Unrelenting heat wave bakes half the US; 30 dead

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By RON TODT and BRETT ZONGKER

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Americans dipped into the water, went to the movies and rode the subway just to be in air conditioning Saturday for relief from unrelenting heat that has killed 30 people across half the country.

The heat sent temperatures soaring over 100 degrees in several cities, including a record 105 in Washington, St. Louis (106), and Indianapolis (104), buckled highways and derailed a Washington-area train even as another round of summer storms threatened.

If people ventured outside to do anything, they did it early. But even then, the heat was stifling.

"It was baking on the 18th green," said golfer Zeb Rogerson, who teed off at 6 a.m. at an Alexandria, Va., golf course but was sweltering by the end of his round.

FULL story at link.



Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20120707/D9VSB4602.html

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Sophie, 3, from Connecticut, frolics with a water sprinkler set up at the National Mall near the Lincoln Memorial, rear, in Washington Saturday, July 7, 2012. The heat gripping much of the country is set to peak Saturday in many places, including some Northeast cities, where temperatures close to or surpassing 100 degrees are expected. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

[onehandle]

1. Perfectly normal. nt

[Kalidurga]

2. I went to the movies

a very expensive way to handle the heat. But, my a/c unit is worthless in temps above 85 degrees as there is absolutely no shade to help the pos.

[tawadi]

3. Thought I heard 50 deaths reported on NBC nightly news this evening

Either way, it seems high to me. High for a country where people should be able to find shelter.

[Skittles]

4. I live in Texas and I feel such sympathy for these folk

I am Nordic and really suffer in the heat; I have become an EXPERT at avoiding it but I concede that without my AC I could NOT live here

[4th law of robotics]

12. Access to a pool really helps

also I'm not sure why so many properties here are so eager to tear down old growth trees. Under the canopy (and with a breeze) it isn't so bad here.

[justabob]

13. no kidding

I grew up here and have learned to live with the heat.... multiple cool showers a day, keeping hair wet, ice wraps around neck, swimming when possible, but I hate it, and wouldn't wish it on my worst enemies.

[virgogal]

6. Huh?

[deutsey]

8. The heat must have made him delirious n/t

[GP6971]

9. Huh 2 ???

[TouchOfGray]

7. If this dosen't break soon it has the potential to exceed the 1995 Chicago death toll

Dying Alone
An interview with Eric Klinenberg
author of Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago

Question: Take us back to July 1995 in the city of Chicago. How hot was it? What were the city and its residents going through? (snip)

Medical examiners around the country confirmed that Donoghue's heat-related death criteria were scientifically sound and endorsed his findings. But perhaps the best measure of heat deaths comes from another figure—the "excess death" rate—which counts the difference between the reported deaths and the typical deaths for a given time period. According to this measure, 739 Chicagoans above the norm died during the week of 14 to 20 July—which means that Donoghue had been conservative in his accounts.

I would say that Hizzonor had better be prepared this time. In '95 Daley kinda blew it off, and the Feds did nothing.

http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/443213in.html/

[mountain grammy]

10. I keep seeing fox reporting on snowstorms...

Remember just one winter ago when it snowed and snowed? Fox declared global warming a hoax and Al Gore a fool. Oh, those blissfully cold winter days. Not so much last winter and now we have the heat.. and no, rush, it's not the heat index, it's the heat! Does anyone talk about the heat index anymore? Score that for rush and the damn "librul" media.
We must be diligent in our support of good environmental policy and make global warming the top issue at all times. We are ignoring a problem that will only get worse and doom the next generation to a hostile planet. I have to believe, if re-elected, President Obama will finally give this issue the weight it deserves. I'm pretty sure Romney will not.

[treestar]

14. Yes and a right winger will always say, right now, "It's called summer."

But have a cold winter and it's a sure sign global warming is a hoax.

Welcome to DU

[otherone]

11. mercy

i'm a burning bush
ima burning fire

[Coyotl]

15. If it is too hot to play 18 holes

it is time to reforest the golf course

[lib2DaBone]

16. The U.S. Govt will make sure Iraq has as much Electric as needed...