Stress

[Tavasco]

During the winter months I get concerned when I see news of the severe cold, the piling snow, the icy winds and general discomfort in the northeast. My empathy goes out to you NY guys.

Last week in Texas I kept wondering why they didn\'t empty the reservoirs days or a week ahead of the rain. Probably wouldn\'t have helped.

Now I\'m worried about how many years in prison I\'ll get if I\'m busted for not evacuating two days before the rain storm gets to Pinellas County Fl and Clearwater in particular.

The surface streets have very light traffic. The conditions where the young guys in pickup trucks just drive thru red lights because they can\'t see any other vehicles.

At the grocery store (Publix) all the bread is gone except for one brand and its all there.

The bottled water is all gone. But if you bring your own gallon jugs (or larger) you can fill them up with the same water that\'s in the new plastic jugs for 1/2 price. Short line, if any. So I topped off a couple of jugs today, the guy in front of me was filling eight ( water cooler sized bottles and let me go first. I asked how big is your family? He says I\'m the only guy on the block with a generator. Could be three weeks without power. ? I\'m thinking the whole event will blow by within 3 hours. I suspect he doesn\'t play the horses.

Yesterday the market was like the fans @ a world cup soccer match and anxiety off the scale. Today, sedate and not even crowded. Road rage in the parking lot yesterday today only the relaxed people remaining.

I\'m still trying to picture 5-10 million people trying to escape to where the hurricane is going by all driving on the same 3 highways. Shades of the Hollywood freeway at 4:30 on Friday.

The wife who panicked out two days ago is not supposed to take tranquilizers because she stroked two years back she is with the hysterical mob. She called about getting a hotel room (why I wondered) was told to try Georgia or Alabama? They have hotels in AL i thought? She has filled the freezer with water bottles. ? I asked because I don\'t like to drink room temperature water she replied.

It could be that I am the fool and it could be I\'ve spent too many years as a contrarian. So our pea brained and hated Governor Prick Scott did order lake Ochochobie drained early this week. Meh the dikes and levees are in such bad shape there is no chance they\'ll hold up.

Stress - I suppose everyone has their own manner for dealing with it the wife can\'t stop talking.

Until later it is really a beautiful day in FL and while I should just go play nine holes I\'m going to Living Room downs instead. By the way there was no shortage of beer at the grocery so Im gonna have one now.


Oh and since I see no mention of the storm on Breibart maybe its fake?

[TGJB]

Good luck, man. It ain\'t gonna be three hours.

[gowand]

Stay safe! Before your power goes out you may want to check and see if all of your personal information was hacked from Equifax.  That might take your mind off Irma.Talk about stress.

[johnnym]

I\'m down here in South Florida.
I\'ve been a professional Firefighter/paramedic for the last 22 years have never been concerned about a weather event before in my life.
This one has me concerned,way the community has responded I\'m not the only one.
Direct hit they are saying expect Hurricane Force winds for approx 10hrs then the after math. No power for 2 weeks plus is a real possibility. Who knows what the roads and the logistics will be after.
Irma is taking the worse possible path up the middle of the state.
For all in the path good luck and God Bless.
\"What me worry\"
John

[richiebee]

Stay safe Tavasco.

Hopefully your power will be back on next week so you can watch Space.com\'s
coverage of Cassini\'s death plunge into the surface of Saturn after its 20 year
surveillance mission.

Of course, some are saying that on September 23, the power will be out for all of
us after our planet collides with Nibiru.

[ajkreider]

Agree.  This is the most prepared I\'ve ever seen it down here. I couldn\'t get gas starting last Sunday. Be safe, especially if you have emergency duty.

In my head I keep hearing Gandalf:

\"They are coming. We cannot get out ....\"

[TempletonPeck]

Strap in tight Tavasco. Projections seem to be moving the storm closer to Clearwater.

[Tavasco]

Thank You Richard Bach.

It could be IRMA turned off the electrical power in Pinellas County on Saturday evening. It is in a Hurricanes\'s nature to do so.

It could be Duke Power turned off the electrical power in Pinellas County on Saturday night. It is in their nature to pinch pennies. Their previous disgrace was getting a rate increase to build a new power plant which they have never built and no longer plan to build.

Generally true to form on the local level it was people being human. Nearly all good news.

On the first responder heros and their sometimes questionable leadership. Lady calls 911 at midnight, says - the transformer blew and my neighbors house is on fire. 911 operator says there is a hurricane outside call back after it passes. Homeowner calls (no thanks to Duke Power) the fire station on a cell phone. The fire truck arrives 8 minutes later stays 4 hours and can save only the callers house.

My newspaper delivery guy was the first to evacuate and still has not returned.

I\'m feeling quite lucky all told. As usual, TGJB had a better read than mine. I hope Johnny, AJ the other SoFL folks got through safe and sound. Richie, I\'m ready for Cassini. Face man I hope your Miami Beach conections stayed dry.

What\'s the next ROTW?

[richiebee]

Tavasco Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

 
> I\'m feeling quite lucky all told. As usual, TGJB
> had a better read than mine. I hope Johnny, AJ the
> other SoFL folks got through safe and sound.
> Richie, I\'m ready for Cassini. Face man I hope
> your Miami Beach conections stayed dry.

> What\'s the next ROTW?

Tavasco: Glad you got through this OK. Plenty of Cassini coverage on Space.com;
Cassini makes its suicide plunge or death dive this Friday; amazing what has
been accomplished by Cassini on it\'s 20 year mission. Maybe NYC can hire NASA
to help get the panhandlers off the streets of Manhattan (NO, I am not
suggesting that NASA round up all of these unfortunates and dispatch them to
outer space).

Plenty of good racing at Laurel and Woodbine this weekend so hopefully Living
Room Downs, Florida division, will be up and running by then.

[TempletonPeck]

Glad to \"see\" you topside.

Our people all made it through unscathed - spent two nights at the shelter and came home to a messy yard, but nary a scratch or bruise on anyone\'s person.

[johnnym]

Made it ok
Had a tree go thru my patio roof took out my screen structure, tiki gone,no power for 36 hrs. West cost,Keys got it bad.
Overall feel very lucky and blessed.
John

[ajkreider]

Yeah.  We were very lucky.   Looks like a bomb went off in the yard (9 trees down) but we never lost power.  No idea where they will put all the debris.   Even some main arteries are impassable.

On the plus side.  GP looks to have survived unscathed  (I suppose some might dispute the \"plus\" of the Pegasus statue making it through )

[TempletonPeck]

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/14/science/cassini-grand-finale-saturn.html

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/09/14/science/cassini-saturn-images.html

Some pretty incredible images in the second link.

[kevb]

Live streaming link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OthzX_FzAY

High drama

[richiebee]

kevb Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Live streaming link:
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OthzX_FzAY
>
> High drama


\"Then there are those who care not about extraterrestrials, searching for
meaning in other human beings. Rare or lucky are those who find it. For
although we may not be alone in the Universe, in our own separate ways, on this
planet, we are all alone.\"
   
          Jose Chung

\"Look I know the Jockey Club doesn\'t have as much funding as NASA, but after 50
years you would think they would be able to deal with the elephant (juice) in
the room.\"

          Overheard in a Soho bar

\"NASA has sent probes to Jupiter and Saturn, but Woodbine can\'t figure out how
to have less than six maiden races on one of the biggest days of its year?

          Richiebee