Kaulapi World

Kind of a long week, almost pau. Think I’m getting used to the busy schedule, been keeping busy at work prepping for a trip next week, and trying to lobby for my next rotation. Plus side to weeks like this is that I feel very productive by mid-week, down side is that I feel a little out of whack. The thing is that I’m used to running on 4-6 hours on weeknights normally, but going to class and reading these thick red case books is an experience.

Somehow I still find time to get some random reading in, the turtle beach that I go when I go home has a name, OMB gets honors as the best rated place to work in the federal government, a Lew Rockwell writer has a less than positive take on the federal response to a disaster in the district. Looking at the estimates of rebuilding costs for Katrina at $200 Billion, along with the ongoing GWOT, and skyrocketing gas prices, it might make you wonder how are we gonna pay for all of this? the Fed isnt’ worried, thats for sure.

In spite of all this, how we still approach fuel conservation as some kind of pagan topic is amazing.

Midway through September and I’ve been keeping very busy. Rented a zipcar this weekend to run some errands and buy some groceries. Aside from trying to navigate the city streets from a car instead of on foot, it went well. It was very convinent, the car was brand new, and more importantly, the gas was free. I think its a brilliant concept for those who don’t use a car more than once a month or so instead of forking over an arm and leg to have a car sitting in a garage for 80% of the time.

All this coverage of Katrina made me assess my situation here in the city, whether I would be able to fend for myself in the days following a disaster, and what my coningency plan would be. FEMA was at work today, handing out pamphlets and booklets on emergency preparedness, talk of water supply, first aid kits, and non-perishable food. Bringing back memories from my scouting days, backpacking in the middle of no ware, lugging water and MRE’s on your back, you really appreciate what the definition of “needs” and “wants” are to the modern human being.

Classes are going well, and I think I have a favorite class that has come out above, one that actually surprises me, Property. I think I’m liking it largely because of its practical application to real life, being that by living in a modern democratic free market economy the right of property is more a part of everyday life than not. Its definitely one of the classes that I’m “getting” more than not. I recently survived another brush with the socratic method, which went well. I’m wondering how the level of intensity varies at different schools, different programs.

The biggest impression that I’m taking away from being a student again is the nighttime classes really taxes on your schedule. I think I got a little training my year back at home in 2001 working during the day and taking classes at UH and KCC at night. Of course this substantially more difficult and time-intensive. I’ve been pondering how crowded the train in the late evening, and the types of people that ride around the time I get out of class.

Just finished reading a compilation of essays by the late John Paul II on the right of property throughout history and modern civilization. Kind of a critique really, with some of the classic anti-capitalist themes that one might not expect from the Catholic church. Unless I missed the point. One of the influences that comes with the territory of going to a religious school. Not quite sure what to make of the level of indoctrination they put in the law school, but so far it makes for interesting debate no doubt, no less.

The time spent so far hasn’t had much of an effect in swinging my political views, at least according to this site my political compass is oriented to the Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela, and Mahatma Ghandi. With an Economic Left/Right: -7.38, Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.23, I’m a strong Left Libertarian, no surprise there. I suppose 4 years at Madison and 2 at LaFollette during my young impressionable years might explain some of this, or maybe its because I’m just anti-establishment by nature.

More news on the situation in New Orleans, guess they finally started shooting the looters that engaged police in gun battles. If things are really that crazy down there then the authorities really should have been operating under martial law for some time now. This might suprise some people to hear me say this but I actually was thinking this was neessary from early on.

I suppose it should be considered a war zone until they get the water out and regain some control over the city. I’m not talking about looters per say the ones stealing food, or even the occaisional TV or sneakers whatever (anyone who takes toys over food deserves to starve later on, irony and all). I’m talking more about the ones who decided to steal guns and open fire on fellow citizens, the police, or believe it or not, EMS and even the Army Corp of Engineers trying to fix the damn levee.

Never thought I’d be thinking that about an American city in my lifetime.

I’m also struggling with how to explain in my mind and to people I talk to how the issue of race plays into the disproportionate number of black Americans who died, and were left stranded on their rooftops, and later languished in the superdome and convention center. One obvious explanation is that largely the people who fall under the lower ends of the socioeconomic ladder were left with little if any means to skip out of town in time, or afford the means of buying their way out. The fact that hurricane hit just before the first of the month is also worth mentioning, being that I’m sure a good number of the flood victims live paycheck to paycheck.

This being said, the notion that any law enforcement or emergency personnel consciously and purposefully left black people stranded in the city to die is far fetched, if not ridiculous. Allegations of racism in the flood response need to be tied to the institutional and historical racism that still exists in this country, something that nobody should be surprised still exist. To a good responder or law enforcement officer it wouldn’t matter what color the person is.

And of course, there is the question of the federal response, or lack therof, and what this means for the direction of our country in terms of priorities both foreign and domestic. I’m reading reports that up to 50,000 national guard troops are being deployed to the region, almost half of the total troop deployment in Iraq, it really doesn’t look very good that the might of the American military is not enough to pacify a country, or even an embattled city, even if it is in her own country.

The city apparently survived the hurricane to the large degree, but was destroyed by the flood that overwhelmed poorly funded levees. This in my mind says that the 10,000 estimated deaths are man-made, and if this is in fact true then I am burning with a thirst for accountability, as far up as it has to go, as far as I’m concerned. I’m sure I’m not alone in this either, maybe the beast is woken and will move this time, or get slapped awake at least.

More on this later, I’m in the middle of another week of classes and readings, a legal memo or two or three duedates coming up.

Eventful week in the world, Hurricane Katrina came and hit the gulf states, and New Orleans is now under water and in a state of chaos following levee breaks, massive flooding. Scenes on the tv and subsequent news reports are showing scenes that really don’t look like an American city, rather some impoverished, back country in some distant corner of the world.

The fallout from the disaster is being discussed, both on the humanitarian levels, but also the political one. Expect to see congrssional investigations into the tardy response, lack of coordination, and anarchy in the relief efforts. I really think some people high up should be losing their jobs over this, but that will realy depend on how insulated these people are.

A little disturbing is how a lot of the news in the wake of the storm was devoted to the high price of gas. This is while people were dying, being beaten, raped, and killing themselves in the overcrowded superdome as the waters kept on rising. I wonder if it is dawning on people that these are fellow citizens who are still in crisis.

Walking by a station this past weekend regular unleaded was $3.87, with some economic analysts predicting 4, 5, 6 dollar gas by the end of the month.