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The good thing so far is that the phone systems and Electricity seems to be working and the radio stations are doing a good job in updating the public
@David,
Some of us never believed that nonsense.
Barbados has been fortunate probably because of our location.
Going forward I hope Bajans will realise that lunacy of living in the tropics and expecting the hand of “God” to steer Hurricanes away.
Power was lost on the West Coast (or, at least, Paynes Bay) at 0337 at appears to still be off.
Power was lost in Wildey at 0640 and remains off.
Power is also out in Edgehill Heights.
Power remains on on the South Coast (or, at least, Hastings).
@ David
What touted literacy was that…?
The UWI kind..? rotfl
Name me any result in Barbados that speaks to high literacy…
…. the loss of BNB? The unsolvable ZR culture? the ‘modern’ west coast? ….. what?
….man let the people go long out in the storm do….
@ Hants
Thanks for the concern shown for Bajans… seems that your heart is indeed here ..LOL
The Bushman is safe so far thanks. The thing about bush houses is that they are easy to reassemble…
Just spoke to the old lady and she is OK but was scared as anything (she scares easily), I must say that this developed quickly and I only discovered the severity when a friend called me this morning ( again an early Saturday morning call last Saturday’s call from a relative in NYC was about the PM) I hope these things don’t come in threes.
I don’t want to start blaming anyone but on reading the submissions it seems that initially CERO was not going to open Emergency Centres, If this is true heads should roll ( but we know that aint gonna happen). What good is an Emergency Organisation if it can’t respond in an Emergency?
Here are the tracks of some storms/hurricanes which came within a whisker of hitting or hit Barbados.
Watching some of the tracks you have to admit some last minute inexplicable shifts do occur.
http://weather.terrapin.com/hurricane/display_storms.jsp
The scientist in me tells me that Barbados gets off because of its tiny size, a difficult target to hit, and its location, far enough east and south to keep it out of the zone where hurricanes form.
The scientist in me then asks, “so who made Barbados so small and located it as it is located?”…!!!!!
Then I go aaahhhhh … I seee!!!
This site below is pretty good if you want to look at the tracks and power of past hurricanes back to the 1800’s.
http://hurricane.terrapin.com/
Maybe the lesson of Tomas is
http://www.all-creatures.org/discuss/matt8.18-23.html
What do we do in the period of mourning after the storm?
@ John | October 30, 2010 at 10:32 AM |
“The scientist in me tells me that Barbados gets off because of its tiny size, a difficult target to hit, and its location, far enough east and south to keep it out of the zone where hurricanes form.
Let me ask, did Barbados become smaller and shift its position since Hurricane Jeanette in 1955 which did so much damage — killing people, destroying roughly over a 1,000 homes and left thousands of people homeless?
@Bush Tea,
Glad you are safe. I hope the BU family in Barbados are ok.
@David,
Glad the blog stayed up. Hope you and your immediate family are ok.
I listened to VOB until 3am. Ellis and Johnson did a good job.
@Hants
Members of the BU household in Barbados are fine. Thanks for asking. Your obvious concern for fellow Barbadians throughout the ordeal is very much appreciated; so too the other Bajans outside.
Members of the BU family in Barbados maybe slow to answer as to their status because power continues to be off throughout most of Barbados.
The high wind is not with us but Barbados is currently experiencing medium to heavy rain which will bring flooding into play.
@All.
Just so you know, both of the DNS servers responsible for the BB Top Level Domain went off-line this morning at approximately 0700. A bit odd, since they’re each in different buildings, using different ISPs (LIME and TBB), and are supposed to have UPS and generator backup.
What this means is that all domains which end in “.BB” will not resolve (read: work) until they’re brought back. Unless you happen to be lucky and the domain is “cached” in a non-authoritative DNS server which you happen to query.
Now perhaps the TCU will take my advice to have a third server located off-island….
Heavy Rains and flooding in South – cloud cover is heavy and has it fairly dark down here.
@Chris
Please expand for the layman. It is generally known that all Internet traffic slides via the Florida hub to support this part of the world. Your point about local redundancy is taken but what about the big picture. Give us a general view.
@ David, it is nice to know we in the Diaspora can get update in real time on your blog. Man you are doing us a great service. you and your family be safe and all the people of BIM.
@David: “Your point about local redundancy is taken but what about the big picture. Give us a general view.
My above *was* the general (non-technical) view. But to try to expand…
The Internet works by way of IP numbers. Domain names are mostly for humans who work with words better than numbers.
When a human asks to view “www.blpc.com.bb”, for example, the computer will ask one or more of its configured DNS servers for what the IP number is so it can talk to the actual machine at (for example) “205.214.221.81”.
There are two DNS servers which are “authoritive” (also known as “Start Of Authority”) for the Barbados (BB) Top Level Domain. Both of them are here in Bim, but at different geographic locations and using different service providers.
And, both of them are currently unresponsive to DNS requests.
What this means is that any and *all* domains which end in “.BB” are not currently resolving. Therefore, every web-site and e-mail address (and all other services) which use BB TLDs as their domain names have effectively “fallen off the Internet”. This can be confirmed using http://downforeveryoneorjustme.com/www.blpc.com.bb for example.
(There is a very important caveat to this… Because the Internet’s DNS system is distributed, and DNS servers cache information about domains they’ve previously been asked to resolve for a period of time (known as the Time To Live (TTL) setting), some BB domains will continue to resolve for some people depending on which DNS servers they use for a period of time (usually a day).)
To speak to your statement above David about all traffic flowing through Florida (the NAP), yes. But that’s not the issue here. Both TeleBarbados and LIME have actually done an excellent job through this — neither have had a issue in their “core” facilities nor international links.
Again, to try to be explicit here, the issue in this particular case is that because the two servers authoritative for BB did not survive this storm means that many services which were still operating (at the IP layer level) are not available to many people.
All it would take is for one or more additional (authoritive) servers to be located off-island for this kind of situation to be survivable. A requesting user would only notice a slightly longer-than-usual DNS resolution time.
(It’s important to note that just because a domain name ends in BB does *not* mean the machine assigned the IP to which said domain name resolves is here in Bim.)
I hope that makes sense. DNS is a rather complicated domain (no joke intended) — the above is still highly simplified.
Thanks Chris, that was simple. Understand that the Miami NAP is another issue but wanted to get your view on it.
@zion1972
Thanks for your kind words.
Fumble Stuart Prime Minister for less than week and already small country hit with first hurricane in fifty year…. no?
@BAFBFP… LOL…
But, an important axiom of the Scientific Method is that correlation does not always mean causality. Particularity with only one sample in the sample set.
Also, to be pedantic, Tomas was not a hurricane when its eye passed 20 km south of Barbados; only a tropical storm.
(This is meant to be funny, and serious, at the same time….)
No no no … Not funny at all … We in East see many many thing in weather … not funny at all…! Me very frighten right now… and not from weather…!
would like to thank bl&p for some quick restoration in some areas. lots of place have tree downs. like i was saying earlier what ever happened to our doppler radar.
@anthony: “like i was saying earlier what ever happened to our doppler radar.
That’s a very interesting question which should be spoken to.
anthony, perhaps I’m wrong here, but my understanding is that this doppler radar “kit” was paid for by some “away” and donated to us, and yet it still isn’t operational here in Bim.
So, during this storm, rather than collecting data locally (the closest landmass to this quickly developing storm) we here in Bim had to rely on data collected from US of A satellites and aircraft to tell us what was about to happen to us.
Hmmmm….
Lord, thank you for sparing us from the more devastating ravages of Tomas. I hope that homes/families affected will be restored to normalcy as soon as possible and all will be well. It could’ve been worse so in all things, give thanks.
God may not be bajan but we’re His chosen flock. LOLLLL
Shalom.
Yes was paid for by the EU. the site been up for couple year now. Guyana not only change their initial site because of poor choice but their has been up and running awhile now. so what really the hold up . currently best choice for any data is
http://www.meteo.fr/temps/domtom/antilles/pack-public/animation/animMOSAIC2.html
@All… For the record…
In fairness, I must report that one of the two authoritative DNS servers for the BB TLD is back on-line and answering authoritatively as of 2010.10.30.2300 Barbados time.
But, only one of the two…
[chalsall@burrow ssh]$ dig @A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET -t soa bb
; <> DiG 9.6.2-P2-RedHat-9.6.2-5.P2.fc12 <> @A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET -t soa bb
; (2 servers found)
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 23354
;; flags: qr rd; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 0, AUTHORITY: 2, ADDITIONAL: 2
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;bb. IN SOA
;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
bb. 172800 IN NS ns1.barbadosdomains.net.
bb. 172800 IN NS ns2.barbadosdomain.net.
;; ADDITIONAL SECTION:
ns1.barbadosdomains.net. 172800 IN A 200.50.92.195
ns2.barbadosdomain.net. 172800 IN A 204.212.242.113
[chalsall@burrow ssh]$ dig @200.50.92.195 www.blpc.com.bb
; <> DiG 9.6.2-P2-RedHat-9.6.2-5.P2.fc12 <> @200.50.92.195 www.blpc.com.bb
; (1 server found)
;; global options: +cmd
;; connection timed out; no servers could be reached
[chalsall@burrow ssh]$ dig @204.212.242.113 www.blpc.com.bb
; <> DiG 9.6.2-P2-RedHat-9.6.2-5.P2.fc12 <> @204.212.242.113 www.blpc.com.bb
; (1 server found)
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 54601
;; flags: qr rd; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 0, AUTHORITY: 2, ADDITIONAL: 0
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;www.blpc.com.bb. IN A
;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
blpc.com.bb. 300 IN NS col2.caribsurf.com.
blpc.com.bb. 300 IN NS col1.caribsurf.com.
;; SERVER: 204.212.242.113#53(204.212.242.113)
;; WHEN: Sat Oct 30 23:06:07 2010
@All… For the record…
In fairness, I must report that one of the two authoritative DNS servers for the BB TLD is back on-line and answering authoritatively as of 2010.10.30.2300 Barbados time.
But, only one of the two…
[chalsall@burrow ssh]$ dig @A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET -t soa bb ; <> DiG 9.6.2-P2-RedHat-9.6.2-5.P2.fc12 <> @A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET -t soa bb ; (2 servers found) ;; global options: +cmd ;; Got answer: ;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 23354 ;; flags: qr rd; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 0, AUTHORITY: 2, ADDITIONAL: 2 ;; QUESTION SECTION: ;bb. IN SOA ;; AUTHORITY SECTION: bb. 172800 IN NS ns1.barbadosdomains.net. bb. 172800 IN NS ns2.barbadosdomain.net. ;; ADDITIONAL SECTION: ns1.barbadosdomains.net. 172800 IN A 200.50.92.195 ns2.barbadosdomain.net. 172800 IN A 204.212.242.113 [chalsall@burrow ssh]$ dig @200.50.92.195 www.blpc.com.bb ; <> DiG 9.6.2-P2-RedHat-9.6.2-5.P2.fc12 <> @200.50.92.195 www.blpc.com.bb ; (1 server found) ;; global options: +cmd ;; connection timed out; no servers could be reached [chalsall@burrow ssh]$ dig @204.212.242.113 www.blpc.com.bb ; <> DiG 9.6.2-P2-RedHat-9.6.2-5.P2.fc12 <> @204.212.242.113 www.blpc.com.bb ; (1 server found) ;; global options: +cmd ;; Got answer: ;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 54601 ;; flags: qr rd; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 0, AUTHORITY: 2, ADDITIONAL: 0 ;; QUESTION SECTION: ;www.blpc.com.bb. IN A ;; AUTHORITY SECTION: blpc.com.bb. 300 IN NS col2.caribsurf.com. blpc.com.bb. 300 IN NS col1.caribsurf.com. ;; SERVER: 204.212.242.113#53(204.212.242.113) ;; WHEN: Sat Oct 30 23:06:07 2010
BU.David… (This comment may appear publicly also…)
I have submitted two comments documenting empirical evidence which find themselves in moderation.
The latter (using PRE tags) rather than the former (using CODE tags) is preferable in my mind (although it slightly breaks the template currently in use here at BU).
Interesting times….
Velly intesting stuff Comrade Chris… velly velly intesting … … hic …!
There is a serious problem with the functioning of the DEM, I cannot believe in this age that communications between the DEM and various DEO’s could be so poor. T&T was mobilised about this hurricane from around 12 noon on Friday, businesses were closing and preparing for it’s arrival, B’dos was unaware or complacent. Even when it became serious, shelter wardens did not know what to do, shelters were only told to open around 11.00P.M and without adequate staffing. This is not good enough, yet I heard earlier in the season that the DEM is ready for a hurricane. This was only a preface and they were running around like chickens without heads.
@The Scout ,
We must learn from our mistakes.
“We have been warned.”
There is a reasonable expectation that we could be hit by storms of hurricanes more frequently than in the past.
Next time we should be better prepared.
During the week,the National hurricane centre website was showing the system as
having a 10% to 20% chance of becoming a hurricane.
The spaghetti models showed it could affect barbados.
Perhaps CERO should take these models more seriously.
Hope all is well with you Scout.
Looks like the only utility to take a major hit was electricity and it is understandable. Much of its distribution system is above ground.
It has been off for over a day.
Telephone worked where I was non stop as did water.
Batteries in the laptop and UPS for the modem keep me in touch with the Internet.
LIME does the rest.
Cellular service was up as well.
We curse BWA and LIME during the best of times but they delivered in the worst of times.
It should make you think.
The sun is up and forcing is way through the gloom.
A beautiful day.
Now to work clearing up the pruning of superfluous branches and trees the wind did with the trees around the place.
It’s good to know exactly what your priorities are and have the ability and will to respond.
Praise the Lord we are alive.
Hope the Scotland District and low lying areas on the west coast didn’t have the problems with landslides and flooding I feared last night would beset them.
Comrade John
we in my family pay first class bill for telphone and lectricity all year roun’, so we in my family expect first class service at some time no?
as one look at the devastation caused by tomas.I look and ponder about the use of galvanise which is used for roofing and no mercy which is shown for it by a tropical storm. Government need to take a look at the use of galvanise for roofing and advocating to it’s people to use a more resistant material.
@BAFBFP
When nature is in control. Everyone is in the same class! Money takes a back seat!
Reinforced concrete slab roof is the way to go. In a storm gavanized roof is a joke structurally but also becomes a dangerous flying missile.
The issue of galvanize or ‘permaclad’ as its has now popularly morphed to must be discussed in a context. Bear in mind Barbados still has a healthy percentage of wooden houses which use galvanize roofs determine not only by tradition but COST. Also the ‘permaclad’ product which middle homes now use as part of roof construction is usually well constructed.
I don’t relly see the cost effectiveness in galvanise roofing. In the case of storm damage when the roof is blown off, The contents in the home is also destroyed and peoples lives are in danger. Therefore what might have been seen as a saving by the homeowner has now become a liability
@ac
Barbados is a country which hardly attracts storm/hurricane conditions, the reality of this weekend was therefore an occurrence which is usually not considered.
Going forward perhaps we will have to do things differently..
[…] Trinidad and Tobago, the twin island republic that seemed to be directly in Tomas‘ path on Friday, was spared its effects, but as the storm veered north, islands that had previously been out of its path were suddenly thrust into storm warning mode. […]
@David, “Going forward perhaps we will have to do things differently”.
Plans for my retirement home in Barbados include a “concrete bunker” with kitchen, laundry and washroom.
wen de hurricane come, Hants would NOT have to share a toilet with 100 people. Hurricane shelters should be a last resort.
Wood houses will always have the worst damage in a hurricane.
Going forward, expect to get storms and hurricanes more frequently.
David when the BU extended family is back on line we could have a discussion about hurricane preparedness and housing in Barbados.
It is obvious that a Category 1 Hurricane is very serious. The destruction of roofs, and power lines seem to be spread across Barbados.
I have been listening to vob and cbc and a lot of people have been without Electricity and running water since friday night.
Hope they get help soon.
@Hants
David when the BU extended family is back on line we could have a discussion about hurricane preparedness and housing in Barbados.
It is obvious that a Category 1 Hurricane is very serious. The destruction of roofs, and power lines seem to be spread across Barbados.
I have been listening to vob and cbc and a lot of people have been without Electricity and running water since friday night.
Hope they get help soon.
After the late PM’s funeral there is alot about this and other matters which we have to pow wow.
[…] Trinidad and Tobago, the twin island republic that seemed to be directly in Tomas‘ path on Friday, was spared its effects, but as the storm veered north, islands that had previously been out of its path were suddenly thrust into storm warning mode. […]
Power was just restored in Wildey.
Spoke too soon — just went off again….
Hants
Thanks for your concern, my family and I are safe.
Zion 1971
Permaclad is just a brand name for zinc coated galvanised sheets. the grade used in B’dos is guaranteed to resist hurricane forced winds of 150 MPH. The problem is that on many occasions the sheets are installed wrong, e.g not enough lap on the sheets, no adhesive tape between sheets and most of all not the adequate amount of woodgrip and stitching screws per sheet depending on length. As was shown in the pics many roofs came off with rafters included, this meant that there were no proper connection with the roof to the actual building.There should be a reinforced steel connection to the concrete beam if it’s a wall house and there are hurricane straps that should be used on both wall and timber houses. Having said that, it is also very possible that with all that connection, the force of the wind can still rip the roof off but it would be better protected if these mothods are used.
Zion1971
A concrete roof, though not easy to be blown off, keeps the house too hot and is susceptible to leaking unless properly sealed. Bitumen shingles or asphalt shingles peels off quite easily under high winds. There are a number of other roofing materials that can be used, it would be advisable for a house owner to explore all the possible varieties available.
There are many young people who I’ve heard voice their hope of experiencing a hurricane. This was a small forced hurricane and we can see the damage, i don’t think they still want to see the real deal. I experienced hurricane Janet and even though I was a very young lad, my memories are still very clear of what happened on that day.
@ Scout. yes I agree that slab roof in tropical climate increase room temperature and some people will also tell you that it becomes a danger for earhtquakes. But I have lived in slab house before and with proper window ventillation, and concrete sealant you can overcome those problems. As a matter of fact when I retire and build my house in Bim that exactly the roofing system I will be using.
well my concrete roof is well intact and has never leaked. concrete roofs aren’t cheap so make sure your receive a good job ( ie single pour for the whole roof) . there are sealant you can either paint on or combine with concrete . finally a water proof membrane above it ensure that there is no seeping into a concrete roof. as for keep a house hot. there is roof insulation you can install between the concrete roof and waterproof membrane to make sure your house is always cool. now it not the cheapest situation but once done properly it is the best solution.
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