Florida Hurricane ...

[Osi Osgood]

For Chip, Paul and other Florida forum members ... PLEASE be careful. It's a category 3 severity weather system/storm, with up to, according to reports, 15 or more feet of water, as well as a ton of residual issues after the storm. Our thoughts are with you. The Osgood family.

[Osi Osgood]

Correction ... Category 4 hurricane, multiple threats of tornados as well

[Chip Gelmini]

Thank you so far everything is OK and secure. It actually reminds me of a Cape Cod nor Easter......

[Paul Adsett]

Thanks Osi - everything OK at our house. I'm glad to hear Chip is ok - he was way closer to the hurricane than we were. As was Alan Gouger in Tampa. The power was going on and off almost continually, but fortunately it held up over night, and my many surge protectors did their job.

[Chip Gelmini]

I have many surge protectors here, too. Only the protectors are plugged in to the 110 power 24/7. When I run movies and sound - the surge protectors are connected to equipment. When the theater is closed everything is disconnected from the 110 a/c.

So under the benches and bookcases there is a vast array of even more surge protectors that remain plugged in.

It's not like I unplug every single piece of equipment when closing down.

Air conditioner extension cords feed everything else.

The air conditioner cords (2) get unplugged from the main wall mounted surge protectors.

And I used a similar design for my desktop pc as well.

Making this the safest way to protect the most valuable pieces...............

Case in point: Three years ago I had that nasty lightning strike that did about $2,000.00 in damage. Well boys and girls - EVERYTHING movie and PC related never felt it. LET THAT SINK IN.

The only question that remains is, "How many feet of cable do I have?" And I really do not know.

[Mike Newell]

Hope all are safe. You could always watch Key Largo or Twister until the storm is over.

[Osi Osgood]

So far, sadly, over 40 dead. Thankfully, You, Paul and Chip are safe. Hope all others are as well

[Ken Finch]

Pleased to hear all is well with you all. It seems the whole world is experiencing extreme weather conditions due to climate change. For the past year or so we seem to have had as many power and water supply problems as we did during the London blitz I experienced as a child. I am rather intrigued by the comments regarding power surges in the U.S. The national grid was established in the U K long before my lifetime. All properties were fitted with a fuse at the meter and also a fuse box for all the house circuits. Of recent years the fuse boxes have been replaced by trip switches which are more sensitive than the fuses. A power surge from the grid would trip the fuse at the meter or the input at the house box. However, a lightning strike at an aerial or satalite dish would kill anything connected to it so one is advised to disconnect anything connected including power plugs. With the rising costs involved these days I unplug anything that is not in constant use anyway particularly if it contains any electronic circuitry.

[Osi Osgood]

A lot of suffering out there, over 60 known dead and not just in Florida alone, but in the surrounding states as well.

[Ken Finch]

I do hope our fellow enthusiasts are still o k. With power supplies down they may not be able to make contact. Unfortunately it will require massive changes in the life styles of the whole human race to reduce carbon emissions and stop destroying the rain forests. Folk like us do what we can but we are not in control.

[Chip Gelmini]

Richard Burgess was it hard he's OK but living without power for several days no one is hurt in his family. They are just struggling without power right now.

he is known for Bell and Howell worm gear repairs He is in Hendersonville, North Carolina

[Osi Osgood]

Ken, I understand and support your wanting to have as little of a "carbon foot print" as possible, but sadly, no matter what carbon emissions we get rid of, that won't stop the climate change. Were going thru a period of time when there are elevated temps. When the last ice ages came and went, there were no industrial issues and yet, climate change happened, just the same. To be back on topic, the number of people that have been affected are higher than expected. There are whole small towns and such that are cut off, that this time next year, won't exist. Simply unfortunate.

[Brian Fretwell]

Also, at present, despite us cutting the use of fosil fuels and biomass, the number of forest and wild fires must almost counteract that. We should start to take measures to stop fires spreading.

[Osi Osgood]

Very good point, Brian. One of the only good things to come out of one of these disasters, is how people, who usually wouldn't give the time of day to each other, when a disaster hits, come out and help they're fellow man. It warms the heart to see that. Maybe there's hope for humanity in the end?

[Osi Osgood]

Now we have a second monster storm to hit Florida, just ten days after being massively hit by Helene, with people still dealing with the debris. My friends in Florida, prepare, please take care.