NATIONAL DISATER

I probably shouldn't even answer, but what the heck...

First of all, let's not speak of what we know nothing about. We can't know what a good levee would have been, how they should have been constructed and what should or should not have been put into them. Unless you hold an engineering degree, in which case I apologize.

What we can speak of is the money from the budget that was diverted from the fortification of Luisiana against a hurricane to... somewhere else (I won't start a political post here, go read about it, inform yourselves).

As for the oil, sure! Let's drill everywhere! Ignore the "treehuggers". In 50 years we'll be living in glass bowls because of the smog and a class 5 hurricane will be a joke... we'll invent new classes to rank the severe atmospheric phenomena. And about oil prices, let's not be naive... there is enough oil to cover consumption. The price is kept high artificially. The U.S. (and other countries) could tap into their reserves, OPEC could increase output and that would end this... "crisis". The reasons behind them not following the aforementioned course of action is anyone's guess.

Finally, yes. If you can help relieve the stricken people of Luisiana, please do. Because, in the end, the simple people get hurt by the calculated, cold blooded indifference of their government. Just watch how you vote - if it matters anymore...

P.S.: A friendly remark, meant in the best way: Try to write in correct syntax, grammar and orthography, no matter how heated the topic, urgent the errand or fast the typing. It will help you in the future 😀

I post on political boards but I will try and keep this non political.

The problem from the start with the levee system is it was designed for category three hurricanes like stronger ones wouldn't dare hit them, well they were wrong. New Orleans was living on borrowed time and have been for years.

As far as everyone getting out, they should have. Far too many people have become dependent on government to provide for them instead of taking care of themselves. Common sense would have said get out, but common sense was nowhere to be found by too many people. That is what happens when you stop thinking for yourself and depend on someone else.

Response IMO has been very poor so far in getting needed water, food and ice to those who need it. When Ivan came through here they were here with that kind of help the following day, not days later. I know this is a much bigger storm but I haven't seen the kind of coordination I saw with Ivan.

You are correct that one of the major problems with gas has not been a lack of supply but of refining capacity. The NIMBY crowd have successfully blocked construction of new refineries for years and we are now paying the price for that.

Living in Florida I am all for off shore drilling for oil, it has been done for years now with no ill effects to the environment. In fact that is the heart of Louisiana's economy.

One last word of advice, those who depend on government to solve their problems are bound to be disappointed.

Please discuss it all you wish but as you have said keep it non political.
Thanks

Moved to the Off Topic Forum.

Some of the "Dumb people" that stayed had no choice. Some of them have no cars, or money to pay for a hotel room. There is a vast majority of people that live below the poverty level in these areas. Others are ederly and have no one to help them get out. To call them all stupid is ignorant on your part.

Second, unless you have a structural engineering degree what do you know about levees? If you had the fool proof method to protect the entire city, where were you after Dennis? You should have had your drafting board on fire and be flying around in your own Gulf Stream IV from the millions you made. NO has pumps, but there isn't a pump known to man that could have handled the amount of water that has innundated New Orleans.

The off shore oil rigs ARE a source of US oil production. Since we are a co-op of OPEC, what we produce automatically enters a percentage of what they control.

Even off that point, how do we get gas to certain areas now? I-10 is in ruins for all intensive purposes. Taking out a major artery for truck traffic is going to be felt for a long time to come for all things we buy in certain areas of the US.

If you want to volunteer, don't start trying to get people off rooftops with your canoe. Donate money, non perishable food, etc. Leave the real search and rescue efforts to the professionals.

You mention this is the worst thing to hit the US since the Hurrican in the late 1800's? What about Camille that hit nearly this very area less that 50 years ago?

It's just my 2 cents. It's a lot easier to talk the talk, but when push comes to shove you gotta get the job done.

Let me know how your trip to the Big Easy to volunteer in the relief efforts goes. I'll post some pics when I get back...

I don't think your post was directed to me but I will cover a couple of your points.

The levee's were only designed for a category three hurricanes. It is only natural they failed with this storm, they were not designed for a storm of this magnitude. You don't have to be an engineer to know that, it is common knowledge. Considering the position New Orleans is in I would question why they weren't designed to handle storms like Katrina. In my opinion New Orleans was a catastrophe waiting to happen and it did.

I-10 has been a bottle neck every since Ivan hit Pensacola wiping out the east bound lanes of the bridge across the Escambia river. They did get one lane open east bound, but there are long lines at times during the day trying to cross it. Lines at least two miles long. That is as far as I can see when I cross over I-10 from where I live. There is a new bridge in the works for I-10 here and guess what, they are going to build it high enough that storm surge won't wipe it out. Good thinking, too bad they didn't think about that when they built the one that is there.

There were reports that traffic trying to go east to escape Katrina was backed up all the way to the Alabama line from that bridge, that would be about fifteen miles.

The bridges that were wiped out by Katrina suffered from the same planning as the one here, they were built too close to the water. Notice the storm surge didn't wipe out the high rise sections of the bridge's.

Bindolaf wrote:
Because, in the end, the simple people get hurt by the calculated, cold blooded indifference of their government

My personal opinion is that the truth is hiding behind these words.Cold blooded guys with neckties who siting behind their safe desks take decisions without think of the human(but only for the money).Guys which in front of the first difficulty climp in the tress by steping in others bodies,yell,cry and when the disaster pass they get down and speak like they were heroes and share fake promises...And to avoid turn this discussion in politics i must say that im not refering to a particular politician or to a particular goverment.
The point is that the pain of all these poor people could not change...The disaster has been done...
I wish someday all these guys(all kind of....leaders ) be more sensitive and work in order to avoid such things instead of get their necks out after the disasters and try to improve their image.And to be clear im sure that they arent all of them such kind of guys.There are persons who fight,work, they are sensitive and they respect what they do...But i have some examples for some of them who has been found in the bottom of a river holding tight a rock...or worst...some of them who has change their thoughts and follow this river instead of discover the bottom....

I dont want to post other comments..All of you has cover me with your thoughts and with your technical opinions.

Lets try to make better ourselves and respect first off all human excsistance.

If each one of us make a first step to this i think that things gonna be better for all of us.I think that this is the only way to...survive....

I will say this it was my opinion about the levee`s

we all have different opinions and what we think should have been done but the government knew that if a catigory 4 or 5 hurricane hit New Orleans it would be devistated and casualties would be catstrophic. they knew this was the fate of New Orleans for 20 years.

anyway this was my opinion if you dont like what I said then dont respond.

also I was and still am trying not to be political

My friend JJB

You dont have to get nervous 🙂 .I read careful all the posts of this topic and i find all of them interesting,full of knowledge and the most important of all which is common to all of them is that they include humman sensitivity,something that in ourdays is difficult to be found.
The different opinions or the arguments is part of all the civilized discussions.The point is these discussions to give results.And i think that this topic give us a taste about the problems that simple peoples have.The worst thing of all is an amputated spirit,and i ensure you that most of us dont have this problem.Lets fight to stay like this.

Friendly 😉

listen all I have to say is God help us!

this country has gone down hill

All the countries of the world have problems...Some of them bigger some of them smaller.If you ever have the chance to travel around the world you will notice this.But i think that we must not dissapointed.The hope never dies.We must never stop fight for the best.