Heads up people

I imagine that one hundred years ago the only hint that a hurricane was about to hit you was when your roof was blown off of your house; not much time to prepare for a storm.

But today the amount of information we have available through tv, newspapers, radio, and the internet amazes me. I can follow a tropical storm as it develops off the coast of Africa and follow it as it progresses to a category 1, 2, 3, 4, and finally a category 5 hurricane over the course of two weeks.

Today the internet gives me access to the latest hurricane forecast directly from the experts. I can study the storm’s position, forecast eye path, potential rainfall, predicted storm surge, wind radius, storm warning, and even see the latest satellite image of the storm just so that I can be sure that there is in fact a storm approaching and it’s not just a big ruse (because I’d hate to look foolish preparing for a storm only to learn later that I’d fallen for a well orchestrated media joke – I hate looking foolish).

Volcanoes erupt without warning. Earthquakes crumble unsuspecting buildings. But hurricanes – ah hurricanes we can actually see, study, and prepare for. Today we are all amazingly fortunate to live in a time where, with today’s technology, no one (save those without the means to escape a storm’s path) ever has to die in a hurricane again!

Forecasters said Ivan, which killed at least 68 people in the Caribbean, could reach 160 mph and strengthen to a dangerous Category 5 by the time it blows ashore as early as Thursday somewhere along the Gulf Coast.
–The Seattle Times 9/15/04

“There’s nothing like a severe storm to put a human being in their proper place,” said Prentice Howard, 59, stationed at Naval Station Pascagoula. “I want to experience the power of nature. It sounds dumb to some people but that’s the way it is. Sort of like skydiving.”
–The Seattle Times 9/15/04

Tourist Dee Barkhart, a court reporter from Baltimore, was drinking Hurricane punches at Pat O’Brien’s bar. “I looked into earlier flights, but they were hundreds of dollars more and I wasn’t sure I could switch flights,” she said. “I figure I’m happier sitting here drinking Hurricanes than sitting at the airport worrying about them.”
–The Seattle Times 9/15/04

“I don’t worry about what’s going to happen tomorrow. We can’t control it anyway,” said Ed Bak of Fairfield, Ohio, who dropped quarters into a machine at the President Casino in Biloxi, Miss.
–The Seattle Times 9/15/04

Sigh

Knock, knock
Who’s there?
Charles
Charles, who?
Charles Darwin. Come with me we need to talk.