The storm(s) and what followed
Greetings to all.
Sincerest sympathies to those in Texas and elsewhere in the path of Harvey who have lost loved ones, property and all semblance of normalcy. Things will get better, I'm sure, but not quickly enough.
Here in Kentucky we're getting some wind and rain, but not so much as was seen and experienced elsewhere.
We're in a strange place as a country right now. We're in a position where the people whose lives were upended need help in the worst way, yet the second-highest-ranking member of the Executive branch of our government lobbied AGAINST relief after Hurricane Katrina twelve years ago, on the basis of what it would do to our deficit. Both he and the President have visited Texas, as that's now an expected element of disasters and recoveries.
It appears that we're going to be hearing a lot about tax reform, though I don't yet have a clue if MY taxes will change or if that "reform" will extend only to those who most likely don't pay enough taxes now. And the government is going to have increase the amount of money it can legally borrow to stay in business, or else it will have to shut down. And our President has implied he's prepared to allow a shutdown in order to fulfill one or more of his major campaign promises.
And lest we forget, an unfathomable number of Congressional and other investigations about the current President's campaign and its possible collusion with Russia may be intensifying, creating even more havoc in our government.
But putting all of that aside, each day we see more and more evidence of the strength and goodness and resilience and generosity of the people of this country, providing for those in need. I donated to the American Red Cross (despite some of these grumblings about there being better places to donate); you can, too, via a number of processes online, through a text message and otherwise. Actress Sandra Bullock has donated $1 million for Harvey relief. The Kardashian/Jenner clan, astoundingly, have donated $500,000. Houston Texan football player J.J. Watt has raised about $10 million thus far. The University of Houston's basketball and baseball coaches are asking for donations of clothing and shoes from their fellow university teams, and getting them in large quantities. The New York Mets arrived in Houston yesterday for a weekend series against the hometown Astros, and were reportedly planning to spend today volunteering where needed.
People are taking strangers into their homes. Multiple families with nothing. Why? Because it's the right thing to do. This morning's news featured a Pizza Hut manager who waded through chest-high water to deliver pizzas to those without power, whether they could pay or not. An armada of boats of all manner came into Texas from Louisiana to help with rescues and evacuations. A Kentucky company called Alltech (fascinating company, check them out online) has donated a certain amount of cash and a larger amount in the form of animal feed and crop products, because those areas need assistance, too. They're also sending a team of employees to help rope cattle that have scattered as the result of the storm and subsequent flooding.
Simply put, America doesn't need to be made great again, it's already pretty damned great.
Enjoy your long weekend, if you have the opportunity.
Sincerest sympathies to those in Texas and elsewhere in the path of Harvey who have lost loved ones, property and all semblance of normalcy. Things will get better, I'm sure, but not quickly enough.
Here in Kentucky we're getting some wind and rain, but not so much as was seen and experienced elsewhere.
We're in a strange place as a country right now. We're in a position where the people whose lives were upended need help in the worst way, yet the second-highest-ranking member of the Executive branch of our government lobbied AGAINST relief after Hurricane Katrina twelve years ago, on the basis of what it would do to our deficit. Both he and the President have visited Texas, as that's now an expected element of disasters and recoveries.
It appears that we're going to be hearing a lot about tax reform, though I don't yet have a clue if MY taxes will change or if that "reform" will extend only to those who most likely don't pay enough taxes now. And the government is going to have increase the amount of money it can legally borrow to stay in business, or else it will have to shut down. And our President has implied he's prepared to allow a shutdown in order to fulfill one or more of his major campaign promises.
And lest we forget, an unfathomable number of Congressional and other investigations about the current President's campaign and its possible collusion with Russia may be intensifying, creating even more havoc in our government.
But putting all of that aside, each day we see more and more evidence of the strength and goodness and resilience and generosity of the people of this country, providing for those in need. I donated to the American Red Cross (despite some of these grumblings about there being better places to donate); you can, too, via a number of processes online, through a text message and otherwise. Actress Sandra Bullock has donated $1 million for Harvey relief. The Kardashian/Jenner clan, astoundingly, have donated $500,000. Houston Texan football player J.J. Watt has raised about $10 million thus far. The University of Houston's basketball and baseball coaches are asking for donations of clothing and shoes from their fellow university teams, and getting them in large quantities. The New York Mets arrived in Houston yesterday for a weekend series against the hometown Astros, and were reportedly planning to spend today volunteering where needed.
People are taking strangers into their homes. Multiple families with nothing. Why? Because it's the right thing to do. This morning's news featured a Pizza Hut manager who waded through chest-high water to deliver pizzas to those without power, whether they could pay or not. An armada of boats of all manner came into Texas from Louisiana to help with rescues and evacuations. A Kentucky company called Alltech (fascinating company, check them out online) has donated a certain amount of cash and a larger amount in the form of animal feed and crop products, because those areas need assistance, too. They're also sending a team of employees to help rope cattle that have scattered as the result of the storm and subsequent flooding.
Simply put, America doesn't need to be made great again, it's already pretty damned great.
Enjoy your long weekend, if you have the opportunity.
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