After Hurricane Rita hit, I vowed I wouldn't leave Houston unless a Cat 4 or 5 is barreling up the Houston Ship Channel. Even then I'm not so sure I'd leave.
Rita evacuations were a disaster. Houston issued a general evacuation with no real plan in place. I got lucky. I was released from work a day earlier than most people. It still took me six hours to drive to San Antonio. That's because I know the back ways. Had I waited another day the drive was closer to twenty hours. It was so bad people were running out of gas on the road. Others were still on the highways with the hurricane only a few hours to land fall. It was an absolute mess.
When Ike came rolling through I stayed put. Some what. I rented a five star hotel in the Galleria area and rode the storm out there. This time I'll ride it out at my luxurious Midtown Houston apartment. This building is sturdy. I can't even drive nails into the wall to hang stuff.
Instead I'm stocking up on hurricane supplies. I'm building an inventory of water. I have a couple of cases of bottled water. I need to buy at least a few gallons of bottle stuff. I have plenty of canned goods.
I'm also adding MREs to the inventory. I have four left over from Ike and just ordered another case from Ebay. I might buy one more case before the summer hits. In the event of a power outage I have plenty of propane to cook any perishables first. I will eat those first and if ice is available from the PODs after the storm, I can use that to try and make it last a little longer. If nothing else I can use the propane to boil water if my supplies run out. At the very worst, I'll be eating cans of corn and green beans heated on my gas stove.
As for gasoline, I need to figure something out. I have a ten gallon can. Maybe get one more and have them in stand by. Rotate them frequently and keep fresh gas in them. I need to look up how long gas can last in a can. Hate to put some bad stuff in my car or truck.
I hope others are starting to take the storms more serious to. I was fortunate the last one. This year I'll be prepared. Only thing I ask God is to keep the building off my head.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
A Deal with the Devils, A Rebellion Defeated
A Deal with the Devils
Pakistan is paying a heavy price for the deals they've made with militant extremists and the Taliban. In exchange for "peace" and holding off further advances, Pakistan allowed militants to impose Sharia law. The deal has failed miserably.
The militants are showing the world exactly why the only way they can be dealt with is through force. The extremists are terrorists who don't keep their word. They are vile, disgusting lowlifes who pervert Islam to justify their brutal means. They respect no rule of law and wish to impose their sick ways on all.
The weak civilian government of Pakistan sought to keep the wolves at bay. Now the wolves are at the gate; they are in the Swat Valley and trying to advance further than the deal called for. Now the military is trying to root them out and civilians are caught in the cross fire. Hundreds of thousands of people are refugees in their own country.
The vile dogs want to put those who oppose them to the sword in the name of Allah. The only way to deal with them is to purge them from this world by doing us and them a favor. Send them to Allah and let them discover if Paradise awaits.
A Rebellion Defeated
The Sri Lanka government finally defeated the Tamil Tigers rebellion.
For years the LTTE fought for a homeland for the ethnic Tamil minority of Sri Lanka. They carved up a chunk of territory and ruled as a de facto government. They had their own legal system, banking system, civilian police force and courts in addition to their military and political wings.
In the last several months, the Sri Lankan military routed the LTTE armed forces and dislodged them from their territory. They completed a military victory by annihilating the the LTTE rebels and killing the leadership of the movement.
Sadly there is nothing noble on either side of the finished war. While the Tamils claimed to be discriminated and marginalized by the ruling ethnic Sinhalise government. LTTE used conventional war and terrorism tactics in their attempt to achieve independence. They attacked civilian as well as military targets. Assassinations of political leaders were also used.
The government forces were accused many times of abusing Tamil civilians. Human rights violations of were also a common charge. The government seemed to pull out all the stops to put an end of the rebellion.
In the end the Sri Lankan government was victorious. It puts an end to the fighting but the cost was heavy. 80,000 people are listed as dead due to the conflict. Who really knows the true number. Many more probably will remain uncounted.
The best outcome, besides the fighting ending, would be those that died didn't do so in vain. Hopefully those who lived and survived can sit down and figure out a way to ensure the peace and that the minority Tamils are no longer marginalized.
Pakistan is paying a heavy price for the deals they've made with militant extremists and the Taliban. In exchange for "peace" and holding off further advances, Pakistan allowed militants to impose Sharia law. The deal has failed miserably.
The militants are showing the world exactly why the only way they can be dealt with is through force. The extremists are terrorists who don't keep their word. They are vile, disgusting lowlifes who pervert Islam to justify their brutal means. They respect no rule of law and wish to impose their sick ways on all.
The weak civilian government of Pakistan sought to keep the wolves at bay. Now the wolves are at the gate; they are in the Swat Valley and trying to advance further than the deal called for. Now the military is trying to root them out and civilians are caught in the cross fire. Hundreds of thousands of people are refugees in their own country.
The vile dogs want to put those who oppose them to the sword in the name of Allah. The only way to deal with them is to purge them from this world by doing us and them a favor. Send them to Allah and let them discover if Paradise awaits.
A Rebellion Defeated
The Sri Lanka government finally defeated the Tamil Tigers rebellion.
For years the LTTE fought for a homeland for the ethnic Tamil minority of Sri Lanka. They carved up a chunk of territory and ruled as a de facto government. They had their own legal system, banking system, civilian police force and courts in addition to their military and political wings.
In the last several months, the Sri Lankan military routed the LTTE armed forces and dislodged them from their territory. They completed a military victory by annihilating the the LTTE rebels and killing the leadership of the movement.
Sadly there is nothing noble on either side of the finished war. While the Tamils claimed to be discriminated and marginalized by the ruling ethnic Sinhalise government. LTTE used conventional war and terrorism tactics in their attempt to achieve independence. They attacked civilian as well as military targets. Assassinations of political leaders were also used.
The government forces were accused many times of abusing Tamil civilians. Human rights violations of were also a common charge. The government seemed to pull out all the stops to put an end of the rebellion.
In the end the Sri Lankan government was victorious. It puts an end to the fighting but the cost was heavy. 80,000 people are listed as dead due to the conflict. Who really knows the true number. Many more probably will remain uncounted.
The best outcome, besides the fighting ending, would be those that died didn't do so in vain. Hopefully those who lived and survived can sit down and figure out a way to ensure the peace and that the minority Tamils are no longer marginalized.
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