HOT TIME -- KEEPING COOL AGING -- HEAT OFFICER

 Republic -- "If you can keep it."  [Democracy]

      Accountability for Jan. 6th insurrection.

U.S. Select House Committee on Jan. 6th Hearing continues in the fall.

U.S. Dept. of Justice and FBI deserving of respect for doing their jobs.

QUESTION:  What has happened to the documents missing from the empty file folders marked 'classified' found mixed into personal belongings of the ex-President -- items he allegedly illegally took to his Florida country club resort home -- documents he kept there even after all such records owned by our government his attorneys falsely reported had been returned as required?  

"TOO DARN HOT" from the musical film 'Kiss Me Kate' / 1953                                                Ann Miller dancing and singing Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter                                      Starring: Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, Ann Miller, Keenan Wynn,                            Bobby Van, Tommy Rall, James Whitmore, Bob Fosse, Ron Randell 

HOT TIME IN THE OLD TOWN ... many days and nights!

HOT is a term describing the climate in many places around the world including my own here in Southern California, U.S.   People are flocking to our SoCal beaches to stay cool.   Monsoonal thunderstorms with lightning erratically roll through some communities (not mine) dropping short bursts of rain.  Bears seek humans' swimming pools in which to cool themselves.   

100+ degrees Fahrenheit (38+ Celsius) our thermometers have been recording beginning last week, continuing into this current week only to get hotter in some SoCal communities -- think 105 - 115 F (43 - 53 C). 

Earlier in the season, we received in our mail forms to submit encouraging those who can and want to participate in our utility power company's 'flex alert' program for which they give $$$ credits.   

We're now on 'flex alert'.  We're asked to eliminate using electric appliances like our ovens, clothes and dishwashers, turn off other devices, to not charge electric autos, between 4-9 p.m.   This is also the time period during which we are asked to conserve water due to our drought I've described here previously.  

Additionally, for several consecutive days we are being advised we could experience 'rolling blackouts'.  This usually means our power could periodically be cut off for an hour, then turned back on, during days and nights.  

Provision excluding such power outages can be arranged by individuals whose medical conditions require they must have electricity for their life-sustaining equipment.  

Our several years drought has aggravated our parched vegetation due to such extremely hot weather in areas here and in northern California creating even greater susceptibility to fire.  Our rationed water is also required to combat these fires.  The flames have destroyed acres of countryside along with some resident's homes, causing thousands to evacuate, injuring some and threatening, even taking the lives of people as well as other life.

The future our world is predicted to face includes increasing extreme temperature changes which we are just beginning to experience.  In simple terms, in each succeeding year to come, our summer days and nights are likely only going to get hotter.

Perhaps being aware of what others experience now may help inform some to think in terms of their own communities -- what they may be able or want to do in anticipation, if or when they have a similar situation.

Los Angeles has taken the actions so far by only two other cities, Miami and Phoenix -- appointing a Chief Heat Officer, Marta Segura, to "oversee the City's response to extreme heat events" described in a city press release.  She was previously director of climate emergency mobilization.

The L.A. city plan will include a warning system, interagency emergency response plans, also long-term strategies to reduce exposure.  Smithsonian magazine describes "Heat is the leading weather-related killer in the U.S."

"Americans who are over the age of 65, Black Americans, children, patients with cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses and economically disadvantaged populations are more vulnerable to heat and face a higher risk of death, on top of the disparities in mortality reporting" reported by the Environmentally Protection Agency (EPA).

"The idea of Chief Heat Officers isn't exclusive to the US.  Since Miami announced its position, Athens, Greece, Freetown, Sierra Leone, Monterey in Mexico, and the Santiago metropolitan region in Chile have all hired in similar positions."

The world in which we live now and will in the future is projected to be quite different from the one into which I was born more than three quarters of a century ago.  I think the expectation some seem to have that we can recapture life in the world as we once knew is not at all likely.

Resistance to the changes coming only makes the accommodation more difficult.  The complications of too much water, flooding, presents massive threats some in the world have already been experiencing  from which we need to be learning, then taking preparatory action now. 

Flooding washed out a major connecting freeway (I-10) between L.A.andPhoenix recently, so we are not immune to too much water in some drought areas also vulnerable to the effects of excessive heat.  Adaptation to our evolving new world now is our challenge.

Our energy source to power cooling, heating, and lighting our homes, our transportation vehicles, and systems to operate all our devices on which we increasingly depend in most other facets of our lives are central to our existence.  

Not all of us are able to incorporate all of the necessary changes into our daily lives but we might best do what we can.  Also, I'm no longer a candidate for taking on extra employment to augment costs of some recommended special projects as I might once have done when younger.  That situation becomes a fact of life for most at some stage in life.

Meanwhile, I'm keeping cool with air conditioning, doing all I can do in the way of conservation of electric and water usage as necessary.  There is more I know would help in overall conservation beyond these immediate special needs I would like to be able to adopt.  Some adaptive actions I would take but I'm no longer physically able to perform some of the required tasks that could mitigate upkeep.  In other desired actions the cost is prohibitive, considering given the unknowns of what my personal future needs may be I expect is true for others, too.

I wonder .....

..... if others reading here view the future as I've considered it to be?

..... if other readers here  have or will be doing all they think could or needs to be done to adapt to this future that is confronting us now?

..... if special action is being taken in your community to prepare and adapt to changing weather and/or environmental conditions where you live -- locally or in your state?

DAILY MINUTIAE -- PODCASTS -- JAN. 6th HEARING

 U.S. Select House Committee on January 6th HEARING

"The eighth Jan. 6 committee hearing on its finding is scheduled for prime time July 21 [Thursday] and will walk through the events of Jan. 6, 2021 "minute by minute," Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., said Tuesday.  The hearing will focus in on the 187 minutes between Trump's "Stop the Steal" rally on the Ellipse and his tweet urging his supporters to go home," USA Today reports HERE.  (check schedule where you live for date, time confirmation, where to view)

"Thank You for Your Servitude" by Mark Leibovich is a book worth reading about some in Congress who have been cynical and hypocritical "about-face" enablers now making excuses for our ex-President, shifting his accountability for words and actions by blaming others.  Fear has been a factor which is a hallmark of authoritarianism.  The author is interviewed on Amanour and Company-PBS with segments you can view on the site HERE, also on this video: 

PBS NewsHour 

 

Earlier today, Sat., July 16th as I write this, I received my Covid 2nd booster vaccination.  Originally, I planned to wait for the next vaccine expected in October or November.  Currently, scientific/medical reports convince me given the rapidly increasingly high level of Covid infections here in Los Angeles County that having stronger protection now would be wise.  Outdoor exposure, especially in groups, may even be a more real possibility I also read.

This BA.5 omicron variant has evolved "...to be more contagious and evade the immune protection that people had from infection, vaccination or both" Dr. Gregory Poland, head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group, is quoted saying in the "Mayo Clinic News Network" report HERE.

"A new study published in Nature found the variant was four times more resistant to messenger RNA vaccines than earlier strains of omicron.  The Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines are messenger RNA vaccines."  

Currently there is no evidence of a higher death rate from BA.5 but "...you have very little protection against BA.5 in terms of getting infected or having mild to moderate infection.  You have good protection against dying, being hospitalized or ending up on a ventilator."

"...among the unvaccinated with this variant, they're about fivefold more likely to get infected than people who have been vaccinated and boosted, about 7 1/2 times more likely to be hospitalized, and about 14 to 15 times more likely to die if they get infected," says Dr. Poland.

I keep wearing my "N95 masks or a KN-94 mask when indoors and in crowded areas outdoors" as Dr. Poland recommends.   What new variants may be in the offing, I wonder?

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Environmentally, the SoCal drought with hot temperatures rolls on, water usage restrictions continue -- so what's new?

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I've been trying to locate some lab sites that are easily accessible for parking, require minimal walking to the store and once I'm inside since I've been having some mobility issues.  Most of the large chain drugstores place their pharmacies, clinics, labs where they can draw blood clear at the back of their stores.  It sure would be nice if they provided riding carts as some grocery stores do but that seems not to be the case.  

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Podcasts seem to be popular with many people though I haven't devoted time listening to any of them.  They could be enjoyed I realize while engaged in other necessary activities about the house.  Maybe some podcasts could be an entertaining source of humor.  There seem to be an abundance of podcasts described as humorous including for seniors, older people, boomers, other age groups, various interest areas.  Perhaps some of you have favored podcasts.  We do need lots of humor.  

Laughing is contagious but living alone can limit that shared stimulation.  I recall when I was in undergraduate college some of us operating our campus radio station gathered in the control room one day.  We decided to record ourselves laughing which started with artificial laughs.  The next thing we knew we were laughing genuinely at the ridiculousness of what we were doing.  Our laughing kept getting more hilarious to each of us until we all were laughing so hard our stomachs hurt, tears were coming from our eyes -- we were quite out of control. 

I wonder if there would be a health care market for such a potentially therapeutic recording releasing all those healing endorphins -- a simple plain recording of laughter, nothing else, with which to laugh along?

WATER ... WHERE? -- SPIRIT FLEDGED

May Gray ... June Gloom ... but no rain.

SPIRIT FLEDGED.....  the Bald Eaglet flew early the morning of May 31st in a video you can view on my previous blog post in case you missed the update.  She continues to return to the nest periodically but will gradually hone more skills, then ultimately fly away to live independently.  

WATER ..... WHERE?

Our persistent drought caused by little rain and meagre mountain snowfall resulting in water reserves depletion has necessitated restricted water use regulations in California.  SoCal where I live the restriction specifics vary from county to county, city to city.  Los Angeles, for example, has a different water company than my city so large swaths there are restricted to watering 2 days a week while further inland we are allowed to water only 1 day a week.

I'm sharing what mandatory water conservation and rationing presently looks like, at least in my city, with details for any who might be interested.  Possibly in years to come water shortages will affect more communities in other states, countries, besides those already affected.  So, you may consider what some of you might experience in the future.  

Our lakes, reservoirs, even mighty rivers like the Colorado feeding southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico have had declining reserves these past several years.  Read how our southern border neighbor Mexico challenged also is coping in this azcentral article HERE.

The U.S. share of the Colorado river waters is divided among four upper basin states (Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico) and three lower basin states (Arizona, Nevada, and California).

The past year, 2021, California had to institute a Stage 1 voluntary 15% water reduction that regrettably wasn't met in too many communities.  My property was allocated to use 2 to 4 gallons less water monthly than I used the previous year.  I haven't reviewed every month's record but think I readily met my allocation, even using less water.

June 1st this year, 2022, our water company conservation plan had to move us into a mandatory Stage 2.   

(I can't help wondering if all those individuals so opposed to government prescribed "mandatory" actions i.e., wearing a mask, getting vaccinated will refuse to cooperate for the good of the community on water conservation, too?)

Here's a summary provided on the City of Claremont's web site:

 Level 2 Water Supply Shortage In Effect

New Outdoor Watering Restrictions Starting June 1, 2022

The next stage -- Stage 3 -- "mandatory" no watering outdoors.  I hope this stage not needed.   

[Water use is most commonly discussed in CCF (centum cubic feet) and gallons].       

 .     .     .Water usage -- 1 CCF  =  748 gallons.

My allocation varies each month.  (20% of my 2020 water usage.)                               

(The result is I am allocated 2 to 4 gallons less in all but one month I've determined.)  

        For example:  I'm allocated 17 CCF for June.                                                                                    (Rest of the year will be between 17-19, one mo. 20 CCF)

          April shows I used 6 CCF; previous month 11 CCF; April prior year 17 CCF.

          My current bill dated 5/23 (only 29 days) shows: I used 11 CCF well under my allocation.

[The yearly differences probably are due to the amount of rain we received allowing me to turn sprinklers off for a day, a week, or however long, or decrease the time water sprinkles in each of my 3 zones in front yard and 3 zones in back yard.  (The 4th zone to my parkway in the front yard I turned off several years ago).  Rain, temperature, and other factors affect how much water is used which is quite variable from year to year.]

There is a $2.50 emergency surcharge per CCF assessment if a customer uses more than their water allocation.

Repetitive water usage above allocation, then ignoring notices to cease will result in expensive installation of devices to decrease water emitted in addition to more expensive dollar fines.

No customers are being asked to reduce their water usage below 8 CCF per month.  Based on an average four-person household, the 8 CCF minimum accounts for daily indoor usage of 50 gallons per person.

[Interestingly, when I researched average at-home water usage I found a wide variation in the estimated gallons used from 60 gallons per person according to Water Footprint Calculator.  The U.S.Geological Survey reports 80-100 gallons average per person.

The Environmental Protection Agency 75 gallons per person based on average family use of 300 gallons per month.  Obviously, individuals' habits determine actual usage.]

Consult the EPA site for much more specific estimates on actual water usage in gallons for various functions, for example like the one item using the most water in households, the toilet -- using 3-4 gallons per flush with older toilets; 1-2 gallons per flush with newer toilets.   

There are indoor water conservation measures encouraged I've followed for many years with my washing machine, dish washer.  We're urged to operate them only when we have full loads which I always did anyway.  

Electric energy savings have been encouraged for some time here in So Cal.  We are urged to not use our electric appliances between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.   Now, we integrate our water mandates with our voluntary energy conservation measures.  

Fortunately, what could be considered conservation measurers have been common sense behaviors becoming second nature from childhood for me.  They simply continued being almost automatic throughout my adulthood.  Not much was ever wasted, including electricity and water, though I've never had water formally rationed like this before. 

The EPA link features an interesting pie chart of water usage items, also simple instructions for how to determine how much water you use.  

If you receive a water bill, it will provide a monthly CCF total.  Follow the example provided in the EPA link to determine your water usage.

I haven't yet figured out how to water special areas more than once a week since my gardeners who typically cut the grass only come once a week and likely won't need to mow grass that often.  Unfortunately, I'm currently not able to hand water myself and no teens in the area I could hire.  I need to obtain some of the special adapters described.  I had a hose shut off nozzle purchased some years ago but it seems to have grown legs and walked away.  I have a short soaker hose for one tree.  The longer one I had for years disintegrated.   As  you can see I'm not well-prepared for this so have to make time to figure it all out.  

I'm not really interested in incurring the expense of installing a drip irrigation system so I'll have to see what I can conjure.   

I'm concerned about various hedges, bushes, and several trees in my yard.  I hope my one remaining Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow bush I rooted that had grown so wonderfully survives.  The lovely petite white and lavender bloom was spectacular this spring.  I fully intended to photograph the scene beginning years earlier for permanent embedding on my blog given the connection which prompted my blog's name but obviously I've not done so.

Two young city trees in the parkway I'm responsible for watering but I capped the sprinklers to that area several years ago before the city even planted them.  The city did recently announce they will be surveying our city trees and provide extra water for any they deem in need.  "City of Trees" is our town's awarded designation based on the many quite lovely and majestic trees around town.

I'm prepared my grass will likely die.   Unfortunately, I'm no longer able to perform yard work to gradually transition my landscaping.  Years earlier long before any yards in our area had converted their grassy areas I had obtained a landscaping proposal I rejected since the whole approach which also contributed to excessive cost was not what I wanted.  I'll see when fall arrives what growth has survived and consider what is needed.

The climate changes affecting water availability we are experiencing vary within our country and around the world.  Drought, warmer temperatures, vulnerability for forest fires once mostly occurring only a few months a year are now a year 'round concern primarily here and in our western U.S. states.   Other areas of our country's residents do not experience water limitations and, in fact, have an over-abundance with flooding, more fierce storms.  Other countries experience this, too.

What sort of climate changes, if any, have you noticed where you live?  

Has your community had to make any adjustments, or have you had to make any personal adaptations?   

                     

    

WHAT'S NEXT?

Can't believe it, but summertime is here in Southern California with temperatures in the 80's -- pushing 90 degrees in record February heat.   We're all wondering what happened to our El Nino rains?   Something about a high pressure system pushing the storms to the northern part of California as instead we're receiving dry hot high winds..

That's just fine as long as they keep dumping snow in the four mountain ranges -- Shasta Cascade, Klamath-Siskiyous, Sierra Nevada, and the Coastal Mountain Range -- all together said to be a total of 138 mountains more or less.   Snowmelt from those Sierra Nevada mountains  provide many of us a portion of the water we rely on as described here.    Now weather predictors tell us El Nino's rains will come the end of February and in March -- we'll see!

Last Weekend I checked out my local area strawberry patch as February had been the earliest I had ever known those addicting luscious red fruits to be ripened for sale.   Not only was the stand open, but they had first begun selling berries this year in December -- just before Christmas!   Had I only known I would have been their first customer.   One more indicator of our climate changing.

I continue to wonder what's next in this political year as candidates have rigorously pursued voters, first in Iowa and next in New Hampshire.  Now they're off to South Carolina with their numbers not winnowed down enough to suggest who would actually receive their political party's nomination though both major political parties have unexpected front runners.   Rumbling in the background continues that a possible third party candidate may join the fray if he doesn't like the two major party finalists selected.

So far this rather unorthodox election campaign has resulted in an increase in the number of election primary voters.  More citizens fulfilling the voluntary responsibility expected of those of us  living in our democracy/republic is encouraging.   Pundits, candidates and voters are finding not much is predictable which makes this election of interest to more people, I think.  

I  know what principles, political issues and plans to resolve our nation's problems are important to me.  I know the candidates whose views I can most closely share presently.  But we have many more election primaries in the months ahead as each candidate tries to effectively express themself to convince voters to select them.  The bottom line is the candidate in each party who becomes their party nominee needs to be electable!  

I don't think Madeline Albright and Gloria Steinem did their candidate and women voters  any favors by suggesting we should vote on the basis of gender.   Coming from an older generation, cognizant first hand of gender discrimination, I do understand the intent of their words.  But, frankly, I was offended, and I think many younger generation women might be resentful, too.  Hopefully, the candidate won't be penalized by voters.    

Some pundit discussions I've heard have included observations that democracies around the world are being clobbered by extremist anti-establishment candidates.  The world is truly in a state of flux and our nation is not an exception.  What could this mean for our future?