Here is the indirect reason for this entry. Via Espn of all things.

"At a marina near Russell Springs, workers spent Monday moving million-dollar houseboats to moorings where they can stay afloat after the water recedes.

"We're kind of at a loss," said Estelee Slusser, who operates the Alligator Dock No. 1 marina. "It has just happened so quickly. We really don't know what to do."

The Army Corps notified local officials and business owners before making the plan public Monday. Slusser said she learned of it Friday."

     Of course the project planning for this has been ongoing since 2004 (further references sources from even earlier) but you can't expect a business owner whose livelihood depends on the dam's condition to pay attention to that can you? Of course not, it is Bush's fault for not personally going door to door with a bullhorn, fliers, unique interpretive dance routine, and a pop-up book to explain it to people by force.

     Now I know the popular concept of municipalities abusing their authority is something akin to the opening scenes from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy wherein a hapless citizen's house is slated for destruction because he didn't read the obscure unannounced plans in the City's basement but the reality is usually that people are too lazy to pay attention.

     Back home in backwoods Minnesota I remember an episode where a highway bypass had been in the works for over a decade. For 2 years or more prior to any construction there was a series of town meetings held to discuss proposed bypass location with local property owners. Most didn't bother attending.

     When it came time for the State to buy the land and start demolishing any buildings on it several of the property owners who had land on the list went ballistic. Who were they? Shockingly, they were the ones who didn't bother going to town meetings. Guess what folks, when some owners show up and other don't it is generally the ones who showed up who have policy input. Genius really.

     What really galled me about the property owners supposed "surprise" was that I knew where the goddamned thing was going to run and I was a 14 year old kid working at a full service gas station/grocery/bait store/coffee/3.2% beer bar/game registration point! How the hell did these "pillars of the community" get away with claiming "ignorance"? Well they didn't. They all lost their court cases (since the State had been waaay more than diligent) and had to sell their land.

     Pay attention. Don't whine. Move on.