As usual, I’m sure these people have more information about everything than I do. But I just don’t get it. I was at the Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston) this afternoon, and I began talking to a nice-looking young lady. She told me she worked on a cruise ship and was flying out to South Africa. It seems that FEMA had rented out her cruise ship for the duration and sent home all the women crew members and staff (over a 100 of them). FEMA was planning to house hurricane evacuees on the cruise ships. From the Galveston Daily News:

Few flood victims were willing to move from Houston to floating shelters in Galveston, so federal officials on Wednesday canceled their plans to place them here at a cost of between $30,000 and $60,000 per victim during the next six months. Carnival, the cruise line that owns the ships, apparently still will get the $236 million FEMA agreed to pay.

FEMA officials said they had other options for using the vessels.

When (Galveston) city officials first heard of the plans, they faced a number of questions: Who would provide police protection? Transportation? Water? Sewer? Trash pickup? Health care? Schooling for children? Who would pick up the tab?

Did you get that phrase “other options”? It turns out that, according to my airport informant and according to the Miami Herald FEMA is going to take the ships to New Orleans and use them to house relief workers! At a cost of $30,000 to $60,000 per aid worker??? I don’t know what these people are thinking.