Am I the only one who feels pity for them?

Not the way I do someone who's just lost thier entire family, but like I would for someone who at 25 has the mental age of 5 and considers Barney high performance art.

Maybe that's the explanation -- all those folks without 72 hours' (or 24 or 48 or whatever) of supplies don't actually believe in "evolution" or "natural selection" ... they're waiting for an "intelligent designer" to drop manna (or cans of gasoline) from the skies!

As I said, I feel sorry for them. Comforting them until they leave is only the sentient thing to do.

Do I feel sorry for people who have the sense of a chunk of basalt? Well, sort of. But probably not enough to put out any extra effort for them.

A friend of mine knows a woman who lives alone. She has natural gas heat with a fireplace with some kind of tubular insert for backup. She keeps a good stack of dry wood nearby. She has a full pantry. She has stored water. She has the tool to turn off the gas duct-taped to the back of the meter. She has a couple of boxes of useful "stuff" in her van.

She is 67 and gets around in a wheelchair and an older van with a wheelchair lift. Helpless doesn't cut it with her. So what's wrong with the more ablebodied? Early brain death? <img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

Sue

Yep.

I guess what I've been dancing around is something I'm not really comfortable admiting to myself. I believe in euthenasia as viable medicine and ethics, in the form of a method of pain management and a dignified exit for terminal patients. I believe that these people are insufficent to continue genetically.

Treat it as a mathematical proof. They are dead, or close enough. Keep them warm, and comfortable, and protected, and fed until they finaly slip away.

Yeah, ok, I feel good about myself. I'm a facist, and I'm not proud of that.

I can certainly understand that. Her version of the song was the most popular - it's the one my memory goes to first. In fact I didn't even realize that WZ wrote it untill I heard his version several years (decades?) after LR made it popular. I'm sure that WZ didn't mind the royalties.

Anyway, my previous response was purely tongue-in-cheek.

I've got way too much music trivia in my head.

Perhaps someone forgot to tell them about KATRINA.

I'm surprised some enterprising developer hasn't started including 72-hour kits with each new home sold (or even auto dealer, with every car sold). But, odds are, the same people who aren't preparing now would fail to rotate/replenish food/water supplies as needed.

Sort of like Gallagher's "stupid darts".

[joke]
ATTENTION:
Please have a Government Issued ID card ready.

ATTENTION OUT OF STATE RESIDENTS:
Please have your resident state Driver's License or I.D. Card ready. You will be required to fill out a sworn affadavit that you have not resided in the state for more than 90 days, prior to the onset of the disaster. Please see the notice at the bottom of this sign

ATTENTION CITIZENS OF FLORIDA:

This area does not have any catastrophic damage that would have destroyed personal 3 day (72 hour) hurricane kits. Therefore, the State of Florida will charge Florida Residents for the following items for the first 3 days of this disaster:

1 5lb Bag of Ice: $1.00
1 24 pack of Water: $5.00
5 pack of MRE's: $10.00

There is additional $1.50 relief shipping charge per item, along with 6% sales tax. No credit cards or checks. Cash only. If you do not have cash, you may fill out a "Emergency Assistance for State Residents - Relief Supplies" form.

A failure to plan on your part, does not constitute and Emergency on the State of Florida, or any local political subdivisions

Sincerely,
(signature)
Governor, State of Florida


PLEASE NOTE: Under Florida Statue 123.456, "Emergency Credit for State Residents During Disasters" you are permitted to receive relief supplies within the first 72 hours, upon completion of a promissary note, from the State of Florida.

If convicted of falsifying information on this form, or failing to pay for the supplies you have received, a 2nd degree State of Florida felony, one or more of the following consequences will occur:

- The indebtedness of you to the State of Florida for a period of minimum of 5 years.
- Loss of all voting rights
- Inability to own, or have access to a firearm
- Ordered restitution, or seizure of personal property, up to 250% over the amount needed to bring you to justice. (Constitutional Amendement #34, and Florida Supreme Court ruling has ruled this is constitutional.)
- Ineligible for Police, Fire, and EMS services within the State of Florida. This includes State Trauma Centers and Medevac assistance, unless waived by the Governor. You will have the letters "DNRA" (Do Not Render Aid) tatooed to your right wrist.
- 15 years in a State Prison.
- Requirement to assist in post-disaster cleanup (Note: Water during this required assistance period will not be provided for free)

PLEASE NOTE (OUT OF STATE RESIDENTS): According to U.S. Code 123.456-01 Falsifying your affadavit of being an out of state resident is a 3rd degree FEDERAL FELONY. Upon conviction, you will be subject to the penalties as set forth in the U.S. Code.

[/joke]