Irene Updates

[RealMoneyIssues]

You think they are going just a tad much here?

Well, yes, but why would that surpise anyone.

No one in America is expected to make their own decisions, and if they just happen to, they are not held responsible for them...

The media is on the forefront of our march to becoming a Nanny-State (1984 comes to mind)...

 

[James48843]

So...RMI.... I take it you survived ok. Any damage at your place?

(In honor of the passage of the storm- here's a classic)

 

[RealMoneyIssues]

So...RMI.... I take it you survived ok. Any damage at your place?

I am ok, family left (on their way back), and I think I have a shingle that moved... Thanks for asking!

 

[jpcavin]

I am ok, family left (on their way back), and I think I have a shingle that moved... Thanks for asking!

Too bad your bad TSP moves weren't lost in the storm. :laugh: But seriously, glad to hear you are safe.

 

[nnuut]

Glad to hear all is well for you and yours in Virginia!

 

[grandma]

I am ok, family left (on their way back), and I think I have a shingle that moved... Thanks for asking!

Yes! glad to hear you & yours are okay!
kOnkuzhOn's county was under mandatory evacuation, hopefully he did skedaddle, and will report in when he's able.
-I wonder about other tsp'ers who might not be posting-type members...
My Richmond VA dare-devil relative sorta scoffed when I mentioned things like `stay away from the river,' etc. I have hiked along there when the ground was soft - I wasn't comfortable! However, he has since told others about the winds and no electricty... I am wondering if the St James didn't flood & the downtown area, too?
Praying for the safety of all the crews out in this mess, too!

 

[RealMoneyIssues]

Too bad your bad TSP moves weren't lost in the storm. :laugh:

Yeah, no kidding..

Thanks everyone !!

 

[RealMoneyIssues]

This non-stop wall-to-wall tv coverage of Irene is getting a little overboard now. I just heard a reporter giving a detailed blow-by-blow description of the possible dangers of walking your dog outside after the storm has gone through.

His recommendation was to "be careful."

Hey, I didn't think of that. I ought to "be careful".

You think they are going just a tad much here?

Just found this article from a link on USA Today:
A Hurricane of Hype
Aug 28, 2011 11:15 AM EDT

Irene fell far short of the media’s dire warnings even before it was downgraded. Howard Kurtz on the scaremongering by television and local officials.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articl...-irene-hype-how-the-media-went-overboard.html

 

[PessOptimist]

Just walked by the unwatched TV while doing chores. (yeah I know, another thread please) MSNBC head line "MSNBC Live: Hurricane Irene". The story, which went on and on was about Katrina and the New Orleans area and how no one ever got any money and etc. etc. I guess Irene is just too boring now, though the water from the surges has yet to be pumped out and in many areas the rivers will not crest for many hours. I guess I just don't understand what is really important.

I sincerely do hope that none reading this had too much damage. Watch out for those trees, the soil is still veeeery soft.

 

[k0nkuzh0n]

It is 12:06 a.m. CDT and I see this is posted on Weather.com :
Carteret County: Evacuations ordered for visitors and residents
http://www.weather.com/weather/hurr...ne-regional-impacts-north-carolina_2011-08-25
I hope you are outa-there!!!

Wow I didn't even know that. I didn't evacuate. I knew visitors needed to but I didn't know residents had to. All well, I made it! Lost power at 1am on Saturday and just got it back today around 3pm.

Everything survived except my ice cream =(

Hope everyone else survived as well!

 

[PessOptimist]

It is probably just real soft. Eat it. Now.

I am glad you made it through OK. These things are nothing to take lightly. I agree it was hyped a lot but if the storm surge at high tide brings water up a few feet, lot's of places get flooded. Lot's of infrastructure gets water in it. Water doesn't all drain conveniently on it's own, sometimes you have to encourage it.

For hours or days after a big rain event, especially since most of the Northeast is all ready really soggy, rivers run close to and at times over flood stage. I hear this over and over all the time "the sun is out, why is the river flooding?". Another common question is "why did that old tree fall down?".

Off soap box. I am really happy you are OK and hope all reading this, members and lurkers alike, got through this event with no major impacts.

PO

 

[PessOptimist]

OK. Here I go.

Several of the death's reported due to the hurricane involved people running inoperative stop lights, spinning off the road due to puddles and hitting parked cars due to low visibility.

Which state's laws do not state that when a traffic signal is inoperative that you must treat it as a four way stop? Which state's traffic laws do not state that during periods of reduced visibility you must slow down? Which state's traffic laws do not state that you must operate your vehicle safely at all times?

I don't know the details but at least the driver of the SUV in which the child was killed is guilty of manslaughter. Perhaps the other driver if he/she did not stop before proceeding.
The one's who went off the road because of deep puddles should be held at fault. The one's who hit cars pulled over to the side due to reduced visibility should be held at fault and guilty of negligent something. Something since so far it appears they only killed themselves.
Of course, I am wrong and these deaths were caused directly by the hurricane and the feds need to step up. No one ever needs to be responsible for their own actions.

 

[Scout333]

"Irene's hit to the property-insurance industry is softer than expected
Most of the damage caused by Hurricane Irene along the East Coast came in the form of flooding, which could mean a break for the property insurers because most homeowners' policies don't cover flood damage. Winds were less severe than was expected. Still, because Irene hit densely populated areas, insured losses could range from $3 billion to $5 billion, an insurance executive estimated. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (8/29)"

Note. Appears a big part of the financial hit will be on homeowners, etc. Same argument insurance companies always make wind damage vs. flood damage. May stress FEMA budgets and cause even more government spending.

 

[James48843]

Before: covered bridge in Bartonsville, Vermont (built in 1870)






Yesterday, as water was rising:

And then ...it happened.

 

[RealMoneyIssues]

James, that truly is sad. I watched the video on the news last night with my family and we were all sitting there with our mouths wide open...

 

[burrocrat]

OK. Here I go.

Several of the death's reported due to the hurricane involved people running inoperative stop lights, spinning off the road due to puddles and hitting parked cars due to low visibility.

Which state's laws do not state that when a traffic signal is inoperative that you must treat it as a four way stop? Which state's traffic laws do not state that during periods of reduced visibility you must slow down? Which state's traffic laws do not state that you must operate your vehicle safely at all times?

I don't know the details but at least the driver of the SUV in which the child was killed is guilty of manslaughter. Perhaps the other driver if he/she did not stop before proceeding.
The one's who went off the road because of deep puddles should be held at fault. The one's who hit cars pulled over to the side due to reduced visibility should be held at fault and guilty of negligent something. Something since so far it appears they only killed themselves.
Of course, I am wrong and these deaths were caused directly by the hurricane and the feds need to step up. No one ever needs to be responsible for their own actions.

ok judge, i dissent.

you know i like you but seriously, manslaughter? what where they supposed to do in that circumstance? stay and drown (doesn't matter the reason or lack of preparedness) when you are faced with that you have to go, at the moment, push to potential safety.

can't fault a person for following their survival instinct, call it like you see it, we weren't there to see it, maybe had more pressing concerns besides traffic rules at the time. besides i've jammed lots of big puddles and never was considering manslaughter.

 

[RealMoneyIssues]

No one ever needs to be responsible for their own actions.

Wow, not sure how to respond to this...

 

[PessOptimist]

There us still a lot of flooding only now receding and a lot of property damage in upstate NY, northern New England, NJ, PA and everywhere the hurricane dumped rain on saturated ground.

Apparently no one does have to be responsible. In the SUV v SUV crash which happened early on in the storm in VA, no one was wearing seat belts, the driver knew the power was out, collided with another SUV and four people were thrown out of the vehicle. One died. They were on there way home from vacation. They were not fleeing "stay and drown" conditions.

What were they supposed to do in the circumstances? Traffic lights out, pouring rain. Slow down? Stop at intersections? Find out where the seat belts are? Nah. We gotta get home. So this becomes a hurricane Irene statistic?

Lot's of other stupidity here too. Taking the kids for a ride on a personal watercraft to see the water at the dam. It goes on. Apparently no one does have to be responsible. Except for the rescue people.

Irene is out of the news now. We have to concentrate on tropical storm Lee and New Orleans. The rest of the gulf coast? Nah, who cares?

Hope those people fare well. The people who lost everything and can't drive anywhere on the east coast? You are over. It never happened. Just watch the news and ask FEMA. New Orleans and LA need help!

My very cynical view of events, the main stream media and the US.gov.

Manslaughter may not be the correct term in many states. Causing death through negligence? Spin it however you want. the SUV driver killed a person as a result of not obeying traffic laws and using due caution, the father with two kids rescued at the dam endangered his kids through lack of common sense, good judgment and knowledge of existing laws.

RMI, figure out how to respond. These and many other people endangered others through their own thoughtless actions. The deaths or successful rescues should be attributed to the hurricane? These people should not be held accountable for their own stupidity and endangering minors in their care?

 

[burrocrat]

These people should not be held accountable for their own stupidity and endangering minors in their care?

Well, now that you put it that way, I see your point. People are crazy. But what can we do about it? It's not like you can go around prosecuting everybody for their lack of judgement. If that were the case I'd probably never get to post again, ever, even with credit for good behavior. You can't fix stupid. From the available evidence it seems both suv parties were out on the roads voluntarily when maybe they shouldn't be. You git what you git and don't throw a fit.

Just play the game as it comes, heads up and try to limit your collateral damage, Darwin will sort the rest out.

 

[RealMoneyIssues]

RMI, figure out how to respond. These and many other people endangered others through their own thoughtless actions. The deaths or successful rescues should be attributed to the hurricane? These people should not be held accountable for their own stupidity and endangering minors in their care?

Well, I either misunderstood you and you think people shouldn't be held accountable for their actions (which is rediculous) OR you were being sarcastic and I agree with your point of view.

We, the human race, are not allowing nature to take it's course and allow these idiots to be removed from the gene pool. Unfortunately, they can now reproduce and create more idiots... it's a never ending chain of events. Even Darwin can't completely get rid of stupid... but thanks for the laugh Burro