Messages

4876

General Discussion / Re: The Front Porch

« on: April 29, 2009, 02:14:55 PM »

Sorry for the double post but I wanted to add something.

I'm not trying to say that the boy being from Mexico is less significant, it's just as unfortunate either way.  So far, every case in the US has been mild.  This may be because IN GENERAL people in the United States live in a cleaner environment with better access to health care, which may lead to us having better immune systems.  We don't know this, but it is possible.  I'm not saying there won't be any deaths here, the epedemic may just not be as severe here as in Mexico.

That is actually true. This is one of those situations where it is difficult not to go either way. Most people are either completely panicked or completely pretentious, in that they are too cocky that they will not contract the virus.

Well, one of the probable cases in Michigan has been confirmed....... 
From Lansing's NBC Station, WILX:

Michigan Confirms 1st Case of Swine Flu
LANSING - Officials with the State of Michigan Joint Information Center say a Livingston County woman does have swine flu. The Centers for Disease Control confirmed Michigan's first case of the swine flu Wednesday. No other cases have been confirmed at this time, although the state and the C.D.C. are testing samples from other patients described as "probable cases."

Livingston County health officials announced on Monday that the 34-year old Livingston County woman was a probable case. She had recently visited San Antonio Texas, where she had been in the vicinity of pigs at a petting farm.

Livingston County is the county right next to the one I live in, Ingham County
We are still waiting on another possible case in Ottawa county, along the lakeshore just west of Grand Rapids. There may be other cases as well, we are waiting to find out as test results take 24-48 hours to process.

4877

General Discussion / Re: Swine Flu

« on: April 29, 2009, 02:11:43 PM »

Well, one of the probable cases in Michigan has been confirmed....... 
From Lansing's NBC Station, WILX:

Michigan Confirms 1st Case of Swine Flu
LANSING - Officials with the State of Michigan Joint Information Center say a Livingston County woman does have swine flu. The Centers for Disease Control confirmed Michigan's first case of the swine flu Wednesday. No other cases have been confirmed at this time, although the state and the C.D.C. are testing samples from other patients described as "probable cases."

Livingston County health officials announced on Monday that the 34-year old Livingston County woman was a probable case. She had recently visited San Antonio Texas, where she had been in the vicinity of pigs at a petting farm.

Livingston County is the county right next to the one I live in, Ingham County
We are still waiting on another possible case in Ottawa county, along the lakeshore just west of Grand Rapids. There may be other cases as well, we are waiting to find out as test results take 24-48 hours to process.

4878

Everything Else TWC / Re: General TWC Discussion

« on: April 29, 2009, 08:43:33 AM »

Also, TWC had a little problem with the Left Display Line last night. I was surprised when I put on TWC shortly after 2 AM, an hour after my modem (allows me to use internet, phone) randomly decided to stop working. Anyway, part of the Left Display Line was appearing on the left side of the screen. I got recordings of it. It was fixed by the time I woke up this morning.

4879

General Discussion / Re: Swine Flu

« on: April 29, 2009, 08:34:33 AM »

I think there has been a lot of hype over this. Wonder if this will get really bad...

WAY too much hype in my opinion. They never worried about a Staf Infection (I am not sure how to spell it) and that has far more capabilities to wipe out an entire population. Anyway, I am getting very annoyed by this. Now, people are panicing here in the Capital City as a possible case has been reported in Livingston County (the next county over from Ingham County, which is where I live) and over by the lakeshore in Ottawa County just west of Grand Rapids.

Schools are also on high alert around here.
According to my school district's page:

Swine Flu Information

Swine influenza is a virus infection that can cause a wide range of symptoms, including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.  Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting.  Like seasonal flu, swine flu in humans can vary in severity from mild to severe. Please be advised that no case of swine flu has been identified in the school district.  To date, the illness rate in the district is normal to below normal.

In an effort to be pro-active regarding information about the Swine Flu, Haslett school officials attended a meeting at the Ingham County Health Department on April 27.  The Health Department has requested that we assist them in tracking the flu illness and help prevent the possible spread of such illness.  We will be reporting our absences to the ICHD, as requested, on a daily basis. 

We have also reminded our staff and students to continue the following personal hygiene practices:  cover mouths when coughing and sneezing, wash hands often, use gel sanitizers and stay home if you exhibit any of the symptoms. 

We are in touch daily with the ICHD and will update the information on our web site as new information becomes available.

4880

Everything Else TWC / Re: General TWC Discussion

« on: April 29, 2009, 08:28:38 AM »

  Interesting?   I don't know if this is a good thing or not.

I can't decide either....... 
This is the first I found out about this

4881

General Discussion / Re: The Front Porch

« on: April 29, 2009, 07:52:20 AM »

I am so tired of hearing about the Swine Flu!
It has become such a big deal that TWC is now having a whole segment on it and an interview with Tom Skinner from the CDC?!?!? 

I made up a club. it's called "For those who are so freakin tired of hearing the swine flu"! I am WAY annoyed than most of you guys are.

Sign me up

Me too! 

I am so tired of hearing about the Swine Flu!
It has become such a big deal that TWC is now having a whole segment on it and an interview with Tom Skinner from the CDC?!?!? 

They're overreacting it at school too when there aren't even any known cases of it here yet.

Apparently, there are two possible cases of it here in the Wolverine State, one in Livingston County, which is the county right next to Ingham County (mine), and there is another just west of Grand Rapids along the lakeshore in Ottawa County.

According to the Home Page of my school district:

Swine Flu Information

Swine influenza is a virus infection that can cause a wide range of symptoms, including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.  Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting.  Like seasonal flu, swine flu in humans can vary in severity from mild to severe. Please be advised that no case of swine flu has been identified in the school district.  To date, the illness rate in the district is normal to below normal.



In an effort to be pro-active regarding information about the Swine Flu, Haslett school officials attended a meeting at the Ingham County Health Department on April 27.  The Health Department has requested that we assist them in tracking the flu illness and help prevent the possible spread of such illness.  We will be reporting our absences to the ICHD, as requested, on a daily basis. 

We have also reminded our staff and students to continue the following personal hygiene practices:  cover mouths when coughing and sneezing, wash hands often, use gel sanitizers and stay home if you exhibit any of the symptoms. 

We are in touch daily with the ICHD and will update the information on our web site as new information becomes available.

So, everyone is freaking out about it! 

4882

General Discussion / Re: The Front Porch

« on: April 29, 2009, 12:44:57 AM »

I am so tired of hearing about the Swine Flu!
It has become such a big deal that TWC is now having a whole segment on it and an interview with Tom Skinner from the CDC?!?!? 

4883

Local Forecast / Re: General LF Discussion

« on: April 28, 2009, 10:14:38 PM »

Wow, that was one late LF! That last LF started just 5 seconds before 10:10!

4884

Programming and Graphics / Re: Another long form show on TWC?

« on: April 28, 2009, 05:33:02 PM »

Vortex2 = storm chasing with Mike Bettes!

This will definitely be one long-form show that I will watch.

Yeah, it seems pretty interesting to me too. Perhaps it could give me tips on storm chasing, as I have always wanted to see a tornado in person

4885

Programming and Graphics / Another long form show on TWC?

« on: April 28, 2009, 04:41:52 PM »

Baton down the hatches! 
Vortex2, a new show, is coming to TWC!
I am not excited for YET ANOTHER long form show on TWC, but this one actually sounds interesting to me imo. 

4886

General Discussion / Re: The Front Porch

« on: April 28, 2009, 04:38:31 PM »

IMO, TWC needs to be just that: The Weather. I can remember a time where there was only ONE long-form programming show, and that was Atmospheres. Ratings for "The Weather" just seems ridiculous. It's there for one purpose, and one purpose only, to get the Weather.

Plus the whole Global Warming scare is nothing short of insanity.

TWC has certainly lost most, if not all focus, of what it once was, and what it should be.

I agree completely. And if it took several awful changes in the look of the Local Forecast, so be it. Anyway, I too can at least faintly remember the day when TWC was all about weather. I remember when the ads were playing for Storm Stories before it first premiered in January 2003, which is the first long form show I seem to remember on TWC. I miss the old days. The icons and look of the Local Forecast may be a major reason, but NOT the only reason.

4887

Local Forecast / Re: What lf songs do you wish to have?

« on: April 28, 2009, 04:34:25 PM »

You do realize that song never aired on TWC right?

Actually, I don't. Any playlists from before September 2008 are pretty vague to me (except the September 2007 playlist, which is my favorite of all time ).
Anyway, since it was on one of Derek's videos, I assumed it had played at some point on TWC.

4888

General Discussion / Re: The Front Porch

« on: April 28, 2009, 02:54:06 PM »

Wow, I have the funniest story to tell about what I heard on the radio this morning!
I was listening to the oldies station here (Oldies 92.1, now 92x classic hits), as the radio personality who stars on the show (Tim Baron) was conversing with the meteorologist they have a contract with from a local news station here. They were talking about The Weather Channel!   

They talked about the fact that TWC has become all about ratings, and has too much long-form programming on. If you have some severe weather going on in your area, you would rather them talk about that instead of have ICHT, or some other long-form show playing. Jake Dunn (the metorologist) was saying that TWC is trying to scare their viewers, rather than give them important weather information.
Jake also made the point that TWC has become more of a form of entertainment than a source of credible and important information.   

When I heard Jake say that TWC was all about ratings, I tuned right in. I can't possibly agree more with that statement  , as TWC has put out too much programming and has changed how everything looks (Intellistar, icons that they think look realistic but really don't, etc). If the average viewer does not pop some popcorn and sit on the couch for a relaxing evening with TWC, why should TWC care about how little things (Intellistar, icons) look? Why did they feel those things needed to be changed in the first place? I don't blame them for broadcasting everything in [HD] to stay competitive, but they have become so consumed in that and very little if any of their old programming (including LF intros, show openers) has been used since early June 2008.

I don't remember everything as I was not paying attention to it all, and this is a much simplified version of what they said. I am used to not paying attention to the radio, but more along the lines of what else is on my mind. I sure wish I would have recorded it, but I can only record one thing at a time with my tuner, and I am always recording TWC. 

Anyway, feel free to discuss, and I am sorry this was so long 

4889

Local Forecast / Re: General LF Discussion

« on: April 28, 2009, 11:08:38 AM »

Wow, I am so confused! I just heard "Cuban Coffee" at 10:48 AM EDT and "Camouflage" at 10:58 AM EDT. BOTH sound off and like bizzarre remixes to me 

4890

Local Forecast / Re: Satellite LF Sightings

« on: April 28, 2009, 08:45:25 AM »

4:08 PM CT; Flash flood warning is going across the screen while satellite LF is there 

The advisory crawls runs independently and run for a specific amount of time the moment the advisory is issued.

I have actually timed that out; I believe it is ten minutes for all non-urgent/warning crawls, which scroll until the warning is cancelled.