• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

New York City mayor: 'Don't underestimate this storm'

Top Cat said:
Earthquake insurance is not an option if you live in a brick house.
Click to expand...

I'm not surprised. It has no (less?) abilty to flex....it's a poor choice for this area.
 
Lursa said:
Nope. Snohomish county. 3 yrs ago. 16 inches. Less than an hr from Seattle. Had 22 inches a year or 2 before that. And not remotely...in a remote area or near a pass.

And when I lived in Woodinville, we didnt have power for 8 days after that December windstorm. It wasnt a secret...we werent even the last to get power.
Click to expand...

Well I take that back then, on the caveat I declare your utilities suck, because we were out for 3 days Port Orchard. my friends in Mason county were out for 2. hardly a real problem there.

what days were you snowed out in Snohomish? about that time I was going to Lake Stevens twice a month and didn't ever hear about that?
 
Lursa said:
I'm not surprised. It has no (less?) abilty to flex....it's a poor choice for this area.
Click to expand...

I went through two quakes in my brick house north of Ballard. The Nisqually quake scared the **** out of me. I thought for sure it was coming off the foundation.
 
Lursa said:
Decent long underwear, esp. fleece, and down quilts will keep you just as warm. And are alot safer.
Click to expand...

candles are perfectly safe. I have thermals, parka, rain gear, etc. I'd rather take off my parka inside the house.... besides if you need to change clothes it's easier to do so when you have heat.

just last month I stayed the night in Chemult Oregon during a snowstorm, I had plenty of clothing for 20 degree weather, tell me you're willing to change with no heat source when your clothes are all 20 degrees....... and that's not even bad for some areas, just shimmey on in to your favorite long underwear if mercury is below zero if you have an option for heating.

I have used candles and kerosene lamps since I was 6, I know how to use them without burning the house down.
 
Lursa said:
Ah, you dont own your home. Well, you will be on the road with possibly hundreds of thousands of others. Good luck with the traffic and being willing to pay $800 a nite for any accomodations available...in cash.
Click to expand...

I won't get too much into operational stuff, don't want to give others Ideas, but I can get out of dodge without hitting the 5. if there were an event causing people to evancuate the large cities, my guess is most people would try to head east. no way I'm going that way.

I can imagine Kitittas county Sheriff doing what Gretna PD did during Katrina anyway...
 
EMNofSeattle said:
Well I take that back then, on the caveat I declare your utilities suck, because we were out for 3 days Port Orchard. my friends in Mason county were out for 2. hardly a real problem there.

what days were you snowed out in Snohomish? about that time I was going to Lake Stevens twice a month and didn't ever hear about that?
Click to expand...

About 2 weeks earlier, three yrs ago. I remember very clearly because I was in a car accident Jan 9 and it hit about 2-3 days later. I had to go out and clear gates, shovel, feed animals,bring up wood for the woodstove, etc in rather poor shape.

Unless I was delusional from a head injury from the accident.
 
EMNofSeattle said:
candles are perfectly safe. I have thermals, parka, rain gear, etc. I'd rather take off my parka inside the house.... besides if you need to change clothes it's easier to do so when you have heat.

just last month I stayed the night in Chemult Oregon during a snowstorm, I had plenty of clothing for 20 degree weather, tell me you're willing to change with no heat source when your clothes are all 20 degrees....... and that's not even bad for some areas, just shimmey on in to your favorite long underwear if mercury is below zero if you have an option for heating.

I have used candles and kerosene lamps since I was 6, I know how to use them without burning the house down.
Click to expand...

History proves that candles are not perfectly safe. In the years since the big Dec 2007 windstorm (2006?) LED lights have become much more mainstream and provide excellent long term lighting. Using large candles to the point they provide heat starts venturing into CO poisoning territory.
 
Paschendale said:
Definitely not looking forward to this.
Click to expand...

Greetings, Paschendale. :2wave:

If you can, report in tomorrow and let us know. Good luck! We're apparently on the outer fringes of the thing in NE Ohio, and the snow is really piling up here. I wonder what it's going to look like in the morning?
 
EMNofSeattle said:
I won't get too much into operational stuff, don't want to give others Ideas, but I can get out of dodge without hitting the 5. if there were an event causing people to evancuate the large cities, my guess is most people would try to head east. no way I'm going that way.

I can imagine Kitittas county Sheriff doing what Gretna PD did during Katrina anyway...
Click to expand...

Yes, being on the Penninsula does offer different strategies.
 
EMNofSeattle said:
candles are perfectly safe. I have thermals, parka, rain gear, etc. I'd rather take off my parka inside the house.... besides if you need to change clothes it's easier to do so when you have heat.

just last month I stayed the night in Chemult Oregon during a snowstorm, I had plenty of clothing for 20 degree weather, tell me you're willing to change with no heat source when your clothes are all 20 degrees....... and that's not even bad for some areas, just shimmey on in to your favorite long underwear if mercury is below zero if you have an option for heating.

I have used candles and kerosene lamps since I was 6, I know how to use them without burning the house down.
Click to expand...

You obviously are not a camper. All you do is bring your clothes into your bed/sleeping bag until they warm up, before putting them on.

C'mon. Werent you even a Boy Scout?

I heat my home with my woodstove. No heat in the bedroom, I just open the door about a half hr before I go to bed and these days, have a lovely heated mattress pad. No heat in the am. Shower, dress, get ready for work.

Lordy,I split all the wood myself too! From rounds. At least 5 cords. I do have a propane furnace but it costs a fortune to run so I dont use it.

The Pac NW, were women are women and the men are...?
 
Lursa said:
You obviously are not a camper. All you do is bring your clothes into your bed/sleeping bag until they warm up, before putting them on.

C'mon. Werent you even a Boy Scout?

I heat my home with my woodstove. No heat in the bedroom, I just open the door about a half hr before I go to bed and these days, have a lovely heated mattress pad. No heat in the am. Shower, dress, get ready for work.

Lordy,I split all the wood myself too! From rounds. At least 5 cords. I do have a propane furnace but it costs a fortune to run so I dont use it.

The Pac NW, were women are women and the men are...?
Click to expand...

well before you go mocking me over how much wood you split (how much do you split during the storm btw, ideally you're supposed to split your wood before the season starts and stock it up. a friend of mine's family but several cords of wood during the summers, I spent every summer helping them split it, they always had split wood throughout the winter) keep in mind the guy I was talking too was talking about people who live in urban apartment blocks, which usually don't come with fireplaces or wood sheds.... and besides can you imagine half of manhattan starting wood fires one day of the year? the air would be literally toxic from that level of fires from so many people so quickly.. i'd love to see the air quality report from that!

why sleep with my clothes when I can heat the 300 ought square feet I live in just fine? I have electric cadet heaters and the place is wired for a generator already. maybe I'll buy one sometime and then I can just run my regular heat.....

I know how to rough it, believe it or not, I also prefer not to when I can.... maybe someday you can help me dig a snowpit to trap a wooly mammoth and spear it with sticks, humans at one point did that too...

and if propane is a budget buster thanks for warning me never ever live in whatever utility district you live in... 8 days to restore power and expensive gas........ I've lived In two utilities areas, one PSE the other Mason PUD 3, or maybe PUD 2? regardless my utilities do not suck, and yours apparently do...
 
Last edited:
beerftw said:
never thought of putting candles in a coffee can for heating.

i knew about deep cycle batteries,but in a snowstorm they will dry up quickly without something like a solar power source to charge them,even using the bare essentuals.down south we have tornados floods etc but when power goes out,we can fire up a generator and run the cord through a window,something urban people living in apartments cant do unless they have a balcony.


i feel really bad for anyone there who relies on electric space heaters for part or all of their heating.
Click to expand...

You can build a really good heater with candles and clay gardening pots, google up the specs, it works, the clay pots radiate the heat.
 
beefheart said:
You can build a really good heater with candles and clay gardening pots, google up the specs, it works, the clay pots radiate the heat.
Click to expand...

well yeah it's the same concept as a coffee can.

it really does work... the downside is you need a small room, at least with the cans...... but my whole house is a small room. so it works...
 
EMNofSeattle said:
well yeah it's the same concept as a coffee can.

it really does work... the downside is you need a small room, at least with the cans...... but my whole house is a small room. so it works...
Click to expand...

Well, I don't know how anyone lives in the cold. When I wake up in the morning, my house is 65 and I have to wear socks and neoprene boots because my feet get so cold.

I will never live in snow, I can't do it. Give me a 118 degree day, I know how to handle that.
 
EMNofSeattle said:
well before you go mocking me over how much wood you split (how much do you split during the storm btw, ideally you're supposed to split your wood before the season starts and stock it up. a friend of mine's family but several cords of wood during the summers, I spent every summer helping them split it, they always had split wood throughout the winter) keep in mind the guy I was talking too was talking about people who live in urban apartment blocks, which usually don't come with fireplaces or wood sheds.... and besides can you imagine half of manhattan starting wood fires one day of the year? the air would be literally toxic from that level of fires from so many people so quickly.. i'd love to see the air quality report from that!

why sleep with my clothes when I can heat the 300 ought square feet I live in just fine? I have electric cadet heaters and the place is wired for a generator already. maybe I'll buy one sometime and then I can just run my regular heat.....

I know how to rough it, believe it or not, I also prefer not to when I can.... maybe someday you can help me dig a snowpit to trap a wooly mammoth and spear it with sticks, humans at one point did that too...

and if propane is a budget buster thanks for warning me never ever live in whatever utility district you live in... 8 days to restore power and expensive gas........ I've lived In two utilities areas, one PSE the other Mason PUD 3, or maybe PUD 2? regardless my utilities do not suck, and yours apparently do...
Click to expand...

I had to carry the wood to the house while injured. I split wood all summer.

*sigh* And you dont sleep with your clothes on :doh...as I wrote...you set them out and then bring them into your bed or sleeping bag before you get up to warm them. This isnt rocket science, I certainly didnt invent it.

But down to the teens in degrees (my personal experience here and in the North east), clothing layers and down quilts plus today's LEDs will keep people reasonably comfortable and with light. No generators or wood burning needed. If cold enough, with a couple of coolers, you can save most of what's in your fridge too, at least for 3 or 4 days. If you have an outdoor areas, a Coleman cookstove or small BBQ run off the small propane cylinders enable you to cook. Even make your morning coffee. (I have an old fashioned percolator that goes on the woodstove or BBQ). People just dont bother to think about it but even the local news tells people to stock up on meds, food, petfood, etc etc etc for a minimum of 3 days.

And it's odd that you use criticism of local PUDs to deflect from realities. I dont control PUD. I do however, have many back up plans and dont go cold or hungry. I have plenty of supplies and light. Developed plans over the years.
 
polgara said:
Greetings, Paschendale. :2wave:

If you can, report in tomorrow and let us know. Good luck! We're apparently on the outer fringes of the thing in NE Ohio, and the snow is really piling up here. I wonder what it's going to look like in the morning?
Click to expand...

Good luck to you! We're only expecting 3-5. No delays or closures announced.
 
beefheart said:
You can build a really good heater with candles and clay gardening pots, google up the specs, it works, the clay pots radiate the heat.
Click to expand...

I've seen those. There doesnt seem to be a danger of CO poisoning with those. Some really cool ideas on cooling small spaces too...also with clay pots. Similar to swamp coolers.
 
Lursa said:
I had to carry the wood to the house while injured. I split wood all summer.

*sigh* And you dont sleep with your clothes on :doh...as I wrote...you set them out and then bring them into your bed or sleeping bag before you get up to warm them. This isnt rocket science, I certainly didnt invent it.

But down to the teens in degrees (my personal experience here and in the North east), clothing layers and down quilts plus today's LEDs will keep people reasonably comfortable and with light. No generators or wood burning needed. If cold enough, with a couple of coolers, you can save most of what's in your fridge too, at least for 3 or 4 days. If you have an outdoor areas, a Coleman cookstove or small BBQ run off the small propane cylinders enable you to cook. Even make your morning coffee. (I have an old fashioned percolator that goes on the woodstove or BBQ). People just dont bother to think about it but even the local news tells people to stock up on meds, food, petfood, etc etc etc for a minimum of 3 days.

And it's odd that you use criticism of local PUDs to deflect from realities. I dont control PUD. I do however, have many back up plans and dont go cold or hungry. I have plenty of supplies and light. Developed plans over the years.
Click to expand...

you're making the assumption I don't already own all that junk. I in fact own every piece of equipment you have stated.

except for firewood, because it's useless to me as I have no wood stove or fireplace

that's great you're ready to immediately live like you're at the base camp at mount Everest. I will try to use some modern convienence until I have no choice....

and I have plenty of outdoor experience. that lifestyle is risky compared to modern living. It's fun to rough it for three days then come home and take a shower. I prefer not to live like that day in and day out.

I can use my sharp stick to point at a sabertoothed cat looking at taking the mammoth I just ran into a snow pit too, but I'd rather just set up my little propane grill and cook a can of black beans then take them inside to my warm house... and since we apparently both live in rural areas, this discussion is useless towards how someone living in a public housing block is going to heat their 500 square foot unit and what they're going to do until the Bodega is reopened with enough supplies. maybe you can provide a whole REI wardrobe to someone living in an apartment building so they can rough it too....
 
EMNofSeattle said:
you're making the assumption I don't already own all that junk. I in fact own every piece of equipment you have stated.

except for firewood, because it's useless to me as I have no wood stove or fireplace

that's great you're ready to immediately live like you're at the base camp at mount Everest. I will try to use some modern convienence until I have no choice....

and I have plenty of outdoor experience. that lifestyle is risky compared to modern living. It's fun to rough it for three days then come home and take a shower. I prefer not to live like that day in and day out.

I can use my sharp stick to point at a sabertoothed cat looking at taking the mammoth I just ran into a snow pit too, but I'd rather just set up my little propane grill and cook a can of black beans then take them inside to my warm house... and since we apparently both live in rural areas, this discussion is useless towards how someone living in a public housing block is going to heat their 500 square foot unit and what they're going to do until the Bodega is reopened with enough supplies. maybe you can provide a whole REI wardrobe to someone living in an apartment building so they can rough it too....
Click to expand...

Actually I particularly spoke to those that didnt have their own 'spaces' in my post. Did you miss it?

And my gear isnt any different than my camping gear (it is my camping gear)...just more accessible in the winter. Plus I have a camper for the back of my truck that could set me up just fine (not even on the back of the truck) with propane...heater, stove, water, etc. But the woodstove, LEDs, propane heated hot water heater, Kindle...I'm pretty comfortable except I'm not set up for the Internet. I just tether my tablet to my phone and keep them juiced with my car. It's not like it's anything particularly arduous or out of the ordinary.

My point is that many people dont take the most basic measures to be prepared. Or even think it through properly. You were still putting ice cold clothes on in the morning :)
 
beerftw said:
if you fear a power outage,i wonder what backups could work in your arfea.if you live in an apartment,a generator is a nogo,unless you want to suspend it outside the window to avoid carbon monoxide.a solar panel wont work because of cloud coverage plus snow blocking the panel.i guess you could have a battery bank charged by solar and use it when power goes out conservatively,or one of though wall charge jump start/power supple boxes with built in inverters.



but in all prepperness,people in the northeast big cities are kinda screwed,most backup power supplies arent viable and those that are arent viable in an urban environment.
Click to expand...

http://www.amazon.com/Tripp-Lite-APS750-Inverter-Charger/dp/B0007PGAG6

I use a version of ths to convert DC batteries to AC power in case of a power outage. You can increase reserve by adding more batteries in parallel. The system kicks over automatically, keeps the batteries charged, and recharges them after use. Only plug in those things you absolutely need and use a kerosene heater for heat. Fill containers with water ahead of time and of course fill your gas tank before the storm if you have a car.
 
Last edited:
sangha said:
everything of yours is insured? Why, that's awesome!!!

But if you ever lose your house in a natural disaster, the insurance will help you get back in a home, but not in the days immediatelly following the disaster.
Click to expand...

Not true. My insurance papers have the magical ability to make a brand new house, fully refurnished and everything, appear instantly at my command.
 
sangha said:
No, I said your claim is delusional.



because everything someone says on the internet must be true
Click to expand...

Of course - the internet says so.....

 
TeleKat said:
Not true. My insurance papers have the magical ability to make a brand new house, fully refurnished and everything, appear instantly at my command.
Click to expand...

I guess you really are in good hands with Allstate!

Looking at the radar, it's going to just miss where I'm at. Stay safe if you're in it, everybody.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom