Thursday, July 20, 2006

Power (outage) to the People

Posted by Mickey Z on 07/20 at 09:45 AM
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  1. Okay, another Astorian friend of mine got stranded in the Big City last night and had to stay over here, so I can vouch that Mickey’s not idly slacking and abandoning us.

    As to Mudge’s current issues, or one of them anyway, there’s this:
    http://www.petacatalog.org/prodinfo.asp?number=HP200

    Might not be big enough for some rats, but there could be other similar models.

    Posted by James from Hell's Kitchen  on  07/20  at  10:11 AM

  2. Angry Astorians...good thing there weren’t many on the streets after the football win, you might’ve had to put all these ‘how to win a fight’ tips to practical use!

    As to the rat solutions, havahart.com has a number of sturdier options for live trap cages...suits all sizes and varieties. The nice part is watching them take off with glee upon release.  That pair of chipmunks a few years back were set up in a nice waterfront park with minimal human traffic, and about 3 gallons of black oiled sunflower seeds to get them settled. It was a really happy sight.

    CatLady you’re sounding more like yourself today...all the fillings taken care of, or is it that Mudge is back?

    Posted by Amelopsis from Canada  on  07/20  at  12:09 PM

  3. Hellos to all...Mudge, I’ve been missin’ you too. Our lives are in sync though with wildlife woes. I was awakened this morning at 4 by a mouse. The thoughts of sharing my bedroom with a mouse prevented me from going back to sleep so I got up and chased it around the bedroom. After about an hour of that I started to get angry and that made me all the more determined. Would you believe that I actually caught it in a plastic bag ! I took it outside and before I got as far from the house as I had planned, it jumped out of the bag and made a beeline back towards the house. It may be a very interesting night tonight. ...I just got home from the store where I bought some traps that don’t kill. They were not expensive but were small and would not be big enough for your rat.  I have also had the experience of relaxing in the tub and hearing the scratching of a mouse under the tub.  In conversations around town, I think that the weather has a lot to do with the restless animal kingdom. It has been very humid for many weeks.

    Mickey...the only good thing about your power outage was that you still had water, unlike up here when the power goes out. I also have been having ISP problems. Yesterday I did a lot of complaining to the ISP and there is a slight improvement today. I don’t know what’s going on there.

    James...Hi to you.

    Amelopsis...Your chipmunk story proves you have a mighty big heart.

    Posted by RMJ from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts  on  07/20  at  12:30 PM

  4. The latter and other things-- I’m afraid there will be more trips to the dentist in the weeks to come.

    But now Mickey has posted twice in one day, so all is right and good in the world!

    Posted by James from Hell's Kitchen  on  07/20  at  12:37 PM

  5. Simultyping; Hi RMJ and thanks for the story…

    Posted by James from Hell's Kitchen  on  07/20  at  12:38 PM

  6. Hello Expendables. All seems normal here...but I’m not getting too cocky. Con Ed trucks are all over my neighborhood. Anyway, with two posts up today, it may be confusing as to which comment board to, uh, comment on.

    Informal poll: Should I delete the short post I made earlier?

    Captcha votes: “Gone”

    Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria  on  07/20  at  12:40 PM

  7. No, then these 7 comments would be gone, and can’t have that. I think out little minds can all handle the confusion, though I have to step out for errands and whatnot now.

    Good lord, my electric bill’s gonna be so high this month.

    Posted by James from Hell's Kitchen  on  07/20  at  12:48 PM

  8. Mickey, can you just delete the new comment board that so far has nothing on it and we can keep this one going?  Also, tell us more about your adventure without power. When I was young I only remember the power going out once and that was during a hurricane. I believe that things such as power outages will become more common. I think we should have more windmills. There are some in Vermont but it is a very controversial topic. Too many people say it will ruin the scenic ridgeline views. I don’t agree.Power outages seem to rearrange people’s thinking. For a few days after one, I always have increased appreciation for the most basic things like a hot bath.
    How is Grandma Helen?

    Posted by RMJ from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts  on  07/20  at  12:52 PM

  9. Great idea, RMJ. Now only this post allows comments for today. I’ll be back soon to answer your other questions.

    Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria  on  07/20  at  01:26 PM

  10. From my experience, blackouts are no fun either, Mickey!  I’ve had a few of those, both in Germany and Australia.  About ten years ago, there was no gas in Melbourne for a total of 2 weeks because there had been an explosion at a plant which ended killing up 2 workers and led to safety and health regulations actually being enforced.  Here’s a novel idea.

    ‘Hi’ from a quite cold Daylesford to James, Amelopsis and Rosemarie - I am quite early today, so that might be the reason why no other expendables have commented yet.

    Have a very good afternoon/night.

    Posted by Helga Fremlin from Daylesford, Australia  on  07/20  at  01:45 PM

  11. I don’t know if anyone remembers the power outage we experienced in Quebec during the ice storm, but I know I will never forget it.  We were among the very fortunate inasmuch as we had family members who had heat & hot water and when they lost that, the power in our neighborhood was retsored within a short time.  Others lived through a desperate situation.


    How did the storm affect Canada:

    at least 25 deaths, many from hypothermia.

    about 900,000 households without power in Quebec; 100,000 in Ontario.

    about 100,000 people took refuge in shelters

    residents were urged to boil water for 24 to 48 hours.

    airlines and railway discouraged travel into the area

    14,000 troops (including 2,300 reservists) deployed to help with clean up, evacuation and security.

    millions of residents forced into mobile living, visiting family to shower and share a meal or moving in temporarily with a friend or into a shelter.

    prolonged freezing rain brought down millions of trees, 120,000 km of power lines and telephone cables, 130 major transmission towers each worth $100,000 and about 30,000 wooden utility poles costing $3000 each.

    I also know that many poor souls perish in the heat during a blackout.  On the other hand how many have been conceived during such disasters?

    Posted by Canadian Observer from   on  07/20  at  02:13 PM

  12. I remember the ice storm very well, Canadian Observer.  I know a few people who went to work for weeks at a time in the Ottawa region helping to do repair work that was so desperately needed; the communities of people were so supportive and grateful it was really touching.  I was fortunate not to have suffered during that storm myself though.

    Mickey the story of 6 months to live and die is quite tragic.  Considering our mortality is, I think, better done before the moment arrives unexpectedly; but I also think casual consideration is relatively useless then, only earnest consideration will be of any assistance when the moment does come. 
    Who knows, I could just be talking nonsense and won’t know it until I know it.
    Captcha says “here”...Be “here” in the moment.

    Posted by Amelopsis from Canada  on  07/20  at  03:00 PM

  13. Hello all.

    I’m happy to say our power outage paled in comparison to the one Canadian Observer describes. Still, very odd. We’d have lights...but no clocks. Then router but no modem. Phone but no answering machine. Then: it all went...making sleep impossible when it’s nearly 100 degrees. Lots of folks on the streets.

    Manhole covers exploding everywhere in the neighborhood. Fire engine sirens heard 24 hours a day. The burning smell was eerily similar to the days and weeks after 9/11.

    I’m gonna re-run a blackout-related piece on Storytelling Saturday.

    Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria  on  07/20  at  03:21 PM

  14. Canadian Observer....I remember that ice storm very well. It affected a large part of New York state. Farmers had no way of milking their cows.  I was spared that power outage but it has inspired me ever since to advocate for emergency planning.  The government “experts” claim that we are prepared but when I ask if there will be any generators available to help minimize property damage, they have no answer. Just a couple of days ago I was again working on that project still with no success.

    One of the longest blackouts in Vermont since I moved here happened as the result of an October snow storm. It was bad because the leaves were still on the trees. The branches became heavy with snow and knocked the power lines down. Many here were without power for a week. The good thing was that it was not cold enough to freeze pipes and cause additional property damage. The part part was not being able to flush for a week. That was a smelly situation.

    Posted by RMJ from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts  on  07/20  at  03:59 PM

  15. That was a typo...it was supposed to say, “The BAD part was not being able to flush...”.

    Also forgot to say say HI to Helga.

    Posted by RMJ from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts  on  07/20  at  04:15 PM

  16. About the blackout:
    http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=1&aid=61154

    That quote about falling off the precipice is going to stick with me too for a long time.

    Posted by James from Hell's Kitchen  on  07/20  at  04:40 PM

  17. I’m going out to see Superman Returns in IMAX. For real this time, I already have tickets. I’ll tell you how it is later. So far reviews have been what you’d call mixed.

    Posted by James from Hell's Kitchen  on  07/20  at  05:01 PM

  18. James, your humorous comments have been dead on funny for the past week.

    Great quote, Mick.

    Posted by JOS from Chicago  on  07/20  at  05:28 PM

  19. Oh god I can’t stand this lack of active Cool Observer-- heck with this, I’m going to the dentist again. Wish me luck!

    Posted by James from Hell's Kitchen  on  07/21  at  09:30 AM

  20. James....Good luck. I hope he doesn’t hurt you too much.

    Drudge is reporting that the blackout is continuing in some parts. Only good news there is that ConEd is picking up the tab for spoiled groceries. That is a rare concession.. never happened up here.  I hope everyone else is OK. We are expecting a storm this afternoon. This is really turning out to be The Summer of Woes.

    It is now illegal to give food to the homeless in Los Vegas? Did I get that right? Did the mayor really say that you can tell who the homeless are, they are different from the rest of us?  What the hell is happening in the usa…

    Posted by RMJ from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts  on  07/21  at  09:39 AM

  21. Good luck and Mudge style “whammies” for your trip to the dentist, James.

    Mickey, no post yet today? I hope you didn’t get too cocky...especially if you had to spend another night on the fire escape!

    News here is all about the Canadian evacuees from Lebanon.  It serves nothing but to distract the public from the escalating war.  So far the only useful criticism I’ve heard reported was a short excerpt of a female activist insisting that regardless of the status of the evacuation, the real issue is that Harper has taken sides on this issue, and that the only stand that would be in line with our so called ‘Canadian Values’ (I really hate that term) would be to call for an immediate ceasefire and to encourage peaceful negotiations.  Too many Canadians come from diverse global locations for Canada to be siding with Israel and pretending that their indiscriminate and illegal bombing of civilians a ‘measured response’. 
    Now we citizens must make our politicians aware of our opinions and ensure that they act accordingly on our behalf.  Fat chance though...too many Canadians are too apathetic, and too many politicians are too willing to jump on the neocon wagon-train.

    Posted by Amelopsis from Canada  on  07/21  at  10:08 AM

  22. Hello Expendables...no time to explain but the power outage is worse now and it may be a while till I’m back here.

    Play among yourselves...but please use coasters.

    Posted by Mickey Z. from Angry Astoria  on  07/21  at  10:13 AM

  23. Good luck to you til you’re back Mickey. 

    Captcha: “dr”...hope no one’s in need of one

    Posted by Amelopsis from Canada  on  07/21  at  10:59 AM

  24. Check out Nimmo’s latest:

    http://kurtnimmo.com/?p=471

    Posted by JOS from Chicago  on  07/21  at  11:20 AM

  25. Didn’t hurt much but man am I ever exhausted.

    And oh yeah-- Where’s… oh never mind.

    Husband! Good night for now.

    Posted by James from Hell's Kitchen  on  07/21  at  12:33 PM

  26. The Long Hot Summer of Pain continues...except for the winners, and they are the stockholders and employees of Lockheed-Martin, Raytheon, and the other usa corps who are cheering this slaughter on. Ah, the profits that will be made on this one. No surprise that the official usa policy has been to keep the bombs dropping.

    Thanks for the link JOS. That was a good one.

    Amelopsis, I am starting to believe that maybe Canada is not a whole lot better than the usa. Can’t you fix it? I think Canada’s problem is the same as the usa’s, too much Capitalism and too little Peopleism.

    Posted by RMJ from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts  on  07/21  at  12:51 PM

  27. You’re too right, Rosemarie.  Unfortunately we have collectively decided to elect a minority neoConservative government who are, predicatably, modelling themselves after the US Repugnican party, and GWB in particular.  Stevo has even taken to using the neocon speak to ‘remove citizens from harm’s way’ and ‘secure freedom for Afghanis’ , encourage ‘freedom and democracy’...etc…

    I truly never thought that I would live to see Canada become what it has and I am truly shamed.  Only a time machine would help now, and that only if Tommy Douglas http://tinyurl.com/pappw were willing to take another crack at it. I’m at a bit of a loss to think of anyone up to the challenge today. I do like Jack Layton, but he seems to have a little man syndrome and just doesn’t look well enough in the role to pull it off...at least not while voters are nincompoops who watch and worry about Canadian Idol (yes...we’ve got our very own now) and know those candidates better than their own local elected officials.

    Posted by Amelopsis from Canada  on  07/21  at  01:40 PM

  28. A nice tidbit...Lockheed Martin was given the tender for managing the Statistics Canada’s National Census for 2006. We find new and interesting ways to help Nafta, and our southern neighbours forays into war.

    Some Canadians protest: http://www.countmeout.ca/

    Posted by Amelopsis from Canada  on  07/21  at  01:45 PM

  29. Hello again. I just got back from doing the wash (had to walk 6 blocks to find a place with power) and I’m shocked to find we have power back and an internet connection. I know this may not last so I’ve quickly made a new post. I’ll try to read all the comment soon.

    Wish me luck...I can hear thunder in the distance.

    Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria  on  07/21  at  02:03 PM

  30. Yeah, so can I. Except it’s not so far in the distance here… it’s making Roddy a little nervous.

    Posted by James from Hell's Kitchen  on  07/21  at  02:06 PM

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