FEMA Debit cards used for 'unusual things'......

[singpilot]

Those $2000. FEMA debit cards were used to pay for things that might be considered unusual, reported a congressional investigator yesterday.

Tattoos, adult entertainment, prior citations, bail, and liquor.

Meanwhile, over at the trailer park, the $775 MILLION dollars spent for 'temporary housing' appears to have been in error.

Less than 10% of the housing has been occupied, and the entire development is sinking into the ground, damaging the frames of all of the mobile homes there.

Meanwhile, FEMA has decided that the hotel bills for displaced residents will no longer be paid for and people are out on the street starting today.

[red-beard]

Originally posted by singpilot
Meanwhile, FEMA has decided that the hotel bills for displaced residents will no longer be paid for and people are out on the street starting today.

At least here, they broadcast on TV for months that this was coming. Every person had a chance to get an extension. The only people being turned out are the ones who did not apply for an extension.

[Joeaksa]

Our tax dollars at work...

[widebody911]

Originally posted by singpilot
Those $2000. FEMA debit cards were used to pay for things that might be considered unusual, reported a congressional investigator yesterday.

Tattoos, adult entertainment, prior citations, bail, and liquor.

Hell-loooo! This is Louisiana we're talking about... What were you expecting? Perrier and polo lessons?

[johnco]

They're installing utilities and roads at the lake park here to house 200 campers, a proposed 13-1400 campers at our other park next to the new golf course and hundreds more campers scattered about. we're a city of approx. 8-10,000. That's all we've been missing around here.. a couple thousand unemployable out of town hood rats, sitting on the porches supplied with their free housing, sipping 40 oz, getting high and looking for something to do for 18 months minimum. oh wait... we already have a lot of that going on already. what harm will a few thousand more do, right? since they are having to clear land, install utilities and roads... couldn't they have done that in NO just as easily as in other towns across the US? or is the influx of FEMA money going to the city govts involved too much of an incentive for that to happen?

[techweenie]

Originally posted by singpilot
Meanwhile, over at the trailer park, the $775 MILLION dollars spent for 'temporary housing' appears to have been in error.

Less than 10% of the housing has been occupied, and the entire development is sinking into the ground, damaging the frames of all of the mobile homes there.

Did FEMA ever call off the 1400 ice trucks they had running all over the country at nearly a million dollars a day? Last I read, they were sitting idling in Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon, and throughout the Midwest.

I imagine some big campaign contributors are involved with the mobile homes and ice trucks.

Meantime, what progress is being made in NO?

[Joeaksa]

Originally posted by techweenie
Did FEMA ever call off the 1400 ice trucks they had running all over the country at nearly a million dollars a day? Last I read, they were sitting idling in Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon, and throughout the Midwest.

I imagine some big campaign contributors are involved with the mobile homes and ice trucks.

Meantime, what progress is being made in NO?

Tech, and they have hundreds of empty trailers sitting in the Little Rock area. All the while we are paying for these people to live in hotels, and giving them money to eat on when they could be cooking their own meals.

Govt running wild, and before you start going off on it, both parties have done this before. What do we have to do to overhaul this countries support systems?

[legion]

Glassy-eyed hookers
Strung out on meth
Bail Bonds for Charlie
And my Old-English stash
Little white crystals
Smoked through a glass
FEMA will pay for unusual things...

[thrown_hammer]

A large portion of the FEMA trailers are made just north of where I live. We have massive train loads of these things going south thru here almost avery day. I know a group leader at one of the factories and they have set up an entire line to do nothing but spit out FEMA trailers.

[M.D. Holloway]

I spend a good part of my life in hotels - from time to time I come in contact with the "displaced". I have also talked to hotel staff about these guests. Here is what have been my observations:

Hotel Staff: Most of the "displaced" are decent enough folk but a fair percentage are very sloppy, almost disgusting by many standards. They are very demanding and expect that the hotal cater to their every whim and need. The also are the cause of much chaos in the hall ways late at night have been known to actually steal hotel items - where they are putting said items is anybodies guess.

My Observations: Most of the displaced are minority, over 75% are very overweight women with at least 2 kids. They do tend to be very noisey and disrespecfull of the other guests. The men that I have met are normally found in the hotel bars. I am not sure what they do during the days becuase I am out doing work. From my converstaions with them, they are all very friendly yet a bit ignorant. In friendly conversations I have mentioned to some that I know a few companies that are looking for mechganics or drivers or production staff yet all the "displaced" I mention this to all give a very lame excuse why they can't look into such work.

These are my very unscientific observations.

[cashflyer]

Shawn... you must be up in or near the Mishawaka/South Bend area. Years ago I worked for a company in Waka, and I remember seeing camper/RV/trailer industries everywhere you turned.

edit: Nevermind... I see your "michiana" tag.

[techweenie]

Originally posted by thrown_hammer
A large portion of the FEMA trailers are made just north of where I live. We have massive train loads of these things going south thru here almost avery day. I know a group leader at one of the factories and they have set up an entire line to do nothing but spit out FEMA trailers.

FEMA spews out millions in wasted 'pork' projects and the media gets excited about a few tattoos and bail bonds...

[johnco]

Someone I've talked to told me they are paying 1500 a pop to deliver the trailers. since the people delivering can't seem to position the trailers in place, they're paying someone to do that at $1200 a pop. one guy is doing up to 5 a day. He's taking in $60,000+ a month. That's the kind of job I need

[M.D. Holloway]

ya but it ain't going to mutual funds! Bass Pro shop, Cabela's, the local titty joints and hootch stores will make out as will Walmart and the local medical clinics (to treat the clap).

[techweenie]

Originally posted by johnco
Someone I've talked to told me they are paying 1500 a pop to deliver the trailers. since the people delivering can't seem to position the trailers in place, they're paying someone to do that at $1200 a pop. one guy is doing up to 5 a day. He's taking in $60,000+ a month. That's the kind of job I need

The guys who really made out were the ones who got the contracts to cover residential roofs with plastic after Katrina. with $2-300 material costs and labor at no more than $30 (they were not subject to any wage standards, benefit payments, etc.), they were being paid $15-1800 per house, with tens of thousands of houses identified as having damaged roofs.

[legion]

I'm sure all of the roofing plastic and trailer movers were big campaign contributors to Bush...

Wait, no! I've got it! They're shills for Haliburton!

[turbo6bar]

Originally posted by johnco
Someone I've talked to told me they are paying 1500 a pop to deliver the trailers. since the people delivering can't seem to position the trailers in place, they're paying someone to do that at $1200 a pop. one guy is doing up to 5 a day. He's taking in $60,000+ a month. That's the kind of job I need

$1500 per trailer is correct. I was actually considering doing this, but they provide no insurance. I tried to get commerical insurance through my insurance company, State Farm, and they said you're on your own, punk. When you figure gas, meals, and a lodging, the $1500 is whittled down pretty quick. I think the round-trip from NO to Indiana is around 2100 miles.

I do know two firefighters that have a 2 year contract with FEMA. They are pulling down stupid crazy money, and they're just 18 or 19 year old kids.

The money thrown at this disaster relief is mind-boggling. What's more scary is this is status quo for the federal government. I don't blame them. When you need more money, you call up the US Treasury and say,"Print me some $20 bills."

[techweenie]

Originally posted by legion
I'm sure all of the roofing plastic and trailer movers were big campaign contributors to Bush

But you're not sure they weren't, either.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally posted by red-beard
At least here, they broadcast on TV for months that this was coming. Every person had a chance to get an extension. The only people being turned out are the ones who did not apply for an extension.

Is there any math involved in applying for an extension? Like "how much longer do you need help? Fill in a number..." That could be unfairly biased.

[sammyg2]

At a certain point, it is no longer anyone else's responsibility to care for or house these people.
They need to take care of themselves and stop looking for a hand out.
The lived in a city below sea level. They didn't have flood insurance.
They bear much more responsibility for what happened than the US taxpayers do. I get angry that so many people think the working class has to support the non-working class.
I say they should be on their own.