Article

2006-01-14 -Short Attention Span Theater-

Seattle ark dealerships showing record profits...

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Fred 2006-01-14 09:36|| || Front Page|| [9 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Meanwhile, in Arizona, we haven't had rain since October, the mountains are bare of snow. It's the driest year ever.

So, how 'bout a trade in February?

Posted by Jackal">Jackal 2006-01-14 09:45|| home.earthlink.net/~sleepyjackal/index.html]">[home.earthlink.net/~sleepyjackal/index.html] 2006-01-14 09:45|| Front Page Top

#2 How 'bout I come to camp for a few weeks in Arizona this winter? I'd like some dry warm weather for a change...

Posted by Whutch Threth6418 2006-01-14 09:54|| 2006-01-14 09:54|| Front Page Top

#3 I grew up in the seattle area and I am quite sick and tired of the rain. I'm growing webbed feet - and you try typing with webbed fingers!.

We don't tan here -- we rust.

Posted by CrazyFool 2006-01-14 10:03|| 2006-01-14 10:03|| Front Page Top

#4 The great claim that Arizona is having the driest winter in centuries, sorta misses out on a few facts. That is, there are probably no meteorological records dating from before 1880, and even then, just local ones. Statewide records probably didn't begin until the 1930s.

Similarly, the dry Salt River in Phoenix flooded in 1968, for the first time in 70 years. They called it a "100 year flood", and dummies started rebuilding in the riverbottom. Four years later they had another flood. This one they called a "500 year flood, so go ahead and rebuild". Few did, which was fortunate, because a few years later there was another flood.

That's the thing about weather. So unpredicatble. Especially when you pull your statistics out of thin air.

Posted by Anonymoose 2006-01-14 10:19|| 2006-01-14 10:19|| Front Page Top

#5 It appears that the water is actually needed a little further east. Maybe all that metro buildup in Seattle has created a micro climate that is making a man made barrier to proper flow. Time for some serious restrictions Kyoto style for the environmentally aware of the metroplex.

Posted by Slatle Slinelet1894 2006-01-14 10:47|| 2006-01-14 10:47|| Front Page Top

#6 I foresee changes in the weather over the next several months, but trust me, tomorrow is likely to be similar today - unless it's not.

Posted by 6 2006-01-14 11:17|| 2006-01-14 11:17|| Front Page Top

#7 Dig some drainage ditches. It's been done elsewhere.

Posted by trailing wife 2006-01-14 11:28|| 2006-01-14 11:28|| Front Page Top

#8 looks like San Diego may get some rain late today - should be in AZ tomorrow - more storms behind it and jet stream's moved a little south, cross your fingers. We're dry here too

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2006-01-14 11:34|| 2006-01-14 11:34|| Front Page Top

#9 Frank G: appreciate the rain, but the point is, why bother? Southern Arizona is a desert. Desert. It's not supposed to look like Virginia, no matter what some land developers promise.

And seriously, in past, that is what some developers have promised: "A little piece of Virginia in Arizona". Lots of lakes and golf courses. C'mon, get real.

Sooner or later the water will run down, if not out. Even thought they pipeline it in, it costs money and it just isn't natural. There is a point of diminishing returns with terraforming. 100 days without rain is not that unusual here.

Sure, it's fine to make a place more comfortable, but there are limits.

Trying to make Virginia out of a desert is just as silly as building your house on a frequent flood plain and expecting your insurance to pay for 20 years of flooding in a row.

Oh well. Eventually people will figure it out. Hopefully that will be the end of Tempe Town Lake.

Posted by Anonymoose 2006-01-14 13:09|| 2006-01-14 13:09|| Front Page Top

#10 holds the dust down....

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2006-01-14 14:22|| 2006-01-14 14:22|| Front Page Top

#11 Wasn't it some years ago when some beltway EPA guy proposed that Phoenix should reduce its particulate air pollution by "watering down the desert?"

(Fortunately, that brilliant notion didn't even make it out of D.C.)

Posted by Anonymoose 2006-01-14 15:11|| 2006-01-14 15:11|| Front Page Top

#12 No rain yet today! Kind of Grey and threatening though...
And yes we are Over Taxed, it's crazy :(

The media just hypes the rain up every year, it's nothing new...it always rains alot besides they have little else to do.

No umbrellas and never turn your wipers on.

Posted by bk 2006-01-14 16:23|| 2006-01-14 16:23|| Front Page Top

#13 I agree with you somewhat, 'mooose. Tucson is a little better than Phoenix in that most of our homes do not have grass yards (perhaps 1/3 do in the back, but very few have grass in front). I do have mostly LWU plants and don't have a pool. While we have too damn many golf courses (zero is the ideal number), many of them are "desert" courses.

Yes, yes, it's a desert. However, it's supposed to be the least desert-y desert in the world, with more percipitation than any other "desert."

Watch for lots of water restrictions on homeowners, who use maybe 10%, while few if any on the 60% used by agriculture (growing cotton??? though at least they no longer grow rice in the desert) and the 30% used by industry.

They're saying maybe perhaps there will be rain tomorrow. Or maybe not.

Posted by Jackal">Jackal 2006-01-14 16:57|| home.earthlink.net/~sleepyjackal/index.html]">[home.earthlink.net/~sleepyjackal/index.html] 2006-01-14 16:57|| Front Page Top

#14 The weather forcast is: seasonal with variations.
Bob and Ray

Posted by Inspector Clueso 2006-01-14 17:38|| 2006-01-14 17:38|| Front Page Top

#15 #3: I grew up in the seattle area and I am quite sick and tired of the rain. I'm growing webbed feet - and you try typing with webbed fingers!.

Despite the Rainfall reputation that Seattle has, Mobile's annual rainfall average is greater, and we don't complain of webbed feet.
Frankly here on the gulf, webbed feet would be an advantage.

Posted by Redneck Jim 2006-01-14 20:35|| 2006-01-14 20:35|| Front Page Top

#16 Its not freeeeezing cold in Mobile

Posted by bk 2006-01-14 23:44|| 2006-01-14 23:44|| Front Page Top

#17 So bk, you back in Seattle? Or being washed down stream?

Posted by 49 Pan 2006-01-14 23:51|| 2006-01-14 23:51|| Front Page Top

18:34 Frank G
18:33 Frank G
18:19 Aris Katsaris
18:15 Nimble Spemble
12:31 Filthy Onion
23:51 49 Pan
23:49 3dc
23:46 macofromoc
23:46 macofromoc
23:44 bk
23:43 3dc
23:36 Frank G
23:27 MacNails
23:22 gromky
23:20 James
23:17 xbalanke
23:14 Cyber Sarge
23:12 xbalanke
23:03 Kalle (kafir forever)
23:03 Sock Puppet OÂ´ Doom
23:01 Kalle (kafir forever)
23:00 James
22:57 BigEd
22:40 Rafael