Guys, first let me say this...
Thanks for those who were concerned thank you.
Second...
I am a native of Oklahoma. I have had the roof ripped off my house when I was ten. It wasn't fun then, it isn't fun now. There are some minor issues with my house but nothing insurance worthy and I'm thankful for that.
I have not seen these kind of cyclones (twisters) since I left Oklahoma. I lived in the heart of Tornado Alley. I and many of our members live in what's known as Dixie Alley. But typically these outbreaks are reserved for the primary Tornado Alley.
I have personnally witnessed the destruction, continued power outages, still haven't heard from some family and freinds, been stopped by police and National Guard, the whole nine...
Third...
This in no way compares to Katrina in regards to loss of life. Tornadoes are a crapshoot. You don't pick up and move your entire life over a severe thunderstorm. Those are crapshoots.
The loss of property is horrendous. Yes many have insurance and do not have to "beg" the government for help to rebuild. (Sorry Ira, your earlier post bothered me somewhat...) Some do not. Just about everywhere we live carries some risk of some sort. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the Feds should buy everyone new houses, but they do have access to resources Joe Citizen doesn't. If it were just one house blown down, that's one thing, this is another. And I agreed from that standpoint with Katrina.
What I didn't agree with was the continued begging by those who coould have gotten out, but didn't, or expected the government to bail them out in the first place. I can tell you this isn't the case here.
This thing hit the University of Alabama, Student houses and apartments, knocked out industry, hit relatively well to do areas, some poor as well, and busted up entire merchant districts. During peak hours no less...while tearing a path all the way into Georgia. We're talking a two hundred mile run be on the ground or in the air as a funnel cloud. And you don't have a weeks notice to pack your bags and head for another state. Infrastructre is destroyed. We have 20 power companies from across the US coming to work it's so bad. Browns Ferry Nuclear plant on the Tennessee River was hit. The vast majority of North Alabama will be dark 7 to 15 days... There are just some things beyond control of the individual. You can't expect Joe Citizen to have D9 track hhoes, dozers, etc. "for just such an emergency".
So pardon me if I take it personal. I've been there once. And a whisker away from twice. By the grace of God it lifted over us enough to not pound the hell out of us. But we felt it's presence as my wife, two of my three kids, my dog, and myself were huddled in the basement praying. Thank God my oldest daughter was in New York on a band trip. Our house was shaking as if someone wanted us to know just what could be done.
So no, thunderstorms don't excite me in a positive way. I've seen beautiful lightning shows. But for me, serious lightning has always seemed to lead to something far more serious. Our Dixie Hearts are hurting but we'll be allright, and will recover.
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Not for me!
