By Ken Robinson

The crazy (and dangerous) weather around the nation and the world does make us believe something karmic is going on.

We have several friends in Florida living on the east coast near Boca Raton, the southernmost city in Palm Beach County. They have emailed us in the last couple of days to say they are battening down the house with plywood from the last storm a decade ago but are okay so far. 

These same friends grew up here, in Normandy Park. They have a beautiful home on the Intracoastal Waterway, a 3,000 mile long waterway that runs from Boston to the top of Florida. Some sections of the waterway consist of natural inlets, saltwater rivers, bays, and sounds, while others are artificial canals. It provides a navigable route along its length without many of the hazards of travel on the open sea.

On Sunday, the storm which earlier was headed west began turning north east and seemed to be cruising right up along the coast. By the time you read this column, major damage will have occurred.

We keep our friends in our thoughts for a safe passage.

The story last week about the devastation in Houston, written by our own Lindsay Peyton, underscored the depth of the devastation.

In her words: "Maybe you think Houston is just some city 2,000 miles away. Maybe you think that the only way this story applies to you is as an appeal to your pocketbook, an appeal to your heart to have some sympathy. 

But really this story should serve as a parable, a forewarning even. 

How are we as a nation preparing for the long-term effects of global warming? Are we truly considering the environmental impact of constant development, ever-expanding pavement?

Are we building safely and investing in needed safeguards for industry? Or are we just doing the minimum? Being reactive instead of proactive? 

Houston is not the only city in the U.S. placed perilously close to the ocean. Look at those maps displaying the cities and regions will be under water in the next decade. Where will all those people go? And will you – or the people you love -- be among them?"