Once again, California is burning. It has become an annual event, much like tropical weather in the Gulf of Mexico and the SE Atlantic coast. It is almost business as usual. In saying that, I am not making light of a horrible issue. I have a serious point to make.
California, Texas along the Gulf, and the SE Atlantic coast are heavily populated and folks are moving there all the time. Understandable since these are generally nice places to live. But, rapid growth causes rapid change, In California, people now live where the fires rage and, in addition to their sheer and obvious danger, they clear land. There is still plenty to burn plus, when the fires die down, there is nothing left to hold the soil. The rains come and the mud slides start. If you want to see the ultimate end of the process, look at Haiti. Frequent mud slides there have made a once naturally attractive land resemble a slimy mud pit., barely livable and incapable of sustaining food growth.
In tropical storm areas, they used to greatly restrict building along the shore. I
know this because I grew up in Florida in the 1950s. Then, building right on the beach was allowed. In other areas, building became acceptable on the barrier islands and wetlands, which once helped ease flooding and wind damage, were destroyed. In addition, the climate started changing (yes that is true, we just don't know what or the exact outcome) Now. storms sweep in. through the areas that used to absorb the worst weather and most of the flooding.
After the disasters, folks rebuild, and that is my issue. Insurance companies get little sympathy from me, but they really are being hit hard,. so, the Governments, State and Federal, take up the slack. But, they, and the tax payers supporting them, cannot keep rebuilding, year after year,
My answer. It may sound hard but, to those who want to keep living in places that do not want people there anymore, good luck to you. Expect no more assistance and no more sympathy. You have made your beds and if you will not wake up and face reality, well. maybe you have enough money to rebuild year after year.
We cannot do every thing we want. Large numbers of people cannot live in certain places and conditions change, What worked 15 years ago, ,may not work now. That is the way things are and we, as humans must grow up. It will take long years for these areas to heal. Go elsewhere, Your life does not have to be lived in the mountains or at in the shore.
Showing posts with label climate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label climate. Show all posts
Friday, July 27, 2018
Thursday, May 17, 2018
Another Warning - The Weather
I seem to be on an alarmist trend here and I promise I'll stop, but this is important.
Right now, in N. Georgia, we are getting a lot of rain. This is from a low pressure center off Florida, being blown in by a high in the Atlantic.
No big deal. We need the rain to get rid of all the pollen. I feel like I have trees growing in my head.But, think of the timing. This is mid-May. These fronts should not be doing this. Tropical storm season does not start until June and there is rarely activity until September. If this low had developed a month or so from now, it would have been tropical in nature. Even now, it showed circulation.
Such things are not unheard of and most years, I would not think twice about it
But, this is not most years. Last year, the USA was hit by 4 hurricanes, 3 of the Category 4. This is unheard of. There is, despite what Trump and others say, climate change. Not necessarily warming, but intensifying. The cold spells are colder and the hot spells are hotter and no one can even begin to explain. Don't believe me? France just had a blizzard. In mid-May.
Here, in Atlanta, the temperatures have been running about 10 degrees above normal. Hot land means that soon the ocean will get toasty. Ocean heat feed low pressure zones and creates hurricanes. More heat, more storm.
Maybe we will not have any storms this year, but don't bet on it. If you live near the coast, Atlantic or Gulf, be smart. Pay attention. Go now, not later and lay in emergency supplies, canned and dry food, bottled, water. batteries, a radio, an electric lantern, a portable gas stove ( look in camping supplies) . The usual stuff. If you own a home and can afford it, get a generator and cans to store gas ( don't fill them until a storm nears and have a safe place to store them). I hope you will not need them.
If you think I am exaggerating, sorry. Growing up in S. Florida and spending 50 years there and then loving in SE Georgia for 5 uears means that I have been through 10 tropical storms and 6 hurricanes. They are dangerous and make a total mess out of things and, often it takes weeks to get back to normal. Use some sense, be ready and things go a whole lot smoother.
There. No more preachy warnings for awhile. I promise.
Right now, in N. Georgia, we are getting a lot of rain. This is from a low pressure center off Florida, being blown in by a high in the Atlantic.
No big deal. We need the rain to get rid of all the pollen. I feel like I have trees growing in my head.But, think of the timing. This is mid-May. These fronts should not be doing this. Tropical storm season does not start until June and there is rarely activity until September. If this low had developed a month or so from now, it would have been tropical in nature. Even now, it showed circulation.
Such things are not unheard of and most years, I would not think twice about it
But, this is not most years. Last year, the USA was hit by 4 hurricanes, 3 of the Category 4. This is unheard of. There is, despite what Trump and others say, climate change. Not necessarily warming, but intensifying. The cold spells are colder and the hot spells are hotter and no one can even begin to explain. Don't believe me? France just had a blizzard. In mid-May.
Here, in Atlanta, the temperatures have been running about 10 degrees above normal. Hot land means that soon the ocean will get toasty. Ocean heat feed low pressure zones and creates hurricanes. More heat, more storm.
Maybe we will not have any storms this year, but don't bet on it. If you live near the coast, Atlantic or Gulf, be smart. Pay attention. Go now, not later and lay in emergency supplies, canned and dry food, bottled, water. batteries, a radio, an electric lantern, a portable gas stove ( look in camping supplies) . The usual stuff. If you own a home and can afford it, get a generator and cans to store gas ( don't fill them until a storm nears and have a safe place to store them). I hope you will not need them.
If you think I am exaggerating, sorry. Growing up in S. Florida and spending 50 years there and then loving in SE Georgia for 5 uears means that I have been through 10 tropical storms and 6 hurricanes. They are dangerous and make a total mess out of things and, often it takes weeks to get back to normal. Use some sense, be ready and things go a whole lot smoother.
There. No more preachy warnings for awhile. I promise.
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Befuddled
I seldom watch news these days because not much is happening. Well, actually, a lot is happening, but the media is ignoring anything of import,
Sex scandals still dominate, Of course men should learn to keep their hands to themselves. But, why are women waiting 10, 15, 20 years to report this poor behavior. I a also wondering what will happen wneh men start reporting women who have groped them. Such things do happen. All I know is that if you do not report criminal sexual assault because you are afraid it will hurt your career, is that, in plain terms, you gave prostituted yourself, Sorry, but that is precisely the definition of things.
We hear scant mention of the Russia probe. I think that is because the investigation is finding as much Democratic involvement as Republican. That prostitute word pops up again.
Trump seems to have done his thing, making deals, very successfully in the East, Hats off to the President. It was a truly remarkable display of skill, and it has been almost totally ignored by the media.
However, just to show that he has not lost his knack for putting his foot in his mouth, he
is mouth, he used the Pocahontas- Elizabeth Warren joke, which I live, at a gathering that celebrated the WW2 Navaho code talkers, true heroes of that War.
Tacky, at best.
The tax plan, which we were told would pass any day, is looking shaky, but that is not surprising.
Overlooked are several viral bits of news. We are ridding the nation of several violent gangs ar a fairly rapid pace. Vast amounts of opiates have been seized and many dealers arrested. A large numver of child porn and child prostitution rings have been busted. Hats off to President Trump and Attorney General Sessions. On the down side, the climate is changing quickly and we cannot stop pointing fingers long enough to figure out practical ways around the effects. And volcanoes, rather large ones, are blowing, events that in themselves are climate changing, Still, this is ignored so we can gear just who is playing grab ass with who.
Such is life in this very odd time and place. Still, Christmas is here.
Remember, the message. Peace on Earth. Good Will to Men. Maybe we can have that for a little while. We just need to try.
Sex scandals still dominate, Of course men should learn to keep their hands to themselves. But, why are women waiting 10, 15, 20 years to report this poor behavior. I a also wondering what will happen wneh men start reporting women who have groped them. Such things do happen. All I know is that if you do not report criminal sexual assault because you are afraid it will hurt your career, is that, in plain terms, you gave prostituted yourself, Sorry, but that is precisely the definition of things.
We hear scant mention of the Russia probe. I think that is because the investigation is finding as much Democratic involvement as Republican. That prostitute word pops up again.
Trump seems to have done his thing, making deals, very successfully in the East, Hats off to the President. It was a truly remarkable display of skill, and it has been almost totally ignored by the media.
However, just to show that he has not lost his knack for putting his foot in his mouth, he
is mouth, he used the Pocahontas- Elizabeth Warren joke, which I live, at a gathering that celebrated the WW2 Navaho code talkers, true heroes of that War.
Tacky, at best.
The tax plan, which we were told would pass any day, is looking shaky, but that is not surprising.
Overlooked are several viral bits of news. We are ridding the nation of several violent gangs ar a fairly rapid pace. Vast amounts of opiates have been seized and many dealers arrested. A large numver of child porn and child prostitution rings have been busted. Hats off to President Trump and Attorney General Sessions. On the down side, the climate is changing quickly and we cannot stop pointing fingers long enough to figure out practical ways around the effects. And volcanoes, rather large ones, are blowing, events that in themselves are climate changing, Still, this is ignored so we can gear just who is playing grab ass with who.
Such is life in this very odd time and place. Still, Christmas is here.
Remember, the message. Peace on Earth. Good Will to Men. Maybe we can have that for a little while. We just need to try.
Thursday, December 29, 2016
2016 - A Review and Some Predictions
2016 has been one hell of a strange year. No one can dispute that.
Mother Nature has been in a bit of a snit. We have seen massive wildfires throughout the Southwest and the Southeast. Temperatures are going to be brutally cold this weekend. Louisiana and West Virginia suffered devastating floods. Here in Brunswick, Ga, which never has tropical storms, in a little over a month, we had two tropical storms and a hurricane. Earthquakes are showing up in odd places, like Oklahoma; seemingly, fracking is not such a good idea.
Flint, Michigan and Corpus Christie, Texas have had contaminated drinking water issues that have proven costly and time consuming to solve.
Terrorism has hit here again and again, most notably, the dumpster bomber in NY and the shootings at the gay club in Tampa. Europe has been hit much harder. Yet still, both here and throughout Europe, immigrants, unscreened and unscreenable, continue pouring in.
Heroin use and over doses have become a National disgrace.
More and more, in large American cities, homeless people are filling the streets, and many, many of them are kids. Again, a disgrace.
Those of you who signed up for Obamacare are about to get nailed with higher premiums and higher deductible. Cheer up, that will be going bye-bye soon, although, no one seems to have a clue what's going to replace it; maybe nothing.
The last election is now almost two months passed and still, the Democrats are whining like little brats and the Republicans, the old timers in Congress, don't have a clue about their future course. After the nastiest campaign I can remember, Trump is almost to his inauguration, and I'm still not quite sure what his plans are, but at least it will be something different.
Across college campuses, political correctness has hit the point of total absurdity, Any mention of Christmas seems to have become akin to felonious assault. Gender identity is a huge issue and colleges are issuing guides telling students how they should address, in as gender neutral a way as possible, their classmates.
Racial issues have reached a crescendo, with rioting erupting in several cities, the rise of the inane Black Lives Matter movement, and the growing hostility between Whites, Blacks, Native Americans, Hispanics, and Muslims.
Let me offer a few predictions for the New Year.
Trump will have a hard time, even with a Republican Congress, getting his Cabinet approved, his immigration issues dealt with, and getting trade laws passed. He will get Obamacare removed and taxes cut, many regulations removed, and very likely will get his way on rearming the military. He will not get any change in education issues, or environmental issues, and, no, he will not build a wall.
Racial trouble will grow worse. About the best we can hope is that the various divisions will simply ignore each other and live mostly separate lives. Not good, but better than riots.
Our interminable wars in the Mid East will drag on for a while, appear to end, and then explode. The trigger points will be (pick one) Libya, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Jorden, Tunisia, Somalia, or Lebanon. A major confrontation will occur involving Russia, Turkey, and Iran, possibly relating to the continuing Kurdish problem. Israel will jump in, hoping to stick it to Iran and we will jump in hoping to stick it to Russia. This will be a major, tragic war. It may not break out in 2017, but this is the year the stage will be set.
Rampant deregulation will lead to an economic windfall, for a while. Then something will stick a pin in the bubble and it will all fall down. Again, maybe the bubble will not burst in 2017, but the stage will be set, so live it up while you can.
Religion will become a major point of contention. Devout Christians and Jews will become almost outcasts in many circles.
And, last, the Climate will get weirder. Yes, the climate is changing and changing very quickly. No, humans are not the sole cause, but we better get a grip on what's going on and make necessary changes as soon as possible. Instead, we will spend useless hours haggling over issues that may not matter in just a very few years.
So, that out of the way, Happy New Year. Have some fun while you can, because the ride going to get a trifle bumpy.
Mother Nature has been in a bit of a snit. We have seen massive wildfires throughout the Southwest and the Southeast. Temperatures are going to be brutally cold this weekend. Louisiana and West Virginia suffered devastating floods. Here in Brunswick, Ga, which never has tropical storms, in a little over a month, we had two tropical storms and a hurricane. Earthquakes are showing up in odd places, like Oklahoma; seemingly, fracking is not such a good idea.
Flint, Michigan and Corpus Christie, Texas have had contaminated drinking water issues that have proven costly and time consuming to solve.
Terrorism has hit here again and again, most notably, the dumpster bomber in NY and the shootings at the gay club in Tampa. Europe has been hit much harder. Yet still, both here and throughout Europe, immigrants, unscreened and unscreenable, continue pouring in.
Heroin use and over doses have become a National disgrace.
More and more, in large American cities, homeless people are filling the streets, and many, many of them are kids. Again, a disgrace.
Those of you who signed up for Obamacare are about to get nailed with higher premiums and higher deductible. Cheer up, that will be going bye-bye soon, although, no one seems to have a clue what's going to replace it; maybe nothing.
The last election is now almost two months passed and still, the Democrats are whining like little brats and the Republicans, the old timers in Congress, don't have a clue about their future course. After the nastiest campaign I can remember, Trump is almost to his inauguration, and I'm still not quite sure what his plans are, but at least it will be something different.
Across college campuses, political correctness has hit the point of total absurdity, Any mention of Christmas seems to have become akin to felonious assault. Gender identity is a huge issue and colleges are issuing guides telling students how they should address, in as gender neutral a way as possible, their classmates.
Racial issues have reached a crescendo, with rioting erupting in several cities, the rise of the inane Black Lives Matter movement, and the growing hostility between Whites, Blacks, Native Americans, Hispanics, and Muslims.
Let me offer a few predictions for the New Year.
Trump will have a hard time, even with a Republican Congress, getting his Cabinet approved, his immigration issues dealt with, and getting trade laws passed. He will get Obamacare removed and taxes cut, many regulations removed, and very likely will get his way on rearming the military. He will not get any change in education issues, or environmental issues, and, no, he will not build a wall.
Racial trouble will grow worse. About the best we can hope is that the various divisions will simply ignore each other and live mostly separate lives. Not good, but better than riots.
Our interminable wars in the Mid East will drag on for a while, appear to end, and then explode. The trigger points will be (pick one) Libya, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Jorden, Tunisia, Somalia, or Lebanon. A major confrontation will occur involving Russia, Turkey, and Iran, possibly relating to the continuing Kurdish problem. Israel will jump in, hoping to stick it to Iran and we will jump in hoping to stick it to Russia. This will be a major, tragic war. It may not break out in 2017, but this is the year the stage will be set.
Rampant deregulation will lead to an economic windfall, for a while. Then something will stick a pin in the bubble and it will all fall down. Again, maybe the bubble will not burst in 2017, but the stage will be set, so live it up while you can.
Religion will become a major point of contention. Devout Christians and Jews will become almost outcasts in many circles.
And, last, the Climate will get weirder. Yes, the climate is changing and changing very quickly. No, humans are not the sole cause, but we better get a grip on what's going on and make necessary changes as soon as possible. Instead, we will spend useless hours haggling over issues that may not matter in just a very few years.
So, that out of the way, Happy New Year. Have some fun while you can, because the ride going to get a trifle bumpy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)