Hurrican Ian

True but if they all died tomorrow they'd be replaced by 160 similar and nothing would change.

Sitting amongst the spoils of modernity wringing one's hands about evil men @ the top is a bit useless, no?

Our values are manipulated before we can even understand language but it's still our responsibility to decide how to live our lives.
The ringing of the hands may be useless, but accurately identifying the problems is an essential first step to solving them.
 
The ringing of the hands may be useless, but accurately identifying the problems is an essential first step to solving them.
Is the problem those @ the top or those willing to follow?

What would Jeff Bezos be without the amazon consumer? What would Trump be without his followers? If people stopped eating burgers, fries and sodas would we have McDonald's?

Until we reject consumerism and personal convenience as our top values the identities of those @ the top are irrelevant.
 
Checking out the calm before the storm.

Neighbors pretty optimistic about a little garbage bag and some duct tape saving their vehicle from turning into a swamp.
 

Attachments

  • 20220928_092229.jpg
    20220928_092229.jpg
    1.9 MB · Views: 19
  • 20220928_092234.jpg
    20220928_092234.jpg
    10.2 MB · Views: 21
Humanity is lost and confused. Clearly we need a new god. The god we need is right beneath our feet. We think we can adapt to her on our own schedule when we get around to it. It'd be funny if it weren't so tragic.
We always ride her man.

Hang on tight! Best thoughts.
 
Someone on the radio just said the storm surge could reach 18'/5.5m, in some places. :eek:
 
But like don't you think we need to let them or else we pull society down around our ears, or something like that? Property rights?

No? I think their wealth needs to be taxed down using wise policy, because it can be bungled. I'm well aware of how we have pivoted into a serfdom-based economy instead of a functional capitalist society.

And honestly, it's perfectly easy to see how wealthy people ruining the public environment is itself a violation of property rights.

But none of this changes the fact that we are spending our wealth unwisely during the good times.

Is the problem those @ the top or those willing to follow?

What would Jeff Bezos be without the amazon consumer? What would Trump be without his followers? If people stopped eating burgers, fries and sodas would we have McDonald's?

Until we reject consumerism and personal convenience as our top values the identities of those @ the top are irrelevant.

This position will be mocked by two cohorts of people. The first will be people who know that systemic change is more important than personal change writ large (and are missing an opportunity). The second will be the cohort that doesn't want to bother, and then can poo poo you while blaming people more powerful than themselves while they don't bother (ignoring their massive power relative to the actual victims).

But where they are wrong is in dismissing the personal sacrifice. In order to change the world for the better, we need to live less hedonistically. Not so much to reduce our footprint, although of course that helps, but to free up the resources required to effect the systemic change. Slowing the damage buys time, pivoting is what makes the future viable.

The person who is willing to sacrifice, at least can be convinced to sacrifice more efficiently. The person who isn't willing to is more likely to encourage those around them to not. It will be frustrating to watch.

"What do you do with the savings?". If I don't give Bezos 10 bucks a month, I have an alternative use of that $10. I also have an alternative use of the time I could have spent watching the TV he purchased to distract me. If I give the money and time to disney, it will be a huge wash except for the teensy factor about whether one of them is better than the other in the long run.

Our political opponents hit the gym, donate to think tanks, preferentially hire allies, purchase capital, and purchase guns. All in addition to just the overwhelming advantages they inherited. So the people who mock the futility of personal sacrifice are totally missing the point. Sacrifice is required, and after that it needs to be pivoted into ever wiser alternatives.
 
Last edited:
Ian has strengthened to a near-category 5 storm overnight, with catastrophic damage expected from up to 18 foot storm surge along the southwest coast of Florida.
 
Hurricane recon flights have been *stalling out* due to heavy turbulence and lightning in the eyewall. Camera feeds along SW florida coast are starting to go out.
 
I read that "dozens" of ambulances from Tennessee are in Florida, helping move hospital patients. The governor of TN has also authorized 1,200 of their National Guard to deploy to Florida.

The Washington Post's Hurricane Ian update page includes a video posted 33 minutes ago of a "blowout tide" in Tampa Bay. It's what you get when a tsunami is approaching, all of the water rushes out to sea, as if there were a very sudden low tide. I can't figure out how to post the video directly.

Elsewhere, Cuba is entirely without electricity.
 
From the above page, if this is what it looks like before it hits then I can but wish everyone there luck.

imrs.php
 
Dude, I live in the land of tornados and flash floods (Oklahoma) and I get what Narz means. It's gallows humor.
Tornado sirens are an invitation to throw open the garage, kick back with a drink, and watch a free show.
 
A few utility trucks waiting in Sumter County, FL.
Spoiler :
1000.jpeg


Tornado sirens are an invitation to throw open the garage, kick back with a drink, and watch a free show.
Cow?
Cow.
Spoiler :
ImprobableNippyGalapagossealion-size_restricted.gif
 
Neighbors pretty optimistic about a little garbage bag and some duct tape saving their vehicle from turning into a swamp.
Yeah, not sure what that will do other than be a pain to remove later if no projectiles hit the windows. I guess if they put it on either side, it would catch some of the glass, but it would still be a complete mess if a branch gets lobbed through all the same.

Rain won't get inside meaningfully if nothing compromises the windows either way. With the storm veering south of initial tracks, it's unlikely winds will be sufficient to move the vehicle there, so it's really just a question of whether an object gets tossed into the window I'd guess.
 
Back
Top Bottom