Bombs Away

No, the devestation from our recent contretemps does not resemble the aftermath of a nuclear bomb. Fire and Flood leave quite distinct markings on the land.

Peace At Last

If Peace can be described as that period of time during which no one beyond the families of the fallen pays any attention to military casualties, then Katrina has brought America Peace.

Race and Risk

Some have said that race played a role in the risk of death from Katrina. In fact, it is too early to tell which way the odds will break. We currently have no idea how many are dead much less the racial composition of the dead compared to the racial composition of the affected parishes/counties.

It's possible that the white death rate was higher than the black death rate. We'll see. I expect the total deaths will be lower than many current guesses.

One thing we do know is that sex, age, income, race, ethnicity, and religion played a significant role in deaths on 9/11. Male, young, affluent, white, Irish & Italian, Catholics were disproportionately represented among the dead because of the demographics of both the financial services industry and the various fire and police departments.

Given the firms for whom many of those in the World Trade Center worked (as well as the large number of fire fighters and other rescue workers) the other demographic facts should not be that surprising. The victims were overwhelmingly male (about 75 percent), young (many under 40, most under 50), and white (about 75 percent). Only about eight percent were black, nine percent Hispanic, and about six percent Asian. About 75 percent were born in the United States; the rest came from many countries. Together New York and New Jersey accounted for about 87 percent.

We now know that the Upper East Side had the most losses (44), while Hoboken, NJ had the highest proportion of loss of any area, losing 39 residents, or about one per thousand. The number is probably even higher if parental addresses are taken into account. It is not surprising that many of the victims lived in very affluent parts of the metropolitan area, including the Upper East Side and Basking Ridge New Jersey.

I wonder why none of those communities complained?

I Have Proof! Proof!

I have proof that Federal Reserve Notes are not money. Read it and weep:

"This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private, and is redeemable in lawful money at the United States Treasury, or at any Federal Reserve Bank."

"Will pay to the bearer on demand FIVE DOLLARS"

I don't think you can redeem these FRNs any more. But back when you could wander into your neighborhood Federal Reserve Bank and demand "lawful money of the United States", they would dig out some US Notes and hand them over: