Althouse: Chris Matthews on the tsunami: "Was this sort of a good opportunity for the president to remind everybody that he grew up in the United States and Hawaii?"

March 11, 2011

Chris Matthews on the tsunami: "Was this sort of a good opportunity for the president to remind everybody that he grew up in the United States and Hawaii?"

Incredible!

Rush Limbaugh predicted it.

99 comments:

PaulV said...: Is this as bad as those who said it was a shame that Clinton never had a crises like 911 to display his leadership. SAD!; 3/11/11, 11:38 PM
kent said...: Rush Limbaugh predicted it.

Sucker bet. Chris Matthews never allows an opportunity to publicly and lovingly fellate the Jug-Eared Jesus to pass him by, no matter how slight or otherwise inappropriate the impetus.; 3/11/11, 11:45 PM
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 3/11/11, 11:47 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: To call him an Obama lapdog would be an insult to lapdogs.; 3/11/11, 11:51 PM
Anonymous said...: Tens of thousands of likely deaths. Families grieving their loss today, or living with crushing fear not knowing where their loved ones are.

What kind of hardhearted animal wonders if Obama can use this opportunity to score some badly needed points?; 3/11/11, 11:54 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: I mean.. I don't think Emanuel meant to be interpreted this way.. do we?; 3/11/11, 11:59 PM
kent said...: What kind of hardhearted animal wonders if Obama can use this opportunity to score some badly needed points?

Short answer: the male equivalent of Joy Behar.; 3/12/11, 12:00 AM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Meantime..; 3/12/11, 12:09 AM
MamaM said...: For what reason would an American president need to "remind" EVERYBODY that he grew up in the United States AND Hawaii?; 3/12/11, 12:14 AM
Ralph L said...: So did Obama talk about himself at the presser?; 3/12/11, 12:29 AM
ALH said...: O/T, but i was reading about the Dems plan to get the law ruled unconstitutional in the WI Supreme court due to they way it was handled....

But can't the Republicans just go back and vote for the original budget bill once they have a quorum with the Democrats returning from Illinois?; 3/12/11, 12:29 AM
Anonymous said...: Chrisy "Leg Thrill" Matthews seems to have come totally unhinged. I think Keith "Steady" Olbermann was the only thing holding him back from the abyss of insanity--and that's saying something.; 3/12/11, 12:32 AM
Anonymous said...: 1. Chris Matthews is an idiot.
2. ????
3. Vote Republican!; 3/12/11, 12:45 AM
David said...: El Rushbo is on quite a riff over this, including: No, I've not seen a volcano, other than the Big Island, Hawaii, but that thing's been erupting every day for a number of years. It's just sort of like pus coming out of a zit compared to the giant Pompeii eruption that you think of with a volcano.

But it's amazing what you can see up there. It's amazing what things do look like at an altitude.; 3/12/11, 12:47 AM
Revenant said...: "The United States and Hawaii" makes even less sense when you consider that Hawaii was the only state he lived in as a child.; 3/12/11, 1:12 AM
Anonymous said...: So do you fine conservatives think that this earthquake also resulted from a pact with the devil like the one in Haiti did?; 3/12/11, 1:22 AM
miller said...: Why should "conservatives" need to respond to every random inane thing someone says?

Is there some secret radio station playing the conservative theme-for-the-day?

This is the equivalent of "Look, squirrel."

But not well-played.; 3/12/11, 1:42 AM
Chip Ahoy said...: They're not responding to every random inane thing someone says. They're showing how predictable liberals are by predicting them.

But I have a question for you. Why do liberals keep putting random words in quotes? Do you do it here because you presume conservatism means keeping shut up about every random thing?

It is not the equivalent of "Look, squirrel." Look squirrel is an occurrence within a thread to divert attention. This is a post unto itself that diverts attention from nothing at all. So you're just wrong all over the place.; 3/12/11, 1:57 AM
Anonymous said...: Now, as perhaps not always, what's important, Bob sang about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuLcTPvuH1E&feature=related

Old pirates; Yes, they rob you.

New interpretations: old.; 3/12/11, 2:25 AM
coketown said...: I heard that on the BBC live stream. His first comment was how he had close ties with Japanese culture because he was from Hawaii. It stuck out like a sore thumb. Me, me, me. But enough about me; what do the Japanese Prime Minister and all the people in Japan think of me?; 3/12/11, 2:54 AM
John0 Juanderlust said...: For some reason I cannot listen to Chris Matthews, or even think of him without the phrase "horse's ass" coming to mind.
I'll bet this very same question was on the minds of all the Japanese people shortly after it hit. My first thought is always, "I wonder how this will affect Obama, and his image."; 3/12/11, 2:55 AM
Anonymous said...: "Incredible."

No, predictable. It shows just how small a man Barack Obama is that he needs someone so insignificant as Chris Matthews to masturbate over him on a daily basis.

Let's all remember that Chris Matthews' boss is Jerfrey Immelt, who is an official in the Obama government. As a result of this corrupt relationship, MSNBC parent company General Electric receives billions in government contracts steered to it by corrupt Democrats.

When there are billions of taxpayer dollars on the line, there will always be at least one person willing to become a creaming leg-tingling cheerleader even for someone as pathetic as Barack Obama.

Chris Matthews is that person. He makes millions a year masturbating over Barack Obama's every utterance.

It's good money. You can hardly blame him.; 3/12/11, 5:36 AM
Anonymous said...: So do you fine conservatives think that this earthquake also resulted from a pact with the devil like the one in Haiti did?

OK, Julius, so you want to play that game.

I want you to specifically disavow the actions of Jim Jones and the People's Temple.

Also, do you tacitly approve of the Symbionese Liberation Army? I don't remember your specific rejection of the SLA.

What's your position on the Duke 88, the group of teachers who rushed to convict the Duke lacrosse team? Since you haven't specifically condemned them on this board, I'm assuming you support them.; 3/12/11, 5:58 AM
Unknown said...: Yes, Chrissy really is that stupid. Most Presidents would talk about how the American people are praying for the Japanese people and what America is doing in terms of relief.

For The Zero, it's all about him and, for his acolytes, it's all about making him look good.

AL said...

O/T, but i was reading about the Dems plan to get the law ruled unconstitutional in the WI Supreme court due to they way it was handled....

But can't the Republicans just go back and vote for the original budget bill once they have a quorum with the Democrats returning from Illinois?

One would presume so.

miller said...

Why should "conservatives" need to respond to every random inane thing someone says?

Because Uncle Saul told the Lefties to do it that way and the really dumb ones never get it through their heads it doesn't work anymore.; 3/12/11, 6:08 AM
HT said...: I don't care about Chris Matthews and Rush Limbaugh. All CM does is shout and never let David Corn talk. It's embarrassing. But what about nuclear energy now? This is what no one ever desires to address. How about that, and less gossip about worthless radio and TV hosts.; 3/12/11, 6:36 AM
TWM said...: I thought Hawaii WAS part of the United States.; 3/12/11, 6:36 AM
Toad Trend said...: @HT

"But what about nuclear energy now?"

Yes, what about nuclear energy???

The dems will have us all riding bicycles and washing by hand given the chance - while they tool around in their SUV's and private jets.

Repubs - oats and organic honey
Dems - short ribs and arugula; 3/12/11, 6:47 AM
Clairvius Narcisse said...: i demand to see chris matthews hatch certificate!; 3/12/11, 6:55 AM
Anonymous said...: "i demand to see chris matthews hatch certificate!"

Isn't this really revealing, though, of their concern that Americans believe that Barack Obama is hiding something about his origins.

Matthews has seen the internal polling; and they know that it's hurting them; and they're struggling with a way to alter the prevailing perception that not only does Barack Obama hate America, but that many people believe the reason is that he's probably not American.

Why else would a Japanese earthquake be an opportunity for the president to assert that he is American? To "remind" people he vacations in Hawaii often on the taxpayers dime?; 3/12/11, 7:12 AM
kent said...: Let's all remember that Chris Matthews' boss is Jerfrey Immelt, who is an official in the Obama government. As a result of this corrupt relationship, MSNBC parent company General Electric receives billions in government contracts steered to it by corrupt Democrats.

Leftard Response: "... ummmmm... well... but... ahhhhh... KOCHTOPUS!!! KOCHTOPUSSSSSSSSS -- !!!"; 3/12/11, 7:16 AM
Clairvius Narcisse said...: i intended that as snark implying that matthews is a reptile.; 3/12/11, 7:18 AM
kent said...: Vote Republican!

[::re-checks thread to find where anyone, anywhere might have made such an argument. Nothing. Nada.::]

So do you fine conservatives think that this earthquake also resulted from a pact with the devil

[::re-checks thread to find where anyone, anywhere might have made such an argument. Even more resounding failure than last time.::]

SAD... is witnessing a flailing and desperate Julius -- flatly incapable of defending Chris Matthews' unvarnished and inarguable whoredom -- reduced to arguing with the voices in his own head.

TRAGIC... is watching him lose said argument.; 3/12/11, 7:26 AM
roesch-voltaire said...: Cheap propaganda and another reason I watch so little of TV particularly the talking heads-- no matter which side of the mouth they are speaking out of-- right or left.; 3/12/11, 7:30 AM
virgil xenophon said...: Ann is right to so closely monitor El Rushbo. I can't think of anyone who has a better instinctive feel, a better knack, more highly sensitive political antennae, for almost instantly zeroing in like radio Direction Finders on the more inane aspects of "Palace Politics"--of the totally warped and distorted values of the left wherever it reveals itself--be it at the municipal, county, state or national level, as revealed in any given situation. He invariably focuses like a laser on the more/most absurd tortured logic used by lefties to, without even a hint of any realization of the irony involved--advance their cause no matter how obscenely distorted they have to twist logic, facts, history or basic civility and decorum--all done by lefties with an absolutely shameless straight face. Rush is hip to the political gamesmanship of the left in all of its facets as few people are--perhaps as no one else is.; 3/12/11, 7:36 AM
Toad Trend said...: "Chris Matthews on the tsunami: "Was this sort of a good opportunity for the president to remind everybody that he grew up in the United States and Hawaii?"

Really?

If the dang certificate is genuine then why does it have to be brought up?

Put the water buckets down for a while, Chrissy.; 3/12/11, 7:45 AM
Toad Trend said...: I can play too, Chris.

This is 'sort of a good opportunity' to share a pertinent opinion:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703559604576176620582972608.html; 3/12/11, 7:48 AM
DADvocate said...: What kind of hardhearted animal wonders if Obama can use this opportunity to score some badly needed points?

gluteus maximus smoocherus

Watching cable news last night, I saw video of the rebels in Libya waving signs saying "Merci, France." Even the French have more courage than Obama. This is bad.; 3/12/11, 7:49 AM
DADvocate said...: So do you fine conservatives think that this earthquake also resulted from a pact with the devil like the one in Haiti did?

So do you fine lefties think this earthquake resulted from global warming?

Perfectly reasonable, right? The globe gets warmer, warming objects expand, the Earth expands increasing the pressure between tectonic plates, presto - earthquakes. (Of course, if this was the case, we'd have an out break of earthquakes with the change of seasons each year.); 3/12/11, 8:00 AM
KCFleming said...: "A somewhat visibly flustered Todd politely rejected Matthews's argument:

TODD: Look, do I think they thought this was another chance? No. I mean, they called this press conference because they hadn't had an opportunity to speak about gas prices.... This was a case where events crowded out the whole purpose of the press conference. That's an interesting theory. It certainly did give him an opportunity to remind folks of where he grew up and the folks he grew up with.

MATTHEWS: Yeah, it's pathetic he has to do that, but thank you so much, Chuck Todd."

Count on Matthews to find the fart in a funeral.; 3/12/11, 8:06 AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Chris Matthews worships his dear leader. Even while nuclear reactors melt down and the death count rises, we can count on our ridiculous liberal media to zero in on what's important. Dear leader.; 3/12/11, 8:08 AM
Anonymous said...: "For The Zero, it's all about him and, for his acolytes, it's all about making him look good."

This says it all and for Matthews, he's unabashedly on record as saying that his job is to make this presidency work.; 3/12/11, 8:09 AM
kent said...: Perfectly reasonable, right? The globe gets warmer, warming objects expand, the Earth expands increasing the pressure between tectonic plates, presto - earthquakes. (Of course, if this was the case, we'd have an out break of earthquakes with the change of seasons each year.)

My all-time favorite example of leftard scientific illiteracy is Al Gore's strident declaration -- asserted not once, but numerous times -- that the the Earth's mantle rests at a standard temperature of "several MILLION degrees."

That'd almost qualify as adorable, really, were it not for all the born gulls, slopebrows and cretins straining to uncritically gulp down each and every "inconvenient truth" this sloppy huckster ham-handedly offers up.; 3/12/11, 8:13 AM
Anonymous said...: The Scarborough effect....

"I cannot discuss bad lefties without first prefacing with a discussion about bad righties"

Bad behavior falls in one of two camps:

left= bad right too

right= bad right

I only see one example so far on this blog post, but it's still early...

Or, has this blog been highjacked by conservatives?; 3/12/11, 8:22 AM
Wince said...: "Was this sort of a good opportunity for the president to remind everybody that he grew up in the United States and Hawaii?

...That's the first thing I thought of," Matthews insisted.

For that matter, wasn't the earthquake in Indonesia that coincided with his visit to the country an even better opportunity for Obama to "remind everybody" that he partially "grew up" in Indonesia?

Statement by the President on the Tsunami in Indonesia

The White House, Office of the Press Secretary, For Immediate Release October 26, 2010

Michelle and I are deeply saddened by the loss of life, injuries, and damage that have occurred as a result of the recent earthquake and tsunami in West Sumatra. At the same time, I am heartened and encouraged by the remarkable resiliency of the Indonesian people and the commitment of their Government to rapidly assist the victims. As a friend of Indonesia, the United States stands ready to help in any way. Meanwhile, our thoughts and prayers are with the Indonesian people and all those affected by this tragedy.; 3/12/11, 8:24 AM
mike said...: miller said...
Why should "conservatives" need to respond to every random inane thing someone says? Apparently, Miller is new to the internets. Love the scare quotes though.; 3/12/11, 8:36 AM
HT said...: I see you continue the tradition of not wanting to address nuclear issues.; 3/12/11, 8:36 AM
damikesc said...: So, Obama understands Japanese culture due to living in Hawaii?

Wasn't Palin mocked for noticing that Russia and Alaska were kinda close?

I eagerly await the SNL mockery.; 3/12/11, 8:39 AM
virgil xenophon said...: FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, LFNRR!! DITCH The Helen Thomas Avatar!--it makes me want to wretch--especially on an empty stomach. HAVE YOU NO HUMANITY?? SPARE US, FOR GODSSAKE!!!; 3/12/11, 8:43 AM
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 3/12/11, 8:47 AM
Anonymous said...: Yes, Chris.

Hundred/thousands dead, nuclear plants about to melt down, billions in damage.

The question is, "will this finally cause people to realize how frickin' awesome President Obama is?".; 3/12/11, 8:48 AM
Anonymous said...: Here is exactly how awesome Obama is....; 3/12/11, 8:51 AM
Brian Brown said...: State-Run Media Will Focus on How It Affects Obama

Actually, soon the focus will be on "global warming" and the dangers of nuclear power...; 3/12/11, 8:52 AM
Brian Brown said...: From this morning's Washington Post:

The explosion at the reactor is certain to rattle confidence in nuclear power in Japan, victim of the only nuclear weapons explosions and where people have long been sensitized to the dangers of radioactive releases. In the United States, it will deal a severe blow to advocates of a nuclear power renaissance.

Um, yeah.

On the other hand, adults realize this was the 5th largest earth quake in recorded history that resulted in a tsunami and a subsequent nuclear reactor explosion.

The liberals at the Washington Post pretend these are every day occurrences...; 3/12/11, 8:56 AM
Brian Brown said...: in Japan, victim of the only nuclear weapons explosions

They will never, ever, let this go.

Even though a Democrat dropped the big one.; 3/12/11, 8:57 AM
Lincolntf said...: So far during this disaster, nobody has been harmed by the nuclear plants while hundreds have been killed on high-speed trains. I wonder which one the green- weenies will want to ban?; 3/12/11, 8:57 AM
PaulV said...: Julius. The extreme sufferring from the Haiti earthquake was due to poor intrastructure. Anger at the French slave masters has caused the current hatred of capitalism and private property. Voodoo may not be cause of this hatred but there is correlation. The simple truth is that capitalism is need for a fair and healthy civilization. Destroy capitalism and things sucks. Crony capitalism as practiced by democrats now sucks too.; 3/12/11, 8:58 AM
HT said...: Blogger Jay said...

On the other hand, adults realize this was the 5th largest earth quake in recorded history that resulted in a tsunami and a subsequent nuclear reactor explosion.

___

Ok, so nuclear fallout is ok and understandable and accepted since it was the 5th largest earthquake.

Good to know your planning strategies and priorities.; 3/12/11, 8:59 AM
Brian Brown said...: Ok, so nuclear fallout is ok and understandable and accepted since it was the 5th largest earthquake.

Hysterical.

Thank you for proving my point.; 3/12/11, 9:03 AM
PaulV said...: Drop Helen Thomas but do not use Michael Moore. 8.9 earth quake and no injuries or death from the nukes? Good design by Japanese. Similair to the good design at Three Mile Island.; 3/12/11, 9:04 AM
HT said...: Hysterical. Thanks for dodging the question. It's understandable that you do.; 3/12/11, 9:05 AM
Brian Brown said...: Good to know your planning strategies and priorities.

As opposed to believing that drilling for oil should be banned, no new refineries should be built, no nuclear reactors should be built but only the vaguely defined "green energy" can provide adequate energy needs for the United States.

You are a clown.; 3/12/11, 9:05 AM
Brian Brown said...: Thanks for dodging the question.

You didn't pose a question, bozo.

Keep flailing.; 3/12/11, 9:05 AM
Brian Brown said...: HT said...

Hysterical.

It is hysterical to watch you snark your way to attacking things that were never said.

But of course you're not that bright and easily misled, so there is a low bar there...; 3/12/11, 9:07 AM
HT said...: You continue to dodge. You said adults realize, etc. I took that to mean that since it was the world's largest or 5th largest or whatever earthquake, then it was understandable that there was an explosion at a nuclear plant. Can you correct my impression or mis impression?; 3/12/11, 9:09 AM
Brian Brown said...: 8.9 earth quake and no injuries or death from the nukes?

SHHHHHHH, don't tell HT.

The scary pictures gave her the vapors and that is enough to make sure nuclear power is never used in the United States...

PS - 55 nuclear power plants in Japan, a tiny island...; 3/12/11, 9:09 AM
HT said...: (Is it not snarky to tell people they are dumb?); 3/12/11, 9:11 AM
Brian Brown said...: so nuclear fallout is ok

Um, there was no "nuclear fallout"
Note that NISA said no dangerous radioactive material had been released, but the government evacuated people as a precaution nonetheless.

You should probably quit while you're behind.; 3/12/11, 9:13 AM
Roger J. said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 3/12/11, 9:14 AM
Roger J. said...: Earthquakes--esp at the level of 9.1 R are terrible things. The Japanese, who live on the ring of fire have done an admirable job of preparation and infrastructure protection. Sadly, there is only so much we has humans can do in the face of horrific events. As we come up on the 200 anniversary of the New Madrid event, I can safely say such an event would e equally clatacysmic for the central US.

Regretably we in the central US have planned far more poorly than have the Japanese.

Thoughts and prayers for the Japanese people; 3/12/11, 9:17 AM
kent said...: As opposed to believing that drilling for oil should be banned, no new refineries should be built

... and risk exposing us, one and all, to the matter-transforming million degree temperatures lurking a scant two thousand feet below the planet's surface? Madman! Lunatic -- !!!; 3/12/11, 9:17 AM
MayBee said...: So did Obama talk about himself at the presser?

Shockingly, yes.
He did mention he grew up in Hawaii. He said that's why he felt close to the Japanese culture.
As for the rest of us, we are rubes. Here's what he said:

“when you see what's happening in Japan, you are reminded that, for all our differences in culture or language or religion, that ultimately humanity is one. And when we face these kinds of natural disasters, whether it's in New Zealand or Haiti or Japan, then you think about your own family, and you think, how would you feel if you lost a loved one, or if your entire life savings were gone because of the devastation?”

Noting that because he grew up in Hawaii he has “a close personal friendship and connection to the Japanese people which makes “our concerns that much more acute,” the president said Japan “will come back stronger than ever.”

He may have been doing this to remind of us his birthplace. But I think he said it because he assumes the rest of us xenophobes see Japan as a scary foreign place, while he understands them because Hawaii gets a lot of Japanese tourists.; 3/12/11, 9:20 AM
Jim Howard said...: A thorium reactor is self-cooling and cannot melt down. If all power is removed from a thorium reactor it cools off. Thorium is a free by product of conventional mining operations. Why we are not building these is beyond me.

It appears to me that the radiation release in Japan was probably steam venting. Venting even a little steam will significantly cool a damaged light water reactor. This stream probably accounts for the reported 8X increase in background radiation. An 8X increase isn't a good thing, but its not a catastrophe either, especially in this case since the area has been evacuated and the increase caused by a one-time event.

This is Three Mile Island, except the accident was due to mother nature not operator error.

And like Three Mile Island, it is probable that more people will die in Kennedy family vehicles than as a result of radiation exposure in Japan due to this earthquake.; 3/12/11, 9:22 AM
bagoh20 said...: Imagine if instead of nuclear plants and fuel storage facilities, the Japanese had wind farms and solar panels. They would be 100% gone, totally destroyed. Certainly no radioactivity, but I think the loss would be far more total, expensive and longer to repair since the number and size of the required wind and solar units would be so large to equal the nuclear and conventional facilities' output.

The damage to Japan would be worse in that scenario and take much longer to fix. At the very least it would not be any better. The problem from this occurring to what they had, rather than to green tech will likely be far less serious long term and short term. Besides, imagine how ugly that beautiful country would be covered in windmills and solar panels.; 3/12/11, 9:23 AM
Roger J. said...: While I am hardly a fan of the douchenozzle, I am not sure of what one might say in the face of such a tragedy--I give him a pass on this one, and am heartened we are making the sixth fleet available to the Japanese--

The real tragedy is that tragedy has to be politicized.; 3/12/11, 9:24 AM
MayBee said...: I am not sure of what one might say in the face of such a tragedy--

Something heartfelt works quite well. Probably leave out the stuff about Haiti, religion, and imagining his family losing their life savings.; 3/12/11, 9:32 AM
Big Mike said...: Someone might think to tell Chris Matthews that the world does not revolve around Barack Obama.

Increasingly other governments -- from national governments such as England and France, to state and local governments -- are finding it necessary to act as though Barack Obama isn't there.

Because he isn't.; 3/12/11, 9:51 AM
Cedarford said...: LIberals are notorious, and actually pretty successful at defining zero tolerance of environmental impact, zero civilian casualties in war, zero errors in the legal system as what we are all expecting - and what agencies are "mandated" to do.

Any accidential radiation release of any amount even inconsequential is defined as a crime against humanity, any coal mine explosion as murder, any oil spill as a crime, any chance a monster could not get perfect due process in the courts for the 3 people he killed in a robbery defined as "state-sponsored assassination".

People who come back and say - "No, our legal system in infallible, soldiers infallible in targeting in battle, there never will be another oil spill, nuke plants as opposed to any man-made structure or even the ground or ocean will remain perfect and undamaged - fall right into the Leftist trap.

There will be civilian casualties in war. Nuke plants might leak after a design basis earthquake and there might be some fuel damage. Engineering defects will be found in well-built and passed all codes bullet trains, buildings, levees in worse case disasters.

Stop pretending that a failure of perfection is the end of the world.; 3/12/11, 9:52 AM
Roger J. said...: C4--where you been dude? I thought the mossad might have rendered you to israel :)

Good to see you back and your comments on target--engineers do the best they can to design infrastructure, but sometimes the forces of nature (eg a 9.1R quake and tsunami) transcent engineering design.

Casualties will be probably less than expected from such an event because of some top quality Japanese engineering--although that story will never be told.; 3/12/11, 9:56 AM
MayBee said...: Roger J- excellent point about the engineering. Imagine that quake combined with a bunch of Chinese-contructed elementary schools.; 3/12/11, 10:07 AM
Anonymous said...: Isn't this really revealing, though, of their concern that Americans believe that Barack Obama is hiding something about his origins.

Yes: every MSM journalist when addressing questions about Obama's mysterious origins--born outside of the U.S.? secret Muslim?--must add an editorial: "which of course is not true." One of the conventionally wise mediapersons did it on the Diane Rehm show just yesterday.; 3/12/11, 10:10 AM
Roger J. said...: Maybee--one of the salutory effects of this tragedy in Japan will be to affirm the consequences of good engineering--Buildings in Tokyo, mostly base isolated, swayed but didnt fall. Compare Japanese engineering to the central US where I was an earthquake planner with CUSEC

A new madrid size event ( 3 quake of mag in the high 8s R) would collapse the major bridges accross the mississipi, and probably shut down Memphis which is the distribution center of the US--most all firms rely on just in time delivery which ultimately depends on the survivability of the memphis airport (and FEDEX)

A new madrid event would have severe national consequences--and we are far less prepared than were the Japanese.; 3/12/11, 10:17 AM
madAsHell said...: ...but the Governor of Hawaii still can't produce a birth certificate!; 3/12/11, 10:33 AM
MayBee said...: Roger J- I used to love to watch them build houses when I lived in Tokyo. It took forever to build the foundation and place the rebar. The finishes went up quickly.

I'm sure more amazing Tsunami-mitigating engineering will come out of this as well.; 3/12/11, 10:42 AM
Brian Brown said...: -engineers do the best they can to design infrastructure, but sometimes the forces of nature (eg a 9.1R quake and tsunami) transcent engineering design.

Exactly.

But let me just add, the fact that an 8.9 quake followed by a tsunami did not absolutely level many cities in Japan and the accompanying nuclear power plants is a testament to the genius of modern engineering.; 3/12/11, 10:46 AM
Brian Brown said...: Cedarford said...

LIberals are notorious, and actually pretty successful at defining zero tolerance of

A tour bus crash in NYC just killed 13 people.

I guess we should ban buses or tours.

Better yet, can we ban New York City?; 3/12/11, 10:48 AM
Cedarford said...: Roger and Maybee - In recent years there has been perhaps an overfocus on the "Hero 1st responders" and perhaps not as much on avoiding the need to utilize "hero 1st responders" through investing in top engineering, infrastructure robustness. And realizing that Muslims noted doing dry runs at hijacking planes in the two months before 9/11 or a Army major saying killing of Americans was justified in jihad to stop them from harming brother Muslims a month before he shot up Ft Hood - were probably a bad thing and should have been questioned rather than bank on "reactive, after the fact, law enforcement".

Yes, it is wonderful to see the "heroes of police, rescue workers, etc." passing out NBA sneakers in New Orleans, digging bodies from rubble of Haitian buildings made with 10% concrete, 90% beach sand and no rebar and passing out food to overbred masses with no government or emergency planning.

But isn't it better to have solid-built buildings like Chile's when you have a 200 times stronger than Port au Prince earthquake? Or Japans?

I also fault the media for their usual fetish on the "death count" as the only relevant stat initially, and mawkish focus on some fools who wouldn't evacuate buried under a cubic mile of volcanic ash or sitting on a rooftop demanding "de gumment" get them off the roof and give them food and fresh diapers and ice ASAP.

Most newsreaders and news writers lack the technical background to assess if things worked as designed, if agencies are responding as they should rather than angry crowds telling them they should. We get the tired old heroes&noble victims narrative. Plus the media's stupid "law enforcement" based mindset that any deaths in a disaster must "be the fault of somebody". Then, their near-childish faith in the Godlike powers of goverment and the Healing Powers of "The Leader" to "make everything alright, arrest the guilty, and 'bring closure" to the poor victims who chose to:
1. Live in hurricane alley.
2. Live below sea level in hurricane alley.
3. Live near major earthquake active zones.
4. Live on slopes of volcanos.
5. Live at the banks of rivers that flood every 5 years.
6. Think that any human error but their own is "criminal'.; 3/12/11, 10:49 AM
Anonymous said...: HT said :

Ok, so nuclear fallout is ok ...
- - - - - - -

NICE strawman you concocted there ...

Is that the way you formulate all your arguments?

.; 3/12/11, 11:00 AM
MayBee said...: Cedarford: "Roger and Maybee - In recent years there has been perhaps an overfocus on the "Hero 1st responders" and perhaps not as much on avoiding the need to utilize "hero 1st responders" through investing in top engineering, infrastructure robustness. "

Absolutely. Most of the buildings outside the tsunami zone held up. The people now trapped inside their flooded homes most likely have a supply of food and water for a few days, enough for the Japanese responders to come up with a specific plan.

Katrina was a marvel when it came to 1st responders getting people off roofs. The problem came when there was no place to put them and we ended up with masses of hungry,angry people at the civic center and Superdome.

And a bunch of reporters spreading false rumors about the dangers.; 3/12/11, 11:04 AM
Synova said...: "So do you fine conservatives think that this earthquake also resulted from a pact with the devil like the one in Haiti did?"

In the Philippines (some of) the evangelicals believed that Mt. Pinatubo blew because Aquino dedicated the country to the Virgin Mary, (some of) the Negritos believed it was because they'd been skimping on sacrifices to the volcano and used chickens instead of pigs, (some of) the communist people's army said it was because of something nefarious that the US military was doing at Clark involving, perhaps, subterranean nukes.

Or do Filippinos get a pass on the superstition because they're quaint brown people and don't know better than those Americans you mock?

The idea that there are spiritual causes to natural events is extremely well represented in History (the communists may reject the supernatural but fail to reject superstition in any case) and is actually rather *interesting* to someone who finds the world interesting and is willing to be thoughtful about it.

The question of Haiti is actually rather fascinating if one considers all of the elements of History that contribute to the situation there and the corruption and poverty that turns a natural disaster into generational devastation. Who's to say that a genesis in a pact with the devil isn't actually accurate short-hand to explain why Haiti is such a hell-hole? To say "no" is to engage a simplistic rejection of the role of religions to regulate communities. And while some American evangelicals voiced the thought, it's guaranteed that (some of) the people in Haiti were doing the same.

Japan is, of course, not a hotbed of poverty and corruption. It is also a country that lives in constant awareness of the threat of earthquake and tsunami. We're not going to find that a failure of infrastructure made the disaster worse than it would have been. But there will be those who look for spiritual explanations in a Japanese context.

Most likely we won't see those on the news.

And whatever Obama does, I hope that our aircraft carriers and their salt-water processing capabilities are arriving there now.; 3/12/11, 11:06 AM
Mick said...: All of Obama's media lapdogs are very worried about Obama being exposed as ineligible (his father was never a US Citizen, so Obama 2 cannot be a natural born Citizen )
before the next election cycle.
The combination of states' enactment of eligibility statutes, and a larger percentage of the electorate awareness of his ineligibility will make it a real issue.
The media is attempting to shut it all down. It matters not WHERE Obama was born or grew up. His father was not a US Citizen, and Obama admits to British Citizenship at birth through his father's Kenyan citizenship and the British Nationality Act of 1948.
As such his multiple allegiance at birth voids the possibility of being a natural born Citizen, eligible to be POTUS.

" The Citizen child of an ALIEN has the same rights as the natural born Citizen CHILD OF A CITIZEN"
---Joseph Story.

http://naturalborncitizen.wordpress.com/2011/03/12/the-boston-globe-%E2%80%9Cnative-born%E2%80%9D-does-not-equal-%E2%80%9Cnatural-born%E2%80%9D-for-presidential-eligibility/; 3/12/11, 11:14 AM
Synova said...: "He may have been doing this to remind of us his birthplace. But I think he said it because he assumes the rest of us xenophobes see Japan as a scary foreign place, while he understands them because Hawaii gets a lot of Japanese tourists."

This may be true.

I have to remind myself that my family isn't "normal", but culture and interests-wise, we're far more involved and connected to Japan than we are to Europe. True enough, it doesn't take much, but when your four year old points out the car window at a tall-ish building with a neon sign on the top and announces "Tokyo!" that you've skewed things rather far to the East. ;-); 3/12/11, 11:16 AM
Synova said...: OTOH, people in Hawaii live with an awareness of the ocean and earth's destructive capabilities that probably does make them sort of "in tune" with a similar experience in Japan. It's legitimate in the exact same sort of way that living with the awareness of Russia as a close next door neighbor instead of a place on the other side of the world lends an foreign policy mindset difference that is significant.; 3/12/11, 11:20 AM
Cedarford said...: Synova - "It's legitimate in the exact same sort of way that living with the awareness of Russia as a close next door neighbor instead of a place on the other side of the world lends an foreign policy mindset difference that is significant."

You know, you can see Russia from Japan? (Kurile Islands)

Couldn't resist.

I could see Mexico from my then GF's house!
So if I ever become a governor, I have that significant understanding of a foreign country..; 3/12/11, 11:33 AM
MayBee said...: OTOH, people in Hawaii live with an awareness of the ocean and earth's destructive capabilities that probably does make them sort of "in tune" with a similar experience in Japan

I agree with that, but then people on the Pacific West Coast can probably relate even more.
I don't mind his own attempt to relate to Japan so much as I dislike his comments about different religions and cultures and Haiti.
Japan considers itself a good friend and vital ally to the US. I think most there would be offended to hear themselves referred to as being very foreign to Americans and lumped in with the other countries..by the US President.

I have friends there and friends all across America, and never once did I see anything but a sincere outpouring of concern for the Japanese people and the tragedy happening to *them*. No confusion or need to self-relate (the bit about losing your own life savings to relate to Japanese people's homes being swept out to sea); 3/12/11, 11:33 AM
vbspurs said...: FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, LFNRR!! DITCH The Helen Thomas Avatar!--it makes me want to wretch--especially on an empty stomach. HAVE YOU NO HUMANITY?? SPARE US, FOR GODSSAKE!!!

I second this upchuck.; 3/12/11, 11:36 AM
vbspurs said...: Hi again, Synova!

Or do Filippinos get a pass on the superstition because they're quaint brown people and don't know better than those Americans you mock?

And whilst we're at it, why aren't Filipinos ranked amongst the "Hispanics" in the US? If Hispanic is not about race, but about language, they too speak Spanish (at least the elites), have Spanish first names, and Hispanic cultural roots.

I always found that odd (and racist).; 3/12/11, 11:39 AM
MayBee said...: Oh- and there are other things about Hawaii that have a lot of Japanese influence, rather than the weather dangers which really aren't much like Japan's.
There are Japanese speakers there, many shops accept the yen, and even restaurants have the set meal option that is common in restaurants in Japan. I appreciate Hawaii's ties to the culture of Japan.
I reject the rest of his statement, which I believe doesn't give enough credit to Americans nor enough respect to the Japanese.; 3/12/11, 11:40 AM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: (Is it not snarky to tell people they are dumb?)

Not if it is true. Then it can be a kindness.; 3/12/11, 12:19 PM
Alex said...: Althouse never fails to throw red meat to her right-wing hillbillies

/Ritmo; 3/12/11, 1:31 PM