• Posted 12/19/2024.
    =====================

    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

Lighten up Frances

Ken Harbart

Ken Harbart

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Well, it would seem that the current projections call for Frances to make landfall right here in Brevard County as a Category Four, or very likely as a Five. It's not going to be pretty, folks.

What some of you went through in Daytona was relatively tame compared to what's supposed to be headed this way. By the time Charley hit Volusia County, it was weakened to a Category One. To give an idea of the size of this storm, the eye is 30 miles accross; hurricane force winds radiate 70 miles on either side of the eye; and tropical storm force winds are radiating out 175 miles on either side.

I'm sitting here contemplating scenarios in my mind. What will the damage be, or will I still even have a house by this time next week? Suddenly, this storm has become a major issue to me.

I'm cursing the fact that I didn't buy a larger car right now, as I'm going to have to leave a lot behind should I opt to get the hell out of the storm's path. My cargo on this evac is unfortunately going to be limited to myself, my dog, a laptop, and a few important documents. I'll be quite honest, even with the forcasted severity of this storm, I'm debating evacuating at all.

Alas, such is the price of living in what would otherwise be considered paradise. Not exactly what I had planned for my holiday weekend, but such is life.

Guess I should've bought a generator when I had the chance. :rolleyes:
 
Don't give up hope, Ken. Not that we would wish ill fortune on someone else, but it looks like the forecast track has moved south again and not a direct hit on you. To be quite honest, NO ONE knows where that hurricane is going to make landfall. Look at how Charlie surprised everyone. But best bet at this time is hope for the best, but plan for the worst.

Looks like this is just a BAD year in Florida for hurricanes. I think the aftermath is going to wind up being just as bad as the actual hurricane damage itself. All insurance companies will abandon Florida for sure after this year. Or the deductible will be 110 percent of the value of your property.

Anyway, if you need a generator, I've got one you can use. If need be, we can run it over to you if the SHTF over there.

Good luck!
 
Aw hell. Looks like the track has moved again, Ken. Not looking good, my friend.....

frances_090104_2amET.gif


frances_090104_2amET_IR.gif
 
It's changed again since you posted that Rich, it's still predicted to hit about the same spot, but they're now claiming it will move farther inland before heading up towards the GA/AL border.

Ken, I don't remember how close to the beach you live, but my husband said from when he lived in FL years ago, when a hurricane that was predicted to be this big, anyone near the 10-15 ft. flood range about had to evacuate...at any rate, good luck!!
 
Part of an article...

Florida Calls for Hurricane Evacuations


MIAMI -- Thousands of people were told Wednesday to get ready to evacuate as powerful Hurricane Frances crept closer to Florida just weeks after Hurricane Charley's rampage. It would be the worst double hurricane strike on one state in at least a century.

Generators were hefted off store shelves, along with water, canned goods and other emergency supplies as forecasters warned the core of the Category 4 storm with 140 mph wind was due near Florida late Friday or early Saturday. Charley left billions of dollars in damage and 27 people dead after it swept across the peninsula Aug. 13.

The Kennedy Space Center planned to close Thursday and Friday to allow workers time to board up their homes and evacuate if necessary, said NASA spokesman George Diller. Helicopters and planes left Patrick Air Force Base.

In Stuart about 100 miles north of Miami, Martin County planned to urge up to 7,500 residents to evacuate low-lying areas starting at noon Thursday. Brevard County told at least 50,000 residents they should start evacuating mobile homes and low-lying areas Thursday afternoon.

"I can't emphasize enough how powerful this is. If there's something out there that's going to weaken it, we haven't seen it," National Hurricane Center director Max Mayfield said.

Craig Fugate, director of the state Division of Emergency Management, said steps were being taken for to prepare for large-scale evacuations, including possibly reversing lanes of some highways to accommodate fleeing coastal residents.

Frances was nearing the Bahamas with steady strength, but it was expected to fluctuate in intensity and could become a Category 5 storm with top sustained winds of 156 mph or higher, forecasters said. The storm could hit anywhere from South Florida to South Carolina as early as late Friday.

Hurricane-force winds extended up to about 80 miles from Frances' center, making it about twice the width of Charley and increasing the possibility for damage, forecasters said.


http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/newreply.php?s=&action=newreply&threadid=48820
 
Yep. Patrick AFB is closed for business. Whatever could fly out did this morning, and the helos that couldn't were packed onto a C-5. We convoyed our all our government vehicles farther inland today, and it wasn't a fun trip. For all intents and purposes, we're expecting the base to be completely submerged by the surge.

My house is about 8 miles from the ocean, and far enough inland where I don't have to worry about the storm surge. However, the wind is going to cause the bulk of my problems.

Aside from the obligatory 1-3 week loss of electricity, I'm anticipating some significant damage to the house this time around.

Maybe I'll bet lucky, or maybe I won't. However, there's a few other Fauna members that are either at, or reasonably close to, what's expected to be ground zero. Rob Trenor and Tanith Tyrr are also residents of Brevard. I haven't talked to either one of them, but wish them the best wherever they decide to ride this one out.
 
Frances IR loop 090104 5:00pm ED

frances_090104_5pmED.gif
 
It looks like the predeictions of it slamming into Brevard & Indian River are going to be dead on.

I just got to experience the joy of trying to find a hotel to the north that accepts large dogs with no (or a reasonable) deposit, has high spped internet access (of all the times to be picky about this :rolleyes: I just need something to keep my mind occupied through Sunday morning, lest the anxiety drive me nuts) and has vacancies.

I thought I was doing great when I found a Holiday Inn in Jacksonville that had several rooms available. Alas, it booked up completely in the time it took me just to enter my credit card info. Even Savannah, GA is booked up with evacuees. Fortunately, I was able to get one of the last remaining rooms in Hinesville, GA.

BTW Rich, I have a nagging feeling that I'm going to need to take you up on that generator offer. I'll give you a call Sunday after I return to let you know either way. I know I keep saying this, but thank you very much for all that you've offered and done for me.

The worst part of this for me is the anxiety of the wait. I can deal with the loss and rebuilding afterwards, but having to sit & wait, not knowing what or how much I will lose, while knowing that there's nothing that I can do to prevent it, is frustrating me to no end.
 
Alas I am in the path to, I know how you feel Ken. We are going to ride the storm out here though, I wish you the best of luck! I also wish the best of luck to anyone in the path of this storm. Let us know how you turn out if you can after the storm (Anyone in its path).
 
Ken,

Try to get some gasoline containers as soon as you can. Having a generator will do you no good if you can't get gasoline anywhere. I heard they had that problem over in Punta Gorda. The generator has a 5 gallon tank and will run roughly 8 hours on each tank full. So you are going to need 15 gallons per day if you run it 24 hours. Plan accordingly with your gasoline supply......

Oh yeah, pick up a siphon tube in case you need to tap the gastank on your vehicle in a pinch.

It's a 4,000 watt unit, btw.
 
Man, this isn't looking good. They gave us two days off from school. I'd agree with Ken, the worst part is definately the aftermath.

Hey Ken, what are you doing with your reptiles? I can't go to a shelter because of my dogs and such, so we're going to a friend who has storm shutters and practially can survive a nuke attack. I'm leaving my herps in her garage.

This apparently is going to be worse then Andrew. Andy was small and intence, this is big and intence. Richt now, its looking to be the whole size of Florida.


Should be interesting... stay safe

Michael
 
Thanks David. I contemplated riding out the storm when it was projected to make landfall in various other parts of the sate. Now that it seems all but certain to be making a beeline in my direction, I don't have much of a choice other than to tuck tail.

I'll be honest though, part of me wants to cancel those reservations and stay right here. It's part defiance, part morbid curiosity/ adrenaline junkie, and part warding off looters.

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Rich,
Thanks for the info. I figure 4000 watts will be plenty to get me by. My main power priorities are going to be my fridge and a homemade swamp cooler. Running up the a/c would be nice, but I haven't wired in a transfer switch and would be concerned about its high power draw anyways.

Another day in paradise. :D
 
The herps are going to be fending for themselves, as I'm lacking for space in my Mustang. I'll be moving them into an interior hallway where there'll be a significantly reduced risk of broken glass and flying debris.

I was trying to get a room in Jax because it's reasonably closeand I could be back here shortly after the storm passes. Hinesville is about twice as far away, and I'm not looking forward to the absolute gridlock on I-95 going either direction.
 
Good luck folks. I live in Winter Park, which is just east of Orlando and i'm just going to move my reptiles, dogs and cats slightly west to what i hope will be a safe place. Ken, isn't Brevard County under a mandatory evacuation? I talked to a guy who went through Andrew and his reptile cages actually filled with water and alot of them drowned. So if you can, try to come up with some way to prevent that if you can.
 
Ken, you may not be able to get back home for a while. There is a real good chance that most, if not all, of the roads will be impassable from downed trees, power lines, and building debris. Matter of fact, if you want that generator, we may have to think of a way to get it to you. Quite likely, even if the roads are passable, authorities may not allow non residents into the area, to keep out possible looters. And the way the storm path looks, I just may not be able to get to you at all, especially in a hurry. I've seen route 95 in the carolinas after a hurricane. It was completely blocked from trees on the roadway.

That is one of my major worries about when a big hurricane hits my area one of these days. If I leave, I may not be able to get back for quite a while. I have an automatic generator for the buildings, but I know darn right well that the first tree that falls will fall smack dab on it. Then the propane tank goes up in a fireball. But after sitting through Charley in Daytona Beach, which was pretty mild, comparatively, no, I don't think I want to be in a Cat 3 or above at all.

But sooner or later I know it's going to happen..... I guess the wife can drive the van out filled with essential stuff, and I'll be in the Jeep. Probably the Jeep could get back sooner then the van would be able to.
 
Damn! The EYE of this hurricane is bigger than Lake Okeechobee!

frances_090104_midnight.gif
 
Rich, you may want to hold onto the generator. While I'm not exactly in the clear down here, it looks as though we might both be visited by Frances this holiday weekend according to this morning's projection.

020903W5.gif
 
Ken, I hear you. But I have three generators. Two gasoline powered manual ones, and one automatic one for the reptile and rodent buildings that runs on propane. I think by the time Frances gets to Tallahassee that it is just going to be a rain event and not much wind involved. As long as it doesn't swing out into the Gulf first and get rejuvenated......

It looks like the forecast eye landfall has moved south of you again. But the predicted wind speed looks a little higher......
 
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