The series of tropical storms, building into hurricanes, off Florida
right now might be studied as an object lesson in survival strategy.

Basically, does one: 1) do nothing but wait for an emergency situation
to present itself?, 2) plan ahead and have tactics and resources
ready?, or 3) depend on your ability to react in a timely fashion?

I'm guessing that in New Orleans right now there are those who
represent all three options: 1) some will stay put, based on their
lack of resources and willingness to hunker down and get through it;
2) a large number will have resources ready to get out of town, plus
know what to do based on experience with Katrina and Gustav; 3) quite
a few are ready to deal with TSHTF in terms of their ability to react
in time in various ways, staying flexible.

And there is another text to all this that might be read by those
playing by Darwin's Rules: that TSHTF represents an opportunity for
some to take advantage, like fishing in troubled waters is an axiom of
Chinese philosophy I've heard. After all, don't those in New Orleans
with few resources and a tendency to share with the fortunate know
that all kinds of federal programs of assistance are available when
TSHTF? Let's see how many are going to stand in line again to get
free debit cards, mobile homes, travel tickets out of town, etc.. A
real survivor in New Orleans would have the drill down pat and be
looking forward to Hanna, Ira, et al.. bookburn