This will get lost in the GD thread. I just have a hard time and need to rant over this Ian bullshit

[Cheezoholic]

Please don't get me wrong. I have compassion for people that have been traumatized by something like this. I feel terribly for any loss of peoples loved ones. I am definitely not an unfeeling human being, I really do care. That's why I am going to say something, bash me if you want.

I have a long family history in FL, my indigenous family and had been going there for many years when I was younger. Not as a tourist, but to see family.
The first time I permanently moved there I was invited by a distant cousin and moved to Indian Rocks Beach in 84. Anyone who had been to that little town before the mid 90's knows it was the last bastion of old 50's style white man Florida left on the west coast besides maybe Cedar Key. Gulf Blvd was damn near a dirt road. They didn't allow condos until the late 90's. I lived in a 3 room bungalow with my cousin with the beach and the longest pier in FL as my front porch. I took nothing for granted. I worked on a long line boat with my cousin. I got to know my biggest neighbor, the ocean, intimately for the first time. You couldn't get me out of it, I loved it, still do. But for all its beauty I listened, learned and respected when those with experience spoke of the dark side. Sure I had read about storms, saw TV footage, but when you hear about them first hand, when you learn about and respect a new environment you live in you best listen.

In 85 I got my first real lesson with Elena, a Cat 5 storm that never moved. It never got closer than 60 or 70 miles from us. For nearly 4 days it just sent wave after wave of surge at us, upwards of 9 feet. It was scary as hell. We were going to get off the island but the surge came in so quick we were stuck. We were also helping others that were caught by the surprise of the surge. I watched the longest pier in FL die. You must remember they couldn't predict back then the way they can now. But because I listened, learned and suddenly truly respected about where I lived fear turned to understanding.

I've lived many places in the almost 40 years after that, over half within eyesight of that beautiful neighbor with a temper.. And that lesson has helped me I think more than any other in my life. Where ever you go, move, live or anything you do in your life you have a personal responsibility to listen, learn and respect your new environment. If you cant, are not willing or are just to arrogant, stay where you're at. The bad part...

DON'T MOVE TO FLORIDA unless you're willing to go back to school and learn about where you're living. I am very very serious about that. The environment of Florida owes you nothing, and it's not just storms. While it is beautiful, especially in its natural state, while it has some kind of "Disney" other worldliness that a cornfield or an urban row of same 'ole same 'ole homes needing mowed, raked and shoveled of snow year after year, a seasonal monotony of a working lifetime that would naturally be envious of Florida then DEFINITELY DO NOT MOVE to the coast unless you are seriously going to change your life, unless you are going to educate yourself and LEARN and RESPECT where you're about live.

You're not only endangering yourself you are selfishly endangering others who have to come and get you when you cry. I get so sick of hearing either on TV, or in person of storms I've been in, someone from Michigan or New Jersey or Indiana or just any damn place up north who damn near gets killed or gets other people killed or cries because their house 6 feet above sea level is gone because they think that the ocean around a spit of land that has, is, and will be slammed by these storms more than just about anyplace in the world is just a big jet ski party.

Climate change or not IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN DOWN THERE! Fucking deal with it or go back where you came from. Sorry but I've heard it over and over and over and over. Go down for a month in May get you some Micky Mouse ears and then go home if you're not willing to understand the risk your taking for you, your family and personally, having too many people down there has permanently fucked up one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Commence with the bashing I don't care... I'm right.