Hurricane Harvey: The potential to change US history?

I heard from my disabled friend, and she and her husband are fine. They lost power, so she had to wait till the roads were clear enough so they could get to a mall where she can recharge her chair and phone.

So far the friends I've heard from have had manageable situations (carpet damage, mostly, some roof damage.)



Edited to add that reports indicate rebuilding will take much longer since there's no longer a large pool of people willing and able to do construction and reconstruction work (many of those were immigrants from Mexico and seasonal laborers from Mexico) - and the result of the latest Canadian lumber negotiations means that lumber will be more costly (about 10% more costly, but that adds up when you're looking at the number of houses here.)

a reply to: Byrd

Glad to hear your friends are safe.

originally posted by: loam
This is so disturbing:

15 rescued from Dickinson nursing home

Fifteen senior citizens were evacuated from the La Vita Bella nursing home in Dickinson, David Popoff, the city’s emergency management coordinator confirmed on Sunday afternoon.

A picture of the residents sitting in waist-deep water went viral on Twitter Sunday.

Poppoff said the residents were rescued by helicopter.

“We were air-lifting grandmothers and grandfathers,” Popoff said.

Texas City Tells People No Hurricane Harvey Aid Unless They Promise Not to Boycott Israel

October 19, 2017
HOUSTON — The city of Dickinson, Texas, is requiring applicants for Hurricane Harvey rebuilding funds to certify in writing that they will not take part in a boycott of Israel. The American Civil Liberties Union criticized the city’s condition as a violation of free speech rights.

“The First Amendment protects Americans’ right to boycott, and the government cannot condition hurricane relief or any other public benefit on a commitment to refrain from protected political expression,” said ACLU of Texas Legal Director Andre Segura. “Dickinson’s requirement is an egregious violation of the First Amendment, reminiscent of McCarthy-era loyalty oaths requiring Americans to disavow membership in the Communist party and other forms of ‘subversive’ activity.”