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.

Monsters in our midst

Christopher Michael Barrios of Brunswick, GA is dead.

Why? Because our justice system is painfully flawed. Sex offenders do not register when then move. Does anyone really believe that these upstanding members of society would voluntarily stroll into a police station to tell authorities where they are living?

Sex offenders are not marked/visible enough in society. Therefore, responsible caring parents can't protect their children from these monsters. I believe and it has been proven that once a sex offender, always a sex offender.

These guys (and yes they are mostly male) should face the death penalty when they attack a minor. The only way to cure a sex offender is to kill them.

Some states have considered issuing license plates that read SX OFFDR. I believe that is a good start. It is the least that we can do.

When Sonny Purdue was running for another term as Governor of Georgia, his television ads touted a “Sonny Do” list and encouraged voters to send him ideas and suggestions.

Well Sonny. Here’s a big TO DO. Protect our children. Mark sex offenders with license plates, tattoos or any other easily identifiable marks. Sonny, create a state list that identifies sex offenders with names and addresses. Distribute this list in schools once each quarter. Make sure that it is updated.

Sonny DO follow up on the where-abouts of sex offenders. These dangerous criminals can not be trusted to police themselves. They are hurting and killing children. No respect should be given to their privacy. They gave up that right when they touched a child.

The current sex offender codes say “If an offender moves to another county in the State of Georgia, he/she is required to register with the Sheriff of his/her new county of residence in addition to notifying the Sheriff of his/her previous county of residence.” Yeah, ok… that is not going to happen.

How can parents look for sex offenders in GA today? Check out this site-

Sex Offender Search Page

State sites like this are obviously not enough. The parents of Christopher Michael Barrios deserved a chance to save their child. How many people even know about these sites?

Let’s get serious about tracking, marking and exposing the monsters in our midst.

Drug ads are making me ill

How many times have you plopped down on the couch to watch the news, only to be assaulted by a avalanche of drug advertisements? AntiAgita, OvertheAche, YouthinaPill… the drug companies seem to be taking over prime time. Last night, I counted eight commercials that mentioned side effects during one half hour news program. Forget the cure, all these drug ads are giving me a headache.

While we have the right to change the channel when someone tells us to ‘ask our doctor’ about a new medicine, these commercials are costing viewers much more than TV time. You may want to sit down now if you are one of the thousands of Americans who are forced to choose between medicine and meals. According to the Christian Science Monitor, “In 1991, drug companies spent $51 million on advertising. By 2000, it topped $2.3 billion.” HeathDay News recently reported that, “Pharmaceutical companies now spend an estimated $4 billion a year promoting products on TV, radio, in print, and on the Internet.”

The cost of these ads has to be absorbed somewhere. Let me take a wild guess as to where the cash is coming from…yep, our pockets. The drug companies should not be peddling their products on prime time. America can barely afford outrageous drug prices. Drug costs are so high that many American’s are even heading over the border to Canada to get what they need to stay alive.

If a drug company has an effective product, doctors are the only folks who need to be sold on it. When I lived up north and went to a country doctor, I recall at least half-a- dozen times when well-dressed, drug sales representatives arrived with cases of samples and big toothy grins. Friendly, attractive drug reps are encouraging doctors all over the nation to prescribe their treatments by handing out information packets and samples. This takes up a doctor’s time, but does allow some under–insured patients to take home much-needed samples.

I know some folks who work in the pharmaceutical industry; one is a scientist and the other a lawyer. They are each making well over $160,000 (plus bonuses) a year for their services. They are hard working, highly educated employees. They deserve to be fairly compensated. But if the drug companies are paying thousands of lawyers and scientists on staff at that rate, how can they keep drug prices at a reasonable level? Simply put…they can’t.

Prime-time ads are a waste of money, theirs and ours. They are also an insult to the citizens of our great, under-insured nation. Shame on the pharmaceutical giants! The next time a new drug dances or sings across your television screen, grab the remote. The less we watch the channels that profit from drug ads, the fewer ads there will be.

Now somebody please get me an aspirin.

Sunrise Symphony

Watching the sunrise over the marsh is a treasured moment in my day. The birds sing out, welcoming the light. The great oak trees hide beneath a layer of mist. The sky turns from deep dark gray to amber. Morning dew drips from the marsh grass and rice.

Two years ago, when admiring the majestic beauty of a morning like this, the only sounds were of nature. A woodpecker announced its arrival with a lurching squeal. The eagle screamed out at the young eaglets as hunting lessons began. Finches, cardinals and mockingbirds joined together in an orchestral symphony for the new day. Even the occasional grunt of a wild pig made itself known from deep in the marsh.

Today, all these sounds remain. The only difference is that a litany of man-made sounds has joined in. Even as the sun rises, the sound of automobile traffic invades. Like nails on a chalkboard, the rushing sound of the highways cut to the core.

Why? Coastal Georgia is losing the barrier that protects us from such invasive sounds. Developers keep developing and trees topple by the hundreds. Thick, dense forest becomes open space. The houses that replace the forest do not stand tall enough to protect us. And so the world rushes in to mar the tranquility of a sunrise.

The symphony ends and a noisy world busts in.

Good morning Coastal Georgia. Now wake up!

Political emissions- 2/12/07

Last night, I hunkered down with the family to watch Al Gore’s documentary titled “An Inconvenient Truth.” I have known about the issue of global warming for some time. Every Tom, Dick and George has skirted the issue when votes are at stake.

What I did not know, became glaringly obvious when I saw the extent of warming and glacial melting that has already occurred. The movie brings forward pointed, frightening facts about global warming and the catastrophic results that will come to fruition if human beings choose to ignore it.

The documentary uses poignant before and after photos, cartoons and plain old Powerpoint presentations to point out what most want to forget. Our world population is growing at a staggering rate. In purely lay terms, automobile and fossil fuel emissions are weakening the earth’s ability to “bounce” heat out of the atmosphere.

Guess who is responsible for most of these emissions? America is the biggest culprit with more than 30% of emissions coming from our lackadaisical abundance.

The story is not all doom and gloom though. One point that Gore made really hit home.

We as human beings can change this. We have banded together in the past to make significant changes to atmospheric dangers. Just look at the ozone layer. Banning the chemicals that were found to be the main cause of ozone depletion worked. Global warming can be reversed.

Who will take this on? Gore has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his awareness campaign on global warming. A prize he should be awarded, if only to make take the issue to the next level of intensity and awareness. Politicians need to stop brushing off the reality of the issue and start acting.

The facts are clear and staggering:

· The number of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes has almost doubled in the last 30 years.
Warmer oceans breed more intense storms.

· Mosquito born illnesses like Malaria are growing as climates warm. The disease is inundating places that never saw a Malaria outbreak.

· Global sea levels could rise by more than 20 feet as shelf ice in Greenland and Antarctica melt. Coastal areas worldwide will be devastated.

· Droughts, heat waves and wildfires will grow in frequency and intensity

· More than a million species will be driven to extinction by 2050 if we do nothing.

Source - http://www.climatecrisis.net/thescience/

What can you do? Write letters to congress. Let them know that we are not ready to sit idly by while they laze about waiting for someone else to do the work. Use alternative energy sources, use less energy, make your home more energy efficient. Buy energy efficient appliances. Lobby for emissions testing for automobiles in your state.

I am sickened by the fact that in Georgia, there is no requirement for yearly or bi-yearly auto inspections. Therefore, my home state is adding to global warming. What is happening in your state?

I will take action. Will you?

Learn more at http://www.climatecrisis.net.

Mannequins worth more than humans- 1/26/07

Our courts are being run like a three-ring circus. Proof lies in today’s simultaneous sentencing announcements.

A statue loving man in Detroit has been sentenced to 18-months in prison.

It seems that Ronald Dotson likes the solid, silent type and has broken a few shop windows to steal the objects of his obsession.
As a result of his rather bizarre activity, he has been sentenced to 18 months in prison.

A few hours after his story hit the airways; the sentencing of Joseph T. LePore and Sean Ryan was announced in New Jersey. Guess what? They got five years…but will likely get paroled in 16 months.

The crime?

These gems killed 3 students and maimed many more. How? They started a fire in a dormitory at Seton Hall University.
In court, victim’s families read tearful accounts of the torturous pain and disfigurement suffered as a result of the so- called “prank.”

A prank is when you fill your sleeping friend’s hand with shaving cream and tickle his nose with a feather. A prank is short-sheeting a bed. Setting your dorm on fire and killing human beings is not a prank. It is a serious crime that should be severely punished.

These cowards did not even stick around to help their dorm mates out of the building. While their college mates were dying and burning, they ran away.

My husband and I lost friends in the now infamous “Station” Night Club fire. We frequented that club. 100 people died there.

As a result of that fire, I still say out of small clubs and seek at least two exits when entering any building.

The same court bargain juggling took place in that case. One Derderian brother got a suspended sentence and 500 hours of community service. The other was sentenced to 5-years. Yep, same sentence as the dorm-burners.

Kill a human- get 16 months jail time, steal a mannequin- get 18 months. Ah justice!

Blink and you will miss the point- 1/25/07

I watched the President’s “State of the Union” speech this week without any significant expectations. I knew that the war in Iraq would dominate. I hoped for (and was pleasantly surprised by) the discussion of health benefits. The President’s proposal for tax breaks to those paying their own health insurance premiums was music to sore ears.

After that gem, the rest of the speech felt like a droning repetition of what Bush has been saying for three years. As the rhetoric grew, I found myself noticing some interesting physical attributes among our elected officials. The television cameras were most often, tightly focused on the faces of House speaker Nancy Pelosi, Vice President Cheney and the President.

When the words “strong” and “fight” and “war” and “troops” played over and over, I started to tune out the babble and noticed a pattern of blinking that was both odd and mesmerizing.

First, I noticed that Vice President Cheney hardly ever blinks. He just stares into space with a rough, sometimes pained expression. He shifts and stares so hard that I wondered what was occupying his thoughts. Perhaps he was counting his remaining days in office. Maybe he was reminiscing about his grand ol’ hunting days and scheming plans to get the President to join him on one of his danger driven wooded adventures.

Then my attention turned to Nancy Pelosi. At the start of the evening, the President with these grand words had introduced her…

“Tonight, I have the high privilege and distinct honor of my own, as the first president to begin the State of the Union message with these words, `Madam Speaker.’”

Well those words must have thrown Nancy for a loop. I started counting Pelosi’s incessant blinking, after noticing the stoic stare of the Vice President. Turns out, that she blinks 14 times for every one Cheney blink. She’s a blinking machine. I bet the President could feel the fluttering breeze from his left shoulder as he spoke.

There are many causes of excessive eye blinking, dry eyes, allergies and even the use of anti-depressants can bring on the batting. The most common cause, however, is nerves.

Nerves seems a likely cause in this case.

Imagine sitting behind the most gaseous President in history when he delivering another bloated speech. Poor lady!

Senate perfects time management- 1/19/07

Did you hear that the U.S Senate just finished a 100 hour legislative blitz?

During this harried span of hours, the new Democratic majority worked on legislature to increase the minimum wage, make our ports more secure, follow suggestions from the infamous 911 report, expand embryonic stem cell research, cut student loan interest rates and allow Medicare to buy cheaper drugs. These are all important causes, requiring much time and consideration.

However, the very important, life-altering 100 hour blitz took only 87 hours?
Magic! That’s time-efficiency at its best.

Did you also know that in December 2006, the new House majority leader decided that House members would have to work five days a week. Prior to this, our public servants stressed and strained for a whopping three days a week.

While I type this, I have about 30 emails awaiting my attention. It’s Friday and I will be working this weekend on weddings, real estate writing that is past due and finishing up production work that I could not complete during the week. Yep, I am whining a little. But it is for all working Americans.

The average middle class American works a 56-hour week. While we commoners toil to keep the kids fed, bills paid and roof over our collective heads, our elected officials are magically doing 100 hours of work in 87. I demand the secret recipe that magically trims away 13 hours. Does this mean that they earn 13 hours less pay?

In order to keep these guys and gals honest (since honesty is the foundation of all politics), I suggest that work hours clocked be posted on every political advertisement for re-election.

In addition to “I’m Senator Workaholic and I paid for this commercial.” They should be required to say “I’m Senator Workaholic and I worked 17 hours a week during my last term.”

The irony of Washington is that most of the politicians who cannot make it to their Capitol offices, have plenty of time to meet with special interest representatives. Lobbyists are lining up to meet with them. Special interests groups are kowtowed to, while legislative responsibilities sit on the hill.

The final insult- our elected officials vote for their own pay increases. When do they find the time?

One by one they fly-1/18/07

The city I live in is one of the fastest growing in the United States.

Northerners like me have discovered the beauty and warmth of southern living and are moving here in droves.

While our population increases, a fraction of our residents are leaving. Quietly, without bravado or ceremony, we watch them disappear from the school car line. They do not appear as often in the grocery or drug stores. Students miss school to say good-bye to them (some for the third or fourth time). There is a new concern in the faces of siblings and spouses left behind.

I am speaking of the mighty men and women who are fighting for us overseas. This military town is feeling the war in it’s collective heart. We are less without them, we are more for knowing them.

Fort Stewart is the home of our heroes. This is the same Fort that recently hosted CBS News reporter Katie Courac. She walked the long lawn of memorial trees planted on base for those who did not return from service in the Middle East. Many of these trees have personal mementos placed near to them. All have been watered with the tears of loved ones.

When I say that these soldiers are fighting for us, the words do not feel quite right. While they risk their lives and severe injury to free Iraq from decades of turmoil and terror, I am not certain that we the residents of the United States want them there. In fact, most I talk to have had enough.

The war in Iraq cannot be won. There will likely be civil unrest for as long as Iraq exists. The Middle East has been a bloody battlefield since biblical times. We must fight the war on terrorism with intelligence. What is the plan to bring our soldiers home?

About four months ago, I was struggling to get to sleep. Large planes were passing over the marsh behind my house every 10 minutes. The sound boomed into our bedroom. We had never had any significant air traffic over our neighborhood. On occasion, we would see the majestic fighter jets in formation, or wave to an army helicopter as it circled low. But never was the traffic so frequent.

Unable to sleep, I called the Savannah Airport to see if the traffic pattern had been changed. These planes looked like large commercial flights. I was assured that the flight plan was not over my house. Relieved but still sleepless, I tried to sleep again and watched the planes pass by.

The phone rang, it was the Air Controller calling me back.

“Ma’m”, he said, ” I just wanted to let you know that all the traffic is Army. They are bringing our soldiers home.”

After the call, we watched the planes with joy in our hearts. Each one was a celebration. Hundreds of our soldiers would touch down on American soil that night, safe and sound.

As our most heroic residents leave this week and in the coming months, I will be watching the horizon and praying for the continuous, thunderous sound of jets to awaken me once more.