Hurricane Ike

[Mark]

You know, since I've lived in Hawaii, we've never been hit with a hurricane. They always miss Oahu.

:::knocking on wood:::

[Tsukiyumi]

You know, since I've lived in Hawaii, we've never been hit with a hurricane. They always miss Oahu.

:::knocking on wood:::

I've been here in Houston for almost 16 years, and we've never had a direct hit. The last one was Hurricane Carla in 1961.

My mom came up here; I'd rather have her here than by herself down in Sugar Land, and I've got enough supplies for two people for at least a week - maybe two. I guess all my paranoid 'hoarding' wasn't so neurotic after all.

[Mark]

It only paranoia if there ISN'T a threat, right?

[Tsukiyumi]

It only paranoia if there ISN'T a threat, right?

Exactly. If I were building a pole shift shelter, then I'd be paranoid.

[Mark]

Exactly

[Mikey]

Whew - just heard the latest. At least you're not in Galveston, where officials are promising "certain death" if you live in a one- or two-storey home and don't evacuate. Of course, being on a barrier island with a 17-foot seawall and expecting a 20+ foot storm surge could do that to you...

[Tsukiyumi]

Whew - just heard the latest. At least you're not in Galveston, where officials are promising "certain death" if you live in a one- or two-storey home and don't evacuate. Of course, being on a barrier island with a 17-foot seawall and expecting a 20+ foot storm surge could do that to you...

Surfside (the place where I lived on the beach for a few months a while back) is unlikely to be standing at all when this thing passes. I don't have to worry about flooding here (thankfully), but I already know firsthand the power of the wind, and I'm not looking forward to a 80 - 100 mph gale...

[Mikey]

We have areas like that here - every big storm (we're in more danger from nor'easters than hurricanes, generally) wipes out whole rows of houses and tracts of beach. Interestingly, these are also the places with huge 5-10 million dollar homes with 150' bulkheads, riparian grants, and private beach property. I keep thinking that one day, no insurers are going to back those properties, but they keep rebuilding.

[Tsukiyumi]

We have areas like that here - every big storm (we're in more danger from nor'easters than hurricanes, generally) wipes out whole rows of houses and tracts of beach. Interestingly, these are also the places with huge 5-10 million dollar homes with 150' bulkheads, riparian grants, and private beach property. I keep thinking that one day, no insurers are going to back those properties, but they keep rebuilding.

There are houses like that in Surfside. And, I know the insurance companies are already crying foul; for once, I agree with them.

[Teaos]

Wow 90 mile an hour winds, we're lucky to see 50km and hour down here.

[Tsukiyumi]

Well, the predicted track has shifted. Now, instead of going by to the south, it's going to hit us directly.

[Captain Picard's Hair]

Good luck, man. Up north here we don't get many direct hits by hurricanes; I've never seen one firsthand. At worst I've seem the very edge of one cut through, with effects little worse than a strong thunderstorm (we get plenty enough of those). 'Tis lucky for my fellow New Yorkers and I, since this is a coastal city. The longest I've been without power was during the great blackout of 2004, and where I live that was only 10 hours (folks in Cleveland were without power for over a week) - though it was one of the hotter days of that summer.

[Tsukiyumi]

Good luck, man. Up north here we don't get many direct hits by hurricanes; I've never seen one firsthand. At worst I've seem the very edge of one cut through, with effects little worse than a strong thunderstorm (we get plenty enough of those). 'Tis lucky for my fellow New Yorkers and I, since this is a coastal city. The longest I've been without power was during the great blackout of 2004, and where I live that was only 10 hours (folks in Cleveland were without power for over a week) - though it was one of the hotter days of that summer.

You bring up a good point: I've never been in a hurricane. Tropical storms, sure, we get those all the time; this is waaay bigger. Should be interesting. As for loss of power, I did live on the beach in a tent for a few months (it got up to 110 that year ), so I'm sure I can "rough it" in my apartment for a few days if need be.

[Captain Picard's Hair]

Heh. I tend to go crazy when I don't have a working computer (with a working internet connection)

[Captain Picard's Hair]

(never mind that I *need* both of these things for schoolwork, and to do the online writing work I get paid for)