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Sunday Night: Hurricane Sandy and Open Thread

Sending good thoughts to all of you in the path of Hurricane Sandy. Let us know how you are doing, especially if you were asked to evacuate but decided to stay put.

Although I'm safe and dry here in Colorado, TalkLeft's servers are near LaGuardia airport. If they go down, here is TalkLeft's backup site -- you may want to bookmark it now because otherwise it will be hard to find.

Some links: National Hurricane Center Sandy Advisories; The weather channel's Hurricane Sandy page; the Wall St Journal live updating page. On Twitter: The Weather Channel's Hurricane Central; @FEMA @CraigatFEMA @Readydotgov @RedCross @NHC_Atlantic

. Or watch the Weather Channel's live streaming coverage on You Tube.

Mayor Bloomberg's response to a question about the protecting the inmates on Riker's Island: "Don't worry about anybody getting out." Is he term-limited yet? [More on the Rikers prisoners][More...]

You can also watch the storms on NY webcams. Here's Times Square. Also check out Instacane, updating the story of Sandy through photos posted by New Yorkers to Instagram (via Twitter.)

Update: Goodnight, New York. Here's a live webcam shot of the statue of liberty.

Check out the larger version here.

< Sunday Afternoon Open Thread: Dylan Storm Songs | Monday Morning Open Thread : Before the Deluge >
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  • Display: Sort:
    We are far enough away from (5.00 / 3) (#4)
    by Zorba on Sun Oct 28, 2012 at 08:33:46 PM EST
    the coast that it won't (I hope) be devastating here, except for possibly some downed trees and branches, but I have gotten warnings from our phone and cable companies that there may be outages here because of flooding and high winds (nothing is underground here).  These, plus loss of electricity, are to be expected out here.
    We are prepared, as we have been for many years because we live way out in the boonies.  My best wishes are with those closer to the coast.
    And I am a bit worried about Daughter Zorba, who lives in Manhattan.  Fortunately, she is not in the mandatory evacuation zone, and she is on the seventeenth floor of her building.
    Be safe, everyone in the path of Sandy!

    I would have thought that, near Chicago (5.00 / 2) (#9)
    by Towanda on Sun Oct 28, 2012 at 10:36:47 PM EST
    we would be far away, as well.

    But there are gale warnings on the Great Lakes, with forecasts for waves as high as 33 feet! with lakeshore flood warnings in Chicago and more on up the Lake Michigan western shoreline for hundreds of miles.  We even are on the "possible power outages" map.  I guess the lines will be starting here, too, for flashlight batteries, bottled water, etc.

    I am just so happy to already have opted out of a conference this week, with the thousands of flights cancelled.  I was going to have to get on a flight from NYC stopping here in the Midwest and then heading to the West Coast, where I was going to have to hop another flight for Vancouver . . . where the aftershocks continue from the big quake north of there.  

    A good week to stay home, I thought.  But now -- gale warnings, flooding, power outages, yikes.

    Parent

    Do you have a generator? (none / 0) (#23)
    by Yman on Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 11:50:13 AM EST
    We're right on the coast in NJ, but my in-laws are evacuating to the Poconos.  We've been told to prepare for up to 7-10 days without power, but they were told it could be several weeks in their semi-remote area in PA.

    Hope all your yummy frozen stuff stays cold!

    Parent

    One way to avoid (5.00 / 1) (#27)
    by fishcamp on Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 01:30:45 PM EST
    the the electricity going out is to buy a generator.  I bought one 7 years ago and have never had to use it.  If you don't buy one you will then need one.  Why is it that way?

    Parent
    One day it will go out... (5.00 / 1) (#35)
    by unitron on Tue Oct 30, 2012 at 02:36:48 AM EST
    ...just as soon as you leave that generator sitting up untested long enough so that it won't run when you need it to.

    And with the gasoline they sell these days you don't dare leave any old gas in the tank unless you can rebuild carburetors in the dark.

    Parent

    Yes, we have (none / 0) (#26)
    by Zorba on Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 01:28:15 PM EST
    A large generator, it's in good working order, and lots of gasoline to power it.  If we need more, the truck has forty gallons in its tanks, and we could  always siphon some of that.
    We're not as far west as those expecting a blizzard, but the National Weather Service is saying that we may get some snow up here late tonight.
    The joys of mountain living.

    Parent
    Everything is closed in DC tomorrow (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by Democratic Cat on Sun Oct 28, 2012 at 09:09:38 PM EST
    Even the subway.  Just a few rain showers so far.  Glad they got the marathon in today before any rain started.  

    PPP, SurveyUSA vs the world (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by Dan the Man on Sun Oct 28, 2012 at 10:15:52 PM EST
    The 2 best pollsters in the 2008 Presidential election, PPP and SurveyUSA, are both saying Obama's ahead by 1 in Florida.  All of the other polls say Romney's ahead

    Similary, both PPP and SurveyUSA say Nelson is ahead of Mack by 8 points in the Florida Senate race.

    We'll see if they're right.

    I sure hope (none / 0) (#12)
    by Amiss on Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 12:17:43 AM EST
    They are right. Connie Mack is useless piece of drivel, and thát is if he even decides to show up for work.

    Parent
    YES!!!!! (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by nycstray on Sun Oct 28, 2012 at 10:53:41 PM EST
    And the GIANTS WIN!!!!!

    Go Giants (none / 0) (#14)
    by cpresley on Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 01:13:12 AM EST
    The parade will be Wed. morning before the the rain hits. Looks like the kids will not be so lucky. Nothing like what is going to hit the east coast. Everyone on the east coast that is in the line of sight of Sandy take care.

    Parent
    My son, (5.00 / 4) (#11)
    by NYShooter on Sun Oct 28, 2012 at 11:22:41 PM EST
    who has a Class A CDL license Has been running huge generators from Nashville up to the NorthEast, Pa. & NJ. They are paying drivers 4 times the going rate for the trip, $1000.

    He said he's never seen anything like it, hundreds of bumper to bumper convoys of tractor trailors , loaded with generators and emergency equipment going to hospitals, schools, airports, etc. He said to me jokingly, "I just had this image in my mind of Obama screaming to his staff, 'I don't care if it costs a Trillion Dollars, No One is gonna compare Sandy to Katrina!"

    A lineman here who owns one of our (none / 0) (#16)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 08:04:20 AM EST
    dogs left with truck and crew two days ago.  He was also sent New Orleans for Isaac in a similar fashion.

    Parent
    By comparison (none / 0) (#17)
    by CoralGables on Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 08:07:49 AM EST
    Romney thinks disaster relief should be left to each state in these situations and the federal government should stay out of it.


    Parent
    God forbid (none / 0) (#18)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 08:10:18 AM EST
    Oh yeah, in the oculus link to the Onion interview with God he sort of said that :)

    Parent
    God distances himself (5.00 / 3) (#13)
    by oculus on Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 12:45:08 AM EST
    from the Christian Right:

    link

    Love the last sentence (none / 0) (#15)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 08:01:52 AM EST
    Ha! (none / 0) (#19)
    by ruffian on Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 10:22:39 AM EST
    "Even on some economic issues we don't quite see eye-to-eye," continued the Eternal One, a self-described Keynesian who said He has "serious doubts" about the merits of trickle-down economics.

    LOL

    Parent

    Zero reaction to this on my FB page. (none / 0) (#21)
    by oculus on Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 11:12:00 AM EST
    If you're looking for right wing reaction (5.00 / 1) (#22)
    by NYShooter on Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 11:34:43 AM EST
    you'll probably be disappointed.

    I read the article, and I remember thinking. "this is a little bit too nuanced and cognitive for the intended recipient to comprehend."

    Parent

    About those high-heeled flippers (5.00 / 1) (#34)
    by scribe on Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 06:18:03 PM EST
    Aren't those the ones Condi Rice was buying at Ferragamo, before heading over to see Spamalot, while Katrina drowned NOLA and she blew off other nations' offers of help?

    Thought so.

    Bunkered down in Philadelphia (none / 0) (#1)
    by andgarden on Sun Oct 28, 2012 at 07:48:29 PM EST
    Everything is closed tomorrow.

    I love the high-heeled fins!

    Just heard from (none / 0) (#2)
    by Jeralyn on Sun Oct 28, 2012 at 07:52:43 PM EST
    commenter PeterG, he's in San Juan for an oral argument tomorrow in the First Circuit Court of Appeals, and it's not looking good for leaving the island anytime soon.

    Appeal argument seeming went fine, but (5.00 / 4) (#24)
    by Peter G on Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 01:14:50 PM EST
    USAirways just told us that we cannot go home either Tuesday (as planned) or Wednesday.  Return flight changed from Tuesday morning to Thursday afternoon.  The kid from down the street will continue to feed our dog and cat.  Hopefully, basement won't flood at home or office (Phila suburbs).  Well, if you have to be stuck somewhere for two days unexpectedly, I guess San Juan isn't bad. We're heading for the beach now ....

    Parent
    Watch out for the Rum Monster! ;) (5.00 / 2) (#25)
    by nycstray on Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 01:26:38 PM EST
    Tell Peter G to fly (5.00 / 1) (#28)
    by fishcamp on Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 01:35:29 PM EST
    into Miami and I will pick him up and take him fishing.  He's so smart he probably works all the time and never gets to fish.

    Parent
    I'll be happy to pick him up (none / 0) (#33)
    by CoralGables on Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 04:08:27 PM EST
    at MIA and drive him south to you, if you send me back home with a few of those yellowtail filets.

    Parent
    Thanks, guys, but I think we're ready (none / 0) (#36)
    by Peter G on Tue Oct 30, 2012 at 08:12:13 PM EST
    to go home to our dogs and our own bed, Thursday, as allowed by USAir.  We'll try to take you up on the Keys trip and fishing if we're invited back to lead a workshop at the NORML legal conference down there again sometime.

    Parent
    Clean sweep for Obama today (none / 0) (#3)
    by CoralGables on Sun Oct 28, 2012 at 08:01:34 PM EST
    in front or tied in 7 different swing state polls today from Florida, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Virginia.

    NYG! (none / 0) (#5)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sun Oct 28, 2012 at 08:53:09 PM EST


    Didn't they move (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by CoralGables on Sun Oct 28, 2012 at 09:04:06 PM EST
    to San Francisco? :)

    Parent
    Why did the Ducks (none / 0) (#29)
    by fishcamp on Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 02:34:52 PM EST
    get moved to 4th place in the stupid BCS?  Maybe they need to score more than 70+ points.  If they broke the 222 point record maybe they would get moved up.

    Parent
    From what I've read, its all about the (none / 0) (#30)
    by easilydistracted on Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 02:47:59 PM EST
    strength of its schedule. And, apparently, the BCS does not consider margins of victory. KState moving up in the poll based on a stronger schedule, according to BCS. And interesting fact -- as I recall the Wildcats had the Ducks on its 2012 schedule and cancelled several years ago.  

    Parent
    Yes, K State and the Ducks had home and (5.00 / 1) (#31)
    by caseyOR on Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 03:34:41 PM EST
    home games scheduled for last season and this. K State decided to cancel them. Of course, the polite wording is "mutually agreed," which means that Oregon saw no upside to pitching a big fit about it. The same thing happened when Georgia decided to cancel its home and home agreement with Oregon.

    I hoping the Ducks overtake both KS and ND by the end of the season. The Ducks' schedule gets appreciably harder from here snout. KS and ND both have weaker schedules going forward.

    Oregon has a very hard time finding top caliber teams who will agree to home and home, and keep to that agreement. I do not understand why these teams are so reluctant to come to Eugene.

    Parent

    KSU Coach Schneider modus operandi (none / 0) (#32)
    by easilydistracted on Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 04:05:46 PM EST
    is to avoid strong non-conference opponents. Ergo, when he returned to KSU in 2010 is immediately cancelled the two games scheduled with the Ducks. This tactic of a weak non-conference schedule has worked against him in past years BCS. This year, however, the cancellation of the Ducks game appears to be working in his favor. And, only two games left and no Big 12 Title game this year. The Wildcats are sitting pretty I'd venture to say -- and, I might add, much to the chagrin of this JHawk alumnus.

    Parent
    Riker's Island (none / 0) (#20)
    by ScottW714 on Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 10:41:17 AM EST
    What should they do with the 12,000 inmates at Riker's Island, many of whom are awaiting trial, not yet convicted ?

    They are going to let them go, and I can't imagine they are going to divert resources into moving them into another secure facility.