Puerto Rico is 100% without power after Hurricane Maria — here's why that's a huge problem

a reply to: Aazadan

It's more a failure to comprehend anything other than faux fake news that provides your confirmation bias and politics at all costs -

regardless any effort made you've made it quite obvious that it will never ever be enough unless and until there's a (D) named individual involved.

You have been amply provided evidence contrary to your false claims yet continue along with abject bullheaded ignorance.

You've moved goalposts several times as your lies are factually shown up to be false - now you're on predictions and staging - I follow hurricane model and discussion boards closely and nobody could exactly tell Marias course much more than 1-2 days as Jose influenced in very odd fashion.

You just keep making stuff up because you've put yourself in bad light and seem desperate to wheedle your way out.

Puerto Rico is getting lots of help from U.S. Federal government and it is being done fast as conditions allow main one - it's an island!

a reply to: Phoenix

He's only saying/doing anything now because there's been about a week of shaming him, and people getting pissed off that he's being too passive to the needs of American citizens. They were rightfully upset that Trump would rather rant about the NFL than address actual national emergencies.

Even then, his response so far has been the absolute bare minimum.

originally posted by: Aazadan
a reply to: Phoenix

He's only saying/doing anything now because there's been about a week of shaming him, and people getting pissed off that he's being too passive to the needs of American citizens. They were rightfully upset that Trump would rather rant about the NFL than address actual national emergencies.

Even then, his response so far has been the absolute bare minimum.

Again your assertions have been amply proven wrong by factual information and events.

So now your line is "we shamed him and that's why PR being helped"

"Moves goalposts yet again"

Megalomaniacal self important egotistical complex a bit there too? Beside being just plain wrong!


Here try this,

www.dvidshub.net...

It's defense saying what's been/being done.

Up thread It was suggested ideas be made and presented for PR folks make it through difficult times.

All I've seen is useless carping for political points, how's that help PR people ?

a reply to: Phoenix

And so it continues. Trump waived the Jones act for Texas and Florida. Is deliberately leaving it in place so that Puerto Rico can't recieve any international aid.

Also banning US lawmakers from taking trips there to observe the situation for themselves.

originally posted by: Aazadan
a reply to: Phoenix

And so it continues. Trump waived the Jones act for Texas and Florida. Is deliberately leaving it in place so that Puerto Rico can't recieve any international aid.

Also banning US lawmakers from taking trips there to observe the situation for themselves.

its not that i dont feel for PR but why shouldnt we take care of our own first? i live in swfl where irma hit and lost my roof ,water damage and people still without power.

just about every person i heard that applied for fema assistance are getting denied amd have 10k deductible when it comes to hurrican damage in some cases. people are blaming it on harvey and irma happening so close to each other, that the money has been quickly dwindled.

originally posted by: interupt42

originally posted by: Aazadan
a reply to: Phoenix

And so it continues. Trump waived the Jones act for Texas and Florida. Is deliberately leaving it in place so that Puerto Rico can't recieve any international aid.

Also banning US lawmakers from taking trips there to observe the situation for themselves.

its not that i dont feel for PR but why shouldnt we take care of our own first? i live in swfl where irma hit and lost my roof ,water damage and people still without power.

just about every person i heard that applied for fema assistance are getting denied amd have 10k deductible when it comes to hurrican damage in some cases. people are blaming it on harvey and irma happening so close to each other, that the money has been quickly dwindled.

Puerto Rico is our own. They're a US territory, and have on numerous occasions positively voted to become a US state, though Congress hasn't gone forward on that. Regardless they're US citizens. They're as much our own as people in any state in the union are.

Edit: This was Trump 6 hours ago.

""Well we're thinking about [temporarily lifting the Jones Act]," Trump told reporters before stepping aboard Marine One, "but we have a lot of shippers, and a lot of people, and a lot of people who work in the shipping industry that don't want the Jones Act lifted."

"And we have a lot of ships out there right now," Trump added."

That's Trump talking about putting the profits of the shipping industry over basic immediete needs of US citizens in a disaster zone.

And if you want to go into conspiracy theories, in 2015 while on the campaign trail he talked about how he would like to severely reduce property values in Puerto Rico, so that he could buy the whole island.
www.tripsavvy.com...

a reply to: interupt42
I live in South Florida and was shocked when I went to visit a friend of mine yesterday, and saw the amount of damage that had been done to the homes on her street. All of the waterlogged furniture and personal belonging lined up on both side of the street, and missing roofs. My heart ached for them.

I have friends in PR and family in St. Martin and I have friends that have family in Houston. I want all of them to have their lives restored, but with the amount of devastation that is present in so many different places at one time, I think we should be looking at nontraditional methods of recovery.

I don't have a magic wand or even any brilliant answers, but I think relying on the government to fix this alone, will end in not just disappointment, but probably many will fall victim to shady and corrupt enterprises.

We need to find a better way to fix this. Preferably with as little government management as possible.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

But I think relying on the government to fix this alone, will end in not just disappointment, but probably many will fall victim to shady and corrupt enterprises.

Without a doubt and I already see it on both side the gov't side and in the private corporate industry. Many have been shocked that they have a different hurricane deductible that can range based on a percentage on the amount of damage done. To add salt to injury the corporate insurance companies are then prorating the amount giving based on the house and damage. Despite never prorating the home owners monthly payments they have been making for the last 10 years or more.

Then on the gov't side you see all the FEMA ads and the politicians talking about being there to help but when its time to pay the piper many are finding that they are getting denied any significant help.

We need to find a better way to fix this. Preferably with as little government management as possible.

Agreed , but we have a congress with to much corporate conflict of interest. So when we say gov't the reality is Private Behemoth corporations .

Both politicians and Corporations live by the motto never let a crisis go to waste. Large portions of the money will be lost and distributed across among political and private sector friends without getting to the people. Its like Political , gov't and corporate charities are the new form of laundering large money.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

But I think relying on the government to fix this alone, will end in not just disappointment, but probably many will fall victim to shady and corrupt enterprises.

Without a doubt and I already see it on both side the gov't side and in the private corporate industry. Many have been shocked that they have a different hurricane deductible that can range based on a percentage on the amount of damage done. To add salt to injury the corporate insurance companies are then prorating the amount giving based on the house and damage. Despite never prorating the home owners monthly payments they have been making for the last 10 years or more.

Then on the gov't side you see all the FEMA ads and the politicians talking about being there to help but when its time to pay the piper many are finding that they are getting denied any significant help.

We need to find a better way to fix this. Preferably with as little government management as possible.

Agreed , but we have a congress with to much corporate conflict of interest. So when we say gov't the reality is Private Behemoth corporations .

Both politicians and Corporations live by the motto never let a crisis go to waste. Large portions of the money will be lost and distributed across among political and private sector friends without getting to the people. Its like Political , gov't and corporate charities or govt assistance for disasters is the new form of laundering large money.

Well, they actually lifted the Jones act, so that's a step in the right direction. It's not super helpful as a short term fix, but in terms of medium to long term rebuilding it's a big deal. After much prodding Trump did something right (that he should have known to do right away)

The USS Comfort, a hospital ship is also on the way.

I posted the link in the other Maria thread. A little late for the response, but the ship will be a big help.

originally posted by: jrod
The USS Comfort, a hospital ship is also on the way.

I posted the link in the other Maria thread. A little late for the response, but the ship will be a big help.

Is it on the way? I read yesterday that it was still in port, and had been since the beginning.

originally posted by: Aazadan
Well, they actually lifted the Jones act, so that's a step in the right direction. It's not super helpful as a short term fix, but in terms of medium to long term rebuilding it's a big deal. After much prodding Trump did something right (that he should have known to do right away)

Interesting thing about the Jones Act: waivers can only be granted for national security purposes. For Texas and Florida, they used the excuse that potential fuel shortages would be a national security problem. I don't know what the justification is with Puerto Rico. I suppose you could make anything a national security problem if you tried hard enough.

a reply to: Aazadan

Not sure. I just read a few more articles, and they said she'll be underway in a 'couple of days'.

I personally think this is unacceptable.

The US government either simply just does not care what happens to it's territories, OR is clearly in way over their head with Puerto Rico. I honestly think both are at fault, though.
This is a bigger disaster than can be appropriately handled right now, we'd have been wise to get off our proverbial ass and lift the Jones Act as soon as we knew the extent of damage and get the aid flowing in much earlier than this.

Take note, though, because this is what happens when you're just a US territory and not a state -- you're an annoying footnote they have to pretend to care about & move fast for, while dragging heels the whole time. If it's a disaster of epic proportions, hang it up, it's gonna be a while!

originally posted by: jrod
a reply to: Aazadan

Not sure. I just read a few more articles, and they said she'll be underway in a 'couple of days'.

I personally think this is unacceptable.

I was under the impression the Comfort had been there for days. It hasn't even moved yet? What a f#ing disgrace.

originally posted by: Nyiah
I was under the impression the Comfort had been there for days. It hasn't even moved yet? What a f#ing disgrace.

Sure enough, this marine traffic website shows the Comfort as currently in Norfolk.

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan


It doesn't stay staffed they have to get people flown in from where they have extra. It's not a 24-7-365 hospital unless it's needed to be.

originally posted by: grey580
a reply to: ElectricUniverse

Time to send over an air craft carrier to provide emergency power to the islands essential services.

They would be further ahead to send a few nuclear submarines. It would be easier to get them into the harbors and their power plants put out almost as much power as a carrier. They can also desalinate large quantities of water.

a reply to: JIMC5499

I posted in another thread with numbers.

A sub can power some 1200 homes. A carrier can power 12k homes. Or around those numbers.

I agree that a carrier needs to go there and produce some power.