That’ll learn them dirty f%^&ing hippies. Whoo-hoo! We really should get together and throw a hurricane party. My house is just above the label that says “2pm Sunday”.
So much to do. Appetizers, beer, rum. Mostly get fresh water. Natasha Chart tweeted a handy disaster preparedness list for those of us on the hit list. Here’s a tip I learned when I rode out Hurricane Charlie in Naples, Florida about 5 years ago: fill your bathtubs up with water. When the water stops flowing, you’ll want to use that water to flush your toilets.
When Floyd passed through here about 13 years ago, our water treatment plant was flooded and out for 2 weeks. Yep, do you know how hard it is to keep a 2 year old clean for two weeks without showers and baths? The mayor had a fireside chat every evening for 2 weeks to assure us that the water would be flowing any day now while his hair got greasier and greasier. Ah, those were the days. Such fun. Speaking of fun, I really must clear that gutter above my deck while I have time…
The inaptly named Bound Brook, NJ after Hurricane Floyd, about 5 miles from yours truly
But it’s not just the NJ bloggers, and that would include Krugthulu who lives about 10 miles from me, it also includes Atrios and Susie Madrak.
Speaking of Susie, in case you haven’t heard, she’s in the hospital under observation for a possible heart attack. As you may know, Susie’s been unemployed for awhile. Health insurance is expensive. By the way, did you know that the COBRA subsidy will end next week? The subsidy helped pay 65% of the cost of COBRA for newly unemployed people, like me. I’m not on COBRA yet but I can now look forward to paying the whole thing myself on my meager unemployment check starting next month when my severance benefits end. Isn’t that special? Stranded in NJ with a mortgage, no job and no COBRA subsidy. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to live on and I’m probably not going to fetch top dollar on the flesh market on Craigslist anymore. You’d think Obama would have made sure that this subsidy lasted until 2012 but you would think wrong. It’s enough to drive a girl to socialism, I tells ya.
Anyway, if you have some spare change, now would be a good time visit Susie’s page and make a donation to her tip jar.
Get well, Susie! We need you back on Virtually Speaking Susie.
Filed under: General | Tagged: Atrios, COBRA, Hurricane Irene, krugman, Northeast bloggers, Susie Madrak, unemployment |
The Confluence 
Susie’s situation is scary …. and so is yours! do you want me to send you some yarn and a pattern? you could pass the time knitting by candlelight!
More like painting by candlelight. Besides, I know how to knit and perl but I could never figure out how to cast off.
I have a portable battery that I can use to power other stuff, a solar/crankable flashlight radio and one of those solar desklamp suckers from Ikea that should be fully charged. I’ll head out tomorrow for water and snacks, then sit back and let Irene roll in.
Luckily with scarves, it rarely comes to casting off! Did you know that not so long ago ladies-who-knit would commonly go to the Local Yarn Store when they were done with a project to ask the Yarn Lady to ‘finish’ the project? Weaving in all the loose ends & doing the cast off…
I did not know that. The things I learn from you.
It seems like a scene that belongs in a movie like The Help. Supposedly some women still do it but, now they get charged for the service.
One other stop: liquor store. This calls for something special.
Since you brought it up:
Well that didn’t work. Try this:
Looks good. Break out the shot glasses.
Drink early, drink often. Or was that vote. Eh, same thing.
I guess we should have seen this coming:
Donnie and Mark Wahlburg open a fast-food joint called Walhburgers.
There does seem to be something biblical about recent events, doesn’t there?
Um, I don’t know about you but Revelations never made much sense to me. It was a fricking vision. For all we know, John of Patmos was psychotic.
But if he was simply gnostic, why did the bishops put Revelations in the bible in the first place? Didn’t they hate gnostics? The only purpose Revelations serves is to scare people into obedience and make them focus on the next life instead of the one they are actually living. It’s a stupid, pointless waste of time. Those visions could mean anything to anyone at any time in the last 2000 years. It’s the equivalent of a crystal ball. I thought Christians were supposed to abstain from that stuff.
You gotta wonder why the religion of resurrection has so many followers who are reluctant to take the prerequisite step.
I’ve noticed that a lot of the followers of Jeebus aren’t familiar with his teachings.
Is it just me or does Irene seem to be aimed right at Wall Street?
It does look that way, doesn’t it? But to get there, it has to pass right over me and I didn’t do anything wrong.
Looks like we’ll be collateral damage to Wall Street once again.
IBSP
follow the money 😆
Good luck, rd, my two sisters and all those in Irene’s path.
Since Katrina, it’s every wo(man) for herself.
God, how I miss Bill Clinton and James Lee Witt.
I’ve got 2 siblings – 3 if I count RD, 🙂 — in the path. It’s scary!!
Aww, that’s so sweet. You’re the best, kbird.
Looks like we’re a having a roach-motel weekend in New England: we’re flying into JFK on Friday but we ain’t flying out of there on Sunday.
We Just watched the last edition of Expedition Impossible. I’d say it’s the best race show ever. Every team was wonderful and some of them were amazing. If you can watch it online, you should — it’s really, really different.
Heading to upstate NY Sat.am via Atlanta. I’m sure it will be crazy, and crossing my fingers I make it-but probably won’t arrive to a sunny afternoon at the lake. Hope everyone stays safe.
Off topic:
Persistence is not always a virtue. The state of Georgia, in zombielike fashion, still seeks to execute a man whose guilt is highly dubious at best.
He could die as early as September.
http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/cases/usa-troy-davis
Seriously, Georgia, WTF? 👿
Politico:
That’s scary. We are so totally fucked. Thanks Obots.
I don’t ever remember reading or hearing about that and I live in Texas and am pretty well informed. Also, Hutchinson didn’t do well because she sucks. During her campaign she came across as uninformed and incoherent and often just plain stupid. Many people really liked her for a long time but her act has wore thin.
So all of that time that people liked her it was all an act? She wasn’t actually smart and talented?
Pity, it seems to be a gender problem. Women just are not genuinely competent. No wonder we are so often not allowed to hold real power in politics.
Plan for your daughter during the storm. With power outages teens are cut off from their worlds. With everything torn up it is hard to get out and see friends unless they live very close. They get bored, very cranky, and stressed. They also get headaches, tummy aches, and have trouble sleeping. Have things for her to do, show her a lot of attention and affection, have favorite snacks and drinks for her. If there is the slightest possibility that you may in danger at your home get into a shelter- for her.
Casting off is very easy. Just knit (or purl) the first two stitches of the row, then pull the first stitch over the second and off the needle, knit (or purl) the third stitch, pull the second stitch over the third one and repeat until you only have 1 stitch left, pull the yarn through it and tighten.
Heading out to get an extra strong umbrella for the upcoming frog rains.
By the way, as an aside, apropos of nothing, Tim Cook is really, really great. Just thought I’d put that out there. 🙂
If Steve picked him and learned his lesson from the first time, he’ll probably be great.
Don’t worry. Your stock options are probably fine.
Ha, stock, that’s soooo 2007. I an’t got none of that fancy stuff any more.
Be safe all you East Coasters. Will be thinking of you. 🙂
Latest forecast for us:
“- The New York metropolitan area will experience the worst conditions later Saturday night and Sunday with hurricane conditions possible along with destructive wind, heavy flooding rain, and storm surge with coastal flooding. Tropical storm conditions expected western NJ and the upstate of NY up the Hudson River Valley.”
We’re about 40 miles from NYC as the crow flies. This should be good.
Drink early and drink often.
heard someone say.
Irene downgraded to tropical storm.
Cable TV meteorologists, and Geraldo, on suicide watch. 😆