Sandy

I've been following the storm and the aftermath of it and am just amazed.  The destruction and loss of live is really sad.  The amount of flooding that occurred is really what gets me.  I know what water does to things, and there will probably be problems for years to come.  People's homes are gone.  Entire areas are cut off from the rest of the country.  I can't imagine being without power for three of four or however many days it has been or will be.  The stores are out of food, and gas stations have no power to pump fuel.  

And other fallout.  The election will be affected, everything from not being able to vote early to flooded polling places to Republicans praising Democrats.  Glad to see in the days leading up to the storm the fine merchants were engaged in price gouging (not).  I'd be really leery about buying a used car anytime soon.  I would imagine prices will rise for all of us when this all shakes out.

This was really a far reaching storm.  Blizzards in West Virgina, flooding up and down the east coast, heck there were even voluntary evacuation notices here in Wisconsin.  The damage across the country will be way up in the billions when all is said and done.  But things will get better.  They will get the tunnels pumped out.  Electricity will be restored.  People will rebuild their homes and get things cleaned up.  I don't see how people can say things will get back to normal though, because I'm not sure what normal is anymore with the weather.  Just seems to me that the storms are more intense, and things are on a larger scale than they used to be.

So help.  Don't send food or supplies, they have no place to put it yet.  Make a monetary donation if you can.  Say a prayer or two if you are so inclined.  Give blood--the need is great.   And take some time to make some plans of your own for when the natural disaster hits you.  I have a feeling it may be sooner rather than later.

Oh, and for you runners out there.  The New York City Marathon is still scheduled for Sunday, so if you can get there the competition may be light and you might have a shot at a good finish.  You never know, good luck.....