Oklahoma City: "Many have added being broke to shivering in the darkness"

[Amerigo Vespucci]

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma (AP) -- More than 100,000 homes and businesses remained without power Monday, more than a week after an ice storm battered Oklahoma, and the emergency has outlasted the ability of many residents to pay for it.

Some depleted their funds before the storm stocking up on food that went bad after the power went out, while others used money to stay in a hotel, thinking power would be restored within a day or two.

"We've had people using generators who ran out of money for fuel to operate the generators," said Vince Hernandez, chairman of the American Red Cross of Central Oklahoma.

Hundreds of people found a place to sleep and hot meals over the weekend at a temporary shelter established at the Cox Convention Center in downtown Oklahoma City. Officials reported 349 people stayed at the shelter Sunday night, down from more than 400 on Friday and Saturday nights.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/12/17/winter.storm.ap/index.html

[MadMaddie]

1. This is America's infrastructure folks...fragile as an ice sculpture

and brittle as an egg shell..

No one is screaming about this...why are so many areas failing to restore electricity and other basic services.

* Administration has ignored this to America's peril. They want to build a fucking fence but not enhance an aging 50-60 year old infrastructure that is on the brink of calamity.

Sigh....

[MikeNearMcChord]

2. Boy I wish I had the money to get a giant Billboard

With Shrub's face on it with the words, HE DOESN'T GIVE A FLYING F@@@!Maybe that might bring it home to some of the red staters. BTW is there any help going on those who are suffering?

[Amerigo Vespucci]

3. Kanye West only got part of it right.

"...George Bush doesn't care about black people..."

It doesn't stop there, folks. Of course, I agree with Kanye 100%...but there are several other chapters in THAT book. Unless you're one of the "haves" or "have mores," you're pretty much on your own.

[Lex1775]

4. This little bit made me shake my head in wonder...

"Some depleted their funds before the storm stocking up on food that went bad after the power went out, while others used money to stay in a hotel, thinking power would be restored within a day or two."

A cooler packed with snow or ice and placed in a secure location outside would've kept a lot of that food from spoiling for a few days. Also, why would you stock up on food that could spoil without electrical power??? Canned goods and bottled water!

This makes me think the "dumbing" down of America has gone much further than many people fear...

[Subdivisions]

5. Yes. I have to take issue with that also.

I had the pleasure of living in Oklahoma (Perkins) for a time and Oklohomans are a tough, smart bunch. They know what an ice storm is and they know better than to buy perishables in an emergency.

Too bad they're not more progressive in their politics.

[KatyaR]

6. I can only speak for myself--

I was prepared for the storm, had candles and flashlights and a battery-operated TV and radio, but I never thought that I would be without power for 4 days--4 hours maybe, but not 4 days. I was lucky--some people still don't have power, and it was a week Sunday. All I could do when I got home from work each night was to put on lots of clothes and try to not freak out from sitting in the cold and near dark for hours on end. I never once thought to get ice for my fridge or put my food outside. All I was concerned about was trying to survive and figure out how I was going to make myself presentable enough to go to work each day.

I ended up throwing out three large trashbags of food and spenting about $160 to replace it all. I won't soon forget that lesson. There are a lot of people hurting here in a lot of ways right now. I consider myself extremely lucky.