“Even in the worst of times and in bad situations we must always allow ourselves the small pleasures, like the marathon. The marathon is truly a sport of the people, and I am sure that all of us will need a few hours break from the hard times” the mayor said.
When asked if there were any other 'good things' coming out of the disaster he answered “Calorie intake is down, people are losing weight and that is always a good thing. Soon we might be the least fat city in America”.
Borough President James Molinaro says FEMA nor the Red Cross have done much for Staten Island, the site of some of the worst devastation. He urges people not to donate their money to the Red Cross but to get resources to where it is needed the most.
“You know, I went to a shelter Monday night after the storm. People were coming in with no socks, with no shoes. They were in desperate need. Their housing was destroyed. They were crying. Where was the Red Cross? Isn’t that their function? They collect millions of dollars. Whenever there’s a drive in Staten Island, we give openly and honestly. Where are they? Where are they?”
3 large trailer-mounted generators have been diverted by the City of New York away from relief efforts to power tents for the NYC Marathon, which had not been canceled at the time of this writing. The race organizers say they are paying for the generators, they were reserved long ago.
There are reports of organized looters, home invaders dressed as electric utility workers, fights breaking out in gas lines and dumpster diving as desperate people search for food. While downtown Manhattan still has power enough to host celebrity-studded parties and movie premier events, much of the city is still struggling for basic services.
“We have to have priorities” said an event coordinator for Gala Consulting “Holding Bett Midler's Hula-ween Party and bringing James Gandolfini and Tina Fey to the big NBC event should not be canceled just because someone doesn't have a sandwich somewhere. How does canceling a spectacular, fashionable event help those people? The NBC event will raise money for the Red Cross, sure none of the rich celebrities will donate money, their being present should be enough, like with the President”.
Meanwhile Staten Island residents are beginning to wonder why they have been ignored and forgotten amidst the hurricane relief efforts. “It looks like Katrina” a woman waiting in a gas line told us “Everything is gone. It's a shattered city. Do we have to wait until after the election to be noticed?”
“In Rockaway, we have no power, no food, no water, no gas” a man said, surveying the site of a burned building “We also have no FEMA, no Red Cross. We do have fires and stagnant flood waters. This is not a fit place to be, is anyone actually paying attention? Just because there is power in Times Square doesn't mean it's all better now”
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