We have a killer hurricane moving through the US right about now. While it was in the gulf I called my brother to find out what preparations he was making. He told me it wouldn't hit there in Pensacola, and while talking to him I was on weather.com, and the predictions showed a slight chance, but only that. His conviction was inspired by something else entirely though.

"I've been telling people all along it won't hit Pensacola. I can show you in the bible where it says it won't."

I'm not sure what he meant, and I didn't ask. I quickly moved on to ask him about his comments concerning the sea levels in New Orleans, and the levees holding back the water there.

It's come and gone in New Orleans, and the damage is pretty bad. They issued a mandatory evacuation there, that should have convinced everyone how serious it was about to get. It was issued days prior, plenty of advance warning. People stayed anyway. Some took refuge in the superdome there in the city. My wife talked about a hotel moving everyone to one side because the windows on the opposite side were all out. Damage estimates are in the tens of billions of dollars. So far hurricane Katrina has 55 confirmed kills there. I'm sure there will be more.

Which is really too high. Not because the loss of human life is heartbreaking, which it most certainly is, but because everyone has known about this storm for at least a week. It's not like an earthquake sent a huge wave their way, to hit in only a few hours.

"This is our tsunami," said Biloxi Mayor A.J. Holloway.

It's as if a natural disaster is a badge one can wear, like an announcement to the rest of the world that there in New Orleans and the surrounding areas, they deserve sympathy too. As I said, the devastation is pretty bad. It disgusts me though when some, the mayor of all people, think this disaster should be compared to the thousands of lives lost when the tsunami hit without warning in Asia. I don't see anyone talking about how lucky they are that 99.999999% of the population will survive to rebuild. Everyone is focusing on the negative aspects of the storm, but when you think about it, REALLY think about it, which the mayor obviously hasn't, it is NOTHING compared to the devastation some Asian countries endured, and are still enduring, due to the earthquake induced wave.

It's like Jerry Springer on a national scale!!!!