tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119187433618815256.post8001588296891141792..comments2023-10-12T19:23:36.129-04:00Comments on Boxing The Compass: Barometric Courage (A Rant)Yankee-Whisky-Papahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700869447555261057noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119187433618815256.post-89497749038963380262012-11-03T13:52:43.623-04:002012-11-03T13:52:43.623-04:00Wow, YWP. That paragraph right above is pretty fa...Wow, YWP. That paragraph right above is pretty fantastic and quotable as hell. Politicians and members of the media should be required to remember it by heart. Nice little piece of writing.Pillar Of Autumnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08468782203695519941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119187433618815256.post-8380712049605971742012-11-01T10:33:29.447-04:002012-11-01T10:33:29.447-04:00Agreed. When there is legitimate cause for concern...Agreed. When there is legitimate cause for concern they should certainly do it. <br /><br />I feel like Boston did it just to CYA.Philliphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13684621120966429919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119187433618815256.post-27715190073796533752012-10-31T15:14:43.013-04:002012-10-31T15:14:43.013-04:00Closing subways is understandable, but not buses i...Closing subways is understandable, but not buses in Boston. New York MTA and NJT rightfully closed theirs.Yankee-Whisky-Papahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03700869447555261057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119187433618815256.post-33470710159317689132012-10-31T15:12:50.578-04:002012-10-31T15:12:50.578-04:00Working is not the most important thing in life, o...Working is not the most important thing in life, or after, or during a disaster. However, ANY activity that instills confidence, fosters courage, and encourages normalcy amidst panic and despair IS the most important thing. That activity can be going to work as normal, spending time with the family as normal, or helping others who have lost everything. Calm attitudes convey control and allow others to follow suit. As parents it is doubly important to be oak-like during adversity, and it should be treated as a value like honesty and sportsmanship is.Yankee-Whisky-Papahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03700869447555261057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119187433618815256.post-19699575027271167352012-10-31T15:02:17.341-04:002012-10-31T15:02:17.341-04:00The idea that employment or "work" is th...The idea that employment or "work" is the most important thing in life and that it should carry on no matter the disaster is ridiculous. Now chainsaws on the other hand are the most important thing. I vote everyone goes back to work except those who own chainsaws. Those with chainsaws get to go out in the weather and play with them till they run out of gas and we then happily start digging our beach houses out from all the mud and debris. Except those of us without beach houses. We stay home and watch the homes we could never afford (on the beach and lower manhattan) lie in ruin.<br /><br /><br />I have no idea where I'm headed with this. I've been cooped up in the house with the kids for far too long.Brohammashttp://www.brohammas.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119187433618815256.post-85041117038956684102012-10-31T14:02:04.029-04:002012-10-31T14:02:04.029-04:00I made iced coffee, took down the flags, and tried...I made iced coffee, took down the flags, and tried to get a pedicure on my forced day off, but none of the new citizen nail shops were open. Patsyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02840629057159581688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119187433618815256.post-20229624453353414082012-10-31T13:18:28.385-04:002012-10-31T13:18:28.385-04:00I agree that it's the lack of information that...I agree that it's the lack of information that is the most frustrating. I feel fully capable of judging for myself what is dangerous, if only you'll tell me what's out there. As it stands, we have to choose which conclusion pitched to the public is closest to the truth. Without data, that's impossible.<br /><br />I'm sympathetic to meteorologists struggling with heretofore unseen weather patterns. But even formerly reliable website like Weather Underground (now sadly owned by Weather.com) and NOAA are pretty sparse on details.JKGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13569861165454532541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119187433618815256.post-39354674955920724072012-10-30T17:42:42.737-04:002012-10-30T17:42:42.737-04:00Amen! I was consistently annoyed by the ridiculous...Amen! I was consistently annoyed by the ridiculously alarmist coverage by the Weather Channel's web site--it is, apparently, the Fox News of weather. Meanwhile, it was almost impossible to determine what height storm surge or strength of winds to expect, from almost any source. Living about 6 feet above sea level makes that information crucial. <br /><br />Thankfully our area is filled with people who do what we did: batten down the hatches, clean up the next day, and get on with it if you can. Though I have to say, those of us who live outside of major cities on windswept, low-lying coastal areas that require bridge and causeway travel to get nearly anywhere do appreciate work and school closures that are on the generous side. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119187433618815256.post-39600566711174825202012-10-30T15:09:21.791-04:002012-10-30T15:09:21.791-04:00My office would have certainly been open yesterday...My office would have certainly been open yesterday, however all of my employees rely on public transportation and would not have been able to make it due to the Governors decision.<br /><br />It seems everyone is more concerned with liability than anything else these days...gotta pass that buck.Philliphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13684621120966429919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119187433618815256.post-74808006646011376632012-10-30T13:31:18.397-04:002012-10-30T13:31:18.397-04:00Can't say I disagree with the slippery slope t...Can't say I disagree with the slippery slope thing.randallnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119187433618815256.post-67735256472742348452012-10-30T13:22:24.234-04:002012-10-30T13:22:24.234-04:00I am likely preaching to the choir with this post,...I am likely preaching to the choir with this post, because of similar sensibilities of folks like you who embody the ethic I think has largely disappeared. People in low-lying areas should evacuate or be given the choice. You were being cautious and calculating risk, while many were simply giving in to public panic. Loss of power is terrible for many, but only an inconvenience for most that we make into a big deal. We have become so cushy and soft that Starbucks closing is deemed panic-worthy. I don't want to gloss over the legitimate hardship faced by millions of Americans in these disasters, but there are plenty of people who should know better, who have the time and resources to have prepared better, and who allow their apathy to become not just inaction, but an actual barrier to action.Yankee-Whisky-Papahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03700869447555261057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119187433618815256.post-67344231207165476772012-10-30T13:10:41.758-04:002012-10-30T13:10:41.758-04:00Americans do need a break, but using the panic but...Americans do need a break, but using the panic button to call a timeout is a slippery slope.Yankee-Whisky-Papahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03700869447555261057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119187433618815256.post-43105190715671692572012-10-30T12:56:39.761-04:002012-10-30T12:56:39.761-04:00I am of two minds on this. The first you captured...I am of two minds on this. The first you captured well.<br /><br />The second is what made me close the office on Monday (spent the evening chagrined). It is near impossible to sort fact from fantasy when watching the professional weather-guessers, especially as they increasingly confront completely novel weather patterns. Our state officialdom erred on the side of abundant caution, closing all state highways at 1pm. I debated the decision but in the end felt that lost productivity weighted light against lost lives if I was wrong and encouraged my staff to come to the office and the worst-case manifested.<br /><br />If the tsunami makes us wish for a more take-it-in-stride posture from our leaders and ourselves, shouldn't Katrina (or even Irene) encourage us to take every precaution?<br /><br />So we parked under cover, called off the workday, filled the tub with water and resolved to not give a crap. At the end of the day *most* New Englanders are handy enough with the saw and unflappable enough in the face of the weather to carry on well beyond the range of official sanction. <br /><br />At least the ones I know.JKGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13569861165454532541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119187433618815256.post-29158620836579702062012-10-30T11:54:12.919-04:002012-10-30T11:54:12.919-04:00I agree with about 95% of what you say, but Americ...I agree with about 95% of what you say, but Americans work hard enough without a break that we could use a "weather" vacation every now and again. If it means having to endure weather hysteria, I'll still take any "free" time off I can get.<br />I will confess to using my generator for the coffee maker, but I swear it was my wife that forced me to and we went around to our neighbors without power and invited them over for a cup or two...and we checked on our elderly (94 year old) neighbor who lives alone to see if she needed anything powered up. <br />randallnoreply@blogger.com