Volcano acting up

[rc808]

interesting article in the advertiser today http://honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs..../711190352

www.localmotionhawaii.com

[JerryCarr]

Here's the latest from the Railroad Optimist Club, reporting from the Stephenville public library in Texas. Lava going south, way south. Good news, but not the final act. Still scares Glen, but you think you've got it bad? At least you don't get awakened every morning to the sound of your 82-year old mother blasting rattlesnakes off the patio flagstones with a 410 shotgun. (Chrome plated shotgun, no less. Some sort of fashion statement, I suppose.) It seems it has not been cold enough to get the snakes to den up in their usual caves, but cool enough that they curl up on the patio for the warmth next to the house. Hence the shotgun. At least the cowboys have stayed sober while driving their trucks, for the most part.

Cheerfully enduring the blasts and awaiting my return to Hawaii,

Jerry



Edited by - JerryCarr on 11/19/2007 06:06:12

[Kelena]

Ah, colorful Southern relatives. One of the things I will definetely miss...NO ONE can do colorful like a Southerner, and Texans are about as colorful as you can get in the Y'all Zone.

Hey, Jerry. Do you think your mom might be up for a visit? We all need someone to breach a very long perched lava channel that wants to funnel half a million cubic liters of lava per day in a Northeasterly direction. Scientists say today that if the wall were breached, the lava would probably flow south, harmlessly to the ocean, but on its current path it is headed toward the meat section of the Malama Market. Just like those rattlesnakes on the patio, looks like things are gonna be smokin'....unless the wall is breached.

We need someone who is not going to be stopped by any mumbo jumbo and will just blast the hell out of the south side of the channel.

[mella l]

LMAO, you guys are great!

How about the down draft of a few helos, focused on the south side to encourage a spill. Once breeched, the wash over might keep the flow headed south!

Where are those pesky bombers when one might do some good?

NAW I vote we take up a collection to bring Grandma Carr over and give her a high wheel base hummer and let her go!

Still saying my prayers too.

mella l

[mella l]

The later section from the news article gave me an idea, although it states that the civil defense officials and engineers have the responsibility for diversion, Civil Defense Administrator Troy Kindred, see problems, and said the possibility of diverting the lava is not being actively pursued. (Why not)?
__________________________________________

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/articl.../?print=on


Several times since August, the sides of the channel have broken and allowed lava to spill out, but the channel always repairs itself, scientists said. Hardened chunks of cooled lava that drop back into the lava stream are carried along until they pile up at the breaches in the channel and plug them up.

However, since the channel is above the surrounding terrain and is directing lava toward a population center, some have wondered if it might be possible to deliberately breach the channel and divert the flow if it threatens the village or highway.

Kauahikaua said that what it would take to breach the channel, and where the ideal place would be to make the breach to steer lava away from populated areas, are questions for civil defense officials and engineers.

Civil Defense Administrator Troy Kindred sees several problems, and said the possibility of diverting the lava is not being actively pursued. Among other things, consideration would need to be given to the cultural implications for Hawaiians, he said.

"There's a lot more things that influence this decision than what might just appear on the surface," he said. "There's a cultural context, and there's a technical context, and whether or not it will work."

Another issue is if the authorities were successful in diverting the flow and then it damaged homes, the authorities bear responsibility for the damage.


_____________________________________________

Avalanche control is what came to mind. When snow piles up on slopes here in an unstable fashion, avalanche crews go to work. It works.

If the south is already so damaged can't the state sacrifice the south for the benefit of the overwhelming populations who might perhaps be affected and or in harms way?



mella l

Edited by - mella l on 11/19/2007 08:52:49

[aikahimomma]

The later section from the news article gave me an idea, although it states that the civil defense officials and engineers have the responsibility for diversion, Civil Defense Administrator Troy Kindred, see problems, and said the possibility of diverting the lava is not being actively pursued. (Why not)?


why Not?
you obviously are not familiar with madame pele

[LavaOcean]

Let the flow do as it likes Peles in control of our island we must let her do her work. If she wants to take it she will, so all the diversions in the world cant stop her flows. One thing Im sure of one day she will return to the sea and Ill be there when it happens. I hope she flows back along the Pali out of public harm.

Shane Turpin
Lava Ocean Adventures

[missydog1]

mella,
my take on why they aren't pursuing diversion:

1) the cultural context is respect for and belief in Pele. Diversion is trying to thwart her will. (as was said above)

2) they don't know what exactly they're doing

3) if they don't divert and houses burn, that is an act of god or rather goddess. If they divert and save some area but the lava takes out other homes that would not have burned -- they the County could get sued for their act that led to those losses.

4) as to why they can't send it over completely unbuilt territory, for sure, refer to points 1 and 2 again. Pele's will and the fact they don't know enough about how to control the results of tinkering to direct them with any precison.

[Kelena]

As HVO documents on its website ( http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/history/1960Jan13/#kukii ) there were valiant attempts to divert the lava, and to keep it from destroying the now lost Kapoho.

They were to no avail, though. So, there is some precedent. However, that will not happen here. The official attitude appears to be to let nature, in the form of Pele, take its course.

So my suggestions that Jerry's mother shotgun blast the hell out of the channel should be treated as an attempt to make humor out of what is turning out to be a very serious situation, and as a celebration of the tough spirit of that endangered species, Real Texans!

Anyway, aloha Pahoa. That lava is coming down, and it is coming down big, in a slow motion torrent. This is a veritable river. It's alive. It forms its own channel, like a Roman Aqueduct, no Romans required. When the channel is breached, this living thing repairs the channel.

You have to read between the lines with HVO. The fire department has done two overflights this week. The overflights are becoming more frequent.

On the plus side, I was wrong: Thanksgiving should be lava free!

But by my birthday........

[DanielP]

Lava has reached the 1600' elevation. Pele is headed down to the ocean. Getting into steeper terrain will pull her down da hill.
My prediction: Da ocean before 2008.



Edited by - DanielP on 11/20/2007 13:10:31