Blackout

[MattK]

Looks like power is STARTING to come back on in parts of NYC. Just in time for nightfall.

Just as a side track not that it matters- FIRST headquarters lost power 3 weeks ago beacuse of a blown transformer. We had a bunch of 8-10 year olds trying to build robots in the dark!

Good thing we just gave a segway demo and they where happy!

[Madison]

Originally posted by MattK
Looks like power is STARTING to come back on in parts of NYC. Just in time for nightfall.

Just as a side track not that it matters- FIRST headquarters lost power 3 weeks ago beacuse of a blown transformer. We had a bunch of 8-10 year olds trying to build robots in the dark!

Good thing we just gave a segway demo and they where happy!

NYC has no power. The buildings with lights on are running on their own generators.

[MattK]

Originally posted by M. Krass
NYC has no power. The buildings with lights on are running on their own generators.

Thats not what I heard on MSNBC than from Bloomburgh on Larry King.

I think they are going back and starting to test what will happen if they bring the grid back up.... piece by piece

[Pin Man]

haha that sucks for you guys... but in eastern Mass we run on a seperate generator

[OneAngryDaisy]

What makes me really mad about this is: Scrubs was interrupted by the president's commentary on the blackout.. I do pity all of those new yawkers who were stuck in the hot subway all day long though-

[Ashley Weed]

This is the first my electricity has become stable. I hope it will stay on all night now, becuase without the AC it will be misereable. Signing off soon... try to keep occupied/cool everyone!

[Matt Krass]

Mine's all blinky....I can't help but envision a monkey at the power station flicking a switch everytime the lights go out for a sec and come back.


Yeah....all day stuck with no computer makes matty go batty.

[Katie Reynolds]

Whew ... I'm glad my vacation to the eastern states was last week and not now!

*envisions being stuck in her room of the 39th floor of the Mariott Marquis and shudders*

Glad to hear the power is coming back, though!

[David Kelly]

I predict a baby boom in 9 months

[AJ Quick]

Originally posted by David Kelly
I predict a baby boom in 9 months

Where is the ROTFLMAO icon?


Lets make a list of everyone who was without power.. I had power here in sunny Minnesota.

[WernerNYK]

Wow, finally just got power back here in West Islip, NY (Long Island).

Let me tell you... it is unbelievable all the things that we do in our everyday life that depends on electricity. You never really realize it until it is all totally gone. I can't even begin to explain the feelings that I was having -- I dont think that I have ever been more bored in my life, ever. There is absolutely NOTHING to do. I mean, no lights, no TV, no computer, can't open the fridge, can't cook, stores are all closed, can't get gas, street lights out (causing total chaos in the streets at intersections). Cell phones weren't working, sometimes even normal phones didnt work.

I was actually sitting in the dentist's chair when it all happened. I was only in the chair for about 5 minutes, the hygenist had just briefly looked around in my mouth and was taking my first x-ray. She left the room to press the button, and as the machine's "buzz" was interrupted halfway and everything turned off. I thought maybe it was just a blown fuse at the office. Next thing I know I hear the office talking about that the whole block is out -- even the traffic lights. They try to call the power company, but the phones are dead; sirens are ringing in the background. Everyone there tried their cell phones but they just wouldnt connect to any number. Someone tries their car radio -- many stations arent even running, one was reporting that power was out all the way to Manhattan.

They excused me from the office, I went outside to find people lining the sidewalks, all outside the buildings they were in, talking (well trying to connect anyway) and giving strange looks at their cell phones. The streetlights are out, cars horns are blaring, people are just randomly walking across the street in front of cars. "Power is out in Michigan!" you can hear. I try to leave the parking lot, but without traffic lights it was extremely difficult... the entire ride home was filled with packed roads, chaos, etc. A 30 minute ride took me over 2 hours, thank god I had enough gas. On the radio: Malfunction at a Niagra Falls plant... me: "then why dont we have power down here at LI, we have our own power plants, why dont we just disconnect from the grid and power ourselves for now" -- the thoughts on everyone's minds, on a hot 85 degree afternoon, people are restless and sweaty. Oh yea-- fill up some bottles with water and dont use the water after that.. who knows how long the pumps that create water pressure will remain on backup power. And dont leave candles unattended b/c you wont have phones to call 911 -- which may not even be running -- and the fire dept will have no water pressure to put out a fire.

Yea so that was my day... complete and utter chaos. I've never experienced anything quite like this before (although 9/11 was another very emotional catastrophe, it is a very different type of situation to go through -- both are flat our horrible). I still cannot understand how something like this could go so terribly wrong in this day in age... it just doesnt make sense. Oh well, now it's over (hopefully forever).

[Ian W.]

I found it rather humerous,only because I was stuck at home, and spent all night trying to get a generator going. We did get it going before power came back though, which beat my estimates .

We actually had power going from one generator in my driveway across the street and down a couple of houses, as well as into my house. Only to power three frigdes, but it was worth it.

Oh, and by the way. If you ever have a clogged fuel line, don't put a rubber hose with a larger ID in the line, cause after a few hours of crazy vibrations, it'll come off and spray gasoline everywhere. My hands still smell like gas...

The one thing that really pisses me off. We missed the meteor shower by like, a day! Why couldn't the power go out a few days ago and be clear skies...

Oh well, now I'm off to brave the LIE to get to the last day of my internship. Hoepfully most of the lights are on, as Long Island is on it's own power grid for the day.

[Adam Y.]

FEDERAL POWER REGULATORS did not identify the power plant, but CNN reported that a fire had been reported at a transformer at the Consolidated Edison plant in New York City. Most of the affected cities are linked on the same regional power grid.

Actually no fire just smoke because of the plant shutting down. Anyway I was on a date with my girlfriend when the power went out. It was fun especially since the power was off for the lights and there was not many cops to be seen. I just love how history repeats itself.

[Koko Ed]

First the robbery/homicide on the Xerox campus and then this. I'm just glad they both didn't happen at the same time.

[Ian W.]

Yeah, it sucks when you drive 25 miles to get somewhere, learn that the place is closed, but wait for an hour to turn around, and then drive 25 miles back home.

On the plus side, I figured out that a Honda Accord has slightly better acceleration than a Volvo (I can't remember the type now :\). My friend's car was faster in the end though... .

And it was a 55 MPH road, so we weren't breaking any laws (on Long Island, you're supposed to go, minimum, 10 MPH over the speed limit, seriously ).