Huge crowds line up for free gas trucked in by government; Public told to stay away, make room for first responders

Huge crowds line up for free gas trucked in by government; Public told to stay away, make room for first responders

EXCERPTS:

"More New Yorkers got power Saturday for the first time since Superstorm Sandy struck the region, but frustrations mounted over gasoline shortages as refueling sites turned into traffic jams of horn-honking confusion.

Gas rationing went into effect in northern New Jersey, while crowds lined up at free fuel distribution sites in New York's boroughs, where a limit of 10 gallons per person was imposed. New York officials then said emergency vehicles had the priority over the public.

"It's chaos, pandemonium out here," said Chris Damon, whose family was displaced from his home in the Queens neighborhood of Far Rockaway and are staying with relatives in Brooklyn. He circled the block for 3½ hours at the Brooklyn Armory, where the National Guard was directing traffic.
"It's ridiculous. No one knows what's going on," he said.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo had announced that the 5,000-gallon trucks from the Defense Department would set up the emergency mobile gas stations at five locations around the New York City metropolitan area.
"Do not panic. I know there is anxiety about fuel," he said.

The scene was more orderly in hard-hit Staten Island, where a line of cars stretched for two miles under the supervision of police and National Guard troops. Another 400 people were on foot, carrying gas cans.
As gas rationing went into effect at noon in northern New Jersey, police began enforcing rules to allow only motorists with odd-numbered license plates to refuel. Those with even-numbered plates must wait until Sunday.


Jessica Tisdale of Totowa waited in her Mercedes SUV for 40 minutes at a gas station in Jersey City, but didn't quite understand the rules and was ordered to pull away because of her even-numbered plate.
"Is it the number or the letter?" she asked around 12:10 p.m. "I don't think it's fair. I've been in the line since before noon. I don't think it's fair. There's no clarity."

The officer who waved her out of line threw up his hands and shrugged.

At an Exxon station in Wall, N.J., Kathryn Davidson was unaware of the start of rationing but beat the noon deadline despite a 45-minute wait in line and an even-numbered plate.

"How are people supposed to know?" said Davidson, 53, who said it reminded her of the 1970s, when a similar plan was in place.

"There were fistfights and everything. It got nasty," she said. "Everyone seems pretty pleasant as of right now."

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/department_of_defense_setting_up_XK9Cli2PXUEFWZC0d8abMM#ixzz2BCWFaiSh

Long Lines For Free Holiday Food Vouchers « CBS Miami

EXCERPTS:

"LITTLE HAVANA (CBS4) – Hundreds of South Floridians lined up in Little Havana overnight for a chance to feed their families this holiday.

As part of the Latin Chamber of Commerce’s annual holiday basket giveaway, representatives from the organization handed out food vouchers on Flagler Street between 14th and 15th Avenues in Little Havana.

Some people began to line up last Friday. Many of those who waited in line for hours were either unemployed or they live on a fixed income and can’t afford any extras.

“It’s very, very hard,” said Mosas Hernandez. “We need something free because right now, I lost my job, I need to pay my rent, so believe me it’s very hard.”

The line wrapped around the block outside the voucher distribution location. Concerned about safety, the City of Miami Police Department was in attendance to keep order and look after the sick and elderly.

**

Those who received a voucher Wednesday will have to return on December 14th and exchange it for bags of food. Each voucher can be redeemed for five bags of groceries worth $120. They are filled with pork, rice, beans, milk, bread and other delicious items which are often used in a traditional Noche Buena dinner.

This is the 26th year the Latin American Chamber of Commerce has given Christmas food away. It began with a holiday gift bag for just ten families. The organization now provides families with food bags, truckloads of food that are  donated by several companies.

Perhaps no one symbolized the change in economic fortunes more than Angela Llamas who, with her friends and family, stood in line for more than 24 hours.

The Chamber finished giving away all 3,000 vouchers in two hours. Even so, the line of people continued to snake around the block leading organizers to conclude they could have given away twice as many vouchers this year, because the  need is that great.

QUESTIONS:

Let's assume that you believe it's a good idea to help the poor.

1. Using economic analysis to support your ideas, do you think this food basket giveaway is a good way of achieving that objective?
2. Can you think of a plan that might be more effective at helping the poor?

Hundreds scramble for Dallas County rental vouchers | wfaa.com Dallas - Fort Worth

 

EXCERPTS:

"DALLAS — Hundreds of people lined up Thursday morning to apply for Dallas County Section 8 housing vouchers.

The office at the Jesse Owens Memorial Complex wasn't supposed to open until 8 a.m., but some applicants started lining up at 10 o'clock Wednesday night.

Police kept people off school district property until the gates opened at 6 a.m. That resulted in a long string of cars lined up on the streets.

Doors were opened early.

Hundreds of people rushed the line, causing moments of unruliness. But authorities eventually gained control.

Seven people were treated by paramedics. None were taken to the hospital.

The federally-subsidized vouchers pay a portion of the rent, based on household income.

This is the first time in five years that the Dallas County waiting list for vouchers has been open.

Applicants who do get on the list could face a wait of up to two years before receiving assistance.

$45,000 speaking fee attacked - Minneapolis / St. Paul News - The Blotter

EXCERPTS:

"Sandman author Neil Gaiman is under attack by the Minneapolis Star Tribune for charging $45,000 for a recent speaking engagement at a Stillwater public library. The story was originally broken by Politics in Minnesota, which quoted one angry librarian wagging his or her tongue, but only after demanding anonymity. "I am a librarian and on the library side, supposedly, but this makes my blood boil," the librarian said. "This is ridiculous. There are people who need food and who have lost their homes, and this is just plain disgusting."

Should insurance companies ration care acccording to who can pay and who can't?

EXCERPT:

"Dear Mr. Obama:

"CBS radio news this morning ran a clip of one of your recent speeches. In it, you criticize insurance companies because they “ration coverage … according to who can pay and who can’t.”

"Not only insurers, but all producers who greedily refuse to supply persons who don’t pay should be set aright. Now I’m sure that you [President Obama] don’t ration the supply of the books you write according to any criteria as sordid as requiring people actually to pay for them. But our society is full of people less enlightened than you.

"For example, the typical worker rations his labor services according to who pays and who doesn’t. That must stop. Oh, and supermarkets! Every single one rations groceries according to who pays. Likewise with restaurants, clothing stores, home-builders, furniture makers, even lawyers! You name it, rationing is done according to who pays. Indeed, my own county government has been corrupted by this greedy attitude: if I don’t pay my taxes, the sheriff takes my house – effectively booting me out of the county merely because I didn’t pay for its services....