Mott the Hoople and the game of Life. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

The same reason we still use the pulley, the lever, the screw, the wedge, the inclined plane, the gear and the wheel.

Lack of foresight--NASA didn't bring back enough moon rock to build proper levies.

acurus: pulley, the lever, the screw, the wedge, the inclined plane, the gear and the wheel.

...pottery, the knife, brick...

I misread that as "sorority" and thought maybe some college girls were really overachieving on their extra-curriculars.

Isotope: ...pottery, the knife, brick...

...fire...

It doesn't make sense to send the sandbags to the moon, and we have to use them somewhere.

Back when NASA made that first booster rocket from sandbags we learned a lot about melting points.

God rest those sorry souls.

acurus: The same reason we still use the pulley, the lever, the screw, the wedge, the inclined plane, the gear and the wheel.

Say what you want. I think the pulley is a fad.

Uh.

We haven't done it right in 40 years so get your shovel.

Going off on a tangent, several years ago I remember an article in Popular Mechanics or Popular Science that was gushing about a new "basic" invention (like the lever, the inclined plane, and the screw). It was essentially two cylinders separated by a planar spring curved into an elongated S shape. The cylinders were stuck in the curves of the S. It kind of looked like one way you would set up two pulleys, except it used a spring instead of a rope.

Anyway, I can't remember what it was called, and I never heard anything about it again. I was wondering if anyone remembered it, and what the name was.

Jeezus, everybody knows the pulley is a hoax. Scientists have admitted centrifical force is non existent.

The most quickly and easily portable watertight-ish ingredient for barrier building? What you got, used condoms? I did not rtfa, but I wish I had. Alas, it is too late now, I see this thread has gone live.

Because technology will not save you when nature decides to kick your ass.

Because it's more cost effective if people just STFU and die?

Because dead babies would be too obvious?

Your mom is not there to suck the river dry in time.

Was there something on the moon that we should have brought back to prevent flooding?

We never went to the moon all fake. Watch a funny thing hapened on the way to the moon. great movie

In the future we'll just used the three shells to fix all our problems.

Very stupid question.

Are we supposed to have invisible force fields by now?

Why do we still use wheels?
Why do we still cut vegetables with a knife?
Why do we still light cigars with matches?
..........etc.........

Why does a society that can send a man to the moon still use sandbags to stop flooding?

Why do people in a society that has created millions of pages on the internet still read 'slate'?


At least real (vs cyber) tabloids can be used to wrap fish, or TP in an emergency. Slate on the other hand, no use at all.

A levee made of Space Shuttles would look super-cool.

Blue Oyster Cult said it best:
"History shows again and again
How nature points out the folly of men"

They're cheap, lo-tech, and they work.

*ReadsTFA*

yup...

The bags are to keep the sand from washing away as easily, subby.

Send the excess water to the Moon!

Brilliant!

Because they're a lot like your mother: Cheap, and can hold their own under a lot of liquid pressure.

FTFA: Because they're cheap, easy to use, and usually effective.

We still use lightbulbs that were invented by Thomas Edison over 100 years ago! (Well, 98% of us).

/And vastly inefficient pieces of crap that they are as well!
//Ditto with 100 year old technology in gas engines.

acurus: The same reason we still use the pulley, the lever, the screw, the wedge, the inclined plane, the gear and the wheel.

Thank you. WTF does the editor want us to do, lay rockets down side by side?

The trained beavers just weren't working out.

They work good.

OTOH, we haven't been to the moon since I was a toddler and I now have the first grey hairs coming into my beard.

If we had to have a man on the moon next month, I bet we couldn't do it.

1) The US is no longer a society that can send a man to the moon, the used to be one, and they are trying to become one again, but at the moment they aren't.
2) The reason you still have to use sandbags is because of failed water-management. Rivers are supposed to flood once in a while, the trick is to make sure it floods in the correct place. Hire some Dutch people to fix it for you.

The Netherlands doesn't use sandbags

because they are fun?

Why does a society that can send a man to the moon still use sandbags to stop flooding re-build in the floodplain?

oh_noes111: They work good.

OTOH, we haven't been to the moon since I was a toddler and I now have the first grey hairs coming into my beard.

If we had to have a man on the moon next month, I bet we couldn't do it.

Sure we could. Getting him back might be a problem, though.

Sandbags should be replaced with Lincoln Logs and Legos. They did that in southern Libya, and that area has never suffered a flood.

Note: We can't send a man to the moon anymore. We cut the budget.

Actually, we can't send man to the moon any more. Don't have the boost capacity since Tricky Dick killed Saturn production, and the POS Shuttle can't get out of LEO.

Snarfangel: oh_noes111: They work good.

OTOH, we haven't been to the moon since I was a toddler and I now have the first grey hairs coming into my beard.

If we had to have a man on the moon next month, I bet we couldn't do it.

Sure we could. Getting him back might be a problem, though.

can I suggest a few individuals for the trip?

Lionel Mandrake: They're cheap, lo-tech, and they work.

*ReadsTFA*

yup...

Well if were not going to create some new uber anti-flood tech like escalating sea walls or say installing huge pumps around flood zones so the become as common as fire hydrants. Then the least we can do is improve the sand bag huh? Why dont we fill the sand bags with super absorbant material reminiscant of a diaper and make them more efficiant they would be lighter and easily portable when not in use and be far superior to the current bags?

Because it is the one thing funbags cannot do.

How about not allowing people to live in an area that's prone to flooding?

Gosh no, makes too much sense. Everyone knows the way of life in such places goes like this

1. Rain
2. More rain
3. Flood
4. Huge farkin flood
5. Lose everything
6. Collect insurance
7. Profit!
8. Rinse, repeat....



/yes I m trolling
//a bit of truth here, eh?

Roto-Rot: Why does a society that can send a man to the moon still use sandbags to stop flooding re-build in the floodplain?

I came here to say the same thing. Contour maps, read 'em, peoples.

Because we still build levees, and structures in flood paths. Two low tech and poorly planned solutions deserve another.

Why do people live in earthquake zones? Tornado alley? Hurricane zones? Next to volcanoes? etc;

FEMA recently rezoned my house to a 100 year flood. Did not buy in a flood zone but now reside in one...suxxalot

Use giant tampons. (And big pantie liners with wings to wrap around doors.) Then just tie the strings together afterwards and tow them away. Simple.

/make sure the "for heavy periods" to avoid leakage