Dam!
I’m fortunate enough to have just moved from Taunton, Massachusetts a few months ago. If you live in the United States, chances are you saw a news blurb about the Whittenton Dam which was near breaking point. It’s amazing that, until now, nobody was aware of the 6 foot, 7 foot, 8 foot, (bunch!) wall of water that could come crashing through the center of the city. How many dams are on the verge of unleashing their pent-up emotions?
It seems dams are everywhere. They supply hydro-electric power, drinking water, clear land for development, and keep the general public safe from deadly trout attacks. Dams are good unless your paddling a boat too closely to one.
This particular dam was constructed in the late 19th century. My extensive research has revealed that all men who built the dam are now dead. Obviously, there is conspiracy to eliminate the witnesses to its shoddy workmanship. Do they expect me to believe that the only material they had available in 1880 was wood? Why wasn’t monolithic concrete used with the usual major excavation and proper footings? Somebody profited from this project I’m certain.
The dam stood the test of time lasting one hundred years despite the labor-union conspiracies, until Massachusetts received record-setting rains this month stressing the dam to failure. I wonder who noticed it? Was somebody walking along and thought to themselves, "Say, that dam usually doesn’t bulge out 5 feet and have water gushing out of the bottom." Who’s responsibility is it to report bad dams? Evidently, there is a state-run team that keeps records of inspections. They’ve made a list of suspected bad dams such as: Whitteton Dam, Taunton; Monument Dam, Freetown; Windsor Reservoir, Dalton; and Jean-Claude Van Damme, Hollywood. All of these dams are in danger of breaking out and wreaking havoc except Jean-Claude who has not really broken out since the 80s.
While floods are serious issues, it’s fortunate that the city officials, learning from the mental short-circuits in New Orleans, took immediate action evacuating homes along the Mill River and shutting down the city. Taunton was a virtual ghost-town, as usual, except that this time there were no citizens in it.
However, no danger can thwart the will, courage, and apparent stupidity of people who ignore warnings. There’s a dam, holding back the power of an entire lake, in imminent danger of breaking unleashing a wall of destruction and deadly trout. Yet, there are people walking down the street munching on snacks. As one man put it, "If it comes, it comes. I’m not worried about it." Hello? Did you see the Tsunami footage from Indonesia? Granted, this gentleman was of stout build, but that would just cause him to float more easily. Cars, debris, and farm animals would be carried away taking out small structures in their path and he isn’t worried about it? We have a name for these people: casualties.
As the rain continues to fall wherever you live, keep an eye on those dams. Especially beaver dams for which there is no provision in the laws (more conspiracies). Stay high and dry and watch out for trout; they’re bloodthirsty.
It seems dams are everywhere. They supply hydro-electric power, drinking water, clear land for development, and keep the general public safe from deadly trout attacks. Dams are good unless your paddling a boat too closely to one.
This particular dam was constructed in the late 19th century. My extensive research has revealed that all men who built the dam are now dead. Obviously, there is conspiracy to eliminate the witnesses to its shoddy workmanship. Do they expect me to believe that the only material they had available in 1880 was wood? Why wasn’t monolithic concrete used with the usual major excavation and proper footings? Somebody profited from this project I’m certain.
The dam stood the test of time lasting one hundred years despite the labor-union conspiracies, until Massachusetts received record-setting rains this month stressing the dam to failure. I wonder who noticed it? Was somebody walking along and thought to themselves, "Say, that dam usually doesn’t bulge out 5 feet and have water gushing out of the bottom." Who’s responsibility is it to report bad dams? Evidently, there is a state-run team that keeps records of inspections. They’ve made a list of suspected bad dams such as: Whitteton Dam, Taunton; Monument Dam, Freetown; Windsor Reservoir, Dalton; and Jean-Claude Van Damme, Hollywood. All of these dams are in danger of breaking out and wreaking havoc except Jean-Claude who has not really broken out since the 80s.
While floods are serious issues, it’s fortunate that the city officials, learning from the mental short-circuits in New Orleans, took immediate action evacuating homes along the Mill River and shutting down the city. Taunton was a virtual ghost-town, as usual, except that this time there were no citizens in it.
However, no danger can thwart the will, courage, and apparent stupidity of people who ignore warnings. There’s a dam, holding back the power of an entire lake, in imminent danger of breaking unleashing a wall of destruction and deadly trout. Yet, there are people walking down the street munching on snacks. As one man put it, "If it comes, it comes. I’m not worried about it." Hello? Did you see the Tsunami footage from Indonesia? Granted, this gentleman was of stout build, but that would just cause him to float more easily. Cars, debris, and farm animals would be carried away taking out small structures in their path and he isn’t worried about it? We have a name for these people: casualties.
As the rain continues to fall wherever you live, keep an eye on those dams. Especially beaver dams for which there is no provision in the laws (more conspiracies). Stay high and dry and watch out for trout; they’re bloodthirsty.
posted by James C. at 10:39 AM
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