One assumes the tape on this particular storefront will be removed with a quick, deliberate yank.
Irene took all the bread.
Hey Vanessa, I'll see your X's and raise you book love!
Before (above) and after (below) the deli gives new meaning to the phrase "sandwich board."
Messages and information about pet rescue is shown on the Humane Society's Twitter page.
Several organizations are helping victims of Hurricane Irene. Here's how you can help:
Guidance for you
To help you make decisions about donations, one website to use as a resource is Charity Navigator, a non-profit organization that has information on more than 5,000 charities and evaluates the groups' financial health.
And while giving is good, beware of those out there who are not good and are trying to scam you by taking your money over the Internet and using e-mail. The Federal Trade Commission"cautions that scammers may try to take advantage of a disaster, and so consumers should be wary of urgent appeals for charitable donations, and watch out for fraudulent home repair schemes after a storm."
You can read more about avoiding home repair rip-offs and charity fraud from the FTC.
Also, the FBI, on its Facebook page, reminds folks "to beware of fraudulent e-mails and websites claiming to conduct charitable relief efforts. Disasters prompt individuals with criminal intent to solicit contributions purportedly for a charitable organization or a good cause," and suggests reading "Tips on Avoiding Fraudulent Charitable Contribution Schemes" to learn more about avoiding online fraud.
Related stories:
City of Newark, NJ
Anyone familiar Newark mayor Cory Booker's obsessive mission to boost his city won't be surprised to learn that as Hurricane Irene bore down on New Jersey, it didn't slow him down. He spent Saturday going door to door in evacuation zones to make sure everyone gets out, tweeting all the way. If you're unschooled on the awesomeness of the man known as "America's Best Mayor," follow along on Cory Booker's Twitter feed:
Mayor Cory Booker will check on you personally
Mayor Cory Booker has the phone numbers you need
Mayor Cory Booker delivers
Mayor Cory Booker sees your point
Mayor Cory Booker speaks your language
Mayor Cory Booker does not sleep
Mayor Cory Booker gets your "Lord of the Rings" reference
Mayor Cory Booker thinks you're awesome, too
More on Hurricane Irene:
Helen A.S. Popkin goes blah blah blah about the Internet. Tell her to get a real job on Twitter and/or Facebook. Also, Google+.
NBC station WAVY-TV of Portsmouth, Va., reports from Nags Head, N.C., as the first big winds and waves begin crashing ashore.
Yes. Yes. We all know you made this joke, like, days ago. Unlike you, however, this dude Ollie Byrd got around to actually slapping together some lyrics and a video. Anyone from a coastal community familiar with the requisite jackasses who'd rather shred than evacuate will especially appreciate the particular theme the parody takes. Plus, admit it. Your Kevin Rowland impression isn't nearly as amusing.
More on Hurricane Irene:
Helen A.S. Popkin goes blah blah blah about the Internet. Tell her to get a real job on Twitter and/or Facebook. Also, Google+.
Screenshot from "Disaster Prep" app
As someone who's been through a few hurricanes, and who has several emergency kits ready to go, I can tell you there are far more resources now than ever. Before you start knocking heads over that last bottle of water in the grocery aisle, try downloading these free mobile apps in preparation for the coming storm. They might make all the difference in the world as Irene — or any disaster — approaches.
Disaster Prep (iPhone only): Fairly comprehensive in its scope, this app covers disaster kit checklists, a personal medical record database, reminders every six months to check/rotate kit supplies, family emergency plan forms, insurance and vehicle information, as well as first aid and basic CPR. Also a bonus, if and when you have more time: The ability to import photos and PDF files of EKGs, X-rays, lab results and other medical information. (Nicely done, San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department Emergency Preparedness Office!)
Screenshot of "FEMA" app
Federal Emergency Management Agency (Android only): Another comprehensive app that features an interactive checklist for emergency kits, a section to plan emergency meeting locations, information on how to stay safe during and in the aftermath of a disaster, a map with FEMA Disaster Recovery Center locations (one-stop centers where disaster survivors can access key relief services) and shelters, general ways the public can get involved before and after a disaster, and if that's not enough reading for you, the FEMA blog.
Shelter View by American Red Cross (iPhone only): This app gives lets users map locations and shelter details across the United States. They can zoom in to the local area and view details on each shelter, such as which agency is managing the shelter, its capacity and current population, the disaster event and the specific shelter address and location. The info comes via the American Red Cross National Shelter System (NSS), which includes 60,000 potential disaster facilities.
Screenshot of American Red Cross' "Shelter View" app
More than likely, you're also trying to find resources to stock up on to fill those lists, like food and gas. So definitely download these to help you:
Gas Buddy (iPhone, Android): This app not only will map the closest gas stations to you, it'll tell you how much you'll expect to pay. We know beggars can't be choosers when demand is so high, but at least this way, you have options.
Poynt (iPhone, Android): Like the name suggests, this app points you to nearby businesses based on your search specifications, people, restaurants, gas stations, events and movies, should you feel like it's all too much and you need to get away for a few hours of reality-free, storm-free life.
Screenshot of step-by-step video instruction on the "S.O.S" app
During a crisis, you never know what may come up, and you may not have access to health care providers as soon as you like, since they're likely to be deployed to the heart of the emergency. Even if you know basic first aid, it doesn't hurt to have something like this on hand:
S.O.S by American Red Cross (Android only): Step-by-step video narration by Dr. Oz (yes, Dr. Oz, from the show) on 50 common emerency care situations and allows users to follow along with demos; and 3-D animations, audio and visual counters for real time CPR compressions.
ICE: Emergency Contact (Android, similar apps are available for iPhone): With one click (a widget on your home screen), you can send SMS alerts to all your saved contacts and call rescue workers if you're in trouble and need help immediately. You can save useful medical information for rescue workers (allergies, medications, pre-existing conditions, your identity, organ donor status, blood type, etc.) and contact the right people "in case of emergency." (Get it?)
Screenshot of the "ICE" widget on an Android home screen
BuddyGuard VIP (iPhone only): Primarily billed as a way to protect your iPhone in case of theft, it records "images, audio and your GPS location and sends them to a server in the cloud. It's like your own black box." But it goes the extra step in sending alerts to friends, family, or whoever you designate, if you fail to check in at the time you set.
If Irene and the earthquake before it got you a little jumpy for the next disaster, consider downloading this so you'll see what's coming in plenty of time before it strikes:
Disaster Alert by Pacific Disaster Center (iPhone, Android): It runs down a listing and an interactive map of "Active Hazards" occurring around the globe, that includes (but is not limited to) hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, tsunamis and volcanoes.
Related stories:
Check out Technolog on Facebook, and on Twitter, follow Athima Chansanchai, who is also trying to keep her head above water in the Google+ stream.
While it seems that there's no shortage of Hurricane Irene-related information available on the Internet, it can be extremely helpful to have that information — evacuation maps, Red Cross Safety Tips, what would it look like if Irene really slammed Manhattan — all in one place.
A newly launched community-powered support network for Hurricane Irene serves as "a public service to give people a place to get Hurricane Irene news, share ideas on how to prepare for a hurricane and help one another with preparing," according to its landing page description.
The Hurricane Irene network allows users to share ideas, report problems and give praise, and includes a handy set of links to evacuation maps and disaster preparedness information. It lives on the community platform for Get Satisfaction, a San Francisco-based company that helps businesses connect with customers through forums.
Currently there are only 19 members in the Hurricane Irene network, but the potential value is there. Accessing Facebook and Twitter in the event of big news is the automatic reflex for many of us, whether we're looking for news or just to connect. The Hurricane Irene network, however, includes a host of resources and news in the same place where you can connect with others affected by the storm. And unlike our daily social networks, there's no need to endure what someone had for breakfast or their final thoughts on Kim Kardashian's nuptials to find the help you need.
More on Hurricane Irene resources:
Helen A.S. Popkin goes blah blah blah about the Internet. Tell her to get a real job on Twitter and/or Facebook. Also, Google+.
As Hurricane Irene gets closer, homeowners aren't the only ones battening down the hatches, Martha C. White reports on msnbc.com: Insurance companies are also taking numerous steps to make sure a strong storm season doesn't blow them away.
Unfortunately, this often comes at the expense of the very homeowners who are counting on their insurance policies to protect them from a financial disaster caused by broken windows, fallen trees and other acts of nature.
"The insurance industry does not like to have to play claims. The idea is to make a profit, so they use many different ways to avoid having to pay claims," says John Garamendi, the former California insurance commissioner.
Depending on where you are and how much you're affected by Hurricane Irene — the storm battering the East Coast — you may or may not be able to get online consistently. But if you can access the Internet, you should know that there are many terrific sites which will help you track weather developments, local situations, and more.
Here's a list of some key online resources.
The National Hurricane Center
This is the National Weather Service's official hurricane site. It provides some of the most up-to-date information on the storm.
Msnbc.com's hurricane tracker
We've got our own interactive maps ready to help you track the storm.
The Weather Channel's hurricane tracker
Data on the hurricane's predicted path as well as vital statistics such as wind speeds, ground speeds, pressure, and so on.
The New York Times' hurricane tracking map
An oddly beautiful interactive visualization of the storm and its predicted path.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's website
More storm maps than most would ever want to see, with a more intense science focus.
The Google Crisis Response Center
A dashboard with maps that you can use to overlay various data, Google Maps style.
Your local TV or newspaper sites
For the best granular information in your particular city or region, it's probably a good idea to check your local media outlets' websites.
NASA's Earth Observatory
Plenty of scary photos of the storm (which you can turn into wallpapers or something once everything is well and calm again).
Related stories:
Rosa Golijan writes about tech here and there. She's obsessed with Twitter and loves to be liked on Facebook. Oh, and she can be found on Google+, too.
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station captured images of Hurricane Irene as seen from space.
Just how big is Hurricane Irene? It spans nearly 500 miles in video sent back to Earth from the International Space Station.
If you live in the Northeast and you want to flee Hurricane Irene, where do you go? If you're like many snowbirds — Northeasterners who flock to Florida's sunshine during the winter — there's only one answer: back to Florida. Click the video above for a report from NBC station WBBH-TV of fort Myers, Fla.
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