Just another bit of info on storm damage and what to do. If power goes out, refrigerators and freezers, full of food, will have no way to remain at proper temperatures for extended periods of times. Go to the following site to get some info on keeping food safe during a power outage and on what can be kept and what should be thrown out.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FACTSheets/keeping_food_Safe_during_an_emergency/index.asp
The article also mentioned something I hadn't thought of. Many of us have picnic coolers that we use for outdoor adventures. They're a good tool to use when the power is out in the house.
Here's hoping we'll have to use none of this info, but just in case, better prepared than sorry.
Monday, October 29, 2012
When Old Technology is Needed
Prepping for the storm, what came up with many people was the fear that they would be without phones if the storm knocked out their electric power or disabled the city's cell phone towers. Many people have replaced those "old" phones with new electric plug-in models or use their cell phones instead of having a house number. No, we too have those electric models. However, we also kept one of the old Princess phones, which remains plugged into a phone jack.
The benefit of that old phone is that it is not affected by an electrical outage. Only if your phone lines go down will you not have phone service, and there are many areas of the city, such as ours, where phone lines are now underground precisely so heavy winds and rain can't rip them down.
A bit late to go shopping now for such an "old" phone, but it's something you might think of acquiring after the storm is over. Electrical outages in the NYC area don't require a major hurricane to occur--I can't remember a summer yet where we have not had areas of the city or the whole city without power for a while. Besides, think of the joy and fun of introducing your kids to some old technology that can nonetheless save the day when new technology is laid low. No, they (and you) won't be able to text on those phones or play games on those phones, but you'll be able to be in contact with others or summon help in an emergency--and isn't that really the point of a phone?
The benefit of that old phone is that it is not affected by an electrical outage. Only if your phone lines go down will you not have phone service, and there are many areas of the city, such as ours, where phone lines are now underground precisely so heavy winds and rain can't rip them down.
A bit late to go shopping now for such an "old" phone, but it's something you might think of acquiring after the storm is over. Electrical outages in the NYC area don't require a major hurricane to occur--I can't remember a summer yet where we have not had areas of the city or the whole city without power for a while. Besides, think of the joy and fun of introducing your kids to some old technology that can nonetheless save the day when new technology is laid low. No, they (and you) won't be able to text on those phones or play games on those phones, but you'll be able to be in contact with others or summon help in an emergency--and isn't that really the point of a phone?
Friday, October 26, 2012
Preparing for Sandy
Just when I was wondering if there would be anything to post about, given that the choices were becoming quite limited to old news--yeshiva tuition, the nutty shidduch system etc.--along comes a possible devasting storm that will hit us in the NE from Sunday to Tuesday. While there are some who are shrugging their shoulders and taking a wait and see attitude, that way could lie disaster.
Now is the time to do some thinking about how you will handle the storm and any complications it could bring. If you have to evacuate, how will you do so and where might you be able to go? If you are stuck at home, do you have the necessary storm equipment, such as flashlights for when the power goes out, food to eat that does not require cooking, in case stoves are unavailable, extras of any medications you must take and you may not be able to get to a drugstore, extra blankets in case the heating goes out etc..
Now is also the time to be a good neighbor and think of those on your block or in your area who may be alone during the storm, such as the elderly. There's safety in numbers is not just words on a page--bringing such a person to stay in your home during the storm could well be a matter of sakonos nefoshos.
Do you have any loose items in your backyard or on your porch or balconey? Time to get those things to an enclosed shelter so that they don't become airborne missles when the strong wind gusts arrive.
Are your street-side sewer drains covered with leaves and debris? Do yourself a favor and get out there and remove the leaves. Heavy rains need somewhere to go, and clogged drains don't help.
There's lots of helpful information about how to prepare for a weather a storm of this type available online, but it's only helpful if you actually access it and use it.
Let's hope that we all get through this storm in safety, but some of that safety is going to depend on what you do now.
A gutten Shabbos to all.
Now is the time to do some thinking about how you will handle the storm and any complications it could bring. If you have to evacuate, how will you do so and where might you be able to go? If you are stuck at home, do you have the necessary storm equipment, such as flashlights for when the power goes out, food to eat that does not require cooking, in case stoves are unavailable, extras of any medications you must take and you may not be able to get to a drugstore, extra blankets in case the heating goes out etc..
Now is also the time to be a good neighbor and think of those on your block or in your area who may be alone during the storm, such as the elderly. There's safety in numbers is not just words on a page--bringing such a person to stay in your home during the storm could well be a matter of sakonos nefoshos.
Do you have any loose items in your backyard or on your porch or balconey? Time to get those things to an enclosed shelter so that they don't become airborne missles when the strong wind gusts arrive.
Are your street-side sewer drains covered with leaves and debris? Do yourself a favor and get out there and remove the leaves. Heavy rains need somewhere to go, and clogged drains don't help.
There's lots of helpful information about how to prepare for a weather a storm of this type available online, but it's only helpful if you actually access it and use it.
Let's hope that we all get through this storm in safety, but some of that safety is going to depend on what you do now.
A gutten Shabbos to all.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Loopy but Living
Just in case any readers are wondering why there have been no postings, the cocktail of medications I'm on, including a goodly dose of codeine, are just not conducive to thinking and writing right now. Can't wait until this is finally over and I can go back to "regular" life.
Stay healthy all--it's really no fun the other way.
Stay healthy all--it's really no fun the other way.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Sukkah Soaking--hope not
My men folk got busy today and put up the sukkah. My daughter is already planning out how she'll decorate it this year. I'm busy inviting guests for the yom tov meals in the sukkah. Everyone seems to have a truly positive attitude about sukkos--except for the weather forecasters. Haven't found a forecaster anywhere who is saying anything but thunderstorms, heavy rains and cooler weather for the first days of sukkos.
Of course, those forecasters do not have a stellar record of accurate predictions, but darned if they don't somehow manage to be pretty accurate if the time period is a yom tov one. I'm hoping that they are truly, truly wrong about next week. After all the work and preparation, it would be nice to actually be able to use the sukkah, not just stare at it through the patio doors. Regardless, I'm going to have to think of just how all that company will play out if it's pouring outside. So not something I want on my to do list.
Of course, those forecasters do not have a stellar record of accurate predictions, but darned if they don't somehow manage to be pretty accurate if the time period is a yom tov one. I'm hoping that they are truly, truly wrong about next week. After all the work and preparation, it would be nice to actually be able to use the sukkah, not just stare at it through the patio doors. Regardless, I'm going to have to think of just how all that company will play out if it's pouring outside. So not something I want on my to do list.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
In the Strange World of Politics
I generally do not do postings of a political nature, but I'm making an exception with this posting. Yes, the presidential campaign in the US is heating up and is on a lot of people's minds, but this is a report of a different campaign--one for the mayor of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Apparently one of the popular candidates for the mayor's office is a cat named Tuxedo Stan--yes, you read that correctly: a cat. The candidate is quite popular, already having over 2300 friends on Facebook. And yes, his handlers are raising funds for his candidacy. They do state that all funds raised will be used for spaying and neutering cats in Halifax. Now here is the interesting part--there is a municipal law in Halifax that actually and specifically bans animals from holding office.
Okay, someone please explain to me why any municipality anywhere on earth might need to put into effect a specific law that bans animals from holding political office. Are there really that many animals that in the past made a decision to run for such offices, and so the law was established? Go ahead, someone give me one concrete example of an animal that willfully and consciously decided on its own that municipal office holding was what it wanted.
I know there has been a lot of discussion both in the past and now about whether or not our elected officials are really doing a good job. Do they truly understand what is important to us or do they spend far too much time bogged down in passing laws that are counter intuitive and don't provide much or any benefit to us. Obviously some of those elected officials in Halifax had time on their hands and so this strange municipal animal office holder ban law was passed.
Of course, this is not really the strangest part of the story. It appears that Alaska does not have such a law on its books, and the mayor for the past 15 years of Takeetna, Alaska is a cat known as Mayor Stubbs. People were not pleased with the candidates for mayor 15 years ago and so voters were encouraged to elect Stubbs as a write-in candidate, and yes, he won.
"Because Talkeetna is a "historical district," the mayoral post is more symbolic than functional, said Andi Manning, president of the Talkeetna Chamber of Commerce." Right, and I don't care quite how symbolic that job might be--there is a town of 900 residents whose mayor is a cat.
When I passed on this information to a friend, first she laughed and then she said that maybe what we need is just this kind of candidate running in our local elections. She said she wouldn't choose a cat because politicians are quite "catty" already, and more of that isn't needed. She did, however, mention that she wouldn't object to a dog's running for office, since so much of politics is already a "dog-eat-dog" undertaking. Her feeling was that at least a canine would have a legitimate reason for behaving in this manner.
All this just might give you an inkling of why I normally don't write about politics.
Apparently one of the popular candidates for the mayor's office is a cat named Tuxedo Stan--yes, you read that correctly: a cat. The candidate is quite popular, already having over 2300 friends on Facebook. And yes, his handlers are raising funds for his candidacy. They do state that all funds raised will be used for spaying and neutering cats in Halifax. Now here is the interesting part--there is a municipal law in Halifax that actually and specifically bans animals from holding office.
Okay, someone please explain to me why any municipality anywhere on earth might need to put into effect a specific law that bans animals from holding political office. Are there really that many animals that in the past made a decision to run for such offices, and so the law was established? Go ahead, someone give me one concrete example of an animal that willfully and consciously decided on its own that municipal office holding was what it wanted.
I know there has been a lot of discussion both in the past and now about whether or not our elected officials are really doing a good job. Do they truly understand what is important to us or do they spend far too much time bogged down in passing laws that are counter intuitive and don't provide much or any benefit to us. Obviously some of those elected officials in Halifax had time on their hands and so this strange municipal animal office holder ban law was passed.
Of course, this is not really the strangest part of the story. It appears that Alaska does not have such a law on its books, and the mayor for the past 15 years of Takeetna, Alaska is a cat known as Mayor Stubbs. People were not pleased with the candidates for mayor 15 years ago and so voters were encouraged to elect Stubbs as a write-in candidate, and yes, he won.
"Because Talkeetna is a "historical district," the mayoral post is more symbolic than functional, said Andi Manning, president of the Talkeetna Chamber of Commerce." Right, and I don't care quite how symbolic that job might be--there is a town of 900 residents whose mayor is a cat.
When I passed on this information to a friend, first she laughed and then she said that maybe what we need is just this kind of candidate running in our local elections. She said she wouldn't choose a cat because politicians are quite "catty" already, and more of that isn't needed. She did, however, mention that she wouldn't object to a dog's running for office, since so much of politics is already a "dog-eat-dog" undertaking. Her feeling was that at least a canine would have a legitimate reason for behaving in this manner.
All this just might give you an inkling of why I normally don't write about politics.
Friday, September 14, 2012
All the Best
With Shabbos and Rosh Hashanah running so close together, let me now first wish you a gutten Shabbos. May you all also be blessed with a new year of peace and health, of joy and happiness, of contentment and success, a year filled with all the blessings Hashem has to bestow. And may we all be zocheh to be wishing each other a wonderful new year next year at this time.
Shanah Tovah!
Shanah Tovah!
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