A geospatial and engineering study, recently conducted by my firm in support of relief operations in Haiti, shows that much of the island nation is susceptible to landslides.  And by “much,” I mean MUCH.  About 80%.  This should not be surprising considering young volcanic rock, active tectonics and steep slopes.  Easily-weathered, clay-rich soil at an angle will slide when shaken, right?

A structural geology and geophysics nerd, I was initially more enamored with and engrossed in the earthquake’s ground motion numbers, which were fed into predicting building failure, than ground sliding.  Thankfully, the Katrina levee failures have led me to a more holistic view of disasters.  To come up with solutions, we do need subject matter experts, but it is crucial that the general scientific attitude is less “I’ll take the seismic stuff, you take the soil stuff and let’s not be bothered by policy which is for suits in Washington” and more interdisciplinary cooperationin the name of scientific progress and human betterment.  Never will I sift through sediments or poke at fossils, but I’ll be damned if I ever view a problem through the blinders of  specialization again.  At some point, we have to grow up as scientists and citizens and want to incorporate other research as well as demand and follow through on change implementation.

More on the need for synthesis:

1) Disasters aren’t things that happen to other people, parts of which you later study for academic purposes. The paper Katrina’s unique splay deposits in a New Orleans neighborhood by Tulane University’s Stephen Nelson et al. documents some fascinating patterns of deposition of canal sediment in the Gentilly neighborhood, which ultimately show WHY the levee there failed as it did (pilings driven into ground all wrong due to poor sampling of and little care for the subsurface).

2) Disasters are normally compounded by other disasters.  These things rarely happen in isolation.  Landslides and floods triggered by earthquakes (and Atlantic hurricanes) are worsened by deforestation for charcoal in a job-starved and subsequently energy-starved country.  The need for aid and housing now is appreciated, but what of the larger problems of disappearing trees and moving coastlines?

3) “If the disasters themselves are not preventable, sometimes the way we handle the aftermath is,” says Adele Barker in Disaster’s Aftermath.  Ms. Barker speaks of aid agencies not being prepared in the wake of Haiti and how it reminds her of botched aid following the Southeast Asian tsunami (which in turn puts me in mind of our own New Orleanian disaster after the disaster).  Sometimes, the way we handle the scientific aftermath is preventable, too.

There is no room for academic and political ivory towers.  We work together or bust.

***

I will admit immense joy in science as an end in itself and a certain freedom in ignoring government and the social contract as petty constructs.  Forget you jokers with your grabs, wars and laws; when I’m in my lab, in my world, you cease to exist.  Science is a magical thing that way.  *ironic chuckle*  Moreover, within science itself, too much generalization leads to master-of-none paralysis.  You have to be good at something, do something, prove something, in order to move forward.  But, there’s no roadblock or harm in being good at something, learning more and sourcing from work outside of your expertise.  It makes you better.  More human.  In the end, isn’t that the point of science?

Still rolling around in indescribable joy because (the promised mask is done and) WOOOOOHOOOOO THE SAINTS WON THE SUPERBOWL!  This win signifies so much more than the city team’s prowess at football.  It’s about hope, possibility, renewal and an invitation to everyone who wrote off New Orleans to kiss its muddy behind.  Pistolette writes:

It can be confusing to some how the win of a football team can somehow be tied to the rebuilding of a devastated city. But if you lived here you’d feel it. Athletes often talk of  “momentum“, and Nola has definitely been experiencing it since Katrina. There is a drive and energy here that simply defies. For being a culture preoccupied with pleasure, I didn’t realize how passionately the people here would go to war over defending their right to it. I guess we’re more like our French fathers after all.

The following video [FIND VIDEO] was taken on the street on which I used to live.  Each time I watch it, I am so deeply happy for everyone crying, laughing, drinking, jumping, and dancing, and want to hug all of them.  The Packer Nation, known for the unfettered dedication of its fans in good times and in bad, salutes the WhoDat Nation. You deserve it all.

I cannot begin to tell you how majorly bummed I was at not being at Fahy’s with my friends to watch and celebrate victory and history in the making. Kudos to my family, however, for screaming loudly in support of the Saints and agreeing with me that I should have been in New Orleans.  Friends who don’t stay up late and rarely party made their way to the French Quarter at 11PM; folks I thought didn’t have my phone number called or texted into the wee hours of the morning.  Loki, Alexis, and I should have been there.  We should also be there today, on Lombardi Gras a.k.a. Dat Tuesday, for the parade about to happen in downtown New Orleans to honor the Saints.  Thankfully, we have many friends in New Orleans armed with cameras and celebratory days off.

Keep the party hot for me, y’all.  I will be there on Friday and you know it’s gonna be a good time.

Sat up in bed early this morning, a Sunday morning, knowing this would happen. Changed into my Ashley shirt at halftime. I knew they’d win, but didn’t know how or by how many points. Three good dead-on Hartley field goals.  Then, the Tracy Porter interception and runback.  I have never been more certain of victory.

At this moment in history, I sit shaking in utter disbelief. But why? I knew all along. Still, like Cade, I took the above picture and am posting it here, so that when I look at this blog tomorrow, I will know it’s not just a dream. Thank you, Drew Brees. We deserve this, New Orleans. You deserve this, lifelong Saints fans.  A team that plays with so much heart had to have destiny on their side.

WHO DAT! WHO DAT! WHO DAT SAY DEY GONNA BEAT DEM SAINTS?  NO ONE.

After squealing on seeing friends and screaming WhoDat! to onlookers, my voice and I parted ways some time on Sunday morning and it shows no signs of returning home. Add airplane travel back to the North to that mix and you know how I feel today.

King Dr. John did not attend my subkrewe’s, the Krewe de C.R.A.P.S., pre-parade party as is custom, but that’s quite alright considering he’s a superstar and a close friend of his just passed away. I would love to have met Mother Miriam, though, and it appears she had a great time all dressed up and throwing cups and nickels during the parade! Was it just me or did the parade this year move by very quickly?  Working within the Always Stay In Front Of Your Band rule I helped instate, I’d stop to talk to friends and find our security escorts tugging on my sleeve telling me it was time to go.  Also, I had to push two folks out of the parade before security and the next subkrewe mowed them over.   Anyway, of all the people I expected to see, I missed only five (including Yellow Pants and his lovely bride) and still have their throws for them. D and I wish we could have seen Krewe Delusion, the new walking parade that followed us this year. Gotta love Harry Shearer with the Noisicians!

The Krewe du Vieux 2010 photo gallery is up.  Here are pictures of our costumes this year and links to parade coverage and more photos.  Also, when the ol’ pre-frontal cortex fires up again, I will write something up for Humid City as promised.  If you’re craving some humidity right now, read their latest on Charity Hospital.  And, as things go in the tiny-assed, two-degrees town that is New Orleans, author Monkey Boy is a C.R.A.P.S. float puller.

 * NOLA.com coverage
* Krewe du Vieux Kicks Off Carnival In New Orleans | WWLTV.com – Krewe de C.R.A.P.S. is featured quite a bit in the video
* M. Styborski’s gallery
* Derek B’s gallery
* The Adrastos gallery
* Lippy’s gallery
* boxchain’s gallery
* Michael Homan’s gallery
* Two Gs & A D’s gallery – great pictures from the den and pre-parade festivities
* MardiGrasParadeSchedule.com gallery