March 26, 2014

An 81-year-old man and his 69-year-old wife were sitting side by side when the mudslide hit.

When McPherson woke up, he was still sitting upright in his heavy wooden chair. But their house in a rural enclave about an hour's drive north from Seattle had been pushed 150 yards.
His chair was crushed around him. A ceiling beam lay across his lap. And he was almost completely encased in mud, so cold that he was beyond shivering. All he could move was his right arm....

The chair saved McPherson in more ways than one. Its arms, tall and strong, kept falling debris from breaking his legs. And when the chair shattered, it provided him with a sharp stick that he used to dig through the thick, cold mud.

"Before he heard people coming, he was able to dig a hole and see the sky," said Kate McPherson, 38. "The whole time, he was calling for my mom, who was right next to him, but she never responded. He's physically doing pretty good... But he lost the love of his life. They were married 46 years...."

38 comments:

William said...

No one ever expects the mud slide.

Curious George said...

Sounds like Black life. Without the chair.

Rick M said...

The County's inspection listed this area as having the highest potential to landslide.

The Crack Emcee said...

Curious George said...
Sounds like Black life. Without the chair.

No shit - it just crushes you.

I feel for the guy - I notice none of the white people said they do.

And that's the difference,...

The Crack Emcee said...

Sociopathy:

It's a white thing, blacks wouldn't understand,...

MadisonMan said...

I feel for the guy - I notice none of the white people said they do.

And that's the difference,...

I just assume that people feel for the guy. And you don't.

That's the real difference.

The Crack Emcee said...

MadisonMan,

I just assume that people feel for the guy. And you don't.


And what happens when we ass-u-me?

The Crack Emcee said...

And I notice you didn't say you do, either:

It's like a white affliction - not voicing compassion.

OTHER PEOPLE will handle it,...

The Crack Emcee said...

You guys are like those online bullies who drive teenage girls to kill themselves.

It must feel great to be dicks.

As long as you gout the money, huh?

MadisonMan said...

In this case, when we assume, we think the best of people.

Go on thinking the worst of everyone who is white.

I prefer my assumptions to yours.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

"OTHER PEOPLE will handle it,..."

Yeah, other white people. I've seen the aftermath of natural disaster. Lots of Mormons helping out but no Brothers.

MadisonMan said...

And there's always a place for the angry young man,
With his fist in the air and his head in the sand.
And he's never been able to learn from mistakes,
He can't understand why his heart always breaks.
His honor is pure and his courage as well,
He's fair and he's true and he's boring as hell!
And he'll go to the grave as an angry old man.

Gahrie said...

And what happens when we ass-u-me?

We all know that very well, you demonstrate it for us every day..usually on multiple posts.

Larry J said...

For a guy who claims he wants to attract traffic to his website, TCE sure comes across as a race-obscessed hateful bigot.

Gahrie said...

It's like a white affliction - not voicing compassion.

Really? White Americans are the most generous people on Earth in history.

SJ said...

I feel for the guy.

In my extended family, we've seen two deaths in the past year. Both them over the age of 80, both of natural causes.

Though this death was caused by natural forces, I don't think it would be classified as death by "natural causes."

In my mind's eye, an elderly relative living in the country has a peaceful, quiet life. But I sometimes wonder whether that also means they are unlikely to get help rapidly when an emergency strikes.

However, this emergency is of a type that not even the young and healthy can call themselves well-prepared-for.

The smallest things--the type of chair--change the odds of survival.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

So sad for all of those people but especially to lose your life partner. This man was incredibly lucky and resilient to be able to dig himself partially out of the mud AND at his age. There are still many many people missing and likely dead. Not nearly as interesting as a big plane missing though. That was exciting and awesome, not just a bunch of redneck hard working country people. Right? (that was sarcasm)

Nature is strong and overwhelming. We can't change nature. Nature doesn't give a rip about us. Nature is the biggest baddest Honey Badger of all. Global warming and our pitiful little lightbulb ban as a stop gap? Really? Drought is going to kill us all!!!!.....oh wait.... a flood. That's it.....a flood and mudslide caused by Global Warming or Climate Change....or something. The earth is heating up and people are freezing to death.

Global warmists are about on the same level as Crack, they see their favorite strawman everywhere and ride their hobby horse with wild abandon. Yeee Haw!!!!

alan markus said...

@ Larry:

For a guy who claims he wants to attract traffic to his website, TCE sure comes across as a race-obscessed hateful bigot.

There wouldn't be a website (at least one that anyone would be aware of) were it not for Althouse.

Lyssa said...

How sad. I'll bet that, given their ages, he probably had barely even ever contemplated the idea that he'd be the one that lost her.

The Crack Emcee said...

MadisonMan said...
In this case, when we assume, we think the best of people.

Ah - the 'Just World' Fallacy - you imagine it and that makes it true. Racism's gone, whites are compassionate, and blacks complain for nothing, which is why whites can now harass them with impunity.

It's not an exact fit, but, with you, I'm going with Number 20, on the list blacks are passing around, of things whites say when challenged by blacks:

"20) I am going to ignore structural racism, history, the legacy of colonialism and slavery, the ongoing eradication and appropriation and insist that you are the racist."

Works for me!

The Crack Emcee said...

Larry J said...
For a guy who claims he wants to attract traffic to his website, TCE sure comes across as a race-obscessed hateful bigot.


The lie now is I claimed to want to drive traffic to my site.

Without providing links!

Why do you lie, Larry, why do you lie?

Smilin' Jack said...

The Crack Emcee said...
Sociopathy:

It's a white thing, blacks wouldn't understand,...


The Last King of Scotland was unavailable for comment.

William said...

As I understand it, mud slides seem to affect Hispanics and Filipinos the most. Whites and American blacks not so much. It's just not one of those things you worry about. I'm an old man. I make an honest effort not to worry about cancer and strokes and COPD. Sometimes it takes a lot of effort, especially when someone you're close to croaks in such a hideous way. The upside of death by mudslide is that no one expects that particular bell to toll for them. White Americans will thus remain callous in their attitude towards mud slides until such time as Gwyneth Paltrow or some other celebrity dies in such a manner. If mudslides disproportionately affected blacks and gays that would probably work too.

The Crack Emcee said...

Dust Bunny Queen,

"Global warmists are about on the same level as Crack, they see their favorite strawman everywhere and ride their hobby horse with wild abandon. Yeee Haw!!!!"

I know - I'm "subhuman scum" - and you're someone who doesn't understand science.

I'd rather be hobby horse rider than a luddite,...

Birkel said...

I'm confused. With a name like McPherson he was likely white.

Therefore, the "victim" here was definitely a racist.

But The Crack Emcee says he feels for the guy. Therefore, I can only assume The Crack Emcee supports racists.

The Crack Emcee is a racist.

QED

Wince said...

Indeed, "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World".

"Can we get two mudslides."

Gahrie said...

I'd rather be hobby horse rider than a luddite,...

Crack you fucking idiot, it is the Climate Change alarmists who are the luddites that want to destroy modern civilization.

Clyde said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Clyde said...

What a sad story, and repeated numerous times for the others killed and missing. It just goes to show that sometimes bad things happen to people who are living their lives and minding their own business, like that guy in Seattle last week who had a helicopter crash down on his car and set it (and him) on fire.

And Crack, it must be awfully crowded there in your head with 250 million white people living there rent-free 24/7.

The Crack Emcee said...

Gahrie,

"Crack you fucking idiot, it is the Climate Change alarmists who are the luddites that want to destroy modern civilization."

Tell it to Neil deGrass Tyson. If you can convince him he doesn't know what he's talking about, then fine. Until then, you're hot air.

The Crack Emcee said...

Clyde,

"And Crack, it must be awfully crowded there in your head with 250 million white people living there rent-free 24/7."

You know, the way you guys trivialize the black experience - which can be like you describe because at no time have we ever been free of your influence - it's no wonder 97% of blacks won't vote with you. You shame yourselves. You are the white race to us. You do yourselves no favors when you can see I'm trying. Maybe not your way, maybe not even in the best way, but I'm trying and you're not. I want a country and you want the evil status quo. I want a future and you want to see me destroyed.

It's simply not the same thing - so I'm gone,…

Birkel said...

The Crack Emcee,

You have trivialized my experiences as a Native American. You care not one whit about me and mine.

But that's alright. Because you're trying. And reality is evil.

(As I think about it, a lot of New Age thinking has crept into your tiny brain. Sad, that.)

Blue@9 said...

No shit - it just crushes you.

I feel for the guy - I notice none of the white people said they do.


Dude, why do you have to go there?

Btw, I'm of Asian descent--any special pronouncements regarding my race's capacity for vocal compassion?

The Crack Emcee said...

Blue@9,

"Dude, why do you have to go there?"

It's a thing. Don't sweat it. They don't. Why do you think blacks like Eminem? Because he's not a sociopath.

"Btw, I'm of Asian descent--any special pronouncements regarding my race's capacity for vocal compassion?"



Yeah - get 'em in front of the right audience and y'all knock that shit out of the park! And while you listen, hear the audience. They appreciate what they are learning and why am I going there?

Dude, I'm black,...

Gahrie said...

Tell it to Neil deGrass Tyson. If you can convince him he doesn't know what he's talking about, then fine. Until then, you're hot air.

Not until I know his position on the ancient Zimbabwe jet fighters.

Smilin' Jack said...

Why do you think blacks like Eminem? Because he's not a sociopath.

Don't think we haven't noticed, Crack. He'll meet the fate of all race traitors. As we like to say, the KKK is on the way....

SomeoneHasToSayIt said...
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SomeoneHasToSayIt said...
This comment has been removed by the author.