NOW THATS A RIDGE

[mike18xx]

That would be the worst disaster in US history if that ever happened

Not a chance. It wouldn't come close to either the Galvaston hurricane or the San Francisco earthquake (which some historians think killed two or three times the recorded number).

[TSmith274]

Ok, the misinformation in the last few posts needs a little rebuttal. First, here's a quote from one of the the directors of the Red Cross regarding a major strike on New Orleans...

"Between 25,000 and 100,000 people would die, said John Clizbe, national vice president for disaster services with the American Red Cross."

and another...

""Filling the bowl" is the worst potential scenario for a natural disaster in the United States, emergency officials say. The Red Cross' projected death toll dwarfs estimates of 14,000 dead from a major earthquake along the New Madrid, Mo., fault, and 4,500 dead from a similar catastrophic earthquake hitting San Francisco, the next two deadliest disasters on the agency's list."


To read up on the subject, I'd suggest you read this four part story in the link below...



http://www.nola.com/hurricane/index.ssf?/washingaway/thebigone_1.html

[mike18xx]

I don't need to read the accounts of people who are clearly insane.

Look: How far below sea-level is what percentage of New Orleans?
Now: How many flights of stairs would you have to climb to get out of the water?

And you're not going to have fifty-foot ocean swells roaring through Lake Pontchartrain either -- rather, there'd be a smooth surge flow over-topping the levee and filling up the "bowl", an event that'd take a fair amount of time, and a storm-surge doesn't last that long.

The Red Cross guy is off his rocker.

[TSmith274]

Mike, I don't mean to pick on you, but just read the article I posted. It explains everything very clearly. There are even some graphics to illustrate New Orleans' elevation throughout the city. But hey, I hope you're right. That would be great if all the experts were wrong. But, their opinions and studies are all we have to go on at the moment. But just read the article... all four parts. It's very eye-opening.

[mike18xx]

Mike, I don't mean to pick on you, but just read the article I posted.

Done. Even bought the T-shirt. Opinion unchanged.

Now then, I loathe and despise the "appeal to authority" fallacy with unmitigated passion, and I would really like you to entertain my musings with equal enthusiasm. Police captains and Red Cross officials are not hired for their expertise in hurricanes, and the news media which quotes them is not noted for veracity either. The engineering students who cite models comparing New Orleans to Bangladesh are either hysterical idiots playing with Daddy's money for four years before "real life" -- or cynically fishing for grants, because there is no geographical comparison and Louisiannans are not paddy-farmers living in stick-huts driving water-buffalo to work.

New Orleans is not a toilet-bowl that will flush away and disappear if the levee gets topped. When and if it's ever swamped, everyone will be miles away stuck on the interstate -- or at least three floors up in an apartment a couple blocks from where they live or somewhere else above the maximum flood line -- and there will be interesting pictures on the news of buildings surrounded by water.

Sure: If everybody goes outside and nails their feet to the ground before the flood arrives, then there just might possibly be 12,000 dead people in New Orleans.

[TSmith274]

Mike, I don't agree with you. But, I must admit, that was pretty funny stuff. Namely, the water buffalo and the nailing of the feet comment. I'll be honest... I think the estimates are a bit exaggerated as far as deaths. And I agree that people will somehow find higher ground. But, I just wanted to post that article for you. No harm, no foul.