In Which I Will Be Running For the Hills Now
[Guest post by Aaron Worthing; if you have tips, please send them here. Or by Twitter @AaronWorthing.]
We had a bunch of tornadoes over the weekend here in Virginia, leading to this story this morning:
Va. Nuclear Power Plant Shuts Down After Storm
Dominion Virginia Power reports that an apparent tornado touched down on the switchyard supporting the Surry Power Station and the facility’s access road Saturday. The storm cut off the electrical feed from the grid to the station, which is located in Surry County, Va.
Both reactors at the station shut down automatically as designed and backup diesel generators started immediately to provide the electricity necessary to maintain both units.
A spokesperson for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission says no release of radioactive material occurred beyond minor releases associated with normal station operations.
Oh noes! We are Fukushimaed! Run for your life!
Ah no, it sounds like no biggie, actually. I mean one tornado is a lot less than the flood, plague of locusts, etc. we saw over in Japan. But I did have a moment as I waited for the page to load, where I worried before any facts came in that it might be a big deal.
And incidentally tornadoes are rare enough here that when one hit the British in the War of 1812 it was considered a potential act of God, as Cracked points out with tongue in cheek:
While the Brits probably felt the burning of Washington was a righteous act of retribution, they definitely pissed off the wrong deity when they desecrated the U.S. capital. With the city in flames, God punished the redcoats with the sort of smiting usually reserved for characters straight out of the Old Testament.
A goddamn tornado touched down — which almost never happens in the capital — and plowed a path of instant terror right through downtown D.C., uprooting trees, lifting cannons and tossing the hapless redcoats around like maple leaves. The British were forced to flee the city after learning exactly whose side God was on — after all, he did nothing when the Americans torched Canada.
Hmm, you would think that if you were claiming that the battle turned on God’s smiting, you would ease off on the Goddamn’s. You know, just to stay on the Big Guy’s good side.
[Posted and authored by Aaron Worthing.]
Some friends, crabbers, from Moyock and Munden Point along the North Landing River talked about a small tornado about 10 years ago. It came up from the Currituck Sound and threatened every boat and tin shack on the river, tore up the crab pots, and scared hell out of the watermen.
ropelight (6c1d6b) — 4/18/2011 @ 10:50 amTornados are Teh Suck. I watched one raze part of my hometown growing up, killing several. I have a healthy and grudging respect for their destructive power.
JD (72168b) — 4/18/2011 @ 10:51 am“when one hit the British in the War of 1812 it was considered a potential act of God” If you ever see one in person, you will have no doubt it is an act of God.
gp (72be5d) — 4/18/2011 @ 11:32 amAaron,
Anon (e373ff) — 4/18/2011 @ 11:58 amIn defense of Cracked, isn’t it quite literally a “God-damned tornado” if you accept that it was sent by God? What could be more appropriate than giving credit where it’s due?
Anon ftw…
JD
yeah, its hard to get my wife to feel the same respect. there was one tornado reported going up a road we travel all the time to get to work, and my wife is like, “i don’t need to be in the basement utility room.”
i know it is about a 1 in 100 chance of it ever hurting us, but i ain’t going to take that chance.
Aaron Worthing (e7d72e) — 4/18/2011 @ 12:28 pmbut…
happyfeet (a55ba0) — 4/18/2011 @ 4:02 pmHave fun in the hills. I’ll be offline for the next two days, so if you find any gold good luck.
Milhouse (ea66e3) — 4/18/2011 @ 4:06 pmOf course he didn’t…
I mean, it’s not like Canadians are real people…
Scott Jacobs (d027b8) — 4/18/2011 @ 7:09 pmI believe the phrase you are looking for is “well and truly…” or perhaps “proper… ?”
Smock Puppet (c9dcd8) — 4/19/2011 @ 8:01 pmTornadoes all over the Midwest tonight.
JD (318f81) — 4/19/2011 @ 8:06 pm