Man that part of the gulf coast is toast. At first I was pissed I couldn't go cover this storm...after seeing the pictures I'm not so sure I would've wanted to have been there. It sucks for all those people, but I guess that is teh risk you take living along the coast.
I see they are still lopping off mountains in Eastern Kentucky. Electricity isn't cheap.
In addition to all of the water they have now, they are also going to be receiving everything upstream of them as the hurricane moved north dumping more water into the rivers that will then flow back south throug New Orleans. They get it coming and going. It's amazing how much mother nature tells you where is and is not a good place to build a city (e.g. Las Vegas) and this is one of those spots. I am sure they will rebuild it all right back where it was before. And with better levees this time.
mikeandbob wrote:And with better levees this time.
There's no such thing as a 'totally good enough levee'. Part of the severity of the storm is becuase of dredging/daming of the area's waterways and wetlands. In the past, large areas of marshland both slowed the approaching storms and also acted as 'sponges' for the excess water.
I'm putting on my 'Tom the psychic' hat (with funny feathers, of course!) and predicting next week's news story: "Levees hold water in, preventing draining of New Orleans"
Oh well. At least Burbon Street doesn't smell like barf while it's underwater.
But as long as this is the Suck Forum, here's an interesting comment on the growing death total:
The poorest 20% (you can argue with the number -- 10%? 18%? no one knows) of the city was left behind to drown. This was the plan. Forget the sanctimonious bullshit about the bullheaded people who wouldn't leave. The evacuation plan was strictly laissez-faire. It depended on privately owned vehicles, and on having ready cash to fund an evacuation. The planners knew full well that the poor, who in new orleans are overwhelmingly black, wouldn't be able to get out. The resources -- meaning, the political will -- weren't there to get them out.
White per capita income in Orleans parish, 2000 census: $31,971. Black per capita: $11,332. Median *household* income in B.W. Cooper (Calliope) Housing Projects, 2000: $13,263.
I lived most of my adult life in New Orleans and it's breaking my heart.
Reachhigh, there is no logic involved in locating a city. New Orleans started from the French Quarter which was an Indian village and one of the last pieces of solid ground before the end of the Mississippi River. It was settled by non-natives over 4 centuries ago. From there they drained little sections of swamp at a time until... it was New Orleans. Cities evolve. Too bad it's full of poor black folk or maybe Bush wouldn't have slashed flood control and levy maintenance for the city for the last four years.
My adoptive hometown has been destroyed and I can't contact my friends.
[size=75]You are as bad as Alan, and even he hits the mark sometimes. -charlie
"Not all conservatives are stupid, but most stupid people are conservative." - John Stuart Mill[/size]
