Anyone in the path of Irene?

POSTED BY: Niki2
UPDATED: Wednesday, August 31, 2011 23:10
VIEWED: 5669
PAGE 1 of 1

NIKI2

Friday, August 26, 2011 6:55 PM

I don't know where everyone lives or how many of us, if any, are waiting for this disaster to occur, but I'd like to, and hear personal accounts of it.

Seems really unfair to me; the East Coast has gone through enough already; first a horrendous heat wave, then a 'quake, now this! What did yo guys do, exactly, to piss God off so badly? (or is it Nature you've pissed off?)

DREAMTROVE

Friday, August 26, 2011 8:34 PM

Yes, thanks for the reminder, I have to do something about that. A lot of stuff has to move indoors.

That's what a ship is, you know - it's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship needs.

STORYMARK

Friday, August 26, 2011 9:00 PM

Times like these, Im glad i live in a dessert.

"Goram it kid, let's frak this thing and go home! Engage!"

CUDA77

Friday, August 26, 2011 10:50 PM

WHY IS THE PRESIDENT SIPPING DRINKS AT MARTHA'S VINEYARD WHEN HE SHOULD BE STOPPING THIS?! [/snark]

Socialist and unashamed about it.

FREMDFIRMA

Saturday, August 27, 2011 12:12 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Niki2:
What did yo guys do, exactly, to piss God off so badly?

Is it bad that I'm offering a libation of blessed water from a pagan sanctuary to Poseidon in hopes he'll aim the damn thing at Washington DC ?
Well, honestly I'd rather it not hit anybody, but if it's GOING to hit us, yanno....

-Frem
I do not serve the Blind God.

PIRATENEWS

Saturday, August 27, 2011 2:10 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Fremdfirma:

Is it bad that I'm offering a libation of blessed water from a pagan sanctuary to Poseidon in hopes he'll aim the damn thing at Washington DC ?

Your wish is granted...

MAL4PREZ

Saturday, August 27, 2011 3:23 AM

The line of the storm's center is currently forecast to pass about 5-10 miles from my apartment early Sunday afternoon. (I'm on the NY/CT state line a mile from the coast of the Sound.)

I got stuff stocked a'plenty. Mainly, wine and candles, and some gin if it gets really rough. The only thing that worries me is the possibility of a window blowing out. 60 mph winds, 70+ mph gusts for ~20 hours? My little old building is not the sturdiest. I'm in a detached garage, on the second floor. The garage downstairs will certainly flood, but that's no biggy. More problematic is how there are no storm windows, and there's already a gutter hanging off the roof, half torn off in a storm last winter. Of course, my landlady hasn't done shit to fix it.

The neighbors have a gigantic dead tree. The big branches wouldn't reach my place if it went down, but I do worry about those neighbors. If the wind blows as forecast - north, with the storm center to the east of us - the thing could fall right on their house. I'll be keeping an eye on them.

I may have interesting pictures to post come Monday!

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DREAMTROVE

Saturday, August 27, 2011 3:36 AM

I'm in favor of it hitting DC as then it won't hit us. I'm quite partial to my trees, of which I have a great number, but do not care to lose any to 100 mph winds.

That's what a ship is, you know - it's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship needs.

MAL4PREZ

Saturday, August 27, 2011 4:00 AM

OK, I thought about it - with the storm center to the east, my winds should be blowing southward, right? Weird that the NOAA forecast was saying north winds... That's from the north then? Good for my neighbors.

Been looking the storm surge. Could be as much as 11 feet, I'm seeing. I'm at an elevation of about 30, so I'll be all right, other than the usual garage puddles.

There's a nature sanctuary and an amusement park on the coast that I jog past almost daily. I'd be really sad to see that sanctuary harmed. I'll go check it out Monday morning, though I'm afraid of what I'll find.

There are soooo many trees here, and they aren't used to heavy winds. The destruction after a strong spring storm can be quite extensive. This going to be ugly. Uh... but no Katrina. Not that kind of ugliness!

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AURAPTOR

Saturday, August 27, 2011 1:52 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Cuda77:
WHY IS THE PRESIDENT SIPPING DRINKS AT MARTHA'S VINEYARD WHEN HE SHOULD BE STOPPING THIS?! [/snark]

He did come out and claim that this hurricane was " historic "

It's a cat 2, Barry. Get over yourself. Because it happens in YOUR term in office, doesn't make it " historic ".

But it's still a hurricane. Y'all be safe and such, k ?

" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

KWICKO

Saturday, August 27, 2011 5:34 PM

"Historic" because it's basically aimed directly at DC and NYC. Doesn't happen very often.

Y'know, kind of like the BP oil spill in the Gulf was "historic". Oil spills happen with frightening regularity, even in the Gulf of Mexico, but some are more historic than others in their impact.

Meanwhile, where's the Republican "leadership"? Have they gone into hiding? Are they on yet another vacation after their usual harrowing three day work week?

AURAPTOR

Saturday, August 27, 2011 6:14 PM

This President loves to use the word 'historic' more than any other.

Which is fitting, seeing how he's given this country a HISTORIC debt to pay.

PEACEKEEPER

Sunday, August 28, 2011 2:00 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
Times like these, Im glad i live in a dessert.

"Goram it kid, let's frak this thing and go home! Engage!"

There you go folks, You can avoid the forces of nature by residing in a huge strawberry blancmange!!!!! On a more serious note, I do hope that everyone affected comes out unscathed.It must be quite unsettling.
And to all you teabaggers, just wave your guns at it, it'll be bound to turn tail and run around you!!!!

Peacekeeper---keeping order in every verse!!!

DREAMTROVE

Sunday, August 28, 2011 2:09 AM

We're getting hit by a hurricane. Nice to know there's folk out there who can turn anything into a partisan mudslinging contest. So far, calm where I am. They keep predicting it will hit us, but it hasn't come over the mountains from NYC. I'm sure it will, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was somewhat muted. We've been hit hard before, the catskills aren't all that tall.

That's what a ship is, you know - it's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship needs.

WULFENSTAR

Sunday, August 28, 2011 2:11 AM

"There you go folks, You can avoid the forces of nature by residing in a huge strawberry blancmange!!!!! On a more serious note, I do hope that everyone affected comes out unscathed.It must be quite unsettling.
And to all you teabaggers, just wave your guns at it, it'll be bound to turn tail and run around you!!!!"

Went ahead and did that. Grabbed my Glock23, and my H&K USP, pointed both at the sky and screamed "YOU SHALL NOT BOTHER ME!"

And lo and behold, all we got was rain.

I did see a weird man and woman pull up at the local CVS tho... their car festooned (how often do you get to use that word, really?) with Obama stickers.

They ran inside, bought 5 gallons of milk, a pack of batteries and raced out. Almost like a creditor, a loan officer, or a job was chasing them.

Quite amusing actually.

"Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies"

ANTHONYT

Sunday, August 28, 2011 2:38 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:

This President loves to use the word 'historic' more than any other.

Which is fitting, seeing how he's given this country a HISTORIC debt to pay.

]

Hello,

I miss Presidents who talked about duty.

--Anthony

_______________________________________________

“If you are not free to choose wrongly and irresponsibly, you are not free at all”

Jacob Hornberger

“Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to err. It passes my comprehension how human beings, be they ever so experienced and able, can delight in depriving other human beings of that precious right.”

Mahatma Gandhi

AURAPTOR

Sunday, August 28, 2011 2:51 AM

Yeah, Anthony. Your childish partisan reply really adds nothing to the Hurricane Irene thread, at all.

But thanks for playing.

" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

ANTHONYT

Sunday, August 28, 2011 3:15 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:

Yeah, Anthony. Your childish partisan reply really adds nothing to the Hurricane Irene thread, at all.

But thanks for playing.

" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

Hello,

I admit it's not as Historic as your own.

--Anthony

_______________________________________________

“If you are not free to choose wrongly and irresponsibly, you are not free at all”

Jacob Hornberger

“Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to err. It passes my comprehension how human beings, be they ever so experienced and able, can delight in depriving other human beings of that precious right.”

Mahatma Gandhi

MAL4PREZ

Sunday, August 28, 2011 3:15 AM

In the meantime, Irene is still forecast to pass directly over my neck of the woods. The lightening just got going in the past half hour, and the wind is starting to pick up. Good times.

And now back to the usual partisan bickering. Really, only being trapped at home by a storm like this would drive me to posting here again. Sheesh.

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AURAPTOR

Sunday, August 28, 2011 3:44 AM

You'll have gone through more 'canes than I have. Stay safe. Hope she remains a Cat 1, and the damage is minimized.

" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

SHINYGOODGUY

Sunday, August 28, 2011 4:01 AM

Stocked and ready. It's the waiting thats getting to me. Heard that she's moving about 16 mph in a northerly direction with the eye headed straight for us in NYC.

Right now it's 12:00 am and all is calm. A steady rain is falling, but not much in the way of wind. From all accounts, she's due to hit us about 8 a.m.

SGG

Tawabawho?

AURAPTOR

Sunday, August 28, 2011 4:07 AM

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26295161/ns/weather/?ocid=ansmsnbc11

( not that it'll do you much good, being a sitting duck, but the rest of us can keep track of the carnage... errr, 'storm'. )

Looks like she's tracking a bit more towards the east.... to more open water.

" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

SHINYGOODGUY

Sunday, August 28, 2011 4:09 AM

Hey Mal4Prez,

I saw on the news that the wind is coming off the ocean (counterclockwise) East to West.

Sorry to hear about the trees though. Those will surely be bending sideways if the winds sustain 80 mph. But I heard that inland would get tropical storm force winds (just around 70 mph).

Wish you well.

SGG

Tawabawho?

SHINYGOODGUY

Sunday, August 28, 2011 4:38 AM

Come on guys, he's just went on vacation, but then cut it short to lead the nation. Surely you could leave the rhetoric alone for just a minute................oh, alright. I guess it can't be helped.................

"Heartfelt congratulations to "the" President, who on Friday August 19th breaks Ronald Reagan's all-time record for most vacation days. The old record was 335 days, though Reagan took his sweet time of eight years to accomplish this feat. "The" President did it in nearly half the time. And with another two weeks of [vacation] on tap, he's obviously not content with simply breaking the record, he's going to smoke that record right out of the hole." --The Daily Pick, August 19, 2005.

Hey, how'd that get in there?

Is that you Rupert? Hacking again! Shame on you!

SGG

Tawabawho?

SHINYGOODGUY

Sunday, August 28, 2011 4:46 AM

In just the last 45 minutes the wind has picked up quite a bit. Right now torrential downpours and trees swaying.

Excuse me while I go take care of some furniture.

SGG

Tawabawho?

MAL4PREZ

Sunday, August 28, 2011 4:52 AM

Woo-hoo! 12:40 and the winds are starting to pick up. I wish no one harm from this, but I must admit that I enjoy the chaos of a good storm. This one should get real interesting about sunrise. I know I'll be tempted to make like the stupid reporters and go walk around in it, but if it's really 60-70 mph winds, I think I'll manage to fight off the temptation.

Good website, Rappy. I've had several weather sites open all day, but most don't allow zooming. You're right, MSNBC does show it tracking a bit east of me. Poor Long Island is gonna get nailed. They're on that strong side, and they've got the tide to deal with.

Anyone heard this: Apparently, residents of parts of LI who refused to evacuate were asked to write their names and SS numbers on their forearms. I wonder who came up with that. Practical and amusing, in a very dark way.

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MAL4PREZ

Sunday, August 28, 2011 4:58 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Shinygoodguy:
In just the last 45 minutes the wind has picked up quite a bit. Right now torrential downpours and trees swaying.

Excuse me while I go take care of some furniture.

SGG

Tawabawho?

Where you at? In the city?

While you wait for Armageddon, check this, both the picture and the comments:

http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/jw4ol/upstate_new_york_reddit_it
s_my_first_hurricane/

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PIZMOBEACH

Sunday, August 28, 2011 1:32 PM

Best of luck M4P, hope you're doing well! The news this am makes it sound like it's calming some.
That is one of the funniest pictures and sets of comments I have ever read... nice to see the better side of people from time to time, thx for that.

Scifi movie music + Firefly dialogue clips, 24 hours a day - http://www.scifiradio.com

KWICKO

Sunday, August 28, 2011 1:45 PM

So far, it looks like it wasn't as bad as many feared and expected. Still glad they took the precautions, though.

MAL4PREZ

Sunday, August 28, 2011 2:55 PM

Yeah, it's not so bad here. Rain's done, it's breezy and all kinds of leaves and little branches are down, but nothing big. I think I'm in a sheltered spot, with a hill between me and the coast. I'll go out in a bit and see how the shoreline fared.

It never reached that sustained high wind thing, the kind I've seen on TV that breaks all the palm trees. Just gusty and rainy.

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NIKI2

Sunday, August 28, 2011 3:31 PM

Fascinating! I wrote this on Friday--didn't get here yesterday because I sulkied w/the dogs too long--come back this morning and it's like going through it with you (not really, but you know what I mean)...up-to-date posts throughout a long time, and my imagination doing its best with the info you posted. Haven't checked the news yet, so I'm hoping the worst is over for you guys and you're okay, and sending all good wishes out that way. I hope NY wasn't inundated and yeah, I'm all for it hitting WA--then again, given it's a "bowl", the damage would probably be awful, and do more harm to the folks who can't afford it than the politicos (any who don't live in that area already having taken flight, no doubt!).

Would be really great if they were over-prepared and not much harm ended up being done. Have to check the news and see where it's at. I dunno about North winds and South winds and suchlike--I STILL have trouble with which one means which with "offshore" and "onshore" winds!

Since my memory sucks, when someone mentions where they'e from, I keep a list. I checked this morning and you three are the only New Yorkers...I don't have locations for Sig and Story, but it appears everyone I DO have locations for is no closer than Michigan (Frem and Oppy), etc. I'm reeely awful at geography of the East Coast...was asking Choey last night if Maryland was above or below New York (SHE couldn't remember, and she COMES from Michigan, which should be close enough to know, shouldn't it?). It's easier for us, we only have three states to remember...all your little states confuse me.

Out here, we are SOCKED IN big time...you can't see 50 feet. I love it; we're headed for the beach. I sat there with my jaw on the ground watching the enormous--well, you can't call them "white caps"! Very impressive. Almost makes me wish...uh, nah, I guess not.

Hope all are okay and if you lost or had anything damaged, may it be minimal. Keep posting, please, so we know you're okay (if you can, power and all).

Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
Contracted Agent of Veritas Oilspillus, code name “Nike”,
signing off

KWICKO

Sunday, August 28, 2011 4:52 PM

The only problem with being over-prepared is basic human nature. You'll see people being overcautious, and nothing much happens, so they start figuring maybe next time they won't prepare quite so well, and then you get walloped with a Katrina.

I'm glad they over-prepped, I'm glad Bloomberg ordered evacuations, and I'm glad the storm weakened and the surge wasn't near as bad as expected. There was still plenty of damage, and more will be reported, I'm sure, but this wasn't a catastrophic event, and it could have been.

"Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservatives." - John Stuart Mill

DREAMTROVE

Sunday, August 28, 2011 5:29 PM

Irene still here. Made landfall at Coney Island. Today's the annual town party, and Irene wasn't on the invitation list, but she showed up anyway. It's going to be interesting.

That's what a ship is, you know - it's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship needs.

NIKI2

Sunday, August 28, 2011 6:18 PM

Hang in there, DT. From what I see, she's been downgraded to tropical storm, but you guys and the more inland areas are in for a LOT of rain (somehow "lot" just doesn't do it)!

Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
Contracted Agent of Veritas Oilspillus, code name “Nike”,
signing off

MAL4PREZ

Sunday, August 28, 2011 9:47 PM

I spent the last several hours just walking around. Interesting stuff - flooding and trees down mostly. Not much destruction, fortunately, except some houses near the local little stream got flooded out.

The last few hours the wind has picked up again. I had a lovely time walking down the middle of a four lane road that's usually quite busy, but downed trees have it closed. It goes through a marsh and forest, so it was really lovely and wild with the wind gusting through.

And now I'm wiped. Hopefully I'll get my old camera to talk to my new computer and post some pictures later. First - dinner and a nap!

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DREAMTROVE

Monday, August 29, 2011 4:01 AM

Massive rescue effort underway for the appletree which fell on the powerline.

That's what a ship is, you know - it's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship needs.

NIKI2

Monday, August 29, 2011 5:22 AM

Mal; glad you're okay...must have been fascinating to see! We had two homes come down behind us 'way back in "our" disaster in the '80s; next day walked around the corner and it was amazing to see, nothing but a toilet here, a couch there, a jumble of wood and mud. Hope the damage isn't too bad, my heart goes out to those affected.

DT: Hope they manage to rescue the apple tree...CPR perhaps? ;o) Glad you're okay.

Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
Contracted Agent of Veritas Oilspillus, code name “Nike”,
signing off

RIONAEIRE

Monday, August 29, 2011 5:40 AM

I agree with Niki, it was really neat to be able to follow what was going on by looking at your posts. I'm one of those horrible people who is darkly fascinated by what is going on in the world that is full-coverageable, I always have been since I was a little girl. I didn't see much coverage of this one though because I was busy today.

I'm glad it wasn't as bad as it could have been. I'm glad that there were no chances taken and that people evacuated just in case, its better to be over prepared than not prepared. I'm glad everyone here is okay, just some branches and in DT's case the apple tree. That's a bummer DT, I love apples, but at least it didn't fall on the house or anything. I guess we didn't hear from anyone in NC, VA or MD, or DC for that matter, probably good that noone from DC is on here since Frem's trying to curse them, looks like it didn't work Frem. :))

This is the first hurricane we've had in several years, our east coast has had a nice break, after Katrina we needed a break for sure. But the earth keeps spinning and we can't be fortunate forever, I'm just glad that this wasn't as bad as they thought and I'm glad you guys are all okay.

"A completely coherant River means writers don't deliver" KatTaya

SHINYGOODGUY

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 1:27 AM

Yeah, in the city. Queens to be exact. Waited pateiently and fortunately nothing happened. We were lucky that Mother Nature cut us a break. From what I heard only 9 died, could have been much worse.

A prayer for those poor souls what left us, and a heartfelt thanks for those well-wishers. I too am glad we overprepared, it looked really bad there for a while - such a massive storm. But it's bark was worse than its bite.

Reporters did a good job, except they didn't really cover the aftermath of the cities and towns Irene hit before getting to the Tri-state area. It was damn near 5 a.m. when the first mention of North Carolina was broadcast. That could have given us some indication as to how violent Irene's winds were.

Anyway we dodged a bullet, I think. Thanks you guys.

SGG

Tawabawho?

MAL4PREZ

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 1:46 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Shinygoodguy:
Anyway we dodged a bullet, I think. Thanks you guys.

We definitely did. I used to live in Vermont, and some of those videos getting posted now were taken very close to my old house. Luckily, none of my friends up there lost out, but it sure is nasty. So sad about those covered bridges.

All this stuff about being "overprepared" is just silly. Weather is a chaotic system. It could have gone differently, and we'd have had no way of knowing in advance. Overpreparing is the best thing to do. Really wish someone had overprepared the Superdome in 2005, know what I mean?

I admit though, on some level I enjoyed it. Walking around yesterday with those winds blowing through was exhilarating. I grew in the midwest and I used to go running out in the backyard to see the storms roll in, much to the distress of my poor mom, who hid in the basement. The power of nature is quite stunning, and I appreciate experiencing it first hand.

Still haven't gotten the camera to talk to the computer. Don't see as it's really worth it though, since the pictures online are much more stirring than a few downed trees.

Anyway, glad it wasn't bad in Queens. The center of the storm didn't seem so bad, strangely.

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RIONAEIRE

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 3:03 AM

I visited VT two years ago and we saw some covered bridges, I really liked them and I too saw that video on the news about the ones that got washed out, bummer it was, but at least no one was on them when it happened. But I don't like it when old things are ruined.

"A completely coherant River means writers don't deliver" KatTaya

KWICKO

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 4:37 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by mal4prez:

All this stuff about being "overprepared" is just silly. Weather is a chaotic system. It could have gone differently, and we'd have had no way of knowing in advance. Overpreparing is the best thing to do. Really wish someone had overprepared the Superdome in 2005, know what I mean?

Exactly. The BEST that you can hope for is that you over-prepared. You freaking HOPE you did. People who under-prepare have a marked tendency to end up, erm... how you say? "Formerly alive."

I'm 200 miles from the ocean, and even I don't take hurricanes for granted. I've made the emergency run to help evac a friend in Galveston before Rita came ashore; it wasn't as bad as we'd feared, but neither of us were sorry we put in the work to prepare and to evacuate. That fact was hammered into our heads good and solid three years later, when Ike scrubbed his house off the surface of the planet a mere two weeks after he'd moved out of it and headed inland.

You fuck around with these things at your great peril. And it usually works out well for you when you do, every time but one. ;)

"Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservatives." - John Stuart Mill

MAL4PREZ

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 5:11 AM

I haven't posted this to the other Irene reaction thread because I like Anthony and don't want to fight with him, but...

What if Bush had planned ahead and had supplies and transportation available at the SuperDome? Holy shit - what a difference! To be able to get those people out to prepared and stocked shelters immediately, rather than abandoning them for days.

Certainly, Katrina was a beast far beyond Irene and nothing would have made her main strike perfectly harmless, but so much misery could have been avoided by certain people in charge actually being EDUCATED and preparing in advance, rather than looking down from their jet and saying: no one could have possibly known about this storm... (even though many many people DID know and DID try to warn the Shrub about the weakness the levies - Hey, kinda like how they tried to warn him about 9/11...)

We could have been assembling aid and service workers in advance, and how much fucking difference would that have made to the thousands of people at the SuperDome? The thousands more trapped on their roofs? If there were boats IMMEDIATELY available to get these people outta there? If there was food and water available to them immediately?

Obama learned his lesson well - he set that shit up in advance for Irena, and if he didn't end up needing it all, so what? He was ready.

Go BO for learning that lesson! On BO's Superdome, there would have been water, food, safety enforcement, and an evacuation system set up. All before the storm, so it'd be operating as soon as the storm passed.

But I guess some folks equate "educated" with "elitist," so they'd prefer someone who remains stupid and useless. That was our Shurb, and would be our Bachman, our Perry, our Palin. And what does that do? Several days of stupid, useless, time wasting passed before GWB figured out that it was politically expedient to not let all those poor black folks in the south die off. And that is why that horrible storm Katrina was much more horrible than it could have been. It was because our national leader was a moron.

And that is my partisan rant of the day. Guess it should have gone into the other thread. Oops.

I'm back. Deal with it.

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ANTHONYT

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 5:41 AM

"I haven't posted this to the other Irene reaction thread because I like Anthony and don't want to fight with him, but..."

Hello,

No worries. I was not impressed at all with Bush's handling of virtually any crisis presented during his administration.

I was not entirely impressed with the early weeks of Obama's response to the gulf oil disaster.

It may well be that Obama and/or FEMA have learned the valuable lessons of Katrina and would do far better in the same situation. Certainly the handling of this incident seems promising.

Hopefully he will never have the opportunity to prove the effectiveness of his response to a Katrina-level event. If he does, we will then have a fair yardstick for measure.

--Anthony

_______________________________________________

“If you are not free to choose wrongly and irresponsibly, you are not free at all”

Jacob Hornberger

“Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to err. It passes my comprehension how human beings, be they ever so experienced and able, can delight in depriving other human beings of that precious right.”

Mahatma Gandhi

KWICKO

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 11:38 AM

Quote:
Obama learned his lesson well - he set that shit up in advance for Irena, and if he didn't end up needing it all, so what? He was ready.

Of course, you will likely never hear anyone in the Republican leadership admit this. No, the talking point now will be "How much money was wasted in needless over-preparation?!"

"Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservatives." - John Stuart Mill

MAL4PREZ

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 11:39 AM

You're right, Anthony, that the response to the Oil Spill was greatly lacking. I'm not sure anything has been learned from that, sadly. I'd bet that, if there is a next time, the corporation in charge will be allowed handle it and cover it up again. Heck, just look at what happened with TEPCO in Fukishima.

BTW, I think you know, but the ranty nature of my last post was not at all aimed at you, or any poster in particular. I'd been reading too much news last night and just needed to vent!

In a more reasonable frame of mind, I would add to my diatribe that it wasn't all W. As I believe you've said, the local politicians also really blew it in NO.

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KWICKO

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 11:40 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by AnthonyT:

No worries. I was not impressed at all with Bush's handling of virtually any crisis presented during his administration.

I was not entirely impressed with the early weeks of Obama's response to the gulf oil disaster.

It may well be that Obama and/or FEMA have learned the valuable lessons of Katrina and would do far better in the same situation. Certainly the handling of this incident seems promising.

Hopefully he will never have the opportunity to prove the effectiveness of his response to a Katrina-level event. If he does, we will then have a fair yardstick for measure.

Total agreement with all of that.

KWICKO

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 11:42 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by mal4prez:

I'm back. Deal with it.

-----------------------------------------------
hmm-burble-blah, blah-blah-blah, take a left

Gladly.

MAL4PREZ

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 12:10 PM

Thank you Kwicko. Kind of you, after I just threadjacked with a rant LOL!

BTW, onto Katia, who would have been named Katrina if that name hadn't been removed from the rotation.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at2+shtml/084114.shtml?5-dayn
l#contents

Looks like she'll be a major one. We'll see if she takes the right turn early enough to miss us.

-----------------------------------------------
hmm-burble-blah, blah-blah-blah, take a left

NIKI2

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 4:48 PM

Mal4, yeah, I wanted to weep when I saw the devastation Vermont has experienced...and it's not over yet. Apparently there are still some rivers which haven't crested, and those that HAVE crested have wrought spectacular flooding. I saw the devastation of the covered bridges, too...terribly sad to see beautiful old things destroyed, things which will never "be" again.

I'm sure we'll be hearing a lot from the right about "overprepared", "money wasted", "media hype" (left-wing media, of course), etc. It's pretty inevitable...look how, now that Libya is free of Ghadaffi (probably), they're all complaining how much faster it would have gone if we'd invaded or something. It's a given, gawd forbid Obama should ever, ever, EVER do anything right in their eyes. We can't prove a negative, so let 'em scream. I don't care, it was an excellent example of putting resources into saving lives. You can't change what Nature is going to wreak, but you can at least get people out of the way and provide resources for the care of those affected. That's just fine with me.

I do agree, Anthony, in that there's a good chance not only Obama but all those involved remembered Katrina vividly still and prepared as well as they did because of it. We'll never know if they'd have prepared this well if it weren't for Katrina, in fact I'd bet they wouldn't. Something like that sticks in your mind, and no politician wants to be as excoriated as Bush was for Katrina. I'm sure that was part of it. Also, the states on the East Coast aren't poor folk, which might have had something to do with it, who knows? Apparently the local and state authorities were more on the ball this time, too, and coordinated well with FEMA and other federal relief efforts. I think that might come under the heading of "learned from", too!

Looking at what happened/is happening in Vermont just tears my heart out. That's an ENORMOUS amount of water, moving through horribly fast. I heard on the news that in the area from which they were reporting that the waters would all recede by today, which is hard to imagine from what I saw, but it'll leave a wasteland of mud behind. My heart goes out to them.

I was afraid for New York. I don't have a decent grasp on geography there, but it sounded like some areas were either built on fill or low enough that it could have been horrendous. I'm so glad it wasn't.

Mal, I'm pretty sure the oil spill didn't "teach" anything; the difference, to me, is that there are powerful, monied forces behind the oil industry who don't WANT anything interfering with their profits, and they've got the power to avoid it for the most part. There was no economic or political gain in preparing the East Coast, but when it comes to oil spills, we continue to have them (mostly unreported) like nothing ever happened. Money talks. I think you're right on in your estimation of future disasters on that front.

Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
Contracted Agent of Veritas Oilspillus, code name “Nike”,
signing off

NIKI2

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 7:33 PM

Some from CNN's iReports--in other words, stuff taken by regular people:

Here's the covered bridge I caught on the TV yesterday--only then it was in the middle of roaring water--they're right about how fast it would go down!

Some pretty amazing surf: Connecticut
http://ireport.cnn.com/open-story.jspa?openStoryID=655725#DOC-665304

Pittsfield, Vermont; that's the town I've been hearing about. Those poor people! At the time, the town was isolated; I hope they're able to get in and out by today.
http://ireport.cnn.com/open-story.jspa?openStoryID=655725#DOC-665150

Vermonth power plant, at the height of the flood:

This one really blew my mind (Taftsfille, Vermont power plant again). I saw video of it, and the HEIGHT of the water, to rush over whatever that obstruction was in its way, just made my jaw drop.

This is a railroad track in Braintree, Vermont. That track was ON THE GROUND before Irene took all the ground away from under it!

The remains of Randolph, Vermont's "infrastructure". That was another town cut off without food, water or electricity.

Little was said about Vermont on the newsa at the time; I hope it's getting more coverage now and help is on the way!

Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
Contracted Agent of Veritas Oilspillus, code name “Nike”,
signing off

STORYMARK

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 8:29 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:

Which is fitting, seeing how he's given this country a HISTORIC debt to pay.

And of course, he did it alllll on his own.

Gotta love teabagger logic.

"Goram it kid, let's frak this thing and go home! Engage!"

DREAMTROVE

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 9:46 PM

Actually, not so good. couple casualties here.

That's what a ship is, you know - it's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship needs.

KWICKO

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 11:24 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:

Which is fitting, seeing how he's given this country a HISTORIC debt to pay.

And of course, he did it alllll on his own.

Gotta love teabagger logic.

"Goram it kid, let's frak this thing and go home! Engage!"

Yup. Reagan, Bush, Bush II - those guys never spent a penny! Obama spent 100% of the national debt, all in his first year, according to the tea-bag idiots.

Hell, if Obama DID give us a "historic debt to pay", he'd be made an honorary Republican for doing so.

"Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservatives." - John Stuart Mill

KWICKO

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 11:26 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by dreamtrove:
Actually, not so good. couple casualties here.

That's what a ship is, you know - it's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship needs.

Sorry to hear that. People tend to think the danger's gone when the wind dies down. And that's so not the case... :(

This one wasn't near as bad as it could have been, except for the families of those who died. For them, it couldn't have been any worse. And even "not as bad as it could have been" can still be pretty freaking bad.

"Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservatives." - John Stuart Mill

DREAMTROVE

Wednesday, August 31, 2011 12:23 AM

No, they died during the flood, I just didn't hear about it; both wives of friends.

Below,

Good flood videos, with the dumbest commentary I've ever seen:

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/videos-show-upstate-york-vermont-i
rene-flooding-153510538.html

That's what a ship is, you know - it's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship needs.

RIONAEIRE

Wednesday, August 31, 2011 1:35 AM

A DT a chara,
I'm sorry that your friends' wives died, that's really scary, that two people you know didn't make it. Are they of families in your area? Did you know them well? I think that a lot of times people base their opinions on what the news says, they don't think of the people in little towns that no one noticed or put on the coverage. That's very sad DT and rather an unpleasant coincidence.

What is the death toll up to now, does anyone know?

Hanging head over and hearing wind blow.

"A completely coherant River means writers don't deliver" KatTaya

ANTHONYT

Wednesday, August 31, 2011 1:38 AM

Hello,

42 dead so far, last I heard.

--Anthony

_______________________________________________

“If you are not free to choose wrongly and irresponsibly, you are not free at all”

Jacob Hornberger

“Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to err. It passes my comprehension how human beings, be they ever so experienced and able, can delight in depriving other human beings of that precious right.”

Mahatma Gandhi

RIONAEIRE

Wednesday, August 31, 2011 3:07 AM

:(

"A completely coherant River means writers don't deliver" KatTaya

ANTHONYT

Wednesday, August 31, 2011 4:08 AM

Hello,

Originally, the figure was quite low, but somehow people keep dying, day after day, on causes attributable to the hurricane. I don't think it's just newly reported deaths that are days old, either. I think people are still dying and I'm not sure why that should be.

Does anyone have a list that details what is going on?

--Anthony

_______________________________________________

“If you are not free to choose wrongly and irresponsibly, you are not free at all”

Jacob Hornberger

“Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to err. It passes my comprehension how human beings, be they ever so experienced and able, can delight in depriving other human beings of that precious right.”

Mahatma Gandhi

RIONAEIRE

Wednesday, August 31, 2011 6:33 AM

The only thing I can think of that would still be causing deaths is the flooding, perhaps people are drowning? This is just unpleasant and sad.

"A completely coherant River means writers don't deliver" KatTaya

DREAMTROVE

Wednesday, August 31, 2011 7:21 AM

Flooding. Damns overflow. There are dams everywhere, it's a bad design.

Riona, yes, they bkth drowned, hit by unexpected floodwaters like you see in the vidoes i linked to. Okay, like other people see in the videos. The basic effect is a pretty instant deluge of 20 foot rise in water level, which is particularly bad if you're near the water leve, in a building, crossing a bridge, etc.

That's what a ship is, you know - it's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship needs.

NIKI2

Wednesday, August 31, 2011 4:34 PM

I saw that sort of thing, mostly in Vermont, which seems to have been forgotten in the initial flurry. Apparently some of the rivers haven't even crested YET, and yes, people often survive the initial disaster then get caught by some aftermath or other. I didn't know other places than Vermont were still suffering, but it makes sense. I'm so sorry for your (and their) loss.

Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
Contracted Agent of Veritas Oilspillus, code name “Nike”,
signing off

ANTHONYT

Wednesday, August 31, 2011 5:11 PM

"and yes, people often survive the initial disaster then get caught by some aftermath or other"

Hello,

I feel that we should have gotten them out of harm's way by now. Perhaps I have unrealistic expectations. I have trouble understanding how a country so well experienced with plucking people out of the water still has people in harm's way after three days.

--Anthony

_______________________________________________

“If you are not free to choose wrongly and irresponsibly, you are not free at all”

Jacob Hornberger

“Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to err. It passes my comprehension how human beings, be they ever so experienced and able, can delight in depriving other human beings of that precious right.”

Mahatma Gandhi

SHINYGOODGUY

Wednesday, August 31, 2011 8:32 PM

You are so right Kwix, all it takes is that one time you say, "Aw, fuck it" and, sure enough, you get f*cked - but good.

What's that new trend called - "planking," except this one's permanent.

SGG

Tawabawho?

NIKI2

Wednesday, August 31, 2011 9:08 PM

Yeah, Anthony, we failed miserably on that one. I put it down to NYC and the others being more populous and more in the public eye perhaps.

The Governor of Vermont said they were told the eye was headed for them directly; they hoped it didn't, but it did hit them straight on. So somewhere someone dropped the ball, or else didn't think it would get THAT bad or something. Surely, tho' it would take a lot of time to do it properly, they could have glanced at the topography and gotten AN IDEA where the worst trouble would be.

I dunno if an evacuation attempt was tried on the small towns this has devastated or not. I dunno whether people were evacuated and came back, thinking it was over (that seems to have been the case in many instances elsewhere). I don't know whether local, state or fed dropped the ball. Hopefully we'll find out eventually...meanwhile my heart goes out to them, and I hope no further loss of life occurs. I forget when the rest of the rivers were set to crest, but I THINK by today...hope so anyway.

Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
Contracted Agent of Veritas Oilspillus, code name “Nike”,
signing off

KWICKO

Wednesday, August 31, 2011 10:37 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by AnthonyT:
"and yes, people often survive the initial disaster then get caught by some aftermath or other"

Hello,

I feel that we should have gotten them out of harm's way by now. Perhaps I have unrealistic expectations. I have trouble understanding how a country so well experienced with plucking people out of the water still has people in harm's way after three days.

--Anthony

Thing is, no matter how many times you warn people NOT to try to drive across that bridge that water's flowing over, they still think, "Awww, that's only a few inches of water, and I've got four-wheel drive, and my truck is heavy - I'll make it." Famous last words. Happens here pretty much every time it rains more than a few inches. Friend of mine found out the hard way that it only takes a few inches of water to push a car off the road and into deeper water. And if you're on a bridge and water pushes you up against a guardrail, your car is now stuck, and more water piles up against the upstream side of the car, which is now acting like a dam. At that point, many people just panic and climb out a window, thinking they can swim to shore. What they tend to forget is, not only is the water moving, FAST, but there's more: to paraphrase Ron "Tater Salad" White, it's not THAT the water's moving; it's WHAT the water's moving. The water is full of all sorts of logs and debris, and you're jumping into it to become just another piece of detritus to be tossed around and battered against everything in the water as well as everything the water encounters along the way.

"Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservatives." - John Stuart Mill

RIONAEIRE

Wednesday, August 31, 2011 11:10 PM

Its easier for me to watch videos on the TV as opposed to the computer screen, I'll watch the weather channel tonight when I get to the other house and see if they show some.

:(

"A completely coherant River means writers don't deliver" KatTaya