Drippy FEMA spends millions to store ice

Sorry about the posting delay. Summer fun seems to have stolen my blogging time.

This one is a doozy though. Having lived in Gloucester, MA, this headline peaked my interest when it was picked up from Associated Press and published in my local newspaper--

Hurricane Katrina ice going down drain

It seems that Gloucester has been home to tens of thousands of pounds of ice since August of 2005. Americold stored the ice for FEMA after they over-estimated the need after hurricane Katrina's devastation.

The cost of trucking and storage of the ice was a whopping 12.5 million dollars. The ice is no longer fit for human consumption and so it will finally be melted. 12.5 million dollars go down the drain.

This is the ultimate portrait of our government's inability to manage mass devastation. FEMA was mismanaged. While Bush toured damage zones with picture perfect sorrow, the folks with their hands on the funds, tossed it around like monopoly money.

Emergency cash cards were given out at random. Folks used them on everything from engagement rings to hair extensions. Meanwhile, there are families still stuck in FEMA trailers, years after the storm hit.

Are we ready for another storm of that magnitude?
How much money will FEMA waste on the next one?

Imagine the number of hungry American children who might have been fed with that 12.5 million dollars. If only we could pour a few FEMA officials down the drain along with the excess ice.

School uniforms

Our tiny city is considering public school uniforms and while most parents I have talked to love the idea, some have started a firestorm of whining. Since I have a child that has attended schools that require uniforms, I feel a tad in the know. My daughter hopes and prays that our city will implement uniforms.

I am not really sure why some parents are opposed to school uniforms. They are beneficial on many levels.

First, uniforms are great for creating a sense of equality within a school. Equality means a fair shake for all and a better educational playing field.

The kinds of uniforms that being proposed for Richmond Hill schools are simple, basic color clothing items. As it is now written, skorts, shorts, jumpers and pants would still be allowed. Short and long sleeved shirts are still allowed. The only thing that is limited is patterns and the unformity is in the colors. Styles are simple, appropriate and will not show belly buttons or butt cracks…and who needs that in school?

There are many low-to-middle income families that have trouble buying the ‘latest and greatest’ fashions for their kids. Children in this income bracket often feel lower or less “accepted” than other kids because clothing definately reflects affluence levels.

Whether we like it or not, children can be cruel in school. We can save some kids harassment creating an atmosphere of equality.

Kids who are lucky enough to be from more affluent families should understand that clothing and “material” items do not make them better than anyone else. Unformity of clothing is good way to force kids to prove themselves by actions and not status symbols.

To those parents that think it will cost more to buy clothing that is uniform, you are wrong. You do not need to buy the proposed uniform items in a speciality store. Basic blue and khaki are available at JcPenney, Sears, outlets and many other places. Most basic uniform style clothing costs less than the “fad” items the kids are wearing now.

Another benefit of uniforms is the ease of morning preparation. Picking and choosing clothing oftens adds to the hustle and bustle of school mornings. Uniforms are guaranteed to speed things up and remove a little stress.

Uniforms are also good for safety. Let’s face it, there are guns in many homes in our city. Heck, it is the southern way to own firearms. God-given right or some such whoeee. Whatever we can do to keep them from being hidden under clothes and brought into school…is a very good thing.

I notice a lot of ‘fashionsita’ moms in the school car lines and I can’t help but wonder if these are the ladies that are whining about uniforms. To them, I suggest that they stop worrying if Sally will look stylish and be more concerned if she will be smart and safe.

Monsters at home

This week, a 33-year old Michigan women was arrested for offering her 7-year old daughter as a sexual object for the weak, lame, limp men who find pleasure in brutally abusing young girls.

Read that sentence again. The monster in this child’s world was the very person she loved and trusted more than any other. Her own mother was selling the child like a lump of meat to any filthy pig that inquired.

This makes me physically ill. If this story does not sicken you. Get help, now. You are probably part of the problem.

According to the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center, “Approximately one in three girls is sexually abused before age 18, and one in four by age 14. Studies show that one in six boys is sexually abused before age 16.”

The sickest part of this is that the people who abuse these kids are usually relatives. Other relatives know about it and choose not to report it. Why? They might upset the delicate balance of the family. The abuser might leave and how would they survive without them?

Take it from a victim of child abuse, no matter how poor you become when the bastard is gone, you will still be richer in spirit and healing than you have ever been.

My mother suffered abuse for dozens of years before finally escaping. She had no high school diploma, no income and no training. Guess what? We made it. We have some good memories and we are semi-normal adults. I say semi, because my childhood made me strong, opinionated and outspoken, which in my southern world is not considered normal.

What will happen now to the 7-year old in the Michigan case? I hope the mother rots in jail for all her days. But the child will miss that monster. She will need years of counseling, love and caring to achieve even a small semblance of normalcy.

Is there a child in your world that needs rescue? Could you stop the intense pain and suffering of a helpless victim? If you are wondering about someone right now, the answer is yes. If you suspect child abuse, report it. You are not tearing up a family, you are saving the soul of a child.

There is a place to turn if you need help.

“The Barbara Sinatra Children's Center remains committed to Barbara and Frank Sinatra's vision that all children and their families who suffer the devastation of physical or sexual child abuse or other emotional traumas will receive the care, respect and treatment they deserve. When the Center opened, Mr. and Mrs. Sinatra promised that no child who looks to the Center for help will be turned away due to inability to pay for treatment.”

Support the center or a center near you.
Speak out if you suspect child abuse. Here is a list of state numbers for reporting abuse
Save a child today.