Wildfires in Hawaii

[WLJ]

The washer is in spin mode.
It's the Chinese and Russians joining forces with right wingers trying to make Biden look bad.   

This is an important development:

    Chinese state media is joining forces with Russia to amplify a coordinated right-wing narrative about the US neglecting Hawaii. But China & Russia don’t care about Hawaii — they care about weakening the US. Especially our military. pic.twitter.com/5TB1KWH3B8
    — Caroline Orr Bueno, Ph.D (@RVAwonk) August 19, 2023

https://twitchy.com/samj/2023/08/22/orr-chinese-and-russian-media-are-trying-to-make-biden-look-bad-in-hawaii-n2386484

[WLJ]

But wait here's more Chinese, Russian, and right wing propaganda

    Remember that time Joe Biden looked at his watch when the caskets of 13 dead soldiers were being returned from his chaotic Afghanistan pullout?

    Well now he just fell asleep during a ceremony in Hawaii honoring the hundreds of Americans killed by the firespic.twitter.com/llASoLvRY5
    — DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) August 22, 2023

https://twitchy.com/samj/2023/08/22/think-biden-joking-about-the-ground-being-hot-in-hawaii-was-bad-you-aint-seen-nothin-yet-video-n2386487

[WLJ]

Thinking this thread should be moved to politics now.

[Ben]

But wait here's more Chinese, Russian, and right wing propaganda
https://twitchy.com/samj/2023/08/22/think-biden-joking-about-the-ground-being-hot-in-hawaii-was-bad-you-aint-seen-nothin-yet-video-n2386487

Studying disinformation, cognitive security, crises.

IOW, her work is in safe spaces.

[dogmush]

From the article: Maui has received $700 per person, Ukraine has received $1700 per person, and the latter has a lot more per persons. Hawaii might be voting a little less blue in 2024.

I've spent a lot of time in Hawaii, and while it's a deep blue state, I've also noticed a lot of patriotism, like flags, etc. there, and "Merry Christmas" is the common phrase in December. I think souring on Biden and cohorts is not an unexpected possibility.

That's $700 per household, not person. 

FEMA activated the Critical Needs Assistance program, which provides a one-time payment of $700 per household for life-sustaining items, including water, food, first aid, prescriptions, infant formula, diapers, medical equipment and fuel.

Maui's wildfire survivors can apply for assistance by completing a FEMA application and providing identification. The application can be completed online through the FEMA mobile app, the website or by calling the 24-hour disaster assistance helpline at 1-800-621-3362.

[WLJ]

500 people burn to death
Biden to their families and the survivors: I had a kitchen fire once, thought for a moment I might lose my Corvette.

[WLJ]

More you have to go a foreign new site for

Bungling U.S. government bureaucrats dispatched to the Maui disaster zone are shacked up in $1,000-a-night luxury hotels on the Hawaiian island, DailyMail.com can reveal.

Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have been slammed by locals over their slow response to the devastating wildfires that have claimed at least 114 lives and left thousands of people homeless after their houses were scorched to the ground.

But that has not stopped the under-fire agency from splashing taxpayer cash to put up more than 1,000 of its personnel at four bank-breaking resorts in Wailea after the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. for more than a century that caused an estimated $5billion in damage.

The beachside resorts are popular among the rich and famous and located about a 45-minute drive away from the fire-ravaged town of Lahaina.

EXCLUSIVE: FEMA officials are staying at $1,000-a-night luxury hotels in Maui amid recovery efforts in Lahaina
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12430203/FEMA-officials-staying-luxury-Maui-hotels.html

Now to be fair I have to ask what is the avg rate for a hotel on Maui?

But FEMA's choice of accommodation for their officials could raise eyebrows given that there are scores of cheaper hotels in the west of the island.

[Ben]

That's $700 per household, not person.

Ah, I missed that, thanks.

[Ben]

More you have to go a foreign new site for
EXCLUSIVE: FEMA officials are staying at $1,000-a-night luxury hotels in Maui amid recovery efforts in Lahaina
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12430203/FEMA-officials-staying-luxury-Maui-hotels.html

Now to be fair I have to ask what is the avg rate for a hotel on Maui?

In fairness, unless something really hinky is going on, they might be staying at the $1000/night hotels, but they'll be doing so at whatever the gov per diem rate is. I used to stay at hotels like the Mayflower in DC, but I (or the taxpayer) wasn't paying no (back then) $500/night.

EDIT: Actually, the story says the gov rate is $1000, so maybe something really hinky is going on.

[dogmush]

Max Lodging rate on Maui is $354/night.  If they are really paying $1000 either they are coming out of pocket, or their agency approved the increase over Per Diem, which can be done based on mission requirements.  It's also very possible that the Feds are doubling or tripling up on rooms.  The DOD has done that to me a bunch when there's only expensive hotels available and a decent sized group is all traveling and working together.

A quick Google shows the three mentioned hotels having availability from here through the end of September, with the Waldorf being the cheapest at around $700/night and the Four Seasons being the most expensive at around $900/night, except for the third week in Sep, which for some reason is $1300/night.

Given how many displaced folks there are, there could well be a shortage of normal mid-tier hotel rooms close enough to the disaster to make for a feasible commute. 

Or FEMA could be racking up the loyalty points.

[K Frame]

"Given how many displaced folks their are, there could well be a shortage of normal mid-tier hotel rooms close enough to the disaster to make for a feasible commute. "

That's what I was thinking.

[Jim147]

I didn't copy the link but there is video of his motorcade arrival. The people seem to think he's #1. A lot of single fingers in the air.

[WLJ]

Biden Tells Fire Victims He Sympathizes Because One Time He Walked On The Beach Without Sandals And The Sand Was Really Hot
https://babylonbee.com/news/biden-tells-fire-victims-he-sympathizes-because-one-time-he-walked-on-the-beach-without-sandals-and-the-sand-was-really-hot

[HankB]

I didn't copy the link but there is video of his motorcade arrival. The people seem to think he's #1. A lot of single fingers in the air.

Hawaii voted for Biden - a Democrat.
Hawaii voted for a Democrat governor.
Hawaii voted for two Democrat senators.
Hawaii voted for two Democrat congressional representatives.
Nearly all elective offices in Hawaii appear to be held by Democrats.
Even in the wake of this terrible fire, I don't see why they're complaining about their government, they're getting exactly what they voted for.
And I predict Hawaii will vote overwhelmingly for Democrats in the 2024 general election. If that comes to pass despite the complaints of malcontents from the areas hit by wildfires, they must like what they're getting.

[WLJ]

Hawaii voted for Biden - a Democrat.
Hawaii voted for a Democrat governor.
Hawaii voted for two Democrat senators.
Hawaii voted for two Democrat congressional representatives.
Nearly all elective offices in Hawaii appear to be held by Democrats.
Even in the wake of this terrible fire, I don't see why they're complaining about their government, they're getting exactly what they voted for.
And I predict Hawaii will vote overwhelmingly for Democrats in the 2024 general election. If that comes to pass despite the complaints of malcontents from the areas hit by wildfires, they must like what they're getting.

In other words Trump's fault

[WLJ]

Not a good sign, they raised the number of missing to 1,100.
But I'm having trouble sleeping after hearing Brandon though he was going to lose his Corvette to a small kitchen fire once.

Number of missing people after Maui wildfires increase to 1,110 as FBI plans to release list of names this week
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12435531/Maui-INCREASES-number-missing-people-1-100-following-Lahaina-firestorm-850-says-FBI-release-list-unaccounted-week.html

[WLJ]

    There’s a rightwing media ecosystem that says everyday whatever @POTUS is doing is wrong or runs bad faith interpretations of events. This week they attacked him for petting a rescue dog and not having the godly power to prevent a storm from entering CA. Look at the source. https://t.co/cxIJZDiJvt
    — Ben LaBolt (@WHCommsDir) August 23, 2023

WH comms director says criticism of Biden is over petting a rescue dog & not stopping Calif. storm
https://twitchy.com/dougp/2023/08/23/wh-comms-director-says-criticism-of-biden-is-over-petting-a-rescue-dog-and-not-stopping-calif-storm-n2386513

[Angel Eyes]

[WLJ]

Get a rope, make that several ropes

    According to a report by AP, the only road out of Lahaina was barricaded.

    Only those who disobeyed survived. pic.twitter.com/uQNNZ806RZ
    — Dr. Benjamin Braddock (@GraduatedBen) August 23, 2023

https://twitchy.com/brettt/2023/08/24/ap-the-only-paved-road-out-of-lahaina-was-barricaded-and-cars-sent-back-n2386561

Full article

In deadly Maui fires, many had no warning and no way out. Those who dodged a barricade survived
https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-fires-timeline-maui-lahaina-road-block-c8522222f6de587bd14b2da0020c40e9

[Hawkmoon]

Plus, they apparently had knocked the fire down when it was still a small brush fire, then ALL the firefighters left because the fire was "out."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/other/fateful-decision-in-maui-firefighters-left-the-scene-blaze-began-its-deadly-march-unchallenged/ar-AA1fIa5y

[K Frame]

"Those who dodged a barricade survived"

And undoubtedly will be prosecuted for failure to obey a traffic control device.

[Ben]

Looks like they're going after the power company.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/democrats-climate-change-blame-game-hawaii-fire-confronted-reality-maui-identifies-cause

Interestingly, this is similar to what happened in California with the Paradise fire (and I think other fires). Power company blamed for not shutting off electricity, but would also get blamed for leaving people without power if they shut electricity off as a precaution. Also, power company gets blamed for not clearing vegetation while also having to jump through government environmental hoops to be able to clear vegetation.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/democrats-climate-change-blame-game-hawaii-fire-confronted-reality-maui-identifies-cause

[dogmush]

Looks like they're going after the power company.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/democrats-climate-change-blame-game-hawaii-fire-confronted-reality-maui-identifies-cause

Interestingly, this is similar to what happened in California with the Paradise fire (and I think other fires). Power company blamed for not shutting off electricity, but would also get blamed for leaving people without power if they shut electricity off as a precaution. Also, power company gets blamed for not clearing vegetation while also having to jump through government environmental hoops to be able to clear vegetation.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/democrats-climate-change-blame-game-hawaii-fire-confronted-reality-maui-identifies-cause

In contrast We're about to get e decent storm her in FL, and TECO and FPL have been gutting down trees steady.  We'll undoubtedly get some outages due to tree limbs, but not on the big transmission lines like HI and CA got.  Of course we're less of a tinderbox too, despite our dry (for us) summer.

[WLJ]

Small world

Sunny McSunnyface
@sunnyright
The Maui police chief who made disastrous decisions is also the guy who was incident commander at the horrific Las Vegas shooting to which we never got answers

https://twitter.com/sunnyright/status/1696922874005668241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1696922874005668241%7Ctwgr%5Ee4724f95f8293a9873b67222cfbdf981d9e5a998%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitchy.com%2Fbrettt%2F2023%2F08%2F30%2Fmauis-police-chief-was-incident-commander-at-2017-las-vegas-shooting-n2386727

No stranger to tragedy, Maui Police Chief John Pelletier led response to 2017 Vegas massacre
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/08/15/maui-police-chief-john-pelletier-las-vegas-response/70594938007/