So much to blog on, so little time. Worthy subjects are flooding in like the rising water in the streets of New Orleans. So I thought I’d just quickly touch on a couple stories by pointing you towards what’s happening on some other, worthy blogs.
Major levee break inundates New Orleans
Much of my up to the minute meteorological and related disaster information on Hurricane Katrina has been coming from Steve Gregory’s amazingly informative blog on Weather Underground. And the latest reports are truly horrendous: 40,000 to 50,000 people have now sought refuge in the Superdome, where conditions are deteriorating as water rises around them.
80% of New Orleans is totally submerged now, and will likely become 100% submerged tonight. The depth of the water in the BIZ district is around 6-10 inches at this time.
This is a result of 2 MAJOR BREACHES OF THE LEVEE. The first one ,is about 400 feet long, and appears to have given way around 9PM last night. The Corp of Engineers have now said there is also a second breach as well. Within the hour the Pentagon will be taking over the coordination and manpower / machinery to assist in closing the 2 breaches.
Gregory describes the situation as “a ‘slow motion version’ of the worst case scenario.” Fires are burning throughout the city, looting is rampant, and the governor has ordered a total evacuation. Again, if you want to help, the American Red Cross is seeking cash donations.
Rebooting Creationism
On a lighter note, The General has posted a rather amusing letter to Bill and Melinda Gates, asking for the same kind of support in financing his unscientific research as they’ve given to the Discovery Institute’s “intelligent” design media campaign.
One of the biggest problems people have with Noah’s Ark is that even at 300 x 40 x 30 cubits in size, it would be too small to hold that many animals. That’s especially true when dinosaurs are included. My theory is that only a small portion of the animals were actually on the ark at any given time. The others swam, or in the case of non-buoyant animals like tortoises, they windsurfed until it was time for them to be rotated onto the boat.
In order to prove this theory, I’ll need an ark, every living species of animal, mockups of dinosaurs, and Cheetos. That’s going to take a lot of money, but I think you should be able to swing it.
I love The General. (In a manly, heterosexual way, of course.)
Conservative coffee cups
Darryl at Hominid Views has written a letter of his own, this one to Maureen Richardson of Concerned Women for America, a group that has complained to Starbucks of liberal bias in printing quotations on their coffee cups. Darryl suggests adding balance with a few quotes from God-fearing Christians, including these uplifting sentiments from the Rev. Jerry Falwell:
“I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way, all of them who have tried to secularize America. I point the finger in their face and say “you helped [9-11] happen.'”
I’m holding out for a coffee cup with ‘Famous sayings of Pat Robertson’. Maybe he could threaten to kill ‘Juan Valdez’ next. Get the Columbians pissed off too.
Goldy, you have redeemed yourself for the sarcasm of the previous thread about New Orleans. I was about to invite you to spend the night at the place my mother used to live in New Orleans. Unfortunately, I am quite sure it is now a little too humid to breathe there. Fortunately, my mother retired from the restaurant business last fall and moved to Baton Rouge. Ironically, her old restaurant is about a block from the Mississippi River, therefore several feet above sea level and probably one of the few dry spots left in the entire city. Not the same for the house she used to live in, which is at least 10 or 15 feet below sea level.
Seriously, it is truly tragic for the people down there. Most people have lost their homes and everything they owned. There are probably THOUSANDS of people killed in the New Orleans metro area, and several hundred more on the Mississippi coast. It will be quite some time before they can rebuild the levees (after the water levels have equalized — i.e. full city flooding), and then it will take weeks, if not months, to pump out the water. It will be a good question whether the city will be rebuilt, or most sections abandoned. It will take years to resettle all of the survivors.
Twenty years ago, on September 1, 1985, I spent the early morning hours of Labor Day huddled in the hallway with my father in the hallway of our apartment in Pascagoula, Mississippi (100 miles east of New Orleans). Hurricane Elena hit that morning, with winds of about 100 mph. The NE portion of the eyewall passed directly over us, which has the most intense winds. The roof of the second floor above us was ripped off by the winds, and the windows in our cars were shattered. The apartment complex, the nicest and newest in town, was heavily damaged, but still standing. There was lots of damage all around, but no significant storm surge.
Anyway, Katrina came ashore 60 miles west of Pascagoula this time. I saw some of the pictures from Pascagoula, and the devastation was many times worse — even though it was not a direct hit by the eye this time. And there was 20 to 25 feet of storm surge at Pascagoula — enough to flood a lot of places out.
The damage on the Mississippi coast closer to Katrina’s landfall, of course, was much worse. Even worse than Camille in 1969 — which was supposedly a more powerful hurricane than Katrina.
Williams, Kastner & Gibbs, found no evidence of fraud. But others have. Why there is no investigation in King County is hardly a mystery.
http://effwa.org/main/article.php?article_id=1054
I wish Starbucks would stop using the coffee cups to get us thinking. Pour some more fucking caffeine in the cup Howard. I’ll think on my own thank you. if you must put some stupid shit on the cup make it interesting. you know like “is Daffy Duck gay”? I need something with fewer words in the morning, Howard…(I always smile at a good “fuck you” in the AM)
I also want those bitches from “Concerned Women of America” to either lighten up or stop calling my house. If it’s that big of a deal ask for a drink sleeve to cover the message up. Jeez. Better yet switch to Tully’s, Jay Buhner needs the money.
This is where being a conservative isn’t always a good thing. I hate dumb shit stuff like this in the name of conservatism. fuck’em
Official: Prisoners Riot, Take Hostages in New Orleans
ABC News US, by ABC News Original Article
Posted By: boliver – 8/30/2005 9:33:06 PM Post Reply
Inmates at a prison in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans have rioted, attempted to escape and are now holding hostages, a prison commissioner told ABC News affiliate WBRZ in Baton Rouge, La. [Democrat voters at play in “The Big Easy”!]
Enough @4: There are enough dumbasses on both sides of the aisle to embarrass plenty. It’s when they *stop* embarrassing you with their antics that you need to worry.
[International support on the way to New Orleans!!] Harare, Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe has offered to send 10,000 Democrat voting looters to New Orleans to help “pick out the good stuff”. Former President Bill Clinton noted that many of the looters might be “bare breasted women”!!
The most disturbing aspect of this issue is that CWA even got attention over it.
What did they hope to acomplish? Censorship? Please.
There is nothing patently offensive or otherwise illegal in their content. So Starbucks did what most any PR concious company would do in this great United States, and sent the CWA a nice letter, that said essentially – “With all due respect, f*ck you but we have lots of coffee drinking gay customers whom we don’t want to alienate by changing our position.” in as many words.
If you don’t like their position. It’s your perogative to boycot them. The last time I heard, that’s how it’s done here. Ain’t capitalism grand?
I’m sure it’s obvious to the Starbucks lawyers and accountants at Starbucks, had they paid any attention to your position at all. Which demographic is more important to us? The gay and gay-friendly (read: the socially liberal) demographic, or the CWA members? See, it’s a simple matter of basic economics since there is no legal problem.
I suppose time will tell if I’m wrong.
Economics can and will solve this problem (in this case), without resorting to mucking about with expensive and tedious additional legislation or attempts at censorship.
So CWA, please pick your battles. This one only serves to accomplish damaging your credibility, and wasting air-time.
If CWA wanted Starbucks to stop printing anything related to “The homosexual agenda”, di
Geez, strike the last three lines of my post. I meant to delete them.
GOLDY–
I find it psychologically interesting that you follow up 2 of your comments with the phrase (in a manly, heterosexual sort of way). What in the hell is that all about?
Could it be you are making one last futile attempt to convince yourself prior to bursting out of the closet???
I know I’ve teased you tongue-in-cheekly in the past about your gayness. Now……could it truly be????
Naaaaaaah…could it be?
Frankly gayness may actually add to your relatively boring personna. You could be like Fronk from the movie The Wedding Planner! Remember Rob Schneider??? OMG!!! The Fronk of Bloggers!!! You wouldn’t even have to change your name….GOLDY is plenty gay enough!
I designed life on earth. (In a manly, heterosexual way.)
Unlike moderated blogs such as TPMCafe, I usually don’t take seriously HA’s comments, since they rarely rise above a non-stop ideological food fight . . . with all of the maturity of 8th graders.
What I find most interesting is watching how low people will stoop to make a partisan point. Mr. Cynical has a strikingly high “noise” to “thoughtfulness” ratio, but JCH is really in a class by him/herself for unthinking vitriol. In an odd way I hope that JCH is a well-paid Republican operative, because it would seem to take a very unhappy person to waste his/her leisure hours writing such empty and mean-spirited missives.
Rev. Jerry Falwell needs to be put into a straight jacket immediately, and have his big mouth duct-taped for the common good. I can’t think of a bigger douche-bag than him. Thanks.
And, I-912 is NOT an ‘anti-roads’ initiative. That’s fucking moronic and condescending to say that. It’s about Queen Crissy and those other cretins down in Olympia going against the will of the people; and the people biting back-period. ‘Nuff said.
Paul @ 11: Screw you Paul! I specifically remember designing you! Usurper! You can be second in line behind the Flying Spaghetti Monster for designing the universe, not first. No, wait, that would make *me* second. It’s all so confusing. I’m sure ID will explain it though, pat my head and rub my belly.
Besides, I expect that you are merely google-bombing, cross-posting to push your ranking up for hits about ID and your page.
@12
You may be surprised. I can’t stand him…
I’m sure Mr. Hoof-in-Mouth (Pat Robertson) will have some choice remarks about “god’s vengence on the ‘big easy'”. But I would like to consider, just for a moment, the physical, economic, and social upheaval our country has wrought on the long suffering citizens of Iraq, and ask if this may demonstrate to our own population what it is like to suffer such circumstances.
Unkl Witz==
Just like you to wish for pain and suffering on innocent people to prove one of your pointless points.
Vigil day 3-
Well day 3 is done and over and the little dirt patch I urinated in has yet to form an amoeba. I was sure that the lightening storm last night would have been perfect conditions for the start of life. Goldy keep spreading the truth. I will keep you posted.
A little off the subject. Anint it just like a donk to hide behind a woman when they get in trouble:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.c.....es30m.html
I-912 is not anti-rode. We want rodes, and we are willing to pay for them. We just want rodes that will RELIEVE CONJESTION. The supporters of the gas-tax admit that there is no relif in the package. The gas tax really does not affect me. I can’t drive because of an eye problem. So I use the pathetly sub-par Metro bus system. If Seattle would get over the mass transit only mentality we could get new rodes and reduce traffic jams. Remember most people are driving alone and that will not change short of goverment forcing. that would be bad for all.
Mr Cynical is not good enough to be gay. He’s kind of neuter—like Richard Simmons. I hear he wears short nylon jogging shorts, a large grey sweatshirt, and exhorts people to , “Come on ,now! Let’s see you sweat!!” while thrusting his pelvis like in a Michael Jackson video.
Anyway, that’s what his nephew told me….
Roads (rodes) that will relieve congestion is a bunch of BS. It’s like saying I want to add a room on my house so I will not fix the leaky roof. Try a little informed comment rather than canned lines.
Dear Goldy,
It’s nice that you let the conservatives on here to provide some, uh, balance, and give us something to get fired up about, and it’s your sandbox, and you get to let who you want play in it, but it’s time to start editing. Some of us have lives, and won’t show up here if we have to wade through waist-deep manure to get to the end of the comments.
Dear flamethrowers of all political stripes,
Do you talk like this at your friends’ houses? If so, remind me not to invite you over for beer.
Ob Ontopic:
The Starbucks article and response made me giggle for different reasons. God forbid that a retailer that primarily pushes coffee in urban areas would not do a 50-50 balance of quotes on their cups. If Maureen Richardson needs balance in the marketplace of ideas, perhaps she can ask for more rural-centered businesses like ConAgra, Wal-Mart, and ADM to step up to the plate.
I see potential here. After all, you can get a LOT more words on a feed bag than you can on a tall latte cup.
what’s a rode?
And if you mean roads, are you aware the traffic jams HAPPEN on them? They don’t solve them, they make them.
a “rode” is short for “rodent” as in Demo-rat
Sorry about the rode instead of road. I usuilly think rhode. a friends name. And I am dyslexic. But my point is still correct.
Metro buses are still sub-par and will don’t help traffic
Reply to 12
Jerkoff Creepy Hater (JCH for short) CLAIMS to live in Hawaii and CLAIMS to be a retired stockbroker BUT you should not believe ANYTHING that troll says. JCH probably is a 7th grader playing with his dad’s computer when his parents aren’t home.
Reply to 14
“I-912 is NOT an ‘anti-roads’ initiative. That’s fucking moronic and condescending to say that.”
If you can call the Inheritance Tax a “death tax” then we can call I-912 the “anti-roads initiative.” BTW the difference is you’re lying, we’re not. How can I-912 be FOR roads?? Hmmm?
Doofus @ 19
Just because you’re not smart enough to replicate your father’s experiment doesn’t mean it didn’t work.
22
Mr. Cynical is only a gay wannabe. He can’t find anybody who’s interested.
Just a couple of questions:
Why were all the looters shown on TV in New Orleans black? Is the entire population of New Orleans black? Or are the TV camera crews a pack of racists?
Why would a thoughtful parent place their family in harms way by living in New Orleans in the first place?
Why are some people so STUPID as to not evacuate New Orleans when told to?
How did the IDIOT who did not evacuate because he had a bunch of animal to care for think he could care for them after the storm?
Why hasn’t martial law been declared in New Orleans?
Why am I expected to pay for the STUPIDITY of people who choose to live in low laying area prone to huricanes?
lucy@22–
Richard Simmons is a cool guy.
He works…makes mucho money and pays mucho taxes.
In fact, I’m going to pop in my well-worn Richard Simmons video right now and GET BUSSSSYYYYYYYY!
Up…DOWN…LEFT…RIGHT
Now spin clockwise
Spin counterclockwise.
Thrust…thrust…thrust
Lucy…put down your fucking cream-filled donut and join us!!!!
You are one of the fatasses Richard has dedicated his life to saving.
OK…now squeeze….relax….squeeze….relax.
C’mon lucy
Diet….Exercise
Watch that fatass melt away!!
No more fumunda cheese for you lucy!!!!
jcbob @ 33
“Why hasn’t martial law been declared in New Orleans?”
http://www.sciencedaily.com/up.....-2ndld.xml
Quote:
“NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 30 (UPI) — Martial law was declared in New Orleans midday Tuesday as the city continued flooding from at least two levees damaged by Hurricane Katrina.”
There’s a problem, though, you know… Louisiana has a substantial number of its National Guard deployed in Iraq.
answer to the people who ask ‘why are all the looters black?’
http://www.livejournal.com/use.....21286.html
Maybe not the best source in the world, but it makes the point. Black people loot, white people salvage
also, seriously, someone throw JCH in a flooded river and let him swim for it. He’s just disgusting.
36…..Windie…..Was that you and Maxine Waters carrying away the 42 inch plasma Sony in New Orleans? [Democrats at play!]
Sims causes poverty?
In 2004, King County was among only a handful of large areas across the nation where pay dropped and poverty rates jumped, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s annual survey of income, poverty and health care coverage. At the same time, the ranks of the wealthy grew and the percentage of those in the middle shrank.
from Wed Seattle PI; happened under Ron’s watch
Dr. E,
Clearly this is all Bush’s fault.
Thanks for bring that up.
Rabbit @ 30: There you go with your false assumptions AGAIN. When the fuck did you ever hear me write any sort of an opinion about the death/inheritance tax? You’re about one of the most assuming, unintelligent, one-sided little rodents I’ve ever had the displeasure of meeting. Regardless, go choke on your carrot when I-912 DOES pass come Nov. Thanks asshole.
prr @ 39
“Clearly this is all Bush’s fault.”
Those are your words, not mine.
DR E,
watch out, the sky is falling
What has been “looted” in New Orleans? School math books? No…….Michael Jordan $200 basketball shoes and $4000 Sony 42 inch plasma TVs? Why, yes, and Al Sharpton and Maxine Waters seems to have plenty of “Jordans” and “Sonys” tucked under each arm!!!
I-912 is precisely and “anti-roads initiative” – it doesn’t touch one dime of anything but funding for roads – hundreds of road projects all over the state. These road improvements would obviously reduce congestion (new lanes to end the stupid back-up causing hour-glass on the 520 bridge for instance) and improve safety while preventing future congestion (like when the Viaduct needs to be condemned or falls down.) John Carlson claims 912 won’t reduce congestion because it doesn’t build everything in Kemper Freeman’s pipe-dream plan – yet every peice of every project 912 funds is a necessary part of Freeman’s scheme. Freeman just advocates for even more roads than I-912 would pay for – an additional $30 billion plus in new taxes. So what Carlson and others are really saying is: let’s reject this modest gas tax increase and WAIT to build more things WITH HIGHER TAXES AND HIGHER COSTS VIA DELAY. That’s not even pennywise and pound foolish – it is just stupid.
The price of gas rose over 50 cents OVERNIGHT in some places for oil company profits. Where’s the outrage? The gas tax increases 3 cents IN A YEAR to fix the roads and the wackos come out of the woodwork.
Thor @ 44: Blah….blah….blah. Most I-912 supporters are not anti-roads. Like I said before, Queen Crissy and Co. should have funded improvements in other ways then thumbing their noses at the will of the people and going against voter approved I-601. That twat will learn to heed the will of the people, one way or the other. If you can’t see that point, then you’re the one that’s stupid. Typical LEFTIST PINHEADS calling it “anti-roads” when you’re just trying to dub it that so that naive people will fall for your bullshit scare-tactics. See ya at the polls moron.
33…….Bob writes…….”Why were all the looters shown on TV in New Orleans black? Is the entire population of New Orleans black? Or are the TV camera crews a pack of racists?” !. Because 99.9% of the looters were black. 2, No, just about 80% 3. No, only the FOX NEWS crews are hateful racists [hehe]
Yo Mark1 @ 45.
I’ll let everyone consider your remarks and each can evaluate who the moron is.
Even Senator Dino Rossi supported an increase in the gas tax too, post I-601. The state’s road budget has never come close to even meeting 602 spending limits – and our state constitution prohibits spending on gas taxes to anything but roads – a fact of life that is religiously enforced.
Mark1, you seem hopelessly angry and miserably uninformed. You will probably pass your initative – but the only message you’ll send is: you don’t want to pay to fix the roads and you don’t care as much about the roads as you do about the tax on booze and cigarettes.
Your message will do nothing to make things better in this state. It will simply increase the cost by billions over the long-haul through more delay – stuck in congestion and by paying more to build things later we can start building now.
June 11, 2005
Election Challenge Shows System’s Flaws, But Will Reforms Follow?
By Rebecca Cook
The Associated Press
SEATTLE — According to the official record, 1,678 people voted illegally in Washington’s 2004 election.
FEW – I WAS WORRIED THE ILLEGAL VOTES MIGHT HAVE MEANT FRAUD!! I’M SO HAPPY NOW THAT I KNOW THEY WERE JUST HARMLESS ILLEGAL VOTES AND NOT FRAUD!