Toni, you have the best news updates! I just read that more than 3 million people in Texas are without power. That's 1 millon less than all of Norway. I've been surfing through news updates too. It looks so bad, I'm sorry for all those who are affected.
Toni, thank you sooooo much for all the updates for our stewbies. You are one heck of a meteorologist. Ike was a huge hurricane. Guess that's why it decided to hit Texas. It was bigger than Texas! Like you said, you couldn't even see parts of OK and LA because of the outer bands. Thank God it is over. The clean up will take days, if not weeks.I feel so bad for the people without power. My son is still without power, so he and DIL may be spending a few days with me. As far as the people not evacuating...Toni said it best...they are idiots. They not only put their lives in danger, but the lives of those who try to help them. :-|
Glenda just called and the charge is just about out on her cell phone and her land phone quit. Everyone's quit so she thinks the phone company must have been running on a generator. The sheriff's dept told them it will be 4 to 5 weeks before rural places get electric because they are doing cities and emergency places first. Bummer! She is okay though not a happy camper. Maybe if she goes to work and they have a generator she can plug in her cell phone and charge it. dooley
Here's hoping the sheriff doesn't know what he is talking about. But of course in rural areas like she is in, the sheriff may work for the phone company. :twisted: I know she is fit to be tied... but what can you do. At least the cooler weather is here. I'll bet she and Kevin buy a generator as soon as they can! Boo to Ike !!!
I wouldn't bet on them finding a generator to buy in Texas or anywhere close to them. Heather and I have both ask her to visit but she doesn't want to leave. So far she is okay. dooley
Actually Lufkin sold out of generators before the storm. But everyday on the radio, they annouce the places that are being re-stocked with generators.I'm sure someone would pay more for one now, than they would have before the storm. The time to buy is when you don't need it, but then who thinks about it then???
Don't mean to come across as "oo, I'm nicer than you" here, but as far as people being stupid for staying (which was my initial thought too) I'm just wondering if maybe they couldn't afford to leave? Or maybe were afraid their belongings would be stolen if they left?
Everyone who wanted to leave was being bused out to shelters with all expenses paid, so to speak. But they stayed....no food, no electricity, no water, no stores open and now many of them are complaining. Even after the hurricane left them they were offered the opportunity to go to a shelter but refused and still they complain about the conditions down there. When asked why they were staying none of them mentioned fear of their stuff being stolen. Most said that they had been thru other hurricanes in the past and didn't have a problem so they figured they would be okay this time too. And almost all interviewed since then have said that yes they should have evacuated and would in the future.
I was reading on a few different news sites, and one comment struck me to the point i got very irratated. And i don't even live there! It was at an ABC news site, one woman was so mad the water they were getting was "warm". All i kept thinking is you should be happy to get water at all! Another person, said he roamed from shelter to shelter for food! He said all they would get until the okay to be aloud outside was every 4 hours half a cup of water, and one pb&j sandwich. How true any of this is, i don't know. But given the cercumstances, these people should have a little more patience, i mean they did stay behind. But given the magnatude of the millions of people affected by this storm, how ready can any city really be?
Biita, I haven't heard anything like that. The Red Cross is feeding them 3 meals a day. And there is an organization from Dallas and other cities called 'The Texas Baptist Men' (also 'The Methodist Men of Texas'). They donate their time for two weeks at a time serving meals, making sure there are cots available, etc. I still say, anyone that stayed are idiots! They had plenty of time and chances to evacuate. They just wanted to show off how strong they thought they were. Now they are the ones hollaring the loudest. No sympathy here!
I got through to Glenda a few minutes ago. She got her cell phone charged up in a neighbor's car. But, there are so many people trying to use the phone that not everyone can get through. I was the first this morning. She couldn't get out to anyone today. She said she had voice mail on her regular phone so had a message from Sharon and felt good about that. They are cooking on the grill/bbq and Kevin and Bob are there most of the time. Kevin has been working but has today off. She isn't working because the owner and her family are working. They only have enough generator power for the gas pumps and one cash register and the ice freezers. They have to have a deputy sheriff there all the time because the people are fighting over the gas and yelling at the owner because they can't get enough and generally being mean and nasty. Glenda's neighbor has a generator and has it hooked up to a pump and they are hooking hoses up together to get across to the neighbors to get some water to Glenda's. Glenda has a used generator that they are trying to get fixed up so they can get the refrigerator working and maybe a light or two. Someone is coming to work on it today. She says they are doing okay, not to worry. She says to tell everyone hi and she'll get back as soon as she can. She says the flowers are blooming like crazy so she'll have a lot of pictures to post. dooley
Ohhh bless her heart! It sounds like she is taking this so well, good for her! And i am so glad the neighbors are looking out for her.
Glenda's home phone is back on so she is turning off her cell phone because she's used enough minutes on it that they will start charging her extra. She says now her electric should be back the first week in October. I guess that's better than the earlier estimate. She says she is having withdrawal symptoms. She sat down at the computer this morning and it wouldn't work. She said that you take things for granted until they don't work. She sure misses being here. dooley
And I miss Glenda too. I'm so glad you're keeping us updated dooley. Please send her a verbal big hug from me. I wonder what it is with crises that really bring out the worst in people? Is it panic maybe? Or is it that we're not used to waiting in line for anything anymore?
I think this is more of fear of unknown. Some of them have nothing to go back to and some are afraid it's them that has nothing and they just want to get there and know what is happening first hand instead of hearing the absolute worst from all sources. dooley
