Blow The House Down

 

That video was taken moments before the 90 mph (145 km) wind tore straight through my neighbourhood into central Omaha. It was a bad night. 200,000 people (about half the city) lost power and five days later not everyone is reconnected. We spent 4 days in a hotel because it was impossible to stay here in 100 degree heat and humidity with a heat index of 114. There's a limit to what I can endure. I won't talk about how much that cost, or about price gouging in a natural disaster. I'm glad we were able to pay it-so many people can't. The city offered nothing by way of shelter and relied on a few charities to help (whilst doing the bare minimum). The Red Cross is the exception, because they're great, but also in the absence of a federal disaster declaration, limited. I'm not going to talk about our local government because I'm upset enough already. I think you can already imagine how inadequate the response has been.

There are trees down everywhere blocking roads, tearing through houses, power lines, transformers, and substations. There are power poles broken like matchsticks. I've taken direct hits from tornadoes and straight line winds, but this was different. The speed and energy/power of this thing almost defies description. Dan was sheltering 40 blocks away and that area was hit even worse. It took him 2 hours to get home when it should have been a five minute drive. Mr. ETB was downtown sheltering at work, and they were largely spared as the winds crossed the river into Iowa. Getting home was an adventure for him as well. 

You can see where my 20 Ft. tall sunflowers were dug up from the roots by the wind. That was nothing compared to 100 year old oak trees uprooted in a similar manner. Interestingly, my Osborn for Congress sign held together with wire, survived the storm. Locals can feel free to take that as a sign from god or whoever to go vote for him in November. His opponent sure as hell isn't representing my interests in Washington. 

The mayor had a press conference today where she made a laughable attempt to empathise with everyone over the losses from the storm where she noted losing power caused her to loose an extra storage freezer full of Omaha Steaks. Those are VERY expensive beef products that almost no one can afford (I've never bought them). Meanwhile, poor areas of the city haven't any power and aren't going to be getting extra food stamps to replace their fridge contents which I'm positive didn't contain Omaha Steaks. FFS, read the goddamned room, Jean. 

People survived the storm, but will be dying in this heat the longer it goes on. People with medical devices that need electricity, people with medications that need refrigeration, people who are old, infirm, etc. Can't afford $150 USD a night at a hotel? Tough shit for you, plebeian. Yeah, I'm disgusted, and I'm privileged enough to be able to cough up the money on a moment's notice. What if you don't have a job, or a credit card? Don't even think about sleeping outdoors or you'll be dealing with the police. The supreme court made it illegal to be homeless. Do I think that this "Once in a lifetime storm" the likes of which keep happening will result in improved infrastructure, or a public safety net, or anything that might realistically look at climate change and try to have a climate plan? Maybe city operated cooling centres? Nah. But the governor convened a special session to work out a policy to give the wealthiest landowners in the state (he's top of that list) a tax cut. You know where that money will come from, though to be fair, there's not much left by way of public services to rob.

So please keep my fellow Omahans in your thoughts as they struggle through this disaster and try putting their lives and homes back together. And spare a though too for the mayor's great steak loss. I'm sure she's hurting.