I bet Gov. Jindal feels like an idiot.

[Shafted]

Because he's certainly looking like one.

Alaska's Mt. Redoubt erupts 5 times!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090323/ap_on_re_us/alaska_volcano

How do you like that volcano monitoring now?

 

[opinterph]

For those who may not recognize the connection between a volcano eruption in Alaska and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, it involves remarks he made when presenting the Republican response following President Obama’s address to a Joint Session of Congress on February 24.

“[The Democratic Party’s stimulus] legislation is larded with wasteful spending,” Jindal said. “It includes ... $140 million for something called 'volcano monitoring.' Instead of monitoring volcanoes, what Congress should be monitoring is the eruption of spending in Washington, D.C.” [Anchorage Daily News]

 

[Glafna]

He must be having a hard time digging that foot out of his mouth.

From what I understand, Yellowstone Park(correct me if I'm wrong), has one of the largest volcanoes in the world, which if it erupted would cause damage on an world altering level. I believe there was a mock-umentary made about it, with a map showing the damage done, with most of the Northern Hemisphere and much of the Southern having it's climate changed into a non-stop winter(probably a far-reaching estimate, but still)

Methinks that requires 24/7/365 covering.

 

[opinterph]

From what I understand, Yellowstone Park(correct me if I'm wrong), has one of the largest volcanoes in the world, which if it erupted would cause damage on an world altering level.

Don’t underestimate what a Yellowstone eruption might do. The US government continues to fund research and monitoring of the volcano.

(Maybe some people would rather not know.)

About 900 earthquakes occurred between Dec. 26, 2008 and Jan. 8, 2009 in the Yellowstone Lake area. Five hundred of the earthquakes (including all greater than magnitude 2.0) have been reviewed by seismologists. There were 111 earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 2.0 (> M2.0) and 18 earthquakes > M3.0. As of Jan. 8, 2009, 400 smaller earthquakes have yet to be reviewed … At this time, there is no reason to believe that magma has risen to a shallow level within the crust or that a volcanic eruption is likely. The USGS Volcano Alert Level and Aviation Color Code for Yellowstone remain at Normal and Green. [United States Geological Survey]

 

[ZeroPoint84]

I just think it was so ridiculous that he had to say "something called "volcano monitoring"", as if that was a difficult concept to get his head around. The future of the Republican Party is looking rather dim, if this is the best they've got to offer

 

[crzyrazn]

He must be having a hard time digging that foot out of his mouth.

Perish the thought. That volcano erupting was an elaborate set up by the liberal front to push the conservatives further out of power and credibility. Or so they'll say in their feeble attempts to deal whatever weak blow they can to the progressives who aren't them. LOL.

"It was Obama with his hoodoo raising his minions from hell to take over."

 

[JasunStrikesBack]

God has proven over and over that he's a liberal. He just did that to make Jindal suck it for that exorcism he performed in college.

 

[chatolandia]

to add to the levels of Irony, the volcano erupted in Alaska, Sarah Palin's state...


This must be Jon Stewart's wet dream

 

[Kulindahr]

I did a research paper on the Three Sisters volcano complex in Oregon when I was at OSU. One of the things I discovered was how wrong many assumptions about volcanoes were, among them the belief that individual mountains had to be different volcanoes. In fact, the Three Sisters, along with Broken Top, are manifestations of a single magma source.

Once that was known, the single volcano took on a new significance: instead of three separate mountains that might erupt (Broken Top being long dead), this was one monster volcano capable of eruptions of titanic proportions. How titanic? At a rough estimate, sufficient to lay waste to a large portion of Oregon -- but the trouble is that without monitoring, not only won't we know more accurately what such a complex is capable of, but we'll have no clue if catastrophe is coming.

As part of the paper, I had to design a monitoring system. It included tilt meters, hear sensors, seismometers, and other toys involving lasers and GPS. Total cost for a minimal monitoring system sufficient to provide decent warning: $8 million.

That's a volcano in a fairly low-population area, but if it blew at the wrong moment, it could result in 50,000+ deaths -- at a really bad moment, 100,000+, easy.

Then there's the one in downtown Portland that they used to think was dead, but once nearly melted a parking lot. And to the north we have Rainier, definitely still live -- and threatening scenarios in which a million people could die.

There's no way I'm going to join with those complaining about a mere $140 million for volcano monitoring.

 

[Shafted]

Perish the thought. That volcano erupting was an elaborate set up by the liberal front to push the conservatives further out of power and credibility. Or so they'll say in their feeble attempts to deal whatever weak blow they can to the progressives who aren't them. LOL.

"It was Obama with his hoodoo raising his minions from hell to take over."

I'm sure the terminally unstable Glenn Beck is right on top of that.

 

[Glafna]

I did a research paper on the Three Sisters volcano complex in Oregon when I was at OSU. One of the things I discovered was how wrong many assumptions about volcanoes were, among them the belief that individual mountains had to be different volcanoes. In fact, the Three Sisters, along with Broken Top, are manifestations of a single magma source.

Once that was known, the single volcano took on a new significance: instead of three separate mountains that might erupt (Broken Top being long dead), this was one monster volcano capable of eruptions of titanic proportions. How titanic? At a rough estimate, sufficient to lay waste to a large portion of Oregon -- but the trouble is that without monitoring, not only won't we know more accurately what such a complex is capable of, but we'll have no clue if catastrophe is coming.

As part of the paper, I had to design a monitoring system. It included tilt meters, hear sensors, seismometers, and other toys involving lasers and GPS. Total cost for a minimal monitoring system sufficient to provide decent warning: $8 million.

That's a volcano in a fairly low-population area, but if it blew at the wrong moment, it could result in 50,000+ deaths -- at a really bad moment, 100,000+, easy.

Then there's the one in downtown Portland that they used to think was dead, but once nearly melted a parking lot. And to the north we have Rainier, definitely still live -- and threatening scenarios in which a million people could die.

There's no way I'm going to join with those complaining about a mere $140 million for volcano monitoring.

I have a feeling those one's will be coming in any minute now...(hopefully I jinx our luck, could use some amusement )

 

[hermanding]

will gov. palin want any federal help for the erpution?
ding

 

[JasunStrikesBack]

And yet somehow we knew it was going to erupt without spending $140m.

Um.. they've BEEN monitoring it. That's how we knew it was going to erupt. Jindal wanted to stop that so it would be a big surprise, I guess.

Jesus, you people are really scraping the bottom of the barrel for those straws you keep grasping at.

 

[swerve]

On the local news here in Seattle -- they mentioned that several pilots said the advanced warning very possibly saved their lives -- since they were routed AROUND it instead of OVER it...

Volcanic ash and Jet engines don't mix well...

 

[JasunStrikesBack]

Hey, I'm just saying we didn't spend $140m and yet we knew it would erupt? Am I right? Am I right? Dude, lighten up. I understand fully.

Do you?

You get it that we need to KEEP monitoring it, right? And that we've already spent money to monitor it?

 

[Telstra]

oh this thread is about watching a volcano and getting paid for for watching it. mmmmm

 

[JasunStrikesBack]

There is no contradiction in saying it's OK to spend money on volcano monitoring and still thinking that Jindal is an idiot.

The contradiction would be if you agreed with Jindal that we don't need to monitor potential natural disasters yet thought he was an idiot anyway.

 

[JasunStrikesBack]

If you agree with him on that issue you are also an idiot.

 

[opinterph]

Also interesting to this story is that the $140 million includes more than volcano monitoring …

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

United States Geological Survey​

surveys, investigations, and research​

For an additional amount for `Surveys, Investigations, and Research', $140,000,000, for repair, construction and restoration of facilities; equipment replacement and upgrades including stream gages, and seismic and volcano monitoring systems; national map activities; and other critical deferred maintenance and improvement projects.​

What is rather ironic about Governor Jindal’s complaint is that some of the stimulus money will be expended for US Geological Survey equipment used to measure rising river waters and storm surges – quite likely deployed to areas of coastal Louisiana. [Link]

 

[chatolandia]

Everyone knows there are no flood risks in Louisiana...