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I saw some of those photos too. I can't believe the weather EXTREMES I have seen here in my area in just the past few years. They say that local extremes are becoming more common with global warming.
Several years ago we had 3 feet of snow in one storm -most ever. Last fall we had the most violent storm I'd ever seen - 5-6 inches of rain fell in a few hours - I had bogs in my yard and I live on a hill! It changed the course of the stream in my neighborhood and felled many old trees.
Yesterday, as part of that nor'easter, we had wind gusts up to 60 mph. I couldn't stand up. We lost power for 10 hours - haven't lost power for that amount of time in 25 years. The gas and electric co. can't work when winds get that high (I called). On Jan. 16th this year, it was 62 degrees and I wore shorts to the trail and let the dog swim in the stream! And how about Liz in Australia? - they are having a terrible drought. I guess we are lucky to have too much water rather than not enough - what do you think?
Have a good day. Good news about the iron shots.
Love,
Sis
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.
I'm glad that you and Lou aren't having any serious problems with the floods. It's unfortunate when things like this happen, but they happen because people ignore long-term weather history when they build.
A similar event, on a much larger scale, occurred in New Orleans, a year and a half ago, when Katrina gave us a reality check. Did we learn anything? Apparently not, because look at the outcome - they're trying to rebuild New Orleans in the same location, so that it can happen again, in the next hundred years.
Just looking at recent recorded history, New Orleans was completely destroyed by a hurricane in 1722, and it has sustained serious hurricane damage in every century since, but we continue to ignore the signs, and continue to waste money rebuilding the city in a hole, so that it is virtually guaranteed to happen again, and again. <sigh>
In our own area, we have people building subdivisions in 100 year flood plains, and while they might luck out for a while, sooner or later, a flood will come along to wipe them out. The problem is that people don't live long enough to realize that long-term weather cycles are a significant threat. We don't remember floods that happened a hundred years ago, so we get complacent, and go ahead and build there, and then when it gets flooded, we act surprised, claiming that the weather is completely out of control. If you look at history, though, it's been doing this, since the beginning of time, and it will continue to do the same, as long as we build in low areas.
Okay, I'm off my soapbox now, but I really do think that we should start paying attention to long-term weather history, in our construction plans.
Luve,
Galahad
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
I, for one, love your soapbox. I believe you are SO right.
And, I might add, Our house in Pa. is likely right there in one of those places!!! We were "more ignorant" when we bought the property.
Barbara, what I just said doesn't lessen what I feel for the people involved. It is a sad situation.
Love, Shirley
When the eagles are silent, the parrots begin to jabber"
-- Winston Churchill
TEX, ON THAT SOAPBOX WITH YOU. They just never seem to get it through their thick heads.
Sorry, I have a real attitude today and am just sick from the VA Tech issue and wonder why we can't be more like other countries when it comes to numbers for killings and crime. Our numbers are astronomical and I live 15 miles from Philadelphia where the murder rate is the highest in the nation.
I am so saddened by our ways.
Love, Maggie
Maggie Scarpone
___________________
Resident Birder - I live to bird and enjoy life!
Couldn't agree with you more , Tex. People do not pay attention to long term weather patterns. And to add insult to injury, they do not pay attention to existing changes or future predictions either!
I am very aware of the rising ocean levels because Maryland has a major estuary (Chesapeake Bay), many wetlands, and many miles of ocean shoreline. In the past few decades, the ocean shoreline has eroded significantly. But do they stop building million dollar condos? NO! Instead, they use HUGE amounts of taxpayers' $$$$ to try every year to bring wet sand back from the ocean and bulldoze it onto the beach. Futile, because one good nor'easter wipes it out and erodes the beach still further. SIGH. Same in the bay - we have lost some islands in the last few decades and many natural wetlands due to rising water levels. But do they stop building on/near the wetlands/bay? NO! Even with laws, it is not uncommon for a wealthy person to pay someone off and then build in a "protected" area. And how strange is it that they spend all that money to move the Cape Hatteras (North Carolina) lighthouse further back to shore as the ocean encroaches upon it? And then they will need to move it again soon!
I am up on that soapbox with you. It is scary to think that over 40% of the world's population lives on a coast. With more settling there every day. What's wrong with this picture?
Love,
Polly
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.
Has anyone seen Al Gore's 'An Inconvenient Truth' . It paints a very frightening picture of what we might expect in the years to come if we don't do something about greenhouse gasses & the way we live.
For a start, they are looking at making it compulsory for new houses being built to have solar power installed. Clean coal is another option that is being worked on. Although I think that there has always been climate change in the history of the world there seems to be an excelleration of this in recent years. The mad weather all over the world seems to be testament to this.
Clearing of natural forrests in many places may have made a quick buck for some people but our children & grandchildren will probably suffer as a result.
Even before the water restriction came in we have been using water from our existing tank for cooking & drinking & other household stuff. Every little bit helps. People don't seem to appreciate what a precious resource it is until it starts to run out, as it is now in certain areas.
Driving into the city you see car after car with only one person in it. They just keep building more freeways instead of doing things to encourage people to leave their cars at home & use public transport or maybe car pool.
Well I have had my turn on the soap box.
Love
Liz
A smile is a light in the window of your face that shows that your heart is at home
I'm up there with you. And as a civil engineer, I deal with some of these issues on every job. Vermont has very tight environmental laws for permitting project, but in some ways they are not logical...hurting some worthwhile projects and letting others through.
This winter sure has been bizzare...took forever to get going and now it won't quit. Rumor on the street however, (and this is all anyone in the stores and jobsites is talking about) we are supposed to have sun on Saturday! Can't wait. I still have a snow covered yard! Meanwhile, a mile and a half downhill, they have already lost what came down in the last two storms.
