Sandy Checkin and Drinking Society

Wowsa, Joe.

Anyone still in touch with the Kick?

Bloomberg says Marathon is happening:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/01/nyc-marathon-2012-mayor-sandy-schedule_n_2057544.html

yeah.

Still doesn't say how we are supposed to get to Staten Island.

My idea is start at Central Park, run up into the Bronx, down through Manhattan over the Queensboro bridge through Queens to the Pulaski Bridge which is the Half way point.

Turn around and come back.\\

Joe(it will still take me six hours)Nation

Bloomberg also just endorsed Obama. I'm wondering if Obama's support of FEMA and Romney's voiced opposition to it was a major factor, following Sandy's depredations.

So nice to know that "get government off our backs" mysteriously doesn't mean "but rescue us from disasters!"

Could always turn it into a triathlon...

And I'm with Osso - where's Kicky?

I did see him "like" something on FB last night so I am assuming he can at least get to wifi.

My parents are (I believe) in midair, going to Maryland for the weekend as the old homestead still doesn't have power.

We need to start a Where the Hell is list.

Where the hell is OmsigDavid /

Joe(who else? I just emailed Kicky)Nation

Sturgis

I say we just microchip everyone, like cocker spaniels.

Okay. It's official.

I am not running this year's NYC Marathon. I cannot, in good conscience, participate in an event which takes the attention of a single policeman, EMT, or other emergency worker away from helping deal with the crisis this City of New York is presently facing.

That is to say nothing about the hundreds of thousands of other people elsewhere in New Jersey and Connecticut, out on Long Island,,, still without electricity, still in shelters, still in the very midst of recreating their rain-soaked, windblown lives.

I cannot run through the streets of the city and expect someone to be there to hand me a cup of water when so many are hurting.

I thank everyone for their encouragement of my running (I need the close attention and love) and I hope everyone will consider giving what they can to the relief agencies and the Red Cross.

We'll do this again next November. Be well.

♥♥Joe(dammit)Nation

PS: I have to say something else here so this will not be a redundant post. Hmmm.
I wonder what that should be?
I know. I have another idea, actually two, on how to run the marathon with a minimum of personnel.
Run it in Central Park. Four laps is 24.4 miles then you go out onto Central Park West, run North to 110th Street. Great finish area.
Here's what would be really fun. Let everyone who wants to run, run. The leaders would have to pick their way through the crowds. It would be the slowest Marathon on record.
OR
They could pick the top 127 competitors (same as the first year) include the top three dozen women, the rest, men. and let them zoom around the park. Everyone would get to see them at least four times.
Really fun.

Okay.
Now I'm done.

Joe, I understand where you're coming from. I respect your decision. I admire your decision.

But I'm thinking about the thousands of people (a small number) who worked tirelessy to get themselves into the marathon. Who strove to go beyond their limits. Who made personal sacrifices.

I'm torn. Maybe an alternate route would be the answer.

I don't think there's time to make a different route, other than the one I've jokingly proposed here (4 times around C.P.).

I can't advise anyone on this.

Joe(how about around my block. That .8 miles. That's 32.75 laps.)Nation

Talk about snakes eating their own tail. I bet that would make an exciting marathon to watch on the TV. Just trying to see who made how many laps and who lapped who when the whole lot of marathoners would stretch across all four blocks before even the race starts.

Just announced that the marathon has now been cancelled.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204712904578095160605290492.html

I was just about to post that. It was on NPR news.

I was looking for something and stumbled onto this. From a few days ago.

Good call on your part and, eventually, NYC.

life imitating art -- a still from "the day after tomorrow" (2004)...

Southwest of the land where the transformer was destroyed.

Yeah that would be the place. Fortunately a few blocks from the recently overflowed Hudson.



Yes?

Oh, wait...

Monday the lights dimmed, came back up, dimmed again and then out they went. I was already preparing for the worst and carrying a flashlight around at the time.


The wind was the most worrisome, especially when it slammed in to the building a number of times. Somehow the building and windows and roof (top floor here) stayed together.

Nights were boring and screwy. I don't walk well in the dark, lose balance so I didn't move about much after 6 p.m. or before 7 a.m. 2 transistor radios and a landline phone kept things alive during those hours as did the various candles I burned. Kept the cell shut off in case the landline went out (many did as some switching centers were in floodworld), figured I might need to make contact if I found myself in an emergency.

The plumbing system stayed working, although only cold water (which isn't that cold compared to refrigerated water) but that was enough for all the basics.

No heat either as the system requires electric to operate.

Gas stove, fortunately no gas mains were ruptured so I was able to keep eating hot meals...pasta from a box, with sauce from a jar, and various canned items and drink coffee as well as 40 cups of Red Zinger tea along with water from the still functioning faucets.



Electric returned about 5 this morning, as did the heat, the hissing of the system is what halted my sleep.



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