Sorry to hear about the break-in, Felicity. Disgusting that BA (no longer such a B, eh?) was the victim of bandwagonism.

How awful, Felicity. I'm sorry to hear it. Drastic measures should be taken. I'm with you, Evelyn, prison and throw away the key. Changing the subject. This is a must read: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/08/07/hillary-clinton-2012-calls-grow-with-anger-at-obama-debt-capitulation.html

Wishful thinking.... Listen, she would have done the same thing....they all want to be re-elected, and are playing to the Independent voter. Where else are those whining-cats at the Met going to go? Very few have spine...they all want to keep their jobs. Pure and simple

Regarding the riots. If some of those going to court today are anything to go by, they are not exactly 'disaffected youths'. They have jobs, one a teaching assistant whom mentors the young (heaven help them), a graphic designer, a scaffolder, a student an 11 year old..... http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/10/london-riots-school-assistant-pleads-guilty

I saw one news item where an off duty Sky Reporter actually stopped a female looter and asked why she was doing it, and she replied "to get back what I've paid in taxes". General lowering of standards. Re. eviction from social housing, as Janet says, where will they live? On the streets? Nobody wants them. And if their benefits are cut, they'll become even more "feral" (current buzz word). I'm afraid our benefits culture, and irresponsible breeding and parenting,and restrictions on disciplinary measures ( smacking is a criminal offence) have created an underclass that is unemployable, and contributes nothing to society.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/10/uk-riots-liberal-right-parent This is an excellent article, especially David Lamy's comments. I know that a lot of Asian fathers in the inner cities are worried because their right to discipline their sons seems to have been taken away from them. I realise that in some cases this would mean taking the strap to them but if it prevents hulking great 15 to 16 year olds being drawn into the drug/gang/street culture, failing at school etc, prevention is better than cure. Many children actually threaten to report their parents if disciplinary action is taken.

There is a problem in parts of Glasgow where Asians youths from affluent families tear around in their high performance cars, being aggressive to locals. Several years ago, a young white boy from their area was kidnapped, beaten, set on fire and left to die. The perpertrators all came from 'good families', and their families aided their escape from the UK. There was very little coverage of the crime:-( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Kriss_Donald They are in the minority, of course, since most Asian (by that I mean Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi) children do very well at school, and have few behavioural problems.

and their families aided their escape from the UK. Their families should have been thrown out. But I see from the Wiki account that the guys were successfully extradited from Pakistan and served trial and convicted to life sentences.

(Karen)Their families should have been thrown out What about their human rights?;-)

LOL ;-)

(Janet) What about their human rights?;-) Ha! You're lucky I didn't write their families should've been set on fire. ;-) Served trial? Obviously a condensed version of stood trial and served time.

In the old days, there was so much respect for the parents. Now some kids murder their parents for money. :-(

Watching World Weather Forecast-105 degrees in Dallas! I think I'll stick with the upper 60s in Scotland, lol!

I was in Dallas for 3 weeks and the temps got up to 111F. Houston has been a few degrees cooler than Dallas but our heat index is higher due to the higher humidity. It was 90F with 100% humidity early yesterday. Haven't had any rain in months. I just had the yardmen pull out a bunch of dead plants today- even the sprinklers can't save them from this heat and drought. I would love to be in Scotland right now and back here for the winter! I am sure you wouldn't want my air conditioning bill either, Janet;-)

Interesting article in the Guardian titled something like "in courtrooms across the country, little leniency.". They're running 24 hrs and throwing the book at most. Not sure why parents or even duty magistrates are surprised. Sorry, can't link this one off the phone.

Watching World Weather Forecast-105 degrees in Dallas! I think I'll stick with the upper 60s in Scotland, lol! Oh it's not soooo bad . Scorchy afternoons, but pleasant mornings and evenings. And hey, we don't get 20 inches (50cm) of snow . One can always got out of the driveway;-)

Too true Evelyn! Re 24 hour courtroom sessions, Prior to the riots, there were already plans for those sentenced to 6 months or less to have non-custodial sentences to ease the burden. So where will those convicted go?

Sorry for the bad grammar, my keyboard is playing funny b*ggers, continually deleting text and moving the cursor around. Anyone any ideas what could be causing this?-it's doing my head in!!!

That was my exact question, Janet, where they'd all go?

J-a-i-l. I hope DC doesn't capitulate in giving more "social programs". You're taxed enough. They can learn new skills ( or *a* skill) incarcerated and not live in council housing.

Right, we know that. The point is, the jails can't handle all the influx, as Janet alluded to and I figured they would have a hard time handling so many new cases, esp so quickly. Maybe they should start sending them to Australia again. ;-) This is the article I mentioned this morning http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/11/uk-riots-courtrooms-country?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487 A related article http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/12/uk-riots-courts-warning

An array of not latch-key kids involved. http://tinyurl.com/3zgj4f2

Bill the parents for the objects they stole. There is something deeply hypocritical about middle-aged politicians condemning teenagers as though these sorts of crimes have never happened before." That's a shocking statement from a responsible citizen. If true those pols should have been locked up too. Three cheers for the mother who turned in her daughter. That's courage. I told my sons if you ever get arrested on a protest march don't expect support from us. You're on your own.

Bill the parents for the objects they stole Great idea!

(Evelyn)I told my sons if you ever get arrested on a protest march don't expect support from us. That's a bit harsh, unless they were looting and rioting. Protest marches are sometimes necessary, but criminality isn't. (I suspect the Boston Tea Party was criminality, though) I participated in one protest march- against the Kent State shootings. At my über conservative university there were less than 10 of us (including my German prof) and we were generally ignored and looked upon and weird. It was peaceful and no laws were broken.

Bill the parents for the objects they stole It's the parents - or parent, they rarely have two - who are the problem. In several cases they were sending in theie children (too young to be charged) to do the looting. In one deeply depressing interview, one looter said he stole to buy nappies (and other things I didn't recognise, toys, brandname clothing perhaps) for his son. His face was covered but he sounded all of sixteen.

Bethan, He said he stole the whole 'Johnson's' set, as in Johnson's baby products.

(Dorine)That's a bit harsh, unless they were looting and rioting. Protest marches are sometimes necessary Not if I was paying for the tuition. I don't send kids to college to "find themselves" or to "support causes", necessary or un...; I send them to get an education and get off my payroll. I, too, marched for ERA, but only after I was long gone from college and not dependent on my parents.

Evelyn, that was me, not Dorine;-)

Really???? Apologies...sounded like Dorine.

Really! Dorine didn't attend an ultra conservative So. Baptist University;-) Besides she's too young to have been protesting in 1970.

*snort* (Peggy) Protest marches are sometimes necessary (Evelyn) Not if I was paying for the tuition. What if they were protesting significant tuition hikes as they did in CA and the UK (without any violence)?

I mean if they hadn't had any violence, which unfortunately there was in those instances.

(Dorine) What if they were protesting significant tuition hikes Kids whose parents were paying their tuition wouldn't be protesting. ;-) Rajinder Claire, who was representing several alleged rioters, said defendants who would normally be released on bail were being routinely remanded in custody. "The decisions seem to be being taken in a routine manner without enough consideration for the distinct factors of each case," he told reporters Distinct factors! *snort*

If those parents said they wouldn't pay even more after the increase and the students had to quit, I bet some of those kids would be protesting. Punishments too punitive?? A number of the comments were interesting. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/13/manchester-police-sorry-looter-sentence

Convenient timing. http://www.slashfilm.com/banksy-creates-tv-special-antics-roadshow/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+slashfilm+%28%2FFilm%29

I think the courts have been told to hand down severe sentences across the board. A mother of two young children was sentenced to five months imprisonment for handing stolen goods-a pair of shorts. She didn't take part in the riots. A tad severe I think, given that paedophiles have been given non-custodial sentences and done community service instead. The whole criminal justice system has to be reviewed now-it's just not working!

Sorry, should have read 'handling' stolen goods.

(Dorine) What if they were protesting significant tuition hikes Kids whose parents were paying their tuition wouldn't be protesting. ;-) LOL AS a matter of fact there were hikes during their college yrs. (one was almost a career student) and we just paid it. If one doesn't pay ,it just diminishes the quality of the education which is why they're there.

A demographic breakdown of the accused rioters. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/8698443/UK-riots-suspected-looters-statistics-and-court-cases.html

The charts are fascinating because they will expose how few people were sentenced to overly harsh sentences. In the case of "handling stolen goods," only 10 people were arrested for that. It wasn't widespread. Can't believe there is a specifc charge of "possessing a black balaclava"! One person was charged with that. But the vast majority were burglary (40%), violent disorder (14.6%), burglary other than dweeling (4%) and violent disotder and arson with intent to intent to endanger life (4%). Those cases comprise nearly two-thirds of those arrested and arraigned.

I'm glad they listed the names and ages. Scary at the number of 'children". They should throw the book at the ones in late 30s and 40s.

(Karen) The charts are fascinating because they will expose how few people were sentenced to overly harsh sentences. Is there a chart somewhere that gives sentences, too? I may have missed that. On the UK wide view chart, where is that one lone dot all the way at the top of the country?

The lone dot is Glasgow, or Glasgow area. The southern most dot is probably Southanmpton but could be Winchester. Daughter-in-law #2 is a magistate in Southampton but they are on holiday so she's not involved. I don't understand why "children" under 18 cannot be named when they can be married at 16. I can see, as some columnists have suggested,that the way MPs,Lords,Councillors & civil servants have abused their priveliges & been on the gravy train ,& the banker's bonuses, is very galling, especially to people who have nothing, but that is no excuse for violence & arson. I am totally against all forms of protests which involve people gathering together to march or demonstrate. It is not necessry in a democracy & it invariably attracts extremists. I don't know about the rest of the country but some areas of London are dominated by gangs & by drugs & the police have not been able to stamp this out. I was carjacked in Croydon 10 years ago, I was driving home from a bridge match at 11pm & stopped at traffic lights in the main London road. Two masked men with guns (could have been fake but who was I to argue)made ne get out of the car & drove away leaving me on the pavemant.A bus had stopped at the lights behind me & I tried to get assistance from the driver ( who was black) but he just stared at me & then drove on. I eventually got help from a passerby who rang the police for me. I got the car back several weeks later but nobody was prosecuted . I subsequently heard that Croydon is a notorious area for unlawful activities & I think it is frightening that so much is going on which the police can't handle. I am glad that David Cameron has got this American advisor.

Well done, Peggy for knowing where Glasgow is on the map! You'd be amazed how few English know where any Scottish cities are, or where the border is:-)

Not so sure about the American advisor Peggy. Our police operate in such a different way.

Not so sure about the American advisor Peggy. Our police operate in such a different way. maybe they can learn something.

How awful, Peggy! I would be frightened out of my wits if I ever got carjacked. Many years ago, when I was right out of college and kids went downtown to the clubs/bars, there was a standing instruction not to stop at stop signs in this one neighborhood just west of the clubs enroute to the highway. They weren't carjacking at that time, but smashing and grabbing purses off seats. Oddly enough I live within walking distance of that interseccton now, but the projects (council blocks) have finally been torn down. However, freedom of assembly and speech are key tenets of a democracy and they are very much necessary still.

I know vey well where Glasgow is, Janet - my late husband's paternal grandparents were Scottish - from Brechin, but it was I who started our annual visit to the Scottish Highands & islands in the 70s because I fell in love with Gavin Maxwell & his otters. That started a passion for Scotland &, over the years ,we covered all the West Highland coast from Kintyre to Cape Wrath, the North coast,most of the islands from Arran to Shetland & even bits of the East Coast & & there is nowhere in the world where I would rather be than the West Highlands & islands. I have never had any desire to linger in Glasgow though I am a great admirer of Charles Rennie McKintosh.

The Age of Outrage, on Europe's social unrest: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/14/opinion/sunday/Cohen-age-of-outrage.html?_r=1

(Peggy)I have never had any desire to linger in Glasgow Why is that Peggy?

(PeggyM)I am totally against all forms of protests which involve people gathering together to march or demonstrate. It is not necessry in a democracy Whatever do you mean?? I consider it a lynchpin of democracy. it invariably attracts extremists. Who do what? I'll presume you speak exclusively of the UK. I'm sorry to hear you were a victim of such a crime, Peggy. That is awful. My family on one side is from Scotland (Galbraith). It's the only side of the family I identify with (though it is not my last name - wanted to change it once in 6th grade, but as I filled out school papers with my name, realized I liked the much shorter name I had). I've been there once for 4 days, but have always wanted to come back for longer. Especially for the Edinburgh Festival again.

Also, thanks for locating the dot. ;-) It seemed too far north to me for Glasgow. I've only been to Glasgow after taking a bus from Edinburgh to the airport there. The bulk of my time was spent in Edinburgh and a day trip to Inverness.

Edinburgh is a bit mad a festival time, it has to be said. Great atmosphere, but I prefer to visit when things are not so frenetic. However, Glasgow is a beautiful city, which is often overlooked by tourists in favour of the capital, although this has been changing of late. Glasgow means Dear Green Place, and has over 90 parks within the city boundary. Added to this are numerous museums, with free entry. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, where I am a volunteer guide, is the most visited museum outside London. A city well worth visiting:-)

(Janet) Edinburgh is a bit mad a festival time, it has to be said. Great atmosphere, but I prefer to visit when things are not so frenetic. I am not sure I would like the crowds at the Fringe, but someday I'd like to see the Tattoo. I really enjoyed Edinburgh in September (after the crowds had left) on my last visit. I must put Glasgow on my list. I rode through it on a bus tour to Loch Lomond and Sterling Castle. (Dorine)I'm sorry to hear you were a victim of such a crime, Peggy. That is awful Me, too. How terrifying that must have been!

I think the US has to take a lesson from what happened in London this past week. Philadelphia has enforced a curfew to stop the Flash Mobs which are spreading throughout the country. That's a start. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/197892/20110815/philadelphia-curfew.htm That's a start;of course jobs are the answer. But there has to be other steps before that comes to fruition. Training...maybe force kids to train for something. Maybe Israel has the answer. But handing out money to stay unemployed isn't...hasn't worked .

Mayor Nutter isn't messing around, and I applaud him. But you have to have backing from the community, which he does. It speaks to what Bill Bratton (who I think is/was being considered for the top job in London?) brought to NYC: zero tolerance. Once you stop following up on "minor" crimes--a break-in here, vandalism there, prostitues hanging about--it's a very slippery slope. Perps lose the fear of getting caught. Then it escalates. But I know big city police forces are stretched to the limit, and that's a problem.

(Evelyn) Philadelphia has enforced a curfew to stop the Flash Mobs which are spreading throughout the country. That's a start. A new curfew law was passed a couple of weeks ago here. There have been flash mob incidents at the beaches, especially the big one near me. During the heat wave, the city was crtiicized for early closures. Throughout the summer there has been a huge police presence at the beach: on foot, ATV and horseback. It has made a difference and people interviewed on the news all expressed their gratitude for it, said they feel safe on the beach again. http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/07/28/new-curfew-for-chicago-children-passes-city-council/ Rahm has said the new curfew will be enforced.

If a few cities make an example, it will filter down to the rest of the country. They interviewed a police official from the Uk on television this am, and he said part of the reason police are hesitant to go after these thugs with force even when they're looting is because they risk losing their jobs. All you need is one misinterpreted video and there goes your job. It's a fine line.

He also said the images of these riots could ruin UK's chances of aquiring new industry:"Imagine the board of Sony meeting and finding images of Asians being beaten in the streets....think they will want to rebuild that distribution center in London"? Apparently "inquiry commissions" have been brutal on police hitting or arresting gang youths. What are they suppose to say:"Please and thank you?"

To say that 'Asians were being beaten in the streets' gives a skewed view of the riots. There were rioters of all colours. This was not a case of one ethnic group attacking another. They were attacking whole communities, indiscriminately..

. Weren't the 3 men who were killed trying to protect some Asian businesses? And not some mosque? Anyway, he felt the "board in Japan" would see it as racial. You tell 'em Janet;-)

The three men killed were Asian, killed by people of Jamaican origin I believe. An elderly white man was beaten to death elsewhere because he was trying to put out a fire. Not, as far as I know, because of his colour.

All talk? http://news.yahoo.com/cameron-riot-hit-uk-must-reverse-moral-collapse-231015878.html

Seems to me both pols are just "all talk". Difficult to change a culture. Like I said, Israel has the answer; mandatory military service for all citizens over 18. I remember speaking to a young gal who was guarding our hotel and she didn't seem to mind. They test and give them a skill. Mostly, they learn discipline.

Not in the best of taste, but made me smile, in a wry way: THE RIOTERS PRAYER Our father, who art in prison, My mum knows not his name, Thy riots come, read it in the Sun, In Birmingham, as it is in London, Give us this day our welfare bread And forgive us our looting, As we're happy to loot those who defend stuff against us, Lead us not into employment But deliver us free housing, For thine is the telly, The Burberry & the Bacardi, Forever and ever...innit !!

Janet, I haven't got it in for Glasgow but don't chose to spend my holidays visiting cities. I go to Scotland to get away from it all & to enjoy the fantastic scenery & the wild life . (Dorine)I consider it a lynchpin of democracy. I am not saying I would ban demonstrations- I just don't agree with them. We have too many in London. Roads have to be closed & this causes a great deal of inconvenience to residents & visitors, huge numbers of extra police are employed at considerable expense to the tax payer & , however peaceful the intentions of the organisers, trouble makers & anarchists are attracted to them, many of them high on drugs & it is all too easy for things to get out of control. It has happened twice recently & many innocent people have suffered

Peggy, the beauty of Glasgow is that within half and hour, you can be on the banks of Loch Lomond, Some evenings, we go for a drive just to see the sun set there:-)

Flash mob hits a convenience store in Maryland..nice orderly crowd though, no violence...only stole what they wanted to eat and drink at the moment. Notice the girl who politely picks up a bag of chips that falls on the floor. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/08/a-super-mellow-but-still-criminal-flash-mob-in-maryland.html

Much more pleasant to click on another vid at that site of a flash mob (spontaneous-looking, highly choreographed dance routine at a public venue) at the Marin Farmers Market. Pity how the term has changed from something quite fun and entertaining to scary lawlessness.

I've heard the crowds at the Harrod's sale can get quite aggressive too!;-)

I imagine people heard the news about Gerard Depardieu, but did anyone see the video that has gone viral with Anderson Cooper breaking up with laughter in the middle of his piece on The Ridiculist about it? If you want to skip most of the plethora of puns, skip to about 2:30 in and it's where he really loses it. Very funny. Hope I never see GD sitting near me at a restaurant again. I might lose my appetite. http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2011/08/18/video_cooper_loses_it_on_cnn_over_depardieus_plane_pee/

South Dakota schools cut costs with 4-day week: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SHRINKING_SCHOOL_WEEK?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-08-21-16-05-46

Jihadist: Kill David Letterman A poster on an al-Qaeda message board has called on U.S. muslims to cut out David Letterman�s tongue and �break his neck� after the late-night host made a joke about terrorists. "Is there not among you a Sayyid Nosair al-Mairi ... to cut the tongue of this lowly Jew and shut it forever?" the poster, who went by Umar al-Basrawi, asked. (Al-Mairi killed Jewish Defense League founder Meir Kahane in 1990; Letterman is not Jewish.) Al-Basrawi was particularly angered by jokes Letterman had made about Osama bin Laden and Muhammad Ilyas Kashmiri, an al-Qaeda operative who was killed June 3. When it learned of the threat, the NYPD notified CBS and Letterman at his suburban home; the department may also provide a police detail when Letterman comes to New York City. Read it at New York Post August 18, 2011 6:47 AM

That's nuts. Surely not the first such joke he's made?

Did you see Dave's monologue on this threat? Worth digging up.

It's on my DVR, will watch tonight. But how crazy are those people?

Oh, man. Not good news about Steve Jobs resigning.

Watched news reports of Hurricane, Irene. Keep safe anyone in the US in it's path.

Thanks, Sue. Every time they show that "likely path" map, it seems the red line goes right through my yard.:-( We are stocked up, extra water, flashlight batteries, etc. One of my friends joked that if we lose power, we may actually have to talk to our husbands, LOL.

LOL, love your humour in the face of adversity, Mari. Strange things happen. One of my favourite Aunt's sadly passed away today, her name was Irene.

So sorry to hear that, Sue. I hope she made a goodly age. I'll be thinking of all my east coast friends a relatives today. Stay safe.

Thanks, Lorna. She was 89 years young. Huge age diff between the youngest born (my Mum) and the eldest. A couple more months and she would have been 90. I will miss her terribly, we were close.

Sue, I am sorry for your loss. Aunts are special people IMO.

Thanks for your thoughts, Peggy. Speaking of another 'Irene', watching the news channels tonight. Unprecedented for NY Transit to be shut down. Anyone here from NC? I know there are a few ladies from the NJ and NY areas. Thinking of you and keep safe. Fingers crossed for you all.

Moon, judging by the radar map I just looked at, you're getting the brunt of it at the moment. Mari and Linda should be getting hit by some heavy rain now it looks like. It's been raining on an off here all morning (lightly on at the moment). Sorry to hear about your aunt, Sue. I have only one left who lives in PA and visit regularly who has to have a hip replaced next month. I worry about it, but she can't function as well now.

Oh goodness, sorry, I forgot about Washington. Moon, hope you are tucked up safe. Maureen is in NJ. Spoke to her on the phone around 30 minutes ago, she said the heavy rain hadn't reached the yet. I am sorry to hear about your Aunt's hip, Dorine. It's a difficult one, I know. My Aunt had dementia and for the last few months of her life she lived in a Nursing Home. A week ago, one morning she complained of a headache, the Nursing home just gave her two paracetamol, by the afternoon she was in a coma in hospital. She had suffered a Cerebral Hemorrhage and never recovered. I take comfort that Ant and I visited her a month ago (we no longer live local to her), we had a lovely chat and a laugh and I gave her a big hug and kiss as we left. She looked very tired and I guess, deep down, I had a hunch then, I wondered whether I would see her again :-(

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtaphotos/6086067149/ As someone commented time for a flash -mob dance

Has NY really been evacuated? I can't believe so many people would leave, and where will they all go?

2 hospitals were evacuated that are in a designated zone with high possibility for flooding. (Never knew there was a such a thing here.) Some were being transferred to the hospital I work in. Never saw that at home in Florida where I lived. Moon? Did that happen where you were? Maybe with Andrew? I know all residents of several nursing homes in Coney Island and other beach areas were evacuated to other facilities. I know Fire Island was closed, but not sure if everyone absolutely left. I heard residents of a beach town on Long Island didn't all leave (one of my former bosses lives there, but no idea if he left). I think many others just stayed in other parts of the city or Long Island or NJ where flooding may not have been as possible, though drainage in many places here tend to be fair and our ground is saturated already from a big rain a week or 2 ago that caused a lot of flooding. And some didn't leave. I haven't really been watching the news (only so much one can take), so I have no idea who didn't leave where. I doubt a big percentage left.

A friend of mine was in Grand Central earlier and said it looked like a good place to film a zombie movie being so deserted. I was tempted to drive over to the city for a bit to see what wasn't going on, but didn't bother (didn't want to lose good parking space ;-)).

They're filming a zombie movie in the centre of Glasgow right now, and it's causing major upheaval with road closures, etc. Great publicity for our city, but not so good for commuters etc.

Unless it shifted in the past couple of hours, the center of the storm is supposed to pass roughly about 3 miles from my apt. The profile pic on my FB page is a pic of the eye/eyewall of Hurricane David going directly over my house in Florida years ago. It was very defined. I don't know if it'll be light when the eye gets here, or if it will be well defined. Will Smith and the Men in Black shoot didn't endear themselves to the city residents when he parked his massive 2-story star trailer near where they were filming and took up so much room. They complained so much he had to move it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/28/nyregion/some-residents-of-rockaway-peninsula-stay-put-as-irene-nears.html?src=mv&ref=nyregion

So sorry to hear about your aunt, Sue. I know how badly I felt when my dear aunt died; she was like a 2nd mother to me. My condolences. (Janet)Has NY really been evacuated? I can't believe so many people would leave, and where will they all go? Just those living in the lowest lying areas, and as you can see from the video that Dorine posted, many did not heed the warning. About 1 million people were evacuated from the South Jersey shore areas. In the greater Philadelphia area, there are almost 500,000 people without power. Luckily, we did not lose power, but my son is without. Some severe flooding in some areas; several deaths.

It must be a nightmare but hope the worst is over- glad to read it's been downgraded from hurricane to severe storm.

Haven't heard from LindaK. In one of her recent posts, she mentioned something about moving, so I wondered if they had moved back to the shore area. Anyone know?