There is plenty to be nervous about

I would not say that I am afraid, for I am not; but I will readily admit that the incredible things happening with the weather and economy make me very nervous.  There is a huge difference between being afraid and being nervous.  One is counterproductive and the other is the natural reaction to uneasy situations.

Just four years ago I would have been working 20 hours per day finding relief supplies for tornado victims in the St. Louis area and flooding victims in southern Missouri.  I know my days of trying to “save the world” after every disaster ended some time ago, but I am still deeply impacted as I see images of destruction and hear reports of catastrophic flooding soon to cause untold problems in many areas.  Throw into the mix some of the worst wildfires Texas has ever seen and you have a truly troubling situation building.

I study weather and I have seen from multiple sources that the upcoming month of May will be MUCH COOLER than normal throughout much of the USA except along the Gulf coast.  The last two times this happened were 2005 and 2008 which were years that produced hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Wilma; and 2008 which produced hurricanes Gustov and Ike.  Many experts are already warning of the imminent possibility of multiple strikes by huge hurricanes along the United States coastline this summer.

For a very long time I used to study and try to understand economic concerns.  What is currently happening is so distressing that I no longer have the desire to try and figure out what is happening and about to happen.  Contrary to what media outlets are saying, there is a period of hyper-inflation just around the next bend.  We are already seeing it in the constantly rising prices for gasoline and food.

It is estimated that nearly 15% of all Americans have had to raid their retirement accounts to find resources for emergencies.  I know this is true for I am one of those 15% and am not proud of it.  But, when all other sources of income are removed, and expenses pile up; there is no place left to go but to the IRA or 401k that was supposed to provide income for 25 years or more after retirement.

Recent studies have indicated that the housing market for super expensive properties is rebounding and doing fine.  Those with plenty of money are spending it on lavish homes that cost well over a million dollars.  Those homes in foreclosure are also being purchased by people with money and then rented out to desperate people who have lost their homes.

Meanwhile those homes in the $100,000 to $600,000 range just sit there.  No one qualifies for a loan and no one has the money to pay the huge down payment to move up or down.  Most of us live in these kinds of homes and are stuck in them for many years to come.

I cannot do nothing about the weather or the economy so all I can do is pray for wisdom for those deeply impacted by both.  May God grant us all great patience and understanding so as to make the right decisions and have the means to help our neighbor, brother, parent or child in need.

150 million for a political campaign and $1.50 for Ike/Gustov victims

How is it that Americans had 150 million dollars to contribute in September to the Obama campaign but had nothing but excuses when asked to donate to Hurricane Gustov and Ike victims? How is it that Americans claim they have no time or money to travel to Louisiana or Texas to help hurricane victims, but they willingly drive all over the country to attend rallies for both Obama and McCain?

How is it that to this date, neither Presidential candidate nor their running mates have ventured down to the areas devastated by Katrina, Rita, Gustov or Ike? How is it that even the latest attempt by Bill and George to solicit donations for the hurricane victims has been met with a resounding apathy?

Has America gone totally insane? Have the last elements of rational thinking been thrown out the window along with all the Stock Market gains of years gone by? Where has the will to help, serve and love those in distress gone? Has it really evaporated into vapor due to the financial meltdown?

Car sales are down and so are home sales in many parts of the country. Yet, people still find the money to buy 700 inch plasma televisions to watch football on. People still have the funds to drive 95 miles per hour to pay hundreds of dollars to sit in stadiums and arenas to watch athletes paid a king’s ransom play games. People still have the funds to flock to Las Vegas, Atlantic City and various riverboat casinos all over the country.

Funny, all the people crying about having no money have money to buy tons of lottery tickets twice each week. These same people who plead poverty to their church pastor when asked to give, think nothing of dropping hundreds of dollars on beer, whiskey, junk food and tobacco each week. People who would not give a dime to a starving person think nothing of spending enough for 10 meals on one night on the town.

Isn’t it interesting how the same people who show up at political rallies holding signs condemning the sitting President and his party are many of the same people who a short time ago were reaping the financial gains due in large part to the policies in place for years? Isn’t it interesting how people who claimed the most important issues to them in previous elections were abortion, individual rights and other conservative oriented matters suddenly could care less about them when they lose a few dollars in the Stock Market?

The hypocrisy of average Americans is astounding. They go to church on Sunday and feign to be good Christians and then the rest of week live like and associate with heathens. This is nothing new, but it is more pronounced now than ever.

When I saw the picture of Obama’s rally in St. Louis yesterday with 100,000 adoring fans coupled with the news that his campaign raised 150 million dollars in the month of September I felt physically ill. I know some of the people who attended that rally and have given truckloads of money to the Obama campaign. They USED to be people I could count on to help others in times of disaster. Now they claim they have no money and no time to volunteer.

Charities, non-profits, churches and various service groups are hurting so badly at this time it is unbelievable. The American public has quit giving to causes which help people and are throwing their money in the toilet of American politics. These same people will soon be throwing their money into the rat hole of the IRS in higher taxes to pay for the United States Government to start doing everything the charities, non-profits, churches and various service groups USED TO DO.

My heart aches for I know the pain and suffering going on in America and I know how many thousands of suffering people are buying into the promise made by Obama that the government is going to meet all their needs and take care of them come January. As sheep to the slaughter, these people really do believe Uncle Sam is going to drive to their home and either give them a check for $100,000 or take them to some utopia where they will lounge around all day drinking margaritas and getting suntans. These same people rejoice when they hear that the evil rich white men and women will be taxed more and more to pay for their life of leisure. What a crock this all is.

This all reminds me of why young terrorists are willing to blow themselves up to kill a few innocent victims. They are promised virgins in heaven and eternal rewards for their sacrifice now. Hundreds of thousands of minorities, lower income and other social fringe groups have been fed a bill of goods by the Obama campaign that has led them to believe their “messiah” will somehow be able to turn their life around and at the same time punish those who made their life miserable with pain and suffering.

Politics aside; if the American way of helping the disadvantaged through volunteer charities falls apart and is replaced with numerous governmental programs, this country is doomed. The free will giving on the part of Americans to help their neighbor in need has made America strong for decades. I pray that somehow America does not forget this as it gets all caught up in Obamamania.

Hurricane Kyle (?), Ike Relief and Recovery, Lack of Media Attetion and General Needs

Why the storm buffeting North Carolina with hurricane force winds is not named is a mystery known only to the government agency which is responsible for such things. If something walks like a duck and quacks like a duck it probably is a duck. It is quite fascinating to have warnings issued for hurricane force winds (for a coastal area) and there not even be a tropical storm.

The next storm, once it finally gets moving will head due north and probably pay Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Maine a visit. These areas are prone to minor hurricanes, and that is what this storm (Kyle whenever named) will probably be.

The next three weeks should provide some interesting developmental opportunities for new storms. Where these storms form and hit along with their timing is at the moment pure speculation. The point is that meteorologically, the conditions are very similar to when we saw Fay, Gustov, Hanna and Ike form in rapid fire succession.

The fear among many who look at and study weather is that no matter what might happen, it will be a minor story due to the big “save the economy” news out of Washington. The horrible situation in Texas and Louisiana has already fallen victim to bigger and greater news. Any legitimate threat of an approaching storm would surely suffer the same fate.

The worst time to be struck by a hurricane is the final month of a Presidential campaign that is being hotly contested. Add in the historic events happening with the economy this year and what has happened with post-Ike media coverage will be the norm for future storms.

I was speaking with an associate who continues to help those devastated by Hurricane Katrina the other day. I told this person that if “Katrina #2” did indeed strike the central Gulf Coast this fall, not to expect even 20% of the new coverage, let alone the offers to help that came after Katrina. The will and ability of Americans is just not there to help like they did three years ago.

Isn’t it amazing how those who need help the most receive the least? There are precious few news stories coming out of Ike affected areas, and those that are done are always about Galveston. All the other areas of the coast from Beaumont, Texas to Grand Isle, Louisiana receive ZERO attention. It is these areas where just like after Katrina and Rita three years ago, hundreds and thousands of people will “fall through the cracks” and be left to fend for themselves.

I feel badly for anyone who lost their home or had it badly damaged by Gustov or Ike. But my heart aches for those who lost their home or had it badly damaged and to this date, no one knows about it. Those who somehow fall through the cracks and receive no aid from FEMA, Red Cross, Salvation Army or any other government or private organization are the people I care most about.

Mainly senior citizens or those with disabilities, the people who fall through the cracks after a hurricane are usually the same ones who fall through the cracks every day of the week. These situations present very difficult cases for those who try and help people on a daily basis. Yet, if someone does not at least try to locate and extend to these people the offer of help; they will suffer the most after a storm.

Yes, many of these folks reject the very idea of help out of pride. They take pride in their independence and look at charity as a sign of weakness. Yet, there comes a time, especially when their home is falling down on top of them, that they finally accept offers of help. These cases many times provide caregivers with the most rewarding success stories.

Americans must remember that in rural areas, especially in southern Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, there are many times no organized services made available for seniors, those with disabilities and those too poor to afford public services. Many locations have nothing like a “senior center” to provide daily meals or a service to deliver meals to homebound seniors. Many areas have no form of transportation available to get those who are elderly, disabled or poor to doctor’s visits or even to get to the store.

These are interesting times in which we live and are bound to get even more interesting in the coming month to six weeks. God help us all to stay strong, alert and aware of changing situations and needs.

Advance Warning: Hurricanes Kyle, Laura, Marco, Nana May Be Coming SOON

We are, by most experts’ accounts, somewhere between a week to ten days away from another outbreak of tropical weather. Right around the first of October we should be seeing at least three tropical storms or hurricanes in various stages of development in various places in the Atlantic, Caribbean and, unfortunately, the Gulf of Mexico. This season is far from over, and as bad as the Fay, Gustov, Hanna and Ike storm train was; the round might be even worse.

We saw three years ago what happens when the country is struck by a major hurricane soon after another one. The second storm does not receive the attention, supplies or other resources the first storm does. No one could possibly argue that Hurricane Rita victims received anywhere near the attention that Katrina victims did. Certainly this is in part to due to location, but it is also due to how near the two hurricanes were to each other time wise.

Lost in the Katrina disaster is the fact that a hundred fifty miles east of where Katrina made landfall (near Pensacola, Florida), two major hurricanes made landfall within a year of each other. In August 2004, Hurricane Ivan slammed ashore near Gulf Shores, Alabama just to the west of Pensacola. Ivan, lest we forget, was the third most expensive hurricane to hit the United States before Ike. In July of 2005, Hurricane Dennis came ashore near Navarre Beach, Florida just to the east of Pensacola.

Very few people in the United States have any recollection of Dennis and most have forgotten about Ivan. Although the people who lived in Ivan’s path will never forget the fear of a category 5 monster bearing down upon them, people outside of the immediate area long ago forgot about how fortunate we were that Ivan weakened and did not go fifty miles west right into Mobile, Alabama.

I vividly recall driving down Interstate 10 in July of 2006, two years after Ivan and one year after Dennis and being amazed at the number of blue tarps covering roofs. At the time, I could not understand how there could still be so many homes whose roofs had not been repaired in the space of two years. Part of the reason for this was certainly the double whammy of two hurricanes within a year of each other.

In September of 2004, Stuart, Florida had the distinction of being hit by two major hurricanes within three weeks of each other. First Hurricane Francis came ashore as a strong category 2 storm, and then amazingly, three weeks later, Hurricane Jeanne followed the exact same path as a category 3 storm. Together, the two storms caused almost 16 billion dollars in damage. As bad as this was for the immediate area, the scary part is to think what would have happened if both of these storms would have hit fifty miles further south in the densely populated West Palm Beach area.

The current situation in central and southwestern Louisiana is unprecedented in many respects. There are areas which have been impacted by first Katrina and then Rita in 2005 and now Gustov and Ike in 2008. Some would say that three years makes this a non-issue, but one must remember there was no rebuilding or recovery in most of this region from the 2005 storms until late 2006 and into 2007.

No one can say with any degree of confidence where any of the upcoming storms will be headed. But, there is ample evidence to suggest that one or more of the various tropical storms and hurricanes to form in the next few weeks will emerge in the Gulf of Mexico somewhere. Obviously, if any storm starts heading toward the Galveston/Houston area we will have MAJOR problems. There is no assurance that many thousand people currently in shelters won’t still be there.

One of the worst case scenarios would be another major hurricane do as Jeanne did in Florida four years ago and follow the exact same path as Ike. It is beyond the ability to comprehend how disastrous this would be. Of course this same exact fear was prevalent in 2005 when for a season it looked like Rita would hit New Orleans.

As horrible as this scenario would be, there are two that could be worse. The first would be for one of the upcoming hurricanes to follow Gustov’s path into central Louisiana. This area could not handle a third major hurricane in the same season without massive loss of property and life. Since this area is very difficult to reach due to the terrain and lack of roads, a third hurricane would be a calamity.

The worst case scenario would be a major hurricane hit New Orleans, the Mississippi Coast or Mobile/Pensacola. We are not equipped in this country to handle multiple major hurricanes at the same time; not with the economy as it is. Resources are already stretched thin, especially among major charities, due to all the tornadoes and flooding earlier this year.

Here is THE worst case scenario that could play out over the next month. A major hurricane strikes the central Gulf Coast (New Orleans, Mobile) before Galveston/Houston are on their feet. Then, a major hurricane strikes the East Coast either in North Carolina, Miami or New York. If, and this has never happened in our country’s history, we had 3 major hurricanes strike densely populated areas within a month of each other, it could and would cripple the country.

In 2005, there were 3 major hurricanes to strike (Katrina, Rita and Wilma), but Rita did not strike a densely populated area and Wilma’s damage was concentrated in an area well equipped to handle it. The fear of many who study, forecast and track hurricanes is that one of these years a major hurricane would ride the East Coast and hit either Philadelphia or New York. Unlike the Gulf Coast or Florida, or even the Carolinas, the big cities in the Northeast are not used to hurricanes and the potential for chaos and damage is very high.

God forbid any of these scenarios end up happening, but only a fool would sit back and assume none or only one could take place. Preparation is the key to survival. It would do all parties from Galveston to Boston well to start making preparations NOW for the possible hurricane threats coming up in October. With all that is going on economically, it behooves the American public to NOT sit back on their laurels and assume they are safe and secure. Only a true FOOL would be so naïve this year.

Louisiana–The Forgotten Battleground of Gustov and Ike (Rita too)

AMERICA—The call has gone forth and has not being heeded.

AMERICA—The needs are far greater than anyone knows.

AMERICA—Are you going to step up and meet the needs.

AMERICA—Your brothers and sisters await you.

While the vast majority of Americans are either pre-occupied with the daily financial market soap opera installment or spend all their time wondering what their favorite candidate said or didn’t say today; deep in our country’s hurricane ravaged South, the pain is deep and the need is greater. A story which should be at the top of the news has, amazingly almost dropped out of sight in the media.

On Labor day, Hurricane Gustov slammed into the central Louisiana coast as a strong category 3 hurricane. While all the eyes of the nation were glued to see whether New Orleans would survive; nary a soul was watching to see what Gustov actually did. As constant images of flood walls being overtopped by a little water filled our television screen, those gathered in Minnesota for the start of the Republican National Convention were holding a telethon to raise money for Gustov victims.

Amazingly, the next day Gustov was ancient history except for a few stories of evacuees scattered all over the Southern states. There was no media coverage of the damage caused by Gustov outside of New Orleans. By Wednesday of that week, there was no longer any coverage of the event whatsoever as all media attention was switched to the speech by Gov. Palin at the Convention.

As soon as the Convention ended, tropical storm/hurricane Hanna came to life and threatened Florida, Georgia, South and North Carolina. Even while Hanna was toying with becoming a major storm, hurricane Ike exploded in the Bahamas into a giant hurricane. By the time Hanna had come and gone, Ike was quickly becoming the major story as it first destroyed Cuba and then set his sights on various places along the Gulf Coast.

Meanwhile, during this period of time, an absolutely incredible thing was taking place. Deep in the very heart of Louisiana, Hurricane Gustov victims were by and large being totally neglected and forgotten. Unlike every other major hurricane to strike this country, there was no media coverage, no racing to the scene by various charities and very little help from even government agencies. It was as if no one cared about what had happened because of the people involved.

Who lives in this area of Louisiana anyway? What do they do down there? Why should I care about some God forsaken, mosquito infested backwater chunk of real estate in one of the strangest states in the country? These were the questions America asked after Gustov, instead of those which should have been asked.

Should it really matter where disaster strikes in this country? Should it really matter whether those impacted are rich or poor, white or black of English origin or Cajuns? Should it really matter if the area which is devastated is lush farmland or a swamp? Should it really matter what state the disaster is in?

Hurricane Rita ravaged this area three years ago. No one knew and no one cared. One ministry out of Lafayette tried to provide food and supplies to people scattered from Cameron Parish to New Iberia. That is until their resources ran out 9 months after Rita hit. There was never any Red Cross or Salvation Army presence. FEMA came and moved in and quickly moved out to handle Katrina related matters. While these tattered and torn people had no one helping them, those in New Orleans and Mississippi were being flooded with supplies and volunteers.

Does lightning strike twice? You bet, especially when those who have little to begin with are affected. Those people scattered in south central Louisiana were devastated by Rita in 2005 with little or no outside help to repair and rebuild. This same area, but now including Baton Rouge and Lafayette had to deal with the full fury of hurricane Gustov. Lest we forget, Gustov was a stronger hurricane than Ike. Less than two weeks after Gustov, this same area was swamped by hurricane Ike.

What is it like to live in an area no one knows about or cares anything about? It breeds self reliance and extreme bitterness. Those who live in these areas are highly skeptical of anyone claiming they want to help. They have been neglected and forgotten about countless times. Why should they believe this time is any different?

Last week, the day before Ike hit; a retire medical doctor from Gulfport, MS who goes only by “Doc” braved the rising waters and took some much needed food to these people in south central Louisiana. Just barely beating the rising storm surge from Ike leaving, he was awed by what he saw. This says a lot because Doc has been rounding up food and other supplies for Katrina victims since the day after Katrina hit.

Yesterday Carolyn Thompson from Tri Coastal Community Outreach in Grand Bay, Alabama returned with Doc to Louisiana to drop off more supplies. Fighting knee deep water, the devastation they found is beyond description. Yet, America does not know and could really care less about what is going on in New Iberia, Louisiana. See, America is too busy raising money to elect another worthless President. America is too busy crying over drops in the Stock Market. America is too busy trying to help those in Houston and Galveston to worry about Louisiana.

Please America, though they may not be many and they are certainly not mighty or influential; our fellow citizens in Louisiana desperately need our help. Unlike Texas where outside help has problems getting in, there is no such problems in Louisiana. Any and all help is desperately needed. For more information and current status please contact:

Carolyn Thompson, Director of Tri Coastal Community Outreach–(228) 623-0017, or go to Tri Coastal’s website at http://www.tricoastalcommunity.org/main.htm or contact me via my website at http://heart2heartshare.com/contactus.htm

The Gustov/Ike legacy is FAR MORE than Houston or Galveston. There are smaller less populated areas stretching from Galveston all the way to Mobile, Alabama which have suffered greatly from storm surge damage from these two storms. Please, there are huge immediate needs NOT being met in many of these areas. As soon as the water ever goes down, there will be a gigantic need for supplies and volunteers all along the Gulf coast.

New Research must be put into understanding storm surge with Ike type hurricane

Early reports seem to be indicating that once again, man’s knowledge of nature is an inexact science at best. A storm such as Ike never had set its sights on the United States before, so it is not surprising that information gleaned from dozens of “normal” hurricanes turned out to not be applicable to Ike. This is good news for some and horrible news for others.

The storm surge is USUALLY greatest directly to the northeast of the eye wall of a hurricane. This was certainly the case with both Katrina and Rita three years ago. The dire forecasts that hinted of 20 foot storm surge readings at Galveston and Houston proved greatly inflated, but readings farther north and east proved to be greater than expected. In fact, at this time, places such as Dauphin Island south of Mobile, Alabama are still cut off from the mainland due to Ike’s storm surge. This area was nowhere near where Ike came ashore.

Plaquemines Parish is the part of Louisiana which sticks out into the Gulf of Mexico south and west of New Orleans. This is where Katrina first struck before making landfall east of New Orleans. This Parish was heavily damaged by Katrina and was one of the last places to receive help in reconstruction. Perhaps one of the most astounding things reported this morning is that this Parish has worse flooding than it had from Katrina. That is simply unbelievable.

Cameron Parish and Calcasieu Parishes in Louisiana form the Lake Charles metro area. This was ground zero for hurricane Rita three years ago. Reports today say both places are encountering greater flooding with Ike than they did with Rita. Again, this is simply amazing and totally unexpected only a few days ago.

I have not seen or heard any definitive reports out of the Port Arthur area, but I would assume the flooding there to be fairly substantial. It appears that a preliminary thought is that when a super hurricane such as Ike approaches an area, the storm surge is not as great next to the eye, but instead stretches out for hundreds of miles. Of course this idea will be studied as scientists attempt to understand various things about Ike. But, the facts are that the surge itself was not as bad as anticipated in the areas closest to landfall.

I am afraid that Louisiana will end up being forgotten. Not only do very few people know about the damage done by Gustov, now many of the same areas are under water again due to Ike. I pray places such as Cameron Parish do not get left out as it did after Rita.

So, from first reports, the damage around Houston is substantial, but could have been far worse. At last report, no major damage was done to the various chemical plants and petroleum refineries. This is of course a huge deal considering what could have happened to the nation’s gasoline supply. At first report, the natural gas lines are undamaged, so there will little disruption of service.

The damage to Galveston was far less than expected ONLY because the storm surge did not reach the heights predicted. As in any disaster of this size and magnitude, there will pockets of horrific damage and other pockets of little damage.

Current estimates of 15 to 20 billion dollars in insurable damages will most certainly make Ike a major hurricane regardless if it made to that designation wind wise or not. We have only just begun to see the extent of damage and begin to honestly look at what can be learned from Ike. I am quite sure the end results will be much different than the beginning ones.

America; Houston has a problem–Ike WILL be far worse than Katrina

This just in–water is available in Liverpool, 30 miles from Galveston!

Do not expect any documentable real news from Ike’s strike until later today or probably tomorrow. As in any disaster, initial reports will be too rosy or too dire. It will take days for the full scope of this disaster to be known. No one has a clue how many people ignored the mandatory evacuation orders, so those involved with search and rescue do not know how many people they are looking for. Estimates of close to 150,000 people in the counties affected make this a daunting task for sure.

Due to the size of Ike, hurricane conditions will continue to buffet the entire area most of today. Do not expect to see anything but the barest of live of coverage from the worst areas. It is simply not safe for anyone to go out until the water recedes and the winds die down. Houston must endure many hours of relentless high tides and winds. No definitive details of its fate will be known today.

High tide in Galveston matched pretty much when Ike came ashore. Only time will tell what has become of the estimated 15,000 people who stayed and refused to leave the island. The honest fear is that from Galveston all the way to the western suburbs of New Orleans when the water recedes what will be found is carnage due to the high numbers of people who failed to leave the areas.

The time has come in America for mandatory evacuations to mean just that. If people refuse to leave, they should either be arrested and hauled to some secure facility or sign a paper acknowledging NO emergency services are available and no lawsuits can be filed. Images of emergency personnel risking their lives to save those who at the very last minute “chickened out” and wanted to escape the storm make me very upset.

What good does a “mandatory evacuation” order mean if 20% of the people ignore it? The entire evacuation process in this country is a joke. Evacuations are ordered when not needed and not ordered when they are. People pick and choose which “mandatory” evacuation orders they want to abide by and then expect to be rescued when they ignore such orders.

For the next few days, just like after a major earthquake, the emphasis is on search and rescue. Those trained in this field are called “first responders” and their mission is to find, treat and rescue anyone still alive after this disaster. Only after those in critical situations are rescued will the search for those who died start in earnest. Only after that will the emphasis switch to helping those NOT in life threatening situations.

This tragedy will far surpass Katrina simply due to the amount of people involved and the size of the area covered. Just as in Katrina’s case, there will be hundreds of thousands of people with no power, no jobs and pretty much no house for weeks if not months. Sure, in a few days look for every spare electric truck in the country to head toward this area to help get the power on. But, along the coast there will be no power and no help for a very long time.

Keep this in mind; there are still thousands of people in Louisiana and Mississippi and Alabama who have never gotten repairs made to their homes after Katrina three years ago. There is simply not enough crews, money and charities around to get to everyone. Now this disaster will be added into the mix. Everyone knows those with the most money will get repairs first, for they can afford to pay cash. Those who must hassle with insurance companies many times go months and years before receiving the funds needed to get roofs fixed and other repairs.

Just as in Katrina and Rita’s cases, there will be thousands of people who had no insurance and who must depend on FEMA or charities to provide assistance. Again, due to the size of this disaster, every governmental and charitable organization in existence will be taxed to the max over the next few months and years.

Make no mistake about it. We will be dealing with various effects of Ike for years. There are NO quick fixes after a major hurricane hit. Everything will go in slow motion for quite some time due to a multitude of issues from contaminated water to broken glass to electric wires down to hundreds of thousands of buildings which must be gutted before the mold makes them uninhabitable to …

As this drama turns the page to what comes next, please continue to pray for those whose lives have been turned upside down and inside out by this storm. Honestly, we will not know much of anything about the scope of this disaster for days. In the meantime I pray America realizes that like it or not; we have Katrina #2 on our hands—only worse.

Ike Storm Surge Update–Critical all the way to Cameron, LA

Looking at recent data gives an even more chilling report of what is starting and will continue for the next 12 to 24 hours. Storm surge heights of 20 to 25 feet are now forecast as far east as Cameron, Louisiana. Forecasts are now calling for major flooding of Port Arthur and the same kind of catastrophic inundation of coastal communities as Galveston is expecting all the way past Cameron. The same dire warning of “certain death” is now in the advisories stretching all the way from Galveston to Cameron. Incredible.

As Dr. Jeff Masters wrote this morning; Ike may just end up being the most powerful hurricane to ever hit the United States. Others were stronger, but much smaller. Ike’s size is absolutely mind boggling. The extent of the storm surge is staggering. Current forecasts of 20 foot storm surge going up Galveston Bay is catastrophic in nature. Without question, Ike will go down in the history books as the storm with the most devastating storm surge on record.

What Ike is lacking in winds it is making up for in the huge surge. I shudder to think of what the final death toll will be based on the number of people who defiantly said they did not believe this storm would pose that big of risk. There are good things and bad things with rating hurricanes on a scale of 1 to 5. Ike will be a category 2 or marginal 3 at landfall, but due to its size and power, the damage will be far greater than many smaller category 4 storms.

To keep this in perspective, Carla’s storm surge will be surpassed long before Ike actually hits even though Carla was a category 4 storm. The duration of battering hurricane force winds, incredibly high tides and hours upon hours of surge conditions are going to weaken and damage many structures and cause damage normally associated with stronger hurricanes. Ike will forever be known as the monster he has become.

Those who choose to ride out this storm better pray they are beyond the reach of surging waters and waves relentlessly crashing ashore. Many homes were flooded in Katrina by a surge that went far further inland than anyone expected. How could they expect it, for it had never happened before. I am afraid we are dealing with the same situation here with Ike. Conditions never before experienced are developing with no historical data to determine just how bad things will get.

Another overlooked facet of this storm will be the flooding produced further north and east. Estimates of 6-8 inches are forecasted as far north as here in St. Louis. This heavy rain will be falling on areas already flooded once this year and some twice. Historically, most huge hurricanes cause major flooding far from the coast. I imagine Ike will be no exception.

The Ugly Truth about the Discrimination in Disaster Coverage and Relief

Lest there be any confusion or misunderstanding, let me set the record straight regarding the dark secret of disasters in this country. Not all disasters are treated equal. Not by any stretch of the imagination. The way a disaster (or potential disaster) is covered in one area bears no resemblance to how it would be treated in another. The ultimate criteria for media coverage and immediate help are political impact and ratings.

Two weeks ago at this time the country of Jamaica was being beaten by Hurricane Gustov. In the days which followed, Gustov managed to usurp the Sen. Obama’s acceptance speech and Sen. McCain’s choice of Gov. Palin as his running mate as the major news story. Instead of seeing images of the opening day of the Republican National Convention on September 1^st, all eyes were glued to the storm that was supposed to kill New Orleans once and for all.

The country, politicians and media of all types waited for the story of the decade to unfold. For many, the fact that Gustov missed causing the destruction of New Orleans was a source of bitter disappointment. As quickly as all the television satellite trucks came, they left and headed for Minnesota and convention they never wanted to attend to begin with. FEMA picked up and moved to the East Coast in anticipation of hurricane Hanna striking there.

The end result was that no one in the United States of America knew that Gustov DID cause incredible damage and untold human suffering in areas just to the west and northwest of New Orleans. Why does no one know? Because there was no “big story” coming out of Baton Rouge, or Lafayette; let alone New Iberia or Grand Isle. Who wants to hear about the suffering Cajuns or see images of heavily damaged poor WHITE people’s homes and businesses?

So now we sit on the precipice of the greatest natural disaster to hit the United States in its history—Hurricane Ike; and where is the non-stop media coverage? Where are the trucks lined up and fighting each other for position to get the best images of poor black people’s homes flooded and destroyed by hurricane winds? Where are the news stories of all the FEMA people and resources standing by ready to swoop in and save the day? There are none because the destruction of Galveston or Houston is not as compelling as the destruction of New Orleans would have been.

The sick and perverted way disasters are handled in this country drives those who try to help in these disasters crazy. While one area receives tons of help and media coverage which promotes more help, another area receives no coverage and thus very little help. Hurricane Rita bore this truth out three years ago. The amount of aid sent to areas destroyed by Rita was a trickle compared to what went to Katrina areas, especially New Orleans.

I went to Cameron, Louisiana seven months after Rita hit. There was no one single relief agency anywhere to be found. Every single group had left the area. There was NO ONE helping these people survive, let alone rebuild their lives. Many groups had to quit because they could not find resources or volunteers to help. All available aid was going to the 5 star volunteer camps erected in and around New Orleans. No one cared about where Rita did its most damage.

When a tornado ripped Greensburg, Kansas off the face of the map, for some reason the media jumped on the story and every relief agency in existence flooded the area before even FEMA could lock down the place. Greensburg became a national icon of disaster relief and recovery. Meanwhile, a tornado ripped areas of Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras, Mexico off the map also. I tried contacting every one of the same agencies which gladly descended on Greensburg to help. Not one of them was willing to lift a finger to aid the area due to the Mexican influence.

Other towns have suffered the same fate as Greensburg since that disaster. Far too many to list in fact. North Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee are just a few of the states which have seen either F-5 tornadoes demolish a town or a rash of tornadoes destroy many towns. Not one of these areas or towns has ever received a tenth of the attention or help Greensburg received. Why? I don’t have an answer for that one, I only know the facts.

A month or so before Greensburg was flattened, a tornado tore though Enterprise, Alabama and hit a high school killing a number of students. The story made national news for a day or so. Weeks after the tornado, there was nigh unto no assistance coming in to the area. I toured the area and found out why. The lion’s share of the damage was to the black part of town except for the high school where the students died. All available resources were diverted to “white” towns in Georgia which had been devastated by the same storms which hit Enterprise.

Disaster relief is not color blind and is many times determined by where the potential for most media coverage and political benefit is found. The discrimination found in providing help to victims of disasters, large and small, is staggering. Soon, I will post excerpts from an account written less than a week after Gustov hit the central Louisiana coast telling of the incredible damage and human suffering. No one knows this story for no one is there covering it. Now after Ike hits, this poor area will receive no media coverage, no outside help and very little government help.

There are many things in the United States which are good and wonderful and reflect the honest desire on the part of many of its citizens and agencies to help others in time of need. There are also many dark and ugly elephants in the closets of many groups whose claim is to equally share resources and volunteers with those in need. The sad reality is that for every disaster, every town and every family who receives the loving support and help of strangers, there are ten who never see anyone but a stray government official or scam artist. This is a sad testimony to our heart of giving .

Houston’s High Stakes Gamble; Betting Ike Won’t Explode

At this late stage of the game, there is little that can be done but wait and pray. I do pray that the decision made to not evacuate huge sections of Houston was a wise one. This is somewhat like placing a bet on the highest stakes game ever played. That which is in the “ante” are hundreds of thousands of people’s lives. Whether I agree with the decision or anyone else makes no difference. All anyone can do is pray for the best in light of an unprecedented situation.

Hurricane Ike has somewhat strengthened overnight and has held its course heading for landfall near the west end of Galveston Island. There is still a slight chance the hurricane may move east, but there is a greater chance it might move slightly west. It certainly appears at the moment that all the dire forecasts for Galveston could come to pass.

The “wildcard” in all this is what will happen to Houston proper. Galveston island does act as a barrier island which protects Houston to some degree. But, the barrier islands did little to protect the Mississippi coast from Katrina’s wrath. All anyone can do is pray that Ike doesn’t produce a 30 foot surge, for if it does, then Houston is in for a world of hurt.

As impressive as the surge estimates are, I am intrigued by the overtopping wave estimates. I can not think of a storm where there was discussion of 50 foot waves. I do not believe very many people stop and think about how high 50’ is. I will say one thing for sure; if an area is hit with even a 25’ surge along with 50’ waves, that area will not be there come Saturday evening.

Various media stories are flush with reports of people fed up with false alarms and the hassles of evacuations. These people are going to defy mandatory evacuation orders and take their chances riding out the storm. Depending on where they are located and where Ike ends up hitting; the images of these people will be the last anyone sees of them.

Many knowledgeable people in the Galveston/Houston area are appalled by the apathetic attitude that has been manifested by all parties toward this storm. This is no doubt due to the Rita fiasco three years ago coupled with the Gustov non-event a few weeks ago. As justifiable as people’s reluctance to act is; when all is said and done, it will result in “justifiable suicide” at best. One can defy man’s decrees and live through it. One cannot defy nature’s decrees and expect anything but what she has to give.

As this day drags on, Ike will no doubt have ups and downs and plenty of wobbles. Unless something unexpected happens, Ike will strike Texas somewhere southwest of Houston late tonight or early Saturday morning. By Sunday, Ike will be long gone and will be flooding Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri. By Monday, Ike could very well be in the Atlantic Ocean. So, whatever happens will be quick.

When the winds die down and the rains cease and crews are able to get out Sunday to survey the damage caused by Ike; I think everyone in this country will be in for a shock. I think what will be seen will surpass Katrina as far as damage and possible fatalities. I think Ike will so damage the Oil and Gas business that we will see spikes that last for at least a month. I think the repercussions of Ike will still be felt months from now along with the finger pointing and name calling.

Americans lovetheir freedom and do not like someone telling them what to do. Many who cherish their freedom include riding out hurricanes as part of the “Bill of Rights”. In a way, I understand, for it is like those who choose to smoke. If they want to destroy their body, it is their choice. But, if a person makes the decision to defy orders, they should forfeit their ability to sue for damages later.

I can only pray that those who willingly decided to defy mandatory evacuation orders live to tell about it. I can only pray that those who did not issue mandatory evacuation orders do not live to regret it. I can only pray that those who will spend the next two days “hunkered down” as they followed orders to NOT evacuate do not end up in the fatality statistics.

The next thirty-six hours will tell who the winners and losers were in this highest of stakes poker game. May we all pray, that for the good of all, the losers are few and somehow the losses are minimized. Please pray for the “huddled masses” in their bunkers all around Houston.