bitflipper Posted September 30 Share Posted September 30 A week ago I saw a headline "Helene Expected to be a Disaster". I made a joke of it, sending my daughter a text and suggesting perhaps she should have a talk with her daughter - the joke being that my granddaughter's name is Helene. A good kid but with boss-level smarts that always teetered between genius and, well, evil genius. Now I'm seeing the reports coming in from the SE US and holy moley, Helene's no joke. 90+ dead so far, an equal number missing. A whole lot of people with no internet or cell service so no way to call for help, no way to check in with family. Homes knee-deep in mud, and you just know that some of those included somebody's music room and that some woke up to find their guitars and pianos destroyed so they can't even write a song about it. Up here in the rainy Pacific Northwest we joke a lot about our famously-incessant precipitation, but sheesh, hardly anyone here ever dies from it. I know a bunch of us here hail from that part of the country. Please check in. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigb Posted September 30 Share Posted September 30 No kidding! My friend's down in Deland Florida (near Daytona) and "only" had 75 mph winds, but some in other musician forums (well, Discord servers actually) have reported 16" of water in their house and a "f***ingly unrecognizable" backyard. Apparently, there was a 10' storm surge too! Some accounts from those in North Carolina were even more terrifying! One looked out to see their street was now a river with houses floating down it! Another talked about their friend's place of business currently being under 26 FEET of water! I think I'll stay here for now... (Also the Pacific Northwest!) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mettelus Posted September 30 Share Posted September 30 There are still 2 million without power, so the checking in may take time. Potable water is the highest priority, and without power that can affect even more . The geniuses that are trying to ban gas appliances to "protect them" are putting them far more at risk in this situation. I had never really thought of LifeStraws being included in emergency kits until these recent events. I hope folks that were affected are able to recover safely. Please check in when time/situation allows. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hockeyjx Posted September 30 Share Posted September 30 Somehow, we just got the rain in Atlanta. Ten inches of rain or there abouts. Luckily, we did NOT get the wind ...and that was extremely fortunate. We were going to go to Asheville this weekend, but they are in no shape for company. It is going to take some time for them to recover. Mother Nature can be a wicked one. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
57Gregy Posted September 30 Share Posted September 30 Here in Raleigh, just heavy rain and some wind. My friend Jon lives in Asheville and he got out of there. No cell service or electricity. Water water everywhere. He went to Atlanta. My roommate Anna just heard from her friends in Asheville, they just now got power restored. By brother in Pensacola got a little rain and wind. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigb Posted October 1 Share Posted October 1 Still waiting for Bob to check in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notes_Norton Posted October 1 Share Posted October 1 We did fine here in Ft. Pierce. Gale force winds, occasionally hurricane force, and a deluge of rain. I chose to buy a house on the highest point in the county, 32' above sea level. I call it The Florida Alps. It's the top of a huge, ancient, sand dune. To the east a 2 mile wide lagoon, barrier island, and the ocean. To the west a protected wetland. So the water drains fine (I wouldn't buy a house in Florida that wasn't on the Eastern Sand Ridge). I've been in every hurricane to hit S. Florida since Donna in 1960. It's my observation that the water damage is usually much worse than the wind damage. I say 1/4 mile of barrier island disappear when I was a kid. Everything on it gone. They tried to rebuild it, but the new sand washed away almost as quickly as they put it down. I've seen Fort Meyers Beach (average elevation 3 feet) get devastated four times now, and they re-build. Makes no sense to me. The potential danger for me are the trees. We lost a lot of small, lower branches and plenty of palm fronds. These are just the trees pruning themselves. One decent but not huge oak tree limb snapped, but it didn't hit anything that won't grow back. So we did OK. The biggest loss was our Thursday night gig got cancelled, and we're out the money we would have made and the fun we would have had. Comparing that with the folks on the gulf coast and up to S. Carolina, I'd say we got extremely lucky. My heart cries for those who lost everything. I'll be donating blood, as I'm sure there will be a shortage. Notes ♫ 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bitflipper Posted October 2 Author Share Posted October 2 22 hours ago, Notes_Norton said: We did fine here in Ft. Pierce. Gale force winds, occasionally hurricane force, and a deluge of rain. Spoken like a true Floridian. You are probably aware, however, that most people around the world would not call that a "fine" day. I have only been to Florida a few times, and can't recall experiencing a single fine day there. Too damn hot and humid for this web-footed northwesterner. I only came close to a hurricane on one occasion. I was in Miami teaching a class, and when we got word of an impending hurricane everybody said "we're outa here". I suggested that it might be an interesting experience and as my flight home wasn't for a couple days, maybe I'd just weather the storm in my comfy hotel room. The locals set me straight. "You've been complaining about the heat and humidity all week", they said. "Now imagine three days of that with no A/C". I was quickly convinced. So I decided to find a flight out. I had to do it quickly, because they'd be closing the airport in a few hours. Apparently, a few other people had the same idea, because nobody was answering the phones at the airline. Now the hotel staff are bolting metal panels over the windows and I realize I'd be sitting in the dark for the duration with no cable TV, electricity or internet access. So I start speed-dialing the airline. Without success. I called my business partner back home and explained my situation. In those days he was doing most of the travel for our little company and had enough frequent-flyer miles for multiple round-the-world trips. He even had a special phone number to the airline, which he was able to get through on. Called me back, said he'd scored me a seat on a flight out that afternoon. "It's not going to Seattle, though", he said. "I don't care", I replied. And so it was that I found myself on a flight to Dallas, middle seat in the back row next to the toilets. I was never so happy to watch the ground fall away. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notes_Norton Posted October 2 Share Posted October 2 (edited) I got lucky on this one. My biggest loss was a Thursday night gig. Plenty of people lost everything, and I feel for them. I've been in every hurricane since Donna in 1960 (or so). I know not to live on the barrier island. I've seen 1/4 mile of one disappear during a hurricane, never to come back. They tried pumping sand to rebuild it, but it washed away almost as soon as they put it down. I've seen Fort Meyers Beach destroyed 4 times in my life. Average elevation is 3 feet, average storm surge is much more than that. Yet they rebuild. It doesn't make sense to me. I know not to live on land that was once a swamp. My house is 32' above sea level. Most people were sold houses in swampland and when the 'cane comes, or even a lot of rain, it reverts to swampland. The water does more damage than the wind. The people inland in GA. NC, TN didn't expect this, and IMO it's our greed for oil, products we want instead of need, and too many people having too many children that set up the conditions for this. When I was young, we rarely had a 90 degree day, and we didn't get them every year. We've had more 90 degree days than anything lower since June, and they are persisting into October. The waters in the gulf are 10 or so degrees higher than they were when I was a kid. That turns a storm into a Helene in one day. Yes, it's hot. Seasonal acclimation is slow. So if you live in AC, you will never acclimate. I'll continue later, someone just came to the door. OK, I'm back. Let me add this. The developers, the same people who build houses on the beach and the swamplands, have used tacit bribes (campaign contributions) to weaken the building codes. Now we can make houses with 2x4s and put asphalt shingle roofs on them, Cat 1 hurricane houses. The problem is our making. I see a future where it gets too hot to grow our crops, and we have the plot of many a movie coming true, until it gets so hot, humans go extinct. We can avoid that, but we won't. Capitalism won't let us. We have people driving 1.5 ton family pickup trucks that never haul anything more than a week's groceries. We have people buying new clothes because the old ones are so last year. We have people buying each new countertop appliance because the folks on TV told them to. We have people buying 50 guitars they never play. We have people buying hundreds of pairs of shoes. The folks down the block remodeled their kitchen again, because the granite countertops they put in a little over a year ago are now out of style. We have rich folks taking joyrides in space, putting more pollution in the air that a dozen families would do in their lifetimes. We have people running their AC's which warm the planet, so they have to use more energy for the AC which warms the planet even more - ad infinitum. We have people buying the newest phone when the old one is working just fine. We have people cutting down trees to plant urban deserts (lawns). We have too many people having more than 2 children. The 3 billion people of 1970 have turned into 9 billion now. A major college said we could buy 10 years if everyone in the US painted their roof white, but nobody is doing that. When I was a kid, before central AC, all the roofs were white, and I do that to this day. It keeps the house cool without AC. We have dug ourselves into this overconsumption lifestyle. All it does is feed corporate greed at the expense of the ecology. We should stop, but we can't because too many people's jobs and lives depend on this. I don't know the solution. We could do it gradually, but we won't. So we are like the algae bloom in a pond that will kill the pond. Our pond, the earth is much bigger, and our reproduction rate is slower, so it's taking more time, but IMO that's where we are headed. Of course, that doesn't lessen the tragedy. I am deeply saddened and disturbed by those who lost everything. I'll be donating blood later this week, because I know they will need it. Today, my outlook on the planet is pretty dismal. I hope we come to our senses and prove me wrong. Insights and incites by Notes ♫ Edited October 2 by Notes_Norton additions 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
57Gregy Posted October 2 Share Posted October 2 For some unknown reason, our store completely sold out of toilet paper and bottled water. They must be sending it west because nothing's going on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Boog Posted October 2 Share Posted October 2 I live just southeast of New Orleans. It's always a bizarre feeling when a hurricane enters the gulf because if u pray it doesn't hit u, that means ur kinda praying it hits someone else instead. And you don't want that either. It feels like ur a pin in a bowling lane just waiting to see where it curves. Those of u who dont live in the south are fortunate. These hurricanes are a big PITB. At the least, they're emotionally exhausting. My thoughts & prayers goes out to all those who are suffering in the aftermath of Helene. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Base 57 Posted October 2 Share Posted October 2 I am a little west of New Orleans and want to echo what @T Boog wrote. Every year from May through October the Gov/Media here is preaching preparedness. So, we have our water, canned food, batteries, flashlights, and other necessities ready in case we have to evacuate or ride out a storm. And every year we get at least one chance to practice our plan, whether a storm hits us or not. It breaks my heart to see footage of the destruction that Helene caused. Most of the affected communities were not prepared for that. Please, everyone who can, consider contributing to the Red Cross and Salvation Army. Both of those organizations helped my family after Katrina. Hurricanes suck. But they often demonstrate how awesome people can be when they work together. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notes_Norton Posted October 3 Share Posted October 3 Hurricanes suck. But IMO more survival than an earthquake, tornado, tsunami, avalanche, or forest fire. Most of the time we get advance warning. And yes, the good side of human nature comes out. 10 years ago we got Frances (in the eye wall for 20 hours), Jeanne and TS Ivan. Ivan was actually the worst because it had so much water/rain. We were out of electricity for over 10 days each, and we have water wells, some of which lost prime. Our little dead-end street was crisscrossed with hoses and electrical extension cables. Who has water? Who has a generator? What times will the generator run (to keep or refrigerators cold and allow us to take showers). Who needs help? Does anyone have a cellphone that is working? Land line? Anybody need food or water? And so on. We lowered the storm awnings and put up the storm panels for the widow on the block, and took them down when it was clear. Three times, once for each storm. Fortunately, we've never had a disaster up here. We are on top of the Eastern Sand Ridge, so water, the biggest destructor, isn't as devastating here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Boog Posted October 4 Share Posted October 4 11 hours ago, Notes_Norton said: Hurricanes suck. But IMO more survival than an earthquake, tornado, tsunami, avalanche, or forest fire. Yeah, but in the south we also have huge swarms of angry mosquitos. They may not take ur life but they can certainly ruin a crawfish boil party and leave u with some very itchy welts. (Top that!) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulo Posted October 4 Share Posted October 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notes_Norton Posted October 4 Share Posted October 4 12 hours ago, T Boog said: Yeah, but in the south we also have huge swarms of angry mosquitos. They may not take ur life but they can certainly ruin a crawfish boil party and leave u with some very itchy welts. (Top that!) Actually, they kill more humans than any other animal, including other humans. But of course, they don't cause too much property damage. Thankfully, I'm far enough south never to experience a frost. So I planted citronella grass around the entryways to the house. It doesn't get rid of them all, but greatly reduces the numbers. Before the citronella, there would be hundreds of skeeters buzzing on the screen porch, trying to get to us. After the grass, 4 or 5. I don't have any plants that collect water, and I make sure there is no standing water around the house or in the gutters. But once you get out in the yard, they will gang up on you. Being not one to use Deet often, I found a spray of mint and catnip extract. They don't like that, either. They buzz around but don't land. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lɐʍd Posted October 4 Share Posted October 4 On 10/2/2024 at 8:34 PM, T Boog said: I live just southeast of New Orleans. It's always a bizarre feeling when a hurricane enters the gulf because if u pray it doesn't hit u, that means ur kinda praying it hits someone else instead. And you don't want that either. It feels like ur a pin in a bowling lane just waiting to see where it curves. tbf, prayer doesn't affect the weather, the weather is just the weather, so don't let prayer make you feel guilty, quite the opposite it's supposed to make you fell better - you really are just a pin in a bowling lane waiting to see where it curves 🤷♀️ On 10/2/2024 at 11:48 PM, Base 57 said: Please, everyone who can, consider contributing to the Red Cross word 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Boog Posted October 4 Share Posted October 4 21 minutes ago, Notes_Norton said: there would be hundreds of skeeters buzzing on the screen porch, trying to get to us Ok, so u've experienced mosquitos. I'll give u that. But have u ever experienced fat Cajun women?! They crush more innocent men than elephants in Africa. I once had my left foot maimed in a Zydeco dance with a 400 lb Cajun woman. Now that was an earthquake! And until u see a fat Cajun woman cannonball off a wharf into the bayou, u don't even know the meaning of the word "tsunami"! Trust me lil man, u couldn't handle these big southern mamas 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Boog Posted October 4 Share Posted October 4 4 minutes ago, pwallington blunt said: tbf, prayer doesn't affect the weather, the weather is just the weather, so don't let prayer make you feel guilty, Yeah, ultimately I leave it to God's will. It's like that quote from the movie Rudy where the priest says, 'I've learned two facts: 1 There is a God & 2 I'm not Him.' 😁 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lɐʍd Posted October 4 Share Posted October 4 1 minute ago, T Boog said: Yeah, ultimately I leave it to God's will. It's like that quote from the movie Rudy where the priest says, 'I've learned two facts: 1 There is a God & 2 I'm not Him.' 😁 Furry muff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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