# Tornados in OK



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Im really broke up about the death and destruction in OK. 
Can someone please tell me why anyone would live in these "tornado alley" areas? 
I know it's a lot of territory, but after viewing the last few days mayhem, death and destruction, I just can't understand the appeal of living there? Moore OK already had the same thing in the late 90's. 
I know I'm just a easterner living in my little cocooned world, no real bad weather, no poison snakes, fire ants, etc. THOSE I could handle, but F5 tornados are just too crazy to deal with. 
I'm surprised folks haven't just abandoned those areas and tried to make it somewhere else, where the chance of death by tornado isn't so high. I can't believe an area would be so attractive to live in that one would risk their life to be there. 
So sad what happened there. My heart breaks for those who lost their children today.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Well home is where the heart is and obviously some peoples hearts belong to Oklahoma.

Mine is why would anybody live where in the winter it can routinely get 60 degrees below what it would take to freeze the family jewels off?


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## cwright (Oct 19, 2011)

Yes it is heart breaking to see and hear especially about the children.

I guess they just accept the fact that there might be a tornado. Some people in the alley have seen tornados but have never had damage but the neighbor next door loses everything. Its just so random.

42 deaths in Tennessee in 2008 and about the same number in Alabama in 2012. Several twisters have whizzed by here. One skipped over my house and leveled a barn 300 yards away then skipped up the valley a flattened another barn then went away. No one was injured but it sure will get your attention. A couple of years ago three large storms with possible tornados dumped tremendous amounts of hail that cause a lot of damage. Folks are still replacing roofs.

CW


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

I live in Illinois on my grandfather's farm because it's where I grew up, where my friends and family are at, and where all my memories are. I'm reminded every day that my grandparents cleared this ground and built this house, that my parents lived just up the road a 1/2 mile. I see the guys I grew up with, raised all kinds of hell with, almost everyday.

There is no place I'd rather be. But, if I could pack all that up and move it, I'd be out of this stinking state of Illinois with its corrupt politicians in a heartbeat. We get tornadoes through here but they're tolerable compared to those idiots.

I live here because of the feelings, not the logic.

Ralph


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I guess you make good points, but man, risking your life and kids lives for it. That's an awful big decision to make, but I respect your courage. I heard those people only had 16 minutes warning...man that's a short time to get the family pictures, take one last look around at the house and get in the tornado cellar....


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

I think most people, especially farmers like where they come from. I wouldn't really want to move to the midwest with the humidity, the east with all the trees hemming me in. Texas with no real winter and humidity. California with the idiots running the place and long farm season. I'll stay here in Colorado. Though I suspect I might like Idaho or eastern Washington state. I have a friend who lived here a while that is from Oklahoma. He absolutely loves Oklahoma. So much that he moved back finally.


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## IslandBreeze (Nov 6, 2012)

JD, in my neck of the woods it normally comes down to intelligence, money or both. There is people here that just has never been anywhere else to see how nice it can be elsewhere. I was talking to a 35 year old guy the other day at a tire shop & he was asking me about the truck I just bought. I told him that I drove to Texas to buy it & he asked me what it was like down there. You would of thought he asked me about Italy. I was thinking dude, it's 6 hours away! He had been to Ar, Ok & Ks. I couldn't imagine living like that but then again my grandpa was like that but he was from a different generation.

I've always had a basement on my houses but what I don't understand is living in tornado targets (trailers) & then being surprised when it carries the damn things 5 miles down the road. It's kind of like not making ur kids wear seatbelts & then being surprised when the go thru the windshield in a wreck.

I live here because of family but when my 11 year old graduates I'm heading toward Florida or the Vegas area.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Well why do people live where there are hurricanes,earthquakes,forest fires? Or where it is 110 degrees in the summer or 30 below in the winter?

For most farmers it is where our ancestors located.It is not all that easy to relocate a farm.We have roots here.


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## Blue Duck (Jun 4, 2009)

Living in tornado alley is not as dangerous as you might think. I know more people that were killed in farm accidents or auto accidents than tornados.

"There's no place like home"
"There's no place like home"
"There's no place like home"


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

IslandBreeze said:


> JD, in my neck of the woods it normally comes down to intelligence, money or both. There is people here that just has never been anywhere else to see how nice it can be elsewhere. I was talking to a 35 year old guy the other day at a tire shop & he was asking me about the truck I just bought. I told him that I drove to Texas to buy it & he asked me what it was like down there. You would of thought he asked me about Italy. I was thinking dude, it's 6 hours away! He had been to Ar, Ok & Ks. I couldn't imagine living like that but then again my grandpa was like that but he was from a different generation.


I know a lot of people like that, might go up to Michigan once in a while or Florida, Vegas or Atlantic City.

Going to the UK to visit the wife's family again this winter. Booking a BB by Loch Ness for a few days. Just so I can say someday I've seen Loch Ness but sorry no didn't see Nessy.

Would also in the future see more of Europe when visiting the UK, Moscow is three hours away by jet...


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## cwright (Oct 19, 2011)

IslandBreeze said:


> I was talking to a 35 year old guy the other day at a tire shop & he was asking me about the truck I just bought. I told him that I drove to Texas to buy it & he asked me what it was like down there. You would of thought he asked me about Italy. I was thinking dude, it's 6 hours away!


 Thats so true. I was on the way to the Grand Canyon and stopped to get gas. I asked the attendant in the store how much farther it was to the Canyon.

He told me he didnt know and had lived there his whole life and has never seen it. The Canyon was an hour away.

I know a lot of people who have no desire to go anywhere and that may be one of the reasons some stay in the area they were born in.

CW


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## cwright (Oct 19, 2011)

mlappin said:


> Booking a BB by Loch Ness for a few days. Just so I can say someday I've seen Loch Ness but sorry no didn't see Nessy.


Betcha if you drink enough Scotch you will see ol nessy maybe even two of them.

CW


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I hope nobody was offended by my "why live in tornado alley" question. I just couldn't imagine living where you get a 30 minute or shorter warning to kiss it all goodbye except the dirt under your feet. I'm bummed out when a few shingles come loose or a tree falls on my yard.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

cwright said:


> Thats so true. I was on the way to the Grand Canyon and stopped to get gas. I asked the attendant in the store how much farther it was to the Canyon.
> He told me he didnt know and had lived there his whole life and has never seen it. The Canyon was an hour away.
> 
> I know a lot of people who have no desire to go anywhere and that may be one of the reasons some stay in the area they were born in.
> ...


I knew a guy who never left South Philly. He wouldn't even go 1 hour east to the Jersey shore for a quick summer vacation or a day off.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Come to think of it, a lot of the guys at the VFW said they have no real desire to travel abroad. I can be dense at times but it just struck me tonight most of the older ones most likely got all the exotic they ever wanted in Vietnam or Korea. Have a few WWII veterans left at the Legion in town as well. One of them is still sharp as a tack and you'd never guess he's in his early nineties.


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## IslandBreeze (Nov 6, 2012)

mlappin said:


> I know a lot of people like that, might go up to Michigan once in a while or Florida, Vegas or Atlantic City.
> 
> Going to the UK to visit the wife's family again this winter. Booking a BB by Loch Ness for a few days. Just so I can say someday I've seen Loch Ness but sorry no didn't see Nessy.
> 
> Would also in the future see more of Europe when visiting the UK, Moscow is three hours away by jet...


mlappin, ur a braver man than me. I would go to Russia about as soon as I would go to Iraq or N. Korea. I'm to afraid of being tossed n a hole never to be heard of again.....although my wife might not have any problems with that. I went to Italy a couple of years ago & it was amazing to see buildings so old compared to buildings around here. It definitely gives u a different perspective.



JD3430 said:


> I hope nobody was offended by my "why live in tornado alley" question. I just couldn't imagine living where you get a 30 minute or shorter warning to kiss it all goodbye except the dirt under your feet. I'm bummed out when a few shingles come loose or a tree falls on my yard.


JD, no offense taken here. I totally know what ur talking about. There isn't a house, job or farm worth dying over because of pride as far as I'm concerned. As far as grabbing the pictures, I think that only happens in the movies. When one of those monsters are bearing down on you, you haul a$$ for cover & don't think about nothing but survival. I had one go over me & my family at the lake when I was younger. I remember holding on to trees with my dad laying on us. It wasn't probably more than a F1 but it was still scary. The old man taught me a lesson about fatherhood & family that day!


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

We can have tornados in these parts. Not exactly tornado ally but they do arrive.

My family has been here since the mid 1800's. Never had one touch down in our community but have seen a couple spinning as they went over.

We always have ample warning. Usually a day in advance that trouble is brewing.

One thing is a given. If and F4 or F5 makes a direct hit, something is going to get blown away.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

IslandBreeze said:


> mlappin, ur a braver man than me. I would go to Russia about as soon as I would go to Iraq or N. Korea. I'm to afraid of being tossed n a hole never to be heard of again.....although my wife might not have any problems with that. I went to Italy a couple of years ago & it was amazing to see buildings so old compared to buildings around here. It definitely gives u a different perspective.


I tend to blend in wherever I go. My last time in the UK while taking a walk I was asked directions to the local Tesco and I even knew where it was at.

I wouldn't mind seeing Venice or Florence. Oktoberfest would be the bomb but not a chance of that with soybeans to cut. Wouldn't mind seeing the running of the bulls either.

Went to Ely the last trip to the UK and seen a Cathedral that was even older than Kings Cathedral at Cambridge. If I remember correctly the current cathedral construction started in the 1300's on top of a church that had been there for over 200 years.

Outside of Felixstowe we went to a little pub known as the Ferry Boat Inn, built in 1432.

We will be going to Normandy as well this trip, no way avoidable but have to switch rides in Paris. I'd rather take my chances with Moscow than step foot in Paris. Maybe while in Paris if I look threatening enough they'll surrender to me? The wife's cousin and about half a dozen of his mates used to take motorcycle tours of Europe before they settled down, they loved the south of France and the people of France, however not one had any good thing to say about the people of Paris, actually when describing the people of Paris a couple of them came with such creative and imaginative combinations of curse words even I was awestruck at the vulgarity.

I still wouldn't mind stopping at the Louvre though while in Paris, guess they have a pretty snazzy painting or three.  Wouldn't mind stopping at The Pushkin if I ever made it to Moscow as they have they only painting Van Gogh ever sold while he was alive, The Red Vineyard. Which is amazing actually as to say the least while alive Van Gogh was nothing but a prolific artist with around 900 known paintings. First time visiting the UK we did London with a stop at the National Gallery which has a respectable collection of Van Gogh as well, with Sunflowers being one of the better known.

Just hooked on Van Gogh for some reason after watching Vincent and The Doctor, most likely helps that Karen Gillan is exquisite.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

It's funny---how some people love to travel and others don't.

My father thought nothing of driving all over the US, going overseas, where ever...loved to travel.

For myself, a long trip is going to the bar in the next town up the road. I have no desire whatsoever to travel.

Spent a year in Antwerp one week.

Ralph


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I was in Paris for a week. They were celebrating Bastille Day.
The people were jerks, but never gave us any problems. The architecture was the best I've ever seen other than Venice or Rome. It was a summer carnival like atmosphere. Really beautiful. 
Venice and Rome are just amazing. Everyone should go before they die.


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## IslandBreeze (Nov 6, 2012)

mlappin, Van Gogh? I would have never guessed. I learn something new everyday. As for Karen Gillan, I'm going to have to Google her & check her out. I've never heard of her or the movie but that's not saying much.

rj, that's how my dad is now. He used to talk about traveling to the northeast fro weeks at a time after he retired but now since he's retired he just likes sitting around the house watching CNN & The Weather Channel, occasionally going to a motorcycle rally. He had 2 brain surgeries after his stroke 5 years ago so I think maybe some wires got crossed up when they were in there. I could be on the road everyday it wouldn't be enough for me. Driving seems to clear my head the most.........of course, only behind a nice stout margarita.

JD, I've had family go to Paris also & they said the same thing about the people but added that it was one of the dirtiest places they had seen. When I went to Italy a couple of years ago, we took the same route as you. We flew into Rome & took a train up to Venice. Venice was the only place that I've ever just took off walking without a map, just to see where an ally ended up. The canals were a hell of a lot bigger than I thought they would be. They were almost like rivers.......rivers I wouldn't jump in. Everything was neat in that country, even the train ride & seeing there mini dump trucks.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

I made a comment to Tammy's cousin about how neat and orderly everything was in England, he admitted that until I brought it up he took it for granted and agreed.

When just England is only the size of Mississippi and the UK (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) is the size of Michigan, it's not real hard to keep everything tidy.

Karen Gillan as Amy Pond.

Far as Van Gogh, my mom might have been a hippie back in the day but she did have some art courses in college. But can you imagine this, from 1881 to 1890 he produced 900 paintings and 1100 drawings and sketches but only sold one. One painting for 400 francs. Literally his entire career as a painter he had to view himself as a failure yet he kept on with a tenacity that bordered on insanity. Would have made a hell of a farmer.

Vincent visits the Museum.


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

JD we or many of us when the sirens go off we go outside and check the conditions if day time. I'm sure your thinking we are crazy but it's what we do. When hurricane Katrina I was amazed that with 5 Days notice they were still waiting for it ! There are dangers no matter where one lives. Yes Nators drop out at a moments notice and the devastation is unreal but just like you see on TV " Well I guess we will rebuild"


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Same in Indiana, sirens go off and first you think "is it test day?" if not then you turn the radio on or check the sky's.

Indiana doesn't get hit like some places, but we do get some once in awhile.


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