Hurricane Katrina

We're being told that after we get the hospital patients out, we'll be hauling in some crazy levy stab system of jigs for maybe 3 weeks to get the thing temp fixed. Rumor has it that unless the levy is completly replaced, it's going to be a hard sell for any serious rebuilding.That's outside of my area of knowledge but putting in a new levy system has to be extremely difficult. Probably end up being a WPA type project to help out during the up coming depression.

I didn't fully realize the fragility of our infrastructue concerning oil until now. If I was a terrorist, I'd hit the oil refineries in San Fransico Bay. Which speaking of politics, I do think Bush is commiting National Hare Cari by not putting some beefed up protection around them for the next 9 months.They are by far the most vulnerable to rocket attack by boat due to their close proximity to water and the abundance of larger private water craft which could conceal launchers and normally cruise around there.

Thank you sir. Very perceptive.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Don't forget the two diversion levies for the Atchafalaya Basin.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

I like to come off as very confident about the future to match my tough guy image, but honestly this is starting to scare me.I learned recently that 75% of the World's savings is coming into this country on the currency market to float our debt. And we are STILL deficit spending. So what happens if our currency defaults during the depression. The EU comes in and we switch to euro's at a 15 to 1 ratio. Their currency is backed by gold. Ours is backed by debt.I've got a mortgage which means I'd need 14 more full time jobs to hold on to my house.You in better shape to weather out that situation? I hope you are. I could see taking $1500 to go buy 2 weeks of groceries if inflation take off.

Exactly how much repair do they think they are going to get done before the next hurricane hits.Hell, I'd be suprised if they got it all under control before NEXT hurricane season, and we haven't even hit the peek of THIS season

No, I'm not in better shape. And in addition, too old to even get most jobs.And this is not the Big one.We have neglected the basic needs of national security, particularly since the Reagan Administration, and we need to re-acquire that vision.What is done over the next few years will determine if the US can continue as we know it.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

I do not see how a service oriented economy can grow enough to outpace it's deficit spending and national debt while preserving the same or comparable QLI as we know it.I am not a wiz bang economist, but I see financial trouble in all dirrections. I hope I'm overlooking some huge variable in our favor.

More rumors here but we have been told that the Gulf could warm another 4 degrees yet this year. Four degrees warmer means that if another large tropical storm rolls in, it's solid cat 4 time and possibly (although not likely) a certified cat 5.

The temp repairs will be more vulnerable than the original levy structure. The total rebuild will probably be too expensive.This message has been edited by Lizard Breath, 09-02-2005 08:36 PM

Depending on the time scale I don't think it's the Euro you'll be worrying about - sadly it won't be the Pound either My money would be on the Yuan.Getting back somewhat to Katrina and the discussions of levee maintenance - for years governments (especially in the US and UK I would suggest) have been moving away from funding long term very expensive infrastructure projects, especially from the public finances.Although there may be good reasons for this it does seem to have been getting worse since the late seventies and early eighties - and the short sightedness of it is going to bite us in the butt sooner or later.

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I wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then

Just a question: we knew this storm was going to hit somewhere and that it was big enough to affect many cities on the coast ... ... so why wasn't that 12 hours BEFORE the storm hit? OR MORE?I mean, really: 12 hours AFTER????Why weren't they reconfigured, loaded and ready to go before the storm hit?

And China would start telling us what to do ...Somebody is selling this country, and it's not just people buying from Walmart.

the new topic on the leadership responsibilities of the Dept of Homeland Security is athttp://EvC Forum: Department Of Homeland Security Inaction At the Top -->EvC Forum: Department Of Homeland Security Inaction At the TopFrom the DHS website.

Glad to see that you are OK, Berberry! We were all beginning to wonder about you...This is a terrible disaster, and many peoples lives have changed forever. Such is life, but life goes on. For the secular heart, life exists through communion of the species with ourselves...helping each other when we can.For the believer such as myself, Gods love shines like a light through the species...we are the body and He is the head.Berberry, tell us any stories that you have personally heard from people that went through the worst of it....