July 21, 2006
"The blackouts were at their worst on Wednesday, when 10 of the 22 feeder cables that supply the area with power were down simultaneously. The temperature had hit 100 degrees in the neighborhood the last few days.
Consolidated Edison spokesman Chris Olert said the power company didn't know why things went wrong.
"Chances are fair, but not firm, that it was heat related, but right now that is just a hypothesis," he said.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg demanded that the utility investigate and deliver a report on the cause within two weeks.
That is little consolation for residents who have lost all their food, must continue to sleep in hot apartments, and still have no guarantees as to when power will be back."
This video clip features what's going on, the cover-up and the comments of one of my neighbors (baby in arms) who lives down the street from me commenting on the situation.
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July 20, 2006
It has finally begun to cool off here thanks to some storm off the east coast. Unfortunately, the heat has already taken it's toll on residents and has destroyed a portion of the Queens power grid.
The Human toll: People have had strokes, have developed heat stroke, a number have been involved in car accidents (right outside my windows) and those who have medical issues have had existing conditions exacerbated by the heat.
Infrastructure damage: Apparently, six to eight blocks of main feeder cables started to melt yesterday morning as crews were trying to fix the power outages. Con Ed crews say literally blocks and blocks of wires just started melting. In addition, TV Cable fires and man hole covers blew out also affecting all cell and telephone phone service in the area, as well as all air transportation in & out of LaGuardia Airport.
What this means for me is dinner by candle-light (not bad) and no treo blogging (that's sad). In addition, I just found out this morning that power won't be fully restored till Sunday as they have to re-construct the grid. It's no longer repairable. Yes, that's right, that would make it 6 whole days without power. The highest temps it will get over the next few days is 85F degrees, which will be tomorrow afternoon. Fortunately, my job is in Manhattan and 95% of Manhattan still has power, so that's where I will be (with my son, if power isn't back up at his day camp).
Actually, that's where I'm posting from today. I was able to to return to work (with my son) when water was restored to us. I don't think my co-workers would have appreciated my fragrance otherwise.
My son has been slowly fraying around the edges. The total darkness makes him very scared and apprehensive and he's been acting out as a result. My patience is somewhat low because of the heat and from the constant nausea that had been setting in from just eating and drinking hot foods. I have a permanent dull headache from lack of caffeine which I hope to soon correct. But I keep reminding myself he's only 6 and so far that's helped.
All traffic in my area has been redirected past my bedroom window and it's no longer quiet and tranquil. Instead it's horns constantly blaring and lots of car accidents (which have included pedestrians) because without street lights it's every man for himself. So sleep has been non-existent for those 42 hrs. The battery operated fan is relegated to my son, so that he can at least sleep comfortably.
I overheard a neighbor say that living in our building was like living in Beirut. It doesn't even compare to that. If this is what my neighbors think about our situation now, what will they do in 40 to 60 years when the current supply of oil runs out? I really believe we've become overly dependent on oil and we really need to begin developing alternative forms of energy on a mass scale, including returning to nuclear energy as an option.
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July 18, 2006
Don't know how extensive this loss of power is, will let you know in a bit. Need to go make calls to check on my elderly neighbors and look out the windows. I hear lots of police, firefighters etc. So far only car lights are on. Will investigate, and conserve my battery power for updates.
Update: treo blogging - still no power almost 12 hrs later. Power Co. says it will take at least 24hrs to restore power. so we're sitting in the living room trying 2 rest from sleeplessness due to heat.
all trains in nyc are affected. at least I'm well prepared & have enough emergency supplies to stay put.
Urban scenes of desperation in high temps are not pretty. I'm focusing my energy on praying for a breeze.
Update: It's been 24 hrs without power. Water was finally restored at about 4:00pm. I had fortunately stored enough water for cooking, rinsing and toilet flushing (oh joy!). Anyway, I'll be treo/cellphone/picture blogging at blogger as it's easier for me to blog directly from my cell: POSTCARDS FROM NYC
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,
I came across this beauty while cleaning out files in my old computer (click to enlarge). I took this many moons ago on a hot summer night very much like tonight. I was living in the East Village at the time and normally when I couldn't sleep I'd do one of 3 things: go running, go clubbing or go take pictures. That evening I was restless as it was too hot to sit in my apartment (my AC wasn't working so well) and I set out meandering through the streets of Manhattan to see what images I could capture in the waning sun. That night I walked from my apartment all the way down to the Brooklyn Bridge, just over 5 miles, because her beauty drew me to her.
While there I thought I should cross over to Brooklyn since the night was young and the cool breeze off the bridge beckoning sweetly. Halfway to Brooklyn I turned around to look back and saw this beautiful image of contasting shapes and lines that it was almost as if the picture was set up by itself. Since then I've taken pictures from and of that bridge in a thousand different ways. Many people come to NY to visit and never get to see her this way. I figured I'd post it here for all of you to see how beautiful she is close to 200 years later. In this picture I can really see what Walt Whitman and other poets saw in her. I can also understand why a foreign investment group would want to buy her. The question now is, should we sell, lease or keep her?
[Cross-posted at Postcards From NYC]
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July 17, 2006
The expanded entry will have details as to whom, said what, when, and where, so that you can be factually informed as to where they believe this new war is headed. I'm sure some of the statements will be eye opening to some of you. You will definitely not see any of these statements in the MSM.
more...
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July 13, 2006
Since last night I've been wondering how it is that soldiers deal with this?
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July 11, 2006
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July 10, 2006
Unable to sleep last night I trolled through the blogosphere and visited many wonderful bloggers. I saved some of my favorite sites for last. Among them was this little refuge in the woods created by RSM. His posts have a way of helping my stress melt away, bringing me back to a time and place where life was sweeter, slower and more care free than it is today.
Unfortunately, his post made me really long for the uncomplicated warmth and beauty of my childhood surroundings. Ironically, though IÂ’ve lived in many places, they were mostly rural settings that fueled both my spirit and imagination. In France, I lived not far from the Versailles Gardens where aesthetic beauty in nature was elevated to an art form.. Sicily offered a rough rocky terrain with luscious green hills to frolic in and the pervasive sweet scent of the ocean no matter where you went. In Peru I lived halfway up the foot of a range that lead into the Andean Mountains. In Mexico City I sat on a porch within view of some incredible Aztec ruins.
All of these places touched history, and in their own way they touched and influence me. But of all the places IÂ’ve lived, none was sweater or more dear than my grandfatherÂ’s cabin in the woods. It was originally a shed that he would escape to when the kids were too much or the demands of a husband and father got to be too demanding for him. A quiet retreat in a world in which he had no say or control. A place of his own! When he was older and grandma had passed, he had a sturdy cabin built to live in its place, and to exhale his last breath in. RSM brought that peaceful environment of a lovely rustic setting back to me, and suddenly I was longing more than ever to visit with my grandfather and go pretend fishing with him at the creak way behind his cabin.
This creak is where he and I idled many an afternoon in quiet conversation. ItÂ’s where I dozed many a hot lazy summer day, sitting on the roots of a 200 year old tree, nestled in an opening someone had carved in its trunk, while I let my feet dangle, barely touching the water with my toes, as I swung them back and forth. As I grew older, on hot sticky days IÂ’d cool myself by submerging my fully clothed body into the water, sitting cross-legged on the rocks on the creak bed while I let my arms float gently beside me. I would sit so still, that from time to time, small fish would lightly kiss my arms in an attempt to see if I was food worthy.
The water was so crystal clear I could see dead leaves and tiny mollusks scampering about at the bottom of the creak that would somehow find their way there during hurricane season. The water was cooled by the deep dense shade of the canopy of trees and densely covered limbs that surrounded this bend in the creak.
One afternoon, after being away for almost a year, I visited the creak only to find my grandfather had hung a cotton canvas hammock between 2 sturdy limbs that leaned over the creak. It hung low enough over the water to keep you cool on a hot summer day, and high enough to keep you dry. IÂ’ll never forget the scent of sun-scorched cotton mixed with my grandfatherÂ’s perspiration which I noticed as soon as I lay down in the hammock It was a place I felt sheltered and protected from the changes that were happening in my life. It was my own refuge against the demands of the world. It was there I ran to and cried when IÂ’d get the call from my parents telling me when they were going to pick me up.
It was in that hammock that I plotted with my diary how I would run away into the mountains, so I could never be found and still live close enough to my grandfather to visit him regularly. At the end of that summer, when we relocated back to NYC I knew it would be a very long time before IÂ’d return.
Sometimes at night, instead of reading to my son a bed time story, I tell him tales of a little girl and her best friend Raif, who went on incredible adventures, and single handedly fended off her enemies and protected her fort with her wit and her bravery. She also managed to live off the land with just a swiss army knife, some rough twine, a big old sling-shot (that was sometimes to big for her hands) and an old canteen to keep her well in her travels. All of which she carried in a faded old green knapsack that been given magical powers by the warrior who possessed the bag before her.
After reading RÂ’s post, and my son seeing his pictures, heÂ’s made me promise weÂ’d visit that creak to see if that little girl still lives there. I dare say, if we look hard enough I believe we will find her!
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July 09, 2006
I want to wish you a very Happy Birthday and say I'm sorry that I missed your call when you were in Georgia visiting with Zonker & RSM. I really would have loved to have been able to talk to you. But I'll just have to console myself with reading about your exploits through the blogosphere as you travel.
I for one am glad that you're back safe & sound and wielding one liners all over the place once again. The wonderful stories I've read from our blog family are enough for me to put you on my list of "People I'd Like To Meet Someday". Your exploits are legendary, at least as Zonker & Eric tells them. Actually, I now don't have to worry that my son freaks out at the sight of spiders or snakes and runs. If you do it, then so can he! So, when you went away this last time I wondered what incredible exploit was taking you away for so long time and on such an odd route. I tried all possible ways of discovering your true secret mission this last trip and finally I bribery won out. In fact, it helped me get photographic evidence of your true mission - that of auditioning to be in a music group. But of all the things I learned about your sooper sekret trip, the one thing that puzzled me (and your cousins from Gainselville from which I got this picture of your last night there at about 4:00am), is why in the world you strapped your mike there? (scroll down)"
Dude, I did not know that was one of your life long dreams... to audition for Bare Naked Ladies that is. If that's your dream, I hope it comes true! Of course I wonder if it has anything to do with turning 39, 'cause 39 is just 4 years into middle age... for men that is. Well, if its mid-life crisis, that's okay too. I subscribe to the philosophy of live and let live, so if it makes you happy then I'm behind you all the way. Well, you know what I mean. Anyway, I hope this year is full of dreams come true for you!
Before I forget, please let me know where I should send your birthday present", as you can see one for every mood. In the meantime, I'm sending you a virtual hug and a wish that today is a wonderful day, Happy Birthday Joe!
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July 07, 2006
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To their families and friends, whose lives will never be the same, may you find comfort in your living loved ones.
To a community whose lives will forever be changed, may you someday find peace.
To those who participated in this dasterdly deed, either willingly, complicitly or silently, may you live with the pain of the deaths you caused every day that you're alive.
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July 06, 2006
Like Iran, North Korea makes considerable purchases of items other countries would not even consider buying from Russia & China adding considerably to each country's revenue.
Then there is the Kim Jong - powder keg factor. Who wants to go against a madman that has weapons that are locked and loaded on his neighbors and can easily be launched against them without provocation.
Kim Jong has tested his missiles just outside Russian, Japanese and Taiwan's airspace without so much as a warning, making dialogue and diplomatic relations tenuous at best. Russia and China have not supported the US on sanctions in the past (like when thousands of North Koreans were dying every day) so this little matter of nuclear/military proliferation, will eventually die a quiet death, as it has in the past, until Kim Jong gets bored again and decides to stir up troupble.
He's like Britney Spears, can't stand not being in the limelight and the center of attention, but hate the negative attention they draw thinking they are undeserving of criticism.
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July 05, 2006
To answer Teresa on the distance and capability of these long range missiles: they are second hand, 20 to 30 yr old Russian medium to long range missiles that were sold to the North Korean's (NK's) close to 20 years ago. These missiles were always unreliable, only 1 in 4 ever managed to hit their long range target when they were in the Russian arsenal. Needing to get rid of the old before buying new ones (as stipulated by treaties Kissinger & others brokered in the 70 & 80's), the Russians wound up selling them to the NK's in the late 80's with the UN's blessing. The UN sanctioned the sale because back then China was still a military and political threat to everyone in Asia, including their own allies.
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When my boyfriend never showed up to pick me up at the hospital after my biopsy, it was his way of ending our engagement. As I made the round of calls that day to see if someone would be kind enough to pick me up, it was a relatively new friend, David, whom responded to my call for help. During the subsequent months of treatment I learned from him, and my fellow patients, a great deal about courage, life, living in the moment and about hope against all odds. It was during that time that David drilled into me that it takes 40 lbs of positive thinking to defeat 1oz of negativity.
That’s part of the reason I posted the email below. Reading the words “If you heal and recover” made me not only feel someone was betting against me. The effect of those words felt like I had been punched in the stomach. The email made me question my judgment about many things. How was it possible that someone who called themselves my friend would be capable of being so callous and inconsiderate? Not once in that email did they wish the best for me. Why did I not see that before; was I delusional, in denial, blind or just plain stupid? If I had been wrong about this friendship, what else could I be wrong about? How could I trust my judgment about my recovery and focus on staying healthy when I couldn’t even choose healthy people to be in my life? What “If” they were right? Needless to say I cried for a very long time before writting my previous post. After I wrote it I still was ambivalent about it.
However, had I not written it, the negative thinking those words inspired would have spiraled me out of control and taken me to a very dark place. I recall telling someone I had just met last year, that their kind of thinking could easily destroy me. ItÂ’s something David used to say whenever I found myself listening to those who bet against me in 1985, if you listen to negative words you will only accomplish living up to their self-fulfilling prophecy. If you listen to positive messages and words of hope, the future will always remain open to endless possibilities.
With your kind messages you have all pulled me back from the edge of that precipice. Now I have a new “C” word in my life – Caring! Thank you!
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July 03, 2006
About 8 weeks ago, after a routine check up and a biopsy of skin cells (the size of a dime), I was diagnosed with stage 1 malignant melanoma (cancer). Luckily they got all the malignant cells during the biopsy and didn't have to go back for more. Afterwards, I consulted with top skin doctors in NYC to confirm the diagnosis and map out a treatment plan that would ensure I stay in the 96% of those who achieve a total recovery rate. Because it was caught during my routine check up, and because IÂ’m a vegetarian and lead a healthy lifestyle (I don't smoke, drink or bask in the sun anymore), my own personal prognosis and recovery rate has been placed even higher.
I went in to the 1st chemotherapy session knowing it would be the toughest because you don't know how your body will react or what to expect until you go through it. Blessedly and gratefully, the nausea and runs have not wiped me out totally. I have dealt with stomach viruses that have knocked me about worse. Afterwards I had enough stamina to do the basics in order to take care of me and take care of my son as he recovers from his tonsillectomy, and the visiting nurse has been helping with the rest.
You guys have been helping too, with all your kind loving words. However, thereÂ’s just one message that I received, that I truly donÂ’t know what to make of it or how to respond.
In situations like this I normally consult my friends and get guidance from them, but since theyÂ’re dead, dear reader, I have to leave it to you to give me ideas on how to respond.
To give a bit of a background, this person asked that I confirm I had cancer. After sending an email giving confirmation and a brief outline of my positive circumstances they didn't respond. After awhile I emailed and thought it best to make things clearer and easier for them to understand and I explained about my positive prognosis and the steps IÂ’ve taken to ensure that I remain healthy and well. Below is the body of the email I received in response to the 2 page email I labored in sending to this individual to make it known that the only discomfort IÂ’m experiencing is that from the treatment itself.
Any thoughts or guidance you can offer me on what to say or how to respond is greatly appreciated because IÂ’m truly at a loss for words with this one.
Thanks for writing.
As they say, the proof is in the pudding.
Only time will determine if you heal and recover.
I would have preferred if you had shared with me so that I could have prayed and tried to help you. But I can see that you have prepared yourself well.
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July 01, 2006
The Bad: My son needing emergency care for post surgical complications. We were in the ER for over 8hrs dealing with a number of symptoms and finally arrived at root cause to treat it and have been back home now for 18hrs without a relapse. YAY!
The Ugly: New York University Hospital's Emergency Room. One of the top teaching hospitals in the country and the conditions in their environment would fail the American Hospital Accreditation's exam for cleanliness. Not only were the conditions deplorable, they did away with their pediatric emergency ward. I also forgot that June 30 is the date that most residents and Attending's school terms ends and the new docs don't begin until after July 4th. When we were almost done, they wheeled a man into my son's room who was having a heart attack and began working on him as my son looked on. There was no curtain I could close, nothing I could do except pick up my son and carry him to an empty bed down the hall. It pissed off the nurses because we used an empty bed that would now have to be cleaned after we left but I didn't care. My son's mental well being was more important that what these witches thought/said. Oh, I took names and will be reporting the entire hospital to every major place I can. I even took pictures with my cell phone camera to show the violations.
I will never, ever go back there again!
As for me, I'm so sleep deprived I've been making mistakes of judgement and of action. I've been having to stay up to care and medicate my son and although I hired a visiting nurse to help me, I ran errands and started my chemotherapy while she was with my son. Unfortunately they don't work on weekends so no rest for the weary. It seems that I won't get any sleep until possibly sunday night when my brother in law comes to visit and will stay overnight to give me a break.
The worse 2 mistakes I've made was stepping onto oncoming traffic on a busy roadway and forgetting when and if I took my medication. I'm now writing down all the info and have set up alarms in my pda telling me who gets what medicine when. That's a big help! Actually, when we got to the ER, the Dr. was amazed that although I wasn't too coherent or intelligently making correlations, that I at least wrote my son's medical history into my pda prior to his surgery so that I wouldn't forget anything during admission intake. He was not only able to speed the process of my son's assessment by using this history but asked that I download it via the bluetooth feature to the hospital's computer all the info on fever stats, amount/times of fluid intake etc.
As for my son, althought he's hanging in there he's very weak. Not having been able to hold any food down for almost 4 days took a toll on his little body and he lost 6 lbs. He's on liquids only for now until he's able to handle soft solids like ice cream, yogurts and soups.
Well, that's all for now as I have to begin the coaxing, bribing etc. to have my son increase his fluid intake amount. Again, thanks for your emails and voice mail messages, they were greatly appreciated. more...
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June 26, 2006
As if all this rain wasn't enough, this afternoon we were visited by a category F1 Tornado a few miles from here. Of course I was so focused on work (and what's been going on in Germany today) that I was oblivioius to the weather. Bit at 90mph there was quite a bit of damage caused where the twister touched ground.
Well, I've not much more to say other than I've been insanely busy both at home and at work. At work it's review time, and so I've got all that work to do, plus last minute legislation to analyze that congress and various state houses are trying to push through at the 11th hour just before their labor day adjournment. I wish I could write about how these bleeding heart liberals are trying to penalize working people with lots more proposed taxes on the money they have carefully invested in the stock market and funds. I could go on a rant just about now but I'll save it for later. Right now I have to stay focused and positive for the things going on at home.
My home life is being challenged right now on 2 fronts: my son's health and on-going construction in my apartment (while I'm living there). My son is currently battling some minor things, but what's major is the adnoidectomy/tonsillectomy that he's going to undergo on Wednesday. At the same time, my contractors have once again missed the deadline for finishing some of the stuff they were doing at my apartment. This has been especially tough because I'm living in the apartment as the work's being done. So every night I come home to clean up stuff. And in some instances I've not liked the finished product and have donned overalls and used their tools to smooth out spackle and to do touch ups on other things.
So Wednesday, I'll be spending the day at the hospital keeping vigil over my son and hoping all will be finalized in the kitchen and bedroom by the time we get back home. Because my son has to remain home for a couple of weeks after surgery, I took advantage of a home depot sale and bought ceiling fans for the kitchen and livingroom to help lower the cost of cooling the entire apartment.
I have had a ceiling fan in the bedroom for years and it really helps keep the bedroom cool in the summer without the AC, and it keeps it warm in the winter longer without the heater being on all the time. Since it's worked so well in the bedroom, I can't wait for the other units to be installed in the other rooms. I'm not a fan of AC, so for me it's more than just conserving energy and money, it's feeling comfortable in an environment where Central Air is not possible. That's what happens when you live in a charming pre-war building that's not retro-fitted. So, if I can keep the entire apartment cool with just a couple of ceiling fans, without turning the AC while meeting my energy cost cutting goals, then by jove I'll do it!
Now if you'll all excuse me, I have to remove the protective plastic sheet off of my bed so I can lay down and get some decent sleep so I can be bright eyed and bushy tailed for Carmini the Magician who will be visiting us tomorrow. Till then sweet dreams to you all.
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June 23, 2006
In related news... in a speech yesterday at the National Press Club, John Edwards was testing the big themes on his road tour to the White House in 2008. The topics ranged from ”a call for eliminating poverty by 2036" to fixing social programs for seniors. [Methinks Edwards is either naive or delusional] A Quinnipiac poll out this morning shows that while 61% of New Yorkers think Rudy Giuliani would make a “great” or “good” president, only 49% of respondents thought Sen. Hillary Clinton would.
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June 22, 2006
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June 21, 2006
"Do you think this country is too focused on democracy?"
I wanted to go through the tv set and slap him right out of his seat back into that hospital bed he crawled out of.
No Charlie, we should avert our political eyes and explore non-functioning, poverty inducing political systems that don't work and have only served to maintain their status as a developing nation! That's what we should do... right? Only then will we be a decent, fair and open-minded nation... is that it?
What a freakin' moron! Sorry, had to get that out of my system, otherwise I'd end up with a coronary. I'll go back to working & crunching numbers now.
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