Monday, August 29, 2011

An earthquake in NYC? What the frack?

Posted by Mickey Z on 08/29 at 04:14 AM

  2. Greetings from ground zero.  Looks like Vermont took the brunt of Irene.  Thousands of miles of road wiped out. Bridges down. Power out. Emergency services non existent. Mud slides. Whole villages destroyed. Trees down everywhere. No mass communication. Electric company moved all of their repair vehicles to a far and inaccessible location a few years ago. PUC allowed this. Now they say they can’t restore power because the vehicles are too far away and roads are not passable. On the bright side --- the pipes won’t freeze.

    Posted by RMJ from Ward Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts  on  08/29  at  10:07 AM

  3. Wow...how are you doing, RMJ?

    Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria  on  08/29  at  10:12 AM

  4. Apparently you felt the quake the higher up you were.  I was on the 15th floor, so I definitely felt it.  It felt like someone came up behind you and was shaking the chair you might have been sitting in. Then you could feel (and hear) the whole building sway a bit. 

    RMJ, I hadn’t heard that about Vermont.  That’s crazy.  Hope you’re doing okay.

    Posted by Charles from Jersey City  on  08/29  at  10:26 AM

  5. Hi Charles and Mickey… I spent all day Saturday in the drainage ditch shoveling mud so the water could flow. All day Sunday in the basement with a wet vac - until the power went out.
    I’m OK but would be better if you found a man for me. My only requirement is that he have a roof rake and a generator… and maybe a snow blower would be nice too.  He doesn’t have to have teeth or be able to read. 
    Seriously, I am OK. Just tired and mad as hell at the system. You can read my comment at CD.  Sadly, some houses were totally destroyed in mud slides across the border in NY. And there are a couple of deaths up here.

    http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/08/29-0#comment-1912013

    Posted by RMJ from Ward Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts  on  08/29  at  10:40 AM

  6. Update....I just found out that at 3:24 yesterday a State of Emergency was declared for Bennington.  Without any way to communicate many people never heard about it. All roads in and out east, west, and south are closed - destroyed. Only way out is to the north.  Evacuations continuing....Hudson, Walloomsac, Mohawk, Battenkill rivers are still rising.  A runaway barge just broke loose on the Mohawk. Fear that the large crane on barge will destroy bridges downstream, closing the NY Thruway up here to protect motorists… Breaking news - the VT Office of Emergency Management closed due to unsafe conditions.......

    captcha says “HELL”

    Posted by RMJ from Ward Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts  on  08/29  at  02:01 PM

  7. RMJ...I’m sorry to hear you got hit so hard.

    As far as your requirements for a man..., I don’t meet any of them, plus I spit and smoke.

    We had it fairly easy on the coast, Harpswell peninsula. Much rain, high winds that scared me since we have many trees VERY close to the house. Irene did force the cancelation of the flying whiteman military review.

    Our protest at the gates of the military base brought many middle fingers and people claiming the peace ‘their’ military brings us, allows the free speech of protest. Too many mainer’s love and defend the most abusive authorities. Hey, you don’t talk back to mom or dad no matter how incoherent they are...,

    Posted by Joe of Maine from The Window  on  08/29  at  03:10 PM

  8. Has anyone heard from RMJ ?

    Posted by Joe of Maine from The Window  on  08/30  at  09:08 AM

  9. Not since her last comment yesterday.

    Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria  on  08/30  at  09:09 AM

  10. Reporting in… I am OK, but sure have a lot of adrenaline running through my veins.  Could not do much without electricity and did not want to get too dirty because I did not know if or when I could take a shower so I washed windows. That’s one of the few things that can be done while not working up a sweat or getting covered with mud, and I always like doing windows - instant gratification.

    Too much going on to report all but water shortages are a big issue. I tried buying H2O yesterday - none available. The hospital is cancelling surgeries, has shut off water fountains for drinking, cancelling baths for patients, disconnected the birthing pool, and is considering evacuations.

    One of the big issues is the lack of understanding of the gov and other officials. For years I have advocated for the availability of generators. When the next storm hits, if it is during the winter, Irene will look like a church picnic. It is all about money. Those who have it, have generators. It is not complicated. The cheap ones will not do the job for those who need to connect up hard wired furnaces and water pumps. That costs about $3000+.  About 10 years ago, during the famous ice storm, cows in NY could not be milked. NY brought in generators for the milking process.

    Not too important but my favorite covered bridge that I traveled through every day, is now gone. That is not important compared to the thousands who are stranded - no way in and no way out.  Helicopters are being used. FEMA supposedly is sending a convoy. 

    My governor does not seem to ‘get it’. BUT, I actually saw Gov Christi (NJ) showing some genuine emotion as he went through one victim’s mud filled home.

    (Joe… spitting and smoking are not that bad - I used to smoke 2 packs a day and one time in Mexico, I even smoked a couple of funny cigarettes. We got them from a cab driver.  I inhaled them very deeply.  Did not feel too good after that. I never was tempted to smoked a funny cigarette again. I never did find out what was in that cigarette.)

    Hugs to all who thought about me.

    Posted by RMJ from Ward Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts  on  08/31  at  10:19 AM

  11. RMJ, good to see you in the neighborhood.

    Someone once offered me a funny cigarette. I said no thanks, I prefer pot.

    Has anyone given thought to the severity of flooding MIGHT have been helped along by the reckless development that occurs, altering water run off. Logic..., “oh no, like, if people wouldn’t stand under falling bombs, they wouldn’t get killed.”

    Posted by Joe of Maine from The Window  on  08/31  at  10:56 AM

  12. Happy to hear you’re (relatively) okay, RMJ. And Joe: Absolutely. We’ve screwed up so much of the natural flow of things that all “disasters” are connected.

    Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria  on  08/31  at  02:13 PM

  13. zen, if you are checking here - I responded (late!) to your email...hit me back if you are still in town!

    Posted by subgenius from hell-A  on  08/31  at  03:28 PM

  14. Today’s report… Last night I received a few phone calls from locals who had gone to the appointed location for water. Wal-mart had donated water.  It was being distributed at the local fire house by the police. Everyone who wanted a few small bottles of water had to wait in long lines and show identification and proof of residency. Those who did not have the proper documents were turned away.......I contrast this, with what I saw after the Fukushima disaster. The Japanese culture caused the evacuees to be courteous and helpful to one another.  Here the guys with the badges decided who should have water and who should go thirsty.  Is this an indication of how things will be when the end of the empire comes?

    Posted by RMJ from Ward Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts  on  09/01  at  03:14 PM

  15. Thanks, everyone.

    FYI: A new post is up and running for Labor Day.

    Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria  on  09/02  at  04:30 AM

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