Saddle up, guys!

I remembered today the James Garner film "Tank" in which a Command Sergeant Major got angry about something and took matters into his own hands. I don't recall the details of the plot, but he happened to own a tank, his very own, well-maintained, privately-owned tank. He cranked up his tank and put it into action, chased and threatened by the local sheriff. Gret film.

I had a flash fantasy that a lower level military guy, watching all the inaction going on in the aftermath of the disaster, and getting fed up. He has a small fleet of amphibious military craft, made for the purpose, so he tells his men, "Guys, I'm tired of watching all this crap and not doing anything about it. I'm goin' down there and start getting supplies in and people out. Er got no permission and anyone who goes with me will get into a load of trouble, but anyone who wants to go, saddle up and let's get to it!."

With no one's peermission a little band of guys just take what they need and go to New Orleans to do wht they can.

End of fantasy.

Well look what I just found:

The first busload of New Orleans refugees to reach the Reliant Astrodome overnight was a group of people who commandeered a school bus in the city ravaged by Hurricane Katrina and drove to Houston looking for shelter.

Jabbar Gibson, 20, said police in New Orleans told him and others to take the school bus and try to get out of the flooded city.

Gibson drove the bus from the flooded Crescent City, picking up stranded people, some of them infants, along the way. Some of those on board had been in the Superdome, among those who were supposed to be evacuated to Houston on more than 400 buses Wednesday and today.

They couldn't wait.

The group of mostly teenagers and young adults pooled what little money they had to buy diapers for the babies and fuel for the bus.

After arriving at the Astrodome at about 10:30 p.m., however, they initially were refused entry by Reliant officials who said the aging landmark was reserved for the 23,000 people being evacuated from the Louisiana Superdome.

"Now, we don't have nowhere to go," Gibson said. "We heard the Astrodome was open for people from New Orleans. We ain't ate right, we ain't slept right. They don't want to give us no help. They don't want to let us in."

Milling about the Reliant entrance, Sheila Nathan, 38, told her teary-eyed toddler that she was too tired to hold him.

"I'm trying to make it a fairy tale so they won't panic," said Nathan, who had four grandchildren in tow. "I have to be strong for them."

After about 20 minutes of confusion and consternation, Red Cross officials announced that the group of about 50 to 70 evacuees would be allowed into the Astrodome.

Also Junkyard Blog, Michelle Malkin and by now probably a lot more.
Damn. Just, damn!
And that picture of two hundred school busses parked in the floodwaters (see the Junkyard Blog link) says it all. I don't know why they call it "common" sense. It's not all that common.