams deserve it after such a long wait.  As a fan of the Steelers, I can relate to waiting over 40 years for a championship.
However, I don't think I can stand another comment on how this was done "for, because of, in-spite of, or as a result of Hurricane Katrina."   I don't think I can stand another news story or TV segment regarding the Saints win, that ties the whole thing up with Katrina.  
Yes, I know Katrina was devastating, Katrina was horrible and an awful disaster but, it was also five years ago already.  It's time to move on and try to put that behind us.  It's time for the media to talk about New Orleans without bringing Katrina into the mix.  Enough is enough already.  
I know better though, the media can't help themselves because it gives them another angle to write about, another gimmick to draw upon for their stories.  In addition, I know from living near Pittsburgh, that the media can't talk about this city without referring to the "Steel Mills" or the reference to a "Blue Collar" town.  For many of us in this region, you might as well talk about the dinosaurs.  The demise of steel in this area was 30 ot 40 years ago already.  Those of us that know History know all about that period already.  Those that don't know it by now really don't care..  
Congrats to the Saints, a great football team that won a championship this year because that's what they do.  They play a game to win a championship because that is what all football teams try to do, not because a city was hit by a hurricane five years ago.

HAITI.....A Glimpse of Our Future?

Is it possible that the events unfolding in Haiti including the looting and violence, food and water riots and lack of effective response are a portent of what would happen right here in America, in the wake of a catastrophe such as a massive earthquake or nuclear explosion?   Perhaps we've already seen it to some degree following Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana.  When events like these occur it can show the best and worst of humanity.  
Are we fools for believing that our government can come in and restore order and "save us" from each other.    The idea that many of us keep in the back of our minds that the government can do everything all of the time is unrealistic.  Sadly, I believe we are getting a preview of what will happen here in the event of disaster of Biblical proportions.  Not only is there the physical danger of folks running amok on each other in the area where the disaster happens but, the ripple effect throughout the nation as the economy tanks, food and water supplies run short and people get the idea that there will be shortages.  Need I give more examples than what happens when the weatherman calls for a big snowstorm.  Here in my area if folks think that any accumulation of snow is coming, they immediately run to the grocery store for food and toilet paper.  This has become a standing joke around here.  It doesn't matter that even if we do get six inches of snow, the roads are cleared fairly quickly and those same supplies could be purchased in the next day or two with no problem.  The announcement itself sets off a mini-panic and it makes me wonder about what would happen in a real catastrophe, when folks are willing to trample each other for some toilet paper and a quart of milk.
I'm disturbed to look at what is going on in Haiti and I am equally disturbed to think how similar it would (will) be here sometime in the near future.