#325. Down and Out at the Post Office

Lots of post mortems and political recriminations in the press about the hurricane/tropical storm at the weekend, like how could the forecasters get it so wrong and how much the Mayor over-reacted (having under-reacted on Boxing day with the blizzard), but this Editorial in today's NY Times made both interesting and sad reading:

Neither rain nor snow may stop the United States Postal Service, but will the abysmally divided Congress? The service is reeling toward default and urgently needs the Capitol’s help to modernize and pay its bills.

Congress allots no money to support the service. But lawmakers control its practices — particularly in shooting down repeated requests to eliminate costly Saturday mail deliveries. A combination of the recession and the public’s shift to e-mail and online bill payment has devastated the service. Amid steep declines in mail handling, deficits are running to $9 billion this year in a $67 billion budget.

To stay in business, the Postal Service is again calling for doing away with Saturday deliveries to save an estimated $40 billion across a decade. It also wants to cut more than a third of its work force — 220,000 jobs over three years — and study the replacement of 3,650 of its 32,000 post offices with locally contracted retailers.

The Postal Service has already maxed out on its borrowing limit and expects to default next month on a $5.5 billion prepayment for employee health benefits. There are proposals for a quick fix of more borrowing authority, but that hardly deals with the deepest problems.

Like any supposedly self-sustaining business, the Postal Service deserves a chance to modernize. The most controversial proposal would let it tap into a federal retirement fund that managers claim is far overpaid because of a faulty formula. That needs very careful review.

Both houses have bills at the ready and sponsors promising action, even as union forces vow to protect jobs and rural forces vow to protect their post offices. Congress needs to surprise the country and mount a swift and serious debate and then pass a reasonable menu of reforms. Americans want their lawmakers to work for the common good. And they want their mail delivered.

"I survived the 2011 earthquake & hurricane"

Looking for my next adventure...

#323. Hurricane Irene: the Aftermath

"A weakened Hurricane Irene tore into New York on Sunday hammering Manhattan's skyscrapers with fierce winds after killing at least nine people along the US east coast" according to ABC.com.au, but by time it had made its 3rd landfall here, it had been downgraded to a tropical storm (max wind gusts 100 kph). On the Weather Channel, old-timers were saying it was more like a garden variety "Nor- easter" that we get frequently, and nothing like Hurricane So&So in 1962 or whenever. But it was a big storm, August has been the wettest month on record and it has been the wettest summer ever.



It certainly was true "New York City resembled a ghost town after 370,000 people were told to evacuate flood-prone areas, including near Wall Street and at Coney Island, and mass transport was shut down". We got 6.7" rain, with 10" in NJ and out on Long Island and lots of local flooding. And some strong wind gusts that knocked things over.





But we didn't get the destructive Category 2 winds predicted, or the storm surge that was feared. Central Park has been closed all day and a number of grand old trees fell or are badly damaged and apparently the Bethesda Fountain area is flooded.


It was an anxious 24 hrs and a weird, housebound weekend. But this evening the power is on, the water is running, our garden is intact, the sky is clearing up to the south and it is back to work tomorrow, with forecast to be sunny & 25 deg C.

#322. Irene Update 3, 8 a.m. Sunday

The eye of the hurricane is 65 km south east of here, and moving towards us at 40 kph. So it should pass over NYC around 10 am. The winds in it are still up to 110 kph, but not much wind damage in NYC so far.

It seems the southern half of the storm has broken up so the weather should start clearing up this afternoon and they are saying we could even see the sunset tonight .

We have had about 150 mm rain overnight (officially 5.82 inches in Central Park...i brought my rain gauge inside so it didn't get smashed -and last winter's snow cracked it so it leaks above 100 mm, which we never get). But flooding is the concern although mainly along the beaches such as Coney Island and the Rockaways near JFK airport. they are having 7-10 m waves, and then there is the "storm surge". Hoboken NJ which one can see across the Hudson is also flooding


They would turn the power grid off if underground water gets into it.

#322. Irene Update II: 11 a.m. Saturday

It is a huge storm - it has just started raining here, even though the eye (red) is more than 1000 km south of here. We have done the responsible thing and brought everything in off the terrace except the large furniture and the largest plants which are corralled in one corner. hopefully they don't get shredded, as they would cost a couple of grand to replace.



apparently the clouds are currently extending all the way from South Carolina to Maine. Already one fatality in N.Car; a tree fell on a man feeding his dog.


Mayor Bloomberg has recommended to move to a lower floor if you live above 10 (because risk of windows blowing out and flying glass); we have some friends we could impose on but we will just move the beds away from the windows and go down to the basement if really necessary. If you are above the 25th floor the wind goes up another category. they are expected to last 24 hrs

#321. Irene update

7 am Saturday morning and it is overcast but calm here in NYC.

The eye of the hurricane is 20 km off shore in North Carolina right now and expected to make landfall in the next few mins. It is down to Category 1, with winds around 110 kph at the eye. The pressure is 952. It is moving NNE at 20 kph so that is why they can predict it will hit here around midnight if it stays on course (apparently it has shifted slightly).


because of the shape of the Atlantic coastline, once it passes N.Carolina the next place it will hit is the NYC area. Of course there is the rain, flooding, wave surges, hail, and some risk of injuries. But it is really the wind damage with even localized tornadoes developing to power lines etc and the ongoing effects and inconvenience of blackouts: no fridge, elevator, running water, AC, etc. That is the bigger concern for us. The skyscrapers apparently cause the winds to pick up to Category 2 level, especially the higher up you are.

Anyway, here are some pictures of happy healthy Xavi. 10 weeks old today and already expereinced an earthquake and hurricane

#320. Approaching hurricane in NYC

Hurricane Irene is expected to hit the U.S. in North Carolina and then move up the east coast towards NYC and also Washington & southern New England, affecting more than 80 million people, including Xavi (and probably Gerard & Anne). "Once-in-a-generation" weather is expected in NYC on Saturday night into Sunday, with 200-250 mm rain expected and 130-160 kph winds. Nothing like New Orleans and Katrina thankfully, but low lying areas of NYC are being recommended to evacuate and the MTA will be shut down tomorrow afetrnoon.

The hospital is putting its severe weather contingency plans into operation (mainly because flooding will affect staff coming to work):
HURRICANE IRENE PREPARATIONS
MSKCC has activated the Hospital Incident Command System (HICS) and implemented the Hurricane Contingency Plan. It is anticipated that the Center will be fully operational during the storm period. Staff are requested to report to work at their regularly scheduled time and location and to contact their supervisors if delayed. Please review personal and family preparedness plans, the hurricane checklist and planning resources located on the emergency management webpage. Please keep monitoring MSKCC websites and the MSKCC Employee Emergency Information Line 646-888-INFO (4636) for updates and additional information.
In preparation of Hurricane Irene, we ask that you remove all items (furniture, plants, bicycles, etc.) from your patio, terrace, balcony and/or outdoor window sills. Such items can be blown away by high winds which could potentially cause injury or property damage. Please ensure that all windows and doors leading to outdoor areas are securely closed. Additionally, please be sure that all patio and terrace drains are clear of debris.
Thank you for your cooperation.

...Sounds like i will have to empty the rain gauge several times (assuming it doesn't get blown away).

this interactive map shows the projected path of the storm and the areas at risk of flooding. the links work.