[ArtK78]

All is well here in Galloway, NJ. Our power came on this morning (much to our surprise) but cable is still out. Can't get any signal on our cell phones. Got a text message from my office informing me that our emergency system for receiving e-mails is operating.

It is still windy and rainy, but not anything like yesterday.

There is still a complete travel ban in effect, and access to all of the barrier islands (such as Absecon Island, which is where Atlantic City is located) is prohibited. Very few radio stations are on the air.

Governor Christie held a special session of his call-in show "Ask the Governor" last night. I have to give him some kudos for his handling of the storm crisis (however grudgingly, as he is not one of my favorite persons). Much like Christie gave considerable credit to President Obama for his handling of the storm crisis and the assistance Obama and the federal government are providing to the various states.

All in all, things could certainly be much worse.

Just heard an update from Atlantic County Emergency Services. The water treatment plant in Atlantic City was compromised by flood waters, and residents have been advised to boil their water for one full minute at a rolling boil before drinking. Fortunately, that does not affect us.

There has been extensive flooding on the islands, and, to a lesser extent, on the mainland.

No word of any fatalities in this area, despite all of the damage.

[kenberg]

I'm glad to hear the good news, Art.

A friend from Minnesota called last night. He said he heard on tv that the storm would turn south and go directly toward the house of Ken Berg. A bit of misinformation. Wind and rain but no serious damage locally. Further west the storm dumped 26 inches of snow in Western Maryland, and of course there are many places without power, but not that much is happening right here. We plan to keep a low profile and hope Sandy continues to overlook us.

[blackshoe]

I heard a report last night that Sandy had been downgraded from Hurricane to tropical storm. This was right around the time she made landfall. Here in Rochester NY they evacuated folks living along the lakeshore (south shore of Lake Ontario) and there's been some power outages in the area. They also warned about the likelyhood of more downed trees than usual, since the winds are coming from an unusual direction (North instead of West). Where I am, about 20 miles south of the shore, the power went out for about a minute, but otherwise there's been no problem. Right now it's not even raining.

[wyman]

Our estimates are 7-10 days before power, hence also water, is restored. We are packing up and headed out of state to friends' houses for a few days.

My folks live at the NJ shore and took a decent amount of damage to the house and a car; fortunately all of it was external (eg, siding ripped away, electrical damage, trees down away from the house).

GL to everyone still dealing w the damage and to those in the Midwest just getting the storm now...

[ArtK78]

Clearly, Atlantic Electric and Comcast have learned lessons from their experiences with Hurricane Irene and the derecho. We got power back this morning and cable back about 3 hours ago. Now we have cell phone service.

I heard that power losses were much worse north of here. In Ocean County, 48K of Atlantic Electric's 52K customers were without power at the height of the storm, which was last night.

Still can't go into work yet - Atlantic City.like all towns on barrier islands, is still off limits. That may change by morning, but if the government won't allow you to drive into Atlantic City, there is not a whole lot you can do.

[Zelandakh]

I hope everyone and their loved ones are doing ok. It seems like a really bad one from the reports we are getting over here. Hopefully it will lose power quickly as it heads inland.

[barmar]

blackshoe, on 2012-October-30, 02:31, said:

Missed Hawaii 5-0 altogether.

All the CBS shows were replaced with reruns nationwide, I believe. In Boston we got the regular schedule on the other networks, with occasional brief interruptions for storm updates.

[barmar]

Didn't lose any power here in the Boston area, but I haven't been able to reach my mother on Long Island; both her land line and cell phone are out. I spoke to my sister in Queens, NY yesterday afternoon. She'd reached my aunt and uncle, who were staying with my mother (their town, which is on the south shore, was evacuated), via text messaging. They said they lost power as well, but at least they have heat and water.

[ArtK78]

Still not allowed to go into Atlantic City. An e-mail from my office today said that the office in Atlantic City was closed today but that we should anticipate going in to work on Thursday. As the city is still off limits, I don't see how that will happen.

The travel ban in Atlantic County was lifted last night, but the AC Expressway is still closed east of the Pleasantville exit - the last exit before Atlantic City.

In any event, it looks like a friend of mine is going to hold a poker game tonight at his home tonight, so I am going to go out of the house for the first time since Sunday.

[ArtK78]

Got out of the house last night for the first time since Sunday. No problems.

Today, the office was still closed since there is still no access to Atlantic City. I did drive around today - even went to the Home Depot on the causeway leading to Atlantic City on US 30. The police barricaded the road just at the entrance to the shopping center where the Home Depot was located. It was as far east as one could travel unless you were an "essential person."

Still appears as if Atlantic City will be off limits at least on Friday, as there are power and water problems in the City.

[blackshoe]

What do they do with "non-essential persons", shoot them?

[mike777]

Sandy is yet again going to raise the whole issue of Moral Hazard and should govt bail out people with expensive shore homes/property that flood or otherwise are destroyed and dont have insurance.


In economic theory, a moral hazard is a situation where a party will have a tendency to take risks because the costs that could incur will not be felt by the party taking the risk

[Winstonm]

mike777, on 2012-November-02, 10:25, said:

Sandy is yet again going to raise the whole issue of Moral Hazard and should govt bail out people with expensive shore homes/property that flood or otherwise are destroyed and dont have insurance.


In economic theory, a moral hazard is a situation where a party will have a tendency to take risks because the costs that could incur will not be felt by the party taking the risk

Federally sponsored flood insurance is available to those who live in areas prone to flood - there is no moral hazard involved in choosing not to insure.

[mike777]

Winstonm, on 2012-November-02, 10:30, said:

Federally sponsored flood insurance is available to those who live in areas prone to flood - there is no moral hazard involved in choosing not to insure.

Why not?


If the govt pays you if you dont have insurance and most people dont have flood insurance.

And while the federal government's National Flood Insurance Program will fill in some of the gap for flood losses that are rarely covered by private insurers, it won't fill the whole gap. NFIP only paid out $1.3 billion for flooding caused by Hurricane Irene when it cut a similar path of destruction in the Northeast a year ago, according to the trade publication Insurance Journal.

http://www.sodahead....estion-3286823/

[dwar0123]

mike777, on 2012-November-02, 10:25, said:

Sandy is yet again going to raise the whole issue of Moral Hazard and should govt bail out people with expensive shore homes that flood or otherwise are destroyed and dont have insurance.

Source?

This doesn't sound like something I have ever heard of the government doing.

Two things I have heard of the government doing that relates to this.

Buying peoples land so they can allow it go fallow so they don't have to invest in restoring infrastructure/creating expensive levees.

And creating expensive levees.

I have also heard of the government being sued when levees failed, not sure that has ever been successful nor even relevant here as I don't believe they have many levees on the eastern seaboard.

[mike777]

"This doesn't sound like something I have ever heard of the government doing."


I am rather surprised you never heard of the govt helping people rebuild their homes or property.

You can google many examples over the decades.

[dwar0123]

mike777, on 2012-November-02, 10:46, said:

"This doesn't sound like something I have ever heard of the government doing."


I am rather surprised you never heard of the govt helping people rebuild their homes or property.

You can google many examples over the decades.

I'm claiming they don't exist, you are claiming they do exist, you provide the examples.

With respect to hurricane flooding.

[luke warm]

more (typical) union stupidity... not union? go home

[mike777]

This may shock you but I dont work for you..I told you how to find the information if you really want to know...

If you just want to argue forget it....


to be polite here is just one example, ::


Apply for a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which make grants available to homeowners who were involved in a disaster. However, the funds will not exceed 75 percent of the damage done, so another 25 percent will need to be found through other grants, private funds or the homeowner's own money.

Read more: How to Get a Grant to Rebuild My Home | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/...l#ixzz2B5M5stBP


Sandy is yet again going to raise the whole issue of Moral Hazard and should govt bail out people with expensive shore homes/property that flood or otherwise are destroyed and dont have insurance

[luke warm]

dwar0123, on 2012-November-02, 10:49, said:

I'm claiming they don't exist, you are claiming they do exist, you provide the examples.

With respect to hurricane flooding.

he found them and doesn't need them