Tag Archives: natural disasters

NBC News reports: A Northern Mississippi church has released a video documenting the destruction caused by a massively violent tornado that struck their community in late April. “It really kinda brought things back, seeing it a week later,” said Brad Bullock, technical director for St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Tupelo, Mississippi. He posted the stunning security-camera footage to his …

Aksarbent points out that Monday’s tornado in Tupelo, Mississippi left the American Family Association headquarters unscathed but destroyed over a hundred homes that were also in the twister’s path. We get blamed for hurricanes, floods, and everything else. How about a little credit to Gay Weather Control for sparing the AFA? You’re welcome, Bryan Fischer!

Gawker recaps: When Wolf Blitzer asked Moore tornado survivor Rebecca Vitsmun if she thanked the lord, many expected her to answer “yes.” Instead she replied “I’m actually an atheist.” “Saying ‘I’m an atheist’ in Oklahoma is like screaming ‘Jihad’ at airport security,” says Doug Stanhope in a clip from Charlie Brooker’s 2013 Wipe. “That took some nuts.” The blue comedy …

The Los Angeles Times reports: A New Jersey-based atheist organization is castigating the work of Pope Francis and others who respond to natural disasters with prayer, Bibles and rosaries. The billboards then encourage people to go to Atheists.org for more information, including a list of secular agencies that American Atheists endorse for disaster relief efforts. The organization accuses religion in …

“The massive tornadoes that hit Illinois after the passing of the same sex ‘marriage’ bill, has stimulated many people to reflection. In it, some see God’s chastisement; others see it as yet one more merciful warning from Providence; others yet deny both options and give various reasons. What do you think? [JMG: Link goes to this bit.] God punishes collective …

Source. I’m still amazed that most of the subway system was operating again within weeks.

The Mt. Diablo fire in San Francisco’s East Bay has grown to 3700 acres. A fire dubbed the “Morgan Fire” burning near Mount Diablo State Park in California quadrupled in size from Sunday night, charring a total of 3,700 acres by Monday afternoon and forcing evacuations of about 100 homes. That was more than double the number from early Monday …

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, New York City has greatly expanded the boundaries of the mandatory hurricane evacuation zones.  Gothamist reports: The mayor’s office says that the new “zones are based on coastal flood risk resulting from storm surge – the ‘dome’ of ocean water propelled by the winds and low barometric pressure of a hurricane; the geography of …

Whoa. Note: There’s no audio on this clip.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has unveiled a massive $20B plan to protect the city from again suffering the devastating flooding wrought by Hurricane Sandy. The plan calls for an extensive network of barriers, levees, and bulkheads along parts of the city’s 520 miles of waterfront. That $20B figure is just a jumping off point and is approximately equal …

The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (seriously) swooped into Oklahoma to ask tornado victims if they want to make sure that they go to heaven when the next twister strikes.  Because God totally sent their unsaved neighbors to hell when he murdered them. “God sheltered them, then He saved them,” said Michael Glassey, an RRT crisis-trained chaplain from Riverside, Calif. …

Earlier this week crackpot conspiracy nut Alex Jones announced that the Oklahoma tornadoes were a result of a secret Obama administration weather control machine. Because IRS. Or something. Rachel Maddow then had a lot of fun at Jones’ expense and this is his response.

Amazing and terrifying footage.

The American Humanists Association has launched a fundraising page to help rebuild the Oklahoma home of atheist tornado victim Rebecca Vitsmun, who made international news after graciously rebuffing CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer’s questions about “thanking the Lord” for sparing the lives of her family.  (Tipped by JMG reader Bentley)

“This is why the American people hate Congress.”

Hurricane Sandy did a number on Fort Lauderdale Beach, which seems about half as wide as when I last saw it. I don’t recall that lifeguard stand being so close the water.

If you were wondering what that was in the New York City sky last night, it was the opening of a three-day laser show in commemoration of the victims of Hurricane Sandy. From the press materials: Art Production Fund and The Standard present Global Rainbow, After the Storm, a monumental outdoor laser installation by American artist Yvette Mattern on view …