come ON Irene

critical thinking, sup

Not to take anything away from the thousands of people along the Eastern seaboard who have suffered major damage to their homes (and still are, farther up the coast), but us folk here in Manhattan are feeling a little ripped off.  We’re in what was recently the eye of Irene, Category 1 Hurricane, the size of Europe, and is now the empty butt of Irene, Tropical Storm.  No big deal.  From our perspective in the Flatiron district, it was a rainy night like any other we’ve had this August.

What’s funniest to me is the mob of TV viewers who are upset with the news people.  “Much ado about nothing.”  I have to imagine that these are the people who won’t bother to pack up and evacuate next time, and they are the ones who will drown in eleven feet of storm surge.

Yep, Manhattan got lucky.  I was hoping for a lot more photo opportunity.  But I will still pack up just as carefully next time.  It’s one thing to be disappointed by an under-performing force of nature, but it’s another thing entirely to ignore the media (and the government) the next time they spend a fortune in resources trying to keep us all alive.  Come on guys, just appreciate your good fortune and get on with being mad at the city for dragging ass getting transit back online.  Somehow, we have to find a cab to take us home at the same time as 350,000 other New Yorkers.

come ON Irene Read More »

Irene. She’s out there.

photopost, sup

Looks like another beautiful afternoon in the Upper Bay.  The Verrazano Narrows Bridge looks happy, if a little hazy.  The sun is gorgeous and the humidity is downright pleasant.

Zoiks.

We live in the Financial District.  I have a front row seat – a south facing view.  If I were going to stick around in my 43rd floor apartment, I would have an unrestricted view of what is apparently a Cat2 hurricane as she rolls directly over New York City.  This will be the first time this has happened in, oh, ninety years.

But I’m not staying in my south-facing 43rd floor apartment with the unrestricted view of the Upper Bay.  Marjorie has been quite firm on this.  Fair enough.  I’ll gaf-tape the windows and tape the shower curtain over the entertainment centre just in case.  The windows are rated for 100mph, but you never know.  That 100mph probably doesn’t include shrapnel.

We’ll mosey up to the Barans’, who should be cozy in the Flatiron District.  We’ll spend Saturday and probably Sunday night there.  Get some work done.  Play some dominoes.  We’re undecided about tonight.  The trains will shut down at noon tomorrow, and we don’t want to get caught in a pinch.  You never know.

So I’m packing a few days worth of clothes, the laptop and the most important drives, and of course the cameras.  I’ll definitely bring my rain gear, because I suspect there may be some sights worth shooting this weekend.

Now… where can I pick up a shotgun and a broadsword for the imminent zombie incursion?

It’s pretty common during major events like this for digital lines to go down (thank you, AT&T), so if I don’t post for a bit, hang in there.  Don’t panic, is what I’m saying.  We’re New Yorkers, after all.

Irene. She’s out there. Read More »