Is it ironic that only a week ago, Hayley was avidly promoting Al Gore's docudrama / powerpoint presentation about global warming (An Inconvenient Truth)? NO! Irony is when one thing is expected and something entirely opposite happens!
Here are some "The Day After" images that were posted by Hayley. Except that a fair amount of Northeastern Ohio is well above the level of Lake Erie, the rains rivaled those of Katrina. The rainfall in Mentor was 9.7 inches. Katrina averaged 8-10 inches across Louisiana.
This is very Bad!
Posted by Mendon at July 30, 2006 12:19 AMThis is a quote from your link to the PD. This is ironic.
"The weather pattern that caused the downpour was an unusual event - similar to the one that produced last month's flood-inducing storms in southern Cuyahoga County, he said."
I mean, how unusual? And we had an similar on the week before. Nathan and I went to Lagacy Village (the Apple Store) and drove home in a total downpour, which was even heavier in Ashtabula. That makes three such 'events' in a one month period.
And though we had as much rain as Katrina, we didn't have the winds. There is no way the devestation can evem be compared. There are a few families who are in as bad shape, but very few. I have one acquaintence whose house was full of water, the basement and the whole first floor. It will be a long time, if ever, for her to get back into her house.
Posted by: ma at July 30, 2006 7:32 AMMaman, Another factor to consider is that the area of rainfall for Katrina was massive, meaning much more water. What strikes me about this recent storm is that it is comparable in quantity at any given point.
As for the "How unusual?" question, this is the very same question that we ask in psychology to determine pathological behavior (another ethical dilemma). I think that if behavior is a continuum and pathology is a demarcation line, then pathology is an invention of an archaic mind trapped thinking in a hierarchical fashion. The very concept of pathology is unethical because it seeks to label nothing as something.
Posted by: Mendon at July 30, 2006 11:21 AMPathology describes the trending of the instance of illness and how it is manifested symptomatically to the patient and in signs we can measure as clinicians. I'm not sure there is a pathology to natures handiwork as it does not feel its own symptoms while there are plenty of signs. And this is,like rainwater, getting too deep. I have ahard time not blaming architects for the demise of neighborhoods with sewer backups and poor drainage in overdeveloped communities. When these occur in rural areas it is usually from underdevelopment. It is evident ,then, that we cannot find a balance. In the case of New Orleans, I believe living 26 feet below sea level is a disaster waiting to happen and those who dwell there should shoulder some of the blame for the human tragedy of just living in such a dumb place.
Circumstances have been unique this year because we don't normally have this much rain. When we do, somewhere else in the world is having a drought or something. So look on the world news for those poor folks who aren't getting their usual amounts. Maybe Europe.
Or California and other South Western states.
Posted by: Rae at July 31, 2006 10:03 PMActually, Phoenix is in its monsoon season. Dad describes the rain as "puddle worthy." Quite a feat for that area.
Posted by: Kristen at July 31, 2006 11:10 PMPlease explain 'puddle worthy'? Lots and it makes puddles? The puddles it makes are worth playing in?
Posted by: Ma at July 31, 2006 11:13 PM