More on Katrina and the waves
Re Simon's post below: that plot's been done.
Not just that, but the usual round of sensationalist, alarmist, chicken-licken reporting, non-factual for the most part, and sheepishly corrected later in the day when nobody is watching or listening any more.
I woke Sunday morning to the news that New Orleans was about to be destroyed, that it was going to be the Worst Storm Evar, and so on. As I lay in bed, I thought, they're sounding so convinced it's "about to hit" New Orleans, but these storms are never so predictable. It won't go on getting stronger, that's the first thing you know. The second thing you know is, they will suddenly veer off and go in another direction. The so-called "course" is only news and weather forecasters doing their usual, "If everything goes on exactly the same as it is now until the end of time, then x will happen..."
So it was downgraded and it veered off, and it was just "one of" the worst storms to hit the USA. And how to they measure it? In terms of dollars worth of damage.
Well, here's a clue: prices go up. Hence a roof blowing off today will cost more to repair than, say, ten years ago.
Here's another clue: people make false claims and lie lie lie to insurance companies.
Why did so many people stay behind? Because they were too poor to afford decent transport or alternative accommodation. And because they've been schooled in the art of ignoring the sensationalist bleating from the media. A David Caruso type will turn up, put his sunglasses on his face and say something po-faced about how people were warned, but just like motorway matrix signs that read SPRAY SLOW DOWN on a dry and sunny afternoon, media outlets trumpeting the next tsunami-like disaster are to be taken with a pinch of salt.
But to all this, I want to add the following: huge swathes of the continental USA are Unfit for Human Habitation. This is why the tribes who lived there before were often nomadic. If it's not tropical storms, earthquakes, and killing winters, it's unspeakable heat and mosquitos biting you half to death. Life that evolves in these places tells you all you need to know: alligators, for chrissake - designed for living low in the swamp, and with a skin too thick for skeeters to penetrate.
Not just that, but the usual round of sensationalist, alarmist, chicken-licken reporting, non-factual for the most part, and sheepishly corrected later in the day when nobody is watching or listening any more.
I woke Sunday morning to the news that New Orleans was about to be destroyed, that it was going to be the Worst Storm Evar, and so on. As I lay in bed, I thought, they're sounding so convinced it's "about to hit" New Orleans, but these storms are never so predictable. It won't go on getting stronger, that's the first thing you know. The second thing you know is, they will suddenly veer off and go in another direction. The so-called "course" is only news and weather forecasters doing their usual, "If everything goes on exactly the same as it is now until the end of time, then x will happen..."
So it was downgraded and it veered off, and it was just "one of" the worst storms to hit the USA. And how to they measure it? In terms of dollars worth of damage.
Well, here's a clue: prices go up. Hence a roof blowing off today will cost more to repair than, say, ten years ago.
Here's another clue: people make false claims and lie lie lie to insurance companies.
Why did so many people stay behind? Because they were too poor to afford decent transport or alternative accommodation. And because they've been schooled in the art of ignoring the sensationalist bleating from the media. A David Caruso type will turn up, put his sunglasses on his face and say something po-faced about how people were warned, but just like motorway matrix signs that read SPRAY SLOW DOWN on a dry and sunny afternoon, media outlets trumpeting the next tsunami-like disaster are to be taken with a pinch of salt.
But to all this, I want to add the following: huge swathes of the continental USA are Unfit for Human Habitation. This is why the tribes who lived there before were often nomadic. If it's not tropical storms, earthquakes, and killing winters, it's unspeakable heat and mosquitos biting you half to death. Life that evolves in these places tells you all you need to know: alligators, for chrissake - designed for living low in the swamp, and with a skin too thick for skeeters to penetrate.
posted by Anonymous at
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
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