Questions for the readership

A few questions for you guys and gals:

  • Is there a map of Charleston streets most prone to flooding? I’ve googled and the closest thing I can find is a FEMA map generator that — in true FEMA fashion — is currently non-operational.
  • It’s quickly becoming clear that my phone’s camera is not up to snuff for taking pictures of anything halfway serious. What would you recommend as a small digital camera with good picture quality for someone on a tight budget? A few levels of optical zoom will be necessary, but nothing as hardcore as an SLR or something. ;)
  • Any recommendations for good capture devices from a VCR? I’m restoring some old tapes using my TV tuner (where the hardware MPEG encoding really comes in handy) but I want something a little bit easier for editing purposes down the road. FireWire will work.

Thanks.

J

  • http://www.agricola.typepad.com Agricola

    Here’s a possible solution. A Charleston artist named A.O. Halsey drew a map of the original waterline of Charleston, over which he superimposed a history of fires and tornados. He did this in the later 30s or early 40s, if I remember correctly. One look at his map, showing the original waterline of the peninsula, will instantly reveal the low spots and explain the flooding that modern man has not been able to prevent. I would estimate that 30 – 40 percent of the modern peninsula was either marsh or salt creek in 1680.

    As to the camera question, my recommendation is that you ask Pam of The Microbial Laboratory what she uses…….I recall that she uses a relatively inexpensive “Coolpix”.

    Can’t help on video capture.

  • http://www.agricola.typepad.com Agricola

    Here’s a possible solution. A Charleston artist named A.O. Halsey drew a map of the original waterline of Charleston, over which he superimposed a history of fires and tornados. He did this in the later 30s or early 40s, if I remember correctly. One look at his map, showing the original waterline of the peninsula, will instantly reveal the low spots and explain the flooding that modern man has not been able to prevent. I would estimate that 30 – 40 percent of the modern peninsula was either marsh or salt creek in 1680.

    As to the camera question, my recommendation is that you ask Pam of The Microbial Laboratory what she uses…….I recall that she uses a relatively inexpensive “Coolpix”.

    Can’t help on video capture.

  • http://www.jaredwsmith.com Jared Smith

    Great info — thanks Ad!

  • http://www.jaredwsmith.com Jared Smith

    Great info — thanks Ad!

  • http://www.lifelessempathy.net/ NotMyBest2Day

    You had to throw that optical zoom bit in there. The Kodak EasyShare cameras have excellent quality, and an amazingly fast shutter speed. A little $80 3MP one my friend had took pics of my computer’s case fans at 2800rpm and they looked like the system was off.

  • http://www.lifelessempathy.net/ NotMyBest2Day

    You had to throw that optical zoom bit in there. The Kodak EasyShare cameras have excellent quality, and an amazingly fast shutter speed. A little $80 3MP one my friend had took pics of my computer’s case fans at 2800rpm and they looked like the system was off.

  • http://www.braintube.com/ Matthew

    It’s not already on it, but streets that flood would make a excellent addition to the Charleston Wiki
    You can add google maps with pins placed over the street in question, and assign the page to a “streets that flood” category.

  • http://www.braintube.com/ Matthew

    It’s not already on it, but streets that flood would make a excellent addition to the Charleston Wiki
    You can add google maps with pins placed over the street in question, and assign the page to a “streets that flood” category.

  • http://walkthisway.org/ Joan

    Agricola is right. Most of the bad areas used to be riverbeds or waterfront and are fill areas. I’d still like a flood cam to plan by so I’d have something to plan by other than a tide clock.

  • http://walkthisway.org/ Joan

    Agricola is right. Most of the bad areas used to be riverbeds or waterfront and are fill areas. I’d still like a flood cam to plan by so I’d have something to plan by other than a tide clock.

  • http://www.agricola.typepad.com Agricola

    Try this link for the Halsey map…..a bit pricey, but every Charlestonian should have this on the wall of his/her study/den

    http://www.charlestonliving.com/oldcodgers/index.htm

  • http://www.agricola.typepad.com Agricola

    Try this link for the Halsey map…..a bit pricey, but every Charlestonian should have this on the wall of his/her study/den

    http://www.charlestonliving.com/oldcodgers/index.htm