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from the good-time-to-implement-strict-building-codes dept.
At 9PM ET September 20, ABC News reported
The island of Puerto Rico has been "destroyed" after Hurricane Maria made landfall there as a Category 4 storm Wednesday morning, according to emergency officials.
Puerto Rico's office of emergency management confirmed that 100 percent of the U.S. territory had lost power, noting that anyone with electricity was using a generator.
Multiple transmission lines sustained damage from the storm, said Ricardo Ramos, director of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority. Ramos said he hopes to begin launching helicopters by this weekends to begin inspecting the transmission lines.
Telecommunications throughout the island have "collapsed", Abner Gomez Cortes, executive director of Puerto Rico's office of emergency management and disaster administration agency, told ABC News.
[...] Cortes described Maria as an unprecedented storm, adding that the island had not seen a storm of that strength since 1928.
[...] Puerto Rico was still experiencing tropical-storm force winds Wednesday afternoon, forcing emergency services and search and rescue teams to wait before heading out to assess the damage, Cortes said.
More than 12,000 people are currently in shelters, and hospitals are now running on generators, Cortes said. Two hospitals--one in Caguas and one in Bayamon--have been damaged.
No deaths have been reported so far, but catastrophic flooding is currently taking place on the island. Multiple rain gauges have reported between 18 and 24 inches of rain, with some approaching the 30-inch mark over the last 24 hours.
Flooding is the danger "that will take lives", Cortes said, advising residents not to venture out of their homes until Thursday because "it is not safe to go out and observe".
[...] As of 8 p.m. ET, Maria had weakened to a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained wind of 110 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
[...] Some strengthening is possible now that the storm is back over the ocean, so Maria has potential to become a Category 3 hurricane again.
National Hurricane Center graphics for Maria.
Map of Caribbean Islands.
At 15:20 UTC, Mashable reported
Clips shot in the [cities] of Farjado, San Juan, and Guyama show buildings experiencing extreme structural damage. Doors are being ripped right off their hinges, and windows, walls, and roofs of homes, restaurants, and hotels are being stripped away by the storm's incredible power.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 21 2017, @04:51PM (29 children)
The standard language is:
a) not enshrined anywhere
b) in dispute (looking at you, California and the desert southwest in general)
c) unimportant because de facto bilinguality is the norm there anyway
The flag has changed before, and can change again. Ask Hawaii and Alaska.
If you pinched Puerto Rico off and left them their debt, you'd basically be guaranteeing failure. Moreover, it'd be very hard because the people of Puerto Rico are US citizens.
Remaining a territory without some kind of bailout still reduces to the problem of them suffering a huge default.
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Thursday September 21 2017, @05:07PM
Si no hablas al menos un poco de español, vas a tener un mal tiempo.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 0, Disagree) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 21 2017, @05:07PM (22 children)
Their resource-squandering socialist society would indeed fail, and then be replaced naturally with market-oriented (that is, profit-oriented; that is, objectively sustainable) ways of organizing life.
As for citizenship, well, that will be handled by attrition: People who already have citizenship can keep it; they can move to the U.S. to have children if they like, in order to keep their citizenship for their children. Everybody born outside of the U.S. will not be citizens.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 21 2017, @05:34PM (1 child)
Incorrect. Children of US citizens inherit the citizenship.
There are a few ways to be a US citizen. Being born inside US borders, naturalisation, and US parentage (at least one parent, not both necessarily).
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 21 2017, @06:55PM
OK, Mr. Shrute, besides the fact that such rules could be changed through a statute, here is what Wikipedia says [wikipedia.org] on the matter:
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 21 2017, @05:48PM (4 children)
There is a cozy place in hell for ignoramuses like you, right next to the "hearth". In fact you're evil enough that I think satan might let you lick his butthole clean.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 21 2017, @07:19PM (3 children)
"MUH OPPRESSION! MUH COUNTRY! DEM ILLEGALS!"
*actually they are citizens*
"MUH OPPRESSION! MUH COUNTRY! DEM ILLEGALS!"
*weeps for the future of the US*
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 21 2017, @08:19PM (2 children)
Just so you know.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 21 2017, @08:48PM (1 child)
I didn't expect to change your mind, I did intend to highlight the stupidity of the post I initially responded to. Ideological morons must be called out, even if there is zero chance of convincing them. Just so you know.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 22 2017, @09:13AM
Yes, other AC! It is not about you! ¡Piense en los niños!
(Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Thursday September 21 2017, @07:58PM (14 children)
Not so much. You should be kinder to your fellow natural-born American citizens: [wikipedia.org]
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 21 2017, @08:51PM
Facts, they are a motherfucker huh?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 21 2017, @10:46PM (12 children)
We're talking about pinching off Puerto Rico into its own, independent country.
How can you not perceive this?
(Score: 4, Insightful) by NotSanguine on Thursday September 21 2017, @11:53PM (11 children)
Because I don't care what you think or want.
Puerto Rico is part of the United States, and if, as a majority of Puerto Ricans want, we make their home the 51st state, I'm all for it. They are my brother and sister Americans and my fellow citizens. I am not of Puerto Rican extraction, but place of birth is unimportant to *real* Americans. We believe in the ideals that founded this country: You know,
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."
This includes the ideal that we are all equal under the law, That you should demean my fellow Americans is distasteful at best and verging upon sociopathy at worst.
As I said, Puerto Rico is part of the United States and Puerto Ricans are your fellow Americans. Why do you hate America and Americans? Why do you want to destroy our republic?
But I suppose you are ignorant of history. Ignorant of the toil and struggle and heartbreak and blood and treasure your freedom cost our forbears. Your hatred of all that is good about the United States sickens me.
Your callous disregard of your fellow Americans disgusts me, AC. You've done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 22 2017, @12:33AM (7 children)
Also, I don't know what you're talking about with this "brother"/"sister" nonsense. It's very strange.
(Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Friday September 22 2017, @12:54AM (6 children)
You prove my point for me. I feel sorry for you.
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 22 2017, @04:03AM (5 children)
There is nobody from Puerto Rico who is my brother or sister.
(Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Friday September 22 2017, @04:21AM (4 children)
All Americans are brethren. If you're an American and you don't get that, I pity you.
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 22 2017, @01:49PM (3 children)
Leave me alone.
If you're an American and you don't get that, I pity you.
(Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Friday September 22 2017, @03:57PM (2 children)
Given that you replied to me on a discussion site, it's clear that the moron is strong with you.
Kissy kissy, honey!
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday September 23 2017, @04:06AM (1 child)
Participating in a discussion website isn't collectivism; I choose, as an individual, to participate here.
(Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Sunday September 24 2017, @12:32AM
And so you do. However, and I assume (perhaps incorrectly) that you are responding to me because I replied to post by you [soylentnews.org].
I never mentioned collectivism, individuality or anything related to those ideas. Given what you said in that post [soylentnews.org]:
I pointed out how moronic it is to request, after *you* responded to me on an internet discussion site, that I shouldn't respond. If you really want to be left alone, why post here? And if you didn't want to engage with me, why did you engage with me? No one (Okay, I guess it's possible, but it seems unlikely in the extreme) held a gun to your head and forced you to make an ass of yourself in replies to my posts. But you did. And it seems you didn't like what I had to say.
I'm so sorry! You have been treated horribly! OMG! Someone didn't agree with you on the Internet! And what's more, they had the temerity to tell you so! Oh, the horror! Oh, the terrible unfairness of it all! Perhaps your mom will give you a hug to make you feel better. Moron. Yes, I said it again. If the shoe fits and all that...
I have no issue with the fact that you post or the idea that you should be allowed to say whatever you want. I'm a strong believer in individual choice and the freedom of expression.
So go right ahead and say whatever you want. I shall do the same.
As a parting thought, here's a piece of unsolicited advice: If you don't want to engage with someone, don't engage with them.
Have a wonderful day, AC!
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Friday September 22 2017, @02:17AM (2 children)
You sound quite Canadian, eh?
:)
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Friday September 22 2017, @02:48AM (1 child)
I quoted Thomas Jefferson and Joseph Welch [wikipedia.org]. Both Americans. I'm an American too.
So not a Canuck in sight, ya hoser! :)
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Friday September 22 2017, @11:52AM
I've got BEEEERRR!
XD
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 1, Troll) by VLM on Thursday September 21 2017, @05:19PM (4 children)
They're bilingual in the sense that in theory I can program in COBOL, but in reality that ain't happening. I met the cream of their crop in the military at a somewhat competitive school (for them to attend, anyway) and they're pretty good at the "attention" "parade rest" "about face" "dismissed" type of English and they knew all the swear words, but their general fluency was somewhat lacking beyond that point. I suppose there's humility issues, I could claim I'm bilingual because I took Spanish in high school decades ago and I still remember how to ask politely for a beer in Spanish, but I'm not "really" bilingual. In that same sense PRs that I know, are bilingual but not "really" bilingual.
That lack of fluency made the school somewhat challenging for them. And these were the best guys in the entire PR National Guard, implying...
It was essentially a sys admin class, I would imagine some training you can get by monkey see monkey do style but this class took some reading. This was one of those classes with a 100% pass rate so I can't state what they really learned or didn't learn.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by NewNic on Thursday September 21 2017, @06:57PM (1 child)
... that they hadn't been chosen for their fluency in English? That other skills were considered more important?
lib·er·tar·i·an·ism ˌlibərˈterēənizəm/ noun: Magical thinking that useful idiots mistake for serious political theory
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 21 2017, @07:00PM
... being non-white.
(Score: 2) by Spook brat on Thursday September 21 2017, @08:22PM (1 child)
I'll dispute the assertion that your classmates were the best of the PR NG. The ones I trained with had no issues with fluency whatsoever, and had less of an accent than at least two of our classmates from the mainland. I was not in a 100% pass program; the instructors were free to fail out anyone they felt couldn't cut it, resulting in the trainee being reassigned to a different specialty.
NewNic already suggested that perhaps they were being selected for a different set of skills; I'm sure your buddies in signals class were plenty smart with computers and electronics, it takes a different kind of smart to make it in HUMINT. I'll stop short of saying that that any of the intel/comms specialties attract a better class of people, despite my personal biases.
;)
Travel the galaxy! Meet fascinating life forms... And kill them [schlockmercenary.com]
(Score: 2) by VLM on Friday September 22 2017, @01:07AM
Although it superficially appears to be battle of anecdotes, with respect to the original claim of universal bilingualism...
That is a good point that I don't know how TOEFL was balanced against ASVAB. The Army has mysterious ways...