Watercooler: Democracy Now on #Sandy

Watercooler: Democracy Now on #Sandy
By: Kit OConnell Monday October 29, 2012 6:15 pm	Tweet2

Stay dry, y’all.

So much of today’s Democracy Now! program on Hurricane Sandy lines up with today’s myFDL articles that I had to share it as a closer to today’s coverage — nuclear power, climate change denial, human survival, and the crucial need to halt our damage to the environment and change our dependence on environmentally damaging finite resources. It’s worth the time just to hear Jeff Masters of Weather Underground call climate change the ‘Voldemort of our time.’ We also featured the David Swanson review of the latest book by DN!’s Amy Goodman.

Enjoying the dry, mild Texas weather with a steady supply of electricity, I felt accutely aware how lucky I am — and worried for the many people I know in the storm zone. My thoughts are with my family and friends in Connecticut, the many Occupiers throughout the region I’ve connected with since joining that movement, and of course Ellie Elliott, Scarecrow, Jane Hamsher, Cynthia and all firepups that live in affected areas. Check in when you can & stay safe!

Twitter provides the most up to date coverage of this actively developing event. Check the hashtag #Sandy and related ones like #SandyNYC for the latest from regular people on the ground (though beware of misinformation and pranksters). And share your news in the comments here.

This is our latest open thread — what’s on your mind?

13 Comments Recommend

13 Responses to Watercooler: Democracy Now on #Sandy

Phoenix Woman October 29th, 2012 at 6:38 pm 1

Obama’s campaign sent out an email with actually useful info, so I’m passing it along:

This is a serious storm, but we are going to do what it takes to keep people safe and secure, and make sure the communities affected get the assistance they need. FEMA is working with state and local governments to respond effectively. We all owe a debt of thanks to the first responders who will be dealing with the immediate impact of the storm.

If you live in the storm’s path, please listen to state and local authorities about where and how to take shelter and stay safe — and encourage your friends and family to do the same. If you are asked to evacuate, please take that seriously.

For more information on how to prepare for this storm, visit Ready.gov.

And if you’d like to find out how to support relief efforts where they’re needed most, please visit the Red Cross or your local relief organization:

http://my.barackobama.com/Red-Cross

Michelle and I are keeping everyone in the affected areas in our thoughts and prayers. Be safe.

Barack

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Phoenix Woman October 29th, 2012 at 6:42 pm 2

In response to Phoenix Woman @ 1

Note — this was sent out just about nine hours ago, before the worst of the storm surges made themselves felt. But the information still might be useful.

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Kit OConnell October 29th, 2012 at 6:50 pm 3

Update from my family: my uncle & aunt are safe but flooded and taking refuge on the second floor of their house. Another uncle is about to be snowed in. My Dad just lost power and had to evacuate a down on luck friend from his cottage where they had been staying. I have family throughout CT and they are safe but without power.

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Kit OConnell October 29th, 2012 at 6:55 pm 4

In response to Phoenix Woman @ 1

Thanks!

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cmaukonen October 29th, 2012 at 7:11 pm 5

OY ! Lower Manhattan is a mess and the rest of NYC ain’t in great shape either. And you don’t even want to know about NJ or LI.

Car tunnels flooded, utility tunnels, flooded, subway tunnels flooded. Buildings collapsed, buildings on fire and a crane just dangling 35 stories in the air.

Bridges close and power out to 2.7 million people.

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Phoenix Woman October 29th, 2012 at 7:41 pm 6

By the way, @FDNY debunks the Coney-Island-Hospital-Fire rumor as follows:

#FDNY units are on scene at Coney Island Hospital. No confirmed fire or reports of injuries at this time.

FDNY also tweeted this:

There is much misinformation being spread about #Sandy’s impact on #NYC. You can get reliable info from @NYCMayorsOffice, @NotifyNYC & us.

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Phoenix Woman October 29th, 2012 at 7:43 pm 7

Also, the NYSE is not flooded, though the storm surge did hit the subways.

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cmaukonen October 29th, 2012 at 7:48 pm 8

In response to Phoenix Woman @ 7

I do suspect that the utility areas underneath are though. The entry ways to those things are meant to keep people out. Water not so much.

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HotFlash October 29th, 2012 at 7:54 pm 9

Thanks for this, Kit.

Booyah! I totally ~~hope~~ am sure this is going to work. Srsly, people, this is not NOLA. So just relax, OK?

And to make you feel even more secure, I quote from the official government-of-ny site: Gov Cuomo urges New Yorkers to “make preparations now to protect themselves.” Oh, that site doesn’t seem to be there anymore, what I get now is “

https://www.nypa.gov/

” — would that work out to ‘don’t bother me, I’m busy’?

OK, I will not jump to conclusions. All you folks, stay as high and dry as you can. Let me know if there is anything I can do.

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Kit OConnell October 29th, 2012 at 8:13 pm 10

Thanks for sharing the info. let’s hope the worst is over for now & we can wait for the east coast to dry out (however long that’s going to take).

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walkinboots October 29th, 2012 at 8:25 pm 11

I’m kinda dreading what the rising of the sun will reveal.

Thanks for posting, Kit.

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Kit OConnell October 29th, 2012 at 8:45 pm 12

In response to walkinboots @ 11

I am hearing a lot of that. Dreading that the death toll will rise, and we mustn’t forget the further devastation on Cuba & Haiti, which is still struggling so much

I needed a couple drinks tonight & I am hundreds of miles away.

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athena1 October 30th, 2012 at 8:33 am 13

My thoughts are with everyone affected. What a nightmare.

I’m not in the mood to start a diary about this, but it’s worth passing on that some are apparently ready to use this disaster to hawk neoliberalism:

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/30/opinion/kayyem-obama-sandy/index.html

The message was political, but not in the partisan sense. It was more akin to the debates at America’s founding on the role of government, and included an appropriate sense of tough love.

There are plenty of solutions, many with bipartisan support. One involves creating an infrastructure bank, where the

private sector directly invests in infrastructure projects

, as is the case in many countries, with the promise that toll fees will bring in the financial gains

“We should be more like Pinochet’s Chile” is the new “bipartisian consensus.” Openly.

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