IIRC they are specifically printed on the back about not laminating.

Reason for not laminating SS cards is that counterfeit cards
are hard to detect if laminated. Counterfeiters can make cards that defy detection if laminated. Instead of laminating, keep it a plastic sleeve that is not sealed shut.

I agree so far as planning. But I'm willing to bet that people will get out of dodge next time it is suggested. Mayors will ask govenors before it is a crisis, governors will activate the guard and talk to the feds before it is a crisis, and the feds might actually start funding some engineering projects that are way over due. And I'm betting FEMA is going to be totally rebuilt.

>> people will get out of dodge next time <<

Maybe you're right. I still disagree, tho I wish it could be otherwise. Here are some of my thoughts on this:

Many people did leave NO. Perhaps a few more will try to evacuate in another time/place. But I suspect that most of the folks stranded in NO had no means by which to leave and/or had nowhere to go. If they had simply walked out of town (a daunting task on many levels!), they may have simply died in the open a little farther inland. Complete evacuation of large metro areas has been an impossible nightmare to plan for for nearly 50 years. It's simply not logistically practical; do some "evacuation calculus" and you'll see what I mean.

And in 24 hours or less, where do we put a half a million folks evacuating a city anyway? (The number should have been much greater - maybe more like a million).

I wrote an evacuation plan that two years later was actually used successfully. But it was a small militray installation and the reason for evacuation was wildfire; it was a fairly localized situation and it was not really a cross section of ordinary urban folk - military and their families. Everyone owned good working vehicles sufficient for their families plus there were military vehicles there plus more available from a larger installation a little over 100 miles away. And we had no hospital patients because there was no hospital there. No elderly. Etc. A small town of, say, 10,000 souls could substantially pull it off if everyone worked together, sure. A city of 100,000 or more? Forget it - it's not going to happen very well.

Now that I've flogged the dead horse... it IS time for civic leaders everywhere to carefully and realistically examine how to evacuate their community with no outside help, make plans, and share those plans with their citizens. I don't expect many citizens will read the plans and comment. Also, any plan that does not factor in the helpless and hopeless is not realistic

Regards,

Tom

San Antonio is one of the most flood prone cities in the nation. In 1987-88, then Mayor Henry Cisnereos used the flood drowning death of one of my clients to promote a bond issue which was then the largest in history. Now, nearly 20 years down the road, the work that money was meant for is only about 50% done and the money is 100% expended. A lot of the work in question was to be joint projects with the City, the State, and the Corp. The Corp never had enough money, the State ran out on money, and inflation ate up the City's money. That is the practical reality of getting anything done for public safety infrastructure.

Virtually the entire state of Texas is covered by one flood control district, river authority, or other water district, and often more than one. The result is that for any given geographical point, there may be as many as 7 governmental and quasi-governmental entities with some degree of jurisdiction, some financial interest, and 'turf' to protect.

You can't do a flood project without messing with the roads; you can't move the road without messing with utilities; you can't mess with utilities without dealing with public works; you can't get public works to move until they have sessed the public, who will complain no matter what they do.

Am I frustrated? You bet. I've been beating my head against these walls for nearly 20 years.

Two words: ID Theft.

Your money can be stolen from you by someone who assumes your identity and opens accounts in your name. All they need is your name and SS number.

That's why your SS card should be at home in a strongbox or in a safe deposit box. Just Google around a bit. You will find I know from whence I speak.

-- Craig

If you're working in the nuclear industry, you NEED it every time you process into a new plant... they want to copy THE ORIGINAL CARD, a D.L. or birth certificate isn't enough.

Troy