Hurricane season '08

[SWTXBelle]

I think that it is interesting that there are taxpayers who feel it is "unreasonable" to ask a federal agency to do the very job they were formed and continue to be funded to do. If FEMA is not to deliver aid in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster, what is it they are supposed to do with that big 'ol budget of theirs?

I ventured into Houston for the first time today. I had to laugh - you know how in college everyone asks "What's your major?". At the Houston Zoo today, everyone asked "Do you have electricity?". We are so thrilled to have something that is borderline "normal" - and to be able to fight the cabin fever and go to the Zoo (even though several exhibits are not yet up and running) was a real blessing. I saw lots of PowerPoint trucks out there, and my friend who lost his box actually got an electrician to show. Blue tarps dot the landscape, and fences are more likely to be down than up, about 40% of Houstonians have power now. Gas is a little easier to find - but lots of stations are still closed.

[AGDee]

I heard on the radio last night that a tiger had escaped from somewhere and was roaming around Galveston Island, hungry. They said they were avoiding him.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by AGDee

I heard on the radio last night that a tiger had escaped from somewhere and was roaming around Galveston Island, hungry. They said they were avoiding him.

Is this real or a legends of the Super Dome kind of story, do you think?

[AGDee]

It was on CBS news radio, not some weirdo shock jock dj...

ETA: http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline...ane-ik-24.html

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

I think that it is interesting that there are taxpayers who feel it is "unreasonable" to ask a federal agency to do the very job they were formed and continue to be funded to do. If FEMA is not to deliver aid in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster, what is it they are supposed to do with that big 'ol budget of theirs?

I ventured into Houston for the first time today. I had to laugh - you know how in college everyone asks "What's your major?". At the Houston Zoo today, everyone asked "Do you have electricity?". We are so thrilled to have something that is borderline "normal" - and to be able to fight the cabin fever and go to the Zoo (even though several exhibits are not yet up and running) was a real blessing. I saw lots of PowerPoint trucks out there, and my friend who lost his box actually got an electrician to show. Blue tarps dot the landscape, and fences are more likely to be down than up, about 40% of Houstonians have power now. Gas is a little easier to find - but lots of stations are still closed.

I don't think FEMA was formed to supply ice and I think that's the only thing that I inquired about being "reasonable" if you were addressing this to me.

Is it reasonable for the average person to expect them to do what they say they will do? Absolutely. Do I think it can actually be done? Probably not, mainly because our expectations go up all the time.

ETA: I'm all about cutting their budget for the services that they can't seem to provide.