Final Ike Report

Today we got power and things are getting back to normal for us. There is water, internet, television, stores open, and I am back to work - we pretty much have everything. The only thing we lost was an ornamental bush at the front of the house. Others are not nearly so lucky, and many still don't have power or even water.

If you are reading this from somewhere outside the area that was damaged by the storm, it is probably hard to identify with it. Just like it is hard to really identify with victims of earthquakes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters when they aren't experienced.

I am fascinated with how long events like this stay newsworthy - Ike will be news only for so long, and then it is back to Paris Hilton, the latest "reality" show, and maybe if you are a little more interested in current affairs the election. There are people who lost everything though and they will be rebuilding long after it is out of the news.

I wonder sometimes about Galveston, New Orleans, and other cities on the coast within distance of the storm surge from hurricanes. What is storm surge? It is the area where flooding occurs due to water pushed up by the storm and is constrained to a fairly small area. These areas are dangerous to be in during the storm and recovery takes longer - they are likely to be wiped out in the next storm too. Wind damage occurs over a wider area, but in many ways is easier to design for.

Some of these areas I don't think should be rebuilt, at least with public money. I am not saying the people shouldn't get assistance - I am just saying the assistance should probably go towards locating them somewhere a little safer.

By the way, the artistic collection in the photograph is courtesy of high water caused by Ike and various folks who littered along the San Jacinto River. People, Lake Houston provides drinking water for the city...

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