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September 12, 2008

Comments

"...when I read their most recent advisory...."

That sounds... bad.

Good thing there are never oil spills from offshore rigs from these things, too.

Actually, if you know your history far enough back, you will remember that Galveston is the site of the worst natural disaster in the US. The hurricane of 1900 wiped out the city, killing about 5 times as many as Katrina. (So many whole families -- and city records -- were destroyed that the fatality count is quite a guess.)
In the years following, protections were built for the city -- well beyond what New Orleans is getting: not only a remarkable & famous sea-wall, but dredged dirt was used to raise the city from 8 feet to 16 feet above sea level.

Thankfully, I'm in Austin rather than on the coast, but I'm not planning on going anywhere this weekend. Hopefully no windows will break and the power and water will stay on.

I find myself wondering what things would have been like in the days before Doppler and satellites. In 12 hours we should be seeing some serious weather -- but you can't tell by looking out the window right now.

"Certain death"

Never good words to hear.

My parents are in Houston, so I'm starting to get a little nervous. Normally, hurricanes lose most of their destructive power by the time they reach my parents house (since it's on the northwest side), but this is an unusually large hurricane aiming more or less straight at Houston. So, I've got my fingers crossed...

Can you ever recall hearing that phrase in an official advisory before?

In fact "certain death" was used in the famous Katrina warning:

AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL BE WIDESPREAD...AND MAY INCLUDE HEAVY ITEMS SUCH AS HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND EVEN LIGHT VEHICLES. SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS WILL BE MOVED. THE BLOWN DEBRIS WILL CREATE ADDITIONAL DESTRUCTION. PERSONS...PETS...AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK.

I live in uptown New Orleans, and escaped Katrina just in time.

If back then you had told me that in only three years Katrina would be "not so bad in comparison," I would have been insulted at your callous trivialization of our suffering.

As it is, I am watching the Weather Channel in horror, as I know, really know, what those poor people in Texas are about to go through.

May face certain death? How can anybody write that with a straight face?

Oh dear God:

"Galveston had ordered evacuation of the island, but LeBlanc said about 40 percent of the city's 57,523 residents chose to stay. "It's unfortunate that the warnings that we sent out were not heeded," he said."

(from CNN)

What really pisses me off is that those people whorefused to leave are putting their children and animals in danger. They have no right.

BTW this rescue effort is accomodating animals. taxas A and M will be housing livestock aswell as household pets. In fact there are accomodations for livestock and pets in all of the major people rescue dcenters.

I read a book about the Galveston flood. One of the scariest books ever. I can not imagine why people are choosing to stay.

"whorefused"

This also goes in the Big Book Of Wonkie/Lily's Most Memorable Typos.

;-)

How's Lassie? (Feel free to respond in this thread.)

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