Is this 40% not evacuated thing really true? What’s the source? Why do you think people haven’t moved out? There was Rita of course, but I wonder if the ’squib’ that was Gustav (of course, try telling that to the poor people who lost their shore homes) combined with Nagin’s (sort of justified) ‘get out or die’ comments has caused harumphing.

People really need to get out.

The government has $167 million in this building and it was designed to ride out a storm like this, so it will be interesting to see how it does.

Oh, and UTMB is like the fourth or fifth largest employer in the Houston/Galveston area, so there would be a huge economic impact on the area if Galveston is a total loss.

They are sending people to Ball High School as the refuge of last resort — I lived three blocks from there for five years and used to walk my dog around the school every morning. The San Luis Hotel, where the city officials are bunkered (and one of my wife’s friend’s husband will be), is on the Seawall but elevated an additional 30 feet more, so it should be fine, though they are in for a long night.