I was going to post something about Trump’s unfurling insanity on Twitter, but you know what? Fuck it. Keeping up with that malevolent buffoon is exhausting. I’d rather talk about a destructive wind event we’ve already survived instead.
It was 25 years ago today that Hurricane Andrew made landfall in South Florida. Here’s one of the best hurricane prep photos ever — Zoo Miami’s flock of flamingos herded into a restroom to ride out the storm:
The flamingos survived, although not all of the zoo animals were so fortunate. (The story is here.)
A major hurricane hadn’t made landfall in a populated area in Florida for many years before Andrew hit, so people were complacent. Even the zoo guy said he was going about the task of herding the flamingos into a sturdy shelter feeling a bit foolish about it, sure it would result in a big mess for no good reason.
I was living about 300 miles north when Andrew came ashore, but I saw the effects in South Florida not too long after when I accompanied a reporter friend to Homestead. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
Anyhoo, that concludes this trip down memory lane. I hope everyone in the path of Harvey stays safe. Hurricane Andrew made more folks take storms seriously again. Good thing since it seems we’re in for more of them.
Open thread!
Butthurt Jordan Trombone (fka XTPD)
what in the actual fuck
germy
I just found out I need a newer, stronger distance eyeglasses.
I haven’t worn the old ones in a while, and I was startled when I put them on, and instead of everything snapping into sharp focus, the world got blurrier instead.
Here’s my question: After I get a prescription for new lenses, would most opticians be willing to fit them into an old pair of glasses (over forty years old) that I kept. They’re wire rim and better looking than most frames I see today.
Or will the optician raise a fuss and say it’s impossible?
Cheryl Rofer
trollhattan
Watched Andrew hit from an Albuquerque hotel room, which added to the surreal spectacle. IIRC it was very narrow and thus, concentrated the destructive force to horrid effect.
I get the same creepy feeling when recalling how long ago Loma Prieta hit–we’re overdue.
Villago Delenda Est
@Butthurt Jordan Trombone (fka XTPD): Well, she did inspire a lot of other filmmakers; she blazed a trail in film. It was a trail blazed in the service of evil. But there is no questioning of how influential she was in 20th century film.
MattF
@germy: Nowadays, lens and frame sizes are pretty standardized– when I had eye surgery a few years ago, I had one frame that was ‘relensed’ four times. I guess there’s a possibility that sufficiently ancient frames can’t fit new lenses, but I’d bet it would be fine.
ETA: Also, FWIW, sudden changes in eyesight should not be assumed to be due to a need for new lenses. Go see an opthalmologist.
trollhattan
@germy:
Unlikely, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. I’m flabbergasted at what glasses can cost now.
Betty Cracker
@germy: I’ve found that opticians are reluctant to fit new lenses into old frames. You could probably find one who would do it, but it might take effort.
Roger Moore
@germy:
I’ve never had a problem with opticians refusing to fit new lenses to old frames. I’ve never had frames quite as old as the ones you’re asking about, but they should be able to do it, especially if you can give them the frames for the time it takes them to do the fitting.
Major Major Major Major
@germy: I imagine if they still make lenses in that shape, you’ll be fine.
ETA: related question: do you think they’d do just one lens? I want my new correction in my sunglasses but only one eye changed.
Villago Delenda Est
@trollhattan: Here in the Pacific NW, we’re waiting for a big one that will make everything you Californians dread look like a firecracker. Massive subduction zone to the west, range of volcanoes to the east. Fun fun fun!
Villago Delenda Est
@Cheryl Rofer: Only Jimmy Stewart can see it, though.
Major Major Major Major
@MattF:
Can you elaborate?
randy khan
@germy:
I think the issue is whether they can measure the frames sufficiently accurately to fit the lenses; if they can do that, it shouldn’t be a problem. (As I understand it, they have measurement specs on hand for all the frames they sell, so they don’t need to measure them.)
Not the same thing, but I recently replaced frames that were maybe 4 years old and kept the lenses with no problem. That, of course, was possible only because the manufacturer was still making the frames.
Amir Khalid
@germy:
I’ve re-used old frames myself. If the new lenses aren’t too thick for wire rims and the old frame is still in good condition, the optician can do it. Would they refuse to do it, just because you didn’t want a new frame? No optician here would, and I doubt any in America would either.
chopper
@Cheryl Rofer:
dang, i knew the NHC was talking about the possibility of rapid intensification but i didn’t expect a major hurricane. houston might get roundly fucked by this one.
Betty Cracker
@Amir Khalid: I suspect the one who refused me was a greedy type; he wanted to charge an outrageous sum for new frames, and like a dummy, I went along with it…
Major Major Major Major
@Villago Delenda Est: plus somebody thought it was a good idea to build Seattle on top of major landfill regrade. That’ll be fun.
randy khan
@Major Major Major Major:
Not Matt F., but there are conditions that change vision that require treatment. The obvious one is cataracts, but also glaucoma and some things related to diabetes come to mind.
MattF
@Major Major Major Major: Well. In my own case, I thought I needed new lenses and made an appointment with an ophthalmologist. The appointment took three hours and at the end I was on the conveyor belt for surgery due to corneal lesions. And then cataract surgery a year later. Lots of people in their 60s discover that their eyes need fixing, and eye surgery has advanced to the point where lots of things are fixable.
Cheryl Rofer
Impressive.
Major Major Major Major
@randy khan: @MattF: ok. Just asking because my astigmatism got worse over the last year (to the point of causing eye strain/fatigue) which the Internet says is pretty rare, but the eye doctor said it was fine… and I know it’s bad to diagnose yourself via google, but…
ding7777
How did the flamingos get to the toilet bowls with the stall doors closed? Are they strong enough to push open the doors?
SenyorDave
When Andrew hit I was working as an actuary for an insurance company. My friend was head of the personal lines unit and was sent down to Florida along with a senior claims adjuster. Our company had about 5% of the Florida market, but we happened to be pretty heavy in the Homestead area. They hired a plane to do a flyover to see the extent of damage. i will never forget being in a conference room when he called in and said that whatever our initial estimates were for insured losses, we should probably double them. He said there were neighborhoods that looked that had been hit by bombs. One good thing was that after they heard about the extent of the damage, senior management authorized $2 million for the claims adjuster to use as “walking around money” to be used as on the spot cash for homeowners to help with expenses.
Quinerly
Has anybody posted this? Another Sessions connection:http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/rick-dearborn-emails-trump-campaign-putin-meeting
eclare
FOIA has been launched to investigate whether Mnuchin used a government plane to travel to view the eclipse. Inquiring minds want to know, along with Citizens for Ethics.
catclub
@Major Major Major Major:
Denny Regrade, represent!
Villago Delenda Est
@Major Major Major Major: You look at a satellite photo of the Seattle-Tacoma-Everett metro area, and you can see the lahar paths.
Roger Moore
@Major Major Major Major:
The lenses are typically made in sizes a bit bigger than any standard frame, and the optician then finishes them down to the size and shape of the frame. It’s the only practical way of doing things, as there are just too many parameters the optician has to deal with (frame shape, angle of astigmatism/cylinder correction, pupillary distance, etc.) for the factory to make every possible combination.
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
Holy shit, the Guardian comment section is full of toxic people! Tons of the same asshole Brexit Leavers, using rude, shitty strawman arguments. I read a thread where they seriously suggested that people wanting a new referendum on Brexit (or wanting to negate the results of 2016 referendum) are somehow anti-democratic liberal elites. Oh and people knew what they were voting for and weren’t conned!
?
Amir Khalid
@ding7777:
I don’t think the flamingos were expecting to use the loo. It’s not their style.
The Moar You Know
@Villago Delenda Est: I was at ground zero for Loma Prieta. I visited Seattle for the first time two years ago and…there’s no other way to say this, you folks up there get one even as a bad as Loma Prieta and your death toll is going to be in the tens of thousands. I have rarely seen such poor infrastructure in my life.
A Ghost To Most
These fucking people:
rawstory
Major Major Major Major
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: you should spend less time in comment sections stupider that this one, just a mental health suggestion.
@catclub: it’s such a classic “trust me, I’m an engineer”, “seemed like a good idea at the time!” sort of thing…
Roger Moore
@Major Major Major Major:
I would suggest trusting your optometrist over random people on the internet. After all, he can look at your actual eyes rather than generalizing from other people’s experience.
The Moar You Know
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: In all seriousness, most of those comments are posted by American conservatives.
rikyrah
You all know that we don’t HAVE a working FEMA…right?
So, if a big storm does destroy…we’ve got nobody to help people.
Once again, a big PHUCK YOU to Dolt45 voters, for putting us in this position.
Kay
I realize I don’t know what “identity politics” means anymore. I have no idea. I hope that isn’t going to be The Big Debate for Democrats next year because I’m skipping it. It’s this catch-all terms for “things the writer doesn’t like”.
Wouldn’t (certain) southerners attachment to that flag and the statues be the exact definition of identity politics?
MattF
@Major Major Major Major: My eye surgeon corrected my astigmatism during the corneal surgery– apparently just showin’ off. I’d have been more appreciative, though, if she’d mentioned it before the surgery. An excellent surgeon and… her ‘doctoring’ and communication skills have gotten better over the years– so I’m not really complaining, much.
Major Major Major Major
@Roger Moore: I trust you guys more than Google results, lol.
I wish The Onion or somebody would do a one-off fake advice column, Ask The Internet, where every answer is you have cancer, you have bedbugs, and he’s cheating on you.
Ocotillo
Live about 2 hours inland from Texas coast, here in San Antonio. We really need some rain as our aquifer is low enough that we have watering restrictions. Hope some how this does not turn out as bad as it sounds for the folks living in the coastal bend area. We should be ok here other than the dummies who drive into low areas that have water running over the road and then need to be rescued.
West of the Rockies (been a while)
Remember when a day — or 10 — would go by without news of Obama or Bush or Clinton? Rarely do a few hours pass without some Trumpian nonsense rupturing forth like a lanced cyst.
JPL
Although Harvey is suppose to land south of the Houston area, our gas prices have risen ten cents overnight. The pipeline to Atlanta comes from the Houston area. I hope that everyone in the area of the storm stays safe.
The Moar You Know
@JPL: Oh shit. All America’s gas gets refined in Houston. Sure glad we have refineries in CA! Hope they’re prepared.
James Powell
True. Maybe we should organize and do it in shifts.
Frankensteinbeck
@Roger Moore:
Next time I get new lenses, I will have to get them fitted to these frames. They’re the first frames in my entire life that fit my gigantic head. Sadly, not a joke.
Villago Delenda Est
@The Moar You Know: We don’t get them often enough to make them a conscious factor in a lot of construction. We’re doing better, but we’ve got a century of very poorly constructed infrastructure to update.
Wayne
I live in what is now Palmetto Bay, FL, south of Miami. The north eye wall went right over us. We were very fortunate, well built house, no structural damage, shutters but lots of water thru the windows.
The main remembrance is the thought process as the storm engulfed us. First it’s, OK, that’s no so bad. Then the storm ups itself a notch (it was never a gradual thing, big steps up in noise and power). Next it’s, OK lost the screen patio, no problem. Up another notch. Holy crap, stay away from the windows, they’re being pounded but OK, they can be replaced. Up another notch and the realization that this could be a bad outcome and your only thought is, Please, take the house, don’t hurt my family.
I never had to think that before or since. It’s a very strange place to be.
Fortunately, no one hurt, had 2 other families in the house with us and they were good. And a better appreciation for people that get in a situation like that.
West of the Rockies (been a while)
NPR website has a disturbing story up that reveals in 2015, 37% of Republicans polled believed college had a negative impact on society. Last year, that figure rose to 45%… this year it is 58%!
Truly, truly the party of dummies.
Would this dynamic largely be rooted in right wing media hysteria? Does the “deep party” (as in deep state) want a more easily manipulated herd of numbskulls to be their drones?
The Moar You Know
@West of the Rockies (been a while): Educated people end up liberal people. They are not unaware of this.
GregB
Identity politics is the rightwing framing used to smear Democratic Party political coalition building.
Think death tax.
The Republican’s have been using white identity politics for 50 years but don’t call it that or the crimson tears will fall.
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@Major Major Major Major:
I’ll take your advice
Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes
@eclare:
Yeah, here in the Louisville media market, the initial story (as related by Mnuchin) was that he had some obligations to put his eyes on the gold in Ft Knox which I figured to be a steaming pile of shit. That put him about an hour away from the path of totality.
Mj_Oregon
@The Moar You Know: To be fair, while regular earthquakes were known to hit many areas of the Northwest, the idea of a great quake wasn’t even entertained until the late 80’s. The Juan de Fuca plate wasn’t thought to be capable of a mega-thrust quake until an enterprising young grad student studied some of our shoreline’s “drowned forests” and realized that they were the result of sudden drops of 10+ feet of the ground surface. Modern geology is a relatively young science still. The concept of plate tectonics wasn’t accepted until the 50’s/60’s, IIRC. Much of Seattle and Portland were built way earlier. I hope I don’t live long enough to see what happens when the inevitable finally happens.
Major Major Major Major
@Kay:
“Identity politics” means anything other than a laser-like focus on exurban white midwestern men.
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?:
I wouldn’t advise that.
Mel
@Amir Khalid: Me, too.
I had Lasik about 20 years ago to correct severe nearsightedness (20/2000 in my “good” eye!). Have to see eveything near and far with a classroom of 52 active kiddos under your care!
Earlier this month, I noticed myself squinting and
holding things further away to be able to see them clearly. Now, it appears that I need the opposite of the glasses of my youth. I have to get reading glasses for my old eyes. Dug out my previous frames, and confirmed that they can be used for new lenses! The frames are pretty – glad I can re-use them, and so glad to not have to buy new ones, since I have big big copays coming up for a chemo med.
Have you figured out a solution for your question about playing guitar when one has shorter fingers? I have a different, but similar problem. I’m petite (shorter arm length) and found that using a capo allowed me to play guitar without that annoying extra stretch of my arm, but all the retuning was a bit of a hassle. Nowadays, there are a lot of good guitars on the market and accessible through online resources that would have helped with my reach problem, but back when I was learning (pre-internet) there just wasn’t anything available locally that worked well for me. I eventually decided to go back to the banjo instead of using a capo all the time.
Have since wished many times that I had had stuck with guitar, so I’m cheering you on and living a bit vicariously through your guitar fun!!
Just One More Canuck
@Major Major Major Major: I thought you were going for the Colonel Klink look and getting a monocle
Riley's Enabler
Just south of Houston here. Eric Berger at Space City is our go-to for the best non-drama weather updates: https://spacecityweather.com/
We are prepping – laying in water, buckets and batteries. Went 2 1/2 weeks without power after Ike; sure hope we don’t have to go through that again in this August heat. Blech.
bystander
@Kay:
No. And neither is denigrating Mexicans, BLM, transsexuals, or women. IOKIYAR.
trollhattan
@Major Major Major Major:
I’ll see your Denny Regrade and raise you one Marina District. :-P
The Moar You Know
@Mel: I have small hands and play bass. You wouldn’t believe how my fingers can bend!
A short(er) scale length guitar is what you want if it’s a real issue. Both Taylor and Martin have the steel-string acoustic end covered (I highly recommend the Baby or Big Baby Taylor). Electric, a few of the odder Squiers and the Epiphone Les Pauls are the best one can do.
mai naem mobile
The Twiter machine is reporting that FLORIDA is celebrating Andrew by loosening construction standards. If you’re going to do that then cover your own damn hurricane damage costs instead of FEMA.
Shana
@MattF: I had cataract surgery on both eyes about 4-5 years ago and I’m 58 now. At the time I was told that cataract surgery is the most commonly performed surgery in the US.
Major Major Major Major
@trollhattan: Yeah, but we’ve been engineering around that for years.
Kelly
@Mj_Oregon: When I took Geology 201 at Oregon in 1974 The prof said our text book wouldn’t be available for a few weeks because plate tectonics had changed everything. Really interesting asides throughout the year as he explained his initial scepticism and how he was convinced.
trollhattan
@Major Major Major Major:
And Seattle hasn’t? [Asks a Seattle native]
Basically, they hosed one of the city’s hills into the Sound to create a flat area but to my knowledge not to form additional building land. Harbor Island, however, is all constructed on fill placed into the Sound at the Duwamish mouth.
EmbraceYourInnerCrone
@The Moar You Know – I don’t live in the PNW any more but is the possibility of Tsunami due to the Cascadia Subduction Zone doing a full rip discussed much there? The coastal Oregon towns and more remote beaches are beautiful but getting out quickly seemed next to impossible.
I lived in L.A. during the North Ridge and a couple other quakes and 30 seconds of a 6/6.5 quake sucked on ice. I don’t want to imagine a full rip 9.
https://www.outsideonline.com/1819046/totally-psyched-full-rip-nine
Re: hurricanes, no thank you!! We had a couple of doozies in Guam and then moved to the East Coast just in time to catch Irene and then Sandy. Sandy was “just” a tropical storm when it hit and the damage from the storm surge to this area (Southern CT, NJ, NY) was horrific. Irene gets largely forgotten but the damage from rainfall and flooding in places like Central NY and Vermont was massive. I have my camping gear and go bag staged all the time now.
Anybody know a state with no exciting natural disasters?
Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism
@West of the Rockies (been a while): Great, now I have an image of America as Lynch’s Baron Harkonnen.
Blech.
Mel
@The Moar You Know: I wish I could play still! I’d love the Big Baby Taylor if I could start again on guitar! Unfortunately, I have a lot of discomfort (and med expense) from an autoimmune condition, and so playing is on hold until / unless that changes.
I had played a Silver Princess banjo (not a short scale, but one of several standard banjos which were easy in terms of reach). I loved the sound of that banjo, more so than a lot that were double the price. Good bluegrass and high lonesome acoustic sound.
Amir Khalid
@Mel:
I don’t have a problem with my arms being too short, fortunately. I’m five foot nine with average-length arms for my height, and I can reach the tip of The Girl’s headstock, no problem. But alas for my fingers, Skelegrow isn’t sold to Muggles, and Finglonger would make my fingers too long. I guess I’ll just have to keep practising and hope I don’t come across too many chords that require my fingers to span four frets.
Have you considered getting a 3/4-scale guitar? I know they’re usually for kids, but they might work for you.
StringOnAStick
@Major Major Major Major: My astigmatism got worse this year too, but the annual big eye health check revealed no issues they were concerned about. I’ve had LASIK so that could contribute I guess. The practice I go to is very thorough so while it may be rare, it apparently does happen.
Mnemosyne
@ding7777:
The hard part was unlocking the stall door after they were done.
TenguPhule
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?:
First time there? I could have warned you.
TenguPhule
@EmbraceYourInnerCrone:
I understand Alaska tends to only have boring natural disasters.
Mnemosyne
@Kay:
“Identity politics” means “everyone who’s not a straight white man.” Because anything that concerns straight white men is naturally more important than everything else.
You’re welcome.
TenguPhule
@eclare:
Would he really be so fucking petty and stupid as to use government resources for such a personal benefit?
Major Major Major Major
@TenguPhule: he’s a trump appointee. Do you really have to ask?
TenguPhule
@rikyrah:
Actually we do. Probably.
Obama went through a lot of trouble to fix it and the Trump appointee to it probably is competent based on their history. Perhaps the only one in the whole fucking shitpile who actually isn’t a fucking grifter.
Federal Disaster Declaration on the other hand. That one isn’t looking so good based on prior performance so far.
chris
@TenguPhule: Ahem.
TenguPhule
@Major Major Major Major:
I thought you folks wanted me to stop being so negative.
Mel
I’m a 5’1″ in a family of mostly very tall (6 foot plus) people. Growing up, it made for some animated discussions about why things like tea and coffee and first aid kits and toilet paper packs might be better NOT stored on the high shelves!
If I can play again, I will definitely be looking at short scale guitars (see above response to The Moar You Know). There are some really beautiful ones out there now!
How do you like the online lessons so far? A neighbor is thinking about taking up guitar, and is really interested in trying online lessons if she does.
Miss Bianca
@A Ghost To Most: True justice demands that they stand trial, and having been convicted, get to serve time in a private prison. Not their own.
ruckus
Worked in Homestead not all that long after Andrew and it mostly looked like the world’s largest bulldozer had been there and levelled everything and pushed the remains out to sea.
frosty
@germy: Pearle Vision put lenses into a 20yr old pair of (USA made) RayBan Wayfarers for me. I don’t see any reason your optician couldn’t do the same.
tybee
@Major Major Major Major: retina issues can cause fairly rapid vision changes. axe me hows i knows.
Mel
@Amir Khalid: Oops! Replied to you above without hitting the reply button. Mea culpa!
Miss Bianca
@Mnemosyne: And, strangely, “straight white (Christian) (rural)” doesn’t seem to count as an identity in “identity politics” around here, because it’s the DEFAULT setting, apparently.
WaterGirl
@Wayne: Thank you for that description, a very helpful look into that kind of experience.
ruemara
@Kay: Identity Politics means “not centered on a white, straight person”. It’s a catch-all to deride the request of minority populations to keep efforts going on programs that reduce injustice as opposed to a purely (and largely beneficial to white middle & upper middle class) economic issues.
Edited to add, this is not even remotely limited to republicans.
frosty
@The Moar You Know: Fender Mustangs have a 24″ scale. See if you can try one in a store. Gibsons are 24 3/4.
Mnemosyne
@Miss Bianca:
Exactly. “Straight white Christian male” is normal, and everything else is abnormal.
Amir Khalid
@Mel:
They’re quite good, although I’m supplementing them with a hard-copy book or two. It certainly helps to see a video clip demonstrating what to do, although I do wish the highly regarded Justin Sandercoe would make his online lessons a little longer. Only because I’m a bit impatient to learn more, not because I think there’s anything wrong with how he teaches.
EmbraceYourInnerCrone
@Tenguphule – nope! Good Friday Earthquake. 9.2 for four and a half minutes. I hate earthquakes more than I hate hurricanes. At least with hurricanes you have some warning. With an earthquake, other than diving under the nearest sturdy dining room table there’s no where to go and no warning. Also, learning about aftershocks was a bummer. some of the aftershocks were almost as bad as the initial quake (every time my cats finally came out of hiding another one hit, at one point I found my big cat had crawled into the bottom kitchen cabinet and up into the utensil drawer from the BACK of the drawer..)
frosty
@frosty: Oops, that should have been a reply to Amir.
Miss Bianca
@Mnemosyne: completely o/t, but based on something you were saying to someone else a few evenings back, I ended up watching “The Quiet Man” for the first time. Then I went back and watched “Stagecoach”, which I’d also never seen. I appear to be on a John Ford kick now.
I blame you. //
Mel
@Amir Khalid: Thank you! I will pass that info on to her. ?
Mnemosyne
@Wayne:
That sounds like me and the Northridge earthquake, though it was more like, Oh, another earthquake … HOLY SHIT!!!
Mnemosyne
@Miss Bianca:
John Ford has some, er, issues sometimes, but he’s well worth watching. He’s one of the 5 directors who came back from WWII a changed man. The guy who made Stagecoach is a different artist from the one who made The Searchers.
Mnemosyne
@ruemara:
Straight white men. Many a racist white woman has been caught up short discovering that white men don’t quite consider her human, either, and she needs to STFU about anything that differentiates her from a man.
Too few of us are able to make the full transition to seeing all “others” as humans, unfortunately.
Miss Bianca
@Mnemosyne: Actually, considering the time, place, and, err…”default setting” of the director, I was pleasantly surprised to find “Stagecoach” seemed a lot less sexist and racist than I might have expected. There wasn’t even too much fluffing of the “War for the Southern Confderacy” stuff. At least, you end up rooting a lot harder for the drunk Union doctor than you do for the skeletal asshole “Southern gentleman gambler” dude.
David Stewart
@trollhattan: Eyeglasses cost a lot because all of the companies selling eyeglasses are owned by the same company, which extracts monopoly pricing.
Amir Khalid
@The Moar You Know:
You can get short-scale Strats from Fender/Squier. They’re a lot cheaper than the full-sized ones.
catclub
@West of the Rockies (been a while):
This is why Trump thinks he is winning. [And in that sense, I agree.] That is all that he wants. Attention. And he is fabulously skilled at getting that.
catclub
@Mnemosyne:
In Buddhism it is ‘compassion for all sentient beings’. In Christianity it is loving your neighbor and expanding your understanding of who is your neighbor.
Always revolutionary ideas.
TomatoQueen
Is there a tag or thread called are you fucking kidding me? This goes in there: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/347840-labor-department-names-ronald-reagan-to-hall-of-honor.
Yeah. Right across the way from Cesar Chavez.
Denali
Hate to say it, but western NY is devoid of earthquakes, huricanes, and large tornados. Blizzards and ice storms happen, but are rarely life threatening. There are enough cloudy days to trigger depression, though, due to the beloved lake effect.
Linkmeister
Two weeks after Andrew Iniki hit part of O’ahu and a big chunk of Kaua’i. I was there.