Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Doesn’t anybody here know how to play this game?
Manager Casey Stengel’s lamentation over the incompetence of the Mets during their first season resonates far beyond its original context. It frequently comes to mind when one contemplates government, particularly at the national level. One might be pardoned for thinking, for example, that one of the few things the federal government could safely be trusted to do would be to develop an evacuation plan for the nation’s capital – if for no other reason than because of the love lavished by the practitioners of government on their own gaudy persons. Alas, even here, government proves to be all thumbs, as Mary Katherine Ham points out in this video clip.
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Most emergency planners are either untrained or inexperienced (or both), and are often hamstrung by political restrictions and funding.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention, politicians have always hated emergency plans. More so since 9/11 and Katrina. It's entertaining to watch a senior official cringe in fear when one starts listing the risks identified through "risk management". The terrible part is how they rationalize not doing anything to address the real problems.
Not to mention, it's amazing how many "experts" come out of the wainscoting when grant money is being passed out. Most of them are as useful as teats on a boar...which is possible only when one is a pig in the first place. That confuses the decision making process, because the signal is lost in the noise.
Finally, the National Capital Region is likely really hard to address because of the high density of useless bureaucrats inside the Beltway. And everyone of them wants to show how smart they.
So, I am not surprised by any of these revelations from MKH. She puts it very neatly.
It is possible to develop evacuation plans.....but it means that there's a huge amount of centralized planning with decentralized execution. Which will never happen in Nanny State Central, a/k/a Washington, DC.
I passed this video around the office, Paco, and the reactions thus far have ranged from laughter to outright terror.
ReplyDeleteAs for as evacuation plans go, Paco and Jeff, you're on your own. Have your own plan in place, don't hesitate, and don't be afraid to abandon everything and run like hell.
ReplyDeleteFirst and foremost, DON'T wait for the experts to come and rescue you.
One other little point:
ReplyDeleteWhere feasible, it's not a bad idea to keep a foldable bicycle in your office or your car. Also a gun, in case somebody tries to take your foldable bicycle away from you.
Of course, in the midst of a midwinter blizzard, this probably isn't practical.
In that case, I recommend skis.
ReplyDeleteI used to own a folding bike, Rebecca. Until the hinge broke. Not it's just a regular bike.
ReplyDeleteAnd a regular gun. Of course.
First and foremost, DON'T wait for the experts to come and rescue you.
I'm actually classified as one of the "experts", and my message to the world has long been:
"Don't wait for me to arrive."
And in regards to "expert"......
ReplyDeleteAn "ex" is a has-been. And a "spurt" is a drip under pressure/
Should we be thinking about evacuating DC in the event of a disaster, or simply consider dropping the bridges and overpasses? Nothing personal, Packers, but this might be the quickest way to straighten that suckhole out...
ReplyDeleteHmmmmmm......there's another option, Richard.
ReplyDelete