Some World Reaction to the Re-election

This is from the AP via HuffPo:

President Barack Obama's re-election in the United States elicited strong feelings — from optimism to skepticism — around the world. A sampling of global reaction:
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"One of the first things I want to talk to Barack about is how we must do more to try and solve this crisis (in Syria). Above all, congratulations to Barack. I've enjoyed working with him, I think he's a very successful U.S. president and I look forward to working with him in the future."— British Prime Minister David Cameron, on a visit to Syrian refugees on the Jordanian border.
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"Your re-election is a clear choice in favor of an America that is open, unified, completely engaged in the international scene and conscious of the challenges facing our planet: peace, the economy and the environment." — French President Francois Hollande.
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Pope Benedict XVI sent a message to Obama expressing hope that "ideals of liberty and justice, which guided the founders of the U.S.A., may continue to shine on the road ahead for the nation." — Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi.

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"When you were elected in 2008, you inspired the world with a call to take responsibility for the problems we face as global citizens. Since then, you have made earnest efforts to live up to that great hope and trust placed in you by the American public. I believe you have been re-elected now in recognition of that effort." — the Dalai Lama.
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"The bond between Europe and North America, based upon the shared values on which our alliance was founded over 60 years ago, remains as strong, and as important to the preservation of Euro-Atlantic peace and security, as ever. President Obama has demonstrated outstanding leadership in maintaining this vital bond." — NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
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"I will continue to work with President Obama to preserve the strategic interests of Israel's citizens." — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has had a strained relationship with the American president over Iran and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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"During the last four years when Obama was U.S. president, no breakthrough happened in relations between Iran and the US. At the beginning of his first term the situation was a bit better, but as he went on the relations got much worse, with the sanctions being imposed. So I think the outcome of the elections that was just held will not make any difference for Iran." — Amir Karimi, a resident of the Iranian capital, Tehran.
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"As a mother and as a grandmother who raises boy children, I think that the symbolism of having a black man occupy the highest office is something that can make my children very aspirational to know that this is possible, you know, in their lifetime" — Zindzi Mandela, daughter of former South African President Nelson Mandela.
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"If both parties try to overcome the accumulated distrust and turn over a new leaf, if America comes to realize that it needs to work with Vladimir Putin instead of thinking that it doesn't like the Russia that we live in, then we could achieve results." — Alexei Pushkov, chairman of the Russian Duma's foreign affairs committee, calling for a new start to U.S.-Russia relations.
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"Sandy was a climate change warning. Obama must now take the stage and fulfill the promise of hope the world needs." — Kumi Naidoo, international executive director of Greenpeace.
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The trust that the American people wanted to renew in you will allow the international community, Europe and Italy to benefit from your leadership without interruptions. ... With your confirmation at the White House, Italy knows it can count on a strong and united America." — Italian Premier Mario Monti.
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"I think Obama is a man eminently capable of building bridges between the Democrats and Republicans. And if you look at the challenges ahead for America — bringing down unemployment, getting the economy going again, strengthening the political and trade relationships with Europe and Asia — there are plenty of reasons to do so." — Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

 Interesting and mostly positive comments; a far cry from what was forecast in 2004 when Dubya went back to the White House.

I am pleased with the election results from around the country and maybe I'll share some thoughts on other races that surprised and made me even happier.  History was made again last night.

And so it goes.
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It's Over. Now, Back to Work!

This appeared in my inbox yesterday morning and I was praying that I would be able to display it today. Yes!  We can.

Congratulations, Mr. President.

More later, after coffee and breakfast.  I have to catch up on the other races and I am off today.  Thanks to the Nor'easter coming at us, I will be indoors much of the day.

And so it goes.

VOTE

If you don't exercise your right to vote, you will lose your right to complain later.

I'm out the door shortly to vote, then cross the street to the restaurant to work the lunch shift today. I have been told that Election day is a very big day at the restaurant. I wasn't working there in 2008, so I'll have nothing to compare to this experience.

More later.
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Ali Forney Drop-In Center Destroyed By Hurricane Sandy

I have nothing more to add; the fact that young people are suffering this kind of hate from their own biological families in 2012 is mind-boggling enough.  Help if you are able.  These kids have no one, but our caring community. Reposted from JMG:
A terrible message from Carl Siciliano:

Dear Friends,  Yesterday we were finally able to inspect our drop-in center in Chelsea, half a block from the Hudson River. Our worst fears were realized; everything was destroyed and the space is uninhabitable. The water level went four feet high, destroying our phones, computers, refrigerator, food and supplies.

This is a terrible tragedy for the homeless LGBT youth we serve there. This space was dedicated to our most vulnerable kids, the thousands stranded on the streets without shelter, and was a place where they received food, showers, clothing, medical care, HIV testing and treatment, and mental health and substance abuse services. Basically a lifeline for LGBT kids whose lives are in danger.

We are currently scrambling for a plan to provide care to these desperate kids while we prepare to ultimately move into a larger space that will better meet our needs. The NYC LGBT Center has very kindly and generously offered to let us temporarily use some of their space, and we hope to determine the viability of that on Monday.

We have been deluged with kind offers from people who wish to volunteer and donate goods. Unfortunately, we will have to provide our services in the time being in much smaller spaces that won't accommodate volunteers or allow for much storage space. The best way people can reach out to help in this very challenging time is by making monetary donations. Please go to our website.

It is heartbreaking to see this space come to such a sad end. For the past seven years it has been a place of refuge to thousands of kids reeling from being thrown away by their parents for being LGBT. For many of these kids coming to our drop-in center provided their first encounter with a loving and affirming LGBT community. I thank all of you for your care and support in a most difficult time.

And so it goes.
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Sandy Destroys Dunes, Closes New Bridge

This is probably the worst news for the coastal highway and the coastal beaches of Delaware and Maryland. It appears the bridge will not reopen until November 4 or 5.
Cape Gazette:

By late afternoon Nov. 1, state transportation officials were still not sure whether the Indian River Inlet bridge would reopen for weekend traffic. The bridge was closed Oct. 28 as Hurricane Sandy approached the Delaware coast.
On Oct. 31, one lane of Route 1 south was opened to emergency vehicles only.
As Hurricane Sandy pushed northward toward the Mid-Atlantic region, a wind-driven high tide and waves pushed tons of sand and water across the highway, eventually reaching across to the marsh on the west side of the roadway. The water came first, followed by blowing sand that piled up quickly as storm conditions worsened during the day and into the night of Oct. 28.
As soon as conditions improved, state officials assessed the situation, and what they saw was astounding.
Several feet of sand covered both sides of Route 1 for half a mile on the north side of the bridge.
At least a half mile of dunes was lost, said Frank Piorko, director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control's Division of Watershed Stewardship. The good news is that nature is already starting to rebuild the destroyed beach, said Tony Pratt, administrator of DNREC's Shoreline and Management Section.

More HERE. Plenty of pictures, too.

And so it goes.

Two Timely Reminders

I believe that says it all.

And so it goes.
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Beautiful Autumn Caturday

And it really is a beautiful Autumn day. Blustery and bright sunshine. Good leaf-raking day.

And so it goes.
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FEMA Head To Michael Brown: 'Better To Be Fast Than To Be Late'

On Tuesday I posted an interview with Michael Brown, BushCo's head of FEMA, who botched the Katrina disaster and now has the gall to criticize Obama's quick response to Sandy's devastation.  My personal views aside, the current head of FEMA, no longer the gutted agency it was under Dubya, responds to Brownie's comments today.

FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate dismissed criticisms of President Barack Obama's response to Hurricane Sandy lobbed by Michael Brown, who oversaw the disastrous Bush administration response to Hurricane Katrina.
"Better to be fast than to be late," Fugate said in an interview on NPR Tuesday morning.
Brown, whom President George W. Bush infamously praised for doing a "heckuva job" in the aftermath of Katrina in 2005, told a Denver paper that Obama had acted too quickly in mobilizing relief for Sandy.
"Here's my concern," Brown told Denver's Westword on Monday, suggesting that the prompt official response was actually making people complacent. "It's premature [when] the brunt of the storm won't happen until later this afternoon."

Fugate also addressed the role of FEMA, which has been a hot topic since Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney said he wanted to abolish the agency so that states would have direct responsibility for disaster response.

His campaign later clarified that he would not eliminate FEMA.

"Governor Romney believes that states should be in charge of emergency management in responding to storms and other natural disasters in their jurisdictions,” said campaign spokeswoman Amanda Henneberg. “As the first responders, states are in the best position to aid affected individuals and communities and to direct resources and assistance to where they are needed most. This includes help from the federal government and FEMA.”

But as Fugate explained on Tuesday, this is exactly how FEMA already works.

"We're a federal government; we're not a national government," he said "Disasters are local. Through state constitutions, the governors are the primary incident commanders for the entire state response in support of that. And the role of the federal government is to support the states when the disaster exceeds their capabilities. And when it's this bad, we work as one team. But we are in support of the governors, as they are in support of the local officials. It's a federal system of government."

Read the rest and listen to the NPR interview HERE.

And so it goes.
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OK, so it's Halloween.

I just don't feel it this year.  Wonder why?

Maybe it's Superstorm-Sandy (I hate that name) withdrawal.  Maybe it's coming to grips with what happened.  Maybe it's attempting to wrap my head around the scope of the destruction and the slow road to recovery for so many, especially those in New York.

And maybe it's the realization that I am exhausted from the past 4 days and just want to get back to work, get out of myself, and be with people again. The fact that I was without electricity for less than 24 hours and experienced no flooding leads me to believe that I made the right decision to live in town.

I dragged myself out today to run a few errands and traveled west rather than east, didn't visit the ocean. I didn't want to see what I know is there.  I'll wait for a better day.  Today is cold, gloomy and gray; kinda like my mood. The streets in my part of town were still littered with debris, but the large broken branches were gone. 

The restaurant will open for dinner today at 4.  As far as I know all staff made it through the storm OK.  Though a few remain without electric power. At least I've not heard any bad news from the bosses.

I'll be grateful to get back to work tomorrow and not only for the joy of it. The combined bills for the recent blood work and x-rays of the hands arrived and is more than I expected. I also lost 3 days pay this week.

Good News:  The Cardinals that nest in the stand of bamboo next door have just now made a noisy appearance. I have not heard their song in days, I was afraid we'd lost them.

A sunny day and getting back to work will do wonders to cheer me up.

And so it goes.

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Obama Criticized for Quick Response to Sandy by Michael Brown?

Remember Michael Brown?  How about "Heck of a job Brownie"? He's the douche nozzle who headed FEMA's non-response to Katrina. While New Orleans drowned, Brownie was in Baton Rouge trying on new suits that made him look official, or something. The sub-header to this story published today reads:  

Irony is dead, cremated, stuck in a capsule and shot into outer space.
Amen.

Former FEMA Director Michael Brown offered criticism of President Obama’s early responses to Hurricane Sandy yesterday, including a dig at the administration’s response to last month’s attack in Libya.
Yesterday, ahead of the storm’s pummeling of the eastern seaboard, Brown gave  an interview  to the local alternative paper, the Denver Westword, on how he believed the Obama administration was responding to Sandy too quickly and that Obama had spoken to the press about Sandy’s potential effect too early.
Brown turned then to a reliable right-wing attack on the President’s response to the attack on a U.S. diplomatic outpost in Benghazi that killed four Americans:

“One thing he’s gonna be asked is, why did he jump on [the hurricane] so quickly and go back to D.C. so quickly when in…Benghazi, he went to Las Vegas?” Brown says. “Why was this so quick?… At some point, somebody’s going to ask that question…. This is like the inverse of Benghazi.”

Conservatives have been hitting Obama  for weeks  on his attendance at a fundraiser in Nevada following the assault in Benghazi, claiming at alternate times that the President either  cared more about politics  than lives lost or that he was trying to downplay the attack’s significance. Now the critique has mutated into a belief that Obama is currently “playing President” to score points during disaster relief in the run-up to the election, in contrast to his actions in September.
Brown is  not the only one  making the insinuation that Obama and his administration are responding too quickly to Sandy only for political reasons. He’s joined in his accusations by such prominent right-wing commentators as former House Speaker Newt Gingrich  and columnist  Charles Krauthammer .
However, Brown’s comments carry a special irony due to the role he played during the Hurricane Katrina debacle in 2005. As director of FEMA during the legendarily botched response, Brown,  famously dubbed “Brownie”  by President Bush, was in the center of criticism from both sides of the aisle that the Bush administration was too slow to respond. An  internal review  by the Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector-General following the disaster concluded, “Much of the criticism is warranted.” Brown resigned from his position as director less than two weeks after Katrina hit.

The bastard should have been thrown in jail for incompetence, if not brought to trial for the deaths of almost 2,000 innocent men, women, and children.

Sandy: Comparison

This was shot Monday afternoon at the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk with someone watching the waves from the corner at Dolle's. Don't know the photographer.  Just love this powerful shot.

This was shot this morning at 7:30 AM from just above the Boardwalk. Looks like most of the recently replenished beach is no more. This image was on the front page of the web edition of our local newspaper, The Cape Gazette. Quite a contrast, no?

I have not ventured out today.  I am more exhausted than I originally thought. Stress is not our friend.

And so it goes.
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Post-Sandy Update: Tuesday Morning

(Image: the street where I used to live, taken yesterday afternoon.  Now glad I live in town. The old neighborhood didn't do so well.)

Power went off at around 6 PM last evening. I broke out the candles and read for about 2 hours hoping for it to be restored.  It wasn't.  Kindle reading is very comforting.  Screen gives off a warm glow and is easy on the eyes.

Gave up, extinguished the candles and got under the covers as the wind and rain lashed the building. I was  asleep almost immediately.  Woke in the dark, lit a candle, found a watch - it was 5:30 AM - close to my usual wake-up time.

Half hour later the apartment hummed to life. Lights came on and all clocks were blinking. A few minutes later power went off again.  It has been flickering or going out momentarily ever since. When it remains on for  an extended period I will plug the refrigerator in, but not until then.

It is still dark out, the winds have diminished somewhat, though still strong, and rain continues to fall. The apartment felt cold when I woke but I attributed it to the stress of the past 48 hours.  Not so. The temperature had dropped 30' over night and the indoor temperature is 64' - outdoors it's 42'. As with the refrigerator, I will crank up the heat when the power is relatively stable. Same goes for a coffee and breakfast. I am starved.  Pulled on some sweats to take the chill off the old body and wanted to get this posted before the power goes down again.

When things calm down a bit I may take a walk around town to check things out, but not in this heavy rain and gusty winds, thank you very much.

Be safe everyone.

More later.
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