Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Fucking country can't do any fucking thing
NPR describes a village in Hawaii that is just waiting and watching as a very slow river of lava approaches. Can't do anything.
If you weren't Americans, you could do something. From PBS:
Other memorable volcanic disasters aren’t so old. In 1973, the eruption of the Eldfell volcano threatened to entomb the nearby fishing village of Heimaey in magma. Boiling rivers of lava engulfed a third of the town before desperate islanders mounted a bold and creative defense against the mountain. Using hastily installed fire hoses and water pumps, the villagers sprayed the encroaching lava with streams of frigid seawater, forcing it to crystallize. The resulting rock dam diverted the lava rivers away from the town and into the sea. Ironically, by the time the eruption was over, the lava had formed a new spit of land that offered improved protection to the town’s harbor.Note that lava doesn't melt dirt all the way down to the mantle. It pretty much sits on top, presumably after carbonizing and hardening the top few inches. In Hawaii those inches are WET, as witness the fact that none of the grass or trees have burned. Plants are bright green all the way to the exact edge of the lava. In most parts of the world, so much concentrated heat would instantly burn everything for miles around. So in Hawaii you should be able to do a ditch and dam. Dig a ditch in front of the lava. Gradually curve the ditch away from the town, with the dirt from the ditch piled up between the lava and the town. Dig deeper as you go, pile higher. Path of least resistance. Nope, none of that is possible. EPA would sue to protect some fucking worm that lives in North Carolina but might someday end up in Hawaii. First Nations Peoples would sue to protect some fucking burial ground. "Nurse" Kraki Krackho would sue because you're unfairly quarantining the lava. Waaaah! Waaaah! Waaaah! Can't do. Can't do. Can't do. Loser. Loser. Loser. Loser. ¶ 8:41 AM
