More Lies About New Orleans
Don't be fooled by the difference between unfiltered science and a legal rebuttal. After the catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina and the devastation of New Orleans the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers issued a report than unequivocally placed the fault of this destruction on the failure of the levees, which was declared to be the fault of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. Funny how the powers that be allowed this report to become public knowledge when it was believed that the federal government was immune from litigation stemming from the damage caused by their faulty work (sad as Louisiana tort law doesn't apply to the federal government, but the cornerstone our tort law is that "Every act whatever of man that causes damage to another obliges him by whose fault it happened to repair it ... Every person is responsible for the damage he occasions, not merely by his act, but by his negligence, his imprudence, or his want of skill." La. Civ. Code arts. 2315-16). However, the federal courts have altered this blanket exemption from such ordinary liability.
Clever lawyers, finding a loophole in liability, found a way to enable persons to sue the federal government for negligence that led to the failure of the levees. Basically, it involves not the work done on flood protection (levees themselves), which remains exempt from liability, but the work done on commercial waterways (canals) constructed for other purposes, which negligently weakened the city's flood protection. And it was the finding of this loophole, which I firmly believe led to the report issued yesterday.
Nowhere is there scientific honesty, but rather a politicized retraction, claiming that the levee failures could not be traced to any one agency or group, and rather should be allocated over fifty-odd years of decisions made by a variety of agencies and persons throughout city, state, and federal governments. Listen, this is no different than when I cut my head on a quick-swinging door at a Bruins hockey game after being kicked out (as a 29-year-old) for giving Sarah (a 24-year-old) a beer -- it's a long story, but trust me, true -- and Sarah wrote a letter complaining of their treatment of us. Her focus was on their service and treatment of out of state persons (especially Katrina refugees) and the Bruins' response was mainly to deny liability for me injuring my head. It wasn't a real response but a legal form letter already written to get the average ignorant person to drop the issue.
This current denial of responsibility is the same. And it honestly boggles me. It's our federal government spitting legalese instead of doing the right thing. They're acting like the cheating man from Eddie Murphy's Raw. The joke was that you could practically be caught cheating in your woman's bed, but as long as you denied, denied, denied, it would go away and she would forgive you. True or not, joke or not, the Bush administration is the same way. There's no problems, there's no problems, there's no problems. Look at something else!
Because of such actions, it is incumbent upon each of us as American citizens to call bullshit, bullshit, bullshit. Our federal government fucked up, they admitted it, so in all fairness they should make restitution. For a government willing to spend $12 billion a month (see recent news articles) on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, for a total of over half a trillion dollars, it is mind-boggling that they refuse to spend money to save a struggling American city. Any funds they do allocate are swept up in red tape and slowed by a mind-numbing skepticism that the money will be spent properly.
If only I could convince our president that Katrina was caused by a new form of Al Queda technology and that the struggles of New Orleans are proof that the fight for freedom is a lost cause unless the city is rebuilt, maybe then he'd do something. The sad thing is, maybe that's what it would take to get our own country to fix something that was their own fault. Or maybe a republic governor.
In closing, let me be clear. No naturally occurring hurricane destroyed New Orleans. Had the levees NOT broken, the city would have been all but fine. It was the levees breaking, i.e. human failure, that led to the massive destruction of New Orleans. Fight anyone that tells you otherwise. It's the truth. Remember it.
Clever lawyers, finding a loophole in liability, found a way to enable persons to sue the federal government for negligence that led to the failure of the levees. Basically, it involves not the work done on flood protection (levees themselves), which remains exempt from liability, but the work done on commercial waterways (canals) constructed for other purposes, which negligently weakened the city's flood protection. And it was the finding of this loophole, which I firmly believe led to the report issued yesterday.
Nowhere is there scientific honesty, but rather a politicized retraction, claiming that the levee failures could not be traced to any one agency or group, and rather should be allocated over fifty-odd years of decisions made by a variety of agencies and persons throughout city, state, and federal governments. Listen, this is no different than when I cut my head on a quick-swinging door at a Bruins hockey game after being kicked out (as a 29-year-old) for giving Sarah (a 24-year-old) a beer -- it's a long story, but trust me, true -- and Sarah wrote a letter complaining of their treatment of us. Her focus was on their service and treatment of out of state persons (especially Katrina refugees) and the Bruins' response was mainly to deny liability for me injuring my head. It wasn't a real response but a legal form letter already written to get the average ignorant person to drop the issue.
This current denial of responsibility is the same. And it honestly boggles me. It's our federal government spitting legalese instead of doing the right thing. They're acting like the cheating man from Eddie Murphy's Raw. The joke was that you could practically be caught cheating in your woman's bed, but as long as you denied, denied, denied, it would go away and she would forgive you. True or not, joke or not, the Bush administration is the same way. There's no problems, there's no problems, there's no problems. Look at something else!
Because of such actions, it is incumbent upon each of us as American citizens to call bullshit, bullshit, bullshit. Our federal government fucked up, they admitted it, so in all fairness they should make restitution. For a government willing to spend $12 billion a month (see recent news articles) on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, for a total of over half a trillion dollars, it is mind-boggling that they refuse to spend money to save a struggling American city. Any funds they do allocate are swept up in red tape and slowed by a mind-numbing skepticism that the money will be spent properly.
If only I could convince our president that Katrina was caused by a new form of Al Queda technology and that the struggles of New Orleans are proof that the fight for freedom is a lost cause unless the city is rebuilt, maybe then he'd do something. The sad thing is, maybe that's what it would take to get our own country to fix something that was their own fault. Or maybe a republic governor.
In closing, let me be clear. No naturally occurring hurricane destroyed New Orleans. Had the levees NOT broken, the city would have been all but fine. It was the levees breaking, i.e. human failure, that led to the massive destruction of New Orleans. Fight anyone that tells you otherwise. It's the truth. Remember it.
Labels: levees, New Orleans, politics
|| posted by mW @ 12:02 PM
No Justice
I really don't understand how "conservatives" can be calling for Bush to grant a full pardon to Scooter Libby. He was convicted of four felonies. Aren't these the same ones that are all for "three strikes" and you're away for life? Libby is now a four-striker, so shouldn't "conservatives" be calling for him to go away for life, instead of serving no jail time? Maybe this is why they believe he needs the full pardon, because otherwise, there is no justification for his sentence to be commuted; it is illogical -- but if the underlying crimes were absolved, then there truly is no need to go to jail. The whole thing is ridiculous and brings to mind a bunch of kids playing politics instead of house, where there is no real accountability or logic. For fuck's sake, Paris Hilton served over two weeks for driving on a suspended license. It wasn't like she was helping disclose secrets of national security or covering for those that did. And if these "conservatives" feel Libby's the unfairly treated scapegoat, how come they are not calling for the Justice Department to prosecute who was actually at fault?
All this entire situation does is continue to erode the credibility of the entire Republican regime. These are people who claim no laws apply to them and they can do whatever they want to secure "freedom and democracy" and even when caught look for ways to get out of it. I'm sorry. But those in the generation above me always wonder why my generation and younger are generally thoughtless, petulant, and assume no responsibility for our actions. But the answer should be obvious. It's because we have such poor role models. People who don't see the parellels aren't opening their eyes. It only takes common sense to see that the actions of those above us are our models for behavior, especially in a culture where we deride all other societies and mores and uphold our Ameritocracy as the pinacle of human civilization, blind to the limitations of this philosophy.
It has to stop. We need new leaders who are willing to be role models. Who will accept diversity and have integrity. One can hope.
||
posted by mW @ 5:57 PM
All this entire situation does is continue to erode the credibility of the entire Republican regime. These are people who claim no laws apply to them and they can do whatever they want to secure "freedom and democracy" and even when caught look for ways to get out of it. I'm sorry. But those in the generation above me always wonder why my generation and younger are generally thoughtless, petulant, and assume no responsibility for our actions. But the answer should be obvious. It's because we have such poor role models. People who don't see the parellels aren't opening their eyes. It only takes common sense to see that the actions of those above us are our models for behavior, especially in a culture where we deride all other societies and mores and uphold our Ameritocracy as the pinacle of human civilization, blind to the limitations of this philosophy.
It has to stop. We need new leaders who are willing to be role models. Who will accept diversity and have integrity. One can hope.
I Learned Tonight St Lawrence Kids Cannot Drink
So. I'm going to a wedding with my girlfriend in a month or so. It's for one of her friends from St. Lawrence. I learned last night that kids from St. Lawrence can't drink. We went to a friend's house, that Sarah works with, and ended up at some point in the night playing card games. The game was Asshole. For those of you not in the know, it's a simple game where you just have to play cards equal to or higher than the cards the person who played before you, or else you drink. As an extra perk, there is a heirachy, such that when you get rid of your cards first, you win. Everyone that goes out after you establishes a diminishing heirarchy, such that everyone who is "below you" you can tell to drink. It's fun. Only, apparently kids from St. Lawrence don't drink when told to.
Where I went to school, you learn there are consequences for every action you take. If you damage the person above you with your card play, you can expect the logical consequence of being made to drink as punishment. However, apparently, this is a foreign concept to the St. Lawrence kids. They just "play nice." They're just "having fun." No need to punish anyone. Where I grew up it was hardcore. If you harmed those above you you paid a price. You were smart to take a pass when your card play could screw those above you, and save your cards for later, because that loyalty would be rewarded later. Although I usually reserve this blog for higher concepts, I was sufficiently offended by the precepts of another's experience that I felt compelled to share in tribute to everyone with whom I went to college, so many years ago, if only to say that we stuck it out where others did not.
One can only rage against the machine for so many hours a day. At some point you just have to kick back and have fun. To just cut loose. Only it appears different people have different tolerances to what they will or will not do for that fun. So to those from Newing Hall, Binghamton University, know you did it right.
Where I went to school, you learn there are consequences for every action you take. If you damage the person above you with your card play, you can expect the logical consequence of being made to drink as punishment. However, apparently, this is a foreign concept to the St. Lawrence kids. They just "play nice." They're just "having fun." No need to punish anyone. Where I grew up it was hardcore. If you harmed those above you you paid a price. You were smart to take a pass when your card play could screw those above you, and save your cards for later, because that loyalty would be rewarded later. Although I usually reserve this blog for higher concepts, I was sufficiently offended by the precepts of another's experience that I felt compelled to share in tribute to everyone with whom I went to college, so many years ago, if only to say that we stuck it out where others did not.
One can only rage against the machine for so many hours a day. At some point you just have to kick back and have fun. To just cut loose. Only it appears different people have different tolerances to what they will or will not do for that fun. So to those from Newing Hall, Binghamton University, know you did it right.
Labels: cards, drinking, Social activity
|| posted by mW @ 3:45 AM[top]
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