Hurricane Stuff - Part 1

HURRICANE STUFF

Someone, let's call him Jeff, just asked me whether the hurricane is a good thing or a bad thing? Of course it's a bad thing, but he thinks otherwise because port operators will be able to fire unionized harbormasters and thus save money by going to computerized/mechanized port operations. Without going into the economics of the situation or politics (I don't see them getting laid off if the harbor/docks in New Orleans get rebuilt), I'll post more comments on what happened.

Basically, Katrina came in under the radar, then everyone (in the media) got their panties in a bunch, predicting dire results. Then the general public started getting all upset, with the same fears. Basically, there were predictions of 10,000 people dying. That this would be a horrible tragedy for the US, etc.

And they're wrong. Of course.

Basically, the end result is that AT MOST 1,000 will die of this, mostly of their own stupidity. Some people may call for the head of the NWS or LA/MS/AL governments, but really most of the people who will die will be the fragile or the stupid. I have no sympathy for people who decide to stay in their home rather than in a shelter or evacuate. If you decide to stay, that's fine. You shouldn't be forced to move. Just don't go crying to the government or to the media when you can't get picked up. The media loves it when people tell their harrowing stories of hiding in their homes, but it's incredibly stupid. I don't have too much sympathy for them at all. It's not like anyone can't leave... there are plenty of ways to evacuate to a shelter and that won't tie up resources in a disaster.

I haven't bothered with any other station while tracking this other than the Weather Channel. Basically they have the best information and the most knowledgeable reporters. I feel really sorry for people who rely on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News or any other mainstream for their information. Hell, CNN apparently misreported a story on the Superdome in New Orleans having giant holes in the roof. I bet you won't hear about how much they screwed the pooch on that one.

I should still reserve judgement until the damage is surveyed. But the other thing that will happen is that NOONE will report on the corporate handouts that will happen in the clean up. In the name of "economic rebuilding," the owners of the skyscrapers in New Orleans and the casinos in Biloxi will probably get loads of money to repair their buildings. Of course, there's nothing going to be done about it because the program will stay in place no matter what happens.

Then there will be the people who will complain that the rebuilding will cost however many billions of dollars and the government is already wasting money on Iraq, blah, blah, blah. The fact of the matter is that because of the government handout, noone takes into account hurricanes (or floods) into their decisions on whether or not to live in a location. As a result, these hurricanes strike and everyone gets scared shitless. It's something that people should take into account and don't. And it's the people who think that get screwed as a result.

This isn't the same as people who will have their houses destroyed by tornadoes or floods that will occur hundreds of miles inland. That's something that is random and out of their control. I just have no sympathy for people of decide to live in a city that is below sea level or on the Gulf Coast where hurricane strike every year. It's not like a hurricane striking is going to be a surprise or anything.

And I don't want to hear any "this is a result of global warming" bullshit. There's no evidence one way or the other on the effects of global warming on hurricanes, though I'll actually take the global warming fearmongerers on this one. But instead of doing the whole Kyoto treaty garbage, why not just accept hurricanes and not develop right on the frickin ocean. There's plenty of development space in Pittsburgh too, you know.

Ok, enough of a rant for now. I'm going to buy gas before everyone scares that up to $2.75 down here. At least that won't affect ethanol (or it shouldn't). But the ethanol rant is for another time.