Has anyone here been affected by the government shutdown?

I'm in New Orleans and there is TS Karen in the Gulf right now. Going somewhere on the US Gulf Coast & land Sunday. Hurricane and other tropical weather federal employees are on shut-down. Only the earthquake & volcano guys are considered essential - those are maybe 2 dz workers nationwide. The storm watch armchair guys are patching into the Cuban government hurricane sites for details on Karen. Yes, Cuba as they have most excellent funded weather programs.

Now that she is a named system, probably some workers will come on within the next 24 hours but that still is TBD.

T.S. Karen is now officially named so National Hurricane Center is back on up & with its federal workers. For those of you who don't live on any coastal area (which is about 1/3 of the US), not having the Center always running is a big deal as they co-ordinate all the feeds (both within the US and with foreign weather programs) and can send out the planes into the storm for readings.

Sorry I'm off topic!! Ugh..I've been watching this storm. I finally get a vacation and I'm flying from Boston to Ft. Myers on Saturday. SOB.. I know it's hurricane season, but wishing not during my vacation! Lol

How quickly the Fed Govt sent Security to block off Open Air monuments in DC. When does the govt ever act that swiftly?? They blocked WWII vets from LOOKING at the WWII monuments. Very vindictive of this administration. It wasn't necessary. They even stopped people in Normandy, France to view the cemetary. It's ludicrous and it's just meant to hurt people, not help.

hope they fire some narcs. law enforcement, being self funding has gotten bloated as hell in the last few years.