Map of life expectancy at birth from Global Education Project.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Live blogging the apocalypse


I expect to lose electricity some time tomorrow, there's no telling how long the computer battery will last or whether Verizon will be able to get me to your Intertubes anyway. So I might as well get it while I can.

I have a five gallon can of potable water in the kitchen, a bucket in the bathroom for toilet flushing and two big tubs on the porch to scoop more out of. I'm building up the ice supply, have non-perishable food laid in and plenty of candles. The wood rack is full so I don't have to brave the elements. I'll just sit here and listen to the trees crashing down. Should be fun.

My aunt owns a beachfront house in Clinton, CT. No, she's not rich. She's the widow of a preacher, they had a bachelor friend who left the house to them. Fortunately her property is on a bluff about 20 feet above sea level. Her house should be okay but I expect the surge will overtop her seawall and possibly wash out her stairs and take away a chunk of front yard. Anyway she and my mother are going to stay at my cousin's house, well inland. They have a generator. Don't want to think about all the old folks who are going to have to ride it out alone. If you know any such people, check on them please.

What's really annoying about this is that we're getting used to it. I didn't get a generator after last year's serial collapses of civilization because I figured, what's the chance of it happening again? Well I'm a fool. We're all fools, who brought this on ourselves. Maybe we'll wake up.

First thing to do, when you do awake: take a solemn vow never, ever, to vote for any Republican candidate, for any office, under any circumstances. Republican=Koch=death.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just lost electricity today in Switzerland for an hour, then another, etc. It is storming and snowing. The sirens blasted, e=mer=gency.

Internet, phone, all of it ...went. Gasp. (First world problems for sure.)

Because we depend on it. Switz. produces a huge amount of electricity, it is a swing producer for all its neighbors, Italy, Austria, Germany, not France, plus a big exporter. All of it is hydraulic and nuclear. (some solar.)

My small house is run on wood, and electricity produced ‘without’ fossil fuels.

Not alone, this is usual, otherwise I would not mention.

My transport is basically electric (trams, etc.) except for the Mercedes diesel bus that brings me to the tram, 10 mins of roaring. And an old beat up car that I have to drive to X place, I buy 10 tanks of gas a year.

But if the electricity bombs out everything breaks down. Including heat and hot water, as the computers that manage the systems are run with electricity -- phones; freezers; stoves; lights /machines in important places (hospital, they have back ups though) diesel bus did not come - obstructions and message system breaks down. Voting takes a hit (we vote every 2 weeks practically and now by internet.)

The electric grid in CH is pretty robust. Until something goes wrong....

Cervantes said...

How do you generate your electricity, Ana?

kathy a. said...

with ya on don't vote republican. we are all in the tank if things go bad this season, and for teh long term. this ain't a football team loyalty thing.

heard all the major roads are out in CT, and that can't be a good sign.