I was originally supposed to go to Houston for work in September, but was derailed by Hurricane Ike. So instead of going in September and seeing an Astros game, I went last week and saw the Rockets. Quick review: Ike was a large storm that hit the Texas Gulf Coast in September. It made landfall as a category 2 hurricane, but it was huge in area, and packed a big storm surge. Galveston took a big hit from the storm, but Houston was affected as well. But, you would barely know it looking around Houston two months later. Other than a few boarded-up windows I saw downtown, and some damage in League City (the closest I got to Galveston), it hardly looks like a large hurricane hit town.
I am not sure what this means, other than both the feds and local government learned lessons from Katrina. But, I do believe that Houston probably has better local government than New Orleans from the standpoint that people got out (except those who chose to ride out the storm...monumentally stupid, by the way). Granted, I did not see Galveston, so I can't speak to the recovery efforts there. But, just up the pike, things looked pretty good relatively speaking. I guess not having an incompetent mayor like Ray Nagin helps. I also suppose having different leadership at FEMA helps as well.
The only way my trip was affected was that a burger joint that was highly recommended by my co-workers hadn't re-opened yet. That was in League City. Instead, we ate lunch at a pretty decent Mexican joint up the street.
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I am glad that you were able to see a Rockets game instead of being subjected to an A**tros Game. Ike made them head North for a series against the Cubs so you are not the only one that was unliked by Ike. I am sure that the powers that be on all levels were ready for storms this turn after what happened last time. Maybe not the crooked politicians at the local and State Level in LA., but the Feds were and Texas is not as corrupt as LA is. If you do not believe me you can ask Ray "Chocolate City Again" Nagin. You must not be a REO Fan if you do not understand those that were Ridin' the Storm Out. It is the closest thing to a song by them that I can stand. I am sorry for that. What was the burger joint that you were looking for?
It is called South Shore Grille. My co-workers raved about the place.
Oh well...if nothing else, I ate at Jack in the Box for the first time...not bad for fast food, although the person who took my order was a dunce.
I know all about riding the storm out. My stepbrother would go out on the deck of our old house during tornado warnings and sing that song at the top of his lungs.
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