RadioBanter - View Single Post - Laying Waste to Frank Of Silliland's Silliness

September 7th 05, 03:20 AM

wrote:
Michael Coslo wrote:

wrote:

Mike Coslo wrote:

wrote:

OTOH, the mistakes of one generation (like pollution) *can*
affect following generations. (Why the heck did anyone
ever decide to build a major city on ground that is *below*
sea level and right next to three major bodies of water? And
in a hurricane zone?!)

It must be remembered that New Orleans has been sinking
at the rate of
3 feet per century. This has been accelerated due to the
deterioration of the Mississippi Delta.

Agreed!

When the city was founded, it was a low lying
coastal city, just like
most coastal cities. At that time, there was plenty of Delta,
and it
looked like a fine place to build a port city.

Sure - but that was centuries ago.

Over the years, as the geology changed, it was not at
such as fast rate
that relocation seemed necessary. Then as we learned
more, we found out
that essentially the city was doomed.

But how long has the sinking been known? How long ago did NO
go below sea level?

I think it was in the mid 1800's that there
started to be a concern.
Quite a while back.

Yet the expansion was to *lower* ground.

Hey, Jim - I sure can't explain what I think is stupidity on some
peoples part! Every house that I have ever bought has been on top of a
hill, cuz I believe that is a generally safer place. I would not ever
move to a lowland place like NO unless I absolutely had to.

It's been known for years - decades - that if a big enough
storm came ashore in the right place, NO would be in big
trouble. A little more than a week ago it looked like
Katrina would hit NO dead-on with full Category 5 force.
Had that happened - and it was a real possibility - things
would probably be even worse there than today.

hard to imagine, but I'll grant you that.

I posted a link to the warnings of 8 days ago. There would
have been fewer left to save...

Yet even with all that warning, the levee system was only good
for a Category 3 storm. People kept building there. even as
the ground kept sinking. Why?

People have a great capacity for self deception. People
build in
California along the fault lines, People live in "Tornado
Alley". People
build on the sides of active volcanoes, and don't move even
when they
are about to erupt. Building in a place that WILL eventually be
underwater is just about par for the course.

There are building and fire codes to protect people from their
own and other's ignorance. That concept needs to expand.

Like "reguulashuns" are going to stand a chance. More Leeberul hogwash!

Most of all, why wasn't everyone evacuated *before* the storm?
I know some refused to go, but many more simply did not have
the means to go. Why wasn't there a better plan in place
beforehand?
Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico aren't a new or
unusual thing.

There should have been buses brought in to evacuate people.
There was
ample notice of the magnitude of the storm.

Or is that sort of thing too "liberal" for this era?

Yes, the idea of the Federal gvt helping people is too
liberal.

I kinda expected...

I hear
a lot of grousing already about this not being the Federal
Government's responsibility.

?? From whom?

It seems to me that once the Administration got a clue, they
began devoting serious resources. Why it took so long for
them to get a clue is another issue. But I don't see anyone
saying it's not the Fed's job.

Go to some of the more conservative enclaves, and you'll hear it. I'd
rather not name names here if I didn't have to.

What I see as an issue that will be ignored is why there are
so many resources after the fact, but not before.

Because it is our way now to react, not act.

Meanwhile, Americans keep building big expensive homes and
buildings in lowlying coastal areas. And in places where the
ground shakes every so often. Why?

See above. Of course, the real answer is stupidity.

Or ignorance.

To me, Ignorance is buying a house, and not knowing it is near a
sinkhole. I *don't* think ignorance is when you build a house in an area
that you have to cross a levee to get to it. Wonder what that levee is
all about? I knew about all those problems in NO for years. And I'm not
the sharpest pencil in the box..

btw, it was just about 105 years ago

September 8, 1900.

I've been to Galveston. Beautiful place. Fine sand that feels good on
the feet. Big seawall now too!

that the big hurricane
hit
Galveston, Texas - with no advance warning. Look that one
up....

Well, it's not exactly that they didn't have any warning....

In 1900 they had none. 2005 was different...

"Wasn't That A Mighty Storm" (with kudos to Tom Rush)

T'would appear so!

73 de Jim, N2EY