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The American News has a story on local reaction to the resurrection of Ellsworth. Yours truly, wearing my political science hat, is quoted saying much the same thing as I have said here. Thune received more grief than he deserved...

Carried Away

This WaPo coverage of looting in the wake of Hurricane Katrina has more than a little sympathy, rationalization, and justification for much of the looting going on.

...as we are also learning from the post-Katrina chaos, what we think of as looting may be more complicated than it seems.

No, it's NOT complicated, moonbat. Stealing stuff, is stealing stuff. And most of the stuff being taken is NOT survival supplies!

Benigno E. Aguirre of the Disaster Research Center at the University of Delaware has been watching and reading about looters in Louisiana. "It may look from the outside as if they are stealing or breaking the law," says Aguirre, "when in fact some of them are trying to survive."

Yep - it DOES look that way, maybe because what's happening IS bad. If some ARE trying to survive, this isn't the prevailing behavior. For instance when a Wal-Mart was invaded by the latter-day barbarians, the guns, and electronics were the FIRST targets of opportunity, followed by other consumer items. The food, and (non-alcoholic) beverages were largely ignored. Yep, survival is insured by a new plasma HD TV!

On the other hand, he says, some of the thieves are garden-variety crooks. "There is always a very small number of people that are predisposed to crime, and they see a disaster as an opportunity to act." There are the disenfranchised who jump at the chance to get even with those who have more stuff than they do. "Disasters can become opportunity for class warfare, and that kind of appropriation of other people's property should be prosecuted," he says.

"Class warfare"? Sounds like our academician has been imbibing wisdom from the fountain of Marx. At least he concedes that they should be prosecuted, thanks be for small favors.

Many may be people taking drastic measures required by drastic times. And some, he says, are the in-an-emergency equivalent of hunters/gatherers, foraging for food, fresh water, medicine, matches, batteries, everyday essentials that are just not available. Not at home, not at shelters.

Again, the Wal-Mart case (as well as others) would be a counter-indication of the validity of this statement.

The images are played on TV over and over: Windows are smashed. Huge dudes muscle into an abandoned store and hustle out with stolen TVs and boomboxes. Women hoist unwieldy packs of diapers and cartons of baby formula. Run-amok hooligans snatch up jewelry and electronic gizmos. Other things are stolen: shopping carts of soda pops and snack foods, clothing, bicycles. There are survivors, scavengers and criminal looters, and it's hard to tell the difference.

No, the distinction is too fine. If someone breaks in to get some bottled water, or food to survive, the Chief would say OK. ANYTHING else - including "scavengers" are thieves. That's it. Comprende?

In the post below I didn't answer the if made illegal question. I believe in the past the criminal codes on abortion punished the doctors, not the women. I'd prefer that strongly. I think having states differ on abortion in...

The Superficial on Michael Moore's weight loss spa: When you can throw down $3,800 per week at a spa, it'd be nice if you could look slightly more presentable than the homeless man who lives in the subway. [Site may...

New Orleans isn't out of the woods yet, but things are looking slightly better (or less disastrous), as Katrina is now "only" a Category 4 storm. (You know things are rough when you're optimistically saying that a hurricane is now...

Once again, here are a couple of links if you're wanting to make a monetary donation to help out with Hurricane Katrina aid: The American Red Cross. Soldiers' Angels. The American Kennel Club's Canine Relief Fund. Here's a mailing address...

From NewsMax: America's most listened to talk radio host Rush Limbaugh will hit Broadway next month with a one man show to fund relief efforts for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.Rush on Broadway will open for a one-day-only performance on...

Malaysia Targets 2020 for Possible Manned Moon Mission

FOr crying out loud! If MALAYSIA is planning this, why haven't we been back up there yet?

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