elusivek | (Apparently not) Wordless Wednesday (Reply)

Probably the most hated image by 95% of the Macau population right now. (Everyone's vying for the typhoon to come but the meteorological services here seem to push off issuing the warning signal that would give almost everyone a day off or a top up hazard pay)

For those interested, the warning system is as follows:

Depending on the wind speed, there are 5 categories

#1, #3, #8, #9 and #10, with #1 being the weakest and #10 the strongest. Actual mumbo-jumbo right here: http://www.smg.gov.mo/smg/severeWeather/e_typhoon_def.htm

Anyway, at #3, nurseries and primary schools are cancelled, and at #8 everything is cancelled: schools, offices, etc... Even the bridges connecting the peninsula to the islands close. So everyone hopes for a #8.

Obviously some places never close, like hotels and casinos, so these places remain open and need to compensate the staff that work overtime (because people from the next shift are not obliged to come to work, besides people are encouraged to stay indoors, so you better not go home. Since you can't go home, your next option is keep on working). If a staff shows up for work they get a bonus for showing up on a typhoon day.

Usually that bonus isn't enough to cover your medical bills in the event you do get hit at the head by some random flying object or collapsing tree/hoarding/scaffolding/etc.

For me personally, I'd rather there be no typhoon. Accidents happen, it can flood in low lying areas and it's just a hassle. Don't know why people WISH for a typhoon at all. It's a hazard.