(1) We've had about a month since Hurricane #Elsa with quiet seas out in the Atlantic. That is about to change, as we approach peak season in late August/early Sept.
(2) Now is not the time for states like FL to be tormented by partisan political division & the rejection of life-saving steps like #GetVaccinated & #MaskUp.
It's never the time, but especially not in peak hurricane season.
(3) That Facebook post was written by a woman in Houston, TX affected by one of the worst US hurricanes on record, #Harvey in 2017.
How I wish the level of partisan division in 2021 was lower, like it was 4 years ago.
(4) In times of crisis we may have to dig deep to survive and help others survive.
A Māori proverb, from New Zealand:
(5) About 15 coastal states in the contiguous USA are hurricane-prone. Inland states can be affected too. And the island territories, esp Puerto Rico and USVI.
I've always said "you are your own first responder" after a hurricane. That is even more true right now.
(6) The progression of the pandemic means that the number of healthcare workers and first responders available to help you after a hurricane is reducing all the time.
I have so many things I want to ask of you. The trees hazard came to mind first, so let's cover that.
(7) The big beautiful trees of the South are gorgeous.
Each time there is a severe weather event, one or more people die from a tree falling on their home or vehicle.
>Assess your surroundings
>Trim or fell any trees that could squash people
>Obtain gas for chainsaws.
(8) The gas for chainsaws will mean you and your neighbors can clear fallen trees that block roads, while you wait for power restoration crews to arrive.
This shortens the power outages, saving a lot of lives.
(9) We are the grown ups. Every one of us needs to think about what we ourselves can immediately do to reduce harm caused by the pandemic, and things like hurricanes, wildfire, heatwave, crime, and terrorism.
Start with your household, neighbors & community.
(10) The two potential hurricanes out in the Atlantic move a little closer each day. The system closest to Africa has features suggesting it is not likely to threaten the US.
Too early to tell where they might end up but if you need more than 72 hours to plan ahead, start now.
Take a moment to count the blessing of only having been up to the name #Elsa by early August.
Weather from the first of the two storms is already appearing in USVI and Puerto Rico outlooks.
(12) The Central and Eastern Pacific zones are, as usual, not showing serious hurricane threats to US states or territories.
It's not an ideal time of year to visit North Western Mexico. Personally I've sworn off all international travel until the pandemic is truly over. YMMV.
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Well said, @DonnaLeeSun. I have the same approach.
Donna is "Unapologretically Canadian."
I am Unapologetically New Zealander/Kiwi. Granted, "sorry" has a special meaning in Canada, eh? But our countries do have a lot in common. Mini-thread:
I really get what Donna is saying in her Twitter bio:
"Trumpism has a strong foothold in Canada & we ignore it at our peril. Pay attention, esp. to PP, former PM Harper & idiot Premiers!"
The same is true of New Zealand, Australia, and our OG mothership: The UK.
PP stands for Pierre Poilievre, who became the leader of Canada's conservative party on 10 September 2022.
For me it's super simple: Far right extremism gained a foothold in the US, only to be rejected by majorities of voters multiple times since. Because #DemocracyWins.
Evidently, my above use of the term misogyny has triggered a few of them.
They're trying to insinuate that Kohberger was a liberal which, even if true, would have nothing to do with the points made in my tweet. We already know several things about him, and his crimes...
Further, when writing the above list of 5 known and/or confirmed misogynists, some of whom have killed at least one woman, I considered a range of factors that put them on that list.
I want to encourage discussion about misogny and the targeting of women by violent offenders.
Esp. the 2020 US presidential election, and others where right wing governments were (and will soon be) punished for anti- public health and safety, anti-science, ignorant approaches to pandemic response.
Do politicians and their advisers get this yet? In most households, it is one or more women who take basic health and safety seriously, & who develop a superior knowledge base due to our more complex biology, higher rates of illness, & greater need for infection control measures.
Of course there are many men with the same health knowledge and risk management priorities as women, but we are talking about "in general" here, and how that applies to elections.
Gotta laugh, my tweet generated the following reply from a maga account:
"Ukraine flag in bio"
Ad hominem/genetic fallacy is all they have. They deflect by targeting the player not the ball. Because playing the ball is too hard for them. It requires honesty & courage.
I'm talking about changing the way domestic violence incidents are handled, and doing more to put long term distance between known DV offenders and their legal access to guns.
An idea best espoused by the outstanding @BeauTFC. Link to follow.
The outstanding @BeauTFC talked about this issue here:
I wonder what price between $8 billion and $44 billion Elon Howard Hughes Musk might consider to sell this vital pro-democracy communications hub before he completely destroys it.
I mean, that's his goal, right?
He paid waaaay too much for it. Value currently estimated at $8 billion. Surely there are billionaires out there with the ability to build a consortium to entice it out of his grubby little hands?
There's a good argument for the US federal government buying it, too...
Or a group of countries. It's not all about the US, you know.
What does the Putin regime have on Musk, that could get him to over-spend so much money? The global fascist movement is the only winner out of this. Or was it the Mercers?