I think W's background as an oil-man would likely have done that, you guys are 100% right. It doesn't make it correct, but I bet it would've happened.

The sand barriers thing -- I heard the presser yesterday and the on-site commander (name escapes me) had a pretty reasonable answer, including:

a) this is a non-trivial request -- probably 3+ months to build
b) the sand barriers present immense logicstical problems (e.g. where to get the sand from)
c) the impact of making them is in and of itself an ecological impact, not to be taken lightly

It's easy to point the "inaction on our request" finger, but the "do no harm" Hippocratic oath might lead us to be a bit thoughtful before going here. I'm as frustrated as anyone that this all is going on, but let's not make it worse by guessin and taking wild shots.
_________________________
The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope. -John Buchan