Category 3 Hurricane Headed For Texas

[Zaune]

BBC News

Texas is bracing itself for Hurricane Harvey - the worst storm to hit the US mainland in 12 years.

The category-two storm, currently in the Gulf of Mexico, is expected to make landfall along the state's central coast on Friday night.

The National Hurricane Center warned that torrential rain and storm surges could bring life-threatening flooding to Houston and surrounding area.

The storm will also strike at the heart of Texas's oil refining industry.

Energy companies have been evacuating staff from offshore platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, while on land Texan oil refineries are shutting down in preparation for the storm.

As a result, US fuel prices have reached a three week-high.

Meanwhile, communities in the projected path of the storm are also preparing for its arrival.

Joe McComb, mayor of coastal town Corpus Christi, urged people to take the warnings seriously and evacuate low lying areas.

"I hope people will listen to forecasters when they say 'beware of flash floods," he said. "Flash floods can come quickly, and they can be deadly."

According to the National Hurricane Center, the wind speed is currently almost 85mph (140km/h) - although gusts are even stronger.

Hurricane Harvey is also continuing to gain strength.

If it does make landfall as a category-three storm, it will be the strongest storm to hit the US since October 2005, when Hurricane Wilma struck the coast of Florida.

Wilma left 87 people dead, and was part of a record-breaking hurricane season that included Katrina, which devastated New Orleans and killed nearly 2,000 people in August of that year.

So, any bets on whether FEMA will do better than after Katrina?

[Elheru Aran]

It'd be hard for FEMA to do worse.

The question is whether it'll have the money to do what it needs to do immediately off the bat. If the damage is bad enough, sure, Congress might pass a special budget request or something for it... who knows, two weeks after?

[Raw Shark]

I climbed up and down Mount Washington during Andrew, bitches. Literally 90% of us (27/30) got serious injuries. I did first aid three times myself (this is why First Aid is the first merit badge you have to learn), including personally on the scoutmaster, and it would've been more if I wasn't busy. You're afraid of a little ol' explosion? Man or woman up and try harder, ladies and gentlemen. The only explosion that scares me is one too small to kill me instantly.

"An oil fire!? That how Skinless Pete lost his legs!" --Homer Simpson

[The Romulan Republic]

It'd be hard for FEMA to do worse.

The question is whether it'll have the money to do what it needs to do immediately off the bat. If the damage is bad enough, sure, Congress might pass a special budget request or something for it... who knows, two weeks after?

On the other hand...

Our Federal government overall is actually significantly more dysfunctional than it was during Katrina.

Fuck, I can totally see Trump trying to block government aid over (insert petty personal grudge of the week), and then blaming it on everybody else.

[FireNexus]

My kid was in the neighborhood with his grandparents and my ex was thinking about extending her trip. Man am I glad I talked her out of that now.

[Zaune]

Fuck, I can totally see Trump trying to block government aid over (insert petty personal grudge of the week), and then blaming it on everybody else.

And risk alienating the redneck vote and the people who own the hefty chunk of the US petrochemical industry in the danger zone?

Well, if he is capable of shooting himself in the foot on that kind of scale then that's a small silver lining to the very literal clouds heading directly towards my in-laws, I suppose.

[The Romulan Republic]

Never underestimate Trump's ability to do something counterproductive in the name of petty spite.

Well, hopefully this won't be Katrina bad. I hope your in-laws are safe.

[Zaune]

I'm not too worried. They're in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, which far enough inland to be spared the worst of it (I think!), and the oldest sister is both a bit of a prepper and easily capable of cajoling the other two and their partners and offspring into her van and flooring it if becomes necessary. Dunno 'bout their parents but seeing as Lexy had to cut them off after the homophobic, transphobic and damn near everything else-phobic Facebook posts got to be too much for her, as far as I'm concerned they have sown the wind and can reap the whirlwind.

[Lord Revan]

Never underestimate Trump's ability to do something counterproductive in the name of petty spite.

Trump's self-destructive narcism is the biggest danger to US and world, the Russian's don't have to pay a single cent (USD or EUR it doesn't matter) just exploit Trump's nacistic temper tantrums and I could see Trump doing some monumentally stupid to stroke his ego in this matter.

I'm not too worried. They're in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, which far enough inland to be spared the worst of it (I think!), and the oldest sister is both a bit of a prepper and easily capable of cajoling the other two and their partners and offspring into her van and flooring it if becomes necessary. Dunno 'bout their parents but seeing as Lexy had to cut them off after the homophobic, transphobic and damn near everything else-phobic Facebook posts got to be too much for her, as far as I'm concerned they have sown the wind and can reap the whirlwind.

let us hope that's the case.

[TheFeniX]

Cat 4 now bitches. Everything is bigger in Texas.

So, if you don't hear from me after tonight, just assume I went out doing what I loved: ignoring my family to get drunk and play video games. It's the American Dream kids. Resident Evil 5 ain't gonna replay itself for the 50th time. Someone has to do it.

I'll leave you all with:

[Flagg]

No bitching guys, President Trumpzi said you'll all be safe. I'm sure all of the people killed actually died of totally unrelated causes.

[FaxModem1]

My roommate's family are in Galveston (we're in the DFW area). They're batting down the hatches, and are so far okay, but it's really stressful for everyone in that area. Houston is already pretty flooded.

Also, Trump's response to all of this is 'Good luck'. I wish I was kidding.

[Flagg]

My roommate's family are in Galveston (we're in the DFW area). They're batting down the hatches, and are so far okay, but it's really stressful for everyone in that area. Houston is already pretty flooded.

Also, Trump's response to all of this is 'Good luck'. I wish I was kidding.

Yeah, "Good luck, you'll be safe". Honestly, living through half a dozen major Hurricanes, that statement borders on negligent manslaughter.

[Zaune]

Yeah, "Good luck, you'll be safe". Honestly, living through half a dozen major Hurricanes, that statement borders on negligent manslaughter.

You're probably safer if he stays indifferent, frankly. The man's practically the anti-Midas; everything he touches turns to shit.

[Flagg]

Yeah, "Good luck, you'll be safe". Honestly, living through half a dozen major Hurricanes, that statement borders on negligent manslaughter.

You're probably safer if he stays indifferent, frankly. The man's practically the anti-Midas; everything he touches turns to shit.

The problem is telling people they would be safe. You are not safe in a major hurricane.

[Mr Bean]

It's been frankly odd how low-key the coverage is of this Hurricane is when self shot drone footage is the best way to get an idea of the devastation in one area which Youtube collation channels are finding and putting together. I already lost the link but someone was putting together a slap dash google earth style look at the devastation putting together major news teams the amateurs and personal requests for those who evacuated to see how their neighborhood was doing.

[TheFeniX]

It's been frankly odd how low-key the coverage is of this Hurricane is when self shot drone footage is the best way to get an idea of the devastation in one area which Youtube collation channels are finding and putting together. I already lost the link but someone was putting together a slap dash google earth style look at the devastation putting together major news teams the amateurs and personal requests for those who evacuated to see how their neighborhood was doing.

If I had to hazard a guess, everyone is like "but I wanted to see devastation in Houston, not just metric shittons of rain and people drowning." They want houses leveled by tornadoes and shit because people fucking suck. Like, there's been zero heavy wind or even lightning since the downgrade. It's just rain. A lot of it. Thigh deep where I'm at. Some guy just canoed down the street. We're in a short reprieve and the water has receeded a bit, but we've still got 5 days of this shit.

But the water keeps getting higher and I don't have my flat-bottom anymore, which blows donkey-dong. That and damn I wish I still had a truck with a suspension lift. My Taco can make it through a lot, but the water would easily be over my floor-boards.

We planned and are continuing planning for the worst, but I don't know where this is going. Ike was supposed to continue bouncing back from the Gulf and pound Houston for days and it burned out in 24 hours. This rainfall is much worse, but this isn't "bad" like Ike was with the hail and wind.

Still, small miracles: we've got Internet and Power so I've been trying to keep the wife calm and we'll take it as it comes. She's considering heading to the evac zone at the local furniture mega-store, but I can't physically carry a kid, two dogs, and a cage. And we've got a half story upstairs so, I'm just going to leave it with "I've got power and a Internet connection: 7 DAY WEEKEND!"

[Ziggy Stardust]

I'm not sure how the coverage has been "low key", I've been getting constant news alerts on my phone about it, and it's pretty much the only story that seems to be on the major news outlets any time I turn to them. Just looking at CNN and Fox News now it's all pictures of flooded streets and discussion of the devastation. It's not clear to me what else you could ask for.

[Zaune]

Meanwhile in the Mirror Universe...

Hurricane Harvey Is When We Need Price-Gouging, Not Laws Against It

Hurricane Harvey has hit Texas and is doing a great deal of damage to both life and property. Which is exactly when we need, positively desire, there to be price gouging, instead of the laws we have against it. The basic underlying economics being that we want whatever scarce resources there are to be applied to their most valuable uses. Further, we want to encourage the provision of more supply of them--both of these being the things which the price system manages for us. That is, allowing prices to rise in the aftermath of a disaster does exactly what we want to happen.

I refuse to fight with their shitty website any further in order to quote the whole thing, but that should give you the general idea anyway.

[Broomstick]

Yeah, sure, completely acceptable if you don't mind people dying from lack of resources to obtain essential resources, and you're rich enough to be able to pay hundreds of dollars for a bottle of water. Thing is, most people aren't that rich but they DO out number the people gouging or hoarding said essential resource and if they get desperate enough they'll use violence to TAKE what is needed for survival. Screw money, numbers and brute strength will become the currency by which essential resources are "bought".

[Flagg]

After the hurricanes in FL (when we had no power for 13 days, which since we had well water meant the pump didn't work so we had no running water and the humidity was at its normal 50-80% and temps were well into the 90s F which was making the linoleum tile peel up and mold grow on the walls) price gougers tended to either get their shops looted and burned down and/or faced prosecution. Either works for me.

I hope the dipshit who wrote that article finds themselves unable to bathe in anything but swale (mini canals in front yards that collect water so your house (hopefully) doesn't flood) water and survives on one MRE (not complaining, but the 1988 olympics bag of m&m's was disconcerting, otherwise they are pretty good) and a gallon of water (both split between 2 people) a day for 2 weeks. I think that will change their dipshit perspective a wee bit.

[TheFeniX]

What the shit happened to Forbes over the past few years? It used to be a good site for even video game news, now it's a "please disable your adblock to read our poorly edited click-bait,so we can infest your PC with malware."

At this point, I have to go out on a limb and say in-lining Forbes links should be considered gauche. Especially because I was forced to use the word gauche.

[Flagg]

What the shit happened to Forbes over the past few years? It used to be a good site for even video game news, now it's a "please disable your adblock to read our poorly edited click-bait,so we can infest your PC with malware."

At this point, I have to go out on a limb and say in-lining Forbes links should be considered gauche. Especially because I was forced to use the word gauche.

Running for President must have emptied the coffers, so it's time to be a whore!

[Simon_Jester]

It's been frankly odd how low-key the coverage is of this Hurricane is when self shot drone footage is the best way to get an idea of the devastation in one area which Youtube collation channels are finding and putting together. I already lost the link but someone was putting together a slap dash google earth style look at the devastation putting together major news teams the amateurs and personal requests for those who evacuated to see how their neighborhood was doing.

If I had to hazard a guess, everyone is like "but I wanted to see devastation in Houston, not just metric shittons of rain and people drowning." They want houses leveled by tornadoes and shit because people fucking suck. Like, there's been zero heavy wind or even lightning since the downgrade. It's just rain. A lot of it. Thigh deep where I'm at. Some guy just canoed down the street. We're in a short reprieve and the water has receeded a bit, but we've still got 5 days of this shit.

But the water keeps getting higher and I don't have my flat-bottom anymore, which blows donkey-dong. That and damn I wish I still had a truck with a suspension lift. My Taco can make it through a lot, but the water would easily be over my floor-boards.

We planned and are continuing planning for the worst, but I don't know where this is going. Ike was supposed to continue bouncing back from the Gulf and pound Houston for days and it burned out in 24 hours. This rainfall is much worse, but this isn't "bad" like Ike was with the hail and wind.

Still, small miracles: we've got Internet and Power so I've been trying to keep the wife calm and we'll take it as it comes. She's considering heading to the evac zone at the local furniture mega-store, but I can't physically carry a kid, two dogs, and a cage. And we've got a half story upstairs so, I'm just going to leave it with "I've got power and a Internet connection: 7 DAY WEEKEND!"

I hope the suckage stays relatively limited, man. Good luck.

[Flagg]

It's coming around for another hit.