Louisiana Hiring Brownie?

A Louisiana parish is interviewing Michael "Brownie" Brown for work as a consultant to help "get things moving again," USA Today reports. The leaders of a Louisiana parish devastated by Hurricane Katrina may bring in hired help from an unlikely source — heavily criticized former FEMA director Michael Brown. Brown, who resigned two weeks after Katrina hit Aug. 29 and has ...

Hurricane Relief Money Went to Strippers, Booze and Tatoos

From the Smoking Gun comes this story about how FEMA distributed ATM cards were "abused". Here is a list of items that were bought, .45 calibre pistol--$1,300 Gentlemen's club--$1,200 Diamond engagement ring--$1,100 Gambling--$1,000 Bail Bond--$1,000 Traffic tickets--$700 Tatoo--$450 Massage Parlor--$400 Alcoholic beverages--$200 Condoms--$150 Now I know that most people are going to be upset or even "outraged" that people would buy things like this. However, if you are a ...

Pentagon Backs Dual Leaders in Domestic Crises

The Pentagon's top homeland defense official told the Senate yesterday that one of the lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina is that active duty and National Guard forces should have separate commanders during crisis situations. A single military commander should not lead both active-duty and National Guard forces during a domestic crisis, a senior Defense Department official said Thursday. Paul McHale, ...

Medals Authorized for Soldiers Participating in Hurricane Relief

Service members who participated in relief operations for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have been authorized to wear the Humanitarian Service Medal and/or the Armed Forces Service Medal. Storm-relief medals authorized (Army Times) The Joint Staff has authorized the award of the Humanitarian Service Medal and Armed Forces Service Medal to soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and members of the Coast Guard — ...

Hurricanes Leave Half Million Unemployed

Nearly half a million Americans have filed unemployment claims related to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, according to Labor Department reports. Job Losses From Hurricanes Up to 478,000 (AP) Another 40,000 Americans filed claims for unemployment benefits last week due to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, pushing the total who have lost jobs because of the storms to 478,000. The Labor Department reported Thursday ...

Hurricane Wilma Most Powerful Yet

Hurricane Wilma has now reached Category 5 status and is the most powerful hurricane of the season. Wilma Strengthens to Category 5 Hurricane (AP) Hurricane Wilma strengthened into a Category 5 monster early Wednesday packing 175 mph winds, and forecasters said a key reading of the storm's pressure showed it to be the most powerful of the year. Wilma was dumping ...

Tropical Storm Wilma May Set Records

Tropical Storm Wilma is slowly moving out of the Caribbean, likely to make landfall in Florida as a major hurricane this weekend. Tropical Storm Stalls in the Caribbean (AP) Tropical Storm Wilma stalled over the warm waters of the northwestern Caribbean early Tuesday, where forecasters said it would strengthen into an intense hurricane before potentially menacing the U.S. Gulf Coast this weekend. ...

Schroeder Quits Government

Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder will not play a role in the future government of Germany. BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who has led Germany since 1998, said for the first time on Wednesday he would not play a role in the next government, in an emotional farewell including broadsides at the United States and Britain. "I will not be a part ...

Pakistan puts quake toll at 18,000 (CNN)

Amazing the number, and scope of natural disasters the world has experienced this year: ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- The Pakistan earthquake toll has reached 18,000 dead and 41,000 injured, Pakistan military spokesman Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan has told CNN. Sultan said the information the Pakistan government had on Sunday morning was that 18,000 was the number of confirmed dead from the magnitude ...

Asian Quake Leaves Hundreds Dead

Hundreds of people are feared dead after a powerful earthquake on the India-Pakistan border. Powerful Asian Quake Leaves Hundreds Dead (AP) A powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake near the Pakistan-India border Saturday reduced villages to rubble, triggered landslides and flattened an apartment building, killing hundreds of people in both nations. Pakistan's army called the devastation "a national tragedy." In the capitals of Pakistan, India and ...

Bush’s Poll Numbers Up

Proving once again that what goes down must come up, President Bush's poll numbers have rebounded from the low point they reached in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Bush's poll numbers up (CNN) President Bush's standing with the public improved over the previous week as he made a highly visible effort to manage the consequences of the second major ...

Refinery Damage Lighter Than Expected

One of the reasons that gasoline prices are not screaming upto $5/gallon as some predicted is that the damage to refineries by Hurricane Rita was less than expected. DALLAS - Oil companies said Monday that damage to their massive Texas refineries from Hurricane Rita appeared lighter than expected, but analysts are still predicting that retail gasoline prices may remain near $3 ...

What Happened to $5/Gallon Gasoline?

Well, it looks like the dire predictions about gasoline simply aren't going to materialize. In looking at the Daily Fuel Gauge Report the national average for gasoline is $2.813, and in looking at the state data there appears to be no evidence of run-away gasoline prices. Oh well, another Doom-n-Gloom prediction bites the dust.

FEMA to Reimburse Church Groups for Hurricane Aid

FEMA will, for the first time, reimburse churches along with other groups that provided relief services to hurricane victims. FEMA Plans to Reimburse Faith Groups for Aid (WaPo, A1) After weeks of prodding by Republican lawmakers and the American Red Cross, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said yesterday that it will use taxpayer money to reimburse churches and other religious organizations that ...

Should Disaster Relief be Run by Military?

President Bush yesterday called on Congress to make the Defense Department, not FEMA, the lead agency in emergency response in the event of major natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina. Bush Urges Shift In Relief Responsibilities (WaPo, A12) On Sunday, President Bush called on Congress to consider a larger role for U.S. armed forces in responding to natural disasters, as he completed ...