Greedy Bastards....

[ROLLTIDE]

How screwed up is this....only in the US do special government funds like these wind up being used for Champagne at Hooters.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-2225756,00.html


Quote:
Audit finds $1.4 billion fraud in Katrina pay outs
By Sam Knight and agencies

As much as $1.4 billion intended for the victims of Hurricane Katrina was squandered on expensive hotels, sports tickets, a sex-change operation and a divorce, American government auditors will say today.

Investigators from the Government Accountability Office (http://howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=934134#) (GAO) will testify to a congressional inquiry that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) was tricked thousands of times into parting with money allocated for survivors of the disaster.

Based on a sample of applications for emergency assistance, investigators believe that as much as 16 per cent of the entire fund was lost to fraud, with applicants using false addresses and social security (http://howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=934134#) card numbers to receive money to rebuild (http://howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=934134#) houses that had never existed.

"Our forensic audit and investigative work showed that improper and potentially fraudulent payments occurred mainly because Fema did not validate the identity of the registrant, the physical location of the damaged address, and ownership and occupancy of all registrants at the time of registration," GAO officials said.

Eye-catching examples of fraudulent spending include an $8,000, two-month stay at a hotel in Hawaii, a $1,000 divorce in Houston, a bill for champagne at "Hooters", a strip bar in San Antonio, Texas, and a week-long luxury holiday in the Caribbean.

One applicant managed to defraud Fema no fewer than 26 times, according to the GAO testimony, using 13 different social security numbers, including his own, to receive $139,000. Dozens of people applied for aid claiming they lived in cemeteries while around 1,000 prison inmates also received money, including one who was awarded $20,000. One man was paid more than $2,700 to repair his letter-box.

The report comes as another damaging blow to Fema, which was severely criticised for its slow and chaotic response to the disaster, which flooded New Orleans and killed more than 1,300 people when it struck America's Gulf Coast last August.

The agency has already passed on 1,500 cases (http://howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=934134#) of fraudulent applications for a total of $16.8 million to prosecutors, but today's report puts the total fraud much higher. The GAO will claim today that $5.3 million alone was paid to applicants who claimed their post box address was in fact a damaged house.

Congressman Michael McCaul of Texas, chairman of the House subcommittee investigating Fema spending after the hurricane, called the fraud "an assault on the American taxpayer".

"Prosecutors from the federal level down should be looking at prosecuting these crimes and putting the criminals who committed them in jail for a long time," he said.

Among the more embarrassing accounts of false applications to Fema was one from a GAO investigator, who received $2,358 to help him pay his rent after using a false address. Several other GAO investigators also made successful fake applications, but never cashed their cheques.

Ahead of today's hearing, a Fema spokeswoman said that the agency's priority had been to help those in need, and that all those suspected of fraud would be referred to the Homeland Security Department’s inspector general. The agency paid thousands of Katrina victims a total of $26,200 to rebuild their lives after the disaster.

"Even as we put victims first, we take very seriously our responsibility to be outstanding stewards of taxpayer dollars, and we are careful to make sure that funds are distributed appropriately," the spokeswoman said.

[The Bug]

this really makes me mad...

I'll leave it at that.

[Stormlover]

More heads should have rolled over this..Michael Brown became the scapegoat,but the book I'm reading shows that he was in over his head,he should never have been put in that position,and that's Bush's fault and others in the administration...Michael Chertoff,the Head of Homeland Security that FEMA now falls under was aloof and distant during all of this.He should have been fired.

[shibumi]

most of the $2000 amounts given out were after the 'credit cards' were used.....can you imagine if there was an accounting for ALL of the $2000 amounts people spent? I guarantee we ALL know someone who took a trip or did something purely luxury with the dough....

Once it is co-mingled in your checking account it is hard to say this money went for that item....but with the cards you could.

[ROLLTIDE]

a sex change operation ?

[eyendastorm]

Oh yeah, I read about this in the local paper yesterday. Can't say I'm the least bit surprised! Not one bit!!!

[wwstewart]

people who get sex changes aren't really changing their sex. just hacking things up a bit...slightly disturbing.

[LSUtigers87]

people who get sex changes aren't really changing their sex. just hacking things up a bit...slightly disturbing.

AHH....more than I wanted to read....:omgwtf: :drink: /thumbup

[TallahasseeLassie]

they are changing there appearance to match there brains.
:)

[LSUtigers87]

they are changing there appearance to match there brains.
:)
And that is supposed to mean....? Goes both ways dear./thumbup

[wwstewart]

The fact remains: they are STILL the sex they began with. Like, if I cut off my arms and replaced them with tentacles, I'd still be human. Just, a weird-looking human.

"Kurt must look awful funny nekkid..." -- from "Good Burger"

[TallahasseeLassie]

And that is supposed to mean....? Goes both ways dear./thumbup

What goes both ways?

[TallahasseeLassie]

The fact remains: they are STILL the sex they began with. Like, if I cut off my arms and replaced them with tentacles, I'd still be human. Just, a weird-looking human.

"Kurt must look awful funny nekkid..." -- from "Good Burger"


How are they still the same sex?

[eyendastorm]

The fact remains: they are STILL the sex they began with. Like, if I cut off my arms and replaced them with tentacles, I'd still be human. Just, a weird-looking human.

"Kurt must look awful funny nekkid..." -- from "Good Burger"


OMG!!! Too freakin' hilarious!!!! Woooo-Hooooo! You're a hoot Stewart! /toot

[wwstewart]

Sigh...

Is John Bobbit a man or a woman? Or even half? No, he's still considered a man, even if he's been mutilated.

If you take a person, and cut off their head, they die, but they are still a person. If you put a payphone where the head was (firmly attached to the body), they are still a person.

Yes, they are still dead, but that's not the point.

Just because they look like the opposite sex, doesn't mean they are. Just because you aren't wearing glasses doesn't mean you don't have vision problems.

They are just mutilating themselves and telling everyone that they have changed sexes.

[LSUtigers87]

I don't want to start trouble here anymore, so I will just ask, what did you mean by:

they are changing there appearance to match there brains.
:)
?

[shibumi]

people who get sex changes aren't really changing their sex. just hacking things up a bit...slightly disturbing.

Actually one of the definitions of the word "sex" is literally our sexual organs....so if you change them - then they are changed!

Ah....my head hurts (no pun in tended)

[wwstewart]

you are still a mutilated person. your genetics do not change, and they dictate what you are.


well, not YOU, at least I hope... :D

[soonermeteor]

I think the sex change operation was the funniest use hands down......and wwstewert you had some good points.

[TallahasseeLassie]

I don't want to start trouble here anymore, so I will just ask, what did you mean by:

?

MOST people who have sex changes have them because there minds and manners are working as the opposite sex.
There thoughts and actions don’t go with there bodies therefore making it awkward and extremely difficult to live day to day.
There are scientific studies that show that people’s brains are many times not in tune with there bodies.
There genes have been shown to be a combination of male and female.
Leaving many of them with the issue of sorting out the mess nature created to be able to live in peace.

[wwstewart]

I think people should just accept what they are born with rather than looking to be something that they are not.

Individuality is being yourself, not yourself as someone else...or someone else as yourself...

You know what I mean.

[TallahasseeLassie]

I think people should just accept what they are born with rather than looking to be something that they are not.

Individuality is being yourself, not yourself as someone else...or someone else as yourself...

You know what I mean.

No i don’t because like i said these people were born mixed up so the only way they can be happy is to sort out the mess.
Would you be happy if you looked like, thought like, walked like, and talked like a man but had female genitalia?
not a very easy thing to just live with i wouldn’t think.
Now if there is no REAL issues and you and just doing it to do it which is very rare then I see the problem.

[Stormlover]

No i don’t because like i said these people were born mixed up so the only way they can be happy is to sort out the mess.
Would you be happy if you looked like, thought like, walked like, and talked like a man but had female genitalia?
not a very easy thing to just live with i wouldn’t think.
Now if there is no REAL issues and you and just doing it to do it which is very rare then I see the problem.
Oh brother...well,I can say one thing for you..you were honest when you said you were 100% liberal..you are so far out there that your beliefs will never be represented by a presidential candidate because you are so far from the mainstream that it would be political suicide...../sweet1

[proger]

Ahh, well, I just spent 15 minutes writing a detailed reply about sexual dimorphism and when I hit post reply the website said I was logged off. Stupid forum! Anyway, the gist is we are conditioned to think sexual identity is binary, in some cases it isn't. There are genetic abnormalities causing sexual dimorphism (ambiguous genitalia, more female than male yet genetically male, etc.). Decisions are usually made at birth in these instances, a surgery is performed, and the child grows up with a horrible identity crisis. Nature's cruel joke indeed.

[proger]

Oh brother...well,I can say one thing for you..you were honest when you said you were 100% liberal..you are so far out there that your beliefs will never be represented by a presidential candidate because you are so far from the mainstream that it would be political suicide...../sweet1

And stormlover, my answer is not political at all. Take any human embryology class at any medical university taught by any type of professor (mine was a conservative evangelical christian, ghasp) and read any textbook and you will see this.

[Stormlover]

And stormlover, my answer is not political at all. Take any human embryology class at any medical university taught by any type of professor (mine was a conservative evangelical christian, ghasp) and read any textbook and you will see this.
I stand by my comment however,which wasn't directed at you anyway
:rockon:

[TallahasseeLassie]

Oh brother...well,I can say one thing for you..you were honest when you said you were 100% liberal..you are so far out there that your beliefs will never be represented by a presidential candidate because you are so far from the mainstream that it would be political suicide...../sweet1

So since you think there will never be a president who shares my views should i just stop being me?
I could care less if there is ever a president who shares any of my views because i am already stuck with the president from hell.
I am happy knowing i am not the only person who is an open and educated thinker who lives by the truth and not by predetermined mind sets

[Stormlover]

So since you think there will never be a president who shares my views should i just stop being me?
I could care less if there is ever a president who shares any of my views because i am already stuck with the president from hell.
I am happy knowing i am not the only person who is an open and educated thinker who lives by the truth and not by predetermined mind sets
Yeah,you are much more enlightened than the rest of us/darn :omgwtf: /gig/ :nono: :rolleyes:

[TallahasseeLassie]

Yeah,you are much more enlightened than the rest of us/darn :omgwtf: /gig/ :nono: :rolleyes:

Yeah i said that!

[wwstewart]

Would you be happy if you looked like, thought like, walked like, and talked like a man but had female genitalia?

No, I would not. That calls for hormone therapy. That person would still be female, albiet a very masculine one. It's still genetically based, and you can't do alot about that. You can take hormones, but remain the same sex.

Just because someone acts, thinks, looks and walks like the opposite sex, doesn't mean they are. Men are supposed to be distinguishable from women. Hormones would be alright, but mutilating one's body to try to emulate something other than what they are is wrong.

Some people are born with abnormalities that lead to confusion, such as transgendered people. But just because someone thinks/feels they should be a different sex than they are doesn't make it right.

[wwstewart]

Oh geez...the president bashing.

Ok, I'm not a liberal by any stretch of the imagination, but I am not a right-wing extremist either. Presidents (on both sides) catch alot of flack for things they have no control over, simply because of their position. People want to argue politics when they won't put forth the effort to find out why it works the way it works.

I'm not saying anything bad about anyone here, please don't misunderstand me. Maybe we all have studied politics. If so, the president blaming needs to stop. Maybe he's not the brightest bulb in the box, but he's still the president, and needs to be respected as such. Whether or not things are going the way we want them to, more goes on than we know about, so we all (myself included) need to lay off the president. He's not the worst, and I'm sure worse will eventually come along.

You can't blame one person for everything that goes wrong.

[TallahasseeLassie]

No, I would not. That calls for hormone therapy. That person would still be female, albiet a very masculine one. It's still genetically based, and you can't do alot about that. You can take hormones, but remain the same sex.

Just because someone acts, thinks, looks and walks like the opposite sex, doesn't mean they are. Men are supposed to be distinguishable from women. Hormones would be alright, but mutilating one's body to try to emulate something other than what they are is wrong.

Some people are born with abnormalities that lead to confusion, such as transgendered people. But just because someone thinks/feels they should be a different sex than they are doesn't make it right.

So just because one small section of flesh formed a certain way then that is what makes you a man or a woman?
Genetically you are the opposite of what you are physically so you would be correcting the problem not mutilating it.

I know it is hard to understand but sometimes nature messes up and we need to fix the mistakes.
This is no different.

[TallahasseeLassie]

Oh geez...the president bashing.

Ok, I'm not a liberal by any stretch of the imagination, but I am not a right-wing extremist either. Presidents (on both sides) catch alot of flack for things they have no control over, simply because of their position. People want to argue politics when they won't put forth the effort to find out why it works the way it works.

I'm not saying anything bad about anyone here, please don't misunderstand me. Maybe we all have studied politics. If so, the president blaming needs to stop. Maybe he's not the brightest bulb in the box, but he's still the president, and needs to be respected as such. Whether or not things are going the way we want them to, more goes on than we know about, so we all (myself included) need to lay off the president. He's not the worst, and I'm sure worse will eventually come along.

You can't blame one person for everything that goes wrong.


i am not dragging this into that territory because anything i talk about it coming from me and has nothing to do with the people who run the county.

[wwstewart]

So just because one small section of flesh formed a certain way then that is what makes you a man or a woman?
Genetically you are the opposite of what you are physically so you would be correcting the problem not mutilating it.

I know it is hard to understand but sometimes nature messes up and we need to fix the mistakes.
This is no different.

I understand, sometimes there are glitches. But when a child is born, sex is not determined by genetic panels, it is by physical structure. And generally, signs of that type of genetic abnormality don't show up immediately after birth. As for fixing it, if your hormones are imbalanced, and the weight of the imbalance doesn't reflect that of the physical structure, then hormone therapy can help repair the imbalance, without changing the physical structure (which is what doctors, as well as everyone throughout history have used to verify sex).

The idea of not being a match for one's gender is not a new idea, but the fact still remains, that sex has been determined the same way for hundreds of generations, back to the beginning of time. And that is a point that no one (who is totally honest with themselves) can refute.

[wwstewart]

i am not dragging this into that territory because anything i talk about it coming from me and has nothing to do with the people who run the county.

I apologize if you got the impression that I was making accusations. Politics aside, I think you are an intellegent human being and appreciate the conversation. While my comment was spawned by the "president from hell" comment, I wasn't directing this toward you per se, but to everyone (liberal and conservative) that like to point fingers. I've been guilty of this in the past myself. I'm trying to change that now.

[TallahasseeLassie]

I understand, sometimes there are glitches. But when a child is born, sex is not determined by genetic panels, it is by physical structure. And generally, signs of that type of genetic abnormality don't show up immediately after birth. As for fixing it, if your hormones are imbalanced, and the weight of the imbalance doesn't reflect that of the physical structure, then hormone therapy can help repair the imbalance, without changing the physical structure (which is what doctors, as well as everyone throughout history have used to verify sex).

The idea of not being a match for one's gender is not a new idea, but the fact still remains, that sex has been determined the same way for hundreds of generations, back to the beginning of time. And that is a point that no one (who is totally honest with themselves) can refute.

People were scared or made afraid to discuss the real issues until recently.
This has been an issue for centuries but we all know it was a forbidden subject until the past few decades.
We are much more intelligent now and can help rectify the mistakes that can be made during the formation of the physical body.
I agree that if it is a simple abnormality that can be rectified by hormones then that is the avenue that should be used but i also know that sometimes it so not that simple.

[TallahasseeLassie]

I apologize if you got the impression that I was making accusations. Politics aside, I think you are an intellegent human being and appreciate the conversation. While my comment was spawned by the "president from hell" comment, I wasn't directing this toward you per se, but to everyone (liberal and conservative) that like to point fingers. I've been guilty of this in the past myself. I'm trying to change that now.


Thank you and ditto and i agree.
I dont like to bring it into things.

[proger]

I stand by my comment however,which wasn't directed at you anyway
:rockon:

I know it wasn't directed at me storm, that was a just in case for a reply. I also am not talking about someone who thinks they should be another sex. I am talking about people who were born with sexual organ with sex chromosome abnormalities. There are REAL transgendered individuals just like there are babies born with missing limbs, with Down syndrome, with heart abnormalities, etc. So what happens when parents have a baby that has ambiguous genitalia that isn't helped by genetic tests. For instance, the Y chromosome contains a small gene called SRY that produces a certain hormone that switches the default gonadal development (female) to male in the developing fetus. Some XY fetuses have an SRY mutation, the fetus doesn't produce the hormone and the XY fetus grows a distorted form of genitalia. So what is the child? Male of female? Is the child really genetically male? The questions could go on and on. Again usually the parents have to make a really tough decision, an operation takes place, the child grows up being taught it is one thing but I think we can all agree that in this case the sex of this person goes beyond what the external says. This type of person will likely have a sexual identity crisis later in life and are usually the type of people who have sex change operations.

[TallahasseeLassie]

I know it wasn't directed at me storm, that was a just in case for a reply. I also am not talking about someone who thinks they should be another sex. I am talking about people who were born with sexual organ with sex chromosome abnormalities. There are REAL transgendered individuals just like there are babies born with missing limbs, with Down syndrome, with heart abnormalities, etc. So what happens when parents have a baby that has ambiguous genitalia that isn't helped by genetic tests. For instance, the Y chromosome contains a small gene called SRY that produces a certain hormone that switches the default gonadal development (female) to male in the developing fetus. Some XY fetuses have an SRY mutation, the fetus doesn't produce the hormone and the XY fetus grows a distorted form of genitalia. So what is the child? Male of female? Is the child really genetically male? The questions could go on and on. Again usually the parents have to make a really tough decision, an operation takes place, the child grows up being taught it is one thing but I think we can all agree that in this case the sex of this person goes beyond what the external says. This type of person will likely have a sexual identity crisis later in life and are usually the type of people who have sex change operations.

/champ

[wwstewart]

That is somewhat logical for people who are born transgendered, and I totally understand that situation.

My concern is with people who are NOT born transgendered, who merely "feel" they should be the opposite sex.

There IS a MAJOR difference in the two.

[TallahasseeLassie]

thats what i said.
:)

[proger]

Me too.

[eyendastorm]

Oh brother...well,I can say one thing for you..you were honest when you said you were 100% liberal..you are so far out there that your beliefs will never be represented by a presidential candidate because you are so far from the mainstream that it would be political suicide...../sweet1

How and/or why did this turn political? I don't get it. If I feel this is right or wrong, where does politics come in to play? Juz wonderin'?

[TallahasseeLassie]

How and/or why did this turn political? I don't get it. If I feel this is right or wrong, where does politics come in to play? Juz wonderin'?


Yeah me too

[Tireman4]

Yeah me three. :)

[Stormlover]

Yeah me three. :)
Ya'll go hold hands and sing songs then...I stand by my statement /gig/

[Tireman4]

Kum By Yah, Kum By Yah....../toot

[TallahasseeLassie]

Ya'll go hold hands and sing songs then...I stand by my statement /gig/

Ahh so your avoiding the questions now huh!

[eyendastorm]

Ya'll go hold hands and sing songs then...I stand by my statement /gig/

Makes just as much sense. http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b233/lanaburn/omgeyes.gif

[proger]

The original comment makes no sense.

[Stormlover]

The original comment makes no sense.
At least I tried to get it going...slow day/flower

[proger]

At least I tried to get it going...slow day/flower

I hear you storm/knockonwo

[windy]

I heard following the relief effort in N.O. 'Their were those who were stranded at the super dome shouting at helecopter patrols using all kinds of profanity who were delivering food, supplies ect. for those who had nothing. 'I was not too happy to hear the behavior of some. 'They don't realize many of those people helping were just relieved of duties from Iraq. 'Not being able to spend time with their own families. 'Then I hear news like this makes me wonder how appreciated some are.

[eyendastorm]

Along those same lines Windy....I vividly remember the last evacuation prior to Katrina where people evacuated to the Superdome and were told over and over to bring tolietries, food and water. It was only for a day or two. And there was a black lady on TV complaining cause the hot dog she was 'given' didn't have any condiments to go along with it. I cannot remember what Hurricane it was but it wasn't all that long ago. It was the same one where they tore up the place and stole all kinds of stuff like vending machines and chairs. Actually, after that, the Mayor vowed never to open the Dome again for shelter. Obviously, he changed his mind.

[proger]

Hurricane Georges, Eye...me thinks

[eyendastorm]

Hurricane Georges, Eye...me thinks

Waz it Proger?....or was it Ivan? I know it wasn't long ago and if i'm not mistaken, Ivan was headed straight for us then hooked up to hit Mobile. But, I'm not really sure.?.

[T-man in Lafitte]

This thread is so hijacked. Too much of our taxes go to these handouts. Period. BTW, FEMA direct deposited money into my bank account. No way they know what I spent it on. I do have a nice generator now./gig/

[eyendastorm]

This thread is so hijacked.

Nahhh, I don't think so, 'T'. It's all about 'greed' and gov't handouts.

[T-man in Lafitte]

It's mostly about sex changes, Eye think.

[eyendastorm]

It's mostly about sex changes, Eye think.

Hehehehee! Oh yeah....that. Sorry 'T'....mah bad. :wink:

[proger]

Hehehehee! Oh yeah....that. Sorry 'T'....mah bad. :wink:

Maybe it was Ivan, Georges did the same thing (heading here then turned).

[eyendastorm]

Hooters wants to pay FEMA

Washington – The Hooters restaurant chain is looking for FEMA’s address.

Company Chairman Bob Brooks said Thursday that he wants to reimburse the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the $200 bottle of Dom Perignon Champagne that was purchased with a government credit card issued to Hurricane Katrina victims.

The champagne, purchased in San Antonio, was among numerous examples of improper spending of hurricane relief money cited earlier this week by Congress’ Government Accountability Office. The bogus spending could be as high as $1.4 billion, the GAO said.

In an announcement in Atlanta, Brooks said: “It bothers me as an American that resources that were intended to help victims of this tremendous tragedy were spent this way. Even if it’s in my restaurants, it’s still not right. If FEMA will let me know where to send the check I’ll get the $200 out right away.”

Following Katrina, Brooks sent one of his Hooters Air 737’s loaded with supplies into the Gulf Coast disaster area. The restaurant chain also donated $225,000 to the Red Cross Katrina relief fund.


Houma Courier – June 18, 2006

[soonermeteor]

Im a little confused.... if companies know that these gov. issued cards were used at their store and what was purchased, then couldnt they have just prevented the purchase to begin with?

[eyendastorm]

Im a little confused.... if companies know that these gov. issued cards were used at their store and what was purchased, then couldnt they have just prevented the purchase to begin with?

My guess would be cause they didn't know what bank or who paid 'till after the fact. Didn't the cards look like regular debit cards or were they marked 'FEMA'? Not to mention, I'm sure they didn't come up with a plan prior, thinking people would not abuse it. Better question would be why couldn't the gov't (FEMA) stop it from happening? When you use a debit card, doesn't it have to be approved before money is issued where you make a purchase? I'm not sure how the process works.?. Maybe someone in retail or in the restaurant business can explain the process.