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-Signs, Portents, and the Weather-
Fourty Two Dead so far from KY Ice Storm
2009-02-01
MARION, Ky. -- In some parts of rural Kentucky, they're getting water the old-fashioned way -- with pails from a creek. There's not room for one more sleeping bag on the shelter floor. The creative are flushing their toilets with melted snow.
not a good story for the MSM to cover because it doesn't seem to scream "global warming"
At least 42 people have died, including 11 in Kentucky, and conditions are worsening in many places days after an ice storm knocked out power to 1.3 million customers from the Plains to the East Coast. About a million people were still without electric Friday, and with no hope that the lights will come back on soon.

Local officials were growing angry with what they said was a lack of help from the state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The ONE Dozed, White People Froze
In Grayson County, about 80 miles southwest of Louisville, Emergency Management Director Randell Smith said the 25 National Guardsmen who have responded have no chain saws to clear fallen trees. "We've got people out in some areas we haven't even visited yet," Smith said. "We don't even know that they're alive."

Smith said FEMA has been a no-show so far. "I'm not saying we can't handle it; we'll handle it," Smith said. "But it would have made life a lot easier" if FEMA had reached the county sooner, he said.
Posted by:mhw

#22  Every couple of years KY has a good ice storm. The KY national guard is very prepared for this as are most of th local folks. I question this reporters intent. KY can take care of its own and they don't need any help from Wash DC.
Posted by: 49 Pan   2009-02-01 23:01  

#21  On Friday morn -- an interview with the Lt Gov of KY said, "Yes, we have contacted the White House, we have requested disaster designation, and are in conversation with the White House."

Not sure when that request was made --- but it has been made. At the least, it was on Thursday, cause this was early Friday morn, and The One isn't an early man into the office.
Posted by: Sherry   2009-02-01 22:33  

#20  Frank G
the best kit is one you never need to use, you did good.
Posted by: Rednek Jim   2009-02-01 22:22  

#19  good kit, RJ. When I went to Mexico in my FJ40, I carried extra fanbelts, hoses, and a fuel pump. Just in case. I thought I was doing well......
Posted by: Frank G   2009-02-01 21:18  

#18  PS, those huge pines went to the sawmill right after the roads opened, never again.
Posted by: Rednek Jim   2009-02-01 21:10  

#17  Hell you ought to see my "Survival closet" chain saw fuel and oil (In pickup sealed back toolbox) air mattress, gasoline lanterns, Propane lanterns, Coleman gasoline cook stove (Two burners) Tarpaulins (2) and hand saw (two actualy one plain handsaw and one woods saw with a 30 inch bandsaw type blade, (No axe yet I'm lazy) two claw hammers, many different sizes of nails and screws, I suppose I should include my pickup, a Small Isuzu that'll go wherever I want it to, Backwoods, or interstate. Extra 5 gallon gas can (Full of course).

Much more, books on construction and survival I guess I'm just a big Boy Scout.

Served me well about 15 years ago when we had a freak snowsorm and an snow filled Huge pine cut my house in half (2 1/2 feet across through the living room and 50 feet from the stump)

Let it snow.
Posted by: Rednek Jim   2009-02-01 21:07  

#16  Hard to believe folks in rural Kentucky do not have chain saws.

Tractor, shotgun, chainsaw. Rural folks can usually look after themselves.
Posted by: Skunky Glins 5***   2009-02-01 19:32  

#15  This seems like a larger natural disaster than Katrina. State and local response is inadequate and national response is very poor. Lots to criticize, but few have taken up the gauntlet. Once again the public is ill-served by MSM. N o suprise there.
Posted by: Richard of Oregon   2009-02-01 18:47  

#14  While I would like to lay this at Obama's feet, as far as I know the Govornour of Kentucky has not asked for Federal help and until he does there is nothing the US, or Obama, can do. This is not like New Orleans where Bush contacted the Louisiana Govourner and she told him she didn't need the Feds and then screemed bloody murder when she and the locals were not able to handle the situation.
Posted by: Deacon Blues   2009-02-01 18:37  

#13  Stay safe, 3dc. He's down in Kan-tuck-ee right now.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2009-02-01 15:44  

#12  latest on Fox said ALL NG were called up
Posted by: Frank G   2009-02-01 15:38  

#11  While I have to agree that this is NOT a "federal" issue, it IS a state issue. They've only called up 25 National Guardsmen? The nearest WalMart has gas-powered chain saws. Why hasn't the state's emergency management people just gone to Wallieworld and pick up a half-dozen? A few chain saws and 50 sacks of cat litter can help a bunch.

Is rural Kentucky absolutely axe-free? An axe takes longer than a chain saw, but it works without having to have either gas or electricity. I know the kind of havoc ice storms can cause. I lived through a couple in Louisiana, and one in Germany where the local government completely shut down road travel for 36 hours. They can be a killer. At the same time the best place to find a helping hand is at the end of your arm. I can remember being 15 and helping clear broken limbs and whole trees from the road we lived on after a really bad ice storm. I have little sympathy.

Local people should be angry that the State government isn't providing assistance (or sufficient assistance), but there's a lot they could do for themselves.
Posted by: Old Patriot   2009-02-01 15:08  

#10  How many people have died from global warming?

Think about that when O refuses to build power plants and introduces cap and trade tax.
Posted by: DoDo   2009-02-01 14:43  

#9  the difference between the two is that white ppl will go out and try too help themselves instead of waiting for the government too do it for them
Posted by: rabid whitetail   2009-02-01 11:07  

#8  besides the french quarter new orleans is avbout the same as it was before Katrina. a shithole
Posted by: rabid whitetail   2009-02-01 11:06  

#7  the 25 National Guardsmen who have responded have no chain saws to clear fallen trees.

No chain saws, when the problem is power lines downed by ice-covered tree limbs? There are an awful lot of tree companies up here in Cincinnati; why had no one hired them to help down there?
Posted by: trailing wife    2009-02-01 09:10  

#6  Don't forget: Obama still hasn't rebuilt New Orleans.
Posted by: eLarson   2009-02-01 08:58  

#5  FEMA chain saws...where are they?
Posted by: Besoeker   2009-02-01 08:07  

#4  Obama doesn't care about white people!
Posted by: Cornsilk Blondie   2009-02-01 07:49  

#3  Obama Dozed, People Froze!

http://eddriscoll.com/archives/014892.php
Posted by: BrerRabbit   2009-02-01 06:20  

#2  Maybe the One should tell the Kentuckians that they should show Chicago flinty resolve to overcome this.
On the other hand, the Lone Ranger is absolutely right: 1) this is not a Federal Government issue and 2) Because the president has a D after his name, rather than an R, the press will suddenly remember fact 1).
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia   2009-02-01 00:38  

#1  First - This should not be a national-level issue - it is a local issue, that is well within the capability of local authorities to handle. Winter weather and ice storms are routine, recurring phenomenon.

With that said - and in light of the Katrina albatross that was hung with glee from President Bush's neck, the hecklers should absolutely CRUCIFY Obambi for utter negligence, absent leadership, incompetence, cowardice, racism, dereliction of duty, and any other failings that can be imagined. The opposition should grind his face into the slush until he gurgles.

And - the Obamination should be heckled every week for the next 203 weeks about his failed performance during "ice storm gate", and his personal responsibility for each death. The protest posters should show Obama and his aides in shirtsleeves in the overheated Oval Office, with an inset picture of white schoolchildren huddled and shivering in some Appalachian church.

'Hound the hypocrites to the gates of Hell.

Posted by: Lone Ranger   2009-02-01 00:30  

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