Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Get Real: Hurricane Irene Should Be Renamed "Hurricane Hype"
Forbes via YahooNews ^ | Aug. 27. 2011 | Patrick Michaels

Posted on 08/27/2011 9:51:47 AM PDT by Rennes Templar

Up until now (Friday evening) Irene has been very similar to 1985 hurricane Gloria, though a bit weaker. But the level of hype—because of its projected path near all of the I-95 major cities—is similar to that of 26 years ago.

-snip-

Irene has put on a remarkably similar show. Within the limits of forecasting error, Irene’s projected path makes it was impossible to rule out a major disaster. But, as a dangerous Category 3 storm within two days of land, something similar to what happened to Gloria occurred. Instead of going slightly off course, the power of her winds dropped markedly, at least as measured by hurricane hunter aircraft.

Because it is prudent to not respond to every little tropical cyclone twitch (such as Gloria’s jog or Thursday’s wind drop), the Thursday evening forecast was virtually unchanged, the Internet went thermonuclear, and the Weather Channel’s advertising rates skyrocketed. From that point on, it became all Irene, all the time. With this level of noise, the political process has to respond with full mobilization. Hype begets hype.

-snip-

As I complete this, there’s another tropical depression out in the Atlantic, and a couple more on the way in the very near future. Suppose one of these takes a similar path, except that it improbably threads the needle of the Mid-Atlantic Bight and makes landfall immediately to the west of New York City as a Category 3 storm. How many people will the hyping of Irene have killed? That’s how Hurricane Hype followed by Hurricane Insanity leads to hurricane death.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: hurricane; irene
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-68 next last
To hype or not to hype, that is the question.
1 posted on 08/27/2011 9:51:49 AM PDT by Rennes Templar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Rennes Templar

Yep, a f*rt in a mitten.

Bloomberg bought it lock, stock- er, hook, line and sinker.


2 posted on 08/27/2011 9:55:35 AM PDT by 4buttons
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rennes Templar

The problem with the overblown Hypeacane coverage is when the real thing happens, people won’t react.


3 posted on 08/27/2011 9:55:54 AM PDT by Snickering Hound
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rennes Templar
Wilma was a Cat 1 that hit harder than predicted and destroyed South Florida.

Hyped or not, only an idiot doesn't take a hurricane seriously when they are in it's path.

4 posted on 08/27/2011 9:56:20 AM PDT by Caipirabob ( Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rennes Templar

The storm that cried wolf.

I did not think that the people of New Orleans would botch the evacuation in front of Katrina as badly as they did. Charleston still scares the wits out of me. (1000 people drowned there in 1893.) Hundreds of people drowned during the Hurricane of 1938.


5 posted on 08/27/2011 9:56:24 AM PDT by Lonesome in Massachussets (Somewhere in Kenya a village is missing its idiot)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rennes Templar

All to do with news, news, news...creating fear, fear, fear....


6 posted on 08/27/2011 9:58:04 AM PDT by shield (Rev 2:9 Woe unto those who say they are Judahites and are not, but are of the syna GOG ue of Satan.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rennes Templar

Does this mean that they don’t get their $2000 debit cards?


7 posted on 08/27/2011 10:01:43 AM PDT by tobyhill (A Democrat that doesn't lie would be a lie)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rennes Templar

Does this mean that they don’t get their $2000 debit cards?


8 posted on 08/27/2011 10:01:52 AM PDT by tobyhill (A Democrat that doesn't lie would be a lie)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rennes Templar
NOAA’s Phony “Hurricane” Coming On Shore With 33 MPH Winds

"NOAA claims the winds are 85 MPH, but none of the Weather Underground stations in the area report higher than 33 MPH winds. By definition, this is not a hurricane – and is just barely a tropical storm."

9 posted on 08/27/2011 10:01:57 AM PDT by Species8472 (There is no distinctly native American criminal class...save Congress)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rennes Templar

What saved their bacon was Irene sucking up some dry air at the last minute. Instead of whining be thankful. Cleaning up after a major hurricane isn’t a cup of tea.


10 posted on 08/27/2011 10:02:39 AM PDT by CajunConservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rennes Templar

Call it hype or media-driven, the FACT remains that only the truly stupid fail to take mother nature seriously.


11 posted on 08/27/2011 10:03:56 AM PDT by Erik Latranyi
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rennes Templar

The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace
alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary
(like a hyped storm)
..
that there certainly seems to be increasing hype, and more
“necessity” so it seems to have a population “controlled” by a ‘potential’ crisis.


12 posted on 08/27/2011 10:04:15 AM PDT by Freddd (NoPA ngineers.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rennes Templar

The poor weather channel guy has been STANDING ON THE BEACH at Nag’s Head for hours. Hell, their have been storms in Arizona that have thrown me.

IF this storm were a Cat 4 it would be hell. It is a Cat 1 and going down.


13 posted on 08/27/2011 10:05:28 AM PDT by eyedigress ((Old storm chaser from the west)?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rennes Templar

Yes it’s all Hype as far as I am concerned. The Media always does this though I am not sure what the motivations are. More than likely it has to do with “ratings” but I tend to think it’s the “lust” of these so called news “reporters”, ever in the hunt for that “Human Interest” story which will get them that Pulitzer Prize.

Whatever, I took my precautions but it amazed me how some folks went off the wall and started buying everything in sight. It’s a nasty Hurricane (and yes it can be dangerous) that will cause damage but it’s NOT the end of the world!


14 posted on 08/27/2011 10:06:21 AM PDT by Mr. C (Take Back America!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rennes Templar

I had the misfortune to have breakfast this morning in a restaurant that was tuned to CNN. I swear it seemed they were trying to hype this as “Son of Katrina”. They kept showing the same NC beach videos over and over again, and the idiot reporters wound up interviewing each other.


15 posted on 08/27/2011 10:07:27 AM PDT by COBOL2Java (Obama is the least qualified guy in whatever room he walks into.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rennes Templar
Agreed that there is way too much hype. However any hurricane can be dangerous. It's too bad people don't have the common sense to pay attention to the weather and not what the media says.

That said I rode out a cat 3 hurricane (Donna - 1960) in Nags Head, NC. I was at the First Colony or Lost Colony Motel, a large wood framed building. Most people including most of the locals had left.

There was wind and rain and waves and damage but it wasn't all THAT bad. A generator kept electricity on and a few times I went out on the deck to get a grape soda and ice out of a cooler.

Yes that WAS stupid.

There was surge but IIRC it was mostly on the sound side.

There is a First Colony Motel there today and it looks similar but I'm sure the one we stayed at wasn't as big and was across from the dunes at Jockey Ridge.

16 posted on 08/27/2011 10:08:51 AM PDT by prisoner6 (Right Wing Nuts bolt The Constitution together as the loose screws of the Left fall out!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rennes Templar

0media saddened.


17 posted on 08/27/2011 10:10:30 AM PDT by TribalPrincess2U (Rabid democRATS and 0bama the dictator own it all now.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mr. C
The Media always does this though I am not sure what the motivations are.

Two reasons:

  1. Increased viewership;
  2. Distract people from noticing Obama's economy.
Nothing but bread & circuses...


18 posted on 08/27/2011 10:10:53 AM PDT by COBOL2Java (Obama is the least qualified guy in whatever room he walks into.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Rennes Templar

In keeping with reality, the NOAA has renamed Hurricane Irene...Hurricane AdvertisingRatesRUp.


19 posted on 08/27/2011 10:11:26 AM PDT by Jack Hammer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: prisoner6

I think my family stayed there in 1975. Rough Beach!


20 posted on 08/27/2011 10:11:43 AM PDT by eyedigress ((Old storm chaser from the west)?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-68 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson