In defense of duct tape: At Cold Fury the case is made that Tom Ridge's "Readiness Kits," the ones that included food, water and duct tape, might have come in a tad handy during the worst natural disaster in America in the past centruy or so.

Do you remember when the last Homeland Security Secretary, Tom Ridge, told us that to be prepared for emergencies, we should put together a readiness kit? I do. The kit layout is suggested at Ready.Gov. The portion of the kit for dealing with attacks and natural disasters should have, ideally, “at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food” and a corresponding amount of water - a gallon per day per person.

Yet when he announced the suggested measures that we all take to prepare for potential terror attacks or natural disasters, he was met with nothing but mockery. So much so, that his name is synonymous with duct tape - since that’s the only thing anybody in the MSM (or for that matter the lefty blogosphere) cared to discuss.

Thanks for undercutting it, my patriotic left wing friends, and calling it partisan scare mongering. What kind of a warped mind, can spin basic common sense as partisan bickering.

Sure it could have helped, but my bet is that not many poor people in New Orleans would have taken the time or effort to prepare such kit no matter how much Tom Ridge called for it or if every Democrat in the state had called it the greatest idea since the go-cup. After all, for most of these people "preparedness" means putting a pot of rice on to cook before you know what you're making for dinner.

Still, it's not a bad idea for anyone living in a vulnerable area.