The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly about Hurricane Sandy

[Hilel Salomon]

Americans are the kindest, most helpful and most generous people on earth. A small minority don't have these qualities. In reading the news about Sandy, I was appalled at those who wanted to blame either Democrats or Republicans for the disaster, those who laughed and said that it served people right for living in the affected areas, and those who hoped that certain people died during the disaster. What ugly, distorted people these were.
Also, when these kind of disasters occur, the implements necessary to dig out, cut trees and salvage damaged properties are often sold out at the hardware stores. A few people begin to charge outrageous prices for their used chainsaws or for ordinary services. I'm down here in Columbia, SC and we weren't affected by the storm, but I know that my wood turning friends and neighbors in Virginia are helping those in need. In other words, they're acting like Americans.

[David Weaver]

It's the job of the news to keep your attention. If they feel like the best way to do that is to get people to say ugly things, they still have you on the hook as far as ratings go. I'd ignore it, you're just feeding the system if you don't.

A minority of folks has always done or said things like that, the difference now is that the internet makes it easier to catalong peoples' comments, and then they get boosted right up to the news. Along with bloggers who are just dying to figure out how to get people to their pages, political or otherwise. Same conclusion, don't feed it, don't repeat it.

We have gotten worse over the years about repeating things we don't like because we get so aggravated about them, but it just lends credibility to the method of distribution and by giving an ear to the people who say them. I know people of my grandparents age generally distanced themselves from such things instead of discussing them, but I fall into the same trap you did sometimes, I don't have as much discipline about it as my grandparents do.

You can bet there are plenty of stories about good people helping others in NY, stories that will never be aired.

[Jim Koepke]

In reading the news about Sandy, I was appalled at those who wanted to blame either Democrats or Republicans for the disaster, those who laughed and said that it served people right for living in the affected areas, and those who hoped that certain people died during the disaster. What ugly, distorted people these were.

I agree that they are many truly ugly distorted people who try to make themselves more important through the misery of others.

It is sad that so many have become polarized to the point of finding something so terrible as a way to promote their agenda.

jtk

[Matt Meiser]

Wow, I think you just summed up my thoughts on this election in 2 sentences. Both sides.

[Mike Cruz]

Hilel, this just supports the saying, "The more people I meet, the more I like my dog!". While there are an amazing number of good people around, I lost my confidence in poeple many years ago. While I don't believe that anyone "deserved" this by any means (whether it be hard times, injury, or death) for living in an effected area, there was a story on the news recently that boiled my blood: A community of about 250 (might have been 280) homes in Virginia has flooded 3 times in the last 10 years. The solution is to build a levy along the Potomac to protect this community. Apparently, it will be up for a vote to VIRGINIANS to approve the building of said levy! Why on God's Green Earth should the people of the Commonwealth of Virginia (oddly not a state, but a Commonwealth, but that is a discussion for another time) pay for a levy to protect these 250 homes? EITHER the community should pool the money, they should raise the money in a fundraiser (that way those who care can pay help pay for it), the company that developed the community, or the builder that built the community should pay for it. It isn't the responsibility of the people that live out of that community to pay for a levy via taxes to build a levy to protect a community that probably shouldn't have been built in the first place. Gladly, I don't live in Virginia...

While we weren't hit too hard by the storm right here where I live (thankfully), my heart goes out to all those who did...no matter where they live.

[ray hampton]

Hilel, this just supports the saying, "The more people I meet, the more I like my dog!". While there are an amazing number of good people around, I lost my confidence in poeple many years ago. While I don't believe that anyone "deserved" this by any means (whether it be hard times, injury, or death) for living in an effected area, there was a story on the news recently that boiled my blood: A community of about 250 (might have been 280) homes in Virginia has flooded 3 times in the last 10 years. The solution is to build a levy along the Potomac to protect this community. Apparently, it will be up for a vote to VIRGINIANS to approve the building of said levy! Why on God's Green Earth should the people of the Commonwealth of Virginia (oddly not a state, but a Commonwealth, but that is a discussion for another time) pay for a levy to protect these 250 homes? EITHER the community should pool the money, they should raise the money in a fundraiser (that way those who care can pay help pay for it), the company that developed the community, or the builder that built the community should pay for it. It isn't the responsibility of the people that live out of that community to pay for a levy via taxes to build a levy to protect a community that probably shouldn't have been built in the first place. Gladly, I don't live in Virginia...

While we weren't hit too hard by the storm right here where I live (thankfully), my heart goes out to all those who did...no matter where they live.

do your point of view apply to the series of expressway that are build in you state that you may never use ? what about all of the lakes that you will not fish in ?

[Mike Cruz]

Again, Ray, I have no clue what you are saying/asking...never mind, though.

[John Coloccia]

Hilel, this just supports the saying, "The more people I meet, the more I like my dog!". While there are an amazing number of good people around, I lost my confidence in poeple many years ago. While I don't believe that anyone "deserved" this by any means (whether it be hard times, injury, or death) for living in an effected area, there was a story on the news recently that boiled my blood: A community of about 250 (might have been 280) homes in Virginia has flooded 3 times in the last 10 years. The solution is to build a levy along the Potomac to protect this community. Apparently, it will be up for a vote to VIRGINIANS to approve the building of said levy! Why on God's Green Earth should the people of the Commonwealth of Virginia (oddly not a state, but a Commonwealth, but that is a discussion for another time) pay for a levy to protect these 250 homes? EITHER the community should pool the money, they should raise the money in a fundraiser (that way those who care can pay help pay for it), the company that developed the community, or the builder that built the community should pay for it. It isn't the responsibility of the people that live out of that community to pay for a levy via taxes to build a levy to protect a community that probably shouldn't have been built in the first place. Gladly, I don't live in Virginia...

While we weren't hit too hard by the storm right here where I live (thankfully), my heart goes out to all those who did...no matter where they live.

Well, they're voting on it, Mike. If they don't want to pay for it, they won't. Sounds like things are working as they should, aren't they?

[Mike Cruz]

John, not if you asked me. In my mind, it shouldn't even go to a vote. This isn't the "peoples'" problem. It is a problem of 250 homes that probably shouldn't have been built. If anyone feels badly for these folks, they should open their wallets and contribute. BTW, I'm not unsympathetic to the owners fo the 250 homes. Please don't get me wrong. I don't think that it is "their fault" for living there. But it is their problem. Having the people of the Commonwealth of Virginia pay for this "mistake" by the developers/builders simply excuses them of their wrong doing. THEY should pay, not the people. Otherwise, guess what they will do in the next floodplain...

Consequences for actions to those that act...not for those who happen to live in the same State...cleaning up the mess with their hard earned cash.

And BTW, my wife and I have contributed to aid for those affected by Sandy...we are not unsympathetic. But it was a CHOICE that we made, not mandated by a vote or by tax. What if a vote was made for everyone to contribute $1000 to aid victims of Sandy, and your State said "Yes" to the vote? Granted, I'm sure that isn't what would come of this issue in Virginia, but just because the public votes on it, doesn't make it right. Not all things should be voted on. If they took a vote on whether drinking and driving is okay, and the people voted YES, would that make it good? Nope...

Sorry, I'll get off my rant...

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Folks.....Please.......no politics.......it violates the TOSs.

[Mike Cruz]

Consider my hand slapped, Ken...sorry. I'll shut up now.

[Scott Shepherd]

Yeah, Maryland never puts stupid things up for vote, do they?

[Jim Matthews]

We have a similar problem, right here in my neck of the woods.
There's a small inlet protected by a sandbar, with some precarious mobile homes perched in harm's way.

Every major storm washes away the road, and the seasonal residents insist that their taxes should cover rebuilding.
On a town budget just over 35 Million dollars, rebuilding the road will cost nearly $1.5 Million.

This lasts until the next storm arrives. When this starts happening in Florida - who pays?
Were I an insurance company, I would not consider coverage for property less than 20 feet above highest tide reasonable risk.

[Jason Roehl]

Were I an insurance company, I would just charge sufficient premiums to cover the expected losses, with appropriate breaks for disaster-resistant construction features...

[Jim Matthews]

In places like Florida, I'm not sure that's possible...

Given that so much of the Flood insurance is underwritten at a Federal level, it's a transfer of risk across State lines.

http://www.insuringflorida.org/artic...ce-market.html
http://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/

http://www.city-data.com/states/Florida-Topography.html