U.S. storms show weaknesses of most powerful country on Earth

[murphyj87]

As Canadians, we’ve heard it over and over again: The United States is the most powerful country on Earth.

But since a hurricane-like storm pummelled the D.C. area almost two weeks ago, I can attest to the fact that the U.S. seems far from the most powerful country in the world at this particular moment. I might as well be living in the Third World since the derecho — also known as a land hurricane — wreaked havoc on the region on June 29.

Some of my neighbours still lack power. Many have fled town on hastily arranged vacations to magical places with a reliable supply of electricity. My power was out for six days, and as I write this, I have yet to have my Internet, cable or phone restored because the outage knocked my service provider off the grid and Pepco, the electricity company from the bowels of hell, is unresponsive to pleas for action.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/opinion/116198-goodman-us-storms-show-weaknesses-of-most-powerful-country-on-earth

[Lasher]

1. So what's a storm gonna knock out in Canada?

Buncha beaver ponds an' stuff like that?



Our power was out at my house here in Southern West Virginia for 4 days but some neighbors and I cut a huge sycamore off the power line - and out of the road - ourselves. No worries, I know where our area's power line breaker is and I know what it looks like when it's tripped.

We have everything restored now except our telephone land line. But I hooked up a Magic Jack as soon as my internet service came back up 2 days ago. Cell phones don't work here because it's almost as remote as your typical Canadian domicile.

Sorry it's taking longer for you to get your internet and cable back up. I know that can be frustrating.

[murphyj87]

2. Actually

That was by the White House correspondent for the Canadian Press talking about the Washington DC area. Here in Nova Scotia, I haven't lost my power for more than half an hour for 15 years. The longest I've lost my internet has been an hour and a half during that time, and cell phone communication covers all of the province and has never failed, at least not in the 20 years I had a cell phone.

Apparently,the land of beaver pond surpasses the US communications, power, economy, and health care, exactly as we Canadians have always thought.