Hurricane Sandy compared to the Perfect Storm---GC mentions

Good to hear from you patty girl and pleased you coped OK
During the storm.

Good to hear from you too Pattygirl and that your children were safe as well x

Terrible thing what happened with Sandy.

Glad to see everyone back and in good spirit, COH is not the same without all of you.

There is a nor'easter storm that is supposed to hit the mid-Atlantic shore again this week. That is the last thing those people need, especially after Hurricane Sandy. I'm glad that Cindi, Patti, Bluebell, and Silly Girl are safe and sound.

Amen to that, MM.

The current forecast is for heavy rain and wind gusts up to 50mph. It's tracking right now for the same areas that were hit last week. Still so many people without power its hard to imagine how this will impact repairs or perhaps cause more outages and damage. Hey up there, give us a break.

MM wrote:There is a nor'easter storm that is supposed to hit the mid-Atlantic shore again this week. That is the last thing those people need, especially after Hurricane Sandy. I'm glad that Cindi, Patti, Bluebell, and Silly Girl are safe and sound.

I'm making a conscious effort not to think of what will happen with the Nor'easter coming this Wednesday. I've shed enough tears already.

Now I'm concentrating on how to get through my 14 hour work day at the voting polls tomorrow - getting up at 4:00 a.m. and working until 8:30 p.m. has me rattled. I know, I'm weak. LOL

Oh Cindi...God Bless you! I hope things go okay for the people in your state tomorrow...enough has happened already to destroy your routines in daily living...voting should be the least of your worries right now and yet all of you will go out and do your part in the midst of choas. I applaud your spirit and pray for your continued strength!

Hi Lighter - I'm not complaining about voting - I was whining about working as a District Board Worker from 6:00 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. I'm unfortunately not used to the long hours.

I'm not a silent sufferer so I had to complain to somebody. Sorry.

NO need at all to be sorry, Cindi and that's not whining in my opinion! I'm in awe of the resilience of people like you, all over this country! And then there are so many, who can't be bothered to vote, even from the comfort of their own homes which AREN'T in upheaval and I just don't get that attitude.

Here's what I mean by that...

Total number of Americans eligible to vote 206,072,000

Total number of Americans registered to vote 146,311,000

Total number of Americans who voted in the 2008 Presidential election 131,144,000

Percent of Americans who voted in the 2008 Presidential election 64 %

State with the highest voter turnout rate (Minnesota) 75 %

State with the lowest voter turnout rate (Utah) 53.1 %


Link

Wow! Those numbers are shameful Lighter. I think w should go the Aussie way...isn't it illegal to not vote? I believe they have to pay a fine. I know they're are people I'd love not to vote...or at least maybe shouldn't vote...but it would be wonderful if we had 97% turnout rates which I believe is the case in Australia?

And, in addition to the apathy that affects voter turnout here, we now also have all those new laws in many states that make voting more difficult or impossible, robo calls and fliers pointing people to the wrong polling places or even date and long lines in states that are trying to tamp down on turnout where people in Florida, for example, are standing in line for 8 hours to cast their votes. Never in my life have I had to stand in line for 8 hours to cast my vote and shame on Florida lawmakers or making it so hard to vote! Those voters are heroes in my view!

cindigirl wrote:Hi Lighter - I'm not complaining about voting - I was whining about working as a District Board Worker from 6:00 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. I'm unfortunately not used to the long hours.

I'm not a silent sufferer so I had to complain to somebody. Sorry.

Good Luck for your long working day Cindi......

DON'T OVERSLEEP !!

@Oof...it's shameful that some people put their lives in harms way to protect our rights, especially the right to vote and others can't be bothered to participate. I'm not talking about the infirmed who aren't able to vote, I'm talking about the apathy of those able bodied individuals who think politics is "boring"....or they're too busy with life to care, etc.

These lawmakers who are being voted into office and their policies affect everyone, whether you participate or not. And it's no coincidence that the people least inclined to participate are also usually the loudest voices to complain about the way things are and will take no responsibility for what happens as a result of their apathy and endless excuses for not doing anything at all when it comes to choosing who will run our cities, states and country.

"people in Florida, for example, are standing in line for 8 hours to cast their votes."

I so can understand that 64 %

sorry
but this is a really chaotic way to vote

Joanna wrote:Good Luck for your long working day Cindi...... DON'T OVERSLEEP !!

Thanks Joanna- I think I'll drink a couple of those 5-hour energy drinks and stay up all night. The lesser of the two evils.

not too many!
beware
they can be dangerous, I read...

It's me - I was just kidding- but you're so sweet. I think a jug of coffee might do it for me.

it's me wrote:"people in Florida, for example, are standing in line for 8 hours to cast their votes."

I so can understand that 64 %

sorry
but this is a really chaotic way to vote

Unfortunately, exactly my point.... elections matter and the people in Florida and several other states voted in a party (Republicans) that wants to suppress the vote...now you see why elections matter and people should do their level best to participate...otherwise you get the government you deserve.

I know you don't know this but in our election cycle in 2010 when the teaparty took over the House in DC as well as a great many state offices and governorships, it was the apathy of the voters during that election cycle which allowed a very radical, aggressive and cynical group of people to seize statewide control of those states and change the voting rights of their citizens, as well as attacking women's rights to choose their own healthcare methods for reproduction, trying to take away the rights of gays and trying to privatize Medicare in DC.

NONE of those people who were voted in campaigned on any those issues but once elected, those were the ONLY laws quickly enacted or voted upon to service a national agenda for a specific group of neoconservatives in this country. So much for the millions of "JOBS JOBS JOBS" they were going to create and that they campaigned on in 2010! So far NADA on that front!!!

Miz, its true, yes in Australia we have compulsory voting which was brought into law after only just over 50% of the population turned out to vote in early 1920's. Enrolling to vote is mandatory once you turn 18, failure to enrol or even worse, be on our electoral role and not cast your vote will result in fines, leading to court etc. I agree with our system, many others dont however. IMO there is no point complaining about who is running the country if you can't even be bothered going out there and casting your vote.

Good Luck with the US Election, hope your candidate wins!

I came across something called the GROG party (Get Rid Of Gillard). While I've no great interest in Australian politics, I did have to smile at their slogan: The Grog party: like the Tea Party, only stronger.

I hear there was a 2.2 earthquake in New Jersey today too. What next? Locusts? Snakes? Batten down the hatches folks you're going to be in for another bumpy ride!

Stay safe, stay warm - get out if you have to or you can!

Lighterside, you're preaching to the choir!

It never ceases to amaze me how people in this country are voting for some of the idiots who now run our gov't. And you're right, for the most part, they get into office because so many people choose not to vote. The problem is that many Americans today believe their votes don't count. They watch crap on TV, listen to right wing radio and believe all the bull that's spewed by people like Rush Limbaugh. How they can believe it is beyond me but I think for some, it's easier to blame someone else for things not going well in their lives and the right wing makes that very easy for them.

I recently moved to a rural community from a city. The talk radio here is almost all right wing. The cable company offers Fox as part of it's basic package but MSNBC is only available in their most expensive package. A local guy here sends in a weekly rant about President Obama and the Democrats to the small paper here. The county is Democrat but little by little, with the help of all those right wing voices, many people here are believing the Republican "message." And, as a proud liberal, it infuriates me that the Democrats are so horrible at messaging!

At any rate, I've met lots of my neighbors volunteering for the Obama Campaign and for a candidate for the house. Had the DNC put some money into the house campaign he could have beaten the Republican but he had no help either nationally or from the state party.

Anyway, here's hoping that everyone who does bother to vote has their vote counted because I am very afraid that many people's votes will be tossed in all those states run by Republican governors and legislatures who've spent the past two years making it harder for people to cast a vote.

OofOof wrote:Lighterside, you're preaching to the choir!

LOL Oh I know that...I was just voicing my frustration with the one third of our population who are eligible to vote in determining HOW this country will be run and they refuse to concern themselves when so much is at stake. And yes, the other side is MUCH better at getting out their message and that's frustrating too. This shouldn't even be a CLOSE race, if people actually looked at the issues and proposals on the table from both sides of the aisle.

Rachel Maddow did a great job last evening in one of her opening segments, where she laid out in clear detail what legislation had been accomplished BEFORE the 2010 midterm elections and contrasted that to what did and didn't get accomplished AFTER the GOP took over the House. It was very enlightening to have a comprehensive list of all of this administration's accomplishments DESPITE the obstructionism from the other side. I don't understand the hate towards this President...he's done so much good in a short time.

Side note: the DNC may have had internal polls telling them that race was a waste of money and would result in the GOP win anyway...I find that they sacrifice too many good politicians because they're running in "unfriendly" territory when they should go all in!

Unfortunately Rachel Maddow is viewed as being just as biased as the Fox news network. I think people tend to watch newscasts that support their views. PBS tries to present a centered approach to news, but with Big Birds days numbered who knows what will go next.

I know it's popular now to be "equivalent.". Rachel Maddow is often portrayed as being the liberal side of someone like Bill O'reilly. It really bugs the Hell out of me when people like Jon Stewart do the whole they're all the same bull because they aren't. Rachel Maddow uses facts to prove her point. She's always decent to her guests and never yells or rants at them. She does extensive research and I hate it when she's somehow equated with the right wing crew, only she's supposedly pushing the left wing view. She pushes FACTS. She's actually one of the few real journalists we have in this country. All the rest of the so called mainstream media are so afraid of being labeled part of the liberal media, they either go along to get along, or they promote the idea that there is always two sides to every issue.

I watch the Newshour but find they also try so hard to be "fair" that they too end up practicing equivalency. Watch BBC on PBS as well but Rachel Maddow is my favorite at this point.

I am such a political news junkie that I get my news from so many sources that I sometimes get confused about what I read where...LOL But I do agree, most people are only getting spoonfed the news by biased sources and they really need to dig, and I do mean dig, for the truth. It's all about balance and realizing each side has merit as well as recognizing each side also has spin!

But I completely agree with you OOof about Rachael, she IS one of my favorites as well as Lawrence O'Donnell and for the reasons you stated above but I don't get to watch their shows often enough.

To veer away from politics and back to the topic, I was watching TV where they showed the roller coaster in Seaside Park which was blown into the ocean. Horrendous sight. People on the NJ coast have been without power for a week or more now. No food, no gas, no heat with temps in the 30's at night.

With George stepping up to the Katrina destruction I can't help but wonder why he hasn't organized some kind of benefit for New York and New Jersey. I guess he's too busy.

or already did

I think the benefit already took place earlier this week, didn't it?

So sorry Cindi to get off the topic at hand. I hope your power stayed on through the second storm or that it stays on as the second storm hits you all. I wish there was something more we could do than donate to the Red Cross. When I see those videos of the towns on the NJ coast and Staten Island, I just want to cry for those people. It must be so daunting to have lost your home, and then be hit with no power and cold temps to boot,as you try to figure out what your next move should be.

Here's hoping all the COH crew from the area are all still safe and warm.

Katiedot wrote:I think the benefit already took place earlier this week, didn't it?

Hi katie, yes the benefit (hosted by Matt Lauer) and others was aired the Friday after Sandy. I was talking about GC getting involved. I guess he felt it was being taken care of.

And thanks Oof for your kind words.

Seems like old news now but if anyone is interested here's an article with pictures describing the damage Sandy caused New York and New Jersey.

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eight million homes remain without power???? right now?

incredible....