The official weather thread

[old_gregg]

Right. Like I said. It was amusing. But also sort of dumb. Because the sarcasm misses the point. Whether it is willful ignorance or not the public attitude is very important to policy makers. He was not skewering the fact of the ignorance and whether it was willful. He was waxing hyperbolic that anyone cares about public attitudes.

The reason I mention it is because I think the smug attitude at the base of his comment is one of the key problems we face on this issue. Public attitudes do matter. Being disdainful of anyone who disagrees isn't helpful, it only tends to entrench the disbelievers. If his comment was focused on why those opinions are wrong rather than ridiculing those who would listen to them he might be both amusing and helpful.

you're right, everyone should just try to engage in rational, reasoned dialogue with people like '71.

[Jeff Lebowski]

you're right, everyone should just try to engage in rational, reasoned dialogue with people like '71.

If comedians would just stop trying to be funny, they could solve pressing global issues!

[byu71]

you're right, everyone should just try to engage in rational, reasoned dialogue with people like '71.

When did I first get into your head? I mean it doesn't bug me to get in there. There is a lot of empty space for me to roam around in.

[creekster]

As usual, you are taking this too seriously. I think his primary objective is to discuss current issues in an entertaining fashion.

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/...ral-video.html

OK. I might be taking it too seriously. I just posted my reaction and you implicitly criticized it with what I thought was a misstatement of my point as well as support for a position Oliver wasn't taking. So I responded. I DO think his attitude is smug. I DO think this is a problem in the debate. Too often people are simply dismissed as being dumb. That all said, I also thought his comment was funny.

As to BYU71's question, yes, I do think too many in the media are too quick to tell us how to live and are too dismissive of the other side of issues, although I see that on both sides of many questions.

[creekster]

If comedians would just stop trying to be funny, they could solve pressing global issues!

Don't set your sights so low; they can do BOTH.

[RC Vikings]

I still have a foot of snow in my yard but it's 40 degrees today and it's January, it's been a nice winter up here.

[USUC]

Not sure if any of you have read this regarding drought in Utah, but its new to me.

https://climate.usurf.usu.edu/news/1...%20Drought.pdf

A friend of mine sent me this after I was complaining about the lack of precipitation/snow that exists in Utah now versus the 80s when I was a kid. He highlighted the following paragraph:

Finally, and perhaps most dramatically,
precipitation estimates extending back nearly a
thousand years reveal a history of Utah
droughts much deeper and much longer than
those of the recent past. In fact, in the context
of the past thousand years, 20th-century Utah
— and the latter half in particular — has been
exceptionally wet. This is important because it
suggests that in future years we cannot count
on the relatively high levels of precipitation
that have coincided with the state’s explosive
growth.

So basically, the population boom in Utah (and the West as a whole) was enabled by an era of wet conditions that hasn't been seen for at least 1,000 years. In the 13th and 17th centuries, droughts lasted almost the entire century. Could Utah sustain its current population with a century long drought?

[Jeff Lebowski]

Not sure if any of you have read this regarding drought in Utah, but its new to me.

https://climate.usurf.usu.edu/news/1...%20Drought.pdf

A friend of mine sent me this after I was complaining about the lack of precipitation/snow that exists in Utah now versus the 80s when I was a kid. He highlighted the following paragraph:

So basically, the population boom in Utah (and the West as a whole) was enabled by an era of wet conditions that hasn't been seen for at least 1,000 years. In the 13th and 17th centuries, droughts lasted almost the entire century. Could Utah sustain its current population with a century long drought?

Yep.

And the Colorado Compact that governs how the Colorado River is divided up? That was formulated at the end of a highly unusual wet period.

[USUC]

Yep.

And the Colorado Compact that governs how the Colorado River is divided up? That was formulated at the end of a highly unusual wet period.

So in addition to the Wasatch Front being screwed, all the major cities dependent on the Colorado River are as well. Good knowing you Las Vegas, Phoenix, and agriculture in southern California.

[creekster]

Cadillac desert indeed

[imanihonjin]

Here is an article with several pictures of grocery stores in the north east. This is the kind of insanity I experienced in DC that I mentioned earlier, but in DC this would happen when a much less threatening event was in the works than the North East is currently bracing for. Maybe the whole Mormons being prepars actually has some merit.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Here is an article with several pictures of grocery stores in the north east. This is the kind of insanity I experienced in DC that I mentioned earlier, but in DC this would happen when a much less threatening event was in the works than the North East is currently bracing for. Maybe the whole Mormons being prepars actually has some merit.

No linky.

[Joe Public]

We're all gonna DIE!!!

Not really, but I doubt many people come to work in Manhattan tomorrow. My cupboards are pretty bare so I may be eating hot dogs and bottled water for a couple days.

Rumor has it the storm is so bad that some people lost message board private messaging ability several days ago.

[Donuthole]

Rumor has it the storm is so bad that some people lost message board private messaging ability several days ago.

When restored, they will be able to see if they have any private messages by looking next to their name at the top right corner of the page. Until then, it will appear as if they have no messages.

[Omaha 680]

Rumor has it the storm is so bad that some people lost message board private messaging ability several days ago.

In addition to apparently losing PM capabilities, I am also playing travel roulette. I have my flight to Panama (through ATL) out of Newark midday on Wed. Most Delta flights out of Newark and LGA appear to be cancelled Tuesday. The storm stops around 11:00 pm Tuesday, but I'm wondering if they will have everything sorted out for me to get out of Newark on schedule. I'm toying with the idea of taking a train to Baltimore and then flying to ATL from there. I know this is all very fascinating.