Article Source: msnbc.com
from:msnbc.comMac Butler believes he'll beat the bloated Red River and save his home again this year. But a canoe and kayak are tied up outside his house just in case he's wrong.
You're in Easy Mode. If you prefer, you can use XHTML Mode instead. |
'Legendary' Beau Sancy diamond sells for $9.57 million at Sotheby's auction'We still need to live': Jaded Mexicans find distractions to horrors of violenceTeacher raises $10K, will shave her headU.S., Pakistan on verge of reopening supply linesUS-led imperative in peril as trained Afghans turn enemyNo-bake emotipopsChicago braces for violence at NATO summitPoliticsNation, Thursday, April 26, 2012Romney wins Nebraska presidential primary'King Tut' makes last stop in Seattle
Leave a Comment:
I still remember the excitement as a young boy when we had to move out of our house in the early 50s due to a rising river ... and the look of anxiety on my mother's face when we arrived at the tent city put up by the authorities. All of our farm animals had to be moved also.
I volunteered on sandbag detail during the '93 flood along the Mississippi River.
As the sun was setting on my first day there, I overheard a man say that there was another storm moving in. You could see the dark clouds coming and we all kind of groaned. "That's the last thing we need", I thought.
A guy that had been there for awhile said, "That's not a storm, those are the mosquitoes moving in"....and it was!
Unbelievable sight.
Was out in the park system when a flood began; at first, it appeared to slowly well up by a waterfall area, and was interesting photo material. Within minutes, it seemed to well up and over the lower banks about 20ft. beneath me. I thought to myslef, "what the hey did I smoke? This isn't possible".
Went to put my camera back in the car in the lot (mid ground between myself and the lower area) and the lot was already pooling. Sprinted to the car (about 1/4 mile away) and drove out... even by then, those few minutes, the water had obliterated the road, the water was up close to lower door panels, and a quick current had begun.
Don't know how to put that into words, but the speed at which that happened, the area encompassed...just amazing and, if I'd a home down that river in a similar topographical area, frightening. I used to wonder how people got caught , not having enough time to get out sometimes (not alll times, understood) but not any more....
At least they aren't sitting around expecting the government to give them everything if it is lost. This is true Americana
So why do my tax dollars pay for something that happens EVERY year? The government will be there to help with MY tax dollars and the guard will fill sandbags with MY tax dollars. Then commie National Flood Ins will rebuild the town with MY tax dollars. Wonder if the tea party folks are OK with this....
well grunt why are you not complaining about spending YOUR tax dollars for a city built below sea level such as new orleans? are you ok with that?
and the stupid people who stayed although they had a weeks notice and busses sitting in a parking lots that later flooded....now that's stupidity. At least these people are getting off their azzes and doing something for themselves!
Grunt, For one thing, the only tax dollars that are going to this are the city's. If you live in Fargo, than it is your own fault you pay for this. The people pay the money so they have money saved up to beat this every year. Right now the waters are rising, but North Dakota is known for having its share of droughts. Everywhere in North Dakota you will find flood warnings. There is no telling whether or not this will actually happen. At least North Dakota residents help each other out in their time of need, whether or not they live in Fargo. There is really no place you can live that is safe from mother nature. It is called life, and we do not complain, the media does that enough for us. The way I understand it, the better the flooding, the better the crops...that could just be an old wives tail, but think about that when you go to the grocery store the next time.
I guess a humanitarian crisis such as in Haiti would be preferable to helping people in any way you can.
how about when the big one hits california? we know it's coming, just a matter of when. I say we tell them they're on their own, they should know better than live there.
Unknown; I've thought of that as well. In smaller flood areas not far from where I live, I've heard similarly about the silt for crops.
The old saying, 'from the mouths of babes'....
One of younger daughters asked me, 'if they have no rain later and need the water, why can't they just find a way to dump (divert) this water (when it floods) and dig a HUGE hole (fill a man made lake) or something, then use it when they need it? Right now they're wasting it, and you said not to waste stuff...'.
Sure enough, I couldn't come up with any easy, common sensical way to explain why that can't be done.....
Grunt - It doesn't happen every year! I have lived here my whole life and can remember only 3 major floods. We just happen to be "lucky" that it is flooding 2 years in a row. We learned a valuable lesson last year when we had a rapid snow melt and a lot of rain in March. It appeared to be happening again this year and we prepared. Thanks to all the volunteers, local and also many from other areas, we had a million sandbags ready and also the other resources to make temporary dikes where needed. No one is whining, just working.
Its good to see Americans taking initiative and assisting each other. Our government is not one of action any more, but is simply reactionary, often arriving far too late to make a difference.
Its true that river flood plains make great growing regions, and reflooding "recharges" the land. But living on the same land that you farm when it constantly floods [3 majors in 14 years] is bordering on stupidity, and I'm growing quite tired of paying for someone else's property THREE times over when I can't even afford a house myself. Either build a hill for your house tall enough to be above these floods, or better yet, move the family to a spot that doesn't while continuing to farm the land.
Homes that are built in flood plains not only cost "taxpayers" millions of dollars every year with continued claims due to flood damages and increased insurance premiums, but they also cause the floodplain to expand becuase they displace water. "Stubborn" people such as this put not only his family's lives in danger, but also the lives of others. The "buyout", more commonly known as hazard mitigation, is a way to minimize flood claims and save those of us that are smart enough to get out of the flood plain, millions of dollars a year. Stormwater runoff can not be contained and is not the enemy, but the way we deal with it can evolve.
FYI - This has happened 3 times in 100 years since the city was established. Would you also propose that we don't rebuild San Fran or New Orleans when they have a natural disaster? The people of Fargo don't want your handouts. We'd rather protect ourselves.
P.S.if you'd done any research you'd know that the city has been working hard to build permanent protection so this doesn't happen again. Rome wasn't built in one day
You just proved a point. The "Base Flood Elevation" is also known as the 100 year floodplain, or even better the 1% chance flood area. So in this case those homes INSIDE the floodplain have a 3% chance for being flooded every year they remain there. Permanent protection IS NOT the answer because that simple diverts the same amount of water to some other place. In other words, it raises the base flood elevation somewhere else. We HAVE to allow the water to do what it is going to do, which mean removing structures (and people) from the flood plain forever. And before anyone asks, YES that should include New Orleans too in my opinion.
Okay, Russ. So, what about the people of the Northeast, should they move? After all, we're spending alot of money there and we know it will snow again. And Californians and their earthquakes, move 'em all out? Florida, Texas, Louisiana and the other "hurricane" states, move them too? The "tornado" areas, round 'em up? And now the tricky part, where should they all move to and be safe from Mother Nature's fury? Next door to you?
Congratulations to the citizens of Fargo, who, (at the risk of being politically incorrect)are mostly WHITE, (sorry Jesse & Al) who are freely giving their time and their labor, to preserve their community. I volunteered after Katerina, spent 5 weeks delivering supplies and about 3 months later I spent another 2 months cleaning & preparing sites for rebuilding. I was unpaid, I did this as my Christian duty. I will never do such a thing again, in the end I was disgusted with the locals. Lazy, sniveling whining entitlement sorry losers! Funny thing, there were no local minority participants, a few whites, but the minorities seemed to prefer to wait and be taken care of. Once again, hats off to the volunteers from Fargo who are doing their civic duty to advert a catastrophe!!!! Now go ahead and slam me, all you sorry Libs, but how many of YOU volunteered your time and labor???
Good for you pitchfork...and "amen" about the lazy sniveling whinning sorry losers of New Orleans....As for the folks in North Dakota?....well I don't live there and don't know the area "but" if I was flooded four times I think I'd find some higher ground...."something"....and home is home "but"!!
So let me get this straight Made Bed, you are comparing snow and flooding? OK, I will indulge you, if someone lives somewhere that commonly gets 72" of snow, enough to collapse their roof and require major reconstruction, and if this happens at least once every 30 years, then my answer is YES, they too need to move to remove the unnecessary burden they cause. And earthquakes, well if a bridge was built directly over a fault line and every time there was a quake of 5.0 or more it crumbled, do you think they should continue to rebuild that bridge? Flooding is 100% predictable, unlike everything else you mentioned. You are thinking with your heart and I understand that, but at some point you have to be logical.
Sending good wishes from Southern California for you all to get through this without any further damage. Hats off to the teens who gave up their spring break to work protecting the town. Pretty inspiring.
I don't want to seem negative about their valiant efforts in and around the Fargo area, but water always finds a way.
why don't they just cut holes in thier roofs and complain that no one is helping so people will donate money . Let the goverment take care of it , were's your American spirit.
Come on harry. These are middle America people. When have you ever seen them pleading for money from the Government during or after one of their many floods?
They're self sufficient. There still are some of us around, you know.
They represent what Americians use to be ,it must of been a great country with great honorable people at one time to bad the wrong people took over .I hope someday that will change for the better. great people do great things regardless of the price.
MOVE to higher ground!!
LOL, Higher ground...in North Dakota? LOL, just to inform you, the Turtle Mountains are not really mountains HA, good one.
Bad headline. Makes it seem like they are spitting into the wind. They have a stiff upper lip about the situation would be better than " defiant"
" Defiant" is Captain Dan in Forrest Gump flipping off Mother Nature and screaming out " you call this a storm?!!" while on a shrimp boat in the middle of hurricane Camille. So will defiant Fargonians gather on the bridges to flip the rivers off as they rise while shouting out "you call this a flood?!!"
OK. Thanks.
So do these people talk the same as the people in the movie "Fargo" ? yah ?
somedude - LOL! Only when people ask us if that is the way we talk. Yah, youbetcha! :)
I was in Fargo and Bismarck with the Red Cross durning last years flooding. I was impressed with the sense of community and the positive attitude residents had. Friends were taking care of friends, and family was taking care of family. If the rest of the country had even a small amount of the courage and values I saw displayed, we would be far better off. Thank you Noth Dakota for teaching this California man the true value of life.
I doubt if Mother Nature cares much whether anyone is "Defiant" or not! Maybe "Resilient" would be more fitting for the situation?
The hard rock group Kiss did a show a few years back for Fargo i think it was and donated the money from shirt sales to the flood relief.If the government,as bad as i might dislike them,is buying maybe people should consider selling.It will just keep happening.Nature does what it does.
I was interested to see if any of the old reliables who bashed Louisiana when we were down would do the same for Fargo. And they did. Hateful aren't they? If lightning struck grunt's mother while she was in her house (as has been known to happen) would he find a way to blame her? There is no place on earth that isn't subject to the fury of nature.
These people are not asking for a govt. handout, they are hard working, good people and this happens to them, what, 4 times within 100 years. Besides when you think about it, how many people actually live in Fargo, couldn't be more than the people that live in New Orleans. What I am tired of is people who don't work, live off the govt., keep having babies even when they already have 5 and they are only 25 yrs old, cause problems, are involved in illegal doings, cause violence, and still expect the govt. to help them or take care of them because they choose to be ignorant and defiant. That's' who we need to stop paying for, our priorities are so messed up! Don't put down good people who are not complaining that the govt. isn't giving them a handout and who genuinly love their town/ city and are doing something to save it!
Lets get it straight--you're not asking for the goverment's help during the flood [and don't expect much--all that bailout money went to BIG business], but once the floodwaters recede, Fargoans WILL be asking for government help, handouts if they can get them, in rebuilding their homes.
Is North Dakota one of the states that doesn't need the Federal Government's help?
We get sickened by governments help when we can solve the problem ourselves, which is why Dorgan is retiring, he knows we will not vote for him after becoming a sell out.
Cool. I won't have to send a check to help you out....neither will Washington......(If they do, be sure to send it back....)
Good luck and best wishes to the people of Fargo-Moorhead. You are hard working and dedicated, and it's inspring to see a community come together at a time like this. I lived there as a child and now my child goes to college there. He just cut his spring break short to go back and help out. It's a great city and well worth the fight to save it! I will pray for you!
I think Fargo needs to move to higher ground or build taller levees.
Look at the photos and articles about Fargo and the floods of the last 2 years, then look at the ones after Katrina and tell me who should get government help! It ain't the people down in New Orleans!!!!!!! There are hard working people in America and then there is trash! Help the good hard working people and dump the trash!
Sorry this is happening but one positive is seeing the kids giving their time helping their community. I am so inspired by the next generation. They are so open-minded and "up" for anything - I see it in my teen's friends. These kids in Fargo are learning lessons in community and compassion and should be commended.
I wonder if other countries will be sending us money to help with our natural disasters....I didn't think so.
Flood me once shame on the river, flood me twice shame on me!
LOL! Flood me three times?
..... federal flood insurance pays for this over and over??
But I thought North Dakota didn't need federal help......
Really great!!!!, These people go through this regularly, it floods, they sandbag, repair and go on living life. No federal governement no trailers no one whining abour rebuilding their homes.
There some americans left.
I will to bet there is lots of federal flood insurance.....that you and I supplement with our taxes.