The dumbest question posted.

reply to post by dave_welch

I lived in Comanche County OK for two years. While I was there I was SHOCKEd at the number of people who lived in mobile homes. The tornado sirens were relentless, probably once a week for weeks on end. I couldn't figure out for the life of me why people in tornado alley would live in a mobile home.

You cannot get upset over people who do not understand. Just like I didn't understand why anyone in their right mind would live in a trailer home in tornado alley, those of us living outside of tornado alley do not understand why anyone would choose to live there.

I do not mean to sound harsh. What I think you should do when someone asks you that, instead of getting angry, explain to them your reasons for being there...i.e....my family has lived there for x generations, my job is there, the schools are the best, we love armadillos (my attempt at a joke)...

Dont let it bother you. I live in Kentucky now. I can tell you straight up we are stereotyped as barefoot, no teeth and everyone runs moonshine and shoots guns for entertainment.

People do not understand. Your reasons for living there are your own. THey do not have to understand.

By the way, I lived there because the military said I had to, but I liked it there. I spent many many weekends enjoying Medicine Bluff and the buffalo preserve. Oklahoma is a great place. I get it. But, others in their own worlds, do not.

So your choices are to explain it to them or let it roll off of your back. Don't let it bother you. People are insensitive and rude by nature.

Glad you and your family are safe! At the end of the day, that is all that truly matters.

~Hugs

Originally posted by dave_welch
reply to post by FraternitasSaturni

 

By that logic, 80% of the US is somewhere you shouldn't want to live, and the other 20% is where you shouldn't be allowed to live.

West Coast=Tsunamis and Eartquakes. High desert=Dust Storms. Midwest and South=tornadoes, East Coast=hurricanes.

Choices are getting slim.

Count Kentucky out. We have earthquakes, (3 so far in the 7 years I have lived here) ice storms, floods, tornados, and extreme heat and cold. Oklahoma sounds pretty good!! I just had a thought..next time someone is so insensitive google the place they are from and say things like 'smog, pollution, and whatever natural disasters they have" and they will see how smart you really are!!

A Tornado is one thing...

It's the Flood Zone builders that get me.

Every few years it's the same guy paddling his couch with his Banjo.

Please move to higher ground People.

reply to post by votan


There are actions you can take to prevent loss to a tornado. Living in a flat open space or on a hilltop is asking for trouble. My parents have always lived in a trailer, the reason they've never lost anything is their relation to the hill behind them. If you place your house at the bottom of the hill, you're pretty much protected, that and they live in a valley.

reply to post by whyamIhere


Yeah, especially the Mississippi flood plain, but then again, who knows if they have the means to move?

My only point is that there are pros and cons for any place you may live. Sure, we have tornadoes, but our winters are fairly mild.

I always ask "why would you live there" to those who live in tornado or even hurricane country, but then they turn to me and ask "why would you live in California?! An earthquake can hit at any minute without notice!"
We just don't understand other people's perspectives... I went to visit my sister in Kentucky on summer and all people could ask was how I could live in an area with earthquakes

reply to post by AnonymousMoose


I lived in San Diego and was in a small earthquake, it was kinda cool really, of course, I like to watch storms as well.

No offense, but I hated living in California, much to expensive, and the people weren't very friendly for the most part. Everybody kinda seemed only to be interested in themselves.

reply to post by k21968


Well, I'm not really upset so much as annoyed.

People tend to think of us as barefoot hillbillies to, or at least people did when I was in the Navy. I swear, people think that it's still The Grapes Of Wrath around here.

Generalizations get around too much.

Originally posted by AnonymousMoose
I always ask "why would you live there" to those who live in tornado or even hurricane country, but then they turn to me and ask "why would you live in California?! An earthquake can hit at any minute without notice!"

We just don't understand other people's perspectives... I went to visit my sister in Kentucky on summer and all people could ask was how I could live in an area with earthquakes

Seriously?? We have had 3 quakes in 7 years here in Kentucky. Granted its not San Andreas, but it is the NEw Madrid...and we have quakes here. LOL

No place like home I guess...

Originally posted by dave_welch
reply to post by k21968

 

Well, I'm not really upset so much as annoyed.

People tend to think of us as barefoot hillbillies to, or at least people did when I was in the Navy. I swear, people think that it's still The Grapes Of Wrath around here.

Generalizations get around too much.

I am from Appalachia (even worse) and was an Army wife for 22 yrs. I would always get the question "do you know the Waltons? " when I told people where I was from. Stereotypes kill me. I am ornery, so I would usually reply, no, I do not know the Waltons, however, I have cousins that are my cousins on both sides of my family...

and walk away...

Toby Keith just said it best and made me think of you! The people of Oklahama are well equipped for this kind of disaster.They face it every year. If this had happened in the west or east coast so many more lives would've been lost.

There is your answer to those people!!

Why do we live in Oklahoma? I'll tell you why....

It is where our great grandparents broke ground and grew amazing farms out of dust,
It is where we were raised to know the Lord, say "Yes Ma'am" and "No Sir", and respect others,
It is where we rode our bikes to the bookmobile during summer break and picked peaches off the neighbor's tree along the way,
It is where we went to school, had high school rivalries, exciting football games(Go OU!), and graduated college,
It is where we had our first date, fell in love, and married our best friend,
It is where we have buried our loved ones and celebrated the birth of our children,
It is where we know our neighbors, share their joys and their losses, and call them friend,
It is where we have chosen to raise our children, being surrounded by love and knowing they will grow to be honest adults,
It is our home and even though it may have its imperfections, it has a lot going for it and we are proud to be a part of it. Why on earth would we want to leave?

So some may say we are dumb for living here, maybe we are, but it isn't about the location. It is about our families, our neighbors, our history, and our lives. Oklahomans are some of the strongest, most resilient, and nicest people you will ever meet. We know what it is like to suffer loss, and from that, the importance of being kind and loving to each other. Yes, we will rebuild in Moore, and in time, another tornado will rip through part of our great state, we will mourn, then move on once again. It is a part of living here, the bad that comes with all of the good.

We will continue to learn more about tornadoes with all of the state of the art technology we have out of Norman and in time, warning times will increase, building structures will be more resilient, and shelters will be more available. I think the best thing that can come of this would be legislation mandating in-ground shelters for all new home constructions, schools, and trailer parks. Now that would be doing justice for all those who lost their lives yesterday in Moore. Questioning the sanity of those who chose to live there and ultimately lost their lives is just one of the most mean spirited things a person could do right now. The families affected don't need your degrading questions, they need your prayers!

~OkieDokie

I basically agree with you, although I personally would not choose to live in an area that is more prone to certain disasters than other areas...But as you said, very few people have the means to just move. It is not that simple. I completely understand that point. For instance, I would never choose to live anywhere where tornadoes happen, or earthquakes, or hurricanes. That eliminates the east coast, the west coast, and the middle of the nation. So it is true that disasters can happen all over the country, no doubt about it. Where I live in Texas though we do not really have any of that. I'm far inland enough to be away from most hurricanes, we do not have earthquakes, and tornadoes are relatively rare around here. I remember one touched down some years ago, but it did not do much damage fortunately.

But it is impossible to predict when something like this will happen. Even if tornadoes are more common in certain areas, they are somewhat precise natural disasters. They can hit one area while leaving something next door untouched. So even if tornadoes were common, a person could get away with living in a tornado prone area quite easily. The odds of being hit are still relatively low for any individual home. But they happen, and we just have to pick up the pieces and rebuild. They cause a lot of pain and damage, but like you said, all natural disasters do the same thing, and they can hit almost anywhere. Even an area that has a lower percentage of disasters is not immune to them.

Look at the explosion out in West Texas. That area is not prone to natural disasters, but a plant explodes. That is not "natural" really, but it is a disaster that can happen anywhere. Someone could walk up to anyone's front door and shoot them, yet we do not isolate ourselves from one another to protect against that possibility. We just have to live, and if something bad happens, we have to pick up the pieces and move on.

reply to post by dave_welch

Your own words...

this is Oklahoma and it's May. We're going to have a few tornadoes.

Exactly! So why stick around for the next one...?

The dumbest thing is actually those that know something bad will happen and let it happen to them anyway.

Lets assume, Dave Welch, you live neat Yellowstone Park and you were told the Yellowstone caldera will blow in the next five years. You're going to keep living there right? By your own assessment yes.

Now that IS dumb.

In Japan for example have you noticed few rebuilding there in Sendai?
Katrina was not a yearly event.

But tornadoes in Oklahoma are. Still, no ones forcing you to leave, just rebuild and prepare for the next one if want. We'll say the same thing next year when it happens all over again.

So, you live in a flatland, coastal community, by a river etc because it's "where I come from", and everything...everything gets dand you lose everything...everything you have, house, pets, family momentos irreplaceable...everything.

Next you decide to rebuild, get some $$$, get some loans to rebuild...and next year? The SEASON STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN...EVERY YEAR...OVER and OVER, YEear after YEAR...youll never know for sure that lightning wont strike twice...three, 10 times....because if you stay in those type of areas with yearly seasons of this because you think "its so PRETTY here"....thats insane.

I wouldnt want to lose everything and take a chance every year of worrying it'll happen again, and again, and again...if you live in those areas. To live by a river and worry about flooding...or a tornado in a yearly hit area....how can you live like that?

I guess if you lose everything once or twice....there's nothing left to lose so why not?

this is Oklahoma and it's May. We're going to have a few tornadoes.

So you are saying that you get a few tornadoes a year? If so, than within a 10 year period, you are getting about 30 of them?

Instinct tells me I should maybe move elsewhere...

Here is the reality of it. Even if one person left the area, another person would buy their house and move in. Unless someone seriously wants every place on Earth that could be threatened by some sort of disaster to be abandoned, which would cause a lot of issues, this argument makes no sense.

I mean, you could make that argument for yourself and your family when choosing where to live for sure, but not as some kind of reason to opt out of caring. Or maybe it is a defense mechanism to keep from being overloaded with the reality of the situation. Nevertheless, not something to be taken as a serious argument.

Originally posted by DocHolidaze
reply to post by TheLotLizard

 

California has it share of volcanoes, and with it being a seismic area i will not be surprised if one of those volcanoes blow soon, As beautiful as Northern Cali is I would suggest moving if you live near any of the volcanoes. With the drought they have been having lately there also has been a lot of wildfires, which not only destroys life but damages health and well being. And now California has radiation floating over from japan. Ive noticed that cali has stayed relatively safe from disaster for a long time, as you previously mentioned, which means that something is coming sooner rather than later

You know what's funny I live in the mountains actually 5 miles from the closest volcano. Even with a drought its not affected us in the very least. Im guessing you dont know how much water the sierra Nevada has stored in its reservoirs. We supply all of the valley and san francisco. The wildfires have never been an issue since most of it burns up anyways. Also to burst your bubble the fires are beneficial to the health of californias ecosystem.

So thanks for being a stereotype just like everyone else to never study California.

Im happy where I am in Yosemite.

this is why i am glad to live in Cleveland, Ohio.

the only thing we have ever had here in my lifetime was cold winters