The Battle for New Orleans!

Rand Simberg ) wrote:
: On Tue, 20 Sep 2005 17:39:25 +0000 (UTC), in a place far, far away,
: (Eric Chomko) made the phosphor on my
: monitor glow in such a way as to indicate that:

: : The incompetence of the federal response is quite clear,
: : both because the President himself expressed dissatisfaction
: : with it and because the then-head of FEMA is now unemployed.
:
: : The president expressed dissatisfaction with it because it had become
: : politically necessary to do so, regardless of the reality. Brown was
: : canned because he had demonstrated cluelessness, and had lied on his
: : resume. The actual performance of FEMA had little to do with it.
:
: You seem to forget that Bush picked Brown due to his being a Bush cronie.
: The resume' was twisted to allow a Bush friend to get the job, not the
: other way around.

: I didn't "forget" it, you moron. I didn't mention it because, unlike
: you, I attempt to keep the conversation on topic (the topic being why
: he was fired, not why he was hired).

He was fired because he was inept. He was hired because he was a Bush
cronie. Your blind defense of Bush is quite clear on this one.

Eric

On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 18:43:21 +0000 (UTC), in a place far, far away,
(Eric Chomko) made the phosphor on my
monitor glow in such a way as to indicate that:

Rand Simberg ) wrote:
: On Tue, 20 Sep 2005 17:39:25 +0000 (UTC), in a place far, far away,
: (Eric Chomko) made the phosphor on my
: monitor glow in such a way as to indicate that:

: : The incompetence of the federal response is quite clear,
: : both because the President himself expressed dissatisfaction
: : with it and because the then-head of FEMA is now unemployed.
:
: : The president expressed dissatisfaction with it because it had become
: : politically necessary to do so, regardless of the reality. Brown was
: : canned because he had demonstrated cluelessness, and had lied on his
: : resume. The actual performance of FEMA had little to do with it.
:
: You seem to forget that Bush picked Brown due to his being a Bush cronie.
: The resume' was twisted to allow a Bush friend to get the job, not the
: other way around.

: I didn't "forget" it, you moron. I didn't mention it because, unlike
: you, I attempt to keep the conversation on topic (the topic being why
: he was fired, not why he was hired).

He was fired because he was inept. He was hired because he was a Bush
cronie. Your blind defense of Bush is quite clear on this one.

Only to morons who can't read. There is nothing in anything I wrote
above that's a defense of Bush.

Leonard Robinson writes:

Re the "Spaceships v. Schools" argument: it has been with us in various
guises throughout recorded history. What has happened in New Orleans (and
repeated again with Hurricane Rita) will happen again.

Part of the problem lies with the political infrastructure. Politicians,
concerned only with the next election and their preservation in office, tend
to discount what "might" happen as opposed to more immediate concerns.

The writer is cognizant of T. A. Heppenheimer's book, "The REAL Futu
Tomorrow's Technology Today," written in 1980. Much of his writing is
current, although dated only by the calendar: arguments over municipal
finance, the issue of global warming, the oil issue, etc.

One of Heppenheimer's pet statements is: "To govern is to choose." The cure
for municipal ills will not be to whine to Washington, DC, and the Federal
Government. The cure must be found at City Hall.

To paraphrase Dr. Heppenheimer (PhD, Cal Tech), during the 1960s major
cities elected to follow "progressive" social policies in order to buy
peace among their minority groups (primarily Black). City governments
elected to cave in to minority demands by hiking welfare benefits and
expanding greatly their public-assistance rolls, while at the same time
giving in to the city unions and hiked pay and benefits far beyond the
private sector. To pay for these demands, the City governments slashed
budgets for quality education, police & fire protection, and city
maintenance & sanitation. The tax-paying middle class revolted by fleeing
the inner cities for the suburbs, to which many jobs have relocated, while
the liberal welfare benefits attracted freeloaders from out-of-state (and
illegal immigration as well).

To return to space policy: NASA & private sector industry can go to the Moon
& beyond even with New Orleans sinking beneath the Gulf of Mexico and the
Mississippi River. The port facilities of the Crescent City will be rebuilt,
with private and public support, for it is in the National interest to do
so. But certain wards of the City will have to be sacrificed to Ole Man
River because they are below sea level. Ole Man River will have the last
word on the Crescent City, no matter what the Mayor might say.

The writer is reminded of King Knut (Canute, as Latinized) and the Tides.
Knut commanded the Tides to stand still, like Jesus did the storm on the Sea
of Galilee. Unlike Jesus, Knut's efforts were for naught. After being
drenched with the incoming tide, Knut removed his crown, placing it on the
altar of Westminister Abbey and never wore it again. Legend attributes Knut
saying, "Lex Dei suprema Lex Rex." ("The Law of God is superior to the Law
of the King.")

Leonard C Robinson


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

Rand Simberg ) wrote:
: On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 18:43:21 +0000 (UTC), in a place far, far away,
: (Eric Chomko) made the phosphor on my
: monitor glow in such a way as to indicate that:

: Rand Simberg ) wrote:
: : On Tue, 20 Sep 2005 17:39:25 +0000 (UTC), in a place far, far away,
: : (Eric Chomko) made the phosphor on my
: : monitor glow in such a way as to indicate that:
:
: : : The incompetence of the federal response is quite clear,
: : : both because the President himself expressed dissatisfaction
: : : with it and because the then-head of FEMA is now unemployed.
: :
: : : The president expressed dissatisfaction with it because it had become
: : : politically necessary to do so, regardless of the reality. Brown was
: : : canned because he had demonstrated cluelessness, and had lied on his
: : : resume. The actual performance of FEMA had little to do with it.
: :
: : You seem to forget that Bush picked Brown due to his being a Bush cronie.
: : The resume' was twisted to allow a Bush friend to get the job, not the
: : other way around.
:
: : I didn't "forget" it, you moron. I didn't mention it because, unlike
: : you, I attempt to keep the conversation on topic (the topic being why
: : he was fired, not why he was hired).
:
: He was fired because he was inept. He was hired because he was a Bush
: cronie. Your blind defense of Bush is quite clear on this one.

: Only to morons who can't read. There is nothing in anything I wrote
: above that's a defense of Bush.

You, being an imbecile, throw the "moron" label around too freely.

Eric