Sure, the storm was bad, but . . . (FR Mentioned)

St. Petersburg Times ^ | 11/05/05 | TAMARA LUSH

[conservative in nyc]

Some FReeper's comments were published in the St. Petersburg Times. Who was it?

[Choose Ye This Day]

Yeah, but it knocked out the DUmmie FUnnies for almost two weeks!!!

That's devastation!

[conservative in nyc]

Smile! Your commentmade the St. Petersburg Times!

[this_ol_patriot]

It was a little overcast here today, I feel I am entitled to a free bag of chips and a coke. If I don't get them in 10 minutes Bush sucks and I will never again vote for Pat Buchanan.

[Travis McGee]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1509513/posts

To: cinives
I agree with you 100%. I live in South Florida. I lost my home during Hurricane Andrew and rebuilt. People are just depending on the government for everything. I can understand if your home is totally destroyed with everything in it. But the local officials are not Houdini and they tell everyone over and over to have water, non perishable products, etc., for every member of your family for a few days.

People need to be prepared and they are not because most of them are irresponsible and depending on the government for everything. When the gov. does not have bottles of water and ice on their footstep an hour after the hurricane they are complaining. Tough. Be responsible and stop the dependance on others.

Let them whine.

47 posted on 10/26/2005 8:15:50 AM PDT by rep-always

[Kozak]

George W. Bush is forgetting about the little people, just like in New Orleans," said Cassie Williams, 51, of Fort Lauderdale. "We need food, we need water and we need checks."

We need a swift kick in the ass.

[Lancey Howard]

"George W. Bush is forgetting about the little people, just like in New Orleans," said Cassie Williams, 51, of Fort Lauderdale. "We need food, we need water and we need checks." Williams, whose home was not damaged, railed against the system on Oct. 26 - two days after the storm hit (etc.)

Look up "Democrat" in the dictionary and Williams' picture is right there.

[JennysCool]

"We need food, we need water and we need checks."

You're right. It's a mantra.

[willyd]

"Certainly, no one thinks that people who lose their homes during a hurricane should shoulder the burden of rebuilding themselves, or that people should be punished for not preparing better."

This is unbelievable...of course you should shoulder the burden of rebuilding yourself. If you don't have the means, you can purchase insurance. If it is too expensive to own a house with the proper insurance, you can rent. If you lose your job because of a storm, you can move to where the jobs are....people have done this for hundreds of years in this country and now all of a sudden this option is off the table? My father worked in oil and this meant that every couple of years we moved. We went where the jobs were and made the best of it. I didn't always want to move schools again, or learn a new culture and language, but we did it anyway. Looking back, the experience was invaluable because it allowed me to see how life really is in third world countries and gain an appreciation for what we have here. I wish people would look at their relocations as an opportunity instead of a burden.

[conservative in nyc]

Let's see. Ms. Williams' house wasn't damaged, so she doesn't need money to fix it. She was waiting in line to get a "lukewarm" chicken meal from the Salvation Army, so she doesn't need money for food. So why does she need "checks"?

And if her house wasn't damaged and she prepared before the storm, why isn't there some food left in the house two days later? Maybe because she didn't adequately prepare in the first place?

And I should feel Ms. Williams because...

[MonroeDNA]

I'm in Fort Lauderdale.

What a bunch of babies. We knew it was coming for a week, and still people with low IQ's or government dependents did not prepare.

I put up some shutters, filled the empty bottles with water, bought dogfood for my labs, canned good for myself, and hunkered down.

No power for a week, no water, and I am fine. Drained the water heater for toilet duties, bought a generator, and laugh at those maroons who didn't listen.

You gotta be tough when you are stuck on stupid.

[Caipirabob]

Morning all! I think I read this same post on NautiNurse's Live Wilma Thread.

Well, whoever posted those words of wisdom, you're "almost famous". : )

My roof patches applied on 10/25 held perfectly. Today I'm making a 6:00AM run to Home Depot for more tar and to see if I can find any shingles. I'll do a "roof over" on the parts I suspect are weak. I believe we'll be waiting for quite a while for a new roof.

I don't want to rely on a tarp. I've helped my neighbors put them on their houses because their damage is so tremendous and wide spread over their roofs. Mine is over 8 spots or so, maybe 100 sqft ripped off. Their roofs have sheets of plywood exposed.

The roof cement held and we had NO LEAKS in the following days of rain this past week and a half. I can't enourage you enough to pursue long term repairs while you wait for adjustments. Document the damage with photos and get to the suppy store.

So I'll do a roof-over on mine and try to talk the neighbors into doing their own repairs until they can get a new roof. I we wait and more rain comes, it's a hell of a way to treat a nigh half million buck investment. I'm not waiting.

[NautiNurse]

St. Pete Times reads FR hurricane threads

[Alia]

Thanks for the ping! Article authored by Tamara Lush. Wish I had a name like that. :)

[Alia]

Ping to #5.

[Fritzy]

Morning... Just returned from a long out of the country business trip...had to catch up with all of of you.. however, you are terrific keeping everyone up on the news.. connecting people and providing a platform for communication among our FRiends.. now let's look at all of the "white collar" response to the Wilma situation...
I have an in-law living in Palm Beach Gardens Florida.. last year a hurricane blew off several pieces of his garage roof.. he had FEMA folks come out to take a look and they gave him the full cost of his roof for complete replacement - he personally fixed the few shingles, pocketing the FEMA check... well.. it happened again...

Wilma blows through and now the SAME shingles left his home.. he is the first to connect with FEMA.. asking for another full roof replacement.. and guess what.. they have already assessed the damage and agreed to the full cost of yet another replacement... check is on its way...

Now this same inlaw just purchased a mobile travel home - cost? $125,000. - paid cash.. has owned his home for forty years, is an early retiree of a major aircraft firm with a $4,000 a month retirement check, plus his Social Security...

Last night he called to tell us that he has bottled water for the next six months, two cases of canned tomatoes, butter, cheese, and a check for $400. for groceries... all from FEMA...

I am SO disgusted.. I am not sure that I can actually face this man at Christmas dinner..

Frankly, I don't believe this is an isolated case.. millions of dollars are going down the drain - not just from poor people who are milking the system - but out and out thieves with the means to stand on their own..

There should be a huge FEMA overhaul.. extensive records (Check out the IRS, or Social Security they can spot a person in a New York minute.. no matter who..). and then trained outreach personnel that can use a hand computer on site... this is absolutely nutz!

Now for the rest of the story.. this same in-law told us in last night's conversation that he was taking his new Mobile to Miami (full expenses paid) to help with the Wilma Mop Up.. hired by.. you guessed it.. FEMA in DC... go figure!

Have to catch up with my desk.. thanks for caring so much for our FReepers.. my hat is off to you!

The Traveling Fritzy - still making my own living...

[SE Mom]

Our fame spreads near and far!

If only the EDITORIAL board of the St Pete Times were open to the ideas expressed on FR:)

[NautiNurse]

I am SO disgusted.. I am not sure that I can actually face this man at Christmas dinner..

Send him over here for dinner. Will make certain he gets the message. :o)

Thanks for checking in. Appreciate your kind sentiments. Welcome home!

[NautiNurse]

This is a terrific article. Tamara Lush not only has a marvelous name, she also has her head on straight. Good work.

[Alia]

I agree with you: she also has her head on straight.

I saw clips on tv of people complaining. I turned the TV off. Perhaps the MSM might consider "showcasing" those who do the right thing, post-storm, next time? It might just set a positive example for others.