Superstorm Sandy

[Mike Kieran]

I did see the runners for the NYC marathon arriving at the JFK airport yesterday morning. I did read at the same time about many people that live in homes without power seeking hotel rooms for a warm bed and a hot meal. I felt it a strange situation and had serious concerns about the selfishness of the runners coming to NYC under that circumstances.
It is wise to cancel the marathon. Those selfish people are complaining now about the late cancellation not understanding that the trip to NYC was their very own fault.

I would not go into NYC, NJ or any other area hit by Sandy unless I was there to help. That was my point with all the TV reporters being there. If I were a runner arriving, I'd say, "the heck with the race, what can I do to help? After all, I'm in top condition and can shovel dirt, hand out water and food or muck out the subway if need be." They can run the marathon anytime weather permits, they cannot delay restoring normalcy to the areas. It's not like Bloomberg to bend to public pressure, so my hat's off to those to drilled some sense into his head. There's no doubt that he's looking ahead to the next city election.

The marathon was cancelled. Some of the runners are going to disaster areas where elderly have trouble being evacuated or are low priority evacuations and using their running skills to bring food to those that can't get out.

As far as the news crews, I am in wholeheartedly in agreement. I was at Barclays center which became a transit hub between subways, LIRR, and buses going into the city.
If anything, merge the news agencies and crews who would each go to an affected area to show damage, thereby helping to assess damage.