gustav, katrina, the human condition, and the cone of uncertainty (1 of 2)

It is Labor Day in the USA, a holiday for many.

For those fleeing the oncoming Hurricane Gustav, today in no holiday at all. These are tense moments. These are times when memories are painfully dredged up and lives are again uprooted. These are times when a nation watches and waits to see if history will repeat itself all too soon.

If you find yourself captivated by the storm and the story, I have a suggested DVD rental for you...When the Levees Broke is a long, often painful look at the Hurricane Katrina story. But it is entirely spellbinding and amazingly produced. So before we mutter anything about anyone deserving destruction or any town being rightfully inundated, this should be required viewing.

No one chooses to be born where they are and those with deep roots in New Orleans are no more culpable for their city's elevation below sea level than we are watching from afar. We pray in particular for the immense poor population of SE Louisiana. The land that they can afford to live on is typically vulnerable and their means of relocating is often nil. We hope for better this time around.