What's REALLY Happening -- or Not Happening -- in Puerto Rico??? (Hint: We don't know...)

originally posted by: WithWings
a reply to: Boadicea

The mayor is a fool. If you were trying to help you would be getting those aid trailers moving. How about suspending the requirement for CDL truck licenses?, or maybe letting the military guys drive the trucks directly, since their authority is immutable.

A "fool" is the best we can say about her at this point... I'm afraid it's worse than that.

I appreciate Trump's effort if I were him I would declare martial law (as much as I despise martial law), and seize all private trucks not being used i.e. idle. It is one thing for truckers who can't get to the port, or have no fuel, or tending to their house, or family.

I suspect having Trump declare martial law is the goal, which they will try to use against him as overstepping his authority after failing miserably... If so, I think they've grossly miscalculated. Too many people are suffering real life-threatening hardship, and I'll bet on an island, news like that will travel especially fast. Even the most anti-Trumpsters among them won't appreciate being sacrificed on the anti-Trump altar.

It is intolerable that some of them are refusing to work whether organized or not. Get your stupid assess moving, or God won't have mercy for you at the judgment.

Yeah, I said something similar earlier... for everyone deliberately increasing the pain rather than alleviating it, there's no doubt a special place in hell for such folks.

And by the way, welcome to ATS!!! And thanks for gracing my thread

a reply to: WithWings

The military is driving the aid now, until they can get drivers down there.

This is the first time ever in my time on ATS that I am going to be "that guy" and not read every single post in the entire thread before I post. I just do not have the time, between work and screaming children.

I read the first page, and the last page and a half or so.

Of all the forums I belong to, of all of the wide selection of audiences I could pose this to, I think this is the time and the place.

I have no idea what is really going on in PR. I have never been there so I don't even have mental images to go by. But my wife has a close friend who has lived there for about ten years and whose husband is a native.

This is the point of my post: I suspect that somewhere, somehow, and for some reason (making a name for someone? Profit for someone?), the mainstream media is not telling what is really happening on PR. Some entity is not letting this "disaster" go to waste. And this is why I think that way...

The friend's family lives in a very "average" part of San Juan, from what I understand. Not a bad area, but not the nicest. They are used to hurricanes and tropical storms and are always prepared and said that most neighbors are as well. For example, she said that nearly every family has a generator and all of the neighbors come out to assist when trees are down. It's just part of living there.

The family was without power and incommunicado for about three full days following the storm. On the fourth day they began to have intermittent municipal power and some agency passed through to check the welfare of the residents. By the sixth day power was fairly consistent, stores were opening again, and gasoline was becoming easier to find. By this past Friday night, their internet connection was back, electrical was almost consistently back on, streets were clear, and they were going out to eat and to a comedy club. Yesterday the woman and her husband were back at work, their children in school, and life pretty much back to normal. She said that there is talk of supplies for those in need being tied up somewhere, somehow, but as far as they can see the metropolitan area is cleaned up and people are going about their business as usual. They do not know anyone firsthand who has seen any sort of "apocalyptic devastation" or knows of any shenanigans involving truck drivers refusing to deliver things. They have heard rumors, but anyone they have spoken to doesn't know any of it to be true.

Have news from San Juan,

Situation in the metropolitan area and surrounding towns is stabilizing, is an air craft carrier now in PR with equipment and aid been distributed by Fema and military troops.

Communications will hopefully be available by the end of the week, special antennas has been deployed around the Island for that.

Gas stations are opening thanks to generator been distributed by FEMA, water is available now, in homes, banks are opening and people are able to buy food, cash only.

This all in the metropolitan areas and surrounded towns.

Military helicopters and military personnel can be seen around the Island.

The heavily damage power grid is still a problem because is now a debate of how much the Federal government is going to give for the repairs, PR governments wants to build a new grid from the ground up.

They are asking the Federal government billions of dollars in hope that they get something more than what the federal government is allocating.

Trump priority is the roads, electricity and water, but the debt is not part of the deal.

The president will have a conference with the governor and majors in San Juan tomorrow he will be the first president to visit the Island after a disaster.

My brothers offices in San Juan had damage, the secretary of the government agency he works for is a not show, because the government agencies are not completely functional right now.

All those that are in the political leaderships are right now running to see how much they can get from Trump in monetary compensations.

La Comandante is not show as the people has given her the back after the stupid show she put off

the San Juan major thought that she could play politics with the disaster and back fired in her face.

If you have any questions please ask and I see if I can answer them as long as is concerning PR with what I know as today

a reply to: marg6043

I know "La Comandante" will be very happy to meet Trump in person.

A day she will always remember !!

a reply to: xuenchen


My brother Said that she wanted to have the Federal government and FEMA to have her in charge of distribution in San Juan and FEMA told her that this was a disaster relief and they and the Federal government were in charge.


I bet the news are not saying anything on that, she got a slap, I hope tomorrow Trump give her his back after the show of stupidity gave to the US media.


My brother said the meeting will be in the Roberto clemente coliseum and he may try to squeeze in. Security will be very high, is going to be military and secret service all over.

a reply to: marg6043

In what sort of condition was the power grid before the storm hit?

originally posted by: therainmaker
This is the first time ever in my time on ATS that I am going to be "that guy" and not read every single post in the entire thread before I post. I just do not have the time, between work and screaming children.

I read the first page, and the last page and a half or so.

Totally understandable -- and that's more than enough to address the OP.

Of all the forums I belong to, of all of the wide selection of audiences I could pose this to, I think this is the time and the place.

I'm glad you did. Thank you.

This is the point of my post: I suspect that somewhere, somehow, and for some reason (making a name for someone? Profit for someone?), the mainstream media is not telling what is really happening on PR. Some entity is not letting this "disaster" go to waste. And this is why I think that way...

The friend's family lives in a very "average" part of San Juan, from what I understand. Not a bad area, but not the nicest. They are used to hurricanes and tropical storms and are always prepared and said that most neighbors are as well. For example, she said that nearly every family has a generator and all of the neighbors come out to assist when trees are down. It's just part of living there....

Thank you for all that you shared. I snipped it only for brevity's sake.

I tend to believe that about most people being prepared -- to one extent or another. My husband and I have actually been surprised at the thought that so few people would be prepared. We grew up in earthquake country. We didn't have any advance notice. And once it hit it was too late to get supplies. So it was pretty standard for people to have at least a minimal stock of canned goods, water, batteries, flashlights and lanterns, first aid, etc. We can't imagine that people living on an island wouldn't be at least as prepared for a common seasonal threat. Of course there are always those who wait to the last minute -- and sometimes beyond -- but it doesn't make sense that most people would be so cavalier about it. Your account sounds much more reasonable and sensible.

I will also say that from all I've read about the mayor of San Juan, she is playing dangerous games for political gain, and I hope and pray it backfires on her big time.

a reply to: jadedANDcynical


The power grid in PR was soo bad before the hurricane that it will be a waste of money to try and fix it, the best way to go is to replace all power lines and either build new power plants or rebuild and re open the main one that is call Palo alto, that power plant the biggest in the Island is been of the grid for many years because it got damage during Hugo and no money to repair.


This why power has no been reestablish at all, is been a big debate in the government to see how much money the Federal government will allocate for that project.

originally posted by: marg6043
If you have any questions please ask and I see if I can answer them as long as is concerning PR with what I know as today

Thank you for sharing that information -- much appreciated!

I'm very very happy this is backfiring on the mayor. Let her be an example for anyone else so inclined.

Have you heard anything about the roads? About how many towns and villages are still cut off?

a reply to: marg6043

originally posted by: jadedANDcynical
a reply to: marg6043

In what sort of condition was the power grid before the storm hit?

Here's more about the power grid pre-Maria:

Puerto Rico's debt-plagued power grid was on life support long before hurricanes wiped it out

a reply to: Boadicea

Yes, the metropolitan area and surrounding towns has been cleared my brother Is able to travel from Fajardo to San Juan.

But the inner towns in the Island due to the type of mountainous topography are still inaccessible by car, only on foot or helicopter the disaster relief is getting to them.

Is 78 town in PR in an Island that have 3.5 million citizens and most of them inland. As of today equipment is been brought to the Island to reach those towns. The Island is 112 miles long by 40 wide.

I love the inland, but the roads are the type of roads that barely two cars can fix at one given time, with very winding roads on the cliffs of the mountains, this roads are very old very scenic but easily taken away by mud slides as they are carve in the mountains itself, Is going to take a long time to rebuild them

originally posted by: xuenchen
a reply to: marg6043

I know "La Comandante" will be very happy to meet Trump in person.

A day she will always remember !!

I'm betting she doesn't even show up!

a reply to: Boadicea


Thanks for that link, I was in PR during December, electricity has been sporadic for many years due to the problems with old power lines.

a reply to: Boadicea


I am sure she will be there, because all the US media that is going to show up, but I am sure Trump will not be very nice to her knowing Trump and the stupidity she try to put off.

a reply to: marg6043

Thank you. I've heard 50% were cleared and open (that was reported Saturday), and other (questionable) reports that all roads were clear. I figured it was somewhere in between, and that it would be inland mountainous roads that would be the most difficult to clear, and probably the last.

originally posted by: marg6043
a reply to: Boadicea


I am sure she will be there, because all the US media that is going to show up, but I am sure Trump will not be very nice to her knowing Trump and the stupidity she try to put off.

Haha! Fair enough! You're probably right.

Never underestimate the power of vanity and/or self-importance, eh?

originally posted by: Boadicea

originally posted by: xuenchen
a reply to: marg6043

I know "La Comandante" will be very happy to meet Trump in person.

A day she will always remember !!

I'm betting she doesn't even show up!

She might just send a classified email instead.