We're OK- Earthquake hits NYC

[DiamondsAreForever]

It seems there is some damage:  the Washington monument has cracks, in the Philadelphia area the wall of a row house collapsed, and some cracks were noted on the road surface of a bridge.


As an aside, a bank that is about two miles from my house was robbed yesterday (for the third time since November) and the teller shot. She underwent surgery and is expected to survive.  She was shot in the stomach, and there are unconfirmed reports that she may have been pregnant (per Channel 3 news this AM). The man got away. 

[lovecolor]

My son will be going back to college on Friday...but his school just sent him a text saying that there were some buildings that were damaged due to the quake.        His school is Catholic University in D.C.

DAF, I bet that was scary to learn about the bank robbery so close to your home.  Gosh, I hope the teller doesn't have any further complications from the shooting and wasn't pregnant...      

[Mrs Mitchell]

I'm so sorry to hear about the injury to the bank teller, DAF. What low, miserable life-form would do this?

When my friend and I left high school, we both planned to go to Glasgow University. At the last minute, she decided to go into banking instead. She had a gun held to her head in a robbery, in her first morning on the freaking job. She wasn't injured physically, but emotionally? Different story. Glasgow is a kind of mean place, and everyone was telling me to be careful, but her job was back in the quiet village where we grew up. It was just crazy.

I hope the teller who was injured yesterday makes a full recovery, emotionally and physically - I saw what my friend went through after that, and I really do feel for her.

[oldmancoyote]

The (relatively) good news is that I cannot find anything about "pregnant teller shot" on any news engine.

[Mikla]

And now comes Hurricane Irene.  I can't believe it's missing Florida and going to hit such a wide swath of the east coast.  Are you guys prepared?  A category 3 is no laughing matter.  Seriously, you need food that doesn't need to be refrigerated, lots of water, batteries, gas for the car and grill, a generator if you can, a cooler with ice, a battery-operated radio, and any medicines you need.  If you're in a low-lying area close to the storm surge, leave.  Here's a linky that goes through everything:  http://www.disasterc...guide/hurricane.html.

Mikla

[DiamondsAreForever]

The (relatively) good news is that I cannot find anything about "pregnant teller shot" on any news engine.

I haven't been able to find anything new on her status.  I don't know what this world is coming to.  If I remember correctly, shooting someone in the commission of a federal offense carries more weight than, say, shooting someone walking down the street.  I sure do hope they catch that dirtball.

[DiamondsAreForever]

And now comes Hurricane Irene.  I can't believe it's missing Florida and going to hit such a wide swath of the east coast.  Are you guys prepared?  A category 3 is no laughing matter.  Seriously, you need food that doesn't need to be refrigerated, lots of water, batteries, gas for the car and grill, a generator if you can, a cooler with ice, a battery-operated radio, and any medicines you need.  If you're in a low-lying area close to the storm surge, leave.  Here's a linky that goes through everything:  http://www.disasterc...guide/hurricane.html.

Mikla

Well, We've already beat the "Most rain in August" record and are only shy of the "Most rain in a month, ever" here in NJ.  I guess I should go to the store tomorrow, although the recent path update is that it will hit Long Island and then New England.  New Jersey is supposed to be on the weaker side of the hurricane.

[Mikla]

Okay, here's a general rule about hurricanes.  If you look at the direction of the storm, pick what is the left and right side relative to its path.  The right side has the worst wind and potential for tornadoes.  The left side has the most rain.  The storm surge can be 15 feet or more and inland flooding from 6 to 12 inches of rain can also occur.  All of this water is very dangerous and accounts for most of the fatalities.  Here's a handbook about hurricanes if you want to know more about the gory details of these tropical systems: http://hurricanes.no...df/hurricanebook.pdf.

Mikla

[Mikla]

One more thing . . . get your supplies NOW.  If you wait until everyone realizes how serious it is, you may not be able to get what you need.  We could not get into a gas station two days before Hurricane Wilma unless you waited for hours in line (and they were out of gas for a week afterward).  Some people ran out of gas waiting to fill up.  The grocery store shelves were bare three days before and three days after.  You couldn't get bottled water to save your life and the water system gets messed up and there may be an order not to drink water from the tap.  Fill up the tub.  I forgot to add flashlights and candles to the list of things you will need.  The power was out here for almost three weeks after Hurricane Wilma (which was only a Category 2 when it passed over us in southeast Florida) and a lot of our power lines are buried (you probably have a lot more above ground).  Expect the power to go out and find something you can do in the evenings.  It gets really boring at night when you don't have electricity.  Bring your lawn furniture indoors (they become flying objects). Stay away from the windows and if you can, put plywood over some of the windows.  A lot of trees will go down (more than you think) and downed trees and power lines will make some roads impassable.  Make sure you know where your insurance policies and other important papers are, and take steps to secure your valuables.  
I hope you never need any of this advice.  Please be careful.  

Mikla

[Trinkette]

Here is a good news/bad news update regarding the earthquake:

The good news: my dental hygienist's Significant Other works at the Lake Anna nuclear power plant that is near the quake's epicenter; she reports that although her man, and others, will be working overtime for the next two months, the power plant really IS safe and there were no leaks.

The bad news: in Louisa County, right where the quake originated, in addition to a two-week delay to the start of school, it now appears that the school buildings are beyond repair and will have to be demolished. There is talk about sharing school facilities with one of the neighboring counties (one county goes in the AM, the other in the PM). What a mess!

[DiamondsAreForever]

Here is a good news/bad news update regarding the earthquake:

The good news: my dental hygienist's Significant Other works at the Lake Anna nuclear power plant that is near the quake's epicenter; she reports that although her man, and others, will be working overtime for the next two months, the power plant really IS safe and there were no leaks.

The bad news: in Louisa County, right where the quake originated, in addition to a two-week delay to the start of school, it now appears that the school buildings are beyond repair and will have to be demolished. There is talk about sharing school facilities with one of the neighboring counties (one county goes in the AM, the other in the PM). What a mess!

The news on the power plant is great.  I watched a program on HD Theatre two days ago about the area around Chernobyl.  They expected the forbidden zone to be a fallow desert, but were surprised at how the wilderness has reclaimed the land.  Plants and animals are thriving there.  And yes, they ARE radioactive.