I waited too long to start this and I'm falling asleep where I sit.
We're all still okay. I had a busy day; two political meetings and a lunch with my friend. The Democratic gubernatorial candidate was here talking about air quality (rotten) and asthma (epidemic) in the central valley. Both are a huge problem We have "no burn" days in the winter and "save the air" days in the summer. Asthma is the highest cause of absenteeism in the schools and getting worse.
The second meeting was indirectly related to the first. A retailing giant would like to build a distribution center here and the community was invited to submit concerns to be examined in an Environmental Impact Report. I won't bore you with the details but the impact of this center running 24/7 year round with at least 900 trucking round trips a day would be considerable.
I've tried to keep an open mind (been sitting firmly on the fence) but if we can't breathe already, what will this huge operation cost us in terms of quality of life.
It will be in close proximity to three existing schools, a growing residential area, and the University of California. We're talking air and noise pollution, possible economic blight, traffic congestion and a host of other concerns. I'll wait for the "draft" EIR to see which if any of these problems can be mitigated but I may not be on the fence much longer.
Anyhow, that was my day. Not exciting to anyone else; but I believe in community involvement.
We may have cooled off a degree or two; I'm not sure. It's easier when I don't check the temperature. One of my commenters (Hi Tom) noted that Fresno, 60 miles south, made the national news. Their coroner is overwhelmed because of heat related deaths. So far none here (or power outages) as far as I know but our emergency room has been overflowing.
I mention that because several of you have asked.
The girls are holding up nicely and Ray is doing okay. I'll still be so glad when it breaks. At some point it has to. Now the experts are saying this may not be an anomaly but a harbinger of summers to come.
I think that's it for tonight. I just wrote an entire paragraph before I remembered I'd said it all before.
Or at least I'm pretty sure I said it here and not in email. Yep, I sure did. Once was enough.
Still haven't caught up the blog roll but I will. Not moving very quickly lately.
Take care everyone and thanks for all the comments.
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It's supposedly cooled off. I am not sure about that either, because my little lady on my blog page is saying 77 but I know better. I took the trash out before I leave again now, ha, and it was more like 80. That is horrible for this time of morning.
I remember one Summer when I lived in NY there was so much concern for the elderly and young children they all right to be. Many had no AC and had to be admitted to the hospital. There were many deaths due to the high temperatures not only with people but pets also. I cannot believe they're saying there are more Summers like this to come. This sucks! and I am more afraid to see the SDG&E bill. The air has not come off from since last week!
Anyway, glad everyone on your end is trying to cope as best as they can and is doing okay in this furnace of a state.
okay now I'm proof reading and I skipped some words by accident so just fill them in and the comments will make sense :-)
Chicago just succeeded in keeping out Bix Box stores by forcing them to pay a living wage. Good luck trying to keep them out--most people are more interested in getting chips for $.02 cheaper a bag than the environment.
Those asthma rates are outrageous. Poor kids.
I think you should start your own political party.
Have a great day today Granny!!
:-D
We got a Wal-Mart distribution center here 2 years ago. For our community it was a godsend jobwise. They employ hundreds, and even though the pay isn't extraordinary, it's well above the average for this area. And they provide insurance. That allowed alot of poorer local families to really do better for themselves. The corporation even built new roads to and from the center because a major concern was that our rural roads wouldn't hold up to the strain of truck traffic.
I can't imagine having to worry about air quality on a daily basis. It blows my mind to even think that I'd have to consider it before sending my children outside to play.
You have been busy. Our town is fighting against a super Wal Mart. They want them to go away! I'm not sure yet who'll win this one...
“…if we can't breathe already, what will this huge operation cost us in terms of quality of life.”
Funny, I just posted a comment about that on Rude Cactus’ site:
“ "People are dying and the situation is spiraling out of control. Our government doesn't seem to care, nor do they seem interested in finding a solution."
You're right. They don't care. And those that would care fail to comprehend the magnitude of it simply because they are so far away from the violence, from the conflict, from the suffering involved that it doesn't affect them.
It's the same as the mess things are in, the screwed American Medical Service and the British NHS, or the state schools in both countries, or the inner cities...They don't have to live with it, they don't have to be in any way involved with it, or suffer the consequences of it and neither do their families or children, so, yeah; they don't care.
The "I'm alright Jock" and "every man for himself" attitude is nowhere better demonstrated than in the hearts and minds of the people who don't have to experience the things they make decisions about.”
Glad things have cooled a little. Same here. Not much, but enough so that someone my size and with my hayfever allergies notices and benefits.
You don’t have to move quickly. Slowly but surely is far better.
Have a great weekend. Hope the contract manages to be stopped and that it continues to cool, or even better, it storms to break the atmosphere and return things to their normal temperature.
I’m thinking of you all.
:-)
xxx
WOw! That was interesting to read. I have asthma so I know the importance of breathing. I know that sounds funny, but a lot of people who don't have asthma, take breathing for granted! My husband always believed if I passed out, I would just start breathing normal again, that "I" was the cause of it. He was not alone in this thinking.
I can see why this would be a big issue in your area. I'll pray God's Well in the whole matter.
Good for you for getting involved, that is what makes a difference.I hope it cools down there soon.
Some days are just like that - I have trouble getting in motion, espfecially in the morning and much less very fast. ec
ohh wow i really hope the experts are wrong and this isn't going to be a normal summer...
course then others might have to face the fact that global warming is real
surprise surprise
i think it's great your so involved iwth your community...hope you can stop the new distribution center going up!!!
Good air and asthma free kids is worth saying no for - if there is evidence to support it.
Thanks for the update on your heatwave and day Granny.
Good for you for getting involved in the debate over the pros and cons of the giant business in your area. I get asthma and know all about not being able to breath. We get bushfires and you can imagine what the smoke is like from them. Keep us informed of what happens,I will be very interested to know. Keep well and I hope you get some relief from the heat soon. :-)
Glad you had a nice day..I spent mine warding off The Witch Hunters...
As pretty as Asheville is, we have a asthma problem here because we have an inversion similar to LA's and we have all these people driving up and down the Blue Ridge Parkway in motorhomes from April to December. It is good you actually have impact studies done, here we have politicians like Charles Taylor saying we are unamerican if we even worry about the environment.
Is this your 100th post? :)
Even if it's not, thanks for participating in my "Hooray for 100" link exchange!
Hi Granny!
Just stopping through to say hello and I was thinking of you. I got my electric bill this month--OUCH!
p.s. i'm signed up for level pay this way it will hopefully even out ONE day.
i'm curious about the air quality, and do they have studies, or research that proves the asthma is directly related?
If only more people in the communities would participate, it would be so much better. Over here when there are meetings for the public that concerns our livelyhood, only a handful of people show up! Then when the plans go ahead, the ones who didn't attend are the first ones to complain!! I had heard about all the death related to the heat...that is so sad! I do hope for all your sakes that this sweltering heat ends soon for you!!!
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