http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article171095662.html

In Memorial, one of Houston’s older communities, Denver Courtney and Alex Claymon spent days using their personal boats to rescue stranded neighbors.

“I was sitting there just chewing my fingers off, going, ‘I can’t watch this and not go help,’ “ said Claymon, 44, an insurance agent who drove 2½ hours from Palestine, Texas.

“Basically, as a Texan, you know, you’re called to duty when something like this happens,” added Courtney, 48, an interior designer from Houston. “If you’re a hunter and a fisherman and a redneck, man, then you got your boat out here. And if you don’t, we don’t claim you as a Texan.”

 

Yeah... I wouldn't characterize it as some Texans dont' trust government, we're so independent we don't need y'all so we'll do it ourselves etc. That's just not it. The reality is that Texans, and Louisianans (thanks Cajun Navy!) and Oklahomans and many others did what friends and neighbors do, reach out and lend a hand. When first responders' boats started to get low on fuel the local news put out the call and within minutes some dude showed up with a jerry can that he had filled for his generator. His power was still on so he put it to better use. Then others showed up with their fuel, then their boats all in an effort to help their neighbors. This whole city has each-other's back. But we couldn't do it by ourselves.

There is a big disconnect between the Miami Herald article - those independent Texans - everyone should be like that etc. and reality. We need the Feds and are glad they're here. Our volunteer work at the shelter is mainly helping people get their FEMA claims filled out. Texas lawyers have formed groups to make sure that we are treated right by insurance companies and that our politicians get busy and get the federal relief that so many need. Even today there has been a steady stream of Blackhawks and Seakings going over from Ellington field to God-knows-where plucking people out of some area where some other river has finally crested - those things are federal and they don't come cheap. When times are good you can talk a big game. When reality intervenes, it's a different story.

 

Topic is the hurricane, gentlemen.

So

MKULTRA and S.F. Bay area housing have nothing to do with Hurricane Harvey

OK - So I created a whole new thread that should make my point clearer:

https://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/...victims-vs-the-routine-urban-homeless.139631/

Happy Labor Day (and I'm not referring to those who are giving birth)!!!

 

Be sure to click read more at the end.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/above-devastated-houston-armies-drones-110000884.html

https://www.wired.com/2016/08/ace-faas-new-test-become-pro-drone-pilot/?mbid=synd_yahoo_rss

 

My $0.02. If I could afford the eat the restoration costs, I would restore it, letting him think that you were doing it for yourself, and then when it is done drive over to his place for dinner or something and then ask if he can give you a ride home. When he asks why, tell him it's because your car is at home. When he gets a puzzled look and mentions that your car is out front, tell him that, no, that's his car and that you hope he enjoys it for as long as he can until any hidden flood damage rears its head.

Now, it could be that he really won't want the car, restored or not, because it might not ever be the same car, as far as he's concerned.

Back after I sold my first home (a townhome) I had about $32k profit. I used right at half of it to put siding and windows on my house and the other half was just enough to pay of my parent's mortgage. So a few days before Christmas I went to their bank, paid it off, and got a letter from the bank certifying that it was paid in full. I put that into an envelope and put it under the tree. They expected a couple hundred dollars in Home Depot and, I think, Hobby Lobby gift cards, since that was what I had been getting them for a few years and which they always had a use for. It will always be one of my fondest memories watching them open that envelope and discover their house was free and clear. At the time I owed them several thousand dollars (maybe $8k) and had been paying them here and there. I'm sure if I had said that it was a combination of paying what I owed them with the rest being their Christmas present they would have been just as ecstatic, but I sure felt so much better that I never mentioned a word about it, and neither did they. It was a straight up gift, unsullied in any way by trying to gain some benefit for me -- that was MY present to ME that year.

My plan was to start paying them off aggressively after I took care of a couple of other needs and so about six months later I asked them how much I owed them (my stepmom used to work Accounts Payable and Receivable at a small company so she had it recorded down to the penny). They said they couldn't remember. So I told them that I'd start paying them $1000 a month until they told me it was taken care of and they both looked at each other, turned to me, and said almost in perfect unison, "It's taken care of." Turns out they had thrown out the ledger on New Year's Eve and decided not to say anything unless and until I brought it up.

I put 900 miles on the car, broke in the new engine, all seemed well.

I took your advise and it went well. I invited him and my mom over for dinner and gave him the keys. He tried to fight me on it; told me that he just wanted to see someone else enjoy the car. My mom stepped in and told him that I only restored it to give it back to him and had no intention of keeping it for myself. He got all misty eyed and said that he needed to think about it for a minute - he walked off alone and my mom explained that he is a very sentimental person and that when lets go of something that is meaningful to him, he has to sever that thing from himself mentally. Having the car come back into his life would take some re-wiring in his brain.

He came back and said that was the nicest thing anyone ever did for him. He said we would pay me for the work that I put into it, and I reminded him that I still owed him money. He said the debt was forgiven. Later we took it for a ride and I told him I felt like I hadn't put $1,500 worth of work into it. He said he was 100% happy with the deal, but if I wasn't, that I could come help them move to their new house in a month and that should be the end of it. I agreed.

I think it made a positive impact on both of our lives.

Thank you for the advice.

 

Happy endings are always so cool.

Ron

 

I put 900 miles on the car, broke in the new engine, all seemed well.

I took your advise and it went well. I invited him and my mom over for dinner and gave him the keys. He tried to fight me on it; told me that he just wanted to see someone else enjoy the car. My mom stepped in and told him that I only restored it to give it back to him and had no intention of keeping it for myself. He got all misty eyed and said that he needed to think about it for a minute - he walked off alone and my mom explained that he is a very sentimental person and that when lets go of something that is meaningful to him, he has to sever that thing from himself mentally. Having the car come back into his life would take some re-wiring in his brain.

He came back and said that was the nicest thing anyone ever did for him. He said we would pay me for the work that I put into it, and I reminded him that I still owed him money. He said the debt was forgiven. Later we took it for a ride and I told him I felt like I hadn't put $1,500 worth of work into it. He said he was 100% happy with the deal, but if I wasn't, that I could come help them move to their new house in a month and that should be the end of it. I agreed.

I think it made a positive impact on both of our lives.

Thank you for the advice.

Great story, Strantor... that deserves a double like... *thumbs up*

 

I took your advise and it went well.

I think it made a positive impact on both of our lives.

Thank you for the advice.

That is wonderful to hear -- sounds like it went as well as anyone could hope for. Thanks for letting us all know how it turned out.