The Perfect Storm, apparently

[Leatherneck]

The media are all agog over the piddly little rainstorm in the gulf. They ALL are referring to it as "Hurricane Anatoly, or Andrew, or whatever...

I'm so sick of this phenomenon of "National Local News."

Are Americans as dumb as the media think we are?

TC

[280plus]

Unfortunately I think the answer is yes. Not all of us mind you, but enough. The question recently came up as to why every time there's some weather calamity or another coming everybody eats  French toast. They all rush to the store to buy milk, eggs and bread. That's French toast ingredients folks...

You have to wonder. Don't these people have any food in their houses? Why the mad rush to empty the shelves? Isn't anyone prepared for the inevitable? Me? A weeks worth of MREs stashed away in case I run out of French toast.

[Typhoon]

Heh  French Toast.  Reminds me of the many, many typhoons I lived through growing up in Okinawa.  (Hence my handle on this board&)

When a typhoon was on the way and everyone was lining up for supplies, I remember my mother more than once gently reminding some of the newbies that now was not the best time to be buying milk, meat, ice cream&  The power WILL go out and often for days.  Hope youre hungry&

On the other hand, I did get tired of canned stew.

But I agree with the silliness of the coverage.  Guess everyone wants to be the first to cover the next Katrina (Heaven willing they wont have the opportunity).

[Bob F.]

I loved it last year when they carried on about trees blown down and showed some saplings in the parking lot that had been in the little traffic islands. The were 8-10feet tall and probably had no real roots! If there's no news, they'll make news!

Bob

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

Are Americans as dumb as the media think we are?

The ones who ritualistically watch cable news networks tend to be.

[Waitone]

The 24 hour news cycle is a ravenous beast demanding constant feeding.  Hurricanes are made to order for hour upon hour of blather by seemingly intelligent people.

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

All I know is that Florida is under-appreciating all the rain that we could be using in Texas

Regards,
Rabbit.

[280plus]

LOL...

This morning Alberto is just barely making it as a tropical storm but they've got correspondents all over Fla keeping us "abreast" of the situation.

It's coming our way, for some strange reason I suddenly feel the urge to have some french toast...

[Leatherneck]

MMMMMmmm...french toast. I gotta run to the store.

TC

[280plus]

Just watched another one. Blonde on the beach on some key. Ok the winds were a little gusty. But OOOOOHHH!!! There's still a possibility of STORM SURGE!!  Just once I'd like to hear one of them say "Well, not a damn thing happening here. Back to you, Dick."

LOL...

[Mannlicher]

The thing that always gets a chuckle out of me is those shots on the beach, where the Weather.com guy/gal is wearing full storm gear, leaning into the wind, shouting to be heard above the shriek of the howling wind........................
.............   and the camera man inadvertently catches a shot of some guy walking a dog in tee shirt and shorts, moseying along like nothing was happening.

[engineer151515]

hahah...

Lots of young weather reporters learn the hard way that blowing sand on the beach STINGS!.  


If you think coverage is wild now, wait until NOLA is threatened (only threatened) with a Cat 2 storm.  NOLA will kick in mandatory evacuations.  Storm turns away.  People come back.  Cycle this two or three times in three months.  People will not like it.  

This will be an unusual hurricane season (immediately Post Katrina).


If (Heaven forbid) another storm hits badly damaged NOLA, I wonder if they face the multiple storm insurance deduction that required a new law in Florida?  After being hit with multiple storms, some people were told to prove which damage came from which storm and were hit with multiple "hurricane deductables" (usually a percentage of the market value of the home) amounting to thousands of dollars.

[Tallpine]

We had a major storm here last week and the news media didn't even cover it.  So much damage, it even blew over the lawn chair out on my deck and I had to set it back upright again.

[Gewehr98]

I'm one of the dumb ones, then, I guess...

Are Americans as dumb as the media think we are?

Wife, stepsons, and I have a home on the east coast Florida beachside, near Melbourne.  We endured 4 hurricanes in the last couple years, with substantial damage to our home during Hurricanes Jeanne and Frances.  To say we're more than slightly interested when a hurricane develops in the mid-Atlantic or Caribbean is an understatement.

Now I'm working in Wisconsin, my wife's with me job hunting, and we're also house-hunting.  In the meantime, stepsons, dogs, household goods, and second vehicle are still beachside until I give TMO the word to pack things up.  

We were quite concerned when Tropical Storm Alberto spawned out of nowhere, as early in the season as it did.  I was glad to see national coverage, and even more glad to see it hit the gulf side of Florida.  It's gonna be a busy hurricane year, the water's already warm enough to fuel the big heat engine that is a tropical storm/hurricane.  

So yeah, I pay more than normal attention to hurricane news and The Weather Channel.  Matter of fact, if that SOB Jim Cantore ever shows up in Satellite Beach, I'm gonna hogtie him and his camera crew and transport them to Tampa or Jacksonville where they can resume their broadcasts.

[Zed]

We had a major storm here last week and the news media didn't even cover it.  So much damage, it even blew over the lawn chair out on my deck and I had to set it back upright again.

Got some 70MPH winds 7 11/4" Hail here the other day (came out of nowhere)....

[280plus]

Gewehr, I can understand your concern but aren't satellite images and the like enough? Is it REALLY necessary for them to put correspondents on the beaches everywhere? I don't see the purpose other than to fill in air time and poorly at that. Good luck with the new digs BTW. You probably won't see many hurricanes up there.

[Typhoon]

Agreed.  Its just too reminiscent of the celebrity trial coverage we have suffered recently, and not just here in Los Angeles.

Crack-O-Dawn, 5:00 am.  The poor correspondent is doing a stand-up in front of the painfully empty courthouse.  Moths are still circling the streetlights.  

And!  In !! Four !! Count them!  Four!!  hours!  Defendant X will appear!!!

Not meant to be a thread hijack&

Best wishes to you and yours, Gewehr.  I have loved ones in hurricane country, too.  I am not looking forward to the season.  Prayers on the way for all...