In this morning's first of many pictures of the day, UNICEF goodwill ambassador, actress Mia Farrow, right, is seen during a visit to a flooded church in Gonaives, Haiti. Farrow is on a five-day visit to Haiti to witness the devastation after four successive hurricanes struck the country, killing more than 400 people. (September 20, 2008) Associated Press

The first thought that crossed my mind is where are the Hollywood stars and starlets while most of the South Texas Coast and portions of Ohio remain devastated, with no water nor electricity? I have seen some of the horrific damage done in Texas, even far inland as Columbus, Ohio, and I wonder why we do not get the kind of attention by movie stars and luminaries to our own country's disasters as they have paid to Haiti.

Sitting here in the gray dawn, with the gentle sounds of raindrops pitter-pattering like cat's paws across the awning roof, I feel so very fortunate that my home is not in Galveston. Although I have visited Galveston and Brownsville quite a few times in my life, I do not know if I could ever live there. It seems like every decade or so another hurricane comes rumbling out of the Gulf and they end up rebuilding yet again. Besides, the rumors persist that they have mosquitoes big enough in South Texas after a hurricane to haul my aging fatbody away in one swoop. Lest I forget, they have gators too.

Aha! Now I see a need for Marty's “ladies with guns”. Send them down to Texas and clean up the gator population in Houston. Send Mia a few gator steaks and see if they are to her liking.

Have you ever had gator (or any other Texas-style goodie such as armadillo) steaks before? I hear they are mighty tasty, indeed.

Dave