I know this is way the heck OT, but...........

[leitmotif]

You Bet I Will Help

/Personal rant/



I am glad you have the ability to debate the who’s and why’s of this disaster. I wish you the best of luck and perhaps you can find the root cause of this. In the mean time the elderly and infants are dieing. We see it on the news but more importantly from people that have connections in this area.



We have a belief that you either get on board and engage or get out of the way. What are you doing tonight?

/Done with this/

Andy
I am staying home and conserving savings because I am unemployed.
Send me the airline ticket and set up the freight and I will load truck and tools on airplane.

Sorry I am not rich enough to pay my own way to help.

Dan Bentler

 

[AndyT]

leitmotif,
Sorry if this came across wrong. I know there are many who are just getting by and can not help. I was refering to those who could help but choose to sit by and watch others, then sit back and debate the rights and wrongs. From what I see today this includes our goverment.

There seems to be many people and companys large and small that are doing what they can. The team members form that took supplies will be back in GA. tomorrow. I am sure we will be going back with more.

Again sorry if that came across wrong leitmotif and anyone else in this positon,

Andy

 

[leitmotif]

Andy,

That is OK.

I guess I see it this way
1. It was wrong and dumb of the people in St Louis to stay there when they were told to leave. Yes there is always 0.1% who don't get the world.
2. I don't think I would live in a city that is 10' (or whatever) below sea level. I would move.

TWO WRONGS dont make a right

It is wrong to not keep those stupids from dehydration and starvation.

Dan

 

[elevmike]

It is wrong to not keep those stupids from dehydration and starvation.

Dan,

It's not St. Louis.

N.O. has pretty good public transportation. Many people dont have their own cars. (much like NYC). Apparently the city didnt provide much if any transportation for the evacuation, so they TOLD them to go to the Superdome & convention center.

So if YOU didnt have a car and were told to go to the Superdome or Convnetion Center, why would you be stupid for doing so?

I've ridden out two tornados. One past about 100yards from my house. Fortunately that one ripped through a wooded area and cause little property damage, but it cut a clean wide path throwing large trees and phone poles like they were tooth picks. Hearing that the hurricane packed the same kind of wind speed as a tornado, and seeing the size if it, I had a pretty good idea that this was going to be a monumental disaster.

Andy, I've been advised that unless we can provide our own fuel, food & housing for the entire round trip, not to go and try to deliver supplies. Otherwise our efforts would have a negative net effect. Under those circumstances the best that many can do is to provide financial support as best as we can. Hat's off to the good guys at AD!

 

[Johnny T]

Another thing that absolutely dumbfounds me about these disasters is the questions the reporters ask..

"So, you've lost your home, all your belongings and you haven't seen any of your family for six days... how do you feel?"

I'm just waiting for the response..

"How the **** do you think I ****ing feel you ****ing moron!"

The media always seem to love picking at the wounds of human suffering and getting it on film...

 

[Ken M]

Just out of interest, picking up on points that leitmotif and Johnny T made, do you think that New Orleans should be re-built?

Land that is well below sea-level, in an acknowledged hurricane and storm area, during a time of increasing atmospheric and environmental turbulence ... Is there really a compelling argument now in the 21st century for this land to be re-settled? Or should humans just learn to accept that we don't have a claim to all parts of the world and that there are certain areas just do not make good sense for us as a species?

Ken

 

[Mark_H]

The Pumps are 25 hz?

Someone posted in another site, Free Republic, "some of these motors run off 3-phase 6,000 volt 25 Hz AC and some off 60 Hz AC"

and someone else responded:

"Good Lord, can 25 Hz electrical equipment still be obtained? If the 25 Hz motors were to be replaced w/ 60Hz motors, the pumps would need to be replaced due to different running speeds (unless the poles on the 60Hz motors are done differently to run slower - twice the number of poles. Then the pumps would still be running ~20% faster rpm, so the pumps will still need to be re-evaluated).

Also as far as the 25 Hz motors are concerned, where are the frequency converters? Local switchgear? Still using old rotary converters (like what the old Pennsylvania Railroad used, besides their own power plant in Maryland)?

That said, even 6kV 60 Hz motors have a long lead time (order to delivery). Westinghouse dropped the product line from US manufacture to Spain (at least in 1987)."

I never knew there was a standard 25hz motor, learn something new every day...

 

[elevmike]

Atricle on N.O. pumps: http://www.slideruleera.net/NewOrleansPumps.pdf

More reading here: http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/pao/history/NO_Drainage/NewOrleansDrainage.htm

 

[Eric Nelson]

There's also a discussion about the 25Hz motors in THIS thread at eng-tips.com.



-Eric

 

[leitmotif]

It's not St. Louis.

N.O. has pretty good public transportation. Many people dont have their own cars. (much like NYC). Apparently the city didnt provide much if any transportation for the evacuation, so they TOLD them to go to the Superdome & convention center.

So if YOU didnt have a car and were told to go to the Superdome or Convnetion Center, why would you be stupid for doing so?

Mike
I guess mental clutch slipped and I got wrong state and wrong town.

I guess I like high ground so I would have gotten clear out of the area.

We have somewhat the same problem here on a yearly basis in the river valleys - almost every year they flood - the same people stay and get stranded most years and in very bad years they get their houses flooded.

I dont think I would live in the valleys.
Actually I do BUT on a boat - let the river rise.

Dan Bentler

 

[Eric Nelson]

Apparently the city didnt provide much if any transportation for the evacuation

THIS photo is one sad example of how 'resourceful' they were...



-Eric

 

[dale1627]

Eric, good example. I know that I am very critical of the federal governments response to the disaster but I am just as critical to the local governments lack of direction before the storm. A bigger effort could have been made to get those citizens willing to leave out of town. I know that there were many people that refused to evacuate, but many more just couldn't get out. Wonder how many cars left town with only one or two passengers.

Dale

 

[Mickey]

Dan, you might enjoy this

http://biz.yahoo.com/weekend/safestplaces_1.html

 

[leitmotif]

Mickey

I did enjoy -- thanks.
Interesting that of the top 10 most were in Washington and Orgegon WITH a mountain range between them and the ocean.

I guess there is no BEST place wherever. In Seattle we have rain (more truthful overcast skys for much of hte year) and we have a higher rate of SADS. Statewide we have forest fires in the fall and on the coast heavy rain in Nov and Dec - But that makes snow on the mountains which is needed by the ski resorts and for summer irrigation and power.

I guess what it all boils down to is the personal "cost / benefit" curve and probably most important what you like.

Dan Bentler

 

[Rod]

Dan,
You live on a boat?
Do you have Ginger and May Ann with you?


Rod