But for the Grace of God, Feng Shui, Buddha, Gnesh, Mohammed, etc., go I.

I know natural disasters are, well, natural. When you least expect it, expect it. Nonetheless, after Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita, thousands dead in Central America from mud slides and over 20,000 dead in Asia after yesterday's earthquake... I'm starting to think someone is trying to tell us something. I dunno what. It seems like we've pissed off Mother Nature, God, Buddha, Mohammed, Feng shui, Gnesh, or all of the above. Pick your deity and beg for mercy. It's feeling a bit like the apocalypse.

I've been the recipient of mass e-mails essentially blaming the victims of Hurricane Katrina for their dismal fate. The logic being they should have never allowed themselves to become dependent on the government in the first place.

Realizing that I am not sovereign over my own fate, I write a big, honking check to Uncle Sam every April 15th. Whenever I buy something, I throw in a bit extra toward local government. I make two huge installments on my real estate taxes every year. I do this because I understand should my house catch fire, I probably won't be able to put it out with my garden hose. I pay dearly for the help I pray I will never need.

To everyone smugly writing off Katrina's castoffs, I'm wondering, have you bought your life raft yet? I know, we don't live under sea level. You're MUCH smarter than that, eh? You do live in a tornado prone area. You live near many factories that use very dangerous chemicals to make their wares. What if there is a massive spill or explosion? We could experience a hell of a snowstorm this winter. Say, 20 feet. It could happen. These days it looks more and more likely. Maybe we will lose power for days, weeks. What if our water supply is compromised? (Yes, Sandberg, I know, that wouldn't happen if the City bought the freakin water company. Let it go already!)

So, Mr./Mrs. Independent-Don't-Need-Anybody-Especially-the-Damn Government-Responsible-Citizen... got your Sherman Tank ready to take out looters? An abundant food supply at the ready? A couple of power generators? Wood chopped? Started digging a well? Got around to building that bomb shelter in the backyard yet?

Face it. The extent of emergency planning for most of us is the knowledge we could cannibalize Junior's walkie talkies for double A batteries if necessary. In a pinch you might be able to hold down the can of sardines you bought eleven years ago while deranged with a high fever. Duct tape? You could always peel some off a dusty pipe in the basement. Yeah, you're prepared.

Government is more dependent on us than we are on it. Do we really aspire to become a nation of survivalists? Think Ruby Ridge, Waco, those losers in college who only stopped their game of Dungeons and Dragons to play paint ball in the woods behind the Arts Quad.

We feed government, and we should hold government responsible when it screws up. Big time.

Until the proper deity is done spanking our hide, it would behoove us to humble ourselves and heed the proper lesson.