http://www.kennethelamb.com/ • 5 hours ago −
I was wondering how long it would be before the shock overcame the awe. I've chased 38 hurricanes over the past 18 years for NYC's biggest paper, and for the largest paper in SE FL; been in the eye of 30 of them. So please take this with the experience I have while writing about this topic.
Bloomberg was another Nagin with his completely unrealistic predictions about when things would "get back to normal." Christie is following in his footsteps.
Nagin said New Orleans would be up and running in 90 days. Bloomberg had the transit system running in "2 or 3 days," - that's by tomorrow! - and the electrical up in "3 to 5 days," an equally delusional prediction.
Christie is talking about recovery as a day-by-day metaphor; he obviously has no idea of the magnitude of his state's disaster.
Why do they tell such lies? Don't they understand they are going to do nothing but infuriate the their residents, and destroy their own reputation? Did they learn nothing from Katrina and Nagin's foolishness?
Apparently not a single thing. And the disillusioned citizens will express themselves with unbridled anger.
You people are a combination of Ivan and Katrina. If you want the Real World of what to expect, read up on them. The pictures of your area could substitute for the devastation photographed in Pensacola from Ivan, and Mississippi and Louisiana from Katrina. It will take years to rebuild. More than you can now expect will never be rebuilt.
I am, like many of you, amazed at the cold, callous, judgment of Bloomberg about the Marathon and other priorities. You have people who are beyond destitute - and the top priority is not them. It is taking care of his fellow banksters and Wall Streeters; the everyday people be damned.
Let me give you the Reality Check that Bloomberg, et al. won't give you:
1) It will be at least two weeks before you are done rescuing people. You'll know it's over when they go from people sniffing dogs, to cadaver sniffing dogs;
2) You'll be lucky if you have electricity restored everywhere in two weeks; don't be surprised if some areas are out for nearly a month.;
3) As supplies of food and fuel disappear, it's going to get violent;
4) As the police begin to drop out from their 80-hours shifts, the looters will be out - look for the National Guard or US Army to finally restore order;
5) The insurance companies are going to withhold every penny they can from you - the truth is they don't have the funds to pay out what it will cost to pay off policies. I'm sure incredible numbers of people don't have flood insurance because they never thought it would ever flood, a la New Orleans - so those people will be financially wiped out. Even those who do get insurance money will soon find that the money they get won't let them build up to the new code requirements, so they are finished as well. Expect the insurance companies to be merciless;
6) Price gouging will be widespread as supplies dwindle;
7) Rebuilding will take years because of a) lack of people to do the work, and b) lack of money to pay for it - see the remark about the lack of flood insurance to understand why;
8) Some will never rebuild, a la New Orleans and Pensacola;
9) Drug and alcohol abuse will skyrocket, and with them domestic and street violence as people find no other outlet to dissipate stress and depression;
10) The use of mental health facilities, and stress related illnesses will also skyrocket, putting major demands on money for medical and prescription costs;
11) Bankruptcy of cities, townships, counties, and maybe even the state will become the only way out for over-burdened governments;
12) Bankruptcy will also sweep through all the marginal businesses in the area - they won't survive the timeline that they need to restore cash flow - and you can count on the banksters to do absolutely nothing to help them. The banksters aren't about to lend out the money they can write to themselves as multimillion dollar bonuses.
That's the top of the list for you. It's the Real World that you about to live. There is no easy way out - only the toughest will survive - the rest will end up dead from the stress, from suicide, from drug overdoses, or simply move away unable to cope with the devastation.
I pray for every one of you. There is no way to sugarcoat what you are about to experience. May God, or the Goddess, or your Higher Power, or whatever you believe exerts influence over your life, be merciful to you.
You are only beginning to experience Hell on Earth."
