From: capskb@alliant.backbone.uoknor.edu (Keith Brewster)
Newsgroups: misc.invest
Subject: Re: South Fla
Keywords: where do all the dollars go?
Date: 18 Nov 92 17:16:37 GMT
Article-I.D.: constell.Bxx9Bq.FDn
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
Originator: usenet@essex.ecn.uoknor.edu

In article <1992Nov17.134409.14813@relay.nswc.navy.mil> snorthc@relay.nswc.navy.mil writes:
>When the hurricane decimated south Fla recently, I remember
>seeing the pictures in the newspapers and all.  Then there was
>the relief efforts. red cross, this or that church, and so forth
>collecting blankets, food, and flashlights.

Interesting fact: There was so much clothing sent to south Florida that much
of it was exposed to heavy rain in the weeks following the hurricane, developed
mildew, and had to be destroyed.

>  I also remember
>Mr. Bush making this a disaster area or whatever and appropriating
>some amount of money to fix things up.  Does anyone remember
>how much?

Keep in mind a lot of this type of aid is in the form of low interest
rate loans.  Its not "free money".

>
[stuff deleted]
>
>So, all this money is earmarked for southern FLA.  Where does
>it really go?  Does the place ever get rebuilt and back on its
>feet?  When there are that many millions somebody is getting
>rich, who is it?
>

[speculation mode on]

I don't agree with your premise that where there is a lot of money spent
someone is getting rich.  I think the number of people/businesses getting
rich on this is _very small_ in comparison to those really hurting.  IMHO
the people that got rich where the builders that took short cuts in building
many of the homes there.  I have colleagues in the insurance damage assessment
business and their damage surveys showed a lot shoddy workmanship especially
in the roof construction.  In any windstorm (e.g. huricane or tornado) the
key to avoiding damage is keeping the shingles and roof on the house.  There
many shingles were stapled (not nailed) and not even in the correct pattern --
furthermore the trusses where not supported from falling in a domino effect
down the length of the roof (even though the ends were attached with straps to
the walls as required by code).

To stretch to make this relevant to misc.invest, if your house is your biggest
investment check out the roof construction to protect your investment 
(your insurance payoff pales in comparison to avoiding a loss).  Get up in
the attic and on the roof and make sure everything is over-secured -- trusses
strapped, and supported with cross members.  If the shingles are stapled, the
staples should be parallel to the bottom edge of the shingle.

Side note: in a tornado, another vulnerable item is the garage door if you
have an attached garage.  If the door fails due to wind pressure, wind
gets inside the house and can pop the roof off (straps help with this too).
In places where in looks like "random" houses on a block were decimated, the
difference could be whether the garage door held or not (partly dependent
on the direction it faces relative to the wind --something you can't do anything
about -- and partly dependent on construction quality).

-KB

------------------------------------------------
Keith Brewster
OU School of Meteorology
"Only Donnie Duncan, AD, speaks for the University"
capskb@alliant.backbone.uoknor.edu 
Newsgroups: misc.invest