Comments on: Helene’s devastation, plus politics

By: Mrs+Whatsit

Mrs+Whatsit — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 21:42:56 +0000

Thank you, Kate and Rufus T. Firefly. When I hear anything, I’ll report.

By: Hubert

Hubert — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 14:57:36 +0000

Rufus: thanks for the info. First time I’d heard of or seen the Y’All Squad. Good to hear that they’re legit.

Just heard from my cousin. He and his wife were able to get out of Asheville yesterday. They drove all night to Connecticut, where they have a place to stay. He figures they’ll be there for at least a month. He said that news reports can’t convey how bad it is in Asheville and the surrounding area. On the plus side, he said that military operation-level support is starting to arrive at the airport. One of the aid workers told him that they’ve worked all over the world but they’ve never seen this type of devastation.

By: Rufus T. Firefly

Rufus T. Firefly — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 13:56:43 +0000

Hubert, I watch Ryan Hall’s videos at least once a week. He is talented. Clever of him to figure out that national weather reporting can be a full time, individual job, rather than a few, 2 minute spots on local weather a day.

Seems like a good guy. His storm chasing crews do a lot of good work for people impacted by weather.

A great example of how modern technology allows motivated, enterprising individuals to do better reporting and work than international news syndicates.

By: Hubert

Hubert — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 13:15:20 +0000

There’s Regular Army, there’s the Guard, and then there’s rednecks:

https://x.com/ryanhallyall/status/1840842329986388063

Little concerned about the 501(c)(3)-ification of redneck culture (a “United Cajun Navy” website?). Eric Hoffer’s aphorism about great causes turning into rackets comes to mind. Still, if they’re delivering, good on them.

By: Richard Aubrey

Richard Aubrey — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 13:06:15 +0000

Joe,

There’s generally a reluctance to use Regulars in this role. First should come the Guard. But, yeah, given sufficient need, those guys can thread needles with their birds and the ground crews can load stuff really fast.

I guess we’ll see if the white Christians get any DC attention….

By: Joe

Joe — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 12:37:57 +0000

FEMA hasn’t helicopters. The 101st and 82nd have hundreds. Where are they?

By: Cicero

Cicero — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 02:21:39 +0000

Aeons ago I lived for two years in Polk County, the smallest county in NC, beloved by retirees, which is in the low hills south of Asheville.

Asheville turned into a booming, artsy town, population 100,000, from a nothingville over the past ~40 years, but it is nothing now, no longer a ville. Obliterated. Biltmore Forest, just S of Asheville, was an area of very pricey homes, all surely flooded.
https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2024/09/28/asheville-flooding-see-aerial-footage-of-biltmore-village/75433504007/
Spots in hilly, mountainous western NC received as much as 24 inches of rain, but the average was 12-14 inches, overnight. Biltmore Estate, a 35 bedroom stone palace, was built for the Vanderbilts by Italian masons, I believe. I wonder how it is today.

Most do not know that American forestry as a discipline began on Vanderbilt land about 150 years ago, by foresters imported from Germany, where the profession was born.

Rufus: the roads around and to Asheville are all washed out. Only way in is helicopter. Your many good people cannot get there.

By: Richard Aubrey

Richard Aubrey — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 02:14:06 +0000

Rufus
My sister and brother-in-law were flooded out by Harvey. They had lots of help from various volunteers; church youth groups, so forth. Mucking out a house is a miserable job but the kids kept at it cheerfully.

By: sdferr

sdferr — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 00:57:34 +0000

https://youtube.com/@thegeomodels

This fellow has a great deal of geological info on the Appalachians. Their structure is his thing.

By: Rufus T. Firefly

Rufus T. Firefly — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 00:31:16 +0000

One almost definite, positive thing that will come of all the strife in the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida… there will be untold numbers of people volunteering to help. There are so many good people in the world. Distant churches will raise money. Nearer churches, youth groups, individuals… will come by bus and car with supplies and to work, and help. There are already reports of private helicopter pilots volunteering their skill, time, machines and fuel to help.