"Supply side economics saved me — not big government and not Marxism! On my own, I have plenty of supplies that I bought from Costco: food, water, and toilet paper. Big government gets an F in disaster relief for New York City following Hurricane Sandy. I am doing fine!"
Hey Beak, glad to hear that you are doing fine. It really is to bad though that our WELL FINANCED Government isn't doing such a great job, not that anyone ACTUALLY expected them to. Just another case of WASTED tax money.
ReplyDeleteIs Beak going to repair the subway, get the power back on, replenish the gasoline supplies,manage the clean up, perform the rebuilding?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad he's okay but the man is a little off.
People who depend on the government learn in times like this that they should have prepared for hard times themselves, as your friend here did.
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine what this world would be like if EVERYONE depended on government??? We're half way there now.
Debbie
Right Truth
http://www.righttruth.typepad.com
Is the city government going to get the power back on, replenish gasoline supplies or perform the rebuilding?
ReplyDeleteWho knew?
btw - the government IS. going to help replenish gas supplies... by suspending the Jones Act (regulations).
ReplyDelete?thanks, Barry!
What the hell is the Jones Act? I HATE cryptic references from those who assume everybody knows as much as they do. - Bea Fowler
ReplyDeleteThe Jones Act is a law that requires that all goods travelling between two American ports be carried on American ships.
ReplyDeleteSaw people all jumping up and down today on TV because help was 4 days in arriving, and saw an article on Fox.com news how linemen were getting pelted with eggs and curses when they were finally able to start repairing power lines, by people who thought they should have been there earlier.
ReplyDeleteWhat I REALLY saw was how so many of us feel so entitled and dependent at the same time, and how hostile they can get when their whiny asses aren't catered to immediately.
When my power goes out, naturally I would like to have it on again, but I also have a generator in the garage I can fire up and plug into if I have a real need for electricity. I have plenty of extra blankets and sleeping bags, plenty of dry and canned food, several camp stoves and plenty of fuel plus my propane bbq and as long as the faucets still work, no problem.
We sure have gotten soft.
Good questions Ducky... But I note you fail to ask why supplies for the nation's largest city were not pre-positioned in advance of the storm?
ReplyDeleteAnd why after spending nearly ONE TRILLION on stimulus projects to benefit Democrat constituencies Obama couldn't spend some to make the subways and tunnels less prone to flooding.
What should come first is food, water and shelter, then work on the power lines, subways and other things.
ReplyDeletePeople should come first. The government once again failed!
I know when we suffered a terrible ice storm and were of out electricity for 12 days, we never heard from anyone. We took care of ourselves. We used our generator and thanked God for our gas water heater and stove. We had non-perishable foods. And cash on hand, since we couldn't use our credit cards or debit cards.
And my husband's family are all hunters, so wild game wouldn't be a problem, yech! But it would be food.
Water is the biggest issue. Our weather forecasters warn us in plenty of time to prepare for disasters and we were expecting freezing rain, but not to the extent that we experienced.
However, I did win a reading contest!
The situation in the portion of NYC where Beak lives is horrific. Really horrific.
ReplyDeleteTHE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SITUATION IS NOT BEING REPORTED BY ANY OF THE MEDIA!
FEMA is AWOL so far in that particular section of the city -- never mind Obama's recent photo op and promises of help.
The weather forecast at the moment indicates that a snowstorm will move into the NYC area on Wednesday.
Duck mentioned that the government should repair the subway, get the power back on, replenish the gasoline supplies,manage the clean up, perform the rebuilding.
ReplyDeleteThose are the tasks that the government should be moving in the direction of. However, from what Beak told me, nothing is actually mobilizing -- at least, as far as he can see from where he is.
I read online that non-union electricians are being turned away and bodies are being found all over the place; the Red Cross is offering cookies and hot chocolate -- not blanket or clothes. According to various links posted at Drudge, the situation on Staten Island is dire!
Various critical services are AWOL, in part because the administrative buildings for those services remain without power.
How much of the above is being reported by the mainstream media?
Please see THIS ARTICLE: “It’s so bad here, a lot worse than how its being portrayed by the media. They are finding bodies left and right..."
ReplyDeleteMore at the above link.
Black Sheep,
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot of anger on the ground. And, yes, some of the anger is due to people being used to getting help and from a sense of entitlement.
But most people who are in dire straits in NYC are just doing the best that they can.
I hope that more people in NYC will understand that they need to do as the Beak does: stay prepared just in case the bad thing happens.
I do find it absolutely incredible that Mayor Bloomberg was originally calling for the marathon to be held when the priority should be helping the residents of NYC. Bring in the marathon runners -- fine. Put them to work helping those on Staten Island!
From today's WaPo:
ReplyDelete...In Staten Island, where 19 people have died as a result of the storm, more than in any other New York City borough, exasperation at the lack of city, state and federal assistance mixed with bitterness and despair.
“I don’t see the Corps of Engineers,” Jim Brennan, a retired New York firefighter, said as he stepped over fragments of boat hulls and other debris blown onto his seafront lawn. “No National Guard. No Red Cross. No FEMA. No [New York Department of Environmental Protection]. No garbage trucks. American flags are flying all over this neighborhood. Where is our government?”...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteWaterfowl, you just don't get it do you. He isn't crying out for government assistance. He took care of his personal needs himself as everyone should. The government won't be wasting their time fixing his problems.
ReplyDeleteI will say that the Govt has certain duties, but they can't be there all the time in every situation.
ReplyDeleteThis storm took down my trees in my lane , but i went out there with my stihl chainsaw and got the job done myself.
And i did'nt rely on the Govt for food or water, i got ready myself.
It's not really hard to survive in situations like this, it just takes some common sense.
Sadly when you have a leader without a lick of common sense , who tells people he's gonna take care of everything, soon the idiots follow.
Being self reliant is an American virtue that's disappearing
We take care of people that can't take care of themselves, but ALL others should stand on their own 2 feet !
In any event in NYC Staten Island gets forgotten. I didn't prepurchase in anticipation of a storm. Years of bulk purchasing at Costco finally came in handy. 72 rolls of toilet paper???
ReplyDeleteWhile the media was Manthatan centric people in Staten Island took it on the chin. The shore communities got hit hard. I took a trip to the front and it was bad. Even on Victory Blvd by Miers Corners less than 1/3 of the businesses were open. I got my Diet Mountain Dew and a couple of quick meals at the 7-11 a NY Post and returned to find a crew working.
They replaced the transformer in 30 min. The City has the capability to repair itself and the Fema was late to get to Staten Island only after President Molinaro and Oddo screamed to the media.
Of course the media focuses on Tribeca with the celebrities but in poor Chinatown there were genuine hardship in old walkup buildings.
Having a real NY on the radio Curtis Sliwa helps.
Right on, Paladin! There's always been disasters and there always will be. I recall years back a rainstorm followed by an earthquake in Chile that totally buried a bunch of villages while the people slept. They couldn't have known they needed to evacuate, but EVERYONE in the path of Sandy DID KNOW. They also knew to stock up on water, gasoline, food, toilet paper and a camp stove.
ReplyDeleteThose who died? Tough. People die in storms and other disasters on a daily basis and the only ones who really care are their friends and relatives. Everyone else is too busy being happy to have survived. That is, before they start whining about the government not helping them.
I sure get a kick out of those who comment here about socialism and big government, and then whine and bitch like hell because government isn't rushing to their aid. You ppl are hypocrites. The less government the better, and if our government never did one thing to help out in times of disaster, then that would make more work for the unemployed who are hired by the survivors to make repairs. Those without insurance, bummer for you.
If our government would stay out of the way every time we have another disaster, there would be more people finding work and our economy would get better.
Stop sniveling every time our government isn't there to pick your ass up, and learn to pick your own ass up like real grownups. Bad things happen all our lives, get used to it, get over it and assume personal responsibility for yourself. You poor needy little things, you.
Millions without power yet..Pennsylvania is one of the hardest hit. Gas lines for hours in the northeast pa ,but no reporting. Coming in from jersey to find gas. Many roads still closed of major highways.
ReplyDeleteI've always been one to stand on my own two feet!
ReplyDeleteAnd, when he was able to do so, Mr. AOW helped here and helped others when similar situations came along prior to his being disabled in 2009 by a terrible stroke.
As physically difficult as it was for me to prepare for Hurricane Sandy on my own, I did so -- even though I admit that I did require a long nap on Sunday afternoon so as to from making all those preparations in spite of my serious back problem and my age.
What gets me is that nobody offered to help me! Not a single soul! Can you believe that?
After the storm passed, we didn't get but one phone call to see if we were okay. **sigh**
I get the impression when trouble strikes here, people expect me to call up the government to get help. Over and over again, when I needed help here after bringing Mr. AOW home after 10 weeks of being in medical facilities, people kept saying, "Call the county." Well, I refused to do so.
I've never been one to ask anyone for anything.
In fact, except for one time, I wouldn't call 911 even when Mr. AOW fell several times. I either got him up by myself or called people to help me. Once, I even flagged down a mail courier to get help.
Now, the day may come when I need help from the county. But there's something in me that resents putting this household on the taxpayers' backs.
I believe that we've reached the point that, in our society as a whole, individuals have stopped helping other individuals because of the knowledge that the government will "do something."
Any help that we get from the government is very expensive. There is no free lunch!
Bunkerville,
ReplyDeleteThank you for mentioning Pennsylvania. I've heard that things are rough there. No reporting on that! Why not?
Beak,
ReplyDeleteDid you even see the Red Cross on the scene? Other similar groups?
Check out THIS ARTICLE in the Daily Mail. 'It's like the Wild West': Lawlessness and fear take over the outer boroughs as millions in misery endure a sixth day without power
ReplyDeleteResidents claim they are the 'forgotten victims' of Sandy
Also say that lack of power and law enforcement means more looting and violent crime
Those in stricken areas stockpiling weapons like kitchen, machetes, and bats to protect themselves
Coney Island residents say they are forced to 'scavenge for food like animals'
Power unlikely to be returned to Brooklyn, Queen's and Staten Island until sometime next
HERE is a report from a blogger in Reading, PA. Check it out!
ReplyDeleteI went to the hard hit area very briefly. I didn't see the Red Cross but I was told they were in New Dorp.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all some lessons. Water damage does not come from rain. It comes from tidal surges and overflowing rivers. If the moon is full at high tide look out. NYC was on the north side of a two day hurricane.
Elsewhere 90% of the problem was falling trees. If you are well away from water try and stay away from windows ground floor is best.
Stupid religious jerks went out in 90 mph winds and were lucky they didn't get fried by live wires. I yelled at the morons and almost got zapped.
PA does not have the density or the stupidity of our local leaders. Why we build in some of these areas remains a mystery.
AOW, no, you've always struck me as a pretty independent type, which is why I was attracted to your blog. I was referring to some of the comments. To be honest I think you too have come to have some expectations, but then, so do I. I expect my SS check each month and Medicare to back up my health insurance. I expect police protection. On the other hand, I pay taxes to cover that stuff, too. I expect gov't built infrastructure to be maintained and repaired by gov't. I just don't expect government to rebuild or repair my house if I can't afford to, replace my car or rush food to me.
ReplyDeleteIt is kinda ludicrous that the same people who gripe about there being too much government are often the same ones who start crying when that same government doesn't rush to their aid.
The more we move toward a welfare state, the less gumption the people will have to dig in their heels and rebuild their lives on their own. And then we get over-run like some Balkan state.
What it is, is this is kind of a sensitive issue with me. I've always got by on my own, and when I asked for help I made sure I returned the favor. The recent experience with a nephew that I booted out of my life just made me more aware of the need for self respect and self-reliance. This fat toad fell and broke a hip so badly they had to operate and pin the bones back together, and even while he was getting at least $40,000 in free welfare medical care, he complained about how long this took and that took.
ReplyDeleteI kept reminding him how lucky he was to be getting all that great care, but no, he thinks he's entitled. He should have broken his hip in Romania to find out just how entitled he is, and when I read how people are all mad because no one is there to put their lives back in order for them, it just gets me off on a rant.
Beak,"72 rolls of toilet paper???"
ReplyDeleteBetter to have a little extra than not enough. Besides, if a neighbor needs some, they must be worth a bottle of water or two.
Looters in an emergency situation such as this NEED to be shot! They are without a doubt the scum of the earth.
Black Sheep,
ReplyDeleteThe more we move toward a welfare state, the less gumption the people will have to dig in their heels and rebuild their lives on their own.
I couldn't agree more!
I grew up in a REAL community -- not what people term as community today. In fact, there was not even a paid fire department; we had a volunteer fire department, and it functioned beautifully, in part because anyone who used the fire department or ambulance services always donated money following a service provided and donated regularly as well.
Of course, back then, there was no welfare state.
When trouble struck -- sickness, a house fire, a flood, a death in the family -- individuals showed up to help those in need; people who couldn't physically assist brought food or gave a bit of money. And I'm not referring to only friends and family. People that one rarely had contact with put their hands to work. Reciprocity was a huge part of this system, of course, as were the local churches, whether the person needing help was a member of the church or not.
I recall one particular instance of somebody showing up out of nowhere to help us. Dad had mowed the alfalfa field and had a mild cardiac event that interfered with his completing the harvest; that alfalfa was going to lie there and rot because Dad was unable to rake what he had mowed. Mom couldn't call anyone because she was in the hospital with a serious heart attack; my grandmother was also laid up.
By word of mouth, probably at the general story, word got out. And here came somebody with a tractor and a rake. The alfalfa was raked and left to dry until the fellow with the baler arrived. When Dad got out of the hospital, he offered each of those who had helped a few dollars -- and told the baler man keep the bales at no charge (He usually paid Dad for the bales because he took them for his horses). Nobody would take any money, and the baler man insisted on paying for the bales; but Dad felt that he should offer. When our garden harvest came in that spring, Dad, who had the largest vegetable garden for miles around, offered those who had helped the opportunity to pick whatever they wanted to take home; only a few showed up to do so as most had some kind of vegetable garden of their own, but those few came because Dad had a special kind of corn that folks loved. Some people picked and canned -- then turned around and gave us the canned goods as Mom was still unwell.
Something very similar happened when Dad's "old homeplace" burned down. There was no house raising as the house was supposed to be demolished anyway to make room for a new road. But folks showed up to do cleanup and salvage, most of the latter offered to Dad first before people took the salvaged items away for their own use.
It is now so many years later -- over 50 -- and I never see so much as one church goer individually offer to help anyone. Now people figure that insurance or the government will take care of things.
Black Sheep,
ReplyDeleteObviously, your nephew is one of those who believes that he is entitled! The attitude of entitlement has taken over!
Average American,
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit of a hoarder of toilet paper too.
I wasn't -- until a blizzard struck here back in 1996. We were trapped for two weeks. Thank God that my neighbor WAS a hoarder of paper products!
Once we finally got out, I made sure to buy toilet paper to give my neighbor as payback.
Beak mentioned:
ReplyDeleteWater damage does not come from rain. It comes from tidal surges and overflowing rivers.
Around here, if the water damage comes from the bottom up, there is no reimbursement from the house insurance -- unless, of course, one is carrying special flood insurance.
I saw photos from Staten Island -- photos of some of the worst damage. What are those people going to do? Their homes are destroyed! Even if insurance ponies up, those people will have nowhere to live for 6 months to a year! And winter is nearly upon the East Coast.
The grief for loss of life and loss of family treasures has to be devastating.
Most of those who lost homes will have to stay with families. It is even likely that between the cleanup and winter it will be a long time until homes are rebuilt. Banks do have some foreclosed homes. It would be smart to trade the properties in some cases.
ReplyDeleteObama is finally figures out that his lack of leadership following Hurricane Sandy is hurting his chances for re-election.
ReplyDeleteAlso, some newspapers what ordinarily give Obama a pass on everything are slamming him on Benghazi. The WaPo ran a lead editorial slammed BHO on this matter. See THIS.
We also now have THIS INFORMATION: CIA Timeline Confirms: Woods and Doherty Killed in Benghazi 7Hrs After WH Told of Attack; Commercial Airliner Can Fly From London to Libya and Back in That Time.
Well said, Beakerin.
ReplyDeleteDucky's big government screwed the pooch in this one.
Mark Steyn asks why Obama didn't spend some of the trillion in stimulus on burying the east coast's electrical grid like prudent governments all over the world have done.