Get me a lattte, and put out that fire while you're at it

If you're going to be the victim of a natural disaster, some natural disasters are apparently much better than others. For instance, you probably don't want to live in a poor, mostly black city that votes Democratic. As the AP and several others have noticed since yesterday, the government 's response to the wildfires in San Diego County have looked like a precision military operation compared to the half-assed and shameful non-response to Hurricane Katrina.

For instance, while the media and elected officials propagated made-up stories of savagery in New Orleans, the displaced people at San Diego's shelters get treated like royalty (or at least a celebrity rehab center):

Bands belted out rock 'n' roll, lavish buffets served gourmet entrees, and massage therapists helped relieve the stress for those forced to flee their homes because of wildfires.

"The people are happy. They have everything here," Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared Monday night after his second Qualcomm tour.

Although anxieties ran high, the misery index seemed low as the celebrity governor waded through the mob. Scarcely a complaint was registered with him.