protist

joined 2 years ago
[–] protist@mander.xyz 3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

The federal government has been dismantling weather systems left and right. Those systems could have given valuable minutes of warning. Flash floods do happen, but even 10 minutes of warning can pretty much save everyone.

All this is true

The reason they did not have this warning is because of Donald Trump. And then after him every single republican politician.

This is not clear. What does a warning from the NWS look like? Because they issued them:

At 4:06 a.m. the National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio posted on X: "A very dangerous flash flooding event is ongoing." It ended: "Turn Around, Don't Drown!"

Then, at 5:15 a.m. the National Weather Service San Angelo posted on X that there was a flash flood emergency. The Austin/San Antonio office posted on its X account about the emergency at 5:23 a.m. This type of alert is "exceedingly rare" and used when there is a "severe threat to human life and catastrophic damage," according to the National Weather Service.

But how does this message get to people who are asleep? The best answer is the Wireless Emergency Alert system. I haven't seen any information one way or the other indicating whether this system was activated in a timely manner. If it wasn't, that was a serious mistake that costed lives.

Let me be clear that cuts to the NWS are going to end up costing lives. There is no doubt about that. But I think it's important to understand the reality of a situation rather than reflexively blaming Trump

Edit to add the NYT is reporting on specific vacancies at the local NWS offices that were dedicated to communicating with local officials. Probably a serious contributing factor here to the word taking longer to get out

[–] protist@mander.xyz 32 points 3 days ago (2 children)

We switched from side-by-side to a pullout drawer freezer on bottom and could not be happier. Side-by-side really limits your storage space, whereas top and bottom units allow you to store larger or unusually shaped things. And having the freezer in a drawer is clutch, way better than having it on top

[–] protist@mander.xyz 6 points 4 days ago

I very much agree

[–] protist@mander.xyz 31 points 4 days ago (7 children)

Unfortunately, even with better forecasting, it wouldn't have been possible to predict exactly how much rain was going to fall or where in a storm like this, but just two days before all this started, they were literally predicting sunshine this weekend in Central Texas.

There's a huge element of randomness in this kind of storm, where one area gets 15+" of rain while 30 miles away they only get 3", but a warning that excessive localized rainfall was a possibility would've been helpful.

I also blame the local government. Central Texas is flash flood central due to our geography, and all local governments should have emergency preparedness plans to send out push notifications to people in their areas. This all went down in the middle of the night and happened so fast that the local government got caught totally off guard though

[–] protist@mander.xyz 6 points 4 days ago (1 children)

They cut off the bluest part

[–] protist@mander.xyz 10 points 4 days ago

Just remember that the news is showing you bad things that happen from everywhere in the country (which is huge). There are a lot of really good things happening too, and a lot of people just going about their lives, but that stuff doesn't make the news.

[–] protist@mander.xyz 40 points 4 days ago (1 children)

You don't have a daily dog? What else would you eat after dinner?

[–] protist@mander.xyz 5 points 4 days ago (1 children)

You had me up until that last part

[–] protist@mander.xyz 1 points 4 days ago

I'm right there with you as far as how our government is functioning on the whole, but everything I see indicates state and federal officials are taking this one seriously. Remember, this threatens the beef and dairy industries, which are not exactly politically passive

[–] protist@mander.xyz 1 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (2 children)

There was an outbreak in Florida in 2016, which was quickly contained. We know how to stop it. They used to be widespread across all of North America

[–] protist@mander.xyz 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

This question didn't say anything at all about problems and I think you've overreacted.

[–] protist@mander.xyz 8 points 6 days ago

But right after it mentions supply chain issues, it talks about unauthorized migration through the Darien Gap and the illegal cattle trade in Central America. Just saying, criticize where it's due, and Trump's due criticism for almost everything he's done, but this problem is complex and exists independently of him and independently of the United States

 

Born or machine, pick your poison

 

El Paso is a ballad about the American Frontier, with incredible vocal harmonies

6
submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by protist@mander.xyz to c/connectasong@lemmy.world
 

wailing [ˈwāliNG]

  1. crying with pain, grief, or anger

  2. expressing dissatisfaction plaintively

 

Massive Attack are also from Bristol, UK

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submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by protist@mander.xyz to c/connectasong@lemmy.world
 

Let's take a trip around the world!

 

Morning y'all, anyone able to identify this "weed?" It grows very low to the ground and has tiny blue flowers. Seems to be one of the first bloomers of the year

 

These were sold to me as Senegalia roemeriana, but really don't look like any pictures I'm seeing. Any ideas?

 

Thirsty Planet Brewing Co. is closing its taproom and suspending distribution.

 

The Hole In The Wall music venue has secured a 20-year lease and will remain open to celebrate its 50th anniversary next summer, thanks largely to $1.6 million in assistance from the city’s Iconic Venue Fund.

Will Tanner, who purchased the club located on the stretch of Guadalupe Street known as The Drag in 2008, signed the new lease agreement – an initial 10-year lease with two five-year extensions – with The Weitzman Group realty firm on Monday. The signing followed 10 months of negotiation and work with staff from the city and the Austin Economic Development Corporation to become the first recipient of city funds allocated to preserve culturally significant music venues.

 

[T]emperatures have reached the century mark for 27 days in a row. With records dating back to the 1890s, that ties with 2011 as the longest stretch of triple-digit temperatures ever recorded in Austin.

The KXAN First Warning Weather team is currently forecasting at least seven more days at or above 100°, which would extend the streak past 30 days.

 

Positive news from the state on this issue, and kudos to Kirk Watson for knowing how to build relationships and get things done with the state

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