Hurricane Idiocy

Today I saw a CNN interview done with a North Carolinean about the recently-decreed evacuation orders. With Hurricane Irene on the move, and projected to crash right into North Carolina, the National Weather service is starting to predict some pretty nasty possible outcomes.

This gentleman was explaining how they haven't experienced more than a 7-foot surge on his remote Carolina island since the 1930s, and how his property could survive a surge up to about 12 feet. He's defying police orders to vacate and evacuate. Good idea, buddy.

Hurricanes on the Jersey Shore and NYC? Who doesn't
believe in global warming now??

This is the type of gent you see on the news after the hurricane has passed, and has destroyed a small area of our country. He's the guy standing on top of his roof, only feet away from being swept away forever by a rush of ocean water, his only hope for life in clinging to some driftwood.

I have to applaud the CNN commentator. The guy said, "I'm staying here until the helicopters come in and pull me out of here." The commentator replied, "I don't think we should send a helicopter to rescue you after you've already been warned to evacuate, but good luck to you."

Later, another woman was saying how she was also ignoring the evacuation order, simply because she "has a spin class to teach on Sunday." Seriously? It's one thing to underestimate the power of the hurricane out of stubbornness. It's another to believe that people will show up for an exercise class following a devastating, and what is being called "100-year" storm.

Classic example of survival of the fittest, or, non-survival of the weakest and stupidest. I acknowledge that people in New Orleans may not have had the chance, or more importantly, the resources, to evacuate prior to Hurricane Katrina, which, as we all saw, resulted in imminent chaos and images comparable to third-world countries. But these people reek of machismo...the "I've been here for so long, I ain't goin' nowhere" type of guy. They've now had ample warning. I'd say "best of luck" to him, but as my uncle says, "Luck is for people without ability." These people are now beyond luck, and obviously fail at life.

(afternote: I'm happy to see that the damage done to mid- and north-Atlantic states wasn't as bad as first speculated.)