Ice Storm

[Tales from Tanelorn]

I heard that 75% of the california citrus crop is ruined due to sub zero temperatures. Guess that we will end up paying more this year.

[Reinart der Fuchs]

Judging by the local news coverage, you might think that the apocolypse is upon us.

Texans are funny when it snows--mass hysteria around here. The "horrible ice storm" we're having is just another January day in Ohio. Of course, people are used to it elsewhere.

THE HYSTERIA ENDS WHEN YOU KILL THE LOCAL WEATHER REPORTS!

"That is all."
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[Reinart der Fuchs]

I heard that 75% of the california citrus crop is ruined due to sub zero temperatures. Guess that we will end up paying more this year.

Finally equilibrium! Oranges and gallons of gas are similiarly priced. If only Laser Jet printer ink prices would fall...

[Doc]

THE HYSTERIA ENDS WHEN YOU KILL THE LOCAL WEATHER REPORTS!

Not too far from the truth. I think they are bored most of the time. Sunny and hot--again. When something like this comes up they milk it to show how valuable they are. One local weather guy told everyone quite solemnly that he was "on the air for our safety." Thanks.

What I find the most funny is they repeatedly provide numbers to call if there is a power outage.

[David Mosley]

What I find the most funny is they repeatedly provide numbers to call if there is a power outage.

I don't know - do cellular phones (we call them "mobiles" around these parts) still work in power outages?

[Michael Moorcock]

Doc -- how do you think the majority of Texans would be behaving if they didn't constantly warn people to take precautions on TV ? It's amazing to me that so many people are listening. People in these parts don't really understand about black ice, for instance. Amongst English people I have the advantage of having lived in a rural area where they still have overhead power lines. Generally in Europe, most power lines are underground and therefore nothing like as vulnerable. Cordless phones connected to answering machines don't work where cell phones will (until you need to recharge them) but you also have to watch for towers going out (unlikely, in general, ofr course). Since the infamous 'cuts' of the early 70s in London, I've always tended to diversify as much as possible -- gas, electricity, coal, butane, whatever I can get -- just to be on the safe side. We also keep a spare phone with a cord... Belt and braces, as we say in England (belt and suspenders in the US has a rather different meaning in the UK). It's probably worth keeping a phone line ready in case you need to connect your computer to dial-up, since wireless, of course, won't work if the receiver's out...
People are behaving surprisingly well now that the rash of accidents is over, when it dawned on drivers that this wasn't something you could easily ignore.

[Doc]

Doc -- how do you think the majority of Texans would be behaving if they didn't constantly warn people to take precautions on TV ? It's amazing to me that so many people are listening.

Ha! The local news cracks me up. The sky seems to be falling constantly--especially during sweeps months. So much misinformation. I'm not sure they understand that some people think they are more than talking hairstyles...

[Michael Moorcock]

Greatest number of accidents involving trains are in Texas -- not people being hit by trains as they try to beat crossings but people actually hitting moving trains... Nothing involving driving in Texas surprises me.
It amazes me when everyone drives on the right side of the road (though I've felt safer in countries where it often seems that the side you drive on is optional...). I'm mostly pissed off that they've cancelled Jeopardy in favour of interminable repetition of weather 'news' and now they have the nerve to talk about what to do to avoid cabin fever. They could help by not cancelling the only bloody thing we like to watch on daytime TV!

[Tales from Tanelorn]

Mike, I have been hit in my car 5 times in 18 months, 3 times I was not even moving, I coudnt believe it. They must buy a car and then the sales clerk would say "the sergant will hand you an instruction manual on the way out" or something.. The fourth time I was hit by a guy driving the wrong way on the curb lane of a 4 lane road.

PS. If you were serious about the empty larder I hope you are able to get some food soon. Even a tin of Cambells seafood chowder would help in such situations... sorry...

[Michael Moorcock]

Thanks, Doc. Linda prepared various stews, soups and curries to get us through and we can, if we lose power, heat them on our butane stove, at least until the butane runs out... We can also build fires and bake potatoes and so on, should we need to. I do miss our old cooking range from Yorkshire, though, which always stood us in good stead for cooking as well as heating.

[Miqque]

Greatest number of accidents involving trains are in Texas -- not people being hit by trains as they try to beat crossings but people actually hitting moving trains... Nothing involving driving in Texas surprises me.
It amazes me when everyone drives on the right side of the road (though I've felt safer in countries where it often seems that the side you drive on is optional...). I'm mostly pissed off that they've cancelled Jeopardy in favour of interminable repetition of weather 'news' and now they have the nerve to talk about what to do to avoid cabin fever. They could help by not cancelling the only bloody thing we like to watch on daytime TV!

Mike, I didn't know you too were a Jeopardy! freak! Me, too! It's aired twice a day here, 3:30p and 6p - a repeat at 3:30 and the current one at 6. The theatrical young guy champ got slaughtered today (had about $7,200 to the new champ's $23,000+). Last few days I've been getting all the last 6-7 Double Jeopardy questions while the contestants missed them. Bwa-HA! And before you ask, I did try out twice and didn't make the cut. (Also had to wait years as I worked on another show with Alex Trebek, and Standards & Practices frowns on such.)

And preparationis a wonderful thing. I like having the larder stocked, extra meds and even most clothing clean. (Ain't nuttin' like a pair of warm dry socks on a cold day.)

Stay warm and fuzzy!

[Michael Moorcock]

Yes, we've envied those stations which put it out twice a day. Some do it in the morning and evening. We get it at 5 (when we bloody get it) which is just about the right time for us to break for tea... I wouldn't dare try out because I know I'd dry up completely. Also there is almost no sports question or TV trivia question I know the answer to. When we played Trivial Pursuits in England we used to play with mixed British and American sets. Which reminds me, neatly enough, that the last time we were snowed in with no power in Yorkshire the only games we had were my collection of Victorian games. There was a game very similar to Triv P but the questions were virtually impossible for anyone to answer. 'What is the name of Mr Gladstone's butler ?' 'Lord Salisbury's favourite fruit ?'
Nonetheless we played grimly on until the snow plough came through and we could get up to the pub. We were so desperate to get there that we rammed our car into the bank of snow thrown up by the plough which had left no access to the pub. We lost two gears, but it was worth it...

[L'Etranger]

Now we are in for what the news calls "a storm of exceptional strength". Still a matter of hours before it gets here, but it already is battering the coast and northern Germany. I refuse to go to my office today lest I can't get home because of broken connexions. Bit worried. The houses are well built in our region, electricity and phone cables are all running underground, but you can't think of all eventualities.
Funny, in my childhood in Africa we seemed much better prepared: always matches and candles ready, as well as gum boots, passports, cash, some rope and a pistol or at least a flare gun calibre .4
If I drown or get blown away and don't report back? Well, just remember I liked most of you guys! And gals.

Surely this must have come past the British Isles. How's the situation there?

[Hawksun]

It's not been particluarly bad weather wise. Here in Edinburgh, the wind's been stonger than usual, and we've had quite a bit of rain, that's recently been turning to sleet. However, we've not had any really serious weather conditions since New Year's Eve, when gales forced the cancellation of the Princes St. Hogmany street party that the organizers assured everyone would only be cancelled in the event of extreme weather conditions. Now that was just tempting fate too far!

[Kipper]

Funny, in my childhood in Africa we seemed much better prepared:

Surely this must have come passed the British Isles. How's the situation there?

We have very strong winds, a couple of people have died so far. One today in Shropshire, a tree fell on his car, poor chap. Another yesterday when his crane collapsed in Liverpool - place looks like the Costa del Sol at present. We've got building work everywhere in Liverpool because of the city winning the European Capital of Culture title for '08.
Right now it's gusting between 60 and 80 mph (I believe you multiply by 8 and divide by 5 for kph?) Very wet as well, lots of flood warnings being issued.

Liverpool's firework party was also cancelled this year for the same reason Hawksun. At least my ferret got some sleep!

Funny, my early childhood was in Ghana!