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Hypotheticals are useful in dealing with probabilities. When it comes to evaluation, hypotheticals serve only to support preconceived notions. They have nothing to do with the facts at hand. The same can be said of analogies. All too often those who have a feeling about an issue lack the ability to take on the issue directly. So they attempt to simplify the issue by drawing an analogy...giving you a hypothetical to ponder. The irony here is that the person who introduces the hypothetical does so under the guise that they are simplifying the subject for the audience, when it is almost invariably the case that the person utilizing the hypothetical cannot fully grasp the topic without resorting to simplifications. Just remember, if you are discussing hypotheticals you have ceased to discuss the matter at hand. (I don't mean this as a slam on you, mnealtx. It's just a statement I would like to make.) FallRate

Thank you for the enlightening comments on the current situation. With such uplifting rhetoric there is no doubt that we will weather this storm. While many of us would very much like to understand what is happening and why it is happening, you have shown us all the path to peace and contentment: mindless partisanship. It is so pure and simple. Pick a side, blame those in power or those who are suffering, doesn't matter. No need to have any real discussion. We'll simply jump to conclusions...so long as we feel we can place blame, we can claim to understand the situation. Once again, thank you for your words of wisdom. FallRate

I have a question (it's not loaded). It has been reported that a levee or levees failed. Much of the talk about the cuts deals with the levees not being completed. If the levees had been finished would it have prevented the failure? It is known that the scheduled work on the levees was designed to increase capacity, but was the structural integrity of the levees to be improved if all of the funding had been granted? Is the failure of the levee the specific problem here? Would all of the hoped for work on the levees actually have prevented this? We do know that the proposed improvements to the levees was aimed at increasing capacity...to deal with a greater rise in water levels than was actually seen in and around New Orleans this past week. Is it possible that the problem here is not that the levees were not completed but that the levees that were in place were poorly formed? Opinions are always appreciated. But I would really like to know the truth of this. Links would be much appreciated. Edited to keep it simple. FallRate

No. They should receive help and are receiving help. It does appear that the Editors are being hypocritical. But not necessarily. It may be that they expected difficulties, for whatever reason, in receiving aid for those that would stay in New Orleans in the event of an emergency such as this. That doesn't mean that they necessarily agreed with the situation. They may have noticed that insufficient planning was being done prior to this and ultimately made the decision to inform their readers that they are on their own. Again it doesn't mean that they believed New Orleans residents who stay behind should be on their own, just that they will be. It's hard to know without having read the full original story. Edited to add: I think the skydiving analogy, while it has its merits, is clouding the issue. FallRate

$5.2B on Pet Supplies $12.4B on Pornography $24.3B on Personal Hygeine So long as we're throwing out expenditures for non-related items, I thought these might add to the nonsense. FallRate

I agree. Has hell frozen over? FallRate

Yes we do. You would like to use this disaster as an opportunity to voice your opinion against the war in Iraq. In a perfect world, yes. However, even if we were not engaged in Iraq an approval for emergency funding to deal with this crisis would still be necessary. FallRate

Aid to the US has been offered from around the world...this is a good thing. Fuck politics. Edited to add: If Bush were to refuse foreign aid on the basis that it would make us appear to be weak...I'll be more than happy to sign a recall petition! FallRate

You actually believe you can squirm out of that statement? By "behavior", you meant that of dirt and filth? For someone who is so critical, you should be more honest. FallRate

Just in case you missed it...scroll up a bit. FallRate

Do you mean the ones you referred to as dirt? Edited to add the link. FallRate

Wow. Plays like an SNL skit. Wow. FallRate

Your tactic...I simply expounded on it. You made the initial insult. So you always win. It is understood that Greenies can ban anyone, anytime, for any reason...no questions asked. So the "we always win" statement is a bit obvious. FallRate

Actually, I did quite well. You gave me the opening to once again tell you what I think of you without violating Rule #1, and I took it. FallRate

Really? Well then let me take a shot at making your point for you in a direct, genuine and mature manner. While President Bush may have issued an evacuation order prior to the onset of flooding in New Orleans, this fact does nothing to deal with the dire situation that the people of New Orleans currently face. While it may very well be that steps were taken to prevent suffering and loss of life, it doesn't mean that people are not currently suffering and dying. What was done is of little importance, it is what must be done now that is important. Pretty safe to say I didn't. Edited to add... Just in case you want to be fussy...your point also included the idea that while steps are being taken to alleviate the current suffering, such as fixing pipelines, these accomplishments do not mean that we should "focus on the positive" and ignore the rest. FallRate

I wrote "...thanks for assuming we're idiots". In other words you made a post out of stating the obvious. I assume because you believe that the average DZ.com visitor wouldn't realize the obvious. By the way, did Carly Simon ever write a song about arrogant, condescending half-wits? FallRate

Interesting gibberish. Wait, no...just gibberish. If you care to make a point, you should first start with having a point, then you should probably construct carefully worded sentences. (To be fair, I do understand your point. It's just happens to be immature and asinine. I am not arguing that all is well and good because an evacuation order was given, but you know that. Yet, you would rather drag the discussion into a simple exchange of canned opinions.) Thanks for keeping the standard low, Greenie. FallRate

Bush is currently being blamed for the mess on the gulf-coast. If he made the call to evacuate then it shows that the he and his administration were proactive. I doubt anyone believes Bush pulled the info that he based his decision on out of his ass. But thanks for assuming we're idiots. FallRate

Incorrect. A probable event will not necessarily occur. If it carried a probability of 100% it would be definite or certain, but then we would refer to it as inevitable, not probable. Correct. It was predicted. It was not destined or fated. Therefore it was not forseen. Unless you would like to argue that the possibility was forseen, which when compared to probable is tautologic, therefore a true case of begging the question. FallRate

It's times like this that it wouldn't be such a bad idea to have a Democratic President. That way we could bypass all of the bullshit of placing blame for a NATURAL DISASTER and get on with helping those who have been affected and in particular those who are at serious risk. As I've said before, I don't trust Republicans (the conservatives) but I despise Democrats (the worthless whining left). Who's fault is it? If you must, blame God. Then do what you can. https://give.redcross.org/?hurricanemasthead FallRate

The above is absolutely incorrect. It was not forseen. That this would occur was not absolute. There was a probablility of its occurrence, nothing more. FallRate

Try not to strain yourself. This is not outside the box. It is a concern very many people have at the moment. In fact very many children have voiced this concern. I'll just file this under "uhhh...duh". FallRate

I'd rather see a thoughtful, intelligent and perhaps unique contribution from someone with your credentials. We need not agree, but trading platitudes is a tiresome endeavor. FallRate

I do not believe that there is a hell, but it would be nice nice to believe that there is a special place in hell for the shooters. My compassion is waning. FallRate

Kallend, do you have software that prepares your rants? Something like WhineGenerator 3.1? FallRate