6 of the 10 most intense Atlantic hurricanes on record (in terms of central pressure) have occurred withing the last 10 years, with 5 of those occurring in the last 4 years.

1 Hurricane Wilma, 882 mbar — 2005 2 Hurricane Gilbert, 888 mbar — 1988 3 Labor Day Hurricane, 892 mbar — 1935 4 Hurricane Rita, 895 mbar — 2005 5 Hurricane Allen, 899 mbar — 1980 6 Hurricane Katrina, 902 mbar — 2005 7 Hurricane Camille, 905 mbar — 1969 8 Hurricane Mitch, 905 mbar — 1998 9 Hurricane Dean, 906 mbar — 2007 10 Hurricane Ivan, 910 mbar — 2004

This represents a clear and significant uptick in the strength of the strongest storms. Global warming is not just a problem the future will have to deal with, it is currently happening on a destructive and deadly scale.

Bush's $2.9 trillion dollar budget proposal seeks to cut FEMA funding by 14%. Does he somehow believe that FEMA has been too well funded to handle disasters? Does he WANT another Katrina-style disaster? Perhaps he simply needs to scrape more money up for his failed wars and hopes that the public view this as punishing FEMA rather than further crippling an agency that was already decimated by his post-9/11 homeland security reforms.

We all know the September 11^th attacks were a great tragedy and none of the victims deserved to die. After the disaster, the victim's family (excluding same-sex partners) were given large sums of money in "compensation". Unlike in the aftermath of Katrina, no one was snooping around to see if these families were "wasting" their money on "inappropriate" things such as clothing they shouldn't have.

There was not a move to pinch pennies in the recovery effort. Nobody freaked out if they so much as heard a rumor from someone who knew someone who was a Katrina victim who bought nice clothing are jewelery.

The World Trade Center had been attacked before September 11^th, yet no one blamed the victims for working in a known target and rightly so. Why then are the Katrina victims blamed so much for what happened to them?

Why are the Katrina victims so much less deserving than the victims of September 11^th? There are two obvious differences in the demographics groups of people: race and wealth. It's pretty obvious that both have played a role.

I've noticed that every time one of the Bush administration folk admit the federal response was "slow" or "not adequate", they have to add that the state and local governments did just as bad of a job, too. Every single time. Whether or not the state or local governments performed as poorly as federal government aside, the fact is he can't simply admit to screwing up. He just wants to look like he's following the old Trumanism, but he's just passing the buck. He hasn't changed, he's only concerned about repairing the damage to his image.

Ganked from sophiaserpentia:

For Immediate Release: July 8, 2006 From: The National Transgender Advocacy Coalition (NTAC) Contact: NTAC Chair, Vanessa Edwards Foster; Houston, Texas Contact Email: ntacmedia@aol.com media@ntac.org Contact Phone: 832-483-9901 Website: http://www.ntac.org Transgenders Claim FEMA Sex Change Scandal Was Fabricated, Fraudulent Last month, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) testified before a House Homeland Security subcommittee to spotlight $1.4 billion fraudulent waste of Emergency Assistance Funds (EAF) to Hurricane Katrina victims. The unprecedented level of Federal Emergency Management Agency fraud was blared over television newscasts and emblazoned on newspaper headlines: "FEMA funds paid for a sex change." However, the National Transgender Advocacy Coalition (NTAC) is now publicly calling the media and authorities on this claim, demanding proof that this occurred and calling the press on this claim "fabricated" and "fraudulent." In reviewing both House subcommittee testimony and the GAO report that uncovered the fraud there was no reference of a sex change, nor any surgery of any type being paid for by FEMA funds. "It appears [the sex change] story was prime red meat for conservatives looking to turn attention away from the President, and onto Katrina victims and FEMA," said NTAC President Vanessa Edwards Foster. "It also appears there's no veracity to the story that EAF funds were used for gender reassignment surgery. These press claims are what's fraudulent." House Homeland Security Investigations subcommittee chair Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) called the discovered waste "criminal" but never mentioned anything about sex changes. However Rep. Charles Dent (R-PA) did note the sex change claim shortly after the House testimony, commenting, "I don't understand how this could happen." How the sex change allegation originated remains unclear. The June 14, 2006 story by Larry Margasak of the Associated Press noted a sex change in a laundry list of items scammed from FEMA. While outlets as diverse as Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, ABC News, MSNBC, Bloomberg Report carried the story, the more conservative news outlets such as Wall Street Journal or Fox News made no mention of the sex change accusation. When questioned about the story, the GAO's Office of Public Affairs stated "there was no reference to that allegation … because we cannot confirm it." "The press reported on fabricated claims of sex changes paid with FEMA funds, but no media ever mentioned $2,000 paid to a Christian Broadcast Network from EAF payments," Foster of NTAC commented. The GAO report listed $2,000 paid to Colorado-based LeSEA Broadcasting Network. After anguishing over the initial FEMA news reports, NTAC Vice President Courtney Sharp said she "was shocked to discover that the [GAO] report didn't mention anything about anyone misusing funds to have gender reassignment surgery." A New Orleans resident who lost nearly everything during Katrina, Sharp said she listened as co-workers and friends disparaged the person who used FEMA funds to obtain a sex change. "[It] was extremely hurtful to realize that someone had embellished the GAO report and was probably using the negative stereotypes about transgender people [for] media attention." Sharp said she now feels the public was "bamboozled" by the news report. "There's an inherent media bias in this story," NTAC's Foster continued. "If you have transsexuals having sex changes it's great press - even if it is uncorroborated! But a confirmed report of emergency victims' funds paid to a faith-based broadcaster is deemed not press-worthy." While acknowledging many Americans have no problem with faith-based groups receiving money, she noted that they would likely not be keen on funds intended for needy victims in an emergency being given instead to a broadcast group to spread the gospel. "I smell a rat behind the fabrication of this news report. It's very Karl Rove," Foster commented. "It uses an unwitting transgender community to bludgeon Hurricane Katrina victims." She called the uncorroborated claim in the press "despicable." "Ten months after Hurricane Katrina, residents of the Gulf Coast continue to struggle to rebuild their lives," NTAC's Sharp observed. "The impact has been truly unimaginable. Like the majority of residents, transgender people are responsible, productive, law abiding members of the community and they are also playing important roles in rebuilding the devastated areas. "The media attack on the transgender community," Sharp finished, "served as my fifth personal "tidal surge" post-Katrina." Whether originating from Congress, the press or an administration press operative, NTAC urges the responsible party to own up to, and publicly apologize for unfairly portraying the transgender community, and for deceiving the American public. ----- Founded in 1999, NTAC - the National Transgender Advocacy Coalition - is a civil rights organization working to establish and maintain the right of all transgendered, intersexed, and gender-variant people to live and work without fear of violence or discrimination.

11 Congressional Republicans (no Democrats) authored the Congressional Report on Katrina entitled "Failure of Initiative". Here are some of the highlights:

"Katrina was a national failure, an abdication of the most solemn obligation to provide for the common welfare" "Katrina was a failure of initiative" "Chertoff executed his responsibilities late, ineffectively, or not at all." "a litany of mistakes, misjudgments, lapses and absurdities all cascading together, hobbling any collective effort to respond." “We are left scratching our heads at the range of clumsiness and ineptitude that characterized government behavior before and after this storm,” "This crisis was not only predictable, it was predicted" "We had a tabletop exercise — Hurricane Pam — that predicted at a level 4 [hurricane], the dam was going to be breached." "If this is what happens when we have advance warning, we shudder to imagine the consequences when we do not," "Four-and-a-half years after 9/11, America is still not ready for prime time." "The White House was clearly in a fog" "Chertoff was clearly detached. He didn't even go to New Orleans 'til Wednesday; then you have [Michael Brown], who was clueless and negligent." "[The Department of Homeland Security] just stood and watched it fail"

Hurricane Rita is weakening. It's down to a category 4, and now the weather service says it might weaken to a category 3 by the time it hits the Texas coast. Still a major hurricane. Still tremendous damage. But far less devastating than a category 5 would be. Rainbands are already hitting New Orleans, which could potentially overwhelm the jerryrigged levee system. There will likely be an immediate federal response to this one, unlike Katrina, but I hope this bitch continues to weaken and such a large response isn't as need.

Rita is now a catagory 5 hurricane, with a projected path a bit south of Galveston and Houston. They have begun evacutaion of those and other cities along the coast. There is enough error in the projections for Rita to hit near New Orleans, which would completely wipe out what is left of the city. Even if it hits the Texas coast, the levees damaged by Katrina could rupture again just from heavy rains from the bands extending from the center. It is not expected to weaken to anything less than a catagory 4, if it weakens at all. Whereever it hits, it is going to like Katrina do astronomical damage wherever it hits. These things are monsters. That's the term that describes them best. I can't begin to understand how the refugees from New Orleans must feel as they are now evacuating Houston. This is completely and utterly insane.

Holy fucking hell, Batman. Another monster in the gulf. And there are still idiots who deny global warming and it's effects. Hurricane season still has over a month to go. I hope Rita stumbles, but while possible, that doesn't seem likely.

The money-grubbing, gas-guzzling, carbon-dioxide-spewing, SUV-loving Republicans want the poor to pay for all this. Can't touch the tax breaks for the rich, in fact we need to implement more. Take it out of Medicare and Medicaid, because the poor, elderly, and disabled don't really need health insurance. Take it out of the funding for alternative fuel sources, because we need more fucking global warming. Anything, but make sure the rich get richer. Feed Halliburton and Bechtel the federal reconstruction dollars, because we can trust Bush's cronies to do a fine job and not rip us off. These people with their propaganda machine mass media are robbing the country blind with one hand and stabbing it with the other. I've had it. I've fucking had it. I've so fucking had it with the vile scum running this country. They need to leave now.

found through chaoticerotic:



Katrina: The Gathering

Why did the bulk of the New Orleans refugees have to end up in one of the worst, nastiest states in the union? Already transgender survivors are getting arrested for simply taking a shower. Yeah, she was eventually released – after 5 days in a men's jail. While the arrests are uncommon, transgender survivors are being forced to use the wrong bathrooms all across the piece of shit state. I'm sure it's happening in other states as well, there are enough assholes to go around, but Texas is currently the biggest problem. And I'm sure there won't be any discrimination in finding housing or jobs for the transsexual survivors either, right? Texans are feeling pretty good about themselves right now for being caring loving people. Well, fuck you Texas. You're not. Fuck you.

Is there any place to send money to help out queer survivors?

from chaoticerotic

The Great San Francisco Earthquake struck 99 years ago, Teddy Roosevelt was president. Unlike Hurricane Katrina, there was no warning of the impending events.

Here is what happened.

from kyrene and chaoticerotic

FEMA will not accept Amtrak's help with evacuations FEMA turns away experienced firefighters FEMA turns away supply trucks from Walmart FEMA will not let the Red Cross deliver food FEMA prevents morticians from entering New Orleans FEMA blocks 500 boat citizen flotilla from rescues and delivery of aid FEMA fails to utilize 600 bed US Navy hospital ship Chicago offers massive assistance. FEMA to Chicago: "Send one Truck" FEMA turns away generators FEMA: First responders urged NOT to respond Local officials criticize FEMA's failures This is how Michael Brown got this job that he is totally unqualified for

There can be no excuse for this. None.

Washington Post-ABC poll shows 46% of Americans approve of Bush's handling of the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

What the hell is wrong with people? I mean seriously, what the fuck?

I wonder how many of that 46% are not paying any attention at all to what's going on, how many are just so blinded by their love of their BushGod that they can't get past the obvious, how many are just assholes, and how many are combination of the two or three of the aforementioned.

I just got back from davis_square. purpleglitter drove me there so I could light several candles in memorial of the dead and in hope for the struggling survivors of Katrina. I wouldn't feel right buying new candles to put up, as any money I would spend on them would be better sent to the relief effort, so I used ones I had lying around the house_of_clocks plus one donated by merryperseis. I lit them on the concrete pillars on the side of the road by the park in the square. I wanted to put them in a prominent place, but the best location (the compass needle) was already dedicated to 9/11 with a large memorial plaque. I know someone else had already noted the pillars as a good place to light a candle as there was already fresh wax on one of them (although the candle was gone). I know what I did really doesn't help much, but it felt like the right thing to do.