Hurricane Sandy

Tomorrow we will know the truth about Hurricane Sandy. We already know the truth about the media and storms predictions.

The  national weather service is our best source for storm information, not the overblown and deliberately exaggerated news media predictions. The media cherry picks from the National Weather Service, throws in some adjectives and adverbs to frighten us and creates new phrases to further panic the population. The media twists and uses facts to create an immediate sense of danger.

The storm is barely at hurricane strength and is very wide. It could make landfall at one of a hundred places, so the media reports that New York City may be a target. They also write that cities in the Carolinas, Virginia and all across New England may be the target. They include stories about past storms (or they would only have a one paragraph story) to further create panic.

Many people live for these kinds of stories. They love playing the victim and they love telling everyone how worried they are about the certain disaster that might be heading directly for them. Many people are genuinely panicked and rush out to buy everything imaginable.

The media is gleeful! They've created panic and now have a new story about the people running around in panic.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service downgrades the hurricane to a tropical storm.

The media reports this information with emphasis on a lot of what-ifs. The storm could merge with another storm and result in snow. The snow could cause school cancellations. Heck, if the storms merge it is possible that damages will be over 1-billion dollars.

When the National Weather Service reported that the wind increase to barely reach hurricane strength, the media was elated.

We should always be prepared for extreme weather. People that need to rush out and buy batteries, canned food and bottled water should have those items in their homes for an emergency. It is not complicated. I buy bottled water, batteries,and canned goods just prior to hurricane season every year. These items could even be used in a blizzard or flood. I know of several routes out of town and if I feel imminently threatened I will drive away.

In the meantime, tomorrow is coming. I have a few appointments and some Christmas wrapping to do. I will check with the National Weather Service to track the storm. I hope the daughter I have that lives in Pennsylvania (a 'target area') is at a festival or baking cupcakes. I hope my niece and her family, that live very close to the ocean, are following the news on the National Weather Service. My sister in Baltimore does not panic.

People cannot simply flee and skip work because a storm might hit their city. There are more possible locations for this storm to make landfall then there are numbers on a crap table. Yet the media, like Las Vegas, convince millions that they have a reason to be sure.