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September 12, 2008

Dear Nature: Please Don't Kill All Of Us

I visited Galveston a few years ago for a wedding. It's amazing anyone lives there—it's just a long sand bar a mile wide and two inches above sea level. (See for yourself.) While there, I could easily imagine how 6,000 people were killed in the Hurricane of 1900.

It's frightening to think there's anyone who hasn't left, especially because it's too late now to drive across the long bridge to the mainland. This is a picture from a few hours ago; if I'm reading the sign correctly, I walked along the seawall right here. I am mentally urging the person standing there to run away.

galveston

—Jonathan Schwarz

Posted at September 12, 2008 04:47 PM
Comments

Eric Larson's book about the 1900 event is titled Isaac's Storm

The present storm is named "Ike", which is a nickname for Isaac

Coincidence? You decide

Posted by: mistah charley, ph.d. at September 12, 2008 06:21 PM

After reading that book, I'm amazed they didn't turn Galveston into a memorial/national seashore, keeping it solely as an uninhabited barrier island to protect the mainland. Even a 17-foot seawall can't hold back 25-30 foot waves.

Posted by: missy at September 12, 2008 06:52 PM

"It's frightening to think there's anyone who hasn't left"

About 22,000, and another 1,000 locked up at the county jail.

Posted by: buermann at September 12, 2008 11:41 PM

that photo up there is several different types of crazy, but also an opportunity.

Posted by: almostinfamous at September 13, 2008 01:25 PM