Hurricane Irma

[plastroncafe]

The thing is this sort of stuff has been said with the Advent of every new form of information technology.

First it was the printing press, then novels, then telegraph, then radio, then movies, and television....

Everything has always been political.

What's extra funny about taking head pundits complaining about how other people make things unnecessarily political is that they very literally make they're living by being devil's advocates.

Normally this is at best amusing it at least annoying. But when the topic at hand is public safety, they can be dangerous.

[Sumac]

Originally Posted by plastroncafe

Everything has always been political.

From my understanding, when people say "making it political" they mean it not as "related to government, policies, e.t.c", but promoting some agenda, using disaster and death as a vehicle.

Many people see such thing as unethical and outright vile. Which is fully understandable.

[sdp]

I've had a hellish time recently, the hurricanes have caused flooding where I live and I also got hit by an earthquake that also did some damage.

Originally Posted by Katie

Both sides of the political spectrum have lost their minds.

Everything has always been political but things are indeed worse now as the narrative has been taken up to 11 and you harassed by people about it now.

Good thing is more and more people are noticing and the extreme sides are alienating more people so things should get better eventually. it's really vocal minority groups on both sides and the media trying to cash-in by creating controversy and divide for ratings.

[plastroncafe]

Originally Posted by Sumac

From my understanding, when people say "making it political" they mean it not as "related to government, policies, e.t.c", but promoting some agenda, using disaster and death as a vehicle.

Many people see such thing as unethical and outright vile. Which is fully understandable.

That's interesting, normally when I see people complain about everything being political, it sounds to me like they feel as though they're being bombarded by things that don't directly affect them, and would prefer it if those things would just go away.

I'd say that it's entirely unethical to use a tragedy as a means by which to create change, but there are some tragedies that could have been avoided had people taken precautions beforehand.

So I hesitate to agree with that blanket statement.

[The Deadman]

Originally Posted by Sumac

From my understanding, when people say "making it political" they mean it not as "related to government, policies, e.t.c", but promoting some agenda, using disaster and death as a vehicle.

Many people see such thing as unethical and outright vile. Which is fully understandable.

This is a perfect example of just that

http://www.thewrap.com/jennifer-lawr...age-and-wrath/

[Sumac]

Originally Posted by plastroncafe

That's interesting, normally when I see people complain about everything being political, it sounds to me like they feel as though they're being bombarded by things that don't directly affect them, and would prefer it if those things would just go away.

Depends on what they mean - if it means if they constantly under "bombardment" of propaganda - than such sentiment is justifiable.
If they talk like that about any case of whatever they understand as "unwanted information" - than it's just foolish ignorance.

Originally Posted by plastroncafe

I'd say that it's entirely unethical to use a tragedy as a means by which to create change, but there are some tragedies that could have been avoided had people taken precautions beforehand.

I think, we can agree, that hurricanes are not this case.

Originally Posted by The Deadman

This is a perfect example of just that

http://www.thewrap.com/jennifer-lawr...age-and-wrath/

It's not making it political - it's just separate case of idiocy.
Or rather stupid attempt at PR.

[plastroncafe]

Originally Posted by Sumac

I think, we can agree, that hurricanes are not this case.

You don't think damage from hurricanes could be mitigated by precautions taken beforehand?

[snake]

Hurricanes are racist. Known fact.

[Sumac]

Originally Posted by plastroncafe

You don't think damage from hurricanes could be mitigated by precautions taken beforehand?

Mitigated - yes, avoided - no.

I am maybe a bit too pedant about wording, though.

[BubblyShell22]

I think if people take precautions, things are going to get better. There will still be devastation, but at least some things can be protected if people just take precautions and either leave or at least go to a shelter somewhere instead of trying to ride it out. Heard on the Today Show this morning that Homestead has definitely learned their lesson from Hurricane Andrew and that they have better protection for their buildings which is a good start.

[TigerClaw]

Looks like Irma is gonna hit on the West Coast of Florida, Its currently a Category 3, but it could become a Category 4.

[BubblyShell22]

There was one gentleman who wanted to evacuate but couldn't because his daughter was born jaundiced and he had to ride it out. Hope people stay safe out there.

[TigerClaw]

Irma is going to the West side of Florida, while on the East Coast, were experiencing Tropical Storm style winds.

[BubblyShell22]

Yeah, I see that. Eye just passed Marco Island and Naples now. Everyone, please stay safe.

[IndigoErth]

Glad it has dropped down to a Cat 2 at this point. A friend in FL had hoped and figured they wouldn't get too much out of this, but since the track had shifted westward... yeah, her area is apparently due for the eye wall shortly. Luckily she's still posting on FB.


At least an old friend of my mom's, formerly of Sarasota, is living with a Daughter in Atlanta these days. Though a son is in Sarasota...

[BubblyShell22]

Atlanta's going to get it, too, so they aren't out of the woods either. Now Irma is a tropical storm. Heard Tennessee is also under a tropical storm warning and my aunt lives there along with two of my cousins. Hope they don't get hit too hard.

[IndigoErth]

Yeah, a tropical storm can be a little rough as well, depending on the storm itself and esp if on the 'bad' side, but provided they don't cause bad flooding they're usually do-able with just scattered clean up.

If on the better side, flooding might be more of a concern than winds, but TN (or at least parts of it?) should have the benefit of having some higher ground, unlike FL. (Or poor Texas.)

Can't ever trust them though, not even the remnants. Which is why I'm also keeping an eye on Irma's path because some of the models seemed to think it may exit land over my area... as they most often tend to do.

Spoiler:

Case in point... Tropical storm Henri, which was right before Isabel in '03. Very minor, it hit FL, but didn't do much to them or any other states along it's path north (a few inches rain max in some)...then the remnants of it hit us (north DE) and PA and suddenly turned into a total a**hole with flash flooding and $16 mil in damages in my state.

But, on the up side, I think it helped protect people when Isabel came past three days later. No one was brushing that one off prior as they might have otherwise...

Katie and our other Floridians, I hope you guys are okay and mostly spared!




Is it just me getting tired of these storms...? I don't look forward to moving onto [more prolonged coverage] of drunken loop-de-loop Jose just quietly out there plotting it's plan of attack. (Irma could at least try to make up for itself a smidge by pushing that one away.)

[BubblyShell22]

Katie lives in Alabama, not Florida.

They say Jose won't hit the States, but you never know if tracks can change as shown by Irma. Best to be prepared.

[IndigoErth]

Ah, my mistake, a FL beach house was mentioned. Hope those plans at least aren't ruined.

[Katie]

I'm good.


I am in Florida now. Had tropical storm conditions today, but my butt was sitting on the beach this morning before the rain started and had my free microderm abrasion courtesy of Irma.

Now its sitting over my house in Birmingham. Cold and windy, but otherwise ok per Stryker.

So far so good!

Tomorrow and the rest of the week is sunny and low 80's.

Shells were fantastic this morning. I found some amazing ones.