Scott Dolan

I wish I needed speakers right now. I'd jump on those in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, I have no system to currently attach them to. My PSB Speakers M4U-1 cans are the sweetest headphones I've ever owned. Gave away my Sennheiser 595's after getting the PSB's. They are that superior. I don't know what magic formula PSB Speakers has stumbled upon, but they have a leg up on the competition at this point.

Yeah, Andrew fed off the Everglades. Warm water, the magic elixir. Did you ever see that high altitude shot looking down on south Florida after Andrew passed where you could see the physical line of destruction? That was rather amazing. Another interesting fact some may not know is that Andrew was listed as a Cat 4 for about a decade before research after the fact determined that it was really a Cat 5. Of course, those of us in south Florida at the time kind of suspected it from the beginning.

One thing to keep in mind is that Hurricanes often are at their most powerful while out over the Atlantic. When I lived in Florida I used to physically track Hurricanes on Hurricane maps that could be picked up for free at any grocery store, for example. With coordinates and pencil in hand I'd track them. Some of the sizes and strengths I tracked over the Atlantic were enough to turn you ghost white. But MOST of the time they lost energy before making landfall. Fingers crossed this one falls into the MOST of the time category.

Yes, they start evacuating the Keys five to six days out, normally. If they didn't those folks wouldn't make it out after the mainland evacuations start.

Not that Allen needs, or likely wants, my help, please allow me to chime in. PSB Speakers is one of the top "budget" speaker manufacturers in the world. Widely acknowledged, and highly awarded. Really, the Canadian companies are at the top of the heap these days. When I built my current system it came down to the PSB Speakers Imagine B and the Dynaudio Excite X12's. The ONLY reason I went with the Dynaudios is because I wanted them in his gloss piano black, a finish PSB Speakers didn't offer in the Imagine line. I paid $1200. These are a HUGE steal! Now, do you have the stats for the receiver/amp you'd be driving these with? I can help you figure out the matching aspect if you know your output watts. If nothing else, if you currently have the money, you could always buy them now, and I can assist you in any way that I can as far as what else you're looking to buy to power them. Your call, but I will give you any advice that I can.

Current track takes the eyewall right over my old stomping grounds that were destroyed by Charley in 2004. But things could change dramatically between now and Saturday.

I don't believe the XBs can accept bi-wiring.

All PSB Speakers have five way gold binding posts. So you could use bare wire or banana clips.

That's a steal and a half for some rather amazing speakers! Wish I was in the market for some right now...

Burned through all of Season 2 of Last Chance U yesterday. Simply fantastic. Even better than Season 1.

Yeah, we saw them on opening night of their 1994 tour. Cleanest sounding, and most wonderfully played concert I've ever been too. And that's not hyperbole.

Heartbreaking...

Or Buddy Rich...

And the biggest problem there is private insurers putting the squeeze on the government by refusing flood insurance in many areas. It was a big problem in Florida because homes there are so damned expensive, and most of the Gulf Coastal towns are actually below sea level. Either way, there is plenty of blame to go around. It's all part of the "it'll never happen here" syndrome. Mark my words, we'll see all kinds of changes made in Texas after this. Building codes, mostly. But give it 3-5 years and you'll see most of them overturned...by the voters! There's an enormous housing community in Charlotte Harbor called Deep Creek. Kind of upper mid class. Well, one of the deed restrictions there was that all homes had to have concrete/clay roof tile. None of that asphalt bullshit the peasantry lines their shacks with! When Charley came through with 145mph straight lines, and gusts up to 175mph, those look at me roof tiles became incredibly dangerous projectiles that ended up doing even more damage. Later in the year, Charlotte County voted to remove the deed restriction mandating those tiles. Three years later, after much uproar from the people, they relented and put the restriction back in place. Those who do not learn from their mistakes...

As destructive as high winds are, I'd rather take my chance with them rather than deal with such crushing flooding.

Finger pointing is a guaranteed byproduct of any disaster. Especially of this magnitude. But I have to admit that I found this article very interesting. I've seen similar bureaucratic disregard on the Gulf Coast of Florida, as well. https://www.washingtonpost.com/classic-apps/how-wild-west-growth-may-have-contributed-to-devastating-flood-in-houston/2017/08/29/290e4e56-8c13-11e7-91d5-ab4e4bb76a3a_story.html?utm_term=.c5d16ee0d6a2

Thank God for that email, and alerting us to what is going on over there! The lazy and incompetent national newspapers here have completely ignored the situation!

First Lady footwear, and a pissing contest over which country is providing the best international news coverage. This thread has turned into one of the sillier ones I've ever seen here.

And I provided two links to stories from The Washington Post proving otherwise.

I have to completely agree with Chuck on this one. While all disasters and deaths are grievous, Nepal, India, and Bangladesh have to focus locally/regionally on their problem, just as we do. The last thing the people of Texas are concerned with right now is the plight of those in Nepal, India, and Bangladesh. And I guarantee the people in those countries have no time, or emotional energy, to spare for the people of Texas. That's not cold or uncaring on either side of the equation. That's simply reality. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/flooding-maroons-people-in-indian-states-eases-in-nepal/2017/08/17/6e7c3304-8321-11e7-9e7a-20fa8d7a0db6_story.html?utm_term=.c836d3dda35c https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/08/29/attention-is-on-harvey-but-flooding-has-killed-thousands-this-month-in-other-countries-too/?utm_term=.699f57134195

The Astrodome still exists?! I thought they tore that thing down years ago. Mrs. Trump is a very striking lady. As was Mrs. Obama. I try to remain respectful. No matter whether I agree with their husbands politics, or not.

Yeah, probably not the happiest of birthdays for him...

Rita, considering the relative feminist that you are, it strikes me as absurdly hypocritical that you would participate in such objectification/shaming. I agree with what Jim posted above. What the First lady wears is of no consequence. Never is. Our previous First Lady also suffered a lot of unjustified criticism. That doesn't make it right. The policies and actions of the President are all that matters. Incredibly, he's now on a one in a row hot streak for proceeding correctly. We should probably just appreciate that for what it is, especially since odds are that it won't last.

Also, don't be opposed to donating to any religious-based charities just because you aren't. They tend to do some of the very best work in situations like this. We're actually donating to one.

Based on what I saw after Andrew ('92) and Charley ('04), the most heartening stuff has yet to begin. Once the storm has finally passed, and the cleanup/rebuilding begins, THAT'S when you'll see the really good stuff that people are made of. Quick story: after Charley I loaded up our SUV with water/batteries/food/whathaveyou, and headed home. After checking around the Port Charlotte/Punta Gorda area on friends and family, I hunkered down in my old neighborhood to help with cleanup. A pair of brothers I knew from down the street showed up one afternoon with a stranger by the name of Jesse in tow. Super nice cat that I struck up a conversation with. Come to find out he had no relatives or friends in the area. But he'd lost his home in a tornado a few years before (in Pennsylvania, IIRC) and when he saw the destruction Charley had wrought, he threw his chainsaw in the trunk of his car, and headed straight into ground zero. Randomly ended up in our neighborhood, and was taken in by the brothers, and their equally awesome mother. Had been there a couple of days before me, and was there when I left a few days later. Still no power, still no running water. Saw a lot of things there, good and bad. But Jesse, wherever he may currently roam, restored a little bit of my faith in humanity. I have faith you'll meet a Jesse there, too.