Friday, October 26, 2012

3651 Weathermen or Tarot cards?

Friday, October 26, 2012

It is the insane that make the sane go insane.

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Constant storm warnings on TV, and it isn't even expected until Monday evening.

The only thing that would worry me is splash/overflow from the bay.  I'm about 29 feet above sea level, Maybe 600 feet from the bay.  The TV folks are confusing me.

To consider:
- high tide.
- storm surge.
- waves
- rain unable to go into the storm drains because the drains are full of leaves (and washed away Hallowe'en decorations).

Tide - They're saying high tide is 8 feet.  Huh?  Maybe in constricted areas.  Judging by what I have seen on the piers in the bay, I'd say less than 5 feet.

Surge - There's been three different guys talking, all on the same channel.  One says 5 to 10 foot surge.  Another says 10 to 20.  Another said 8 to 12.  Who do I believe?

Waves - "Up to 20 foot waves."  Wow.  That "up to" really covers every possibility, doesn't it?

Rain - I LOVE the way everyone here rakes and blows their leaves into the street.  Right over the drains.

So adding the numbers up, I can expect somewhere between 0 and 19 feet of water in my house.

Cool.  But I'm staying here.

Note - I did evacuate in August of last year, a hurricane, but that was less for myself and more to convince Daughter and Hercules to go.  The Nugget was 4 months old, and I mainly wanted her out.

3650 Panic

Friday, October 26, 2012

Clinton lied. A man might forget where he parks or where he lives,
but he never forgets oral sex, no matter how bad it is.
-- Barbara Bush (Former US First Lady) --

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A lot of freakin' out going on.  Some kind of super storm supposed to hit up the east coast.  The local township is sending out email alerts that make it sound like there will be no food, water, or power available for weeks.  The water-heavy sky is going to fall and flatten us like a pancake and then float it all out into the ocean.

The town of Rhinebeck, NY, near my country house, is also drumming up a panic with email broadsides.  They seem to think that the world is going to blow away, leaving everything flat as a pancake, not a blade of grass standing.

Ok, who's the spoilsport who sued a municipality for not warning people sufficiently about weather, so now they're afraid NOT to scare the pants off people?

This is ridiculous.  Tell us something is coming.  Give us the best prediction as to rainfall, windspeeds, etc.  It really isn't necessary to scream at us.  I'm tired of being treated like an infant.

FLASH:  The NYC mayor is on TV right now talking about precautions and plans being put into place for the storm, and how people can get information and assistance if needed.  He's being matter-of-fact and serious without being hysterical.

You know, his calmness has got me thinking about it, whereas the local and upstate hysteria just had me rolling my eyes and passing it off.

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Speaking of infants, the Nugget is very sick.  She has a cold, it's going into her chest, frighteningly high fever, and she has two infected ears.  Remember I said she's very strong?  Well, it's next to impossible to get medicine into her.  She fights like a tiger.  She clings to Daughter, won't allow any space between them.  Daughter has Hercules and me to help her out with a sick baby.  She asked today how on earth I managed alone.

Well, I didn't tell her, I'll let her think that's how it always is, but the biggest difference is that Daughter would take the medicine if I asked her to.  She was very compliant.  Nugget will not allow anything she doesn't want, that's that, and there's no reasoning with her. That's different, but not better or worse, and I don't want Daughter to wish it otherwise.

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John Scalzi has written a letter from "a rapist" to conservative politicians, thanking them for making his hobby so much more satisfying.  It's sadly funny and it's infuriating.  Please go read it, at http://whatever.scalzi.com/2012/10/25/a-fan-letter-to-certain-conservative-politicians/.  You won't be sorry you took the minutes to read it.  An excerpt:
Ah, I see by your surprised face that you at the very least claim to have no idea what I’m talking about. Well, here’s the thing. Every time you say “I oppose a woman’s right to abortion, even in cases of rape,” what you’re also saying is “I believe that a man who rapes a woman has more of a right to control a woman’s body and life than that woman does.”

Sunday, October 21, 2012

3649 Kora!

Sunday, October 21, 2012

My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch.
-- Jack Nicholson --

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I love this!

[http://youtu.be/O37H6NODLDM] Joe Driscoll & Sekou Kouyate, "Wonamati"

It's not my usual style or genre, but I love it.  I found it by accident searching for classical kora music.

I love kora.  That's the unusual instrument on the left.   I'd never seen one this size.  The traditional kora is huge and sits on the floor.  They have a very wide range of sounds.  Love 'em.

And, if you are very naughty, perhaps you'll figure out why I laughed.  And immediately wrote a note to The Man.