My mood is negative this morning, so I won’t delay getting straight to the news. I’ve taken some extra time to read additional articles regarding the whole Hurricane Milton situation. There’s too much incorrect information to avoid getting this right. While most of the US will not be directly affected by the storm, we will be affected by its impact on the economy and the availability of emergency resources. As you read, you have a responsibility to do the following:
- Share what is important to the audience you have.
- Offer shelter if you safely can to those leaving Florida.
- Avoid misinformation from politically driven sources.
- Gently correct friends on social media who share misinformation.
- Stay informed throughout the day.
For the record, I’m writing this at 7:30 AM EDT. Updates from the National Weather Service, which is the most trusted information source, generally occur at the top of the hour, every hour. However, given the potential impact of this storm, they will often announce updates the instant a significant change is detected. Here is this morning’s map:
The yellow areas on the map are where the hurricane’s effect is likely to be the strongest. While the storm retreated slightly from a Category 5 to a Category 4 overnight, it could still regain power before making landfall Wednesday evening. This is likely to be the strongest storm to hit the Tampa area since 1921. It is rare for storms that form in the Gulf to move Eastward. This compact storm brings with it some of the lowest pressure possible, which makes it even stronger. Tampa’s mayor has warned that people who stay, “will die.” The state of Florida, still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Helene, is going to be permanently scarred by this storm.
Somewhat baffling, but not surprising, is the fact that Orlando attractions are not closed… yet. Disney World, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld are still open as of this writing. All say they are “closely monitoring” the storm, and be sure that they will not close unless they feel visitors to the park are directly threatened. Now, take a look at the map above. Find Orlando. While it’s not in the bright yellow impact zone, it seems impractical that some closure either Thursday or Friday won’t be ordered. Milton will still be a Category 1 storm when it exits into the Atlantic. Don’t think that won’t put lives in danger.
For the sake of anyone who seriously thinks that the government is controlling the weather: they can’t. Controlling the strength and direction of a storm like Milton is impossible. People who share this kind of nonsense become responsible for the deaths of Floridians who believe this nonsense and choose to stay. Don’t be stupid. Misinformation takes much-needed resources away from disaster recovery. Have no part in it.
Your “thoughts and prayers” are not what is needed right now. President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for Florida, and U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor said 7,000 federal workers were mobilized to help in one of the largest mobilizations of federal personnel in history. That 7,000 won’t be enough. FEMA is already strained, still working on the large disaster space left by Helene. Once the storm pushes through, volunteers are needed to help in search and recovery efforts, clearing debris from roads, and getting utilities up and running. Please, do not volunteer unless you have experience in these areas and are well-equipped to take care of yourself. Otherwise, you risk becoming a liability that no one needs.
There are still a number of variables that cannot be predicted. Whether the storm directly hits Tampa Bay or just South of the Bay will affect which areas see the strongest storm surge. Rainfall amounts ahead of the storm depend on how fast it moves across the state. There is no way to know the exact strength of winds in any given area until they get there. Prudence in these situations demands preparing for the worst.
If you’re looking at maps of the Atlantic and Caribbean, you will likely notice that there’s a Tropical Storm Leslie out there looking menacing. As of the latest information from the National Hurricane Center, Leslie looks as though it will stay out at sea. This does not mean that we won’t see any other storms develop quickly behind it, though. This season is far from over.
Yes, this is going to keep my attention for the rest of the week. There are too many people in Florida that I care about to not keep this as the center of my focus. I also know that a lot of people from Indy like going to Florida this time of year. Maybe next year, okay? Let’s not contribute to the problem.
Fortunately, weather patterns over the rest of the US look rather quiet. If you don’t live in one of the areas affected by Helene, enjoy the luxury of sitting back and having another cup of coffee this morning while you consider tangible ways in which you can help.
Monday, January 06, 2025
Could Be Worse.
Someone pissed on my pants. It was obviously one of the cats, the smell is unmistakable. Which one, though? I can only guess. Four shared the room last night but others could easily have wandered in. Perhaps someone was upset that I slept until almost 7:30 this morning, delaying their breakfast. Since I didn’t recognize the problem until I put on the jeans to take the dogs out, I’ll have to shower and change clothes once I finish writing. This is how the week starts.
No, the storm isn’t over. It’s still snowing and we’ll see another wave of heavy snow before noon. Looking out the window, the light snow is almost impossible to see. Only against the darkness of my overcoat was I sure anything was still falling. The flakes aren’t very large, but they’re still there.
Most of the snow is expected to be out of the Indy metro area by noon today. However, that doesn’t mean the danger is over. The airport has already clocked a 40 mph wind gust and more is coming with this afternoon being especially difficult. The wind is coming out of the North which means East/West streets could see a lot of drifting with snow piling up in unexpected places. This means that even roads that have been plowed are not likely to be clear. DPW crews have been working 12-hour shifts since Saturday night but to little avail as the snow keeps falling and blowing.
I am amused and slightly frustrated by all the people uttering a dismissive, “I’ve seen worse.” No shit, Sherlock. We don’t have to receive a record-breaking snowfall for this to be a dangerous and potentially deadly event! WTF! Just because you survived something worse doesn’t negate the importance of the current situation. So help me, too many people are just stupid when it comes to snow.
How much do we have so far? That depends on where one is standing. Official reports show the highest accumulation South of Indy at 8.5 inches. However, the nature of snow is that it varies literally from one yard to the next. The exact placement of houses, the number and location of trees, the height and construction of fences, and one’s proximity to multi-story buildings all factor into how much snow lands in front of the door. Here, judging by how the snow hits the dogs’ legs, we have about seven inches worth of the stuff. Hamilton decided he’d just bury his nose in it. Belvedere did his business and immediately wanted back inside.
Most everything government-related is closed today as are all regional schools. Our kids aren’t scheduled to return to school until tomorrow, so everything being closed today has no effect on them. Tomorrow could be different, though, as ice and wind are likely to continue to make travel hazardous. What I don’t see on any of the closure lists, though, are retail stores. While I can kind of see grocery outlets staying open with a skeleton crew, there’s absolutely no reason for anyone else to be open today. No one needs a new pair of jeans today. Sheets and towels can wait a few days more. Anyone furniture shopping today is just stupid. No one needs to eat out today, either. Bottom line: if you’re shopping for anything that isn’t a life-or-death necessity, you’re a fool. Your presence in a store means other people had to risk their lives to cater to your folly. You don’t need to be driving. No one else needs to be driving. How good a driver you are isn’t the issue. Just stay off the fucking roads.
There’s not a lot of impactful news this morning. Congress certifies the election like it’s obligated to do. Last night’s Golden Globe Awards were the placebo of awards, holding no real meaning for anyone. The markets are mixed, the wars are still stupid, and for some insane reason, Musk thinks he has a right to interfere with the politics of other countries, which is likely to end poorly for him.
There are a couple of situations that are probably worth some conversation because they are more likely to affect people on a personal level. Evidence now shows that the New Orleans driver who killed 14 used Meta’s glasses to scope out and help plan his crime. Not only was he wearing the glasses when he drove into the crowd, but he also used them on two prior trips to the area, recording video that would tell him where crowds were likely to gather and what protections might be in place.
This raises an interesting question or two. If another person had recorded that video and given it to the driver, that person would be arrested and charged with second-degree murder as an accomplice. So, is Meta’s technology on the hook here? Can victims and their families sue Meta for helping to facilitate the attack? Does the very existence of the glasses violate the personal freedoms, particularly the right to privacy, of anyone identified by them? Typically, technology itself is not blamed for the commission of a crime; that’s on the person using it. However, the glasses are designed to identify people who may not wish to be identified. So, where are we going to draw this line?
The second matter involves both the speed and the depth of information Tesla was able to provide police about the driver of the truck that blew up in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day. On one hand, this is nothing new. Law enforcement has been able to access GPS information stored on most new vehicles since 2016. However, law enforcement accesses this information digitally. What’s disturbing in this case is the fact that Tesla CEO Elon Musk was the one who gave Las Vegas police the information. Why did he have access? Who else has access to your driving information and what are they doing with it?
GM has already been found guilty of selling information on 1.5 million drivers to insurance companies without the drivers’ permission. One has to ask whether access to this information can be or is being compromised by criminals or government officials. If US law enforcement has access to the data, does China have access to that information as well? Can Russia or Iran use the information to study things like traffic patterns to plan terrorist activities? What does this mean for individual privacy? Is it illegal to disable the GPS tracking in your vehicle? (Only if you are still paying for said vehicle.)
One more matter that I’ve been sitting on for a couple of days. Below is an editorial cartoon by Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Ann Telnaes, formerly of the Washington Post. Ms. Telnaes resigned from the paper after editors rejected this cartoon. Why? Because it includes the Post‘s owner, Jeff Bezos, among those bowing down to the incoming President. So, it’s been published everywhere else, giving the cartoon a far broader circulation than it would have had otherwise. The Post‘s editors fucked this one up. Here’s Ms. Telnaes’ cartoon:
The cartoon deserves to be shared far and wide. Be sure to give Ann Telnaes credit for her work.
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