In the Republican response to the presidential address to a joint session of Congress, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal chided the lawmakers for earmarking “$140 million for something called volcano monitoring.” The funds he was referring to are part of the $787 billion stimulus package…some 12 percent ($98.3 billion) of the monies are set aside for transportation and infrastructure projects, including volcano monitoring and other natural disaster prevention programs.
The U.S. Geological Society (USGS) is in charge of keeping tabs on volcanoes in the U.S. and its territories. The agency is currently monitoring more than 150 of them (from Yellowstone in Wyoming to Kilauea in Hawaii), some 65 of which show signs of seismic activity and are more likely than the others to erupt (including Redoubt in Alaska and Mauna Loa in Hawaii). But USGS officials aren’t just worried about Hollywood-caliber lava blowups. Other threats include potentially deadly landslides, falling rocky ash, and inundation by toxic gases that can be triggered by volcanic eruptions.
Is volcano monitoring important?
It’s extremely important. There are obvious hazards to nearby residents. Beyond human safety, there are huge economic concerns. It’s not that eruptions can be stopped, but, like a hurricane, it’s good to know when it’s coming…
There’s a huge hazard in the air from eruption plumes. Volcanic ash is not like ash from the fireplace. It’s basically pulverized rocks and glass particles. Putting glass in a jet engine isn’t good. That’s why the monitoring in Alaska is extremely important to the aviation industry.
Looks like Republicans have an anti-science track record to maintain. We went through the same ignorance, the same foolishness when Sarah Palin prattled about wasting money on French fruit flies.
all i heard when jindal talked was blah, blah, blah, waaaah, blah, blah, waaaah, blah, blah
# 30 Ground she’s movin’ under me said, “Do you fell for the “He must have Devine Powers” crap the right wing radio heads like to push?”
Huh? This is the 1st time I’ve seen the guy. The point he made was 100% valid. What are you babbling about?
@paddy-o
“And, the monitoring has WHAT to do with an emergency econ stimulus plan?”
no one seems to mind the money for the police and military.
just sayin’
# 34 grog said, “no one seems to mind the money for the police and military.”
I do & most of the people I know do mind.
Just saying.
# 34 grog said, “no one seems to mind the money for the police and military.”
I do & most of the people I know do mind.
Just saying.
yay you.
now try to get any elected member of the gop to say that they agree with you.
i’ll wait.
@paddy-o
bonus points if you can get rush limbaugh or ann coulter or bill o’reilly to say that they disagree with the military spending in the stimulus bill.
ain’t gonna happen.
If this is the future of the Republican party I am glad I no longer am one. Sigh.
Only 37 replies so far on a Palin-invoked thread. Hack editors continue to fail at life.
#39 james hill
yeah, no one cares about sarah palin any more.
Hey that’s my Gov
Who almost certainly thinks I’m not a real American.
Alaska is probably not big enough for her now. Her term is up in 2010 after that look for getting the big checks from Fox News as their new talking head.
Unless the GOP Neo Cons want another shellacking in a national election,
Lord knows the light night comedians need the material.
# 36 grog said, “now try to get any elected member of the gop to say that they agree with you.
i’ll wait.”
Why would I care? I’m not a Repub.
I have only heard criticisim from the right wing nuts. That won’t get our economy fixed.
Remember, Jindal is one of the Governors that wants his constituents to “eat cake” when their unemployment runs out. One of the poorest States that can’t see the damage natural disasters can wreck.
The GOP could have found someone much better suited for the rebuttal. Someone that can speak publicly. Someone that has a bit of stage presence. Then they could have found a speech writer or two. And maybe a fact checker or three.
The GOP had an excellent opportunity to sway voters and all they did was make Obama look better.
…or as much as McCain knows about “overhead projectors.”
How about take all of the non stimulus money, and instead use it to build a border fence?
Jindal has done nothing to change the perception that the Republican party does not care much for science. Sounds like typical pointy headed pandering to the lowest common denominator.
Investment in volcano monitoring IS investment in infrastructure. It pays for jobs, equipment and maintenance as #26 clearly suggested. If I lived near a volcano I’d want somone to be keeping an eye on it.
The items listed that they called a waste are in their states.
Fruit flies in Alaska aren’t that big of a problem and neither are volcanoes in some states.
I don’t think a volcanoe has erupted in North America east of the Mississippi River in over 10,000,000 years.
This may be kind or narrow minded but a lot of people posting here tend to go with what matters to them personally.
#47, doewll,
You bring up some strong points. While they may suggest these studies are a waste, it is only their own short sightedness that call them a waste.
Fruit Flies have contributed quite a lot to biology. Much of what we know about DNA was acquired through Fruit Flies.
Maybe there hasn’t been any volcanoes east of the Mississippi, there have been earthquakes. Earthquakes and volcanoes are related. Second, there are more than a few people living west of the Mississippi. Add in much of our high tech manufacturing, including much of our airplane manufacturing and computer and software development.
It is these same narrow minded people that will still claim “personal responsibility” when a natural disaster occurs. Our society and population density is such that living near natural disaster prone areas is not as optional as many would like.
What they didn’t understand is that the new plan is to put all of the bad debt paper into a volcano.
#42 @paddy-o
Why would I care? I’m not a Repub.
well played, sir, well played.
The people of Pompeii needed some good volcano monitoring, as well as the folks at Krakatoa.
Following Palin & fruit fly links I find that she was lamenting the difficulties on directly funding and supporting persons with disabilities in the US vs fruit fly research in France.
This compared to the younger Gaffe Brother, Obama, likening his klutzy bowling to people with disabilities in the Special Olympics.
Nice reference.
RBG