Drought

[trollgirl]

I read a report that sixty percent of the US is now in drought. Here around Kansas City, it's not so bad, though the grass is mostly brown, the river is down, and there is very little barge traffic. Upstream, north and west, where the water is coming from, or rather, less of it, it has been dry for, what is it, seven years now in the Dakotas. Seems it's the worst heat and drought since the dust bowl days of the 1930's. I remember my dad telling me about the summer of (I think it was) 1936, when he and his brothers were doing some fence work with a crow bar, and when they set it down they threw a gunny sack over it to keep the sun off, or there was just no picking it up again. How is it elsewhere?

This topic interests me, has for a long time. Years ago, I read Brad Steiger's book "A Roadmap of Time," based on the work of a professor at Kansas University at Lawrence, only some fifty miles from here. The name of the professor escapes me, but then it has been about twenty-five years since I read the book. However, he outlines history for centuries back in terms of 100, 500, and 1000 year climate cycles. According to the book, from about 1975 to about 2000 a cold/dry phase dominated. Now the hot/dry phase is here. The wet phase is a ways away... Fascinating stuff, the book even mentions how the cycles affect politics, art, architecture, just about everything.

Laz

[texlle]

Florida experienced a serious drought in the summer of 2000. Forest fires were almost spontaneous and everyone was on a water usage restriction. Some of the cities didn't even allow their annual 4th of July fireworks for fear of sparking a fire.

But now, for the past 2 or 3 years, we have gotten nothing but rain every day from around early june to september. We're going to need boats soon.

[GMichael]

No drought here in NY yet. Floods yes. Drought no. But it's plenty hot and humid. High 90's the last few days and 100+ in the forecast for today and the next few days. Throw in the high humidity and I thank G.d for A/C. (The power companies are wanring us that power may be a problem though)

[Resident Loser]

No drought here in NY yet. Floods yes. Drought no. But it's plenty hot and humid. High 90's the last few days and 100+ in the forecast for today and the next few days. Throw in the high humidity and I thank G.d for A/C. (The power companies are wanring us that power may be a problem though)

...And Con Ed and the city braintrusts can't understand why the grid is in peril...at least the one in Queens...maybe if the lazy @$$, bureaucratic slimeballs at the DOB actually took a look at the building permit applications, etc. instead of allowing these architects (and I use that term loosely) to "self-certify" that they are up to snuff code-wise, it wouldn't be so easy to convert the SFO neighborhoods into Mc Mansions, in reality multi-family dwellings...speculators abound...the infrastructure suffers...power/sewers/parking...

Same in FLA...all the contractors love the expansion, but it comes at a steep price...now they're tryin' to figure out how to undo what the ACofE did to the 'glades...

As pointed out, even if there are cycles, we aren't doing anything to lessen their effects by screwin' up microclimates and continued de-forestation and inpinging on animal habitat...

And people get p!$$ed when they find bears rootin' through their trash...

jimHJJ(...like who came first?...)

[Feanor]

....
Years ago, I read Brad Steiger's book "A Roadmap of Time," based on the work of a professor at Kansas University at Lawrence, only some fifty miles from here. The name of the professor escapes me, but then it has been about twenty-five years since I read the book. However, he outlines history for centuries back in terms of 100, 500, and 1000 year climate cycles. According to the book, from about 1975 to about 2000 a cold/dry phase dominated. Now the hot/dry phase is here. The wet phase is a ways away... Fascinating stuff, the book even mentions how the cycles affect politics, art, architecture, just about everything.

Laz

Global warming is here and happening faster than ever before that we know of. And all reasonable analysis of causes highly implicates human beings and industrialization.

In general, discussion of cyclical causality is Bush!te prevarication.

[Resident Loser]

Global warming is here and happening faster than ever before that we know of. And all reasonable analysis of causes highly implicates human beings and industrialization.

In general, discussion of cyclical causality is Bush!te prevarication.

...there have been articles re: tree-ring studies and ice-core samples that support such cycles in pre-history...but like any other statistic it can be manipulated and used to support nearly anyone's agenda...

jimHJJ(...certainly post-industrial revolution implications aren't without merit...)

[ForeverAutumn]

...And Con Ed and the city braintrusts can't understand why the grid is in peril...at least the one in Queens...maybe if the lazy @$$, bureaucratic slimeballs at the DOB actually took a look at the building permit applications, etc. instead of allowing these architects (and I use that term loosely) to "self-certify" that they are up to snuff code-wise, it wouldn't be so easy to convert the SFO neighborhoods into Mc Mansions, in reality multi-family dwellings...speculators abound...the infrastructure suffers...power/sewers/parking...

Same in FLA...all the contractors love the expansion, but it comes at a steep price...now they're tryin' to figure out how to undo what the ACofE did to the 'glades...

As pointed out, even if there are cycles, we aren't doing anything to lessen their effects by screwin' up microclimates and continued de-forestation and inpinging on animal habitat...

And people get p!$$ed when they find bears rootin' through their trash...

jimHJJ(...like who came first?...)

I moved into my house nine years ago. At that time, just north of me was lots and lots of open green space. Today, that open green space is jam packed with condos and townhouses. I don't know exact numbers, but if I had to guess, I'd say that the population within a 10km radius of my house has increase by 50% in the last nine years. In order to deal with the increased population, we now have a toll highway (the only one in Canada) running through our town, which took up additional green space and which they are now widening, killing even more green space. And a series of big box stores which were built on, what used to be, open fields.

Where am I going with this?...in reference to your bears in the trash comment...I am a bird watcher. This summer, I have started to see Red-Wing Blackbirds at our bird feeder. This is the first time in nine years that I have seen these birds come to our feeder. All books that I have read tell me that these birds are not feeder birds and you won't see them in your backyard. Guess again. The construction of all of the condos and townhouses has detroyed these birds habitat. They have no choice now but to turn to backyard feeders for food. I think that it's sad when we have such little disregard for the other creatures that we share this planet with.

I know this has nothing to do with drought, but for what it's worth the temps here are in the mid 30's, high 40's if you count the humidy factor, (celsius) today and all my grass is dead.

[Jim Clark]

I read a report that sixty percent of the US is now in drought. Here around Kansas City, it's not so bad,
Laz

Where are you in KC? I'm here in beautiful Lenexa and thought I was pretty much on my own at this site. I'd actually seen you reference KC in a previous post but I was just about to head off on vacation for a while and it wasn't a good time to contact you.

jc

[trollgirl]

Global warming is here and happening faster than ever before that we know of. And all reasonable analysis of causes highly implicates human beings and industrialization.

In general, discussion of cyclical causality is Bush!te prevarication.

...painting an excuse for an argument with a very broad brush. You even hint that I may be a Bu****e. In another time and place, that would have gotten you called out for a possibly fatal duel, after I had called you a cad and a poltroon.

There, I feel better now. Now, for a rational argument. You may or may not be correct about global warming, but the upswing into a hot/dry phase, as prediced by Raymond Wheeler (I knew I'd remember his name) many years ago, only makes it all the worse. If you have not read the book, or otherwise studied his work, do not dismiss it. Bush has an agenda in denying the current trends, but I knew this was coming a quarter of a century ago, before anybody had rolled out the "Global Warming" bandwagon. I think it's you who needs to get up to speed here...

Laz

[Feanor]

...painting an excuse for an argument with a very broad brush. You even hint that I may be a Bu****e. In another time and place, that would have gotten you called out for a possibly fatal duel, after I had called you a cad and a poltroon.

There, I feel better now. Now, for a rational argument. You may or may not be correct about global warming, but the upswing into a hot/dry phase, as prediced by Raymond Wheeler (I knew I'd remember his name) many years ago, only makes it all the worse. If you have not read the book, or otherwise studied his work, do not dismiss it. Bush has an agenda in denying the current trends, but I knew this was coming a quarter of a century ago, before anybody had rolled out the "Global Warming" bandwagon. I think it's you who needs to get up to speed here...

Laz

Nothing personal was intended.

It is quite true that there have been weather fluctuations in the earth's history and some of these have been cyclical. It's possible that current conditions are at least partially due to the cycle described or some other.

My ONLY point was those with a vested interest in the status quo, that is, the status quo that's putting out greenhouse gases and damaging the ozone layer, are the first to step up with a cyclical argument to dismiss global warming. But I wasn't meaning to imply that you were one of these: sorry if it came across that way.

[trollgirl]

Nothing personal was intended.

It is quite true that there have been weather fluctuations in the earth's history and some of these have been cyclical. It's possible that current conditions are at least partially due to the cycle described or some other.

My ONLY point was those with a vested interest in the status quo, that is, the status quo that's putting out greenhouse gases and damaging the ozone layer, are the first to step up with a cyclical argument to dismiss global warming. But I wasn't meaning to imply that you were one of these: sorry if it came across that way.

...I think I was just in a weird mood. You are perfectly correct about those vested interests and self-serving arguments. I remember Reagan with his "voodoo" economics, for instance, but once in a while they might actually be correct. Every argument and proposition should be judged on its own merits, regardless of who puts it forward, even Clintonistas or Bu****es...

BTW, did you hear that a Manatee has been spotted swimming up the Hudson River?! Hot? Oh, yes.

Laz