Hurricane Gone

The hurricane did little damage to the Houston area. However, much of the trouble was caused by the evacuation panic. It was easy to see that the traffic would be horrendous and people would run out of gas sitting in traffic. If there was no gas in the city, why would there be any on the towns along the evacuation routes? If stupid old me figured that out Wednesday night, why didn't the city planners figure that out a long time ago.? Their evacuation plans were inadequate and half-assed. Neighbors have said it took them 18 hours to get to Austin (which is normally a 3 hour drive). Others said they went 8 miles in 8 hours before turning around. Some when to Baton Rouge taking them 36 hours in what is normally a 5-6 hour drive. The other side of the highway was empty until late Thursday when finally the other lanes were opened up. Nonetheless, it wasn't easy for people to get on those other lanes. There are no breaks in the Jersey barriers that divide the highways.

There were many actors and not many of them really had the publics benefit at priority one. The top priority of the news agencies were to get you to keep watching. The top priority of the politicians was to cover their ass. So what happened was a panic by many residents who quickly fled. Approximately 2 million area residents took to the roads.

The politicians didn't want to tell anyone to stay. That could be politically damaging if one person was hurt by staying. Not until Friday did any politician or newscaster say that people in non-flood areas (areas like West Houston, Cypress, Katy) should stay put. People not along the coast should have been urged to batten down the hatches or seek shelter at a school or church.

Even as the storm kept drifting East, newscasters kept up with their doomsday predicitions about how the storm would go west again or do a loop-di-loop and hit Houston. When Rita was a category 5 and a couple days out, I heard only one forecaster state that no hurricane has maintained a category 5 strength for more than 48 hours. Instead, every other newscaster kept forecasting expected winds as Rita would come ashore as a cat 5 storm.

Some of the statements I saw which added to the panic:

Rick Perry, Republican governor, stating broadly "If you have the capacity to get out, get out." (who, where, Rick? does that include people in West Houston?)

Michael Berry, a Republican councilman, freakedmy wife out by claiming Wednesday night "we've never been so scared in our lives." Thanks Michael. That's leadership right there.

Frank Billingsley, NBC houston meteorologist, on seeing two satellite frames of the hurricane move west from it's NW path, declared that the hurricane would start a westerly trend and strike Houston (instead of it being a small hiccup continuing on it NW trend into Beaumont.)

Houston mayor Bill White, a Democrat, was okay. After contributing to the original road clog on Wednesday, he backed off the "evacuate now" bandwagon, and sought to solve the traffic snarl that ensued. He had a calmer, more reassuring demeanor and logical approach to problem solving, albiet those problems were exxaerbated by himself. While the original evacuation plans were dismal, hopeful they are re-writing them as I type. They should include earlier opening of opposite lanes and securing extra gasoline for evacuation routes, and detailing designated shelters for residents of some of the more inland areas.

Conversely, I did a lot of sleeping over the weekend. We had water and non-perisable foods. We bought a small outdoor grill and firewood (they were out of charcoal). We made a bunch of ice, freezing water in big tupperware containers. We boarded the windows, put pictures and other valuables in watertight containers, and took pictures off the walls and everything off shelves. If the storm was aiming to hit town, I was ready to go to a local shelter.

Update: However, I am glad that the different facets of the government: mayor, governor, harris county judge, etc, worked together. After the initial panic, they all sought to solve the problems, and there was no finger pointing.

Hurricane Coming!

Well, I'm in Houston and we're preparing for the hurricane. Right now, it's beautiful. The calm before the storm.

We've decided to stay here. While obviously, the people along the coast need to evacuate, there are plently of people in Houston proper in full panic mode fleeing the city. With everyone and their mother leaving, the highways are parking lots. People are running out of gas, cars are overheating. It is highly likely that some people will be stuck out in their cars when the hurricane comes.

So, I'll update this with pictures as developments happen.

2nd Amendment

The biggest demonstration for the need of personal ownership of guns occured in New Orleans. If you were stuck in New Orleans or were trying to get out, fearing being robbed or raped by the anarchy of criminals that ensued, would be prefer, or not prefer to have previously purchased a firearm. The liberals who believe the 2nd amendment is antequated should reconsider what they would do if they were in New Orleans on August 30th.


"Second Amendment advocates blast New Orleans policyA number of pro-gun groups blasted the gun confiscations as "unconstitutional," "illegal" and, even, "the sin of arrogance."Alan Gottlieb, of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA), is demanding a federal investigation of the actions."I also want to know under just what authority New Orleans officials are confiscating lawfully-owned firearms from law-abiding citizens," Gottlieb said in a press statement. "Where does it say that the state and federal Constitutions can be nullified, even briefly, simply because of a hurricane? In every other natural disaster this country has ever faced, people retain their civil rights, including the right of self-defense, but
New Orleans and Louisiana state officials have added the sin of arrogance to incompetence and negligence for which they must be held accountable when this is over."Erich Pratt, communications director for Gun Owners of America, explained his disagreement with the policy by recounting the story of New Orleans resident Charlie Hackett."[H]e and his neighbor, John Carolan, stood guard over their homes to ward off looters who, rummaging through the neighborhoods, were smashing windows and ransacking stores," Pratt wrote."It was pandemonium for a couple of nights," Pratt recalled from Hackett's description of the incident. "We just felt that when they got done with the stores, they'd come to the homes," Hackett told Pratt.According to Pratt, armed looters did target Carolan's house, demanding his generator, but departed when Carolan showed them that he was armed.Pratt recalled the Los Angeles riots of 1992, when scores of businesses were burned by protesters angry over the acquittal of police officers accused of beating Rodney King."But not everybody in Los Angeles suffered. In some of the hot spots, Korean merchants were able to successfully protect their stores with semi-automatic firearms," Pratt said. "In areas where armed citizens banded together for self-protection, their businesses were spared while others (which were left unprotected) burned to the ground."Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association (NRA), said the civil disorder in New Orleans is "exactly the kind of situation where the Second Amendment was intended to allow citizens to protect themselves."When law enforcement isn't available, Americans turn to the one right that protects all the others -- the right to keep and bear arms," LaPierre said in a media release. "This attempt to repeal the Second Amendment should be condemned." http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewNation.asp?Page=\Nation\archive\200509\NAT20050914a.html