Weeding Out the Herd

So there is nothing on local television but coverage of Galveston and the rising water. It started yesterday and they haven't cut from the news other than for some commercials, I think. There are a few field reporters that have done a decent job, but there is one that just speaks pretty poorly. Poor grammar and whatnot.

There are a dozen or so people that gather around these reporters to wave at the camera and just watch the storm. After having a mandatory evacuation of the island at noon Thursday, they still stuck around. Two were interviewed and one was staying, because they didn't want to leave their home, and the other was leaving at 5pm, much later than all of the notifications urging everyone off of the island. I doubt that he'll be able to get away at that time. He looked like an idiot too. Natural Selection at work. Is it possible to get Darwin Awards for all those people that are just waiting for the show?

There were a few sad stories that I heard today from people who couldn't get away any earlier. I saw a woman being interviewed around 6am this morning that was leaving but turned around when she got a call saying that someone was breaking in to her home. She was exhausted, but driving out. Around 1:30pm there was an interview with a man who had to work at the dockyard, making sure everything was secured, and he was working late into the night. His superiors wouldn't let him go until things were satisfactory. He had to board up his house in order to insure that his coverage would cover the damages he was assured to have. His only form of transportation was a Corvette. I want to emphasize the word "was" here. It was swallowed up by the water because he couldn't get out in time. The only belongings he had with him was the shirt on his back. He didn't even have a pair of shoes or his wallet with him. His friends had taken his things ahead for him. The guy was an interesting interview though. By that I mean "drunk." I can't blame the guy though.

UPDATE:
Just found the winner of the Darwin Award for this crowd. A man in a wheelchair decided to "ride it out" as there are 15 foot swells of water expected. Good luck swimming to safety, buddy.