Hurricane Ike, Take a Hike!

Tomorrow at dawn, we'll learn the fate of Galveston and Houston after Hurricane Ike. All of Galveston and part of Houston were under evacuation orders tonight. Thousands of people opted to "ride out" the storm. With a storm surge of 20 feet predicted, the thought seems preposterous, and yet over a third of the population of Galveston opted to stay put, despite being told there would likely be loss of life. One officer was telling those who opted to stay to write their social security number in indelible ink on their forearms so that they could be identified later. That would be enough to convince most people with more than six brain cells that it was time to go. I can't fathom why anyone would opt to risk life and limb, never mind their children and pets, to make a stand and defend the mobile home or house. I'm not sure what they think they'll do when their house starts to fill up with water and the streets are so flooded that emergency workers can't get there, and won't, until the storm lets up. I hope that it's not nearly as horrible as predicted, but it seems inevitable. Houston City officials are already predicting over 11 billion (with a b!) in damage. Shame on those who left their pets behind. The videos of dogs standing chest deep in water while locked inside a fence in the back yards of abandoned homes makes me ill. There is a special place in, well you know, for people who do that. Just say a prayer for everyone and every animal in Southeast Texas. Ike isn't showing any mercy.