Tragedy In Oklahoma

[Kalalau]

The tornado destruction in Oklahoma is beyond belief. The video looks like the ground was scoured bare. We visited Kaua'i several months after Iniki, the scenes of tragedy were similar. We were told that a wind gauge at Koke'e broke at 183 mph, which was a bit less than the wind speed at Moore, Ok. Our hearts go out to the people of Oklahoma. We will contribute money, help is being sent from all over the country. Brother and sister Americans will stand with our fellow citizens. But at the same time...when the people of New York and New Jersey needed help from the country after Hurricane Sandy members of the Oklahoma delegation in congress voted against aid. A tragedy like this in Oklahoma should show that we really are all in this together, whether we are from Hawai'i, California, New York, Oklahoma, we actually do need to stand with each other during times of need.

[Kalalau]

Re: Tragedy In Oklahoma

Of course bringing it back to politics: Oklahoma congress people are praising the weather service for issuing timely warnings which no doubt saved hundreds of lives. Yet weren't at least some of these congress people responsible for the sequester, cutting funding to the weather service and other vital services? You can't put a price on the value of human life.

[matapule]

Re: Tragedy In Oklahoma

You can't put a price on the value of human life.

Yes, the people of Oklahoma can. If you are a resident of Oklahoma your life is worth more than if you are a resident of....say.....New York.

[Kalalau]

Re: Tragedy In Oklahoma

Its the ultimate in hypocrisy, "christian" hypocrisy: Oh, I am a perfect Christian therefore my well being counts more than some Jew's in New York or some Italian's in New Jersey and I love guns which we all know Jesus worshiped. Still, they are our fellow Americans and we do not want them to suffer, but how can they possibly think they are entitled to federal aid and the people of New York and New Jersey aren't? That said, obviously not everybody in Oklahoma has ever felt that way but those who do really chafe my hide.

[Kaonohi]

Re: Tragedy In Ok

WHAT makes you think that Catholics or Christians value guns more than any other American group?

This seems like simple projection to me.

[lensperson]

Re: Tragedy In Oklahoma

The power of these winds simply cannot be understood unless

one has seen one of these storms.

A one square foot area of surface will present a load of about

one horsepower of energy when presented to the wind at sixty miles per hour.

Car manufacturers are well aware of this.
The newtonian laws of physics will ramp this up at the square of the velocity.

at 120 miles per hour , the wind exerts a force of 4 horsepower.

A rough equivalent to a horsepower in watts is about 750.
At 240 miles per hour the storm had 16 horsepower per square foot of

exposed frontal surface.

[matapule]

Re: Tragedy In Oklahoma

A rough equivalent to a horsepower in watts is about 750. At 240 miles per hour the storm had 16 horsepower per square foot of exposed frontal surface.

So how many horsepower does Kim Kardashian generate with her exposed frontal surface?

[Amati]

Re: Tragedy In Oklahoma

Its the ultimate in hypocrisy, "christian" hypocrisy: Oh, I am a perfect Christian therefore my well being counts more than some Jew's in New York or some Italian's in New Jersey and I love guns which we all know Jesus worshiped.

What is your reasoning for that speculation? From what I've read, it was questioned by the Oklahoma delegation about the widespread usage of the money (which did show a bit of ignorance about how hurricanes affect a wide area), and also that the funding for recovery should come from budget cuts.

Here is the roll call for H.R. 152 (Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013 ). It was very much a Dem vs Rep vote. YEAs 62, NAYs 36, Not Voting 2.

All Nays were R. Nearly all Yeas were D.

[matapule]

Re: Tragedy In Oklahoma

also that the funding for recovery should come from budget cuts.

Yes, the Teapublicans wanted to cut Federal assistance programs for the poor to fund disaster assistance. Why not increase the taxes on the wealthiest to fund disaster relief? They have not paid such a low tax rate since the early 1950's. Although matapule is not a one percenter, he is willing to have his taxes increased for disaster relief.

All Nays were R. Nearly all Yeas were D.

Yes, the Dems will vote in favor for disaster relief for OK. It will be interesting to see how the Teapublicans vote, especially the two Bagger Senators from OK!

[Kalalau]

Re: Tragedy In Oklahoma

There is nothing wrong with taxing the rich. The country had its best days when tax rates on the rich were much higher. Look at the US now: could we possibly do another moon program? We don't even have our own launch rockets any more, we pay the Russians of all people to use theirs. There are so many good reasons to tax the rich, one of the best being that you really do not want this country becoming another banana republic where 1 % of the population sits on its ass owning 99 % of the wealth while the other 99 % of the population lives in ignorance and squalor and hopelessness because the country won't tax rich people to build and maintain schools, roads, public health, etc. Why did the country work so well under the Eisenhower, Kennedy, Clinton,etc, tax rates? Why does it work so poorly now? Seriously, we lost our credit rating, the citadel of capitalism can't be trusted to pay its debts, roads falling apart, college grads in lifetime debt because education isn't adequately funded, all so the wealthyprivilegedelite can deposit a few more million in Swiss bank accounts, refurbish the yachtS, buy a bit more caviar for their dogs.

[Kaonohi]

Re: Tragedy In Oklahoma

There is nothing wrong with taxing the rich.

Agreed.

Now do we go for a flat tax (10% of ALL income for everyone), or a graduated tax (0% for under the poverty line and increasing percentages as your income increases)?

And there are so many ways to avoid taxes that we must eliminate as well.

Time for a revolution --- SOME kind of revolution, anyway.

(I wonder if that will be blanked out as well, as one of my earlier emails was!)

[Ron Whitfield]

Re: Tragedy In Oklahoma

Time for a revolution --- SOME kind of revolution, anyway.

Occupy had a very good origin but it got corrupted quickly, being doomed from the start, and fed the FOX noise mentality perfectly.
But the sentiment was long valid and needs to succeed.