G_Conway wrote:
They get involved because then they can start a "department" to oversee it. Then they can tax it.

Yep. They love their control and money. Look what they did to the healthcare situation. I now get to pay for every slothful lazy pos out there and I'm healthy by choice. Kinda makes me resentful of unhealthy people. Maybe that's what they wanted. More division means more pushing certain agendas. Well, it's working. Now that I have to pay for people's unhealthy lifestyles, kinda makes me unhappy with people who smoke and aren't fit. A couple years ago, I'd be happy to leave well enough alone.

SKWEARpeg wrote:
I think all and all, the state came out of it far better then many expected.

Good to see you post, Mark.

Had to come check on my buddies.

Still bad, but you're correct. Dodged a bullet with Irma going to Cat 3 and Cat 2 quickly.

Deerkiller wrote:
G_Conway wrote:
They get involved because then they can start a "department" to oversee it. Then they can tax it.

Yep. They love their control and money. Look what they did to the healthcare situation. I now get to pay for every slothful lazy pos out there and I'm healthy by choice. Kinda makes me resentful of unhealthy people. Maybe that's what they wanted. More division means more pushing certain agendas. Well, it's working. Now that I have to pay for people's unhealthy lifestyles, kinda makes me unhappy with people who smoke and aren't fit. A couple years ago, I'd be happy to leave well enough alone.

Here in Canada we pay healthcare through taxes. Universal healthcare. Yes, I'm sure I pay for some peoples unhealthy living habits, smokers and others. But I also pay for a hip surgery for some elderly, and some kid somewhere that needs cancer treatment. I would rather keep paying this and not have to worry about it if I need it some day.

Shores, I really glad you had a good experience with FEMA and I very greatful Irma degraded as quickly as it did. I don't have an issue with FEMA helping in a situation like yours. But twenty five miles south of me there are multimillion dollar homes on the coast line and the only way they could afford to be built is by FEMA insuring them no insurance company will touch them. They regularly sustain storm damage and I'm paying for their repairs. I know many people who live near me on the river, their property is being eroded by flooding but no one will pay to renourish their property but yet the county is paid (with my FEMA payments) to haul tons of sand back on to the property of beach front owners. FEMA has changed the flood zone map to include the majority of our county, 99% of which has never flooded and if I does most of the Florida panhandle and south Alabama would be under water. FEMA has been a huge disaster and is millions in debt from mismanagement. In times of storms they pay hundreds of people in our county who do nothing. I have witnessed this for years while working as a lawenforcement officer during these incidents. I think if someone wants a home in an area that's subject to flooding then I shouldn't be forced to pay for the repairs resulting from their choice of home location. When the Government steps in to help they create issues in other areas.

bruisercruiser wrote:
Deerkiller wrote:
G_Conway wrote:
They get involved because then they can start a "department" to oversee it. Then they can tax it.

Yep. They love their control and money. Look what they did to the healthcare situation. I now get to pay for every slothful lazy pos out there and I'm healthy by choice. Kinda makes me resentful of unhealthy people. Maybe that's what they wanted. More division means more pushing certain agendas. Well, it's working. Now that I have to pay for people's unhealthy lifestyles, kinda makes me unhappy with people who smoke and aren't fit. A couple years ago, I'd be happy to leave well enough alone.

Here in Canada we pay healthcare through taxes. Universal healthcare. Yes, I'm sure I pay for some peoples unhealthy living habits, smokers and others. But I also pay for a hip surgery for some elderly, and some kid somewhere that needs cancer treatment. I would rather keep paying this and not have to worry about it if I need it some day.

The whole healthcare debate is an interesting one. Being born in Scotland, and having family there , I see the good and the bad in "national" healthcare. I agree about things like "Emergency" treatments. In the UK it is fast and efficient. The problem is it's effect on "quality of care." National healthcare eliminates the "make good money" driver for the HC Pro's. That is why a large majority of Dr's inside of an NHC tend to be educated in more 3rd world environments. Who can afford the costs of college and Med school at major US or European schools and then go to work for the NHS at 60K a year (or less in some cases.) Same thing applies in research hospitals. Without private donations or investment, they don't have the funding to be competitive in research.

The problem with high quality medical treatment is it's cost (DUH) but the benefit can be in quality of care. The problem with an NHS approach is reduced access to quality care for normal everyday needs. Emergencies are treated fast, but not necessarily in the best way. Routine non-critical care can take forever.

Like Shores, I also had a positive experience with FEMA. FEMA came around after hurricane Charley and asked what kind of damage I sustained and was ready to cut a check to jump start repairs. I told him that my damage was minimal and that I already made repairs at minimal expense to me. I told him that my biggest expense was the generator I bought and was planning on buying anyway but the storm forced an immediate purchase. He asked if I kept the receipt and after showing it to him got a reimbursement check for the full amount. I still have it 13 years later and call it my FEMA generator.Shores wrote:
In 2001, the Seattle area had the Nisqually earth quake at a 6.8 magnitude. My home sustained chimney and wall damage. FEMA was at my house within a week and I had a check in two more weeks. I've had a good experience with FEMA.

Well, I'm back in service after Irma hear in north Florida. Sustained very minimal damage, and only out of power for a day and a half. My little generator gave us the power to save our food in the frig, and my little 5cu.ft. freezer, and gave me power for our coffee maker, and toaster Phone service was a little longer, and my computer service just came back a few minutes ago. I hope everyone else that had to go through this made out ok.
John

Good to hear you came through with minimum issues. I'm east of Panama City and really we had nothing other than some wind and light rain. Saw a lot of people traveling south through our area today.

Bee Farmer wrote:
Good to hear you came through with minimum issues. I'm east of Panama City and really we had nothing other than some wind and light rain. Saw a lot of people traveling south through our area today.

Yesterday AM, the traffic heading east was lighter here on I-10. Tuesday, was a mess. Everybody wanted to go home. They had the very convoys of power trucks and tree trimmers who would set things right, hung up in traffic jams. When it did roll, it was only about 30mph.

ok in cocoa beach merritt island, hospital closed for a week/off yeh! real stressful event. FEMA did me right too in 2004 , quick cash and help , paid for my generator at HD 400$, and some more for lost food, 10 days no power, like 30% over here still have no power, we had no water for 4 days, mains pipes over bridges failed. boil water just lifted.
you dont know from hot till u have post hurricane in FL with no power or water. just go to local sauna to compare.
95 degrees and 130% humidity. sweat just takin a piss outside.
no big damage here tho , blessed again.
yes we had 30 gallons of prestorm water stored in old round coolers and camping water containers. NEVER thought we would need it tho. trust me, good thing we did.
strangely, no rain for 4 days after storm.