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The floods were described as "a political crisis" a few days ago. Which is what they are now, it has moved on from flooding and the impact on people's lives and is now all about the political fallout. Decisions will be made that play best in the media, not because they are the best thing to do.
There was an article on the BBC site a few days ago where they went to interview people in Cornwall about what a disaster the storms have been, and almost everyone was upbeat about it. Yes it's a pain, but it was exciting, thrilling, the raw power of nature was incredible to behold. They were enjoying walks, treasure hunting as the damaged coasts throw up things that have been hidden for hundreds or thousands of years.
And I heard a woman from the Thames Valley on the radio this morning, basically said "It's what happens here, we'll deal with it".
As for the Someset Levels. They're below sea level, reclaimed land, and they flood relatively often, and they flood far worse than they currently are. And for all the land that is covered, for all the noise the papers are making, there are only about 40 homes flooded. Most of it is farmland, which is designed to flood, it protects the homes.
But it happens, you deal with it, you move on.
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But being calm and reasonable isn't what the media is about, it doesn't sell newspapers.
People in Cornwall find this[^] funny.
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Yes, much of it is the media makijng a big story out of it and looking for the scandal.
But what is being uncovered in COrnwall by the storms? I know they are famous wreckers, as are the Devonians and happilly strip a wrecked boat of anything usefull, but I didnt think the storms had caused any wrecks yet>
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A few old wrecks have surfaced, but mostly it is rocks and cliffs being pulled apart so there are loads of new fossils and stuff like that lying around the place.
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Remember that ship that ran on the beach in Dorset a few years back? Some guy pulled a BMW moitorbike off it. 
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I thought all this rain/flooding was the fault of the Environments Agency, well that's what the TV tells me anyway...
Regards,
Rob Philpott.
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Yep, and then enough pressure builds up and those ministers in charge start saying sorry and that they should have done this and they should have done that, completely changing what they were saying a day or two earlier, obviously had a bollocking from head office about what the official line should be.
Then just as they start saying they should have dredged the rivers an anonymous employee who actually knows what he is talking about said no, we deliberately didn't do that for these reasons, it is all working as it should. Makes then look like prats, or it would if the media actually ran the story with any prominence rather than just continuing to shout and blame.
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chriselst wrote: Then just as they start saying they should have dredged the rivers an anonymous
employee who actually knows what he is talking about said no, we deliberately
didn't do that for these reasons, it is all working as it should. Makes then
look like prats, or it would if the media actually ran the story with any
prominence rather than just continuing to shout and blame.
I think that's what they bleated about, the Environment agency decided to stop dredging and sell the pumps as leave the levels to flood - now they claim they hadn't the money (despite finding 4x the amount needed to build a bird sanctuary)
it a case of making a decision without consultation and now trying to avoid any responsibility for occurred as a result what
sounds like nearly every project manager I have ever met
You cant outrun the world, but there is no harm in getting a head start
Real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time.
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The farmers claim that if the rivers had been dredged then the land wouldn't flood.
Which may be true, but that water would still have had to go somewhere, and would most likely have caused more serious (in terms of cost and number of people affected) damage further down the rivers, mostly at larger settlements.
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chriselst wrote: The farmers claim that if the rivers had been dredged then the land wouldn't flood.
I always thought the enriching mud the flooded rivers dump on the land helps the farmers. Odd.
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It's mostly grassland used for pasture, not arable.
Can't milk a cow if it's tits are under water and they're not too keen on swimming.
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actual I haven't heard this, all the ones I saw were claiming that the dredging would have help clear the water so it doesn't sit, its this non clearing of the flood that means every drop that falls makes it worse, it also reducing the area of the flood restricting it to the land that traditionally flooded
you don't stop these floods with wall type defences (as the water is coming off the hills/land) what you need is way to get this water to the sea in the shortest possible time and in the biggest volume possible - either that or you accept that the land floods, which maybe a acceptable alternative but surely they should inform the people living there that this decision has been made (oh and provide insurance as the insurance companies certainly will not)
to make such a decision and then wash your hands of the resultant mess is the actual disgrace here
You cant outrun the world, but there is no harm in getting a head start
Real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time.
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Bergholt Stuttley Johnson wrote: (oh and provide insurance as the insurance companies certainly will not)
There was an agreement between the government and insurance companies to guarantee affordable insurance to properties at risk of flooding that was due to end last year, the agreement has been extended to next year whilst they argue about the details of a new scheme.
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It would have just run into the severn estuary. Dont forget the tidal range there, twice a day the sea falls away by 30 ft. That will drain the levels in no time provided the river and drainage channels are clear.
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A bit like the townies who move into a beautiful country village the try to take out a noise abatement order on the church bells that have rung every Sunday morning since the time of Henry VIII
=========================================================
I'm an optoholic - my glass is always half full of vodka.
=========================================================
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Not sure. The latest Lumia is a very good (Windows) phone.
~RaGE();
I think words like 'destiny' are a way of trying to find order where none exists. - Christian Graus
Do not feed the troll ! - Common proverb
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yeah lumia is good but the current trand which is going in India as per my knowledge people are more attracted towards android os . Nokia already is a big name in Indian market, its just that people are not interested because that nokia do not provide android Os. (that is a different thing that most of people even dont know more than 50% of features based on OS  )
Now as Nokia providing android this wil be a good change.
Ravi Khoda
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It really is. I so wish I hadn't left it in the pub, never to be seen again.
Regards,
Rob Philpott.
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I try not to think. I did it once but it made my brain hurt, so now I pretend I'm an MP.
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that's ok they all pretend that they are MP's
You cant outrun the world, but there is no harm in getting a head start
Real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time.
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I am sad... really sad since M$ bought nokia you never know what to expect. Now i just keep my old nokia phone and i don't think of changing it any time soon.
Microsoft ... the only place where VARIANT_TRUE != true
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Huh? but Nokia is / was absorbed by a Seattle company (not Boeing!) that makes a mobile OS weren't they?
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No they weren't. The deal hasn't completed yet - it's close to being completed, but it's still on the go. The Android phone has been in development for some time and is intended to be a low cost device - reports have indicated that it's possibly a forked Android version without links to the Google Play store.
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