Panic in Texas

[Red Hat]

I'm not sure if anyone outside of the Houston area has any idea of the panic going on here. Fear of a hurricane catastrophy such as Katrina has people running for their lives. No hurricane evacuation has ever been ordered for Houston, only for low lying areas along the Gulf coast. But so many people are in panic that all the highways are stopped going out of Houston. It takes about a mile an hour to move. There is no gasoline since people filled up all their cars, motor homes, and generators. Cars are running out of gas and blocking lanes of traffic. Some people are just getting out of their cars and walking.

I live about 100 miles northwest of Houston and the highways are still crawling with evacuees. My husband and I are watching the tv news and just shaking our heads at the stupidity. If people had not panicked, those who needed to evacuate could have gotten out relatively quickly. But because so many who did not need to evacuate did, no one can move.

Sad, sad, sad

[TrailSweeper]

Isn't it a shame that we have focused so much on terrorist type affairs that we have forgotten that Mother Nature can be much more destructive. All the resources that have gone to Homeland security can't do a thing for a Natural disaster. May some eyes will open up now and focus on more other matters.

[Spartan Hiker]

Looks like a mess. Travelling on I-45 in and out of Houston is a chore, even on "routine" days. Just curious-why aren't both northbound and south bound I-45 lanes open for northbound traffic at this point? I can't imagine too many people want to get to Houston right now, other than emergency service personnel and Geraldo.

[MOWGLI]

They ought to lash Ken Lay and the rest of the thieving bass-turds from Enron to a flagpole somewhere south of Houston. Preferably a few feet below the estimated storm surge.

[Red Hat]

It's not about funding or Enron! It's about common sense, using your head. If you need to evacuate because you are in a surge area, do so. If not, stay off the roads so people who need to use them can! They said at 9:00 am that the contra-lanes would be opened, but so far it has not happened. :datz

[MOWGLI]

It's not about funding or Enron!

I was just trying to turn a negative into a positive.

[Dances with Mice]

I live about 100 miles northwest of Houston and the highways are still crawling with evacuees. That'd be around College Station? My kin's scattered around Brazoria County, in the middle of the evacuation zone, but none live in coastal or low areas. Some can't leave because they have livestock to care for. Not that they would anyway and they'll be ok, I'm not worried. Country folk can survive, and all that. They're on high ground and there's no worry about falling trees, you'd understand if you've ever visited that part of the Gulf plains.

But I have lots of friends around NASA, in Clear Lake, Baytown, Keemah, right on down to Texas City. If that thing hits Houston / Galveston then they're hosed.

[Spirit Walker]

My dad lives a few miles west of Houston. He said last night that his wife wants to evacuate, but he doesn't. I wonder who will win? Water won't be a problem where he lives, but there are a lot of trees around the house, and branches are going to be dropping all over the place.

[Seeker]

we've got the same thing happening here in LA. they evac the coastal swamps (cameron parish) every hurricane. but now they're evaccing lake charles, and hwy 171 north is at a standstill, as is I-10 (EW through Lake Charles). forecast is for a lot of strong wind, but most of us aren't going anywhere. sad thing is, we have a lot of local friends who have people from new orleans staying with them, and they're getting frightened. hopefully there won't be a stampede... i filled both my cars yesterday, and stocked up on groceries, but the fleeing horde has picked pretty much everything dry...

we'll see how it goes by sunday.

[Dances with Mice]

Not on the same scale of concern, but still...

There are some guests that fly down from Canada every year to spend the winter on the Texas coast. They start to arrive around the first of October. I think it was last year that the population of the main flock of Whooping Cranes passed 200 for the first time since anyone started counting. They could be in for a rough flight this year and their resort area might look a bit ragged when they arrive.

[Smile]

Here on the east coast of FL it is a little windy from the "outer bands", and last year we sat tight through five hurricanes, but if a 4 were even coming anywhere near here, we'd be outta here!

The following comments may seem 'cold', but I'd like to put a few thoughts out here for discussion.......

Should the rest of us/feds pay to rebuild areas where it is a scientific fact that:

a) one has built in a flood plain (many locations in the U.S.)
b) an area frequented by hurricanes since man started recording such events
c) on a barrier island like OBX where mansions are regularly wiped out and superfund $ pays to rebuild (sometimes several times)
d) you live in an area surrounded by water and you are below water level
e) in a mud slide zone such as in CA

Shouldn't the folks (like me) who choose to live by the ocean be the ones who should:

a) realize they've chosen to live in a place that can flood, be devastated by a hurricane, etc.
b) be willing to put $ into a "pot" or taxed for the rebuilding of the very community in which one lives and be responsible for where one chooses to live.
c) take every precaution to NOT put the very folks who help when things get bad in any uneccesary danger ( i.e. law enforcement, emergency medical personel, etc.)

For example, a real national 'emergency' would be something like, say a volcano erupting under Chicago - unexpected, not a place where historically there is volcanic activity, nor proven geologic evidence that this is an annual occurence. If one just looks at the map of FL, the east coast and the Gulf Coast in general, it's obvious that the landscape has evolved over time with hurricanes being a large influence.


Dances with Mice: I hope the cranes use their instincts to fly away from a storm coming, that would really be a sad thing to lose a bunch of them! I know here right by the beach in FL it was spookily (is this a word?) silent about 2 days before the storm - no birds flying, and totally silent of frogs, birds and no lizards/anoles anywhere. I wonder if the birds just 'holed up' somewhere or flew inland somewhere. Interestingly enough after the hurricane was over the frogs were deafening for two days and were all over the place - celebrating I think!

[Tha Wookie]

Does anyone know where Mt. Dew is? is he safe?

I wonder if the reaction will be different from the white house now that Bush's state is in jeopardy (and all that oil!)

We need biodiesel to the masses!

[Dances with Mice]

[QUOTE=Tha Wookie]Does anyone know where Mt. Dew is? is he safe?
[QUOTE]I don't know where he is at this moment but I thought he lived close to Dallas. No problem there.

[Red Hat]

It's about common sense, using your head. :datz

Local authorities here are taking responsibility and have since early in the week. The mayor of Galveston has the town evacuated now, almost
48 hrs before expected landfall, including all the hospital, even critical care patients. People were allowed to take pets in carriers on the buses since that seemed to be one reason those in New Orleans refused to leave.

Governor Perry has National Guard troops ready to roll if needed. No one will be denied food or water as they were in New Orleans when officials would not let the Red Cross into the Superdome.

In case you haven't heard, before Katrina ever hit, Bush asked Gov Blanco to sign the necessary papers repeatedly so he could help. She refused!!!

We are ready, prepared for the worst, praying for the best. I did not mean for this to become a political discussion. I was just so frustrated with the panic of millions running out of town, when the authorities have everything under control. Houston is safe in all but the low lying areas. We will get some wind damage with fallen trees and power lines, but so will most of eastern Texas. To flood the highways with more automobiles is just ridiculous.

[Blue Jay]

Does anyone know where Mt. Dew is? is he safe?

I wonder if the reaction will be different from the white house now that Bush's state is in jeopardy (and all that oil!)

We need biodiesel to the masses!

Dew has a motorcycle, he can get past gridlock in a second with a simple twist of the wrist. Don't worry about the oil boys either, they get another oil disruption they can make billions on.

[lostjohn]

To answer the question about the feeling of panic, no I do not completely understand. Even though when Hugo hit Charleston, we left, knowing we might return to nothing. God Spared our side of town and we only had minimal damage. The trip out of town was uneventful, just a bit slower than usual on I-26.

And then we were told to evacuate again and so many remembered Hugo that many more played it smart and left. But this time there is, as is now, much on the learning curve that wasn't thought about. Something as simple as reverseing the East bound lane of I-26 took several hours to happen. The trip to my daughters that normally takes less than three hours took well over 14. I do believe we know better now and that the lanes will be reversed much sooner.

I will not lie to you, there were some moments that were discourageing. Tonight my thoughts and prayers go out to all of those who are caught in the need to leave home and hearth.

Each threat to our people, wheither man made or natural, will bring new conditions and we will learn more. But nothing surpasses the idea of personal responsiblity for our well being. Some of these dear souls left home without enough food or water, next time they will know better, but for now
I pray that someone close by will have some to spare. They are our neighbors.

[Heater]

I'm not sure if anyone outside of the Houston area has any idea of the panic going on here. Fear of a hurricane catastrophy such as Katrina has people running for their lives. No hurricane evacuation has ever been ordered for Houston, only for low lying areas along the Gulf coast. But so many people are in panic that all the highways are stopped going out of Houston. It takes about a mile an hour to move. There is no gasoline since people filled up all their cars, motor homes, and generators. Cars are running out of gas and blocking lanes of traffic. Some people are just getting out of their cars and walking.

I live about 100 miles northwest of Houston and the highways are still crawling with evacuees. My husband and I are watching the tv news and just shaking our heads at the stupidity. If people had not panicked, those who needed to evacuate could have gotten out relatively quickly. But because so many who did not need to evacuate did, no one can move.

Sad, sad, sad
It's all a little foggy but...

I was in an evacuation from Corpus Christi about 35 years ago. My dad had dragged us down there to the beach and one morning the sheriff woke us on the beach and told us to get out because there was a hurricane (Celia)coming. We had no idea as we had been on the beach for a week with no tv or radio. My dad was like that. When we went "camping" it was pretty basic with no creature comforts.

...anyway...

I see the news reports and flash back to that experience 35 years ago. The interview with the people on the beach that had no idea what was happening. The highways were backed up but maybe not as much as now. It still took us HOURS to get out. I can still see the accident we passed on the highway like it was yesterday.

There was a big hurricane the previous year (Beulah) that I think was still on everyones mind. Since then, I think people have become a little complacent but I think that Katrina has opened a few eyes and that is a good thing. I bwould have NOT wanted to be on that beach when Celia hit.

[digger51]

Old Kathy, glad you are doing well there. Stay safe and dry.
With as much warning as they have had I am sure Mt Dew had plenty of time to hike north if it gets bad.

[TrailSweeper]

Hello LostJohn, we are neighbors I see. The big problem with the last evacuation of Charleston was that no one used alternate routes, It seems that the mind set of people is that the interstate highway system is the only way out of town.

[frieden]

Old Kathy, stay safe! Our prayers are with you, and the areas in it's path.

Smile, you already pay more for living on the coast. It's up to the city/county governments to use that money wisely. The problem is that there is so much need, and only so much money. Since it is too late to reverse global warming, I would think that all new construction should be banned from coastal areas. With this knowledge already in our hands, I think you're right, taxpayers shouldn't support coastal repairs - or rescue for that matter. We should offer help to anyone wanting to move away from the coast, and the people who wish to stay are on their own. This society has a really bad habit of denying help to those who want it, and pushing it onto people who don't. I never understood that.

I would consider the pets and wildlife to be on the same level as people.

[hikerdude]

When the national weather station says they got a Hurricane coming a week ahead of time and they can show you its the biggest hurricane ever ever 210 mph winds. That's like feeling sorry for some dumb hiker in the White mountains. No you pay. And if you don't have any hikers insurance you pay. like because you are to cheap to buy flood insurance you shouldn't be building some half million dollar houses on the beach and expect the tax payers that know better than to live in a stupid spot to support you idiot idea. Basicly if your stuck by lightning above treeline in a storm. Nobody is going to feel sorry for you and buy you a new house to live there yet.
Now I pride myself in being the village Idiot so it don't take no big brain to figure this out. So its not your falt if the die. They will die.
So I was told by some monks that God has to sort the laundry. It has to be done. Death is a part of life. If I had a Love on living there, I knock em over the head like Mr T and put em in the Jet. See they get there bla bla bla on the news. But the real truth is they are trying to get 200 billion dollars to rebuild a city that might just flood out again a few week later. Boy oh boy, If someone like W.D. could get 200 billion dollars to fix the A-t . W.D. could wear a crown and we would kiss his feet. We could spend like 1-50 million dollars on the shelters alone. Maybe wood chip the whole trail.

[titanium_hiker]

you said lake charles is being evacuated- does that include the university/college there?

A good friend of mine is studying there.

titanium

[rhjanes]

and a bus caught fire early this AM here in dallas with older people on it. 24 dead in the fire from exploding oxygen on the bus.

and people in 100 MILE backups. And the closest hotel rooms, in the bigger cities, are in Oklahoma city now.....

and Diesel went up 10 cents YESTERDAY

I went and walked my 3 miles (after going to bed at 5 AM ....worky..) :eek:

[Dances with Mice]

And New Orleans is going through the Rinse cycle now.

[Gadog430]

I understand moving in the face of a huge storm, but I do have one question.

Why can't people remember that we are tough? We are AMERICANS. We are smart. We didn't used to whine for the government to take care of us. We did it ourselves. Come on America. Be AMERICANS. Handle it. And if it is overwhelming, get out of the way and help others while doing so, then put it back like it was if you like.

People have forgotten that we can handle this. We have handled much worse and been just fine. WE ARE AMERICANS.

Dawg

[Spartan Hiker]

I understand moving in the face of a huge storm, but I do have one question.

Why can't people remember that we are tough? We are AMERICANS. We are smart. We didn't used to whine for the government to take care of us. We did it ourselves. Come on America. Be AMERICANS. Handle it. And if it is overwhelming, get out of the way and help others while doing so, then put it back like it was if you like.

People have forgotten that we can handle this. We have handled much worse and been just fine. WE ARE AMERICANS.

Dawg
Couldn't agree more.

[leeki pole]

Ditto Dawg! :)

[digger51]

Gawg..with comments like that you might become my hero. But you will be beat to death by those who believe the govt should coddle us cradle to grave.

[digger51]

Sorry meant Dawg. Eyes getting old.

[Tha Wookie]

I agree too, Dog, but not so much that we forget about our brothers and neighbors.

[squirrel bait]

Good luck all of ya down Texas way. Just for your information Smile. mansions are not destroyed regulary here on the Outer Banks of NC (OBX). And they really aren't mansions, they're rental houses. In six years here in the insurance business we have never lost one. A superfund does not pay to rebuild your house and certainly not several times. Here in NC only the state issues costal flood insurance and it is not cheap. Wind damage is far more common and covered differently, and if your bored we can talk about wind driven rain which is another whole ballgame. Just didn't want bad OBX information out there, nothing more.

[Blue Jay]

Gawg..with comments like that you might become my hero. But you will be beat to death by those who believe the govt should coddle us cradle to grave.

You know I would agree with you heartless coldblooded reptiles, taxation is, in fact, theft. However if we can spend billions of taxpayer money coddling other countries and multinational corporations, we can spend some on our own people. Just because there's no water under your rocks now, your turn may come. Keep tempting fate.

[wacocelt]

When the national weather station says they got a Hurricane coming a week ahead of time and they can show you its the biggest hurricane ever ever 210 mph winds. That's like feeling sorry for some dumb hiker in the White mountains. No you pay. And if you don't have any hikers insurance you pay. like because you are to cheap to buy flood insurance you shouldn't be building some half million dollar houses on the beach and expect the tax payers that know better than to live in a stupid spot to support you idiot idea. Basicly if your stuck by lightning above treeline in a storm. Nobody is going to feel sorry for you and buy you a new house to live there yet.

I have been in Biloxi Miss for the past three days, vey close to the majority of the neighborhoods that were decimated. It must be very easy to sit at home and scoff at people who have lost thier homes, family members and everything they own. I am extremely angry and disgusted at those of you down playing this disaster just because you weren't affected, yet I feel more pity for you than anything. I feel more sorrow for yor lack of human decency than for th people I'm here helping, because atleast they have hope and are damn well trying. It appears to me as if some of you gave up a long long time ago.

[Smile]

No bad info intended Squirrel bait :-)

Been there and done that on OBX, yes a home that comfortably holds 26 individuals, each with their own suite, jacuzzi, a beach front pool, hottub, two kitchens, elevator, etc. etc. that costs five figures for the week is a mansion to most - albeit a squished mansion the way they pack them in there, But OBX is a great place otherwise! Have fun out there, hope the big ones miss you guys this year, it's been an easy season so far on NC and hope it stays that way!

Here's an excerpt from a newspaper in 2004:

"When hurricane Isabel washed away a one-mile stretch of Route 12 on the Outer Banks last summer, opening what residents called an "inlet," officials depicted it as a matter of national security. Within three days, the ink was dry on plans for an $8 million project, running through a protected National Seashore, and two months later, cranes and bulldozers had filled the breach."

[Nightwalker]

12:35 A.M. Rita is nearly ashore at the TX/LA border. A lot of folks will drown. A lot of homes will be lost. A lot of heartless people will say that "they shoulda known better."

I really think that a lot of that last part comes from fear. If you can just think that it only happened to the other guy because he was stupid or lazy or what-the-heck-ever, then it can't happen to you, right? Y'all wouldn't believe some of the hateful stuff that I've seen since Katrina from folks that tried to blame people that had no way out of New Orleans for their own problems. Shoulda been on a non-existent bus. Shouldn't have been born poor. Shoulda walked 30 miles carrying your kids/parents/whatever. But yeah, I think that however it came across, it was mostly fear. If Bubba LaBeaux was just too dumb to leave, then it couldn't happen to a smart boy like me, right?

Give blood. Give food. Give more money than you can afford. Or just be a selfish, hateful *$%#head. After all, it could never happen to you, right?

[justusryans]

Give blood. Give food. Give more money than you can afford. Or just be a selfish, hateful *$%#head. After all, it could never happen to you, right?Actually, it has happened to me, Hurricane Isabel hit here 2 years ago

[Skyline]

There is a middle ground here.

I think we should help all the victims of these tragic events with a continued outpouring of public and private assistance. But we would do everyone a favor if we did NOT encourage people to rebuild in places that repeatedly get blasted by Mother Nature.

That goes for the uber rich who live in private, exclusive coastal resorts and the very poor who live in the slums of New Orleans.

The experts tell us we are just beginning a cycle of hurricanes like Katrina and Rita that could last a decade or more. So, does it make sense to pour reconstruction dollars--private or public--into places that are likely to feel the brunt of these storms to come?

Wouldn't it be better to encourage rebuilding 10 or 20 miles inland and return the oceanfront into non-commercial beach? People could still enjoy the ocean, but they and their property wouldn't be so much in harm's way.

Wouldn't it be better to turn New Orleans into a national park similar in spirit to Harpers Ferry, and encourage rebuilding the actual city nearby on higher ground above sea level? I could envision a cleanup of the lowest parts of the city, bulldozed, turned into an expanded lake--with the French Quarter and other higher ground made into a national historic park to document the culture and history--again, similar to Harpers Ferry. Some of the bars and other commercial activity are an important part of that history and should be a part of this the same as private businesses thrive in the historical part of Harpers Ferry. There are already small historic national park units in New Orleans so some of the groundwork is already done.

[Smile]

Yes! Turn the entire area into a wildlife refuge and public beach are - give back the coastline!

[gumby]

I have been in Biloxi Miss for the past three days, vey close to the majority of the neighborhoods that were decimated. It must be very easy to sit at home and scoff at people who have lost thier homes, family members and everything they own. I am extremely angry and disgusted at those of you down playing this disaster just because you weren't affected, yet I feel more pity for you than anything. I feel more sorrow for yor lack of human decency than for th people I'm here helping, because atleast they have hope and are damn well trying. It appears to me as if some of you gave up a long long time ago.
Well said, I live just north of Tampa Bay, we had some close calls last year. In 96 I rode out Erin and Opal, both destroyed most of the homes around me, we spent weeks cutting and burning trees/debris. I was in the Air Force at the time, my Commander told me, "take care of your home and neighbors, keep in contact, come back when you can the base will still be here."

If you haven't been through it then you shouldn't talk. Just like voting, if you don't vote...don't bitch.

nuff said,

the other Lone Wolf

[hikerdude]

I want to hear what those envirormentalist have to say. How come that they are blocked on the news? So we are to believe that pumping all that toxic waste into the Lake is a good thing, Ok.
I'm sorry if I was right? to bad the other 10% have to try to gang up on me and start Kaos. Keep ignoring the toxic waste pumping problem a city like this imposes.
here's what the mean people of my county say," My wife works a full time day job and a part time nite job I work 80 hours a week 90 if I can get it. I drive a used car and can't make the morgage, our credit card are maxed out.And we need to buy heat for winter.
And what doed John Muir really say? Read for yourself. A thousand mile walk to the gulf. Sept 25th seems right on key.
I'd like to say the Natl. guard, shepard Smith, and the mayors and police swat teams you all did a stand up job in Houston, No looters, everyone left. Tho shale be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Only problem is you got the people thinking they can't drive away next time. You were suppose to have someone that knew what he or she was doing. Like open both sides of the highway. All I can say Houston, if you need someone like the Village Idiot to show you how to open both sides of the highway. I know the proper S.O.P. for evacuation of a city. First I send everyone a copy.

[wacocelt]

Hikerdude, please tell me that English isn't your first language and that you're drunker than Cooter Brown, because your incomplete, incoherent ramblings are beginning to worry me.

[Red Hat]

Well folks, it hit Louisianna instead of Texas. Fortunately, it hit a fairly low population area which had been pretty much evacuated. We'll know more about damage tomorrow. As for me, we got wind, but no rain. (and we really needed some rain) The evacuees are rushing to get back to Houston and lines are going to be nuts again. Some 3 million people evacuated, only 500,000 were expected. Most of the rest were afraid of trees falling and crushing their homes, so they ran. Getting them back home again will be really interesting.

[hikerdude]

Case and point please. Your the one rambling. I think Its very clear. Why would I worry you, do you know me? is it because my first lauguage isn't english or I'm drunker than Cooter Brown. You tell people that to their face mr. spirtual life?
What I'm trying to say to a politcal correct hatefull person like yourself is. TAX cuts are coming. And the A.T. is the first place they will look. So it really looks like a closed mind and closed heart. Sides I am the village idiot remember. I'm very happy all the time and very friendly. fact is I hiked 10 miles just 2 hours ago and meet 20 some hikers and they all loved me. Yes and your right, English isn't my first language,Hebrew was and I am drunker than Cooter Brown, hee haw.

[MOWGLI]

Sides I am the village idiot remember.

Hikerdude,

You're one Idiot who is welcome in my Village - anytime. Who knows?? You might just end up raising our collective IQ. ;)

[wacocelt]

You tell people that to their face mr. spirtual life?

I'm much nicer here than in 'real' life.


Shalom Aleichem

[titanium_hiker]

goodgrief guys, my legit question was swamped by ramblings etc. Can I ask again? A good friend of mine (who, due to the stress of college really lacks in the emailing skills) is studying in Lake Charles. (no idea what university, he's not great on details either- chemical engineering if that helps)

I see on the map that LC is near the coast and near texas.
Can someone inform me on the situation of the evacuation etc in Lake Charles.

I'd like to know what went on there. I'm sure he's safe (he's a smart cookie) and I'll probably hear from him soon, but I'd still like to know. If you just want to through me a link, that's fine too.

thanks
titanium

[hikerdude]

Do you know its my 57 post and your 389th register post. So I don't want to provoke some Muslum. After all aren't we to believe your not all terrorists? What's that mean, I'm much nicer here than in real life and Shalom Aleichem? It means Don't provoke the Muslum, right? So if I get blown up we know who did it and why, right? Word, bling bling.

[Dances with Mice]

The first thing Chem E's learn is how to scoot when something looks like it's going to blow.

[titanium_hiker]

that would be him alright. any news links or whatever for Lake Charles? thanks. :)

sorry for venting- bad day. :)
titanium

[Dances with Mice]

any news links or whatever for Lake Charles? The storm had great advance press, and rightly so, but when it hit shore it was a pretty average hurricane. In Lake Charles the electrical power's been mostly knocked out, lots of trees are down, many roofs are damaged, and places that have flooded before are flooded again. In a couple days it'll be mostly cleaned up and back to normal.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/092405/new_oep001.shtml

[titanium_hiker]

thanks, good to know. (is this ten characters?)

[Dances with Mice]

Just be thankful you don't have to listen to Geraldo (a television news personality) continually mispronounce the place where the storm came ashore, Sabine Pass, as "Sah - BYNE Pass" while every Texan in the room yells "BEAN! Sah-BEAN Pass!"

[Spartan Hiker]

Just be thankful you don't have to listen to Geraldo (a television news personality) continually mispronounce the place where the storm came ashore, Sabine Pass, as "Sah - BYNE Pass" while every Texan in the room yells "BEAN! Sah-BEAN Pass!"
LOL! Yep, that's Geraldo, profiling on the beach replete with camo pants and a basic load of over the top hurricane phrases.

[wacocelt]

Do you know its my 57 post and your 389th register post. So I don't want to provoke some Muslum. After all aren't we to believe your not all terrorists? What's that mean, I'm much nicer here than in real life and Shalom Aleichem? It means Don't provoke the Muslum, right? So if I get blown up we know who did it and why, right? Word, bling bling.

Post count is a not the issue. I'm not Muslim. I said what I meant, your interpretation is severely skewed. If you get blown up then we'll know it's because you're an asshat.

[Gadog430]

I agree too, Dog, but not so much that we forget about our brothers and neighbors.
Wookie must have missed the part about helping others while getting out of the way. :sun

Dawg

[Jack Tarlin]

Hey, hikerdude....

Where on earth did you get the idea that Celt was a Muslim? That's certainly news to me.

And incidentally, "Shalom Aleichem" isn't an Arab or Muslim term; it is instead, a traditional Jewish greeting that means, in Hebrew "May Peace Be Upon You".

It is similar to the Arabic term "salam aleykum" which essentially means the same thing, but in any case, while our friend Celt is a lot of things, when last I checked, he was a Christian, and a better one than me.

[Seeker]

hey all.

just got our power back on after rita passed a few miles west of us. i live 25 miles east of the sabine river, 20 miles south of leesville, near fort polk, 45 miles north of lake charles. we got slammed pretty good, but it could have been worse.

titanium hiker. yes. they evacced Lake Charles. all of it. heard it's about 99.8% empty. only a few people stayed. mostly emergency folks and a few idiots. but this is america. it's their right. but at least i can say most of the locals in cameron and calcasieu parishes, and i guess over in TX (Beaumont, jefferson county), listened when they saw the weather, remembered the folks who survived aubrey, and got the fudge out. as far as i can tell, initial reports of dead are pretty negligible... so much for a previous posters prediction... and as for those who stayed, i'm sorry, but the goverenment owes them nothing. those of you with children will understand... 'don't touch the stove. it's hot.' 'waahh... i burned myself!' sympathy? no. aid? certainly... it is your duty. you must help the burned child. but i've seldom felt pity for a disobediant child, much less an idiot adult. yet you must rescue the idiots...

news coverage seems to be all about how rita missed houston and re-flooded the idiots in new orleans. "get out a hurricane is coming" means just that. get out. a hurricane is coming. we lost power at 2.30 am saturday morning. i had about 2 weeks of dry or canned goods, my camping stove and bbq grill, a good supply of batteries, flashlights, and a radio. i emptied two trash cans, washed them out, and stored 70 gallons of water. i had an additional 30 gallons of drinkable water in the house for my family of 4. i made an educated decision to stay. as did my neighbors. we took in thousands from lake charles ,filling our schools, churches, and AL and VFW halls... no press coverage of people helping themselves or others. right now, it's 12.30 am... i have 2 friends and their two kids who live out in the county sleeping in my spare rooms right now... they had water, food, a generator, and fuel stockpiled for a couple weeks. they're here because it's been in the high 90s all week, and now i have AC. they had a refrigerator and were giving me ice. their next door neighbors were on county/parish water, so when they needed water, they got it from the guy with the generator who could run his well... etc.... it's all about being self sufficient, not relying on the government, and helpng your neighbors. maybe that doesn't work in a big city... but it works well in my little community of 10,000 people...

so, therein, find the responses to previous posters... i still have no sympathy for my new orleansian brethern... they were told to get out... i'm proud of the former marine who walked (70 miles or so) to baton rouge... he was poor, black, and uneducated, but knew what 'get out, a hurricane is coming' meant.

lest any of you think me heartless, i've been to somalia. THERE is a cause for pity. those poor folks never asked for their warlords and the famines they casued. those who could leave did, fleeing to kenya and ethiopia and british somaliland. others didn't, often due to tribal affiliation (risked being shot for being in the wrong areas). much different than being 'unable' to leave due to stubbornness or stupidity.

titanium hiker. PM me with your real name and your buddy's name, and i'll check the local shelters for you. i won't go back to work for a couple days yet. life will definately NOT be back to normal for them anytime soon. Lake Charles got about 8 feet of storm surge in most areas... it's pretty much at sea level, with about 15 miles of coastal swamp between it and the ocean. they got power pushed down here to us after 3 days from a city that didn't lose power (alexandria). will probably be another week to get it to LC. local power company has 1200 crews on the way or already here, but it will take time. the road south is heavily wooded, and NS roads got blasted with Easterly winds. trees are down everywhere. EW roads are in much better shape, but useless for moving south.

[Heater]

asshat.I have seen this word more and more frequently in various forums on the internet. What is an Asshat? Where did the word evolve from? I cannot figure this one out.
Asshat... asshat.... hmmm.... ass-hat... a hat for... no, hmmm.... :datz

Help please.:confused:

http://www.stopdubya.com/images/bush_hat.jpg

[wacocelt]

My definition of asshat is someone who has thier head up thier ass. I'm not sure where the term originated, but I have been using it for five years or so as a fairly humorous and innocuous insult, if there is such a thing.

[MOWGLI]

My definition of asshat is someone who has thier head up thier ass. I'm not sure where the term originated, but I have been using it for five years or so as a fairly humorous and innocuous insult, if there is such a thing.

Did you learn that one in the seminary?

[Nightwalker]

Wookie must have missed the part about helping others while getting out of the way. :sun

Dawg
Getting out of the way is not required.

:)

[Gadog430]

Getting out of the way is not required.

:)
Of the hurricane? Ummm, yes it is. :clap

Dawg

[titanium_hiker]

to seeker, DWM and anyone else- thanks for your concern. I got an email a coupla days ago, in the wonderful verbose way of his </sarcasm>
"yeah, I'm ok"

so thanks for your concern. I should see him at Christmas so I can grill him on the details then.

thanks again.

titanium

[Dances with Mice]

to seeker, DWM and anyone else- thanks for your concern. I got an email a coupla days ago, in the wonderful verbose way of his </sarcasm>
"yeah, I'm ok" Outstanding! I told you ChemE's aren't dumb. Most of us....

[wacocelt]

Did you learn that one in the seminary?

I acquired it while dealing with tedious ninnies like you, asshat.

[Dances with Mice]

Did you learn that one in the seminary?
I acquired it while dealing with tedious ninnies like you, asshat.What's a burial ground got to do with this?

[wacocelt]

What's a burial ground got to do with this?

Do you know how much Dr. Pepper in the sinuses hurts? Thanks for the laugh, I really needed it today.

[bearbait2k4]

What's a burial ground got to do with this?
What does half of this crap have to do with the Hurricane?

I thought, and maybe I'm wrong, that someone wrote a concerning statement about people in the area that were living through some of the pre-and-post-hurricane trauma.

I can tell you that it was surreal. It's not every day that you go out at 2 in the morning to look for someone who left at 2 in the afternoon from an hour away who should have been at your house by now. It's not every day that you can walk in the middle of the street on the southbound road, and then walk through a parking lot on the northbound lanes.....at 2 in the morning. It's not every day that you walk down to the gas station and see dozens of families camping out in every available space (at least not in the Houston area). It's not every day that you leave from work on Wednesday, the first day that people are being evacuated, only to get down the street to the gas station and see that there's already no gas.....ANYWHERE in the city, and that there are still 3 days until this storm is supposed to hit. It's not every day that people who can stand on the sides of the road with coolers, giving out food and water, and even gasoline - simply because they can. A lot of things happened this past week in and around Houston that I hope to never see again.

The situation getting out of town was severely screwed up, but it was not because of poor local and state planing. It was because of everyone in town ignoring staggered evacuation orders and trying to get out of town at the same time. The city had a pretty good evacuation plan, but it was completely ignored. Seriously, do you know how many people in North Houston took off Wednesday evening, clogging up the roads for those in Galveston, Kemah, Clear Lake, Pearland, League City, and all other actual evacuation zones? It was stupid. Panic, yes, but mainly stupid. And the contraflow....yes, it was a good idea, and most people didn't understand why this didn't happen sooner. But, those of us that live in the North Houston area that see what happens when you go from metro city, to suburb, to rural and see the bottleneck that happens when you go from 8-9 lanes down to 4 know why it didn't happen sooner. Number one, it would have created more of a mess than was already there. There are 2 places in and around Houston that have horrible traffic....construction zones and suburbs. Suburbs cut the highway lanes in half coming in and out of the city, because there is simply not the need for that amount of lanes in a suburb of 10,000-20,000 people. So, think for a second about what would happen if you doubled that mess. Yes, it does take time, and yes, it does take a LOT of planning. You have to work backward, and they did the best they could, under the circumstance.

People could have made this evacuation a lot better. At some point, we do actually have to take responsibility for our own lives and actions, or else we will get those responsibilities TAKEN away from us. It's become way to cliche to blame the government for everything that happens, because you can almost always trace the problem back to the general public, as a whole.

[wacocelt]

The digression began, on my part atleast, with being unable to tolerate the trend of some posters casting dispersions on entire groups of people whom hadn't the means to evacuate.
I apologize for bickering in a thread with such a serious tone, but not for the sentiment which fueled it.

[bearbait2k4]

The digression began, on my part atleast, with being unable to tolerate the trend of some posters casting dispersions on entire groups of people whom hadn't the means to evacuate.
I apologize for bickering in a thread with such a serious tone, but not for the sentiment which fueled it.
Ya, it's nice to see some idiots on the board speaking of that which they know nothing about. It's also easy to point fingers at everyone else but yourself, too. VERY easy to cast judgement, as long as it doesn't involve us. This country - hell - this world is full of selfish people (all of us are guilty of it), and we just don't seem to care about things until they hit home.

That being said, I wouldn't trade the hospitality and generosity of Houston and the people that live there for anything.

[Gadog430]

[QUOTE=bearbait2k4
People could have made this evacuation a lot better. At some point, we do actually have to take responsibility for our own lives and actions, or else we will get those responsibilities TAKEN away from us. It's become way to cliche to blame the government for everything that happens, because you can almost always trace the problem back to the general public, as a whole.[/QUOTE]
O-M-G...I love you. And I have never even met you. BINGO!@!@!@
WE DO HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.
Dawg

[Blue Jay]

[QUOTE=bearbait2k4
People could have made this evacuation a lot better. At some point, we do actually have to take responsibility for our own lives and actions, or else we will get those responsibilities TAKEN away from us. It's become way to cliche to blame the government for everything that happens, because you can almost always trace the problem back to the general public, as a whole.
O-M-G...I love you. And I have never even met you. BINGO!@!@!@
WE DO HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.
Dawg[/QUOTE]

Yes, those lazy ass people in the nursing homes, shame on them. Also the hundreds of children, irresponsible every one. At some point you have to take responsibility for the giant hole in your chest where many people have hearts.

[bearbait2k4]

Yes, those lazy ass people in the nursing homes, shame on them. Also the hundreds of children, irresponsible every one. At some point you have to take responsibility for the giant hole in your chest where many people have hearts.

As I can recall, the areas immediately around Houston that had manditory evacuations had ways to get out of they could not personally drive themselves. Starting Monday (6 days before it hit), there were broadcasts several times a day with numbers people could call if they had no way of leaving. Galveston alone had busses to take people out as early as Tuesday, if they could not evacuate on their own....and yes, they were even allowed to bring their pets, as long as they were caged. Don't have a cage? Well, no problem, there were numbers you could call to get one donated.

Also, as I can further recall, all the nursing homes that needed to be evacuated in the Houston area WERE evacuated. There were also busses that were picking up people who were stranded on the roads, and shelters that opened along the way for those stranded on the roads. Local police stations gathered food and water donations and distributed them to gas stations and parking lots where people were parked (because they had no gas, or were tired of waiting in the evac. traffic) - before the hurricane even hit. Now, one thing that could have made a difference was to have more public service announcements in regards to evacuation prior to this having to happen, for the real morons who don't realize what "If you live in (certain part of town), you need to wait until (certain day) to evacuate, in order to allow (another part of town) time to evacuate," means.

I'm a liberal at heart, but I will stop the bleeding heart b.s. when it is nothing but b.s. What caused the hardships in Houston and in the surrounding areas of Houston was the fact that people ignored the evacuation orders. Everyone can't jump up, gas up, and leave town at once when you live in a city of over 4 million people. You have to listen to evacuation plans, and leave accordingly. There was not one plan that was calling for evacuations the day before the storm, so, if followed, there is no doubt that everyone would have made it out of the city, on their planned evacuation day.

What happened in Houston was a HUGE lack of planning, but this time it can't be pinned on our local government. Those of us down here that saw, first hand, what was happening know this. Those of you that don't know, well...just ask.

[Jack Tarlin]

Blue Jay:

The "evacuation" was a disaster, primarily due to lack of planning on the part of city officials, and poor command decisions by the Mayor of New Orleans and the Governor of the state. It is obvious that FEMA was also ill-led and perhaps ill-equipped to deal with a disaster of this magnitude.

But it was ultimately the fault of city and state officials, who did too little, too late. In disasters of this sort, the Federal government BY LAW can not intervene and take over without first being asked to do so by local authorities, and in this case, the local authorities acted too late and did far too little.

Witness the enclosed photograph.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/050901/46/fr13e.html

It's estimated that something like 9,000 more folks could've been safely evacuated from the city in these never-used vehicles if City officials had their act together.

For folks to suggest that there were LOTS of folks responsible for the problems in New Orleans is exactly right, and while we all know you'd like to confine the finger pointing to the White House, the facts prove you wrong.

[Dances with Mice]

GaDog430 & BJ are both right in their own way. And the concerns of both are being debated and addressed right now in my hometown area - how to best to evacuate an entire county (average elevation about 20'), that's bigger'n some northeastern states in a couple of days from a standing start. A little of that debate is reflected in the story from the local paper linked below.

It's one of those sites that, although it's free, you have to register. I understand if very few want to check it out. Those really concerned will, I don't feel like copy'n'pasting for those that aren't. So, y'know, like, forgive the hell out of me.

http://www.thefacts.com/story.lasso?ewcd=cdc1f8437e14836c

[Jack Tarlin]

Note to Blue Jay....I realize that what was being discussed was evacuation proceedures in Texas and not New Orleans, but in both cases, I think there was plenty of blame to go around.

And I love the criticisms and comments coming from some of the more liberal Eastern politcos......I'd LOVE to be present to hear Kerry or Kennedy grilled and questioned about Boston's present evacuation plan......which essentially doesn't exist, by the way. Gee, these guys have represented Bostonians in the Senate for a combined sixty-odd years; dontcha think it's kind of funny that they've never done a damn thing in regards to disaster planning for their
hometown?

Point being that it's easy to point fingers and place blame. Actually doing something about it or preventing similar disasters elsewhere is a lot tougher.

[wacocelt]

If the post disaster communication and cooperation I've been witnessing were implemented before the hurricane, then there would have been scores more dead and missing...
The beaurocracy down here is so thick it's hard to breath. The agencies are loathe to work in unison for some reason and there are still people unassisted.

In a few days I'll be flying to Beaumont Tx, then travelling to Orange Tx, where my grandmother and several other family members lost thier homes last week. Hopefully things will be better there, though it's doubtful.

[lobster]

Do all Texans yellow blaze?

[Alligator]

...

And I love the criticisms and comments coming from some of the more liberal Eastern politcos......I'd LOVE to be present to hear Kerry or Kennedy grilled and questioned about Boston's present evacuation plan......which essentially doesn't exist, by the way. Gee, these guys have represented Bostonians in the Senate for a combined sixty-odd years; dontcha think it's kind of funny that they've never done a damn thing in regards to disaster planning for their
hometown?
The governors and mayors should ultimately be in charge of having a current evacuation plan, not the senators. It's an executive branch action, as you have alluded to by placing blame on the mayor of NO and governor of LA in your previous post. Not to say that senators can't be a part of the process, like passing legislation and appropriating funds, but the burden of work should fall on the executive branch. And I doubt Arnold could evacuate LA either. Try this in your best Arnold voice "Get out of the city, ders an earthquake":D .

[wacocelt]

Do all Texans yellow blaze?

OK, I can't begin to fathom how you've come to this conclusion, considering the topic and tone of this thead.
I had quit happily forgotten that you existed lobster. Are you compiling your list of unsucessful Thru Hikers to keep you warm through the winter?

[Nightwalker]

Do all Texans yellow blaze?
Do all lobsters end up boiled?

:D

[Tha Wookie]

Blue Jay:

The "evacuation" was a disaster, primarily due to lack of planning on the part of city officials, and poor command decisions by the Mayor of New Orleans and the Governor of the state. It is obvious that FEMA was also ill-led and perhaps ill-equipped to deal with a disaster of this magnitude.

But it was ultimately the fault of city and state officials, who did too little, too late. In disasters of this sort, the Federal government BY LAW can not intervene and take over without first being asked to do so by local authorities, and in this case, the local authorities acted too late and did far too little.

Witness the enclosed photograph.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/050901/46/fr13e.html

It's estimated that something like 9,000 more folks could've been safely evacuated from the city in these never-used vehicles if City officials had their act together.

For folks to suggest that there were LOTS of folks responsible for the problems in New Orleans is exactly right, and while we all know you'd like to confine the finger pointing to the White House, the facts prove you wrong.
Even after Bush admitted blame, you're still going on defending him. He put a totally incompetant man at the healm of a department which was put under Homeland security. He also directly cut funding to protect N.O. from flooding after they predicted it using scientific modeling, and then said "we could not have known it could get like this" even after that model was published and reviewed. Plus, he's hurt efforts to protect the coastal wetlands, which buffer the coast from storm surges.

How are you still defending him?

[Seeker]

responsibility lies first at the personal level. i am responsible for me. as a husand, i am somewhat responsible for my wife, and she for me. we are responsible for helping each other make good decisions. as a father, i am responsible for my children. this applies to everything in life. ever read the warning labels on products? i've never read one that told me something i didn't already know... (well, there was the one about not using the hair dryer in the tub, so i'm glad i read that. and i'm glad there's a cancer warning label on cigarettes... need to blame someone from my lung cancer.) anyway, getting and keeping my kids out of danger is not president bush, governor blanco, or FEMA's jobs... it's mine. i succeeded recently with rita.

if i'm a hospital administrator, nursing home owner, parent, or whatever, it is my responsibility to have a plan... i can't blame anyone for my failure to act quickly enough in evaccing my charges... not the president, not fema, not the governor, not my mayor or the weatherman. you can legislate that certain organizations HAVE a plan, but the law is a poor excuse for common sense. sort of like the fire evauation plan in a one-floor motel (not a hotel, where you might not actually have immediate access to the outdoors).

it's common knowledge that most of new orleans is below sea level. people chose to live there. they were not forced. income is no excuse. cost of living there sucks. it's cheaper out here in ''the country''. higher too... about 200 feet higher.

it's common knowledge that CA has severe earthquakes. yet people choose to live in los angeles, san fran, and other cities prone to damage. they are not forced to live there.

it's common knowledge that a certain county at the conflux of the mississippi and missouri rivers floods. frequently. yet people choose to live there even after surviving devestating floods. they are not forced to live there.

as i grew up, once i learned that CA has earthquakes, such and such county has floods, and new orleans is below sea level, it became my responsibility to face that risk. mine alone. nice if some scientists warn me of pending tremors, a weatherman warns me of flooding, or the weather channel (not my local government's evac order) tells me that a hurricane is coming, but it's on me to get me and mine to safety.

as i've mentioned before, i feel little sympathy for idiots... evacuation order ignorers are idiots. the gomers you're seeing on tv, who live at sea level in cameron parish, LA, are idiots. what the F#$% were they thinking by not evaccing? just as we dress the blisters of disobedient children who burn their fingers after touching the hot stove they were warned not to touch, we rescue the idiots who remain after evac orders. not out of pity, but duty...

as for those who were let down by the poeple who SHOULD have evacced them (hospital and nursing home patients and children), yes, fema, state gov't, and aid agencies should help them, with pity... but do not blame them for not acting quickly enough, when the real blame lies with those who had primary responsibility... parents and healthcare facility administrators.

on a side note, once an official designates an evacuation assembly point, it becomes his/her responisbility to see that those evacuees are moved to safety. they have almost fulfilled their responsibility by moving to the designated point. they would have fulfilled it completely by evaccing themselves, or not choosing to live in the danger area to begin with.

btw, i met a woman in line at the walmart yesterday... she said she had evacced 150 patients and 44 medical staff from her nursing home in lake charles last week. used her own credit card to charter the buses to do it. was at walmart to buy clothing for her employees, again with her own credit card. hadn't lost a patient, and had just been 'inspected' or whatever it's called, by the state health department... according to her, all her patients were in superb condition, and she was proud of what she'd done.

i was too. remember diogenes and the lamp? i think i finally found someone with a sense of personal responsibility. there are others... i live among them. is it just a 'country' thing? or are city dwellers capable of being self-sufficient/reliant?

[Gadog430]

Do all lobsters end up boiled?

:D

With butter please. And a baked potato. And a cold cold beer.
Dawg

[Nightwalker]

With butter please. And a baked potato. And a cold cold beer.
Dawg
These days, make that three...

[the goat]

Even after Bush admitted blame, you're still going on defending him. He put a totally incompetant man at the healm of a department which was put under Homeland security. He also directly cut funding to protect N.O. from flooding after they predicted it using scientific modeling, and then said "we could not have known it could get like this" even after that model was published and reviewed. Plus, he's hurt efforts to protect the coastal wetlands, which buffer the coast from storm surges.

How are you still defending him?
are you aware that bush spent 2x the $$$ on NO's levee system, in his first 4 years of office than clinton did in his last 4???

just some fact-food for thought :-?

[smokymtnsteve]

responsibility lies first at the personal level. i am responsible for me. as a husand, i am somewhat responsible for my wife, and she for me. we are responsible for helping each other make good decisions. as a father, i am responsible for my children. this applies to everything in life. ever read the warning labels on products? i've never read one that told me something i didn't already know... (well, there was the one about not using the hair dryer in the tub, so i'm glad i read that. and i'm glad there's a cancer warning label on cigarettes... need to blame someone from my lung cancer.) anyway, getting and keeping my kids out of danger is not president bush, governor blanco, or FEMA's jobs... it's mine. i succeeded recently with rita.

if i'm a hospital administrator, nursing home owner, parent, or whatever, it is my responsibility to have a plan... i can't blame anyone for my failure to act quickly enough in evaccing my charges... not the president, not fema, not the governor, not my mayor or the weatherman. you can legislate that certain organizations HAVE a plan, but the law is a poor excuse for common sense. sort of like the fire evauation plan in a one-floor motel (not a hotel, where you might not actually have immediate access to the outdoors).

it's common knowledge that most of new orleans is below sea level. people chose to live there. they were not forced. income is no excuse. cost of living there sucks. it's cheaper out here in ''the country''. higher too... about 200 feet higher.

it's common knowledge that CA has severe earthquakes. yet people choose to live in los angeles, san fran, and other cities prone to damage. they are not forced to live there.

it's common knowledge that a certain county at the conflux of the mississippi and missouri rivers floods. frequently. yet people choose to live there even after surviving devestating floods. they are not forced to live there.

as i grew up, once i learned that CA has earthquakes, such and such county has floods, and new orleans is below sea level, it became my responsibility to face that risk. mine alone. nice if some scientists warn me of pending tremors, a weatherman warns me of flooding, or the weather channel (not my local government's evac order) tells me that a hurricane is coming, but it's on me to get me and mine to safety.

as i've mentioned before, i feel little sympathy for idiots... evacuation order ignorers are idiots. the gomers you're seeing on tv, who live at sea level in cameron parish, LA, are idiots. what the F#$% were they thinking by not evaccing? just as we dress the blisters of disobedient children who burn their fingers after touching the hot stove they were warned not to touch, we rescue the idiots who remain after evac orders. not out of pity, but duty...

as for those who were let down by the poeple who SHOULD have evacced them (hospital and nursing home patients and children), yes, fema, state gov't, and aid agencies should help them, with pity... but do not blame them for not acting quickly enough, when the real blame lies with those who had primary responsibility... parents and healthcare facility administrators.

on a side note, once an official designates an evacuation assembly point, it becomes his/her responisbility to see that those evacuees are moved to safety. they have almost fulfilled their responsibility by moving to the designated point. they would have fulfilled it completely by evaccing themselves, or not choosing to live in the danger area to begin with.

btw, i met a woman in line at the walmart yesterday... she said she had evacced 150 patients and 44 medical staff from her nursing home in lake charles last week. used her own credit card to charter the buses to do it. was at walmart to buy clothing for her employees, again with her own credit card. hadn't lost a patient, and had just been 'inspected' or whatever it's called, by the state health department... according to her, all her patients were in superb condition, and she was proud of what she'd done.

i was too. remember diogenes and the lamp? i think i finally found someone with a sense of personal responsibility. there are others... i live among them. is it just a 'country' thing? or are city dwellers capable of being self-sufficient/reliant?


Darwin.............

[TAMBOURINE]

I Have Lived In Va Beach Va On The Ocean All My Life And When A Storm Comes I Would Always Leave Cause You Never Know Mother Nature Can Do Some Amazing Things .god Bless All Who's Family Is In Harms Way..

[Jack Tarlin]

Goat--

Even if Wookie were aware of this, he'd never admit it. Right now he stays up at night trying to figure out a way to blame Bush for the sinking of the Titanic, the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890, and the Crimean War.

Just tune him out....unless you need a substitution for Comedy Central.

[Blue Jay]

Goat--

Even if Wookie were aware of this, he'd never admit it. Right now he stays up at night trying to figure out a way to blame Bush for the sinking of the Titanic, the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890, and the Crimean War.

Just tune him out....unless you need a substitution for Comedy Central.

Well Bush did cut the budget for crows nest training on all British ships, no one knows who fired the first shot at Wounded Knee but Smokey Mountain Bush did look sheepish after it was over. I don't even know where Crimea is (I think it's New Jersey) but I'm sure George was involved.

[hikerdude]

When I wrote that I was in hurricane panic. And I don't really come to this site to get in a panic attack to raise money again I was thinking. I like the stories of backpacking and pictures. After all its the parents I blame, read Luke 6 :48 Nephi 14:21-27 They know this better than me, its is the bible belt? But we know what happened to Scott Fisher mountaineer. So you put Scott Fisher in the Bible belt on the sand. Well Titanium hiker, I'm sorry.
So I went into scare attack, and who cares if my spelln is off. Nobody cares if they stay on their side of the road, or obey stop or speeding signs, right? And they drive their big gas guzzling cars and go, ' why is gas going up" Mean while in the real life, they are going to run you and your civic over and take everything you own for scratching them. Power up your toxic pumps new Orlean. Bling bling is all word up.
The way I see it today is, I'm blessed to even use my 486 computer. And your all blessed to find this site or the A-T today or know what A-T stands for. Cause I really don't say bling bling in pubic, sorry there Wacoceit. James 2:14-16.

[Dances with Mice]

When I wrote that I was in hurricane panic. And I don't really come to this site to get in a panic attack to raise money again I was thinking. I like the stories of backpacking and pictures. After all its the parents I blame, read Luke 6 :48 Nephi 14:21-27 They know this better than me, its is the bible belt? But we know what happened to Scott Fisher mountaineer. So you put Scott Fisher in the Bible belt on the sand. Well Titanium hiker, I'm sorry.
So I went into scare attack, and who cares if my spelln is off. Nobody cares if they stay on their side of the road, or obey stop or speeding signs, right? And they drive their big gas guzzling cars and go, ' why is gas going up" Mean while in the real life, they are going to run you and your civic over and take everything you own for scratching them. Power up your toxic pumps new Orlean. Bling bling is all word up.
The way I see it today is, I'm blessed to even use my 486 computer. And your all blessed to find this site or the A-T today or know what A-T stands for. Cause I really don't say bling bling in pubic, sorry there Wacoceit. James 2:14-16.It's a Zen koan, right?

[titanium_hiker]

no prob hikerdude- i guess i was stressed and panicked too.

my favourite reaction to gas guzzling cars? a news story, and this guy's at the pump, telling the reporter: "I am being FORCED to use a smaller car" and all the people in the room watching the news: "awwwwww" (very sarcasticly)
heheh.

titanium