10 Things You Can Do Or ARE Doing To Make The Iowa Floods Worse

THIS IS AN EMERGENCY SARCASM ALERT: I'm Just saying~~~~~

It is Sunday around noon( finally finished after many interruptions at 2:06p.m.) and I have been contemplating this post for days, as I watch the news, and see our fellow Iowans struggling with the floods. There have been extraordinary efforts on the part of many people to assist in any way that they can to help. However, there is just as many who are doing everything in their power to make matters worse for the cities affected. I am by nature and preference a very sarcastic person, who often "attempts" to use humor to make serious points. I have seen or been told by others of the following 10 things that are occurring, and God willing will make the floods effects worse, than they have to be. I also know that even if these "offenders" read this, they are arrogant or self-absorbed enough to not recognize themselves, so basically this is just a writing exercise, and a chance to vent!!

Thanks to the awesome volunteers who have made every attempt to save their fellow citizen's homes, and business, including the college campus~~Mega~Good Karma for you ALL!!

As for those who gawked or got in the way~~may karma visit you as well, but may it be a 180 degree difference from the Good Karma people above.

This is directly from a story on the Press-Citizen online front page:Area curfews and all prior advisories against non-essential vehicle travel in the Iowa River corridor area of Iowa City still remain in effect. Streets and roadways in the river corridor area must remain clear for emergency vehicles and public safety operations. (Except for certain Special People~~She Knows Who SHE Is(part of my club), who got excellent photos of the floods for posterity's sake)!!
So the first of the 10 things to make the flood worse, would be to continue ignoring this advisory, and drive around sight seeing. Heck it is Sunday, so ignore the tragedy unfolding, load up your vehicle and go for a nice drive, possibly making sojourns to all of the affected areas, and getting in the way of people "trying" to make a difference. Hey, make it even better, and try crossing roads covered by water, maybe even getting yourself and children stranded, so valuable emergency personnel can take time away from real emergencies to save your stupid butt!!

Second, I was impressed to hear from employees coming to the mall(because we are open and those who can make it are covering for those who cannot make it in), that during the worst rains yesterday, there were actually people who had sprinklers on their lawns running--timed--"maybe", but can't they be turned off--you know just in case we end up like Cedar Rapids, and actually need the save the water resources.

A third thing you can do is go out bicycling, walking, exercising in any manner (except volunteer sandbagging or other flood related needs), so you can get nice and sweaty, and go home and take a nice, long shower. Also please wash your clothes, another sure way to use water that may be needed later. If your clothes are clean, just throw them back in for the heck of it, all the while knowing that there are people who are sitting in shelters, because their homes are under water, who have limited access to showers, clean clothes, etc.,.

A fourth way to "help" is to continue using the 911 line as an information line about the flood, even though the city officials, and law enforcement have made pleas to ONLY use 911 for an ACTUAL emergency~~Another sure sign of "concern" for your fellow Iowans, who may need the line for health problems, accidents, fires, instead of your important "need" to know "how it's going".

A fifth way to show your support, and compassion, for the flood victims, is to get out an buy a new expensive outfit, maybe a $100 pair of jeans, or some nice Michael Jordan's, instead of donating part of it to assist people who may have lost everything.

A sixth big assist for the volunteers who seemed to be annoyed by pounding on Bongo drums??? I actually read about this at the Iowa Press-Citizen online website, and it was a comment from people who signed the post~~THE SANDBAGGERS, and thanked the Bongo drum people for not only being useless, but annoying!! Maybe some "nice" accordion serenades would add to the volunteers pain as well?!

A seventh important thing to have a negative impact on the area, is to make sure you are doing your part to waste electricity. You know~~turn on all of your lights, let the dryer run with nothing in it, maybe even hook up Christmas lights if they're still up, turn on all the tv's, anything electrical, so assist in putting a strain on the electrical grid, so it will be more effort to keep pumps, and other needed equipment running.

A eighth annoyance is to call the CVB (Coralville Visitors Bureau) info line, and get upset that some businesses are closed with the classic refrain "What Flood?" Awesome! Do you ever turn on the news? You see it has been on THE National News for at least a week, and yet there are a whole lot of people who do not have a clue, and/or think it should be over, because it is "inconveniencing" them~~~just think how the flood victims have been inconvenienced~~~Oh that's right you cannot think past "yourself", so keep feeling put upon!!

A ninth thing that has been witnessed by several people, are the "geniuses" who are moving the road closed signs, putting on waders, and walking into the flood areas to fish!! Isn't it against the law to move the signs, and enter these "no access" designated areas~~~Oh right, they know that law enforcement is so busy that they do not have the resources to stop every idiot out there, but rest assured if something "bad" happens to these idiots they will be the ones screaming for help from these same "busy" law enforcement personnel!

And finally here is one that is not only happening NOW, but all of the time in Iowa City/ Coralville, and probably in every city, and that is moronic drivers who ignore emergency vehicles. The majority of driver's pull to the side when emergency vehicles are approaching, but invariably there is at least one or more vehicles, who use this opportunity to race ahead of the line of stopped vehicles, until they actually have the ambulance directly behind them and then cut in front of any vehicle that is there wthl an "aura of entitlement"!! What the hell~~that ambulance could be hauling a relative, friend, loved one, and your stupidity make it more important to get a few car lengths ahead, then do the right and legal thing~~i.e. PULL OVER!! I think we should all work to assist these "bad" drivers when this occurs~~~~I don't usually believe in snitching on people, but these can be life and death situations, so please if you see someone doing this take down their license plate number, vehicle description, time and place, and call it in to the Police. Now perhaps they cannot get in trouble right away, but perhaps the police could use this information and distribute it to their officers, and ANYTIME they see this vehicle, they may take the opportunity to do a traffic stop~vehicle safety check~~perhaps daily or several times a day, until they "understand" that they are not above the law!! An even better idea, I just received from a reader would be to get their insurance company's name if they have a insurance sticker on their vehicle, and call to inform "them" of their insureds' amazingly stupid and dangerous driving. If enough people are impacted, perhaps we can improve the safety on the roads for all of us.
One more point about driver's, and that is due to the "need" of having law enforcement in the cities, taking care of the floods, Interstate 80 has turned into the Wild West, with people often blasting by at 80 or more miles per hour, even in the 55 mph contruction area, and on at least two occasions these speeding, swerving in and out of traffic drivers, have "nearly" caused accidents with other vehicles, actually driving at the legal speed~~so if you see these people, please call them in as well!!

We have a lot to do to get through the floods, and their aftermath, and if you choose to make things better, please just don't do any of the above, and if you wish to make it as bad as possible, just go down the list and pick out your favorites (tongue firmly planted in cheek)!!
If you can think of anything else that can be "done" please comment and add them to this list!! Thanks!!

Sometimes you can make more of an impact by using humor to make a point, I hope this is one of those times!!


Have a Nice Father's Day, and Stay Safe and Dry!!

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