Forum member in the news

[seamusTX]

This column is by a member of the Texas CHL Forum who lives in Galveston and stayed through Hurricane Ike:
http://galvestondailynews.com/story.las ... 5561cf386d" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And this column is about the same man:
http://galvestondailynews.com/story.las ... 3b33175ac8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

He has a positive attitude that I envy.

I will leave it to him to connect his forum name with these columns if he wished to do so.

- Jim

[galvestonredneck]

At a time such as this; being positive (or negitive) is about all any of us in Galveston has left. I chose to be positive.

I almost loaded up my trailer and never looked back when I found I had been looted. It took me 2 hours and a conversation with my wife to "get over it". I am still hopeing to get a call from the Galveston Police and they tell me they have the guy in a room down at the station, then whispers "we'll give you 15 minites, bring a rubber hose"--LOL Only in my dreams.

The fact is, we are better off than 90% of the people here in Galveston and I am thankfull! My wife and I don't have small children and we are not in debt making payments on a house we can't live in. I have a good job and run almost no risk of being layed off and if I were, I could be working again in less than two shakes of a lambs tail!!

I am thankfull, and I am trying to be positive. Fact is, I don't have to look more than a few feet away to see someone who is worse off than we are.

Galveston Redneck

[seamusTX]

Fact is, I don't have to look more than a few feet away to see someone who is worse off than we are.

That's a fact. I know people who have no house to live in, no insurance to cover their losses, and no job because the place where they worked was wrecked.

- Jim

[Liberty]

Thanks Mr. Kevin,

Thanks Seamus for letting us know.

[Charles L. Cotton]

That's a great article and a great attitude!

Thanks

[CompVest]

+1

[seamusTX]

Kevin continues to be the Everyman of Galveston:
http://galvestondailynews.com/story.las ... 5339111060" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Galveston has been pushed out of the news by the election and nationwide economic troubles.

The situation here is very mixed. Some people had little damage and were able to fix it promptly. Some kept their jobs. (I am in this group.) Some lost everything they had. Many are somewhere between these extremes.

Though many businesses have bounced back, and many homeowners are busting their butts to clean up, one-third of the population has evaporated, and about half the businesses were not sufficiently insured to reopen. The jobs that those businesses provided are gone. Real-estate and sales-tax dollars that government budgeted for are also gone.

People whose homes were destroyed or so damaged that they are unlivable have received nothing but obfuscation from insurance companies, more than two months on.

Many homeowners will probably walk away from the wreckage and leave the mortgage company and city to sort out the details.

UTMB, the largest employer in Galveston County, has announced the layoff of 3,800 people. That translates into 3,800 households that will see their income reduced by half or entirely. Many of the best physicians have already found positions elsewhere. UTMB was one of the top research and teaching hospitals in the world. It will be a shadow of its former self indefinitely.

We have received help from unexpected sources. A Christian charity called Friend Ships is operating a mission here. (They usually go to places like Haiti, which tells you something.) People with some connection to Galveston who no longer live here have organized clothing drives, book drives, and so forth.

But the restoration of core infrastructure and services, which can be provided only by the city, state, Army Corps of Engineers, and utility companies is too slow to meet the needs of those trying to rebuild.

If you were accustomed to take day trips to Galveston, it is still here and open for business. The beaches, most of Moody Gardens, the San Luis-Holiday Inn complex, and many independent restaurants are open. Dickens on the Strand and the motorcycle rally will be held next month. See http://www.galveston.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for details.

The only caution to the tourism market is that you can't get a hotel room or RV hookup. You are pretty much limited to a day trip or driving an RV that does not need to be hooked up.

- Jim

[Liberty]

Kevin continues to be the Everyman of Galveston:
http://galvestondailynews.com/story.las ... 5339111060" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Galveston has been pushed out of the news by the election and nationwide economic troubles.

The situation here is very mixed. Some people had little damage and were able to fix it promptly. Some kept their jobs. (I am in this group.) Some lost everything they had. Many are somewhere between these extremes.

Though many businesses have bounced back, and many homeowners are busting their butts to clean up, one-third of the population has evaporated, and about half the businesses were not sufficiently insured to reopen. The jobs that those businesses provided are gone. Real-estate and sales-tax dollars that government budgeted for are also gone.

People whose homes were destroyed or so damaged that they are unlivable have received nothing but obfuscation from insurance companies, more than two months on.

Many homeowners will probably walk away from the wreckage and leave the mortgage company and city to sort out the details.

UTMB, the largest employer in Galveston County, has announced the layoff of 3,800 people. That translates into 3,800 households that will see their income reduced by half or entirely. Many of the best physicians have already found positions elsewhere. UTMB was one of the top research and teaching hospitals in the world. It will be a shadow of its former self indefinitely.

We have received help from unexpected sources. A Christian charity called Friend Ships is operating a mission here. (They usually go to places like Haiti, which tells you something.) People with some connection to Galveston who no longer live here have organized clothing drives, book drives, and so forth.

But the restoration of core infrastructure and services, which can be provided only by the city, state, Army Corps of Engineers, and utility companies is too slow to meet the needs of those trying to rebuild.

If you were accustomed to take day trips to Galveston, it is still here and open for business. The beaches, most of Moody Gardens, the San Luis-Holiday Inn complex, and many independent restaurants are open. Dickens on the Strand and the motorcycle rally will be held next month. See http://www.galveston.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for details.

The only caution to the tourism market is that you can't get a hotel room or RV hookup. You are pretty much limited to a day trip or driving an RV that does not need to be hooked up.

- Jim

My sister-in-law got Got a full monthly Bill also.
she phoned and was told the same thing. They are just too lazy to check the darn meters in person.. I don't believe anyone has settled with the flood insurance yet. Some of those who were smart / lucky enough not to have the expencive flood insurance did get some FEMA money.

[seamusTX]

I received my flood settlement, but it was so small that they probably did not bother contesting it. Nearly everyone I know is having insurance problems. The lawyers are going to have a field day.

- Jim

[stevie_d_64]

Just can't put enough of these up in this post...

My attitude is certainly been improved by this...Thats why I like this place!

[galvestonredneck]

I wasn't looking for the limelight, but it has turned to me is a small way becaue I met Mr. Heber Taylor the editor of our paper right after the storm. He is interested and I am flat out MAD about some of the things going on here these days. I'm no "comunity activest" (like our dear President Elect--LOL) but I feel like the goverment has declared war on the working class in Galveston.

I have another "guest" article that is supost to be in Wednesday's paper. I might get run out of town for that one--LOL

Thanks for all the encouragment, But I am sure any one of the members on this forum would do the same thing.

Galveston Redneck

[seamusTX]

The saga continues:

http://galvestondailynews.com/story.las ... 0e8e2cac79" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim