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  1. #12
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    Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

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    Circuit advertisement Explosion at West Fertilizer Plant in West, Texas
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  3. #13
    Jolie Rouge's Avatar
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    Sacramento Cartoon Mocks Texas Explosion Victims
    04/29/13

    This cartoon was published in the Sacramento Bee: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/04/24/536...-in-texas.html




    Governor Rick Perry sent the Sacramento Bee a response: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/04/26/537...explosion.html

    Re “Business is booming in Texas” (Editorial cartoon, April 25): It was with extreme disgust and disappointment I viewed your recent cartoon. While I will always welcome healthy policy debate, I won’t stand for someone mocking the tragic deaths of my fellow Texans and our fellow Americans.

    Additionally, publishing this on the very day our state and nation paused to honor and mourn those who died only compounds the pain and suffering of the many Texans who lost family and friends in this disaster. The Bee owes the community of West, Texas an immediate apology for your detestable attempt at satire.

    – Gov. Rick Perry, Austin, Tex.
    http://www.reagancoalition.com/artic...WkatEfTQ6bF.99

    comments

    As a resident of the Sacramento area, I, too, am disappointed and disgusted, and would call this 'cartoon' dispicable! However, I'm not surprised given the liberal mindset here. Keep in mind we have the amazingly progressive-thinking Senators Feinstein and Boxer with their consistently business friendly proposed legislation, not to mention those on the State level that mirror those two esteemed Senators (excuse me while I lose my lunch...even I can't stay straight-faced with that last sentence). All these liberal leaning politicians mindlessly follow OWEblamer's lead with the finger-pointing to explain why businesses are leaving California faster than the speed sound, while Texas, a RED state, seems to be welcoming those leaving businesses with open arms (arms would include handguns, rifles, shotguns...)!

    ..

    What did you expect out of a liberal paper in a most liberal state?

    ..

    Now if a conservative would have said something like that about a illegal immigrant or a Muslim then every media outlet in the United States would be covering it an have complete outrage about it! Pickets protests jobs lost you name it!

    ..

    Wow.... So I guess we can all have a good laugh the next time wild fires, mudslides, or earthquakes happen out in California?
    Not, my mother brought me up better than that.
    Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

  4. #14
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    That was really poor taste. eek.
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  5. #15
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    Texas fertilizer plant was a target for theft, tampering: police records
    9 hr ago |By Selam Gebrekidan and Joshua Schneyer of Reuters


    NEW YORK — The Texas fertilizer plant that exploded two weeks ago, killing 14 people and injuring about 200, was a repeat target of theft by intruders who tampered with tanks and caused the release of toxic chemicals, police records reviewed by Reuters show.

    Police responded to at least 11 reports of burglaries and five separate ammonia leaks at West Fertilizer Co over the past 12 years, according to 911 dispatch logs and criminal offense reports Reuters obtained from the McLennan County Sheriff's office in Waco, Texas through an Open Records Request.

    Some of the leaks, including one reported in October 2012, were linked to theft or interference with tank valves.

    According to one 2002 crime report, a plant manager told police that intruders were stealing four to five gallons of anhydrous ammonia every three days. The liquid gas can be used to cook methamphetamine, the addictive and illicit stimulant.

    In rural areas across the United States, the thriving meth trade has turned storage facilities like West Fertilizer Co and even unattended tanks in farm fields into frequent targets of theft, according to several government and fertilizer industry reports issued over the past 13 years.

    The cause of the April 17 blast at the plant in the town of West is still being probed, and investigators have offered no evidence that security breaches contributed to the deadly incident. There also is no indication that the explosion had anything to do with the theft of materials for drug making. Anhydrous ammonia has been ruled out as a cause because the four storage tanks remained intact after the blast, said Rachel Moreno, a spokeswoman for the Texas Fire Marshal's Office.

    MANY LEADS

    Investigators are pursuing about 100 leads, including a call to an arson hotline and a tip that there had been a fire on the property earlier on the day of the explosion, according to Moreno. Authorities have not said whether either tip was credible. About 80 investigators from various state and federal agencies are contributing to the probe. They hope to determine by May 10 what caused the explosion, Texas Fire Marshal Chris Connealy said at a state legislative hearing on Wednesday.

    A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), one of several state and federal agencies that monitor security at chemical plants, declined to answer questions about the breaches of security at West Fertilizer Co. State investigators also declined to comment.

    Thefts of anhydrous ammonia are common in McLennan County, where burglars siphon fertilizer from trailer tanks into five-gallon propane containers, said McLennan County Chief Deputy Sheriff Matt Cawthon, who took up the position in January.

    After reviewing crime reports from the past 12 years and speaking to deputies who responded to some of the break-ins, Cawthon said security was clearly lax at the plant.

    The perimeter was not fenced, and the facility had no burglar alarms or security guards, he said. "It was a hometown-like situation. Everybody trusts everybody."

    Chemical safety experts said the recurrent security breaches at West Fertilizer are troubling because they suggest vulnerability to theft, leaks, fires or explosions. Apart from anhydrous ammonia, the company stored tons of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer that can be used in bomb-making. No thefts of that substance were reported to police.

    "Regardless of what triggered this specific event, the fact that there were lots of burglaries and that they were after ammonia clearly shows this plant was vulnerable to unwanted intruders or even a terrorist attack," said Sam Mannan, a chemical process safety expert at Texas A&M University, who has advised Dow Chemical and others on chemical security.

    NEW LAW

    Owners of West Fertilizer, responding through a representative, declined to answer questions about specific instances of theft or the level of security at the plant. The company has encouraged its employees to share "all they know" with investigators, said Daniel Keeney, a spokesman for the company.

    The current owners of West Fertilizer are Donald Adair, 83, and Wanda Adair, 78, who bought it in 2004. Calls to a number listed for previous owner Emil Plasek were not returned.

    In a 2006 permit application with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), the company reported it would protect ammonia tanks against theft or tampering and conduct daily equipment inspections. A TCEQ spokesman would not comment about security measures. He said the agency's responsibility is to regulate emissions from the plant, not to oversee security.

    Documents from the Texas Department of State Health Services show the West plant was storing 540,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate and 54,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia in 2012. Ammonium nitrate was among the ingredients in the bomb used by Timothy McVeigh to blow up the Oklahoma City federal building in 1995, killing 168 people.

    After that bombing, Congress passed a law requiring facilities that store large amounts of the chemical to report to the DHS and work with the agency to ensure proper security measures are in place to keep it out of criminal hands and protect against such attacks.

    West Fertilizer did not report to DHS, despite storing hundreds of times more ammonium nitrate than the amount that would require it do so. Depending on the grade of the chemical, companies are required to report if they store at least 400 pounds or 2,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate.

    A 2005 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study identified hundreds of cases in 16 states where anhydrous ammonia was stolen for use in meth production. Some illegal labs mix anhydrous ammonia with ephedrine or pseudoephedrine and sodium or lithium to make methamphetamine, the U.S. Department of Justice reported in 2001.

    In dozens of instances, the CDC said, the thefts by meth makers siphoning ammonia from tanks caused injuries or forced evacuations because gas was released into the environment. However, cases of ammonia theft have become less frequent since 2006, when new laws restricted the sale of pseudoephedrine, which is found in some common cold drug remedies, according to The Fertilizer Institute, an industry association.

    Police records show West Fertilizer began complaining of repeated thefts from the facility in June 2001, when burglars stole 150 pounds of anhydrous ammonia from storage tanks three nights in a row. Nearly a year later, a plant manager told police that thieves were siphoning four-to-five gallons of the liquefied fertilizer every three days.

    Randy Plemons, who was chief deputy sheriff during the years when the thefts occurred, declined to discuss specifics of his agency's response to the repeated break-ins.

    "Whenever we were notified of the burglaries and thefts we responded to those," he said. "I can't speak to every offense."

    Company owners downplayed security risks in documents submitted to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in 2006, saying thefts had dropped to zero over the preceding 20 months as meth makers now had found a substitute for anhydrous ammonia available at garden nurseries or major retailers.

    VERY STRONG ODOR

    Yet burglars and trespassers continued to target the facility. Following a series of break-ins in late 2008 and early 2009, including one where a trespasser visited pornographic websites on a secretary's computer, police told plant manager Ted Uptmore - who has worked at the company for decades — to install a surveillance system. Later documents show the company complied. Uptmore did not respond to phone calls seeking comment for this story.

    The last record of tampering was in October 2012, when a 911 caller reported an odor "so strong it can burn your eyes." The firm dispatched Cody Dragoo, an employee often sent after hours to shut leaking valves and look into break-ins. That night, he shut off the valve but reported it had been tampered with.

    Two weeks ago, Dragoo, 50, was among those killed in the blast while responding to the fire.

    http://news.msn.com/crime-justice/te...police-records
    Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

  6. #16
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    Ammonium nitrate triggered blast at Texas plant
    The explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas, was caused by ammonium nitrate, state fire officials say. What they don't know is why it happened.

    4 hr ago |By Jim Forsyth of Reuters


    AUSTIN, Texas — Investigators have confirmed that ammonium nitrate was the trigger for the explosion at a West, Texas, fertilizer plant last month that left 14 people dead and some 200 injured, according to the Texas state fire marshal's office.

    The actual cause of the fire and subsequent blast at the West Fertilizer facility is still being determined, investigators said.

    The fire marshal's office has been leading the investigation of the April 17 blast, along with the federal Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agency (ATF).

    The blast caused an estimated $100 million in damages to homes, businesses and schools near the fertilizer plant, and killed several firefighters and other first responders who rushed to the scene of a fire at the fertilizer plant.

    Ammonium nitrate is a dry fertilizer mixed with other fertilizers such as phosphate and applied to crops to promote growth. It can be combustible under certain conditions, and was used as an ingredient in the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 that left 168 people dead.

    Anhydrous ammonia, another fertilizer component, was also stored on site at the West Fertilizer facility and there was some early speculation that it may have been the source of the explosion.

    More than 70 investigators have developed over 200 leads, from which over 400 interviews have been conducted. Thus far, investigators do know the origin of the fire was in the fertilizer and seed building. The investigators continue to work on pinpointing an exact location of the fire's origin within the building that is over 12,000 square feet (1,100 square meters).

    Investigators said they have eliminated the following causes for the initial fire: weather, natural causes, anhydrous ammonium, the railcar containing ammonium nitrate, and a fire within the ammonium nitrate bin.

    Additionally, they said water used during fire fighting activities did not contribute to the cause of the explosion as some had speculated.

    Even though the investigation into the cause has not been determined, at least seven lawsuits have so far been filed against Adair Grain Inc, which owned the fertilizer facility.

    Plaintiffs claim negligence by the plant employees and are seeking millions of dollars in claims. Four insurance companies are among those suing Adair Grain seeking to recover claims they are paying to individuals and businesses hurt in the explosion.

    http://news.msn.com/us/cause-of-plan...ocid=ansnews11
    Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

  7. #17
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    Paramedic who responded to Texas blast arrested
    May 10, 2013 12:16 PM CDT

    WACO, Texas (AP) - A Texas paramedic who helped evacuate people on the night of the deadly fertilizer plant explosion in West has been arrested and charged with possessing a destructive device.

    It's not clear whether the charges are related to the fire or the explosion at the West Fertilizer Co. last month that killed 14 people.

    McLennan County Jail booking clerk Brandy Gann says paramedic Bryce Reed arrived at the jail at about 2:40 a.m. Friday and was released to federal agents before 8 a.m.

    A fire erupted at the plant the night of April 17 and a massive explosion rocked the town of West about 20 minutes later.

    Investigators have largely treated the incident as an industrial accident. But Texas law enforcement officials also launched a criminal investigation Friday

    http://www.wafb.com/story/22218199/p...nt=bufferbb358
    Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

  8. #18
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    FEMA denies aid to Texas for blast
    By RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI Associated Press Posted: Jun 12, 2013 11:34 AM



    HOUSTON (AP) - The Federal Emergency Management Agency is refusing to provide additional money to help rebuild the small Texas town where a deadly fertilizer plant explosion leveled numerous homes and a school, and killed 15 people.

    According to a letter obtained by The Associated Press, FEMA said it reviewed the state's appeal to help but decided that the explosion "is not of the severity and magnitude that warrants a major disaster declaration."

    FEMA already has provided millions of dollars in aid to the town of West and its residents, but the decision prevents them from getting some of the widespread assistance typically available to victims of tornadoes, hurricanes and other natural disasters.

    The decision likely means less money to pay for public repairs to roads, sewer lines, pipes and a school that was destroyed.

    The blast killed 10 first responders and brought national attention to the agricultural community. President Barack Obama traveled to the area to attend a memorial service for the first responders and others who died trying to help.

    As of Wednesday, FEMA said the agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration had approved more than $7 million in aid and low-interest loans to West residents impacted by the blast. FEMA also is paying 75% of the costs of debris removal and will reimburse the state and the municipality for the initial emergency response.

    FEMA denied the "major disaster declaration" both for public assistance - which would give money to the city to help rebuild - and for further individual aid, which would provide for crisis counseling and other services.

    It's not unusual for FEMA to turn down that level of assistance for emergencies not stemming from natural disasters. In 2010, for example, officials denied a request for millions in aid after a gas pipeline explosion that consumed a Northern California neighborhood.

    Some funds would be available in West through insurance pay outs and because it believes the state or the municipality has the resources to cover the costs, among other things, agency spokesman Dan Watson said in a statement.

    Individuals can still receive rental assistance and some funds for rebuilding, and the state can appeal for more public assistance but some programs for individuals will not be made available, he said.

    But West Mayor Tommy Muska said the rural community of 2,800 people cannot cover the costs of the repairs, and doesn't believe that the state will provide enough money on its own. He estimated the cost of those repairs at about $57 million, including $40 million to rebuild schools that were destroyed or damaged when the West Fertilizer Co. blew up in April. "We don't have the money to go out and borrow the money. We don't have the means to pay that note back," Muska said. "There's got to be some public assistance."

    The letter, dated June 10, is addressed to Texas Gov. Rick Perry and signed by FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate.

    Perry noted in a statement that Obama attended a memorial service in April for the victims of the West blast and "stood in front of a grieving community and told them they would not be forgotten."

    "He said his administration would stand with them, ready to help," Perry said. "We anticipate the president will hold true to his word and help us work with FEMA to ensure much-needed assistance reaches the community of West."

    The West Fertilizer Co. blew up after the plant caught fire. The cause of the fire remains unclear - and a criminal investigation is still open - but investigators say the heat of the fire destabilized tons of a potentially explosive fertilizer stored at the plant, leading to the massive blast that leveled chunks of the town. The incident highlighted how loosely regulated some chemicals are, including the ammonium nitrate that blew up, and has some critics saying the government needs to tighten its oversight of such plants.

    The blast emitted a wave of energy so strong it registered as a small earthquake, knocked down people blocks away, blew out windows, left a massive 93-foot crater and curved walls of homes and buildings.

    Marty Crawford, superintendent of West schools, said officials had requested the FEMA aid to help pay for structural damage. An intermediate school near the plant was destroyed, as were parts of the high school and middle school. The district expects to get tens of millions of dollars in insurance money to help pay for the repairs, but needs the FEMA funds to get the job done, he said.

    Crawford believes the state could continue to push FEMA to reverse its decision, though it appears the chance of getting federal assistance is low. "Now we're not out of appeals, but in baseball terms, we're probably facing a two-strike count and fouling a bunch of pitches off," Crawford said in a phone interview. "As long as you've got another strike to fight with, we can hold onto hope."

    Associated Press writer Nomaan Merchant contributed to this report from Dallas.

    http://www.wafb.com/story/22571753/a...exas-for-blast
    Last edited by Jolie Rouge; 06-12-2013 at 02:40 PM.
    Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

  9. #19
    pepperpot's Avatar
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    Doesn't the company who caused the blast have insurance? Isn't that what insurance is for? Granted, the magnitude of the damage more than likely far exceeded the dollar amount of coverage.

    I'm not so sure that this denial is wrong.

    I do think a low interest loan for those who are not compensated should be given though.

    My understanding is that FEMA was designed more for natural disasters (non-negligible) where insurance is non-existent.
    Mrs Pepperpot is a lady who always copes with the tricky situations that she finds herself in....

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