This Is It. Final Day

It's like he didn't even try...

Uncanny timing tonight

There was the most terrific 2 specials on tonight on the local PBS station, KCPT, about the Joplin tornado in 2011 since the anniversary was and is today.

I watched most of both.  Bawled like a baby.

The thing is, the reason I write is because, first, it was 2 years ago today but second, it's hot on the heels, of course, of the Moore, Oklahoma tornado just yesterday, the poor people.

Uncanny timing and coincidence.

Devastating.

Deadline in Disaster

A community newspaper helps its town find hope in the aftermath of the EF5-tornado that nearly destroyed Joplin, Missouri, on May 22, 2011. The Joplin Globe rolled the presses the night of the storm and hasn’t missed a beat since: continuing long hours, enduring difficult working conditions, and uncovering stories from the disaster.

Here's the 2nd:

Heartland: Portrait of Survival – 9pm

Heartland is a heartfelt portrait of the people who survived the EF5-tornado and a tribute to the lives who were lost in Joplin, Missouri, on May 22, 2011. Amateur footage, home videos, news broadcasts, police dispatch transmissions, and interviews are woven into an inspiring narrative.

If you get a chance to see either or both, by all means do.

You've no idea what they've been through unless you know someone there or you've seen one of both of  these.

Kudos, KCPT and PBS.

And may we all help the people, now, in Moore, Oklahoma.

Link:  Remembering Joplin - KCPT

Selfish, short-sighted Kansas

As I've said before, when it comes to public funds, if it's for "us", it's okay. It's great, in fact.

If it's for "them", it's bad.

Unthinkable.

Links: 

Congress OKs $9.7 billion in Sandy flood aid, with Kansas representatives voting no 
Daily Kos: The Republican hypocrites who voted against Sandy ...
  
Federal Government Responds to Devastating Greensburg Tornado

   Jim Ward for Kansas | Kansas Senate – District 28
  
Representative Jim Ward | Legislators | Kansas State Legislature
  
Jim Ward (Kansas politician) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For once and for all, could we kill the whole "FEMA Camps" notion?

Thank goodness.

Popular Mechanics, of all organizations, finally did what I was hoping someone, anyone would. They put together a seemingly complete list of claims and actual facts on what people say are "FEMA Camps" this President and his administration are creating, in which they can put us, the American people:

The Evidence: Debunking FEMA Camp Myths

Earlier this week, PM editor-in-chief James Meigs appeared on Glenn Beck's FOX news program twice to debunk conspiracy theories regarding supposed "concentration camps" being built by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. But PM's research went beyond what could fit in the short segments. Below are more details regarding some of the most prevalent claims, and facts, uncovered through PM's independent investigation.

I get so tired of hearing people claim these are being built.

Thank you, Popular Mechanics, for doing what so desperately needed to be done here.

Not that the "true believers" will believe the facts, mind you, but at least you tried and in the meantime, now we have some facts and information to go against this nonsense.

Read and see more (please) at these links: http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military/news/4312850

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,513024,00.html

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,513257,00.html

The 2011 weather year: no surprise here, right?

Hundreds of cars are seen stranded, below, from last Feb. 2, on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago after a winter blizzard of historic proportions.

It's just come out, as I predicted earlier: 2011 Breaks Record For Most Billion-Dollar Weather Disasters In terms of weather, 2011 has made it into the record books. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that during this year, there have been 12 different weather disasters that cost more than $1 billion. The previous record was nine in 2008. A few more facts from NOAA: — "These 12 disasters alone resulted in the tragic loss of 646 lives, with the National Weather Service reporting over 1,000 deaths across all weather categories for the year." — NOAA had originally counted 10 disasters, but that estimate went up after the wildfires in Texas and New Mexico exceeded $1 billion in damage. Also, NOAA just added the "June 18-22 Midwest/Southeast tornadoes and Severe Weather event, which just recently exceeded the $1 billion threshold." And we still have 23 days to go, to the end of the year. Here's hoping we're through with these weather disasters. For this year, anyway. Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/12/07/143304115/2011-breaks-record-for-most-billion-dollar-weather-disasters

On the US, "heroes" and our non-functioning systems

From yesterday's New York Times Sunday Review section: "As the national narrative shifts from the war on terror to the specter of decline, the uniform performs another psychic function. The military is can-do, the one institution — certainly the one public institution — that still appears to work. The schools, the highways, the post office; Amtrak, FEMA, NASA and the T.S.A. — not to mention the banks, the newspapers, the health care system, and above all, Congress: nothing seems to function anymore, except the armed forces. They’re like our national football team — and undisputed champs, to boot — the one remaining sign of American greatness." --William Deresiewicz, essayist, critic and author of "Solitude and Leadership", an address delivered at West Point in 2009 and widely taught in the armed forces. Link to original post: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/21/opinion/sunday/americas-sentimental-regard-for-the-military.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=our+sentimental+regard+for+soldiers&st=nyt

Can we not agree that no one should be politicizing the Haitian earthquake?

From the blog: "POLITICS FROM THE EYES OF AN EBONY MOM"

Haiti is No Hurricane Katrina

Posted on January 14, 2010 by musesofamom

Over the past few days we have looked at the utter devastation of the island of Haiti. The images are heartbreaking, but we are heartened by the response of our government. President Obama’s response has been swift, coordinated and aggressive. He said that Haiti is our neighbor and we are here to help them. In spite of our country’s best efforts we still have detractors like Rush Limbaugh use this opportunity to inject race into the situation. Limbaugh said, “This will play right into Obama’s hands. Humanitarian, compassionate. They’ll use this to, to burnish their, shall we say, credibility with the black community, the both light-skinned and dark-skinned black community in, in this country. It’s made-to-order for him. That’s why he couldn’t wait to get out there, could not wait to get out there.” The other disturbing thing about this tragedy is the constant comparisons between the Haitian earthquake and Hurricane Katrina. This is truly like comparing apples to oranges. Haiti is our neighbor it is not a state. Katrina happened in the United States and we were unable to help our own citizens. The effort in Louisiana was flawed on every level: local, state and federal. We found it incomprehensible that we were hearing US citizens being referred to as “refugees.” We had a president who initially was disengaged and FEMA who was ill-equipped and unprepared to deal with the crisis, but this was an internal problem. These were our citizens and we were responsible for their well-being. Haitians are not our citizens they are our neighbors and we are doing everything to help them, but please stop comparing this disaster to Katrina they are two very different situations.

Original link here:
http://ebonymompolitics.wordpress.com/2010/01/14/haiti-is-no-hurricane-katrina/

___________________________

You wouldn't think Rush Limbaugh or any other "Right-winger" would want to politicize the Haitian earthquake anyway, Katrina comparison or no, for two reasons: 1) It's almost unthinkable to do so, since it is a horrific natural catastrophe and 2) The case can be made, I think, that the US is responding far better to this disaster, as "Ebony Mom" states above, to Haiti's troubles off our shore than we did to a disaster in one of our own major cities, in our own country.

"Ebony Mom" also points out that the Fox "News" network ignored the Haitian earthquake in it's coverage of world news (link here: http://ebonymompolitics.wordpress.com/2010/01/15/fox-news-top-shows-ignore-the-haiti-catastrophe/) and Glenn Beck also wanted to politicize the horrible tragedy that is Haiti right now, on his show (link: http://ebonymompolitics.wordpress.com/2010/01/16/glenn-beck-says-president-obama-is-%e2%80%9cdividing-the-nation%e2%80%9d-by-reacting-so-quickly-to-haiti/)

Then, not to be outdone in both the politicization or "I'm a ranting, raving lunatic" arena, "Venezualan President Hugo Chavez claimed yesterday that the US is trying to occupy Haiti "undercover"."

Then, "Former President George W. Bush weighed in on the matter (I can hardly believe I'm saying this) and denied that President Obama is "'politicizing' Haiti".

So, finally, I ask you: "Can't we all just get along?"

Fantastic Ironies

I've written here before of my strong fondness for irony and ironies. Right now, three whoppers occurred to me so naturally I want to share.

The first is John McCain's pick for his Vice President.

Obama isn't an old white guy so he had to pick one as his VP. McCain isn't a reasonably young person, a minority to boot, with energy who might also have new ideas and creativity so that's what he picked.

How great is that?

The real irony comes in the fact that McCain's been complaining of his rival's relative inexperience and lack of seasoning and testing. So who does he pick as a possible next VP should, God forbid, something happen to him, if he's elected President? (Again, God forbid). He picks a younger person (that isn't the hard part) with EVEN LESS experience than Obama.

How can he now complain of Obama's lack of experience?

It seems he's taken away one of his own talking points.

The second delicious irony comes from quite possibly a really terrible coincidence. I got to thinking how awful it is, right now, like everyone else, that this Hurricane Gustav seems to be headed straight for New Orleans at virtually the exact 3 year anniversary of devastating Hurricane Katrina.

How terrible for the people there.

But the irony here comes from the fact that the Republican Party may have to delay it's national nominating convention that's due to start Monday. Sure, part of it is because some of these party leaders are governors and other legislators who might need to be down there, in case of any emergencies.

But the biggest reason they may need to delay is because it points out how badly this Republican administration--and party, really--mismanaged and mangled the recovery efforts in New Orleans, those 3 years ago.

Can you imagine if there's many problems down there and they go ahead with their convention? The perfect part would be the day this chucklehead President would be giving his speech. Yow. It just couldn't get any better than that.

And then there's my third, final and, I think, best irony of the day/week/month. And that is that the Republican National Convention is being held in Minnesota.

Why, you ask?

Well, because this is the one place that Senator Craig, of Idaho, cannot possibly attend because it was at this airport that he solicited a male policeman for sex in a public bathroom stall and got caught.

One more Republican officeholder, caught in illicit, public, gay sex, when this is the intolerant party that hates gays.


So there you are campers--irony. Delicious, Republican Party irony.

Enjoy.

I know I am.

"W" in N'awlunz

So "W" is going back again--the 11th time--today, to New Orleans.

Wow.

The guy has nerve or is oblivious or was just forced to go, one--or more--of the three.

With what little he and his administration has done for that city and area since Hurricane Katrina, even he's got to be ashamed. Really.

Fortunately, it looks as though his administration is going to be defined, it's thought, by the Iraq War and this under-reaction to Katrina, at the very least. Oh, that and the corruption, you can't forget the corporate corruption and graft.

He's going down, apparently, to tell them to have hope and that better days are coming, according to the speech that's been released to the press.

Hmmm. Is that like the hope his Mom told the citizens of the city were to have, when they were at the Astrodome, just after the flooding? When she said it must be an improvement for them, compared to being safe and warm in their own homes?

Anyway, "W" says 126 BILLION DOLLARS has been invested in the area.

Yeah. From the pictures and video I've seen, most of the city is still destroyed.

It's 2008, for pity's sake.

This should have been taken care of already.

And for "W" to go now, saying they should still "have hope" rings horribly hollow.

I hope he's just bright enough to be embarassed.

Honestly, I doubt it.

(Original story here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080820/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_katrina;_ylt=AiO3jw_XrF.9YeilOadFG1ID5gcF)