Hello,
I hope this post finds my Eastern Seaboard friends safe and well. I send my thoughts and prayers to those who have suffered great losses in "Frankenstorm Sandy's" path. I certainly don't want to minimize its devastating effects on many lives. I promise not to get "windy," but a few things caught my attention that I would like to vent on.
It was the worst of times, it was the best of times: My husband Mark made a post on Facebook as he was delivering generators and supplies to NJ and other potentially damaged areas last weekend. He said he saw what makes the USA a great place to live. There was convoy after convoy heading East to get staged for the aftermath, as well as busloads of folks and supply trucks. The weather was already getting crappy and Mark got the call at 7:30 p.m. Saturday evening to leave immediately and drive without sleep 10 hours. Believe me, he (and they) didn't do it for the money. Nobody was going to get rich fighting the wind, rain and cold.
I applaud all of the folks there helping their neighbors and the agencies and private citizens who are on the ball donating what is needed. Those power crews are gonna be working insane hours for a long time. Not to mention those trying to keep the peace, pumping out water or trucking supplies in to crucial spots. I hope the complaining doesn't get them down because you will never please everyone. I kind of feel sorry for President Obama because he was accused of using the storm for political purposes by going and doing what a sitting President is supposed to do. If he hadn't gone to survey the damage and meet the local officials, they would have said he wasn't doing his job because he was more concerned about the election.
So, now is where I will vent. Since it was all that was on TV, I watched several stations report on the impending storm. There were newscasters hanging onto trees, beach piers and standing in the middle of the street with water up to their knees in mandatory evacuation areas, perhaps not setting a good example in safety. There was a guy dressed as Santa running around Battery Park giving interviews as to why he was doing that (I still didn't get it) and off of Coney Island, there were people bobbing in the water apparently surfing as folks were to be leaving.
There was what, a week of warning? So, why were some people still not prepared? I am not talking about the elderly and ill. Just regular folks. Generators, batteries, non-perishable food items, clothes, water, etc. are sold all year around, but people wait until an impending disaster to get them creating long lines and/or shortages (if they even go get them then. I believe in miracles too, but in this case I would hedge my bet by getting supplies.) When authorities tell them to evacuate, some people are bound and determined not to leave their house. Duh. These people put our first responders in harm's way to save them unnecessarily. I heard the governors told them not to expect to be rescued until after it's over. Good. I think they should be fined if they have to be rescued even then. They didn't obey the law.
Their excuses run from "I want to protect my house"--really? If a wave, tree. barge, (in this case, possibly roller coaster/ferris wheel) or whatever hits your house, how is your being there gonna stop it??? to "I can't leave my animals"--sorry, I have several animals and used to run a kennel. Never have more animals then you can evacuate without anyone's help and have a plan. We have a crate for every pet. Getting them out before is a heck of a lot easier then in a canoe later. (IF they will take you...)
I am stunned that the captain and crew of that Disney ship would attempt to sail around a storm that was 900 miles wide at one point to sail down to FL. It wasn't even a modern vessel, but a copy of a sailing ship used in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies. Probably not a technological marvel. Why?
The moral of this post is "Don't Mess With Mother Nature! She always wins." Our house was a direct hit from an albeit small tornado a few years ago. We were very fortunate as we were safe even though we had no idea it was coming at 5 a.m. on a Sunday. But that was quite a wake-up call to take weather seriously.
They say nature is unpredictable, but hurricane season comes every year, followed by blizzard season, then tornado season, then fire season. So we might as well get used to it and be prepared.
Stay safe until next time,
Gale
I hope this post finds my Eastern Seaboard friends safe and well. I send my thoughts and prayers to those who have suffered great losses in "Frankenstorm Sandy's" path. I certainly don't want to minimize its devastating effects on many lives. I promise not to get "windy," but a few things caught my attention that I would like to vent on.
It was the worst of times, it was the best of times: My husband Mark made a post on Facebook as he was delivering generators and supplies to NJ and other potentially damaged areas last weekend. He said he saw what makes the USA a great place to live. There was convoy after convoy heading East to get staged for the aftermath, as well as busloads of folks and supply trucks. The weather was already getting crappy and Mark got the call at 7:30 p.m. Saturday evening to leave immediately and drive without sleep 10 hours. Believe me, he (and they) didn't do it for the money. Nobody was going to get rich fighting the wind, rain and cold.
I applaud all of the folks there helping their neighbors and the agencies and private citizens who are on the ball donating what is needed. Those power crews are gonna be working insane hours for a long time. Not to mention those trying to keep the peace, pumping out water or trucking supplies in to crucial spots. I hope the complaining doesn't get them down because you will never please everyone. I kind of feel sorry for President Obama because he was accused of using the storm for political purposes by going and doing what a sitting President is supposed to do. If he hadn't gone to survey the damage and meet the local officials, they would have said he wasn't doing his job because he was more concerned about the election.
So, now is where I will vent. Since it was all that was on TV, I watched several stations report on the impending storm. There were newscasters hanging onto trees, beach piers and standing in the middle of the street with water up to their knees in mandatory evacuation areas, perhaps not setting a good example in safety. There was a guy dressed as Santa running around Battery Park giving interviews as to why he was doing that (I still didn't get it) and off of Coney Island, there were people bobbing in the water apparently surfing as folks were to be leaving.
There was what, a week of warning? So, why were some people still not prepared? I am not talking about the elderly and ill. Just regular folks. Generators, batteries, non-perishable food items, clothes, water, etc. are sold all year around, but people wait until an impending disaster to get them creating long lines and/or shortages (if they even go get them then. I believe in miracles too, but in this case I would hedge my bet by getting supplies.) When authorities tell them to evacuate, some people are bound and determined not to leave their house. Duh. These people put our first responders in harm's way to save them unnecessarily. I heard the governors told them not to expect to be rescued until after it's over. Good. I think they should be fined if they have to be rescued even then. They didn't obey the law.
Their excuses run from "I want to protect my house"--really? If a wave, tree. barge, (in this case, possibly roller coaster/ferris wheel) or whatever hits your house, how is your being there gonna stop it??? to "I can't leave my animals"--sorry, I have several animals and used to run a kennel. Never have more animals then you can evacuate without anyone's help and have a plan. We have a crate for every pet. Getting them out before is a heck of a lot easier then in a canoe later. (IF they will take you...)
I am stunned that the captain and crew of that Disney ship would attempt to sail around a storm that was 900 miles wide at one point to sail down to FL. It wasn't even a modern vessel, but a copy of a sailing ship used in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies. Probably not a technological marvel. Why?
The moral of this post is "Don't Mess With Mother Nature! She always wins." Our house was a direct hit from an albeit small tornado a few years ago. We were very fortunate as we were safe even though we had no idea it was coming at 5 a.m. on a Sunday. But that was quite a wake-up call to take weather seriously.
They say nature is unpredictable, but hurricane season comes every year, followed by blizzard season, then tornado season, then fire season. So we might as well get used to it and be prepared.
Stay safe until next time,
Gale
Hey Gale I agree there was a lot of unnecessary things happening. Couldn't believe the amount of people that set it out and then complained. Then I looked at all the people that live many floors up and under no circumstances could those poor people handle the stairs to try and go buy groceries. Sad situation all way around but those are the ones I felt the most sympathy for. Hope all the poor animals got to safety.
ReplyDeleteCher Sunray Gardens
Goldenray Yorkies
Your are right Cher. The services should be deployed for the folks that can't get up and down those stairs. I hope they all have wonderful and young neighbors or can call someone.
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