From Denny: Watching this man-child implode in North Korea because of a rapidly deteriorating economy, placing the whole world on the brink of war and destruction, started me thinking this entire week about a radical approach for a change of world mindset, a paradigm shift. After all, we can no longer operate on the 60-year status quo as set in place by the World War II generation after the Korean War peace signing.
It's past due time this generation institute a new program, one designed to preventing or circumventing this kind of international mess of loose cannon dictators and terror organizations that want to blow up the world. It would give the various sincere world leaders and experienced diplomats the time they need to work it out when there is an impending crisis. Or, if all hell broke loose there is an apparatus in place globally, in every country, to do the horrifically unthinkable: rebuild from nothing.
From Denny: As a resident of Louisiana, viewing the widespread and horrific devastation to New Jersey and New York From Hurricane Sandy on endless streaming news is a stark reminder of what we face each hurricane season, six months out of the year. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone experiencing difficulty and loss from the appropriately named "Frankenstorm." It's the rebuilding that can prove testing to the human spirit.
On the Martin Bashir show (we like him at our house as he spares no unclear opinion carefully considered), he ran clips of Prez Obama with New Jersey Gov. Christie. Kudos go out to Prez Obama setting aside the campaign and truly governing. A cheer went up at our house when Obama announced he had "instituted the 15 Minute Rule for returning phone calls" from the politicians and officials in the devastated states.
Obama is hands on, demanding all agencies to abandon the usually frustrating red tape and give immediate help. Obama even has the military rounding up huge cargo planes to transport supplies and power trucks from the West Coast to get to New Jersey in a timely fashion. Normally, it would take about three days just to drive from California to the affected areas. See how much you can learn when you watch the afternoon news cycle? :)
Now THIS is government at its best! What took so long? America has to suffer a terrible disaster - a second time - before politicians decide to act human and do the right thing for the greater good? Where is this attitude in the day to day of our government and politics? What is their excuse for not doing so?
From Denny: This weekend I traveled downtown in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to take a look for myself at the above flood stage Mississippi River in my home town proverbial back yard. Can I tell you it was a regular "shock and awe" moment?
Just imagine for a moment a herd of elephants gone rogue and running fast and furious down hill. They are a herd packed tight and fanning out three miles wide. The Old Man River looked like those elephants were just under the water, the top of their heads barely seen in the rough choppy water. The surface of the water looked like a 60 mile an hour wind was pushing it yet the reality was there was barely a slight breeze.
I live a good 20 miles out from the River yet when I witnessed the power of this fierce water even I was wondering if it was time to leave town for good. The River has never behaved like this in my life time. But think about it. We have a 10,000 year ice age ending with the melting off of both polar ice caps. The water has to go somewhere.
The glacial waters evaporate and then return down as massive rains and flooding. The glacial waters evaporate in cold weather and return as massive snowfalls. Then Spring arrives as the Earth warms: yes, massive flooding as the snow melts into torrential waters. Get the picture? The Mississippi River is carving out a new channel and trying to change course. How long can any levees hold?
To their credit, the local officials were preemptive. They banned all cars off the levee roads that are on top of the levees. They banned all pedestrians from standing, walking or gawking on the levees even on the sidewalks, the train tracks, the grass medians of the levees.
As I walked up the hill to get a view of the massive River running by I could see how it was about to top the levee, within a few feet. It was already well beyond flood stage but within four feet of splashing over the levee.
Baton Rouge is the fifth largest port in America. Banned traffic on the Mississippi River were all the barges that ferry chemical products and crude oil and agricultural products. Officials did not want any boat traffic to place pressure on the earthen levees. Lucky us in Louisiana lately. We have had extremely dry weather, downright drought conditions. As a result the levees are holding nicely and absorbing water easily so far.
The Corps of Engineers originally thought they would require 50 percent of the flood gates of the Morganza Spillway to be opened just above Baton Rouge, ending up flooding a lesser populated area. At the moment they have opened up to 25 percent, hoping it's all they will require. Instead of 25 feet of flooding there is about 15 feet. Considering most homes in Louisiana are only one story, most ceilings are only eight feet, some up to 12 feet, it's not much consolation.
Here is what the USDA is promising farmers impacted by this intentional flooding. They are eligible for crop insurance payments in accordance with their crop insurance policies. Farmers who are unable to plant because of the flooding will be be eligible for prevented planting payments in accordance with their policies.
How many acres of crops are affected in the Morganza Spillway, Atchafalaya Basin and the fore bay area between the spillway gates and the River? Try over 18,000 acres will be lost to the flooding.
“We wanted to make sure our farmers got the same deal as the Missouri farmers who lost their crops when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers artificially breached the levee to save lives,” said Louisiana Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain.
In this local news video you can see a police car riding on top of a levee and see how high is the water now. Also, it shows a barge that flipped over because the water was moving so fast.
* * * Please support Warriors Pearl Foundation - helping homeless female military veterans come home. Visit Denny Lyon Gifts @ CafePress.com - - see what's new! (yes, my new charity - why stand on the sidelines when you can actively do something about a problem?)
* Check out Dennys News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food - a place where all my other 20 blogs link so you can choose from among the latest posts all in one place. A free to read online newspaper from independent journalist blogger Denny Lyon. *
*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!
*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:
From Denny: Both the American people and the cartoonists are equally disgusted with the politicians over getting us affordable smart health care and the foolish squabbling at the climate change conference. And this is why when there is a huge global disaster it will be "every man for himself."
You sure can't count on all those other self-protective egos like China to get focused upon physical survival and their fellow humanity's as well. Then there are the developing countries insanely expecting the developed countries and America to single-handedly pay for everything for them to help with their dirty emissions. We can't pay for ourselves right now; how are we to pay for them too?
The cartoonists continue to batter away at Prez Obama's Peace Prize incongruity of being at War yet recognized for Peace. Palin, her ridiculous self, has, for now, thankfully, evaporated off the national stage.
Take a look at this week's cartoonist offerings:
Health care reform shell game because nobody knows what's in the bill from moment to moment:
That stinking excuse for a health care reform bill - with Senator LieberBush at the top of the smelly heap, bankrolled by insurance companies - which are about the only employers left in the state of Connecticut:
