Ken, how are you doing, any broken windows?

[Nestor]

Hope everything is fine in your home... I'm watching the disaster in real time right now.

[hubird]

he probably hasn't internet access atm...

[garyb]

that may be true.

[dawman]

I have recieved a message from him as I was also curious.
GaryB and I know Ken personally from all meeting in Vegas, so enquiring minds wanted to know.
He will call me at 0800 Hours PST.
I have been calling firends in Staten Island and AC, Queens for a day now, as many services are starting to come back online.

Great to see you guys interested. Me and GaryB have spent time w/ Ken and family here in Vegas, he is one of the founding fathers, therefore he can survive. Many inconveniences only make men like him stronger. It started with a mugging in Brooklyn years ago....

[hubird]

[Nestor]

Cool to know you gathered guys, I wish I could do it too now and then, I would love it.

I understand that Ken was living in a flat. In flats, the problem it is generally with their windows, because if windows brake, water and wind comes in and may make a mess of your things.

[dawman]

Leaning couches up against plywood on your windows is what we did in Miaimi. Even then 100 mph winds can still pry nails out, unless like us, you were trained professionals.
We actually dicovered the biggest rush of our lives was to avoid the flying debris, but laying on the floor for hours is really boring.
But we did avoid the debris by going to beach on Virginia Key by Nixons fortress, climbed up with cable men leather belts and with ski glasses and let the winds and water whail away.
My mother sure was pissed but I told her we escaped the debris field, as we knew from growing up in Tornado alley, flying nails, rocks, glass and wood is usually what kills people who don't get sucked up into the stratosphere....

[Nestor]

I guess that if there are little holes left the wind can eventually grab some of the wood of your doors and windows blowing them away in seconds. I saw people screwing hundreds of screws putting them at about 5 centimeters from each other so the wooden plates are attached hard enough and can stand very well the strength of the storm.

I understand that you cover all entrances not only to avoid wind and water entering your home, but to create sort of a void that keeps it out.

[valis]

Glad you guys are ok, have been in 3 hurricanes myself in this life so far (2 of which were rather severe when they hit land).

[Nestor]

Glad you guys are ok, have been in 3 hurricanes myself in this life so far (2 of which were rather severe when they hit land).

Where was it?

[kensuguro]

Sorry Jimmy, I dunno what's wrong but I don't think At&T network is stable enough to make outbound calls at the moment. Thanks for calling tho.

just got power back and internets. we're all fine here. The biggest challenge is figuring out how to keep our daughter entertained while the parks are all shut down! At least now we have power back.

In the meanwhile, there's no subway access, so I'm grounded in Jersey City, no work for me. But I will need to figure out a way to get in the city to check out whats up with the office and my culinary school. There's lots of boozin' with the neighbors and cooking. The nearest grocery store is still closed from flooding, but we can see they're getting the mess cleaned out day by day. Food will be much easier to maintain since we got power now. Food items are not difficult to buy, there's a Target nearby that's open, and another grocery store that's fully operational. Lines are long, but no complaining.

I can say that power, water, and internet recovered much faster than Katrina back in Miami.. tough comparison, but Katrina and Wilma were the most recent hurricanes I went through so those are my measures. We got everything running now, but there are still families who have lost power and water, so we're trying to help out as much as possible.

Food is a strange thing in these situations. I just did a dinner at a neighbor's (with power) and a family with no power or water joined, and they said "it's like thanks giving!". You can have nothing, but if you eat like a king, you'll feel like a king. I felt it a privilege to have cooked that meal.

[garyb]

i'm glad you and your family are well...

[dawman]

Just got hime, great to hear you're OK.
You know you're getting old when all of your X Wives have Hurricanes named after them, Wilma and Sandy........

I bought a Solar Generator last year for 2500 USD on an ebay pick up in Witenburg, AZ.
4 years ago they were built for 6200 USD and now they are half that price and 3 x times more powerful as Solyndra did make the best Panels as they are notched, not angled. The angled designs actually reflect more sunlight. But they come on a trailer hitch like the big Road and Construction site Night Lights. Here in Vegas all nightime stoplights, street lights are Solar as we have 330+ days of Sunlight and the worlds larget Solar Fields are excellent back up sources for emergency lighting that lasts for 2-3 days.

I actually think this was a wake up call for the warmer waters in the Atlantic, which won't be any more trouble as it's too late in the season, but next year is going to be a whopper as the Atlantic waters are warmer and the Pacific is cooler. Since the stimulus went to line the pockets of wealthy Liberals and save the unfunded Public Union Pensions, then advertise the few actual infrastructure jobs they spent money on, the States had better get prepared for next year, and if they don't get you a Solar generator. Not like the trailer hitch I have, which is overkill, but the Dolley versions that easily can pack 2 days worth of heating, laptop and communications needs. Scientists want billions more for research when actually that money would be well spent on infrastructure.

Culinary School....that's great. Any Sashimi...?

[Nestor]

I’m glad to read you Ken! Fortunately everything went well for you and your family. It must have been scary to hear and to see all this happening above your head though.

No doubt we have to get ready to face up our nearest future, as it is going to be a little bit bumpy… The CIA knows very well what I'm talking about...

[next to nothing]

Good to hear you are ok Ken, and my best whishes to other members in the area as well.

[astroman]

some good wishes from the other side of the ocean, too.

cheers, Tom

[hubird]

+1