# I pit LIPA **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 5, 2012, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-lipa/640005 "2012-11-05T21:51:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-lipa/640005/21 "2012-11-06T16:09:59Z")
I sympathize with the OP greatly. When most of the eastern seaboard lost power years ago I was one of the houses that was out of power for six days. My office, four miles away, had power, and I brought my gecko into work so he would be warm. I don’t expect the power authority to jump because a gecko or a lizard is sick, but those of you guys that are saying he should just suck it up are being jerks. It’s a pet, and people would be fighting each other to be the first one to be kind if it was a dog or a cat. It’s a beloved pet, people. My SO’s parents still don’t have power, either. ---
**Author:** ![Jaymosch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaymosch/32/2820_2.png) [@Jaymosch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaymosch)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-lipa/640005/22 "2012-11-06T16:22:16Z")
> [@Cheshire\_Human](#): > > Actually I think you mean LILPA. Long Island Light and Power Authority. You missed a letter. You should make sure you’re correct before needlessly correcting people. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-lipa/640005/23 "2012-11-06T16:27:11Z")
I feel like they are making reasonable progress given the amount of damage. I’m starting to lose patience with the gas shortage though. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-lipa/640005/24 "2012-11-06T16:48:33Z")
> [@Jaymosch](#): > > You should make sure you’re correct before needlessly correcting people. I think he’s kidding, but I don’t get the joke. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-lipa/640005/25 "2012-11-06T16:49:51Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > But the BIG problem is that no one can get a timetable on when their power is expected to be restored, not even a general idea. > > Most of the folks I work with don’t have power at home and aren’t sure when it will be restored. If they want to get a hotel room, they have no idea how long their stay will be. Should they book for a night or for a week ??? If they only choose a night, the hotel may not have a room available tomorrow if they need to extend…if they pick a week they may end up paying for time they don’t need. I’ve been through a couple prolonged power outages due to natural disasters, and I don’t remember any power company coming up with a timetable like this. I suspect the reason is simply that its too difficult to come up with a particularly meaningful prediction, and if they just release their best guess, then people will start planning around information that very well might turn out to be bunk. I understand its frustrating being without power (when I was growing up in VT, we went a full week without it in the middle of the winter due to an ice-storm), but I think people should resist the urge to scapegoat the power company. The reason your power is out is because of Hurricane Sandy, not the power company. ---
**Author:** ![Jaymosch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaymosch/32/2820_2.png) [@Jaymosch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaymosch)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-lipa/640005/26 "2012-11-06T16:58:16Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I think he’s kidding, but I don’t get the joke. I don’t think he is, it used to go by the acronym LILCO (Long Island Lighting Co.) but that changed 15 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Deser2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dfb087/32.png) [@Deser2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deser2)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-lipa/640005/27 "2012-11-06T17:03:30Z")
Aside from the mismanagement and the like, one of the things I have heard (no idea if it is true or not, and its not just LIPA) is that the crews of utility workers coming from other states to help are being turned away if they are no union workers. Call me crazy, but if there are an extra 100 people who want to help, I don’t give a shit if they are union or not - take their goddamn help especially when you have the utility companies complaining about not having enough workers for all the work that needs to be done to restore the power. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-lipa/640005/28 "2012-11-06T17:08:57Z")
> [@Deser2](#): > > Aside from the mismanagement and the like, one of the things I have heard (no idea if it is true or not, and its not just LIPA) is that the crews of utility workers coming from other states to help are being turned away if they are no union workers. > > Call me crazy, but if there are an extra 100 people who want to help, I don’t give a shit if they are union or not - take their goddamn help especially when you have the utility companies complaining about not having enough workers for all the work that needs to be done to restore the power. Call me crazy, but when you hear a story of people acting in a stupid way that also happens to fit into a popular political narrative, you’re an idiot [if you don’t spend eight seconds checking it out on snopes before you pass it on](http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/sandyunion.asp). ---
**Author:** ![Jaymosch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaymosch/32/2820_2.png) [@Jaymosch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaymosch)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-lipa/640005/29 "2012-11-06T17:19:36Z")
> [@Deser2](#): > > Aside from the mismanagement and the like, one of the things I have heard (no idea if it is true or not, and its not just LIPA) is that the crews of utility workers coming from other states to help are being turned away if they are no union workers. If you have no idea if something is true (and it’s not as someone else already pointed it out) why would you even bother commenting about it before spending 3.5 seconds on Alta Vista or Ask Jeeves to check it out? ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-lipa/640005/30 "2012-11-06T17:28:07Z")
> [@Deser2](#): > > Aside from the mismanagement and the like, one of the things I have heard (no idea if it is true or not, and its not just LIPA) is that the crews of utility workers coming from other states to help are being turned away if they are no union workers. > > Call me crazy, but if there are an extra 100 people who want to help, I don’t give a shit if they are union or not - take their goddamn help especially when you have the utility companies complaining about not having enough workers for all the work that needs to be done to restore the power. This is absolutely not true. It’s such inflammatory misinformation. Please check your facts before posting. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-lipa/640005/31 "2012-11-06T17:33:58Z")
> [@Jaymosch](#): > > If you have no idea if something is true (and it’s not as someone else already pointed it out) why would you even bother commenting about it before spending 3.5 seconds on Alta Vista or Ask Jeeves to check it out? Or here, where we had a thread about it already. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-lipa/640005/32 "2012-11-06T18:50:23Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > [snip] The reason your power is out is because of Hurricane Sandy, not the power company. Yep, and while your power is out you are not buying electricity. Fixed charges should be prorated for loss of service and usage charges aren’t occurring because them meters do not spin during an outage. So you can scream about incompetence if you believe it’s true but every minute they aren’t selling you electricity is a minute of lost revenue opportunity. I’d say at least they have motivation to get the job done. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-lipa/640005/33 "2012-11-06T18:52:30Z")
Poor Iggy. Can you cuddle him on your chest for warmth? ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Deser2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dfb087/32.png) [@Deser2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deser2)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-lipa/640005/34 "2012-11-06T18:54:21Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Call me crazy, but when you hear a story of people acting in a stupid way that also happens to fit into a popular political narrative, you’re an idiot [if you don’t spend eight seconds checking it out on snopes before you pass it on](http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/sandyunion.asp). Because I am at work and don’t have time to search the internet verifying everything I have heard. Not only that, but I specifically said I was not certain if it was true or not, only that I had heard it. It’s called a rumor for a reason. I didn’t act like I was spouting facts - I was just repeating a rumor I had heard indicating it as such. You as the reader are free to do your own research to see if it is factual or not. But that’s not my job. That’s your job. If I had presented it as fact then your criticism is valid. Since it was presented as a rumor, you should take it as such until you’ve done your own research and are satisfied as to whether it is fact or fiction. I love it when people here start foaming at the mouth over these types of things. It amuses me to no end. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-lipa/640005/35 "2012-11-06T19:01:32Z")
Ah, the I’m not saying, I’m just saying defense. Classic. ---
**Author:** ![Jaymosch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaymosch/32/2820_2.png) [@Jaymosch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaymosch)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-lipa/640005/36 "2012-11-06T19:01:14Z")
> [@Deser2](#): > > Because I am at work and don’t have time to search the internet verifying everything I have heard. Not only that, but I specifically said I was not certain if it was true or not, only that I had heard it But you can spend time posting on SDMB… ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-lipa/640005/37 "2012-11-06T19:03:50Z")
Pity the OP doesn’t live across the way in Newark, or could just tweet Cory Booker and he’d come over and keep the iguana warm by means of sheer awesomeness. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-lipa/640005/38 "2012-11-06T19:04:07Z")
> [@Deser2](#): > > Because I am at work and don’t have time to search the internet verifying everything I have heard. The “eight seconds to verify if it was true or not” wasn’t an exaggeration. I suspect it took you longer to pass on the misinformation then it would’ve taken to find out if it was true. > [@](#): > > It’s called a rumor for a reason. Yes. That reason is that people like you are both gullible and lazy. Otherwise stuff like this would quickly be fact-checked and not passed on. > [@](#): > > I love it when people here start foaming at the mouth over these types of things. It amuses me to no end. Meh. The boards tagline is “fighting ignorance”. Posting easily falsifiable statements, and then posting indignant rants about your statements regarding things that didn’t really happen, is rather against the mission statement. ---
**Author:** ![Deser2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dfb087/32.png) [@Deser2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deser2)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-lipa/640005/39 "2012-11-06T19:23:22Z")
> [@Jaymosch](#): > > But you can spend time posting on SDMB… Yes you’re right. The one post I made yesterday certainly ate up a lot of my time…on my lunch break. Which is when I am posting now as well. As to those saying I should verify the statement - since there were multiple publications running the same rumor I figured I would repeat what the rumor is. At the time of my posting, I don’t know if it HAD been determined to be just a rumor or if it was truth. Living in New York for 30+ years, I have seen some RIDICULOUS things done by the utility companies in the tri-state area. While the rumor turned out to be just that, had it turned out to be true, it would not have surprised me in the least. Hell, on any given day, I can walk around and see at least 4 or 5 inflatable, 20ft tall rats outside of building from union workers protesting work being done by non-union workers. I have nothing against unions at all. I was in the laborer union when I was in college and about 75% of my family on my father’s side works in union construction. There was no malice intended in posting what I did (aside from my second paragraph where I bitched assuming it was true) - I heard a rumor, and presented it as such. Not everyone here on this board has an agenda every time they post. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-lipa/640005/40 "2012-11-06T19:43:02Z")
Is it really that freakin hard to say “I’m sorry, I posted hastily. I’m glad to see I was wrong.” Jesus frickin christ. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-lipa/640005.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-lipa/640005.md?page=3)