Severe Weather

[CrimsonFox]

No one ever talks about Severe Pleather.

[GrantDawg]

Watching videos from Los Angeles. Social media is a blessing and a curse for these kinds of events. People being able to get their stories out is great. I have been watching the animal rescues transporting horse and other livestock out of the affected area, and it is great to show the bravery and compassion of people.
Then there is the conspiracy side. So much garbage stated as fact, and every rumor runs as fast as the wildfires. Heartbreaking.

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[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

lol

Just tell me the whole truth and we'll be fine. I get much angrier with my daughter when she hides things.

Well to be fair to her, I suspect this was more a case of just plain forgetting to ask as the event began to "escalate" in the group chat. A week or two ago, she'd generically asked if she could have the youth group girls over "some time" to watch a movie and we'd given her a general yes to that, but she was working on trying to figure out a time when most of them could come...then the snow caused relatively last-minute cancellations of all of their schools sports and any other Friday night plans, so suddenly everyone was free. Friday morning they started talking about doing the movie night; someone realized that their parents weren't gonna want to come out and pick them up late, and then it became a spend-the-night event...which prompted her to realize "hmmmm....they haven't signed on for all of THIS! I'd better talk to them." (But yes, at least one of them had already asked her parents by the time ours asked us. )

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

LOL, I hope you have enough food in the house, otherwise saddle up the sleigh and get out to the grocery store, Ben!

We were able to procure enough groceries before the roads became problematic. All good!


We ended up with 6 non-Lewis 9th/10th grade girls spending Friday night, two of whom went home Saturday afternoon/evening, but another one joined in the fun on Saturday afternoon and spent Saturday night. Our neighborhood has one excellent sledding hill that's a little under 3/4 miles from us--walkable, but the road was decent enough that I basically ran a mini-van shuttle back and forth from there a good bit of the day on Saturday. Hearing their laughter and singing (one of the guests plays guitar pretty well, and at least four of the girls who were here the entire weekend--my two included in that--have really strong voices for their age) from upstairs most of the rest of the weekend was a real treasure.

[RainMaker]

I've been watching videos of the planes and choppers doing their thing. Just some incredible work in some insane conditions. True heroes.

[flere-imsaho]

That's terrific, Ben, sounds like the way snow days should be!!!

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I've been watching videos of the planes and choppers doing their thing. Just some incredible work in some insane conditions. True heroes.

in all that wind?

[RainMaker]

Yeah, search water drops on social media and there are a ton of cool videos.

WATCH: A helicopter makes a critical water drop near the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles as crews battle to save homes from the Palisades Fire.

The drop, captured by KTLA's SKY 5, doused flames that were rapidly approaching houses. Follow live: https://t.co/ox4jbvVsXd pic.twitter.com/r7382xHtxF

— KTLA (@KTLA) January 11, 2025

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Yeah, search water drops on social media and there are a ton of cool videos.

WATCH: A helicopter makes a critical water drop near the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles as crews battle to save homes from the Palisades Fire.

The drop, captured by KTLA's SKY 5, doused flames that were rapidly approaching houses. Follow live: https://t.co/ox4jbvVsXd pic.twitter.com/r7382xHtxF

— KTLA (@KTLA) January 11, 2025

I've seen a few of them and the accuracy is incredible.

[CrimsonFox]

aren't there chemicals that are better to dump on the flames? I would think that small amount of water would do nothing to a big flame

[RainMaker]

I've seen videos of them dropping some red stuff. Thought the same about water but there are some videos of them dumping water and completely stopping a fire in its tracks. The accuracy is crazy.

[GrantDawg]

Very hard to that amount of chemical over and over again. These helicopters/planes can scoop up water and drop it at a very high rate. They couldn't do that with chemical, which would require landing and refilling. Beyond the logistics, dumping that amount of chemicals would be dangerous for the firefighters on the ground.

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[Atocep]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Very hard to that amount of chemical over and over again. These helicopters/planes can scoop up water and drop it at a very high rate. They couldn't do that with chemical, which would require landing and refilling. Beyond the logistics, dumping that amount of chemicals would be dangerous for the firefighters on the ground.

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Not to mention they're really bad for the environment so they have to be very selective on when and where they have to deploy chemicals.

[CrimsonFox]

oh so suddenly we care about the environment do we...

[Ben E Lou]

Was there more national media coverage of the LA fires than western NC? I have no idea, but the latest growing online grievance around these parts seems to be "the media only cares about California, not North Carolina!" I know I saw some headlines about Western NC at CNN, but I wasn't paying close attention to national news coverage during that time. Everything was local news or coming from people who were there. And frankly, I'd imagine that was the case for most non-retired people around here. It seems like virtually everyone living above the poverty line in this area has *some* sense of personal connection to the NC mountains. Who has time to watch Fox News or MSNBC when, say, your favorite country store in Boone is posting daily updates on their FB page?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

Was there more national media coverage of the LA fires than western NC? I have no idea, but the latest growing online grievance around these parts seems to be "the media only cares about California, not North Carolina!" I know I saw some headlines about Western NC at CNN, but I wasn't paying close attention to national news coverage during that time. Everything was local news or coming from people who were there. And frankly, I'd imagine that was the case for most non-retired people around here. It seems like virtually everyone living above the poverty line in this area has *some* sense of personal connection to the NC mountains. Who has time to watch Fox News or MSNBC when, say, your favorite country store in Boone is posting daily updates on their FB page?

You can only begin to imagine how much of that narrative I've seen in the past 48 hours.

Has the national been heavier for LA? Yeah, I think that's fair/realistic.

But as I've pointed out at least once to a heavy complainer already, there are nearly more people in LA County than there are in the entire state of NC. (about 1m difference). Throw in the fact that LA is the second most famous location in the country and, well ... of COURSE there's more coverage.

[cuervo72]

Wait, the Mast General Store gives out daily updates?

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

Wait, the Mast General Store gives out daily updates?

Heh. I had no idea there was one in Boone. We used to frequent the one in Valle Crucis when my in-laws had a place in Foscoe. That's like the last place on earth I ever would have guessed would be a chain.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

You can only begin to imagine how much of that narrative I've seen in the past 48 hours.

Has the national been heavier for LA? Yeah, I think that's fair/realistic.

But as I've pointed out at least once to a heavy complainer already, there are nearly more people in LA County than there are in the entire state of NC. (about 1m difference). Throw in the fact that LA is the second most famous location in the country and, well ... of COURSE there's more coverage.

Not just location, but numerous celebrities have been affected, so that's going to increase the coverage/interest as well.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

You can only begin to imagine how much of that narrative I've seen in the past 48 hours.

Has the national been heavier for LA? Yeah, I think that's fair/realistic.

But as I've pointed out at least once to a heavy complainer already, there are nearly more people in LA County than there are in the entire state of NC. (about 1m difference). Throw in the fact that LA is the second most famous location in the country and, well ... of COURSE there's more coverage.

You broke my dola, which was going to be...


DOLA: I mean besides the fact that a story in LA is going to draw a few more eyeballs than an identical story in....Asheville.

Trying to put myself in non-involved observer mode, I just thought about another factor: a story like LA that's changing/evolving every day is more....interesting....than a 12-24 hour event and then "they're still cleaning up."

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

You can only begin to imagine how much of that narrative I've seen in the past 48 hours.

Has the national been heavier for LA? Yeah, I think that's fair/realistic.

But as I've pointed out at least once to a heavy complainer already, there are nearly more people in LA County than there are in the entire state of NC. (about 1m difference). Throw in the fact that LA is the second most famous location in the country and, well ... of COURSE there's more coverage.

Yeah, scale. This effects more people and is going to account for more $$ in damage. The folks in NC probably don't like hearing that, but I don't know that that is arguable.

I think there's also the angle that the fires aren't contained and the destruction is ongoing. Nobody really knows what the final damage is going to be, and there are still new clips of fire/firefighters to report with.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Not just location, but numerous celebrities have been affected, so that's going to increase the coverage/interest as well.

I left out that factor intentionally, because that's actually an aspect that has people MORE upset.

(as you might be gathering, I'm not the least bit bothered by the coverage disparity. Now if they write 'em different checks, THAT might be a different matter. But we ain't there yet, damned if I have the spare energy to get worked up over that in advance)

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

Heh. I had no idea there was one in Boone. We used to frequent the one in Valle Crucis when my in-laws had a place in Foscoe. That's like the last place on earth I ever would have guessed would be a chain.

I want to say I've been to that location as well, but my memories of places I've gone and things I've done is always hazy ("You know, that place where we did the thing, near that other thing?" It's weird given how well I remember other things. But I guess it's similar to how Younger Child didn't know how to get anywhere when they got their license, despite having lived here their whole life.). We made a point of going to at least one location during visits to Blowing Rock when my wife's grandmother still had her house there. The Boone location looks old, didn't realize it had only been there since 1988.

(Her family had long gone to BR during the summers to escape Miami.)

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

I left out that factor intentionally, because that's actually an aspect that has people MORE upset.

(as you might be gathering, I'm not the least bit bothered by the coverage disparity. Now if they write 'em different checks, THAT might be a different matter. But we ain't there yet, damned if I have the spare energy to get worked up over that in advance)

I mean, it is what it is. There's more media coverage of sports teams in LA and NY than Charlotte/NC, too. Americans are obsessed with the royal family for some reason. That shit sells just like the National Enquirer at grocery stores. I don't understand wasting energy on what's basically a fact of life.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I mean, it is what it is. There's more media coverage of sports teams in LA and NY than Charlotte/NC, too. Americans are obsessed with the royal family for some reason. That shit sells just like the National Enquirer at grocery stores. I don't understand wasting energy on what's basically a fact of life.

|

If you wanna know part of it that REALLY gets me about the complaints?
How the fuck do they even know?

These are largely coming from people who loathe the mainstream media ... so why the fuck are they watching it?

I hold the msm in pretty thorough contempt myself ... but I haven't watched them in years, I have pretty much literally ZERO expectations for them.

I don't get the whole "do something that will make me miserable" lifestyle. Isn't there plenty that's unavoidable to do that already for these folks?

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

I don't get the whole "do something that will make me miserable" lifestyle. Isn't there plenty that's unavoidable to do that already for these folks?

I'd argue that a psychosis that seems to be roughly present in equal measures in both the left and in the right is what seems to be a flat-out addiction to being outraged.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

I'd argue that a psychosis that seems to be roughly present in equal measures in both the left and in the right is what seems to be a flat-out addiction to being outraged.

I get plenty of that without making the slightest effort to obtain it.

These fuckers seem to literally go out of their way to find it

[cuervo72]

If I had to guess, I'd venture that commentators on Fox/Newsmax/whatever are planting that seed that the "liberal" media is covering LA more, and then everyone runs with it.

edit: In other words, people probably aren't watching the networks, they're just being told what the networks are doing and that's taken at face value.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

If I had to guess, I'd venture that commentators on Fox/Newsmax/whatever are planting that seed that the "liberal" media is covering LA more, and then everyone runs with it.

edit: In other words, people probably aren't watching the networks, they're just being told what the networks are doing and that's taken at face value.

It might be that they are hearing that on Fox/Newsmax, but my guess is that it is coming from social media. It is the same source where they were constantly complaining "everybody has forgotten Western North Carolina" right after the flooding, while every major news organization had that as the lead on every website and news show. They were telling people who don't watch any major media that they were being ignored by the major media. It has nothing to do with facts or reason, but just creating a narrative.
Just last night I saw a guy online driving around Western NC where there is still massive amount of damaged building complaining "the government has forgotten us." He was driving on a cleared street, with the infrastructure all in place, showing damage on private property and asking why the government hasn't rebuilt their grocery store. Maybe he doesn't know that is responsibility of the property owners and not the government to rebuild private property, but my guess is he knows. He again is just creating a narrative.

[JPhillips]

You're going to make me post a picture of my Mast General Store mug.

[Ghost Econ]

There's one in Greenville you can barely walk in it's so crowded. Overpriced stuff for upper middle class people.

[Edward64]

Lows below freezing through Mon after next or about 14+ consecutive days of lows below freezing.

I don't remember the last time we had this string of lows. Neat link below says last time was in 2010 and before that 2000.

Just a moment...

[Thomkal]

Heh just saw on the Weather Channel that Myrtle Beach may get 5-8 inches of snow from what is hitting Texas and LA right now.I don't have snow boots just some waterproof sneakers, and just checked the garage to see if the snow shovel which we have never used was still there-it was lol

[JonInMiddleGA]

I just went from nothing at all to ground being almost completely white in about 30 minutes.

This shit needs to stop. Athens, GA is NOT built for it.

[GrantDawg]

We are all white as well. My wife got home slip sliding into the garage, and now we locked down till probably Thursday.

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[RainMaker]

Bourbon Street seems to have a couple inches of snow which is wild.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

We are all white as well. My wife got home slip sliding into the garage, and now we locked down till probably Thursday.

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Nothing where I'm at in Forsyth. But my daughter lives closer to perimeter and says there's been some flakes.

I'm done with winter, ready for it to be gone. Need to go to Home Depot and buy my plants.

[JonInMiddleGA]

The pics from places like Panama City, Destin, Gulf Shores are pretty wild to see.

And Baton Rouge with Death Valley looking like Lambeau Field is definitely something to see.

[GrantDawg]

Good news, I'm basically off work till Friday until this stuff really thaws out. The bad news, my computer just exploded. I'm pretty sure the power supply went cablowee. Two days off with no computer. Wee!

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[Ghost Econ]

Schools closed here today. it could generously be described as a dusting of snow. The streets are perfectly fine.

[Passacaglia]

Everyone around us had e-learning yesterday, but not our school. One of my kids said he thought our school had everyone come in because it was the principal's birthday. He knew why he was wrong, but honestly, most prinicipals are egotistical enough that the idea isn't that crazy.

[GrantDawg]

The roads here are definitely not good. A number of roads are closed, and there are pictures of cars on ditches. The local police are begging people to stay home.

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[Thomkal]

About 4-5 inches it looks like, windchills in the teens. what so great about winter then?

[Ksyrup]

I don't know the final total but seeing Pensacola got at least 8.8 inches of snow yesterday which more than doubles the previous record - for any city in Florida.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

what so great about winter then?

Not a damned thing.

[CrimsonFox]

Local TV meteorologists deliver tearful farewell as stations replace staff with The Weather Channel feed | CNN Business

So local weather reporters are being replaced by Byron Allen's conglomerate company in atlanta that will feed all weather to you

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by CrimsonFox

Local TV meteorologists deliver tearful farewell as stations replace staff with The Weather Channel feed | CNN Business

So local weather reporters are being replaced by Byron Allen's conglomerate company in atlanta that will feed all weather to you

Well, that's happening at stations that Allen owns under the broadcast media part of his "empire". So he's basically relocating his own employees, it's not like random stations around the country are doing it or something.

That he was involved in Diamond Sports probably tells you all you really need to know.

[RainMaker]

Just a moment...

[Lathum]

Watching the benefit concert and Billy Eilish just sang with Green Day and it was so awesome