Usa Thread

[Coss]

Just heard a radio report that said that in Texas, the flooding is leading to panic in some areas, with folk mobbing rescue boats and shooting at boats that don't stop.

[Coss]

Another account here

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/08/28/us/harvey-houston-texas-louisiana/index.html

[Flashermac]

Sent to me by a friend in Texas.

 

 

Things non-Houstonians need to understand:

 

1. The streets and many of the public parks here are designed to flood. We sit just 35 feet above sea level, and most of the city is as flat as a pool table. We average about 50 inches of rain a year. The streets and parks serve as temporary retention ponds, accommodating slow, steady drainage through our bayous.

 

2. We average about 50 inches of rain a year, but in the last 48 hours, many areas of greater Houston received 25 to 30 inches of rain. That's six to nine month's worth of rain, in two days. The drainage system, which works well in normal conditions, was overwhelmed. Officials are calling this an "800 year flood": that means there was a one in 800 chance of its occurrence. Even with advance notice, there was little means of preparing for this.

 

3. It is impossible to evacuate a city the size of Houston. Harris County is 1700+ square miles, with a population of 6.5 million people. How do you evacuate 6.5 million people? During the hours leading to Hurricane Rita's landfall, tens of thousands of Houstonians attempted evacuation. The traffic jams lasted for days. One hundred people died. So far, six Houstonians have died in Hurricane Harvey, all of them (as far as I have heard) drowned in their automobiles. For more than a decade, the local mantra has been "shelter in place and hunker down." That's hard, but it's the right approach.

 

4. Some outsiders are treating this disaster with schadenfreude: Texans helped elect an anti-big government president, and now we're going to need big government help. Houston is the bluest spot in Texas, and voted Clinton in 2016. Suggesting this is karmic payback for backing Trump is as inaccurate (and offensive) as Pat Robertson's suggestion that Hurricane Katrina was God smiting sinners. We really aren't thinking Red or Blue right now. We are taking a royal beating, all of us. Disasters don't care about ideology.

 

5. You are going to feel this. Gas prices are going to skyrocket. Oil refined products, everything from PVC pipe to dry cleaning fluid, will rise in price. The stock market will take a hit. New Orleans is a fantastic city, but it's not a major economic force. Houston is the center of the nation's energy industry. It's home to dozens of Fortune 500 companies. And 85% of it is under water. It may be this way for weeks. The aftermath of Katrina captured the world's attention. The aftermath of Harvey is going to grab you by the lapels, and shake you 'til you're cross eyed.

[Coss]

As a Non-Houstonian: I am cognisant of the terrible disaster that is falling on Texans, and 'twere I able to help I would. I do have comment on the previous post, herein.

 

1. Wise, that the place is designed to flood, I can't help but think, that if the flooding, were not accompanied by the destructive hurricane winds, that so many would be better placed, to weather the floods.

 

2. Good point about the scale of this calamity, though "that means there was a one in 800 chance of its occurrence." should read "that means there was a one in 800 year chance of its occurrence."

 

​3. 'Twere me I'd probably be hunkering.

 

4. "We are taking a royal beating, all of us. Disasters don't care about ideology." A valid point, karma and god do not enter into it in the slightest, temperature differences in air and ocean, do. Schadenfreude - should only kick in if the Trumperbelle slips and falls flat on his face into mud on international TV.

 

5. Yes.

 

And again my deepest sympathies to those who are suffering in this calamity. Nature at it's most demonstrable.

[Coss]

I see that a university professor suggested Harvey was karma for Texas Republicans. Then, he was fired. - Pillock

 

http://college.usatoday.com/2017/08/29/university-fires-florida-professor-harvey-texas-republicans/

 

also that

 

Trump mixes up blonde Finnish journalists

 

WASHINGTON — It appeared to be a case of all blondes look alike for President Donald Trump, at least during a White House news conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto (SOW’-lih NEE’-nis-tuh) [because people can't read words for themselves].

 

Trump at one point turned to Niinisto and encouraged him to choose another journalist to ask a question. But Trump seemed puzzled by Niinisto’s choice during the Monday press conference.

 

“Again?†Trump asked. “You’re going to give her the same one?â€

 

Trump apparently thought Niinisto had called on the same woman he had called on earlier during the news conference.....

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/trump-mixes-up-blonde-finnish-journalists/2017/08/29/db195e82-8cb4-11e7-9c53-6a169beb0953_story.html?utm_term=.3dbe450282a8

[cavanami]

...and with the terrible events in Houston, the lame stream can only report on the 1st lady's shoes....

 

Melania Trump mocked for her 'storm stilettos' as she heads to Texas for Hurricane Harvey relief

 

https://www.yahoo.com/style/melania-trump-confuses-twitter-storm-stilettos-heads-texas-hurricane-harvey-relief-163418597.html

 

....and the Houston Democrap mayor defends his lack of action...

 

Houston mayor defends decision not to issue evacuation order

 

http://abcnews.go.com/US/houston-mayor-defends-decision-issue-evacuation-order/story?id=49453471

 

...and the Repub Texas governor sends in help....

 

Governor Abbott Activates Entire Texas National Guard In Response To Hurricane Harvey Devastation

 

https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-activates-entire-texas-national-guard-in-response-to-hurric

 

Sad that azzhole politics takes the front stage over helping people in need!!!

[Coss]

I agree with you about the shoes, who cares?

[bust]

Maybe Donald has something planned for later

[Coss]

Just watched Trump telling the world, who was in the Trump Junior meeting, who left early and who wasn't focussed on, or interested in the meeting.

 

How does he know? given that he's also previously said he knew nothing about the meeting?

 

Foot, mouth, small hands....

[Steve]

It was reported on Fox News and conservative sites about the shoes as if it was the main stream media and it wasn't. The yahoo links lists Meredith Burke, a nobody. If it was said on CNN, MSNBC, etc, by pundits then I'd agree it was way over the line but the every day folks are going to be silly and its reported as if its mainstream and its not. What has been making the rounds as well are memes erroneously stating Obama was playing golf while Katrina was happening and it was 1. Under Bush and 2. He was actually helping along with Bill Clinton.

 

The mayor of Houston has a point. I saw an interview when he said that Houston and metro Houston has around 6 million people. Logistics wise where are you going to house and feed even half that number so quickly? Maybe its a bad call.Maybe it isn't, its one of those tough decisions you have to make.

 

As for VP Pence, a bit hypocritical of him in this role, when in Congress he advocated no federal money for Katrina.

 

What is also factual is....

http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2017/08/28/right_before_harvey_trump_nixed_a_rule_designed_to_protect_cities_from_flood.html

 

A chemical plant catching fire due to GOP Texas reducing rules regarding removing safety and reporting rules