This is what's going on in Florida.......not good.

[KoKo]

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/

Latest Local News
• Elderly among hardest hit by ordeal
• Local mayors, residents start to get cranky
• Space crunch leads to fights, uproar at shelters
• Golf course leaves neighbors in sand trap
• Mall provides cool, safe haven from heat
• Many intersections still dangerous, officials say
• Some areas begin cleaning up Frances' debris
• Lack of electricity cripples some area banks
• First repair workers allowed onto Palm Beach
• Many in Acreage still looking for assistance
• Sewage woes growing to crisis level
• Many in Jupiter left homeless by damaged apartments
• Storm quickly upended years of beach restoration work
• Red Cross serves up 400,000 hot meals
• Lost dogs find their way home
• Donations at blood banks fall well below normal
• Curfew violations lead to 17 arrests on Treasure Coast
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/

270,000+ lack lights in PBC
Patience wears thin as FPL defends its work, saying it hopes to have everyone back on the grid by next weekend.
• 165,000 still without power on Treasure Coast
• Tempers begin to rise in Lake Worth over outages
• Restoring all phone service may take 3 weeks

President pitches in during visit
President Bush signs off on $2 billion for hurricane relief, then flies into town to help hand out supplies.

[donco6]

1. Can you imagine what'll happen if Ivan hits?

Those poor people.

[Cronus Protagonist]

34. It will be like Iraq, only wetter.

http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13

[Cha]

2. Poor Florididans! I've been there on

Kauai in '92.

I'm wondering if Florida will have to vote by paper ballots if there electricity is not back in some of the counties.

We had our electricity off for four months after Iniki. It cost Kauai $3 Billion to rebuild.

I'm glad Florida is getting the money to rebuild from all the devasting hurricanes..will Floridians be grateful enough to the bush brothers to vote for the boil on America?

[amazona]

10. iniki sounded horrible

I read an account by a family that had moved there to raise birds and they were so traumatized that they vowed never to live on an island again.

[Cha]

16. It affected people differently, of course..

I stayed there for 6 years and made a good island life for myself.

My son had been a waiter in a nice busy restaurant and then there were no restaurants Or hotels..so he started doing labor around building sites and now he can build a house and has his own business.

I'm moving back to the Islands in 2 years and can hardly wait to leave upstate New York winters!

Iniki was horrible and it happened on September 11, 1992.

[11 Bravo]

12. My wife and I were vacationing on Kauai in '92.

We flew out of Lihue (sp?) one week before Iniki hit. It broke my heart to see later pictures of the devastation brought to that beautiful little island.

[Cha]

17. You spelled it right! I landed on Kauai to

live, 2 months before Iniki hit. So I got to see the beauty of the Island before just like you did!

I'm really glad you got out a week before. I talked to some people at a hotel on the beach the day before Iniki and then saw them afterwards and they had been traumatized by the waves hitting their hotel window..and just a little bit hung over! Poor things. I don't remember why they didn't find shelter else where..cause their hotel was ruined! That was in Poipu.. I was in Koloa in my son's house that turned out was strong enough to withstand the fierce winds of a cat 5 hurricane..we just didn't know that when we were going through it.

I remember tellling all my son's surfer friends' that I loved them(kind of as a goodbye)!

[madfloridian]

3. And mostly no gas so no one can evacuate for Ivan, our third eye.

This will be the third eye to come right over us or within 15 miles, less than a month.

They sure can not say to evacuate, as there is nowhere to go and no gas to get there. Not in most areas.

We have water delivered to us and have a cooler for it. We did this years ago, just for hurricane purposes. The delivery guy from Crystal came by this week with two cases of the little bottles, said that was all they had right now. A few of the larger size left, but none of the 3 gallon we get. There were some in the store yesterday, quart size. But now that Ivan is on the way, they will go quickly.

[tnlefty]

14. We saw many FL license plates last weekend and we wondered what in

the hell do people do who don't have the financial resources to pack up and leave the state, especially for an extended period of time.

[SierraMtns]

4. Wil this affect Kerry in November?

If Bush throws billions at their aid will it hurt Kerry?

[merh]

5. It would only hurt * if he didn't. People expect the federal

funds, that is not anything generous or out of the ordinary, unless he gives it to them out of his own pocket.

If there are delays in getting the funds or if the funds are less than what the victims feel they are entitled to, that will hurt *.

IMHO

[KoKo]

29. Here's an article from "CSM" about possible economic fallout for FLA.

USA > Economy
from the September 08, 2004 edition
http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0908/p01s01-usec.html


Florida storms cutting a wide economic path
Recovery effort will buoy some industries, but many are hit hard by the hurricanes.
By Warren Richey | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
STUART, FLA. – Hurricane Frances may have almost doubled the estimated recovery cost for Florida as relief officials gear up to deal with the devastation of two hurricanes striking the same state within three weeks.


In addition to roughly $6 billion to $10 billion in insured losses from Charley, Floridians are facing an additional $5 billion to $10 billion in losses from Frances, according to AIR Worldwide. A similar forecasting firm, Risk Management Solutions of Newark, Calif., places the cost of Frances slightly lower, at $3 billion to $6 billion, in addition to $6 billion to $8 billion for insured losses from Charley.

The estimates represent only insured losses. Uncounted in the estimates is damage to roads, bridges, and other public infrastructure, along with the cost of business disruptions. They also do not include hurricane insurance deductibles, as well as flood losses, which are not covered by private insurance companies. "Generally, the total economic losses are roughly double the insured losses," Mr. Gannon says.

Although natural disasters cause a significant setback to the economy, government officials and economists say recovery efforts can also trigger an economic boom within certain industries. Debris removal and tree-trimming companies are in high demand, as are roofers and general contractors. Those who sell construction materials will be busy for years in certain parts of Florida. The ripple effect from these activities will help dampen other economic losses in the hardest-hit areas.

But the destruction and any prolonged lack of electric power may cause some struggling business to fail. While roofers and insurance adjusters (mostly arriving from out of town) are hard at work, some hurricane survivors may find themselves both homeless and unemployed.

[merh]

33. Since I live in the south on the Gulf of Mexico, I am well aware

of the lingering effects of a hurricane. Thanks for the link!

[Pigkiller]

8. Right back to politics.

People are suffering greatly and they have another one bearing down. And your worried about political strategy and how the damage to these peoples lives will affect the candidates. Sweet Jesus.

[Jacobin]

13. The politics of getting rid of Bush* are FAR more important

than 3 million Floridians temporarily out of power.

We caused a man-made horror of 26 million Iraqis out of power, out of work, bombed out, destroyed cities, and no end in sight.

We have to get rid of Bush, or the rest of the Middle East will be in the same shape in the next four years.

[Pigkiller]

26. Right.

Much more important than Floridians suffering. Your right. I stand corrected. Sorry.

[merh]

32. Being on the verge of World War III and a nuclear war is

the most important issue! * is trying to destroy our world.

[Cha]

19. Lighten up! We're talking reality here!

I asked the same damn question! bush is trying to buy votes in Florida with funds that didn't come for other catastropies..we have every right to know :wtf: is going on!!

[Pigkiller]

28. WTF is going on

is people in Florida have been hit by 2 hurricanes with a third one on the way. They are taking a lot of heat. Power isn't the only problem there I assure you. Politics come secondary to Americans suffering.

[Misunderestimator]

35. Republican politics lately is the CAUSE of Americans suffering

And the suffering will be MUCH greater than three devastating hurricanes if Bush is reelected.

[Name removed]

39. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Misunderestimator]

41. Have a nice stay Striker/Slappy/Pigkiller

[Cha]

38. I have Family and Friends in Florida..so don't

lecture me. And I've been through a cat 5 hurricane. We can ask about bush without getting scolded by you.

[Misunderestimator]

20. Hey... don't I know you? Your posts seem eerily similar

to someone who was here yesterday. :shrug:

[Generic Other]

6. I heard that the promised monies from Charley have yet to materialize

I've been told the bad check's in the mail.

:shrug:

[KoKo]

22. Bush always "promises" but doesn't deliver...it's a pattern, but one would

hope he wouldn't diss his own brother by promising and not delivering... :wow:

[Search Party]

7. can you say martial law?

"it's too dangerous to get out and vote."

[Cha]

21. Yeah, I'm concerned about how they will vote.

Why not paper ballots? They need monies for election day.

[KoKo]

9. I think the "sewage lift" stories are the worst. Environmental nightmare,

but in the long run it might lead to improvements in sewage management and tightening codes which in the long run will be better for everyone living there.. Not much consolation to anyone living through sewage problems now though...:-(

[hatrack]

18. No, no -that might hurt property values and slow the pace of development

And that, you see, will never be allowed to happen in Florida!

[Cha]

23. Tampa Bay didn't sound too healthy from the article

I read on what was caused to spill in there by one of the hurricane's.

[Blue Wally]

45. When the sewage plants are on higher ground............

you need lift plants to get a flow toward the sewage plant. Shit only rolls downhill. No electric, no lift.

[Jacobin]

11. It makes me wonder how the people of Iraq are coping

With power outages lasting 18 months in 120 degree heat, with only power for a couple of hours a day, shootings going on, bombings, having their doors broken down at night by U.S. search parties, 70% unemployment, families and friends killed, by an INTENTIONAL man made invasion.

I sympathize with Floridians. I've been through the aftermath of hurricanes with no power for a week. However, it is easier to deal with knowing its just a natural event that could not be avoided, as opposed to a policy of a warmongering nation.

I hope Ivan does not come to Florida. You guys have had enough.

[Cha]

24. The Poor Iraqis..no one mentions them...

How many have died from our bombs..or how they are coping with no electricity!

[DrWeird]

27. Forget the Iraqis.

I know people in Florida who have had their cable knocked out! For hours!

[KoKo]

30. I wondered if folks would begin to think about the comparisons. Sometimes

it takes a jolt like this for all of us to have "empathy." And, this storm has caused much damage in Western NC, SC and Maryland with tornadoes and over a foot of rain in many places.

Not hearing that on CNN/MSNBC, either...

[Blue Wally]

46. It is there

Just not 24/7 on all stations. Rain and floods are not as dramatic as the approach of a hurricane.

[Pigkiller]

31. Iraq

is a war mongering nation.

[camero]

36. HAHA

and the US is such a peace-loving nation? Au contraire.

[DrWeird]

37. Ha ha.

yup. Like that time they invaded the United States.

[Cha]

42. Thousands of Iraqis have been killed by our

bombs..I know that doesn't mean shit to pigkillers!

[watercolors]

40. Yes we have!

We 've been thru two now, I'm in denial for the third one. Still without power, 90 degree weather , now we just had a mean thunder storm that dropped about 2 inches. Can you say enough already! We just got a generator hooked up, and at least we will have some relief. With the house shuttered up, it dark and hot, lived on the patio most of the time. Have spent days cleaning up debris from fallen trees, still have a pile from charley!

Went to the publix market today for some fresh fruit and vegggies, it was so bare. People were in a daze, looking very tired and sad, some still in shock. No one much talked, just got what they could find,and left. Usually its a meeting place for most of us regular customers.

Without power we had to use our battery radio, and only decent channel close for imformation was a clear channel station. They did a great job, but I had to listen to people gripeing about not being able to hear Rush. Then they were calling in so excited about the bush boys handing out ice! It was vomit time for me, had to turn it off.

[BeFree]

15. Do you feel safer?

Hurricanes are no surprise, Florida has been expecting them forever.

So why wasn't the state prepared? Why aren't the critical infrastructure needs designed to remain working after a hurricane?

Maybe because Republicans have castrated government?

This should prove, once and for all, that the Repug-lickans can't even plan for a rainy day.

If they can't even plan for a rainy day, what can they ever do about surprises? As 9/11 showed: NOTHING.

[bandy]

25. there are some desperate people here in W. Palm Beach

and north. Jeb couldn't get his face on TV enough to tell us there was an army waiting to help us. where the hell are they. my family is ok but i felt guilty along with joy when our power came back last night. a lot of people don't have food, water, ice, and some are flooded out. please pray for Florida.

[tblue37]

43. I find myself worrying

that the people who are least able to function after being hit by all these hurricanes are the ones who are most likely to vote Dem--i.e., the poor, African-Americans, the elderly. I could see the well-heeled making it to the polls while those less well off don't, because of the chaos and because they have too much else going on.

I also worry that the chaos in Florida will make it that much easier for the Republicans to play the voter fraud game and steal the election.

[Cha]

44. I worry about that, too! jeeby and his gang of

cutthroats will try and figure out a way to use all this chaos to their advantage big time!

Take that, pigkiller!