Hurricane Harvey

[Pat Mustard]

And U2 frontman, Bono, wasn't impressed.

He's just sore he ain't from Texas.

Not really but the rest of Ireland sure is, sanctimonious little prickola.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Yeah, like many other places. But inland it's not so common. Missouri has very little beachfront.

If we let the Kochs and Exxon have their way it will be.

I'm 682 feet above sea level.

[Minimalist]

NPR is reporting 17 deaths in Houston, and a chemical plant at risk of exploding due to no way to cool the volatile products stored onsite. Two dams have been opened by ACoE to prevent failure.

Those poor folk aren't out of the woods yet ... and East Texas/Louisiana are getting hit as I type.

Now honestly.  Is anyone surprised by this?

http://www.ibtimes.com/political-capital...fety-rules

Texas Republicans Helped Chemical Plant That Exploded Lobby Against Safety Rules

The French company whose Houston-area chemical plant exploded twice on Thursday successfully pressed federal regulators to delay new regulations designed to improve safety procedures at chemical plants, according to federal records reviewed by International Business Times. The rules, which were set to go into effect this year, were halted by the Trump administration after a furious lobbying campaign by plant owner Arkema and its affiliated trade association, the American Chemistry Council, which represents a chemical industry that has poured tens of millions of dollars into federal elections.

The effort to stop the chemical plant safety rules was backed by top Texas Republican lawmakers, who have received big campaign donations from chemical industry donors.

I'd laugh but its too fucking painful.

[Clueless Morgan]

NPR is reporting 17 deaths in Houston, and a chemical plant at risk of exploding due to no way to cool the volatile products stored onsite. Two dams have been opened by ACoE to prevent failure.

Those poor folk aren't out of the woods yet ... and East Texas/Louisiana are getting hit as I type.

Now honestly.  Is anyone surprised by this?

http://www.ibtimes.com/political-capital...fety-rules

Texas Republicans Helped Chemical Plant That Exploded Lobby Against Safety Rules

The French company whose Houston-area chemical plant exploded twice on Thursday successfully pressed federal regulators to delay new regulations designed to improve safety procedures at chemical plants, according to federal records reviewed by International Business Times. The rules, which were set to go into effect this year, were halted by the Trump administration after a furious lobbying campaign by plant owner Arkema and its affiliated trade association, the American Chemistry Council, which represents a chemical industry that has poured tens of millions of dollars into federal elections.

The effort to stop the chemical plant safety rules was backed by top Texas Republican lawmakers, who have received big campaign donations from chemical industry donors.

I'd laugh but its too fucking painful.

I think Rachel Maddow had a story on an explosion in West, Texas that killed a handful of people and injured around 200 that was within blast-radius of, like, 3 or 4 schools and the response from Texas legislators was.... pass a law that says residents can't even request information about whether they live next to a chemical plant, factory or storage facility that has chemicals capable of exploding on site.

Texas also, apparently, doesn't have zoning laws forbidding such hazardous facilities from being built right next to schools and the like, and apparently has laws on the books that forbid such zoning laws being passed or something?

Texas is fucked up.

Places to potentially go to see the 2024 eclipse:

- Arkansas
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- New Hampshire
- New York
- Maine
- Missouri
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Texas
- Vermont
- [Southern Canada - Montreal]

[Brian37]

Hurricane Harvey, brought to you by a century of climate change deniers, Orange Julius Caesar, Chinese sweat shop labor, because baseball caps need a tiny handed salesperson, and WWE Smackdown, where hurricanes are "exciting" and "look at the turnout". 

Hurricane Harvey, brought to you by WWE Smackdown, where our motto is, "Who gives a fuck if Mexico offered help along with 4 Houston Mosques." 

SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY, AT THE U.S. Airhead arena, it's Orange Roadkill vs the working class and working poor! SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY Watch as 45 body slams workers and saves the billionaire CLASS from paying taxes! WWE because billionaires will end up eating CAT FOOD!

SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!

[Minimalist]

I think Rachel Maddow had a story on an explosion in West, Texas

Yes, she did.  As a lead in to the plant that was going to explode last night.





http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2017/04/17/four-...explosion/

Four Years Later, West Continues To Rebuild After Fertilizer Explosion

April 17, 2017 12:48 PM By Kristin Weisell



A study by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board shows that since the explosion only a few, minor changes have been made in the storage of fertilizer.

"But hey, it couldn't ever happen again.....this is Texas and we love freedom.  Yahoo!"

Assholes.

[Puke Skywalker]

Tropical Storm Irma is powering up into a strong hurricane right now. It might hit the Caribbean and/or go into the Gulf, but hard to tell since it's about a week out.

[Brian37]

Tropical Storm Irma is powering up into a strong hurricane right now.  It might hit the Caribbean and/or go into the Gulf, but hard to tell since it's about a week out.

I don't want it to hit any land, regardless of nation, but I would be lying to say if it ended up hitting Texas the irony would be glaring about how GOP voters shit on outsiders then beg for help.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I'd laugh but its too fucking painful.

I dunno, it didn't stop you from writing "fuck Texas" earlier. Maybe you should make up your mind ... does this merit empathy or schadenfreude?

---

Now honestly.  Is anyone surprised by this?

http://www.ibtimes.com/political-capital...fety-rules



I'd laugh but its too fucking painful.

I think Rachel Maddow had a story on an explosion in West, Texas that killed a handful of people and injured around 200 that was within blast-radius of, like, 3 or 4 schools and the response from Texas legislators was.... pass a law that says residents can't even request information about whether they live next to a chemical plant, factory or storage facility that has chemicals capable of exploding on site.

Texas also, apparently, doesn't have zoning laws forbidding such hazardous facilities from being built right next to schools and the like, and apparently has laws on the books that forbid such zoning laws being passed or something?

Texas is fucked up.

Places to potentially go to see the 2024 eclipse:

- Arkansas
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- New Hampshire
- New York
- Maine
- Missouri
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Texas
- Vermont
- [Southern Canada - Montreal]

Criticism is much easier than working for change. Those of us down here would appreciate a little support, if it doesn't harm your superiority that much.

kthxbai.

[Wyrd of Gawd]

If a house was properly designed it should be possible to easily wrap and seal the exterior to keep out flood waters.  

Depending on the site and the type of house construction in might be possible to wrap and seal an existing house if you had enough time and the proper materials.

What, like this?

Do houses get crushed from water pressure in floods?   If you could seal the exterior would the house suffer any damage?

YES.





People underestimate the power of water.

Think of it this way: If you're inside a car that's surrounded by water up to the windows while the interior of the car is (relatively) dry, you'll have a hell of a time pushing the door open to escape because of the pressure differential between the interior and exterior of the car door.  BUT if you allow the car interior to flood, you equalize the pressure on both sides of the door and you'll be able to open the door to get out.  And that's not even talking about whether the car has been physically picked up by the floodwaters and washed away while you're trying to escape.

A house completely sealed off from flood water intrusion would have a similar principle going on: completely sealing it off from water intrusion means the pressure exerted by the water outside can build up until the structural components holding the house to its foundation fail and the house can be washed away.  If water is allowed in it can reduce the pressure on those structural components and reduce the risk of the house being completely lost.  The pressures we're talking about, though, have a lot to do with how strong a current there is and that can vary.  Houses nearer to rivers, creeks, aquaducts, spillways and the like are at a higher risk than those further away where the currents would be weaker.

Why are dams so sturdy ??

Same principle.

Remember, though, that dams are specifically engineered to resist the hydrostatic pressure of the water they are holding in their reservoirs.  Houses aren't built like that.  Houses are engineered with static loads in mind and where dynamic loads are considered it's usually wind and earthquakes that drive the design load, not water.  I have never heard of a developer who built a neighborhood where they engineered all the houses to resist being torn from their foundations by floodwaters.

When I lived in Southern Florida, we all had stuff ready to seal everything up before going to a shelter. That comment isn't so off base. It's a thing.

It's a thing, but retrofitting a house to be flood-proof is difficult and expensive.  It's much easier to board up a house to prevent wind/debris damage than it is to prevent 3+ feet of water flooding you out.

Large wooden sailing ships were able to withstand the stresses of storms at sea without too many ill effects so why can't houses in known flood areas withstand flood waters? Maybe it's because no one has ever built houses with that problem in mind?