Amazing! Simply amazing...after all was said and done -- the voice of the people has been heard! Much to the shock and surprise of all those millionaires that were convinced that they could buy this election. The ordinary voters let their voices be heard and their votes counted.
It took long into the early morning of Wednesday -- for the other candidate to concede defeat. He was so sure that he was going to win --that he had not even bothered to write a concession speech. And even though he, as he should, sounded graceful in defeat he still threw in a nasty dig about what a great president he would have been! Sure...he would, he could, etc.
The fact of the matter is, that the people in that other party, are completely out of touch with the realities most ordinary Americans face. Yes, the economy is important -- but so are the social issues, and you cannot separate one from the other. This, I think is what lost the election for the opposition party. They are perceived as caring only for the rich, and in the end -- thanks to Sandy, this point was, almost literally, hammered home to all those that this hurricane hit hard.
Up to the point the hurricane hit, there was uncertainty as to who was going to win the election -- but...after...? There was no doubt in a lot of people's minds, after the hurricane, that they would not elect a guy that said that he would eliminate the agency that handles big disasters like this one. Because, what then? With what money were people going to pay for such a gigantic clean-up.
So at the bitter end, the Africa-American won...in a case of the people showing all the so-called experts, that you should never underestimate the power of people communicating through their own personal networks and voting for the man who they believe really cares about them.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Finally -- Election Day: The Hurricane Sandy Impact
Yes! It's finally here...the day that for four years we have been waiting for....the presidential election day. I say we have been waiting for 4 years for this -- because since the day he was elected, certain groups made it their business to make sure that, the first African-American president elected in this country, would be a one-term president.
This has led to -- we the people -- being deluged with so much negative advertising, through all the possible media outlets -- Internet, print, and so on -- that we just wanted this day to come so we could get it over with. So much money has been spent trying to convince us that we should hit the reset button, and elect someone else, that frankly -- we have election fatigue.
And specially here in New York, still recovering from Sandy, with public transportation not yet fully working, with more than half a million people with no electric power, and with gas for cars mysteriously very scarce -- people want to show that we are not idiots - that we know who we want our next president to be. That we can see through the fog of lies and distortions that has been thrown at us.
I know of people that live in the hardest hit areas, like Far Rockaway, and Staten Island and others, that were making their way to vote, people that went first thing in the morning to make sure their vote counted. The turnout in minority communities was huge! Women also were out in large numbers, In my neighborhood, it was amazing to see that people that normally don't bother to vote -- suddenly realizing that this was an important, and more historic occasion than four years ago.
Thanks to the Sandy hurricane, many people suddenly realized that --- hey...maybe government should be there to help people, that when something this big happens you can't just leave it up to the states --they don't have the resources for something this enormous. Plus, many of the people I know, believe that we don't want this country, which is an immigrant's dream, to be open just for the very rich -- we want a country with a strong and stable middle class.
These are the people, I believe, that will give our first African-American president, another four years, because he has shown, at least in his actions, that he cares more about the poor and the middle class, than those that are spending billions, trying to turn this country into the playground of the rich. Many of my friends have said that they will not go to bed -- until they can see if the voice of the ordinary people will be heard, and this country will remain the shining beacon that it represents, for the rest of the planet.
This has led to -- we the people -- being deluged with so much negative advertising, through all the possible media outlets -- Internet, print, and so on -- that we just wanted this day to come so we could get it over with. So much money has been spent trying to convince us that we should hit the reset button, and elect someone else, that frankly -- we have election fatigue.
And specially here in New York, still recovering from Sandy, with public transportation not yet fully working, with more than half a million people with no electric power, and with gas for cars mysteriously very scarce -- people want to show that we are not idiots - that we know who we want our next president to be. That we can see through the fog of lies and distortions that has been thrown at us.
I know of people that live in the hardest hit areas, like Far Rockaway, and Staten Island and others, that were making their way to vote, people that went first thing in the morning to make sure their vote counted. The turnout in minority communities was huge! Women also were out in large numbers, In my neighborhood, it was amazing to see that people that normally don't bother to vote -- suddenly realizing that this was an important, and more historic occasion than four years ago.
Thanks to the Sandy hurricane, many people suddenly realized that --- hey...maybe government should be there to help people, that when something this big happens you can't just leave it up to the states --they don't have the resources for something this enormous. Plus, many of the people I know, believe that we don't want this country, which is an immigrant's dream, to be open just for the very rich -- we want a country with a strong and stable middle class.
These are the people, I believe, that will give our first African-American president, another four years, because he has shown, at least in his actions, that he cares more about the poor and the middle class, than those that are spending billions, trying to turn this country into the playground of the rich. Many of my friends have said that they will not go to bed -- until they can see if the voice of the ordinary people will be heard, and this country will remain the shining beacon that it represents, for the rest of the planet.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Recovering from the Hurricane--Sandy Effects Linger
Here we are -- a new week -- a new start. Slowly...we are getting back to normal. The buses and trains are almost all functional, the weather is a clear, crisp, sunny autumn type. People are quite relieved that the awful week that just ended, is now becoming a really bad memory.
Believe or not --- children are actually happy to go back to school -- they ran out of things to do at home. Parents were glad to send them back to school and go back to work. The commute to work was still a nightmare -- what with the gridlock on the highways and the trains and buses that had you packed like sardines -- as the service for public transportation is still quite limited.
And then we have the lack-of-gas-for-our-cars blues.....To see the long lines of cars, and people with empty gasoline containers, snake its way for a mile or so near gas stations -- you would think that suddenly we are back to the 1970's and the oil embargo! It's amazing how people quickly panic or want to exploit a disaster. We heard reports on the news, of people hoarding gasoline -- and then trying to sell it on the Internet for absurdly high prices. As in the case of one man trying to sell 5 gallons for 200 dollars!
While this is going on, we remember that tomorrow we have a very important election to participate in. Here in the East Coast there are questions of where do people, whose communities have been wiped out by Sandy, go to vote. Provisions have to be made so that everyone has a chance to have their votes counted. We realize that it's critical to vote, as the outcome of the presidential election, and even the congressional and senate races, will determine what direction the United States will follow, at least for the next four years.
In spite of all the tragedy and drama caused by the Sandy hurricane, people here realize that this is a pivotal point in American history. And believe it or not, I know people who have lost, their homes, and are struggling to cope with putting their lives together, who realize that in this election every single vote will count -- and they are making every effort to vote!
Meanwhile, people continue to wait 2 to 3 hours in line to fill up the gas tank of their cars. Those that own small, fuel efficient cars, are trying not to gloat in the face of those people who have those big gas-guzzling vehicles, since -- as you can well imagine -- the price per gallon has skyrocketed. Even though the politicians keep telling people that gasoline is on its way, people -- I guess it's human nature -- still want to make sure that they have enough to get them through the work week.
And the big winners in all this tragedy? Why the home contractors, the trees trimmers, carpenters, plumbers, in short a lot of businesses are very busy reconstructing people's properties and their lives. Which, in a kind of poetic justice is quite ironic -- as Sandy destroyed so much...it also created hundreds of jobs that will benefit the economy....life can toy with us that way.
Believe or not --- children are actually happy to go back to school -- they ran out of things to do at home. Parents were glad to send them back to school and go back to work. The commute to work was still a nightmare -- what with the gridlock on the highways and the trains and buses that had you packed like sardines -- as the service for public transportation is still quite limited.
And then we have the lack-of-gas-for-our-cars blues.....To see the long lines of cars, and people with empty gasoline containers, snake its way for a mile or so near gas stations -- you would think that suddenly we are back to the 1970's and the oil embargo! It's amazing how people quickly panic or want to exploit a disaster. We heard reports on the news, of people hoarding gasoline -- and then trying to sell it on the Internet for absurdly high prices. As in the case of one man trying to sell 5 gallons for 200 dollars!
While this is going on, we remember that tomorrow we have a very important election to participate in. Here in the East Coast there are questions of where do people, whose communities have been wiped out by Sandy, go to vote. Provisions have to be made so that everyone has a chance to have their votes counted. We realize that it's critical to vote, as the outcome of the presidential election, and even the congressional and senate races, will determine what direction the United States will follow, at least for the next four years.
In spite of all the tragedy and drama caused by the Sandy hurricane, people here realize that this is a pivotal point in American history. And believe it or not, I know people who have lost, their homes, and are struggling to cope with putting their lives together, who realize that in this election every single vote will count -- and they are making every effort to vote!
Meanwhile, people continue to wait 2 to 3 hours in line to fill up the gas tank of their cars. Those that own small, fuel efficient cars, are trying not to gloat in the face of those people who have those big gas-guzzling vehicles, since -- as you can well imagine -- the price per gallon has skyrocketed. Even though the politicians keep telling people that gasoline is on its way, people -- I guess it's human nature -- still want to make sure that they have enough to get them through the work week.
And the big winners in all this tragedy? Why the home contractors, the trees trimmers, carpenters, plumbers, in short a lot of businesses are very busy reconstructing people's properties and their lives. Which, in a kind of poetic justice is quite ironic -- as Sandy destroyed so much...it also created hundreds of jobs that will benefit the economy....life can toy with us that way.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Finally Sunday -- New Hope After the Storm
It's been a very long week, it's true what they say -- time is relative. And it seemed to stretch forever after hurricane Sandy. Between the blackouts, the shortages of food and gasoline, the destroyed homes, broken and uprooted trees and the cold weather...it seemed the week would never end. But mercifully it did, we somehow -- in spite of all the drama-- managed to get through it in one piece and with new optimism.
The weather is very cold, but the sky is clear and blue, the sun is making things look brighter. The shock of the storm is beginning to fade, and people are getting their good cheer back. The cleanups are ongoing, neighbors are helping each other, thank goodness that there are more generous and giving people -- than those lowlifes-humans that crawl out and infest the neighborhoods.
The train and bus agency announced that service is up to 80% capacity, slowly--public transportation is coming back. This is great, because let's face it, when everyone tries to drive into the city to work--it's a huge nightmare! The highways become parking lots. The only positive -- is that it makes people appreciate how great New York's public transportation system is. If you think about it, New York is a very green city. Because between the public transportation -- and most places being within walking distance (a pedestrian's dream) it prevents who-knows-how-much greenhouse gases from polluting the athmosphere.
Anyway, slowly New Yorkers are getting back that old optimism and energy. And just like eleven years ago, we are going to pick ourselves up, rebuild and keep going. That's why I love living here--people don't let the punches that Life throws get them down, they fight back!
The weather is very cold, but the sky is clear and blue, the sun is making things look brighter. The shock of the storm is beginning to fade, and people are getting their good cheer back. The cleanups are ongoing, neighbors are helping each other, thank goodness that there are more generous and giving people -- than those lowlifes-humans that crawl out and infest the neighborhoods.
The train and bus agency announced that service is up to 80% capacity, slowly--public transportation is coming back. This is great, because let's face it, when everyone tries to drive into the city to work--it's a huge nightmare! The highways become parking lots. The only positive -- is that it makes people appreciate how great New York's public transportation system is. If you think about it, New York is a very green city. Because between the public transportation -- and most places being within walking distance (a pedestrian's dream) it prevents who-knows-how-much greenhouse gases from polluting the athmosphere.
Anyway, slowly New Yorkers are getting back that old optimism and energy. And just like eleven years ago, we are going to pick ourselves up, rebuild and keep going. That's why I love living here--people don't let the punches that Life throws get them down, they fight back!
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Yet Another Day After Sandy Hurricane
When you think you have seen or heard everything about hurricane Sandy, you take a walk around the neighborhood, or talk to friends and relatives and find out that --no...there's so much more, that this is very large and very deep. Many of us can only think of that other awful day, eleven years ago on September 11, as the yardstick with which to measure this new horrible disaster. There are still many neighborhoods without electricity, many fallen
trees waiting to be disposed of, and still not all trains and buses are
running.
To see whole neighborhoods wiped out, to hear from a friend that their house got flooded, that their cars floated away or got destroyed by the salt water of the ocean waves that just washed into their house, and now sand covers everything, it is heartbreaking. What can you say? People I know have lost all this and have no electricity and no heat, and now it's getting very cold.
And... sad to say -- that when we invited our friends to come to our place, so they could take a hot shower and just recover--they can't ...because they are afraid of the looters -- lowlife people who like to feast on other people's suffering. These thugs --animals behave better, so I won't call them that-- these thugs are going around breaking into the destroyed homes of people and taking what little is left.
In other instances, you have these hoodlums roaming in packs attacking desperate people who go to gas stations to get fuel for their generators or cars. In one instance, a miserable thug pointed a gun to a man that was just fueling his car, and demanded that the man fuel the thug's car instead! And where is the police? They have their hands full helping people and trying to prevent further anarchy.
I find it amazing that we humans, living in the 21st century, think that we are so civilized and so advanced, and yet when disasters strikes, that civilization peels off -- like a very thin layer -- from our minds and souls --- and some revert back to being savages...how sad for the rest of us....and them -- how sad.
To see whole neighborhoods wiped out, to hear from a friend that their house got flooded, that their cars floated away or got destroyed by the salt water of the ocean waves that just washed into their house, and now sand covers everything, it is heartbreaking. What can you say? People I know have lost all this and have no electricity and no heat, and now it's getting very cold.
And... sad to say -- that when we invited our friends to come to our place, so they could take a hot shower and just recover--they can't ...because they are afraid of the looters -- lowlife people who like to feast on other people's suffering. These thugs --animals behave better, so I won't call them that-- these thugs are going around breaking into the destroyed homes of people and taking what little is left.
In other instances, you have these hoodlums roaming in packs attacking desperate people who go to gas stations to get fuel for their generators or cars. In one instance, a miserable thug pointed a gun to a man that was just fueling his car, and demanded that the man fuel the thug's car instead! And where is the police? They have their hands full helping people and trying to prevent further anarchy.
I find it amazing that we humans, living in the 21st century, think that we are so civilized and so advanced, and yet when disasters strikes, that civilization peels off -- like a very thin layer -- from our minds and souls --- and some revert back to being savages...how sad for the rest of us....and them -- how sad.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Hurricane Politics
Hooray! We finally heard that gasoline tankers are coming and people will be able to get gas for their cars and/or their generators. Also more buses and subways are running, plus --finally---lower Manhattan is getting more electric power restored. We are not fully there yet... but soon we'll be back to normal.
One of my cousins, who had to take the bus from her job in Midtown Manhattan, back to her home in Brooklyn told me that, yesterday, as the bus went below 34th street, it was like being on another planet. She told me that everything was pitch black, the only lights, were the lights on the street of the police patrol cars or the national guard trucks, stationed at strategic intersections to make sure that no one even dared to think about looting, and also about any act of terrorism.
As she saw a woman get off on 14th street, flashlight in hand, my cousin thought that there went a very brave woman, because she (my cousin) would NOT have had the nerve to step off into the utter darkness that covered that whole area. It was a very eerie sight also, to cross the bridge that was in total darkness. She can't wait for all the electricity to be brought back. Unfortunately, until the subway tunnels are fully drained and the engineers make sure that all the electric boxes and other stuff are safe, the power cannot be restored. So we wait.
The only thing many of us here are very disappointed about is that our mayor, caving in to political pressure had to cancel the marathon. Many of us thought that it would not only bring a needed dose of cheer to the area, but also much need money. But here, as in other matters, the politics of the presidential election, is poisoning the event, and even the recovery from the terrible damage that hurricane Sandy has left behind.
I am convinced that if this were not a presidential election year, with so much at stake for both the major political parties, there would not be so much bickering about the recovery and the marathon would not have been cancelled. Truthfully, I can't wait for the election to come and go, so that we can get on with solving the problems we face, instead of having to endure political ads in which each party throws buckets of mud to the other. I can't wait for November 7, 2012!
One of my cousins, who had to take the bus from her job in Midtown Manhattan, back to her home in Brooklyn told me that, yesterday, as the bus went below 34th street, it was like being on another planet. She told me that everything was pitch black, the only lights, were the lights on the street of the police patrol cars or the national guard trucks, stationed at strategic intersections to make sure that no one even dared to think about looting, and also about any act of terrorism.
As she saw a woman get off on 14th street, flashlight in hand, my cousin thought that there went a very brave woman, because she (my cousin) would NOT have had the nerve to step off into the utter darkness that covered that whole area. It was a very eerie sight also, to cross the bridge that was in total darkness. She can't wait for all the electricity to be brought back. Unfortunately, until the subway tunnels are fully drained and the engineers make sure that all the electric boxes and other stuff are safe, the power cannot be restored. So we wait.
The only thing many of us here are very disappointed about is that our mayor, caving in to political pressure had to cancel the marathon. Many of us thought that it would not only bring a needed dose of cheer to the area, but also much need money. But here, as in other matters, the politics of the presidential election, is poisoning the event, and even the recovery from the terrible damage that hurricane Sandy has left behind.
I am convinced that if this were not a presidential election year, with so much at stake for both the major political parties, there would not be so much bickering about the recovery and the marathon would not have been cancelled. Truthfully, I can't wait for the election to come and go, so that we can get on with solving the problems we face, instead of having to endure political ads in which each party throws buckets of mud to the other. I can't wait for November 7, 2012!
Thursday, November 1, 2012
The Limited Bus Service Blues--Post Hurricane Sandy
Here we are, three day after Hurricane Sandy hit, getting happy for small things, like the return of limited bus service. Since people have to go to work, and the roads became a nightmare, as people tried to drive into Manhattan, creating the mother of all gridlocks, the city decided to operate buses from certain key points in Brooklyn to take people across the bridges into Manhattan. This was all good, but when they said it was FREE, you can imagine the crush of people this created.
A friend of mine told me that it was unbelievable. She said that the lines were insane! People who had to go to work and had no other way of getting there, were getting in line since six in the morning. She said that when she finally was able to get into a bus, which reminded her of those crowded buses you see in the movies about third world countries, it was so packed that she was squashed against the door. And the bus driver kept telling people to announce well ahead of time the street you wanted to get off, she did, and told me that for her to get out, five people had to get out also--that's how packed it was.
Limited service also came to the subways, but they were only running in upper Manhattan, nothing was running below 34th Street, as lower Manhattan lost power -- due to an electric service station blowing up, and electricity being shut down on purpose due to the flooded subways. In Brooklyn, train service was also running, but only in certain areas, in other areas they were running shuttle buses, to provide transport where the trains were not running.
People whose business is to cut down trees were in high demand, so business was booming for them. Everywhere you walked or drove to you saw people cleaning up, in the most affected areas you saw all kinds of stuff discarded in front of homes and businesses. It was sad to see whole houses destroyed, and people trying to pick the pieces of their lives. The only consolation you could offer them was that at least, for those who were lucky, they had not lost loved ones. For those that lost loved ones, all you could do was console them.
A friend of mine told me that it was unbelievable. She said that the lines were insane! People who had to go to work and had no other way of getting there, were getting in line since six in the morning. She said that when she finally was able to get into a bus, which reminded her of those crowded buses you see in the movies about third world countries, it was so packed that she was squashed against the door. And the bus driver kept telling people to announce well ahead of time the street you wanted to get off, she did, and told me that for her to get out, five people had to get out also--that's how packed it was.
Limited service also came to the subways, but they were only running in upper Manhattan, nothing was running below 34th Street, as lower Manhattan lost power -- due to an electric service station blowing up, and electricity being shut down on purpose due to the flooded subways. In Brooklyn, train service was also running, but only in certain areas, in other areas they were running shuttle buses, to provide transport where the trains were not running.
People whose business is to cut down trees were in high demand, so business was booming for them. Everywhere you walked or drove to you saw people cleaning up, in the most affected areas you saw all kinds of stuff discarded in front of homes and businesses. It was sad to see whole houses destroyed, and people trying to pick the pieces of their lives. The only consolation you could offer them was that at least, for those who were lucky, they had not lost loved ones. For those that lost loved ones, all you could do was console them.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
More on Sandy...The Second Day After
It's interesting -- that when a major storm, or disaster happens, especially if it's in a large city, like New York, or in the case of Hurricane Sandy, if it hits several states, people who live outside of the disaster area get a distorted view of what happened, and is still happening as the areas affected are trying to recover. Most of this distortion comes from the way the media covers and reports what has happened, and is happening, by showing the worst hit areas, again, and again until you think that --goodness! it is Armageddon there.
They have been showing on TV the worst of what happened in New York and New Jersey, so many times, all over the world, that we have had friends and relatives from other states and abroad call us to see if we are still alive! Yes, for a time there we had no phone service--land line or cell--and yes there are many neighborhoods still without electricity, but no...we are not all submerged in water, the places that were destroyed are mostly on the shores, and yes there was tragic loss of life. But if you see, that thanks to preventive measures taken before the storm, most people did not lose their life or homes the situation is not as grim as the news media is painting it.
The other thing that really annoys -- is how politicians, because of the presidential elections coming in just a few days, are trying to inject politics in the recovery efforts. This is really disgusting and angering a lot of people. I was one of those that applauded the governor of New Jersey when he put politics aside and invited the president of the United States to go to New Jersey and give it Federal assistance. Bravo! too bad that others are too caught up in their agendas to follow his lead.
It will take a while for us to get back to normal, schools probably will close for the whole week, as there is no public transportation. Lower Manhattan is still dark, they have to pump the water out of the subway tunnels, but hey...we have been through other major catastrophes and we have pulled through. New Yorkers love a challenge, and by next week we will all be joking about this and selling the "I Survived Sandy" t-shirts!
They have been showing on TV the worst of what happened in New York and New Jersey, so many times, all over the world, that we have had friends and relatives from other states and abroad call us to see if we are still alive! Yes, for a time there we had no phone service--land line or cell--and yes there are many neighborhoods still without electricity, but no...we are not all submerged in water, the places that were destroyed are mostly on the shores, and yes there was tragic loss of life. But if you see, that thanks to preventive measures taken before the storm, most people did not lose their life or homes the situation is not as grim as the news media is painting it.
The other thing that really annoys -- is how politicians, because of the presidential elections coming in just a few days, are trying to inject politics in the recovery efforts. This is really disgusting and angering a lot of people. I was one of those that applauded the governor of New Jersey when he put politics aside and invited the president of the United States to go to New Jersey and give it Federal assistance. Bravo! too bad that others are too caught up in their agendas to follow his lead.
It will take a while for us to get back to normal, schools probably will close for the whole week, as there is no public transportation. Lower Manhattan is still dark, they have to pump the water out of the subway tunnels, but hey...we have been through other major catastrophes and we have pulled through. New Yorkers love a challenge, and by next week we will all be joking about this and selling the "I Survived Sandy" t-shirts!
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Hurricane Sandy...After
Unbelievable! That's the word that comes to mind. In a very smart move, the people that run the power plants here, did a planned blackout just as the winds brought by hurricane Sandy began to pick up, so yesterday at about 6 PM we went dark.
This made the storm seem even worse, because now in the dark all we heard was the fury of the storm, and things outside banging and crashing. Luckily we were prepared so that we were able to follow what was going on by listening to the battery-powered radio, and we had lanterns that ran on batteries, and so we were not left in the dark.
But to our disbelief, as the storm was really whipping things around and the wind was blowing at really high speeds, as we looked out the window, we saw maniacs driving around! This even as the public officials were warning people on the radio, TV, and even by driving around in trucks--before the storm hit-- warning people to please, please NOT go out and drive, to stay indoors. The exceptions being that those who lived near the shores, were ordered to evacuate -- for their own protection, shelters were opened, this a full day before the storm hit.But no...there were people determined to stay, even though they were in the direct path of Sandy.
So it is not surprising, that we saw, as we drove around, that thanks to the preemptive shutting down of the electricity, that even though there were many, many trees that were thrown about, ripped from the ground, as if a giant hand was just angry and just threw them all over, and other stuff were thrown about---there were not any fires here, no major blazing infernos. However, tragically...those people that stubbornly decided to stay in their shore homes were horribly affected. The boardwalks were destroyed, houses were swept away, whole communities were destroyed.
The tragedy at Breezy Point underscored the tragedy of people not being prepared, thank goodness, that at least most people listened and left when they were ordered to evacuate. Tragically, people who had no inkling how to operate gas-powered generators, tried to use them, and as reported by an eyewitness, all he heard was a popping sound--an explosion--this at the height of the storm -- and next thing you know the wind just whipped the flames all around, and about 110 homes, were burned to the ground and firefighters could only watch helplessly as they burned, because they could not get near due to the winds whipping the ocean water too high--colossal tragedy!
But, as our governor said, we have to rethink our strategies for these kinds of storms, we have to rethink: should homes be built that close to the shore? And if we allow them, we must build smarter so that if another major storm comes-- tragedies like this don't happen again.
We got our electricity back around 4 PM, but we are the lucky ones, other neighborhoods don't have, there's no subways, no buses, and forget it if you want to buy gas for your car or generator, the gas stations either have no electricity, no gas or both. And as for the subways--it was very, very smart for them to have been shut down,
For after the storm passed it was unbelievable to see that the South Ferry station to have been completely flooded, so were other stations in the system in lower Manhattan. Had they not been closed down since Sunday, believe me--there would have been hundreds of people that would have been affected--it could have been a major loss of human life.We don't know when the subways and buses will be operational, but we can walk to the stores, we were not born with wheels, we have feet, and anyway New York has always been a place for pedestrians. We do miss our public transportation though!
This made the storm seem even worse, because now in the dark all we heard was the fury of the storm, and things outside banging and crashing. Luckily we were prepared so that we were able to follow what was going on by listening to the battery-powered radio, and we had lanterns that ran on batteries, and so we were not left in the dark.
But to our disbelief, as the storm was really whipping things around and the wind was blowing at really high speeds, as we looked out the window, we saw maniacs driving around! This even as the public officials were warning people on the radio, TV, and even by driving around in trucks--before the storm hit-- warning people to please, please NOT go out and drive, to stay indoors. The exceptions being that those who lived near the shores, were ordered to evacuate -- for their own protection, shelters were opened, this a full day before the storm hit.But no...there were people determined to stay, even though they were in the direct path of Sandy.
So it is not surprising, that we saw, as we drove around, that thanks to the preemptive shutting down of the electricity, that even though there were many, many trees that were thrown about, ripped from the ground, as if a giant hand was just angry and just threw them all over, and other stuff were thrown about---there were not any fires here, no major blazing infernos. However, tragically...those people that stubbornly decided to stay in their shore homes were horribly affected. The boardwalks were destroyed, houses were swept away, whole communities were destroyed.
The tragedy at Breezy Point underscored the tragedy of people not being prepared, thank goodness, that at least most people listened and left when they were ordered to evacuate. Tragically, people who had no inkling how to operate gas-powered generators, tried to use them, and as reported by an eyewitness, all he heard was a popping sound--an explosion--this at the height of the storm -- and next thing you know the wind just whipped the flames all around, and about 110 homes, were burned to the ground and firefighters could only watch helplessly as they burned, because they could not get near due to the winds whipping the ocean water too high--colossal tragedy!
But, as our governor said, we have to rethink our strategies for these kinds of storms, we have to rethink: should homes be built that close to the shore? And if we allow them, we must build smarter so that if another major storm comes-- tragedies like this don't happen again.
We got our electricity back around 4 PM, but we are the lucky ones, other neighborhoods don't have, there's no subways, no buses, and forget it if you want to buy gas for your car or generator, the gas stations either have no electricity, no gas or both. And as for the subways--it was very, very smart for them to have been shut down,
For after the storm passed it was unbelievable to see that the South Ferry station to have been completely flooded, so were other stations in the system in lower Manhattan. Had they not been closed down since Sunday, believe me--there would have been hundreds of people that would have been affected--it could have been a major loss of human life.We don't know when the subways and buses will be operational, but we can walk to the stores, we were not born with wheels, we have feet, and anyway New York has always been a place for pedestrians. We do miss our public transportation though!
Monday, October 29, 2012
The Big Hurricane: Sandy...During
Well, it's here. As I write this Sandy is battering the place, making a noise that is truly frightening, and I'm writing as fast as I can as the lights keep blinking, a sure sign that pretty soon we will probably lose power altogether.
As we look at the TV (while we still can), it amazes me that there are still people driving around as the wind is howling, I guess it was a good idea for our mayor and the MTA to stop all subway and buses, and LIRR and Metro North service at 7 PM yesterday, otherwise you would have a lot of people with no common sense what-so-ever getting in harm's way.
Right now the storm is beginning to get intense, and all we hope is that people we know, friends and relatives, are taking the proper precautions, and made their preparations and stay indoors. We bought what we needed on Friday, stuff such as batteries, candles, flashlights, and battery-powered radios. Now we are just waiting.
As the lights momentarily all went out twice already, I think I best start getting off the computer and prepare, the storm is getting closer and I think that soon we will not have any electricity.
As we look at the TV (while we still can), it amazes me that there are still people driving around as the wind is howling, I guess it was a good idea for our mayor and the MTA to stop all subway and buses, and LIRR and Metro North service at 7 PM yesterday, otherwise you would have a lot of people with no common sense what-so-ever getting in harm's way.
Right now the storm is beginning to get intense, and all we hope is that people we know, friends and relatives, are taking the proper precautions, and made their preparations and stay indoors. We bought what we needed on Friday, stuff such as batteries, candles, flashlights, and battery-powered radios. Now we are just waiting.
As the lights momentarily all went out twice already, I think I best start getting off the computer and prepare, the storm is getting closer and I think that soon we will not have any electricity.
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