Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Corps of Engineers rushes to build pump stations
~David Winkler-Schmit

~The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says time is of the essence when it comes to building the permanent pump stations at the three outfall canals: London Avenue, Orleans Avenue and 17th Street. Col. Robert Sinkler, commander of the Hurricane Protection Office, says the Interim Closure Structures (ICS) at the mouths of the canals have a lifespan of five to seven years and must be replaced in order to avoid a gap in hurricane risk reduction. (BWAHAHAHAHAHA!)
~John Hummel, a mechanical engineer who retired after 37 years working for Shell Oil and is currently a board member of the advocacy group Pump-to-the-River Jefferson/Orleans (Option 2A), disagrees. Hummel says that according to a report funded by the Corps, the structures have a longer service life of 20 to 40 years. Hummel says beginning work on the new stations now will hinder the possibility of Option 2 or 2A. At a New Orleans City Council meeting on Dec. 9 with Corps representatives, Hummel questioned the urgency to start work on the new pump stations: "What is the hurry with getting on with Option 1?" he asked.
~Editilla Umberagellas~
We remember Gambit hotly covered this bad road here too.
And Speaking of the lifespan of Bad Inoperable Pumps...
We also remember at that very Council Meeting cited above, how Levees.org questioned the Good Colonel Sinkler on the Law as it has been settled and written. (Where do they get these Names?)(Col. Sinkler? Corps of Engineers?)(This is like a game of Clue: Colonel Sinkler? With a Levee? On Leake Street?)(anywayz) Sandy Rosenthal asked Sinkler point blank had the Law changed regarding the consideration of the Outfall Canals as part of the Hurricane Protections System (HPS)? Obviously used to getting relentlessly picked on as a child with a name like that, For the Record Sinkler Sucked! No, was his Answer!
He shuffled the deck of his papers, looked down at the floor, toed his boot, cried to the heavens "Eli Eli Lama sabachthani", leaned over to an aid for more cool-aid then said lemme'get back to'yaz --just like his boss did before a Senate Hearing!
Talk about pulling your Rank Wit'a File! HAHAHA!
The Exquisite Corps really gives Not A Flying Go Fish about Reducing Risk. The Corps is in the business of Marketing Risk.
Next thing you know the Corps will have some Corporate Mouf'head like Gerald Galloway come down here to our local newspaper and tell us levees don't matter that much,
pee down our leg and tell us it was Katrina, Muskrats or Nutria!

The gates are too short
~Fix the Pumps
~You are reading that right.
The gates are too short. I'm referring to the three outfall canal gate structures that the Corps built in 2006 and 2007. When the gates drop, their tops are 16 feet above the lake. That matches the top of the adjacent protection in Orleans Parish. However, that does not meet the Corps' own design guidelines, which have been in effect since October 2007.


~And~Y'all please get on over to Huff Post and give our Local Herolero Sandy Rosenthal a Hand Handlin'It!

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US forecasters to send hurricane warnings earlier~Matt Sedensky

City, county back river-turbine test project~Danny Barrett Jr.
~Free Flow Power Corp. is vying for $750,000 from the Mississippi Development Authority for a pilot project to sink energy-generating turbines in the river near Vicksburg, retired Army Brig. Gen. Robert Crear said Monday. The former commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley Division is a member of Free Flow’s board of directors.

Murray bought out by Georges?
~Your Right Hand Thief


Mayor skips out on budget meeting, Council Axs WTF?

Even a zealous advocate might perceive that such an argument hints at hypocrisy ~slabbed

Panel of Interest in New Orleans: "Civil Pleading Standards After Iqbal" (Friday, Jan. 8)

“Kings of Tort”: A Royal Hit Job?
~Adam Lynch
~In the book industry, "Kings of Tort" would be considered a "clip job"—it draws on an exhaustive body of research from court documents and media "clips" on the Paul Minor and Dickie Scruggs saga. Having the sources referenced in one volume isn't uncommon and can be handy, but Eastland isn't the only voice crying foul on the heaping helping of political bias that prevents the book from reading like an authoritative account. Critics, in fact, abound for "Kings of Tort," a book co-authored by Jackson right-wing blogger Alan Lange and federal prosecutor Tom Dawson, who prosecuted the Scruggs cases and just retired last January 2009.

Global What? Below Freezing at GRAND ISLE LOUISIANA???
~It is officially below freezing in NOLA. Therefore, Hell has frozen over, so now the #Saints can win the Super Bowl! ~fofalex

Louisiana Matters ~US Energy Information Association
~Louisiana ranks fourth among the States in crude oil production, behind Texas, Alaska, and California (excluding Federal offshore areas, which produce more than any single State).
~The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) is the only port in the United States capable of accommodating deepdraft tankers.
~Two of the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve’s four storage facilities are located in Louisiana.
~The Henry Hub is the largest centralized point for natural gas spot and futures trading in the United States, providing access to major markets throughout the country.
~The liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal at Sabine is the largest of nine existing LNG import sites in the United States.
~Click pic to enlarge~Also~A Pipeline GIS for Shreveport and Bossier City, La.

Corps authorized to repair West Monroe bank failure, but needs money for job~Greg Hilburn

Are Illinois levees bad? Prove it
~It's beginning to look as if their plan to decertify the levees is based on little more than a guess and a hunch. That would explain the wildly different cost estimates. The Corps at first said $120 million, then later upped the estimate to $425 million.

Panama Canal expansion plan has Gulf ports racing for potential new business
~Alan Sayer


New Flood Maps Causing Water on The Brain for some Homeowners and Realtors

EPA Makes Announcement on Two Proposed West Virginia Mountaintop Coal Mines


After the Aftermath
~Joshua Zaffos


Christian Soldiers~Citizen K

Amanda Simpson, Transgender Candidate, Appointed To Commerce Post~Nick Wing
~Editilla Cherry Os~ Now THIS is Rocks and Rolls!

A Message From New Orleans
~Irwin Nesoff


Greyhound adoption need rises as dog racing drops

Poppy Z. Brite
~New Orleans Voices


Support Local Writers - Charlotte's Poetry! ~YatPundit

Anthony Bourdain launches first New Orleans' Speakers Series
~Brett Anderson


The Dinerral Shavers Educational Fund Brass Band Blowout~Kevin Allman

Cajun music the focus for radio deejay~Daniel McBride

New Year's Eve marks a musical season change for New Orleans
~Martha Alguera, NewOrleans.com


Upcoming: Export NOLA "Experience New Orleans Music!" @ Sullivan Hall & Bitter End - This Friday
~NolaFunk NYC


Famed musician, record producer Willie Mitchell dies

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