Cristobal, Future Storms and a Potentially Ill-Fated County.

There has been a tropical depression meandering around the coast of South Carolina the past couple of days. It's not a good thing when storms just hang around. They have the potential to sit there, spinning, gaining strength and selecting a target.
Cristobal was just a "depression" and that was good. I was actually hoping there would be enough strength to send some much needed rain to the middle part of the state, which is incredibly dry.
The storm has, however, continued to hug the coast line. Although the depression picked up enough strength to be named and upgraded to "tropical storm," that's about as big as the "story" gotten so far.
We've had bands of rain, some were quite heavy overnight. It has been cloudy today and the skies look threatening over toward Vandemere, but steady consistent rains have not appeared yet.
I haven't heard any thunder, no scary postings on NOAA and this is just like any typical summer showery day.
I guess the news wants to trump up the storm. Just had a quick glance at the Weather Channel. They're "still not sure" what Cristobal is going to do. Perhaps we'll have heavier bands this afternoon. But for right now, it's just a quiet, kind of cloudy Sunday. Trumping up 'the storm' keeps watchers watching and advertisers happy. It's all a game really. Games that aren't too dissimilar to games that get played with even people's lives.
When you live in a hurricane zone during hurricane season, you're automatically on heightened alert. It comes with the territory.
Storm season is a precarious time. There are those who have no insurance that I worry about and feel for. There are others who have tons of insurance and greedily rub their hands together for the potential to get MORE money with each storm that passes our way. Those behaviors are disgusting, but, sadly, they go on right under our noses in this "Land of Haves and Have Nots."
"Making money" to work on your home is not what the government intended as the use of FEMA funds. I have neighbors that were living in the what's known as the FEMA campers after storms like Isabel, that flooded this area a few years ago. FEMA took the campers away long before the folks got their home repairs. The reason? The campers are not sufficient shelter in the event of a hurricane. There are documented others whose homes, say, have a little basement damage, get a LOT of money to go toward remodeling, not repairing. They brazenly use it as "supplemental income" to get those nice little extras for their homes, while others (the majority) in this county, cannot afford to have their homes raised, cannot get the funds to do so and they suffer in silence in the "Land of Haves and Have Nots." No one will listen to these folks. No one wants to hear about their troubles...after all, RIVER DUNES is just not selling as the investors had hoped, the real estate market is down and forecasted visitors to the "IDEA HOME" didn't turn out in the numbers that "THE HAVES" had hoped they would. It's like sticking all the ugly step-children down in the basement so visitors won't see what things are REALLY like around here.
As I hear a band of rain coming through, here in the "Land of the Haves and the Have Nots," I have to pray that no big storms hit this already economically depressed area this season. I don't think it's appropriate to apply "survival of the fittest" to human beings. It's not that the "haves" are more fit...they just are more conniving, paperwork savvy and place themselves in the right circles. The "have nots" don't have those avenues and bureaucratic pencil pushers could care less what happens to the "have nots." The "have nots" give up quickly, not knowing what to do next and having no money to fight the system.
So, the weather guy says he's watching the storm and it's gaining some strength. Now THERE'S a comfort.
Have a look at www.pamilcoink.com
Read what kind of local government we have here. The population is mostly poor along side lots of retirees who have a consistent income. Everyone has to play on a field that is not even close to "level." The "winning team" can't manage themselves, our tax dollars or this county's own finances. Flimsy excuses and lame chatter is all the news media (www.pamilcoink.com) can seem to get out of them. To quote another politician in the news of late, "words, just words." They're so brazen they won't even lie and say they'll look into the problems, much less that they will CORRECT them and collect what is fair and "render to Caesar what is Caesar's." What on EARTH would happen should a REAL storm hit? Living here and seeing what I have seen has certainly sharpened my gift of discernment. Seems here, you can get your "repairs" done, upgrade everything to the "9's" and if you "know the right people," you can keep your tax valuation to one that equates to a shanty. That doesn't work for all of us however. There a select few that get all the great deals, the tax breaks and little extras that go along wearing select last names.
So, us regular folks just try to hope and pray the storms go far, far away. Here's hoping that more of "the locals" become aware of what is going on around them. Make demands of these local politicians. Believe me, they are more than covered with insurance, etc. The very ones they have forgotten are the ones who vote. Perhaps it's time for a "hurricane cleaning" of the Pamlico County Government and all its "friends."
Again, check out www.pamlicoink.com.
See how folks REALLY live in this storm prone area. There's nothing romantic about it.
In the mean time, we'll wait to see what Cristobal does...and hope he just goes on up the coastline and out to sea...
Alas, I just heard a reporter say the "first big named storm of the season is "BARRELING DOWN ON THE CAROLINAS." Hmm. "Barreling?" Not sure about that, but it is raining with barely a breeze.
I think the oppression of elected officials and those who control them put our county and its citizens in a much more dangerous position than any storm.
Do understand there are a FEW good people who are right there in a time of crisis. They give tirelessly of themselves when storm events happen. Sadly, a FEW good people just aren't enough to take care of anything if an average storm with average damage occurs. I shudder to think what would happen if a Cat 3 or higher came through. All that would be left here (and who knows, that might be the plan) would be "The Haves." "The Have Nots" simply couldn't survive. It's all so lovely and bucolic, in a quaint fishing village sort of way.
And that's my take.
Till Next Time,
Annie

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