I get pretty ticked off myself when they keep talking about the loss of all the casino's, oil and such. I mean, come on, people/animals are dying here and they can't get off of the $$$ at least until they finish their rescue efforts!
Re: BBB
BumbleBeeBoogie wrote:squinney wrote:Yeah, I heard about needing to evacuate the superdome and wondered how the heck they plan to move thousands of people by boat, and to where? They likely arrived by their own car, but they can't leave that way. Where on earth would you take that many people?
The Navy can get a ship into the area and take thousands of people aboard, feed them, provide water, etc. and get them to a safer location.
What really pisses me off is that the military that we need in this country to help out are off fighting that damn war in Iraq. The money we need to restore the areas are being spent on that damn war in Iraq.
Stupid fukking Bush and his fukking ideas have failed this country and its people.
Whew! I'm mad as hell.
BBB
Obviously, you have no "f"ing idea what you are talking about. You never spent any time on a naval vessal have you!
It was reported on the last NPR newscast that the 25,000 folks in NO stadium will be taken to the domed stadium in Houston. evacuated by boats and then put on buses to Texas. I thought the notion of putting folks in the NO dome was a good idea (or at least the best option available from a very short list of options). But evidentally the conditions there have deteriorated rapidly with no power, no water to run the toilets, hot and humid, so maybe it wasn't a good idea. But it got those people safely through the storm itself.
There is osso, looting and then there is looting. The police are saying that they are not going to arrest anyone. Where would they put them. The jails aren't functioning. I can understand food and diapers and maybe even the beer. But jewelry stores?
I am not at all for looting jewelry stores, I am creeped out by looting in general and I've been near it. But I see it as this act of life, ornery life, even while it is a symptom of dysfunction and stupidity and, especially in this case, futility.
I hope they get those superdome people out fast. My own visions are as of it being a rung of Dante's description.
I'm going to suggest that this may be the end of New Orleans has a major city. It is too far out on the delta and too exposed. The infrastructure has been severely damages and may have to be completely replaced It is simply too expensive to make and keep that location safe. It would, in my opinion,be a wise discission to move the port and metropolitan area north to Baton Rouge and live the NO are to refineries and the alligators.
The refineries, the alligators, the polution, and the shipping facilities, unless there is something more or less equally suitable.
ah, but Aquiunk, when the nile overflowed its banks, did Egypt become a relic?
No, but they did not put their cities on the flood plain either.
The mayor of NO is quoted as saying that the number of deaths could be in the thousands.
This whole national (yes, national) disaster is a bit like an onion. You peel away a layer...
Texas has agreed to put up some 25,000 folks in the Astrodome. Fine, but a lot of those folks are kids and they need to get to school. Where? Texas has agreed to increase class sizes in existing schools. But those kids, even if you can shoehorn them into a classroom, need textbooks. And of course, no one can be real sure what grade some of these kids might be in or what, if any, special needs some of the kids have.
It is well known here that johnboy is no fan of Mr Bush but gimme a break. This is the largest natural disaster in the US since the SF earthquake. Blaming him or other officials seems to me to be mean-spirited.
Actually, Egypt's cities WERE on a flood plain. It flooded almost like clockwork every year, and the inhabitants moved back and forth with the water line.
Re: Messing with Mother Nature
BumbleBeeBoogie wrote:Messing with Mother Nature
By Katrina vanden Heuvel
08.30.2005
Like all Americans I have been horrified watching the destruction wrought on New Orleans by this natural disaster. And I suppose like others who share the name Katrina, it has been eerie hearing and reading my name all over the news. But when Fox News started calling the hurricane, Killer Katrina, I started praying some rightwing idiot wouldn't stoop so low as to personalize or politicize all of this human suffering.
But wouldn't you know, the biggest dittohead on the block, Rush Limbaugh, is calling the storm Hurricane Katrina vanden Heuvel and warning that the left is going to use this tragedy against the right. Jonah Goldberg, who has never seen a bad joke bandwagon he could resist jumping on with both feet, blogged, and I quote, "It would be pretty cool if Fox played to caricature and repeatedly referred to the hurricane as Katrina vanden Heuvel." Not satisfied, he went on to imagine the headlines, "The destruction from Katrina vanden Heuvel is expected to be massive..The poor and disabled are particularly likely to suffer from the effects of Katrina vanden Heuvel."
What can one say to such heartlessness? Americans are dying, and this is their idea of how to show respect for the dead. At least Limbaugh has the excuse that drug abuse tends to stunt emotional development. What Jonah's problem is nobody has yet discovered.
Natural disasters should be above politics. (President Bush's decision to send his father and President Clinton to organize aide for the Tsunami was one of his very few international P.R. successes since 9/11.)
It's so very easy and childish to personalize tragedy. (Did you hear the one about OxyContin's new tagline: 'What a Rush!'?) It is so cheap to politicize a natural disaster. (Did you see the headline about Louisiana's National Guard watching the destruction of their homeland from Iraq?) But let's try to empathize with those who are suffering through no fault of their own and think about how we can help them.
You did the same thing Rush did all over these pages. You practically blame the hurricane on Bush. He was right and you are proof of it.
at some point (the sooner the better) society, even to the extant of government, must start making reality decisions on areas like NO. such questions as (1) what is the cost to society to maintain the luxury of an "historic landmark." (2) what is the potential cost in human lives (3) what resources are depleted from other needs? (4)how does/should government/society prioritize such allocation of resources?
realjohnboy
realjohnboy wrote:The mayor of NO is quoted as saying that the number of deaths could be in the thousands.
This whole national (yes, national) disaster is a bit like an onion. You peel away a layer...
Texas has agreed to put up some 25,000 folks in the Astrodome. Fine, but a lot of those folks are kids and they need to get to school. Where? Texas has agreed to increase class sizes in existing schools. But those kids, even if you can shoehorn them into a classroom, need textbooks. And of course, no one can be real sure what grade some of these kids might be in or what, if any, special needs some of the kids have.
It is well known here that johnboy is no fan of Mr Bush but gimme a break. This is the largest natural disaster in the US since the SF earthquake. Blaming him or other officials seems to me to be mean-spirited.
Please read my post again. Nowhere did I blame Bush for the hurricane. I blame him for his policies that have stripped the US of the military assistance needed in the homeland and money to restore the damaged areas. Bush (and his majority in the congress) cut infrastructure funding in a number of areas that could have reduced the scope of the damage and loss of life.
In case you hadn't noticed, there is a difference.
BBB
BBB
dyslexia wrote:at some point (the sooner the better) society, even to the extant of government, must start making reality decisions on areas like NO. such questions as (1) what is the cost to society to maintain the luxury of an "historic landmark." (2) what is the potential cost in human lives (3) what resources are depleted from other needs? (4)how does/should government/society prioritize such allocation of resources?
I agree with Dyslexia. New Orleans never was and never will be a sustainable city in it's present below sea level location. It should not be rebuit in it's present location.
BBB
Well, NC govoernor announced serious need to conserve gasoline here in the state. Evidently we have two pipelines that feed the Southeast from the gulf. Due to electrical outages, those aren't pumping. We may have two days worth of gasoline in North Carolina / South Carolina, but they aren't sure exactly how much is in the line at this moment.
Some stations are already closed down due to being out of gas. Governor has also asked people to reconsider holiday weekend plans due to the shortage.
Gas went from 2.87 when we filled up today, to 3.05 five minutes later at the same station, and they are anticipating 3.25 tomorrow if not sooner.
dyslexia wrote:at some point (the sooner the better) society, even to the extant of government, must start making reality decisions on areas like NO. such questions as (1) what is the cost to society to maintain the luxury of an "historic landmark." (2) what is the potential cost in human lives (3) what resources are depleted from other needs? (4)how does/should government/society prioritize such allocation of resources?
If you have not already, read John McPhee's,"The Control of Nature" Farrar. Straus and Giroux, 1989. Chapter I, Atchafalay, discusses cost of New Orleans.
I agree with Aquiunk strongly, with the addition of restoring wetlands to the extent possible, as a buffer, and, of course, to restore wetlands for their own sake as habitat/ecosystem.
I think that retrofitting the city will cost billions and billions and billions and still be a bandaid-action that will tear off; that they, whoever 'they' is, should put whatever money becomes available to a new and saner location. Well, that's my brain speaking. My heart wants the city all repaired, now.
Who knew everyone in NO was so poor? Anybody?
yeah actually Lash I think everyone who had a clue, had a clue. But that was of no matter at the time. (still isn't from what I can tell)
