Updates on Sandy...end of hell week...
Nov. 2nd, 2012 10:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkat1. According to NY1 - They cancelled the NYC Marathon for the first time...in I think in forever? They ran it after 9/11. Guess Mayor Bloomberg finally got tired of fighting with people on it. They've been fighting over it for the last two days. Bloomberg: we'll have the marathon! Everyone else: Don't be a nitwit, we can't have it - people are hurting. Bloomberg: It will bring in needed revenue. Everyone else: And divert needed resources.
The problem was simply this - the marathon would take needed resources away from areas affected by the hurricane - such as police, sanitation workers, and others. Also it would block traffic that needs to get through. The subways are slowly coming back, but they aren't there yet. Brooklyn and Staten Island are connected to Manhattan by Ferry, Brooklyn by buses and bridges. The runners are whinging about it. Seriously people, count your blessings, some people don't have a home any more. Go volunteer instead.
2. The situation here is ...bad, folks. No, I'm not exaggerating - although I am prone to do that on occasion, I admit this. It's also surreal. Because in some areas are perfectly fine, but others look like they've been hit by a bomb. Remember the Japan Tsumani and Katrina? It's like that.
Anyhow..below is a pic I took on the way home from work. I have to walk through two gas stations. One had "No Gas" signs and police tape around it along with police presence, the other had a long line of people with gas cans. [On the way to work at 6 am this morning, in the dark, there was two long lines of cars, a line of people at one gas station and a long line of cars at another one - which had no one there, no lights, and the cars weren't doing anything - they were waiting for the tankers to show up.] At work, they were trying to figure out how to procure several gallons of gas or gas filled trucks to go out to the tracks and fix things. [When you work for a transportation agency that is part of the city and state's infrastructure, you get a unique view of the situation.]
I couldn't add it to DW, so am posting this in LJ.
Also here's some links from my coworkers in case you want to help NYC or Long Beach or Long Island in anyway or live here and want to volunteer:
Help NYC Hurricane Victims
Help Long Beach - if you can get there and donate supplies for victims of the hurricane
And here's photos from Fire Island - that lovely island I visited in July with it's expensive homes:
Damage from the Ocean Side at Fire Island
Fire Island Damage
Good news is my brother's place seems to still be intact at least for the time being.
3. At work we were worrying about how to vote on election day. I can vote. My area wasn't hurt in any way - I'm in this weird bubble world. Was talking to downstairs neighbor about it - well after I made a complaint about the heat. It was 82 degrees in my apt at 3am last night - and I had to get up at 5:30 am. (Which I found disgusting, considering all the people who have no power.) But the answer was simple and made sense - they can't figure out where the heat regulator is in their apartment. Explains the weird fluctuations.
But I'm sleep deprived as a result. Oh well, could be worse - 90% of my co-workers do not have any power. One co-worker had heat but no power - so her entire extended family and her husband's family have decided to camp out at her house this weekend. Poor thing can barely walk due to a sprained ankle, female surgery, and a hip displacement. She's in her early 30s. Her 2 year old wants to watch the Mickey Mouse Club - but she has no power, so the kid stands in front of the tv and says: Mommy? Mickey? And she responds, "no, no Mickey, no power." Kid : Mommy? Mickey NoW! Mommy: Go ahead, try to turn it on and see what happens. Other co-workers are housing homeless and powerless family members. They live in Babylon and Suffolk. Their stories are so painful.
Anyhow...the election. According to the news, they may have people voting by paper. Or setting up super-polling, generator powered tent emergency sites. Communication is a problem though - because a lot of people have no power, no landline and limited cell service. Radio can only go so far - I know I listened to the radio and I've watched NY1, NY1 has more accurate info.
Although the Rockaways, Staten Island, Coney Island and Long Island may not care. This is going to be a bizarre election. Five states have problems. NYC, NJ, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virgina, and Conneticut...all have issues. And I think Michigan does too.
The political analysts think Sandy may have swung the race into Obama's favor. But we shall see. Personally I think anyone who voted for Romny or will is certifiably dumb. But I try to keep this sentiment to myself and do not discuss politics at work. (I work with ultra conservatives, bright conservatives except where politics are concerned - who may not be able to vote.)
4. Staten Island is about to leave NY and join NJ - they haven't gotten much help at all. Co-worker's hubby is a police officer (this is the one with the Mickey Mouse kid), and he was working the hurricane in Staten Island and tried to save the cop who got killed going into his basement to rescue people. Her husband's fine, but his friend is dead. Most of the deaths occurred in Staten Island.
The other isolated place is the Rockaways...which was devastated - Breezepoint is gone. This is an area populated by the first responders to 9/11.
Long Beach...omg. OMG. And you don't hear about it at all on the news. Nor do you hear about Babylon or Fire Island - also devastated. You guys have no idea how bad this is.
I have co-workers who don't know when they'll get their power back. It may be next week or the week after that. No one has returned their calls. Someone removed the tree but that was it.
5. The MTA has handled this well. They've bounced back. Yay, CRAZY, workplace! I've been busy the last two days. Today was a nightmare. Railroad:"We must have this awarded today!" Me: I'm doing my best! Be patient![ Plus this isn't even required to restore our services! It's a demolition you nitwits. You don't need this right now. Clearly somebody over there is bored.]
I got it awarded by 9am. (YAY me!) I was in the office at 7:30 am.
Got up at 5:30 am. Didn't sleep - got woken up by insane heat at 3 am. Walked the 50 some blocks or 3 to 4 or 5 miles (I don't know) to the railroad at 6 am in the dark. My hips are sore today. I don't need a gym.
But considering the situation, the MTA has gotten most of the subway lines running and the day after the hurricane hit, also got two commuter trains running is amazing. People whinge about it - but the MTA is the only 24/7/365 day a year service in the world. It's also more extensive than London, Paris or Tokyo's services. You can literally go quite a ways by rail and subway and it all interconnects, plus to ferries and buses. That's amazing if you think about it. Would have been brighter if they didn't put the headquarters in lower Manhattan. But oh well. (We've been discussing that as well. Up until yesterday, the Long Island Rail Road was the only agency with internet access, email and phones. If you think about that - MTA did quite well.)
So happy this week is over. Killed my planned 4 day weekend, but oh well. Was planning on taking Monday off - but can't now. Did a week's worth of work in two days and still feel overwhelmed. I keep telling myself, hang in there, it will get better! Besides, it could have been so much worse. I'm very lucky - I've picked a place in NYC that didn't get devastated by Hurricane Sandy.
The problem was simply this - the marathon would take needed resources away from areas affected by the hurricane - such as police, sanitation workers, and others. Also it would block traffic that needs to get through. The subways are slowly coming back, but they aren't there yet. Brooklyn and Staten Island are connected to Manhattan by Ferry, Brooklyn by buses and bridges. The runners are whinging about it. Seriously people, count your blessings, some people don't have a home any more. Go volunteer instead.
2. The situation here is ...bad, folks. No, I'm not exaggerating - although I am prone to do that on occasion, I admit this. It's also surreal. Because in some areas are perfectly fine, but others look like they've been hit by a bomb. Remember the Japan Tsumani and Katrina? It's like that.
Anyhow..below is a pic I took on the way home from work. I have to walk through two gas stations. One had "No Gas" signs and police tape around it along with police presence, the other had a long line of people with gas cans. [On the way to work at 6 am this morning, in the dark, there was two long lines of cars, a line of people at one gas station and a long line of cars at another one - which had no one there, no lights, and the cars weren't doing anything - they were waiting for the tankers to show up.] At work, they were trying to figure out how to procure several gallons of gas or gas filled trucks to go out to the tracks and fix things. [When you work for a transportation agency that is part of the city and state's infrastructure, you get a unique view of the situation.]
I couldn't add it to DW, so am posting this in LJ.
Also here's some links from my coworkers in case you want to help NYC or Long Beach or Long Island in anyway or live here and want to volunteer:
Help NYC Hurricane Victims
Help Long Beach - if you can get there and donate supplies for victims of the hurricane
And here's photos from Fire Island - that lovely island I visited in July with it's expensive homes:
Damage from the Ocean Side at Fire Island
Fire Island Damage
Good news is my brother's place seems to still be intact at least for the time being.
3. At work we were worrying about how to vote on election day. I can vote. My area wasn't hurt in any way - I'm in this weird bubble world. Was talking to downstairs neighbor about it - well after I made a complaint about the heat. It was 82 degrees in my apt at 3am last night - and I had to get up at 5:30 am. (Which I found disgusting, considering all the people who have no power.) But the answer was simple and made sense - they can't figure out where the heat regulator is in their apartment. Explains the weird fluctuations.
But I'm sleep deprived as a result. Oh well, could be worse - 90% of my co-workers do not have any power. One co-worker had heat but no power - so her entire extended family and her husband's family have decided to camp out at her house this weekend. Poor thing can barely walk due to a sprained ankle, female surgery, and a hip displacement. She's in her early 30s. Her 2 year old wants to watch the Mickey Mouse Club - but she has no power, so the kid stands in front of the tv and says: Mommy? Mickey? And she responds, "no, no Mickey, no power." Kid : Mommy? Mickey NoW! Mommy: Go ahead, try to turn it on and see what happens. Other co-workers are housing homeless and powerless family members. They live in Babylon and Suffolk. Their stories are so painful.
Anyhow...the election. According to the news, they may have people voting by paper. Or setting up super-polling, generator powered tent emergency sites. Communication is a problem though - because a lot of people have no power, no landline and limited cell service. Radio can only go so far - I know I listened to the radio and I've watched NY1, NY1 has more accurate info.
Although the Rockaways, Staten Island, Coney Island and Long Island may not care. This is going to be a bizarre election. Five states have problems. NYC, NJ, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virgina, and Conneticut...all have issues. And I think Michigan does too.
The political analysts think Sandy may have swung the race into Obama's favor. But we shall see. Personally I think anyone who voted for Romny or will is certifiably dumb. But I try to keep this sentiment to myself and do not discuss politics at work. (I work with ultra conservatives, bright conservatives except where politics are concerned - who may not be able to vote.)
4. Staten Island is about to leave NY and join NJ - they haven't gotten much help at all. Co-worker's hubby is a police officer (this is the one with the Mickey Mouse kid), and he was working the hurricane in Staten Island and tried to save the cop who got killed going into his basement to rescue people. Her husband's fine, but his friend is dead. Most of the deaths occurred in Staten Island.
The other isolated place is the Rockaways...which was devastated - Breezepoint is gone. This is an area populated by the first responders to 9/11.
Long Beach...omg. OMG. And you don't hear about it at all on the news. Nor do you hear about Babylon or Fire Island - also devastated. You guys have no idea how bad this is.
I have co-workers who don't know when they'll get their power back. It may be next week or the week after that. No one has returned their calls. Someone removed the tree but that was it.
5. The MTA has handled this well. They've bounced back. Yay, CRAZY, workplace! I've been busy the last two days. Today was a nightmare. Railroad:"We must have this awarded today!" Me: I'm doing my best! Be patient![ Plus this isn't even required to restore our services! It's a demolition you nitwits. You don't need this right now. Clearly somebody over there is bored.]
I got it awarded by 9am. (YAY me!) I was in the office at 7:30 am.
Got up at 5:30 am. Didn't sleep - got woken up by insane heat at 3 am. Walked the 50 some blocks or 3 to 4 or 5 miles (I don't know) to the railroad at 6 am in the dark. My hips are sore today. I don't need a gym.
But considering the situation, the MTA has gotten most of the subway lines running and the day after the hurricane hit, also got two commuter trains running is amazing. People whinge about it - but the MTA is the only 24/7/365 day a year service in the world. It's also more extensive than London, Paris or Tokyo's services. You can literally go quite a ways by rail and subway and it all interconnects, plus to ferries and buses. That's amazing if you think about it. Would have been brighter if they didn't put the headquarters in lower Manhattan. But oh well. (We've been discussing that as well. Up until yesterday, the Long Island Rail Road was the only agency with internet access, email and phones. If you think about that - MTA did quite well.)
So happy this week is over. Killed my planned 4 day weekend, but oh well. Was planning on taking Monday off - but can't now. Did a week's worth of work in two days and still feel overwhelmed. I keep telling myself, hang in there, it will get better! Besides, it could have been so much worse. I'm very lucky - I've picked a place in NYC that didn't get devastated by Hurricane Sandy.