The Big Uneasy

Cagliostro · September 15th, 2004, 11:49 AM

Dateline: New Orleans,2004

Cagliostro · September 15th, 2004, 11:53 AM

Up to 10 feet below sea level in spots, New Orleans is a bowl-shaped depression that sits between the half-mile-wide Mississippi River and Rhode Island-size Lake Pontchartrain. It relies on a system of levees, canals and huge pumps to keep dry.

The city has not taken a major direct hit from a hurricane since Betsy in 1965, when an 8- to 10-foot storm surge submerged parts of the city in seven feet of water. Betsy, a Category 3 storm, was blamed for 74 deaths in Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida.

Experts said Ivan could be worse, sending water pouring over levees, flooding to the rooftops and turning streets into a toxic brew of raw sewage, gas and chemicals from nearby refineries.

**jumper69** · September 15th, 2004, 11:55 AM

Experts said Ivan could be worse, sending water pouring over levees, flooding to the rooftops and turning streets into a toxic brew of raw sewage, gas and chemicals from nearby refineries.

And this is a bad thing why????? [img]confused.gif[/img]

Cagliostro · September 15th, 2004, 12:04 PM

Originally posted by Jumper69:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Experts said Ivan could be worse, sending water pouring over levees, flooding to the rooftops and turning streets into a toxic brew of raw sewage, gas and chemicals from nearby refineries.

And this is a bad thing why????? [img]confused.gif[/img] <hr /></blockquote>I guess you would have to live there without much chance of escape to appreciate how bad it could be. Or understand there are people facing that possibility. [img]graemlins/whatever.gif[/img]

**jumper69** · September 15th, 2004, 12:19 PM

The people I feel for. New Orleans could be wiped from the planet and I wouldn't lose sleep.

Cagliostro · September 15th, 2004, 12:23 PM

I'm sure the people who make their homes there wouldn't agree with you.

I pretty much feel the same thing about downtown Cincinnati but y'all call it home...

**gae** · September 15th, 2004, 12:27 PM

Frances Update

Trav's younger son just called to report that after 12 days, he now has power and water again.

**jumper69** · September 15th, 2004, 12:28 PM

People who choose to live near the ocean do so with the clear understanding that in payment for sunshine and beaches, you accept that you may be wiped from the planet by mother nature.

While Cincinnati may be damaged by a tornado or earthquake, it has little fear with respects to being submerged under x number of feet of sewage water and storm surge.

Cagliostro · September 15th, 2004, 12:39 PM

Originally posted by Jumper69:
People who choose to live near the ocean do so with the clear understanding that in payment for sunshine and beaches, you accept that you may be wiped from the planet by mother nature.

While Cincinnati may be damaged by a tornado or earthquake, it has little fear with respects to being submerged under x number of feet of sewage water and storm surge.

Apparently you never heard of the 1937 Flood? There was a day called "Black Sunday" when oil from the River Road refineries down in Cleves/Addyston caught fire. Even Northside was submerged to the 2nd floor.

No matter how you slice it Jumper your comments betray a callous and smug indifference to the people who are facing this disaster. Yes living near the coastline does present certain risks. But your comments sound like something my asshole father would say; "they shouldn't live there...".

If a group of cyclists or runners competing in an event were killed by a wayward motorist would your position be "they shouldn't have been in the road, that's the risk runners take..." Didn't think so.