I'm not the kind of guy that wants to kick someone while they are down, that's not what I'm trying to do here. The people of LA, MS, and all other areas affected by Katrina have my prayers and wishes and condolensces. I have heard that a lot of them have been ripped apart pretty good in the mainstream media, and I write this not to add to that.

However, I have to question in light of this incident the wisdom of building a major city on the coast under sea level. I have never been to NO so don't know all of the details, but due to the events of the past week I have learned that the city is actually under sea level and the reason for the flooding is the damage to a levee protecting the city from the Gulf. (Please forgive my ignorance on this matter as this is probably common knowledge to most of you, but I wasn't taught this in school). Of course it is the mouth of the Miss. River and a major port and people move to where the jobs are, but are there any other options? Maybe there's not, and if not please again forgive me. It's the same with Amsterdam, I watched a special on the Discovery Channel a few weeks back about the levee that had to be built to protect that city from becoming part of the North Sea. Again, are there any other options? Now the government has to bail them out with billions of dollars of aid.

John Stossel wrote about this in his book and did a 20/20 special on his Long Island beach house. Not once, not twice, but three times his house was washed away by powerful Atlantic storms. And not once, not twice, but three times was he refunded for his multi-million dollar estate by government subsidized insurance. Finally common sense took over and he cashed in without rebuilding, but as he looks back, should the government pay for him to build a house that had a great chance of being damaged almost yearly? Should the government pay for that who stubbornly refused to abandon their houses and are now in need of rescue? What about people who unwisely choose a sea port that lies under the sea? The humanitarian side of me says that we have to help them, and we do, but where do we stop? Do we ever say no, it's your fault, deal with it? Not in a civilized society, but sometimes its tempting.

(Note to reader, I'm thinking through this as I write and an uncomfortable with part of this blog, bear with me while I work through this issue.)