Letterman: Signs You're Hot Top Ten

TOP TEN SIGNS YOU'RE TOO DAMN HOT

10. You were just named People magazine's "sweatiest man alive"

9. For you, business casual means a necktie and underpants

8. You begged Rupert Murdoch to hack into a Dairy Queen

7. You were caught texting photos of your heat rash

6. Your sunburns have sunburns: Kids, remember, Dave says wear sunscreen

5. Your baby daughter's first word: "clammy"

4. Your sweat is sweating -- Kids, remember, Dave says drink plenty of liquids

3. Instead of the maid, you're spending time with the pool boy (Schwarzenegger only)

2. Every now and then your ass sizzles and smells like bacon

1. You sit through a taping of the Late Show just for the air conditioning

Late Show with David Letterman
July 21, 2011

Too Darn Hot

Heat Dome

I need some relief.

Heat Wave Wisconsin: Day 3

Miserable because of the weather?

The problem is a heat dome.

We're powerless to do anything about it.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

A strong heat dome is trapping the state in a dangerous stretch of 90-degree weather that's expected to drag into the week.

It could be the longest stretch of 90-degree weather since 2006. The cause is a slow-moving, eastern-bound ridge of high pressure over the middle of the country, according to Mike Westendorf, director of innovative weather at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Once established, it's difficult for anything to move it.

Westendorf said it doesn't help that the jet stream, which usually pushes weather systems along, is at its weakest point and has been pushed to the north, where it can't move the stagnant heat.

"This dome is awfully strong," Westendorf said.

High temperatures are expected to remain in the 90s before possibly cooling to the 80s on the weekend.

The dangerous heat threatens the health of the elderly, children and people on cardiovascular and behavioral medications, said Paul Biedrzycki, Milwaukee's director of Disease Control & Environmental Health. He advised that people avoid physical activities during the hottest time of day, seek cool spaces, avoid caffeinated and alcoholic beverages, and drink plenty of water.

Stephanie Sue Stein, director of the Milwaukee County Department on Aging, urged people to be mindful of the elderly and help them find a way to cool off, remembering the 154 people who died during the state's 1995 heat wave.

"You can't be in a sweltering hot home or apartment for 24 hours and survive this," she said. "Older people are extremely vulnerable in this heat."

Stein also invited the elderly to go to senior centers during the heat waves.

...Milwaukee County Parks aquatic centers, outdoor pools and wading and splash areas have extended hours to 8 p.m. until Thursday. All Milwaukee public libraries also have extended hours to 8 p.m., except for Tippecanoe Library, which is closed because it is undergoing repairs this week.

Milwaukee County beaches also are open and are safe for swimming, but bacteria levels have been elevated by the heat and a health advisory has been issued for Bradford, McKinley and South Shore beaches, Biedrzycki said.

Other places offering relief include Waukesha County's six beaches, which will open one hour early Tuesday and Wednesday, or the park system's ice arenas. In Menomonee Falls, open swim nights have been added on Tuesday and Wednesday at North Pool, along with extended open swim hours. The Community Education and Recreation Department extended the hours at the senior center in Menomonee Falls.

The Pauline Haass Public Library in Sussex is open 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday. It also extended its summer hours to the weekend. All library services will be available during extended hours.

Racine is encouraging senior citizens to stop by community centers to cool off.

What's this?

Milwaukee County beaches also are open and are safe for swimming, but bacteria levels have been elevated by the heat and a health advisory has been issued for Bradford, McKinley and South Shore beaches, Biedrzycki said.

In other words, those beaches are open. Just be aware that there's a health advisory in place because of elevated bacteria levels.

Terrific.

Not exactly safe for swimming.

Find an alternative.

Check the data for Wisconsin beach health.



Yuck!

Dealing with the sweltering heat is bad enough. Now tack on a bout with E. coli. That's hell.

Heat dome, go away!

Heat Wave Wisconsin

It is so hot and humid I can't stand it. And the heat wave is just beginning.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

A dangerous heat wave is hitting the region and officials have issued three weather-related warnings and advisories for Milwaukee and surrounding counties.

Sunday afternoon, the National Weather Service expanded its excessive heat warning , which started at noon and is set to last through Sunday night for south central and southeast Wisconsin.

The weather service issued a heat advisory for Ozaukee, Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties until 10 p.m. Monday. High temperatures are expected to be 90 to 95 degrees with heat index values between 100 and 105.

In addition, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has issued an air quality advisory for ozone for Sheboygan, Ozaukee, Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties, which will remain in effect until 11 p.m. Sunday. Sensitive groups, including children, the elderly, and people with respiratory or heart problems and people engaged in strenuous outdoor activities are urged to take precautions to avoid illness.

The heat warning, which is valid until 10 p.m., means heat index values are expected to reach between 100 and 110 in the afternoon and early evening hours in the counties away from Lake Michigan.

The weather service warned that the combination of hot temperatures and high humidity are part of a "dangerous heat wave" that can cause heat illnesses.

"The hot and humid weather can cause heat-related health problems for anyone working or spending time outdoors or without air conditioning. The very young, the elderly and pets will be especially vulnerable," the service said in the warning. "Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors."

Whatever happened to Ozone Action days?

Remember these steps we were encouraged to take during hot spells when the air would be stagnant?

Travel Tips -

1. Limit driving. Defer errands or share a ride. For short trips, walk or ride a bike.
2. If you drive, avoid excessive idling or jack-rabbit starts.
3. Take transit. Ride the bus or train to work, school, or shopping.
4. Don't Refuel on an Ozone Action Day. If you must refuel, do so after 7 pm.
5. Avoid using gasoline powered equipment, such as outboard motors and off-road vehicles.

Home Tips -

1. Defer mowing your lawn until late evening or the next day. Also, avoid usin gother gasoline-powered garden equipment.
2. Postpone using oil-based paints, solvents, or varnishes.
3. Use an electric starter or charcoal chimney rather than lighter fluid.
4. Defer use of household consumer products that release fumes or evaporate easily.
5. Conserve energy to reduce energy needs from power plants.

Alas, Ozone Action Days are history in Wisconsin.

A survey of the Ozone Action Day program in the summer of 1995 revealed that over 80 percent of respondents were aware of the program. The survey results also showed that 70 percent of respondents said they took action. Of these, 69 percent postponed mowing the lawn and 47 percent filled a gas tank in the evening.

Both regulatory and voluntary actions have reduced pollution over time and the air has become healthier as a result. But as scientists and health specialists learn more about pollution and its impacts on our bodies, they realized two changes were needed – the health standards needed to be tightened and we needed to control finer, smaller particles, which cause serious health problems. Air pollution episodes due to fine particle pollution can occur anywhere in the state and at any time of year. Thus, Wisconsin needed to change its public notification system beyond Ozone Action Days.

When pollution levels are too high, Wisconsin now calls Air Quality Advisories instead of Ozone Action Days.

I don't get why there no longer is an emphasis on getting individuals to personally take action, altering their behavior.

If the suggestions were effective, why have they been dropped?

Air Quality Advisories warn the public about conditions, but there's no call to action anymore.

It doesn't make sense.

Did I mention it's so hot and humid that I can't stand it?

It's sweltering.

This is going to be a long week.

Heat Wave

Summerfest Rock 'n Sole Run: No Water

The final day of Summerfest 2011 wasn't violent, but it turned out to be dangerous.

The Rock 'n Sole half marathon and 10K had some problems related to the heat, humidity, and poor planning.

Runners participating in the event complained about a lack of water stations on the Hoan Bridge.

The bridge to nowhere became the bridge to no water yesterday.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

More than 20 runners were taken to the hospital and about 50 received emergency medical attention for heat-related problems during Summerfest's inaugural Rock 'n Sole event Sunday.

The half-marathon and 10K race turned into a full-fledged emergency when early hydration stations ran out of water and cups. Runners started collapsing in the humid 85-degree heat, and some were unable to get immediate help because of a lack of medical aid stations. No medical aid was available on the 2.5-mile-long Hoan Bridge.

Organizers ended the race around 10:30 a.m. because of dangerous conditions, although many runners had crossed the finish line by then.

The Milwaukee Fire Department provided about 15 runners with IV drops and took them to Columbia St. Mary's Hospital and Aurora Sinai Medical Center. Bell Ambulance transported 6 to 10 more, Milwaukee Fire Department Deputy Chief Jack Christianson said.

"We saw a lot of IVs started, just to get fluids back," Christianson said. "I don't know the number of IV bays we went through, but every patient we transported had an IV.

"Dehydration was a big problem. I was looking at people there and you could tell, 'Keep an eye on that one.' Next thing you know, there he went. It was very hectic for about an hour, a little more than an hour. It did put quite some stress on the area hospitals. The emergency rooms were inundated in pretty rapid order."

Multiple runners said hydration stations as early as 2.5 miles into the course ran out of water and cups. The next station, a mile away, had no cups. Volunteers had to pour water straight into runners' hands.

Race officials acknowledged their failure to provide enough water in the right places and apologized.

...Schuler admitted that hydration stations along the Hoan Bridge, one of the first parts of the course, did not have enough water, but said other later stations were more heavily stocked.

"We had enough water, but not in the right place," Schuler said. "We tried to get water up there as fast as we could, but we couldn't get it up there fast enough."

He largely blamed the lack of water on the little time his crew had to prepare. Drivers said the Hoan Bridge was closed to traffic about 6:30 a.m. Schuler said the bridge was closed at 7 a.m., which gave his 250-volunteer crew less than 45 minutes to cover grates and set up and stock hydration stations before the half-marathon began at 8 a.m.

While some runners said volunteers did a great job and the event overall was good, others were outraged. They called the lack of water, medical aid stations and shade along long stretches of the race "inexcusable" and "appalling" and criticized organizers for gross management failure.

It's unfortunate that it was such a hot and humid day. There was no room for error when it came to having adequate water available for runners.

It turned out to be quite a mess.

..."They should be embarrassed. They're completely culpable for any heat-related incident that happens," said half-marathon runner Daniel Otto of Chicago, who said he saw two runners collapsed along the course - one right in front of him at mile marker 12. The half-marathon race was 13.1 miles long.

...Many runners demanded a refund, saying organizers didn't deliver the promised basic services for runners, who paid between $40 and $70 to run the 10K or $60 to $100 for the half-marathon.

Edwin Thaves, who ran his 12th race, said he was shocked and called it "inexcusable."

"I was quite surprised for an event that was promoted as being iconic and world class that there was no water on the course after that first station at mile marker 1.5. No water along the rest of the course, at least for the 10K," Thaves said. "It doesn't take a lot of effort to plan an event where there's water. That should be a minimum expectation as far as I'm concerned."

Runners said bystanders offered their garden hose to allow volunteers to fill up water jugs for the runners. Firefighters also set up a fire hose to spray runners around the 13-mile marker to help cool them down.

Some runners said the race should have started earlier, when temperatures were lower. The original start time, set in 2010, was 10:15 a.m. but was changed to 8 a.m.

John Boler, vice president of sales and marketing for Summerfest, said the start time for the 10K run was pushed back 15 minutes, to 8:30 a.m., to accommodate the large number of participants in the 8 a.m. half-marathon.

Despite the extra time, the large number of half-marathon runners meant that the understocked, and according to some runners, understaffed, hydration stations were out of water before the first 10K runners reached them.

Several runners complained that throughout the morning the race's website listed conditions of the race with a green flag and low risk. It wasn't until the afternoon that the page was updated with a "severe" level and black flag, which advises runners to seek immediate shelter because it's considered unsafe to proceed along the course.

I think refunds are in order.

There's no excuse for not having adequate water.
__________________

Video, from FOX 6 News:

 

This Summerfest video doesn't give any indication of problems. It even shows the hydration stations fully stocked.






__________________

Rock 'n Sole director apologizes, promises improvements

MMSD, Sewage, and Illegal Dumping

What does heavy rainfall in the Milwaukee area mean?

It means the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District will be dumping sewage into rivers and Lake Michigan. Lots of it.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Two waves of heavy rains and high winds downed trees and power lines and flooded roadways throughout the Milwaukee area Tuesday afternoon and evening.

...Tuesday's second wave of rain hit about 8 p.m. Within 20 minutes 3-4 inches had accumulated on the roadway of the Zoo Interchange, the National Weather Service said. In Milwaukee Sewer grates were reported overflowing at S. 43rd St. and W. Lincoln Ave. Street flooding lifted manhole covers at N. Port Washington Road at Capitol Drive. There also were estimates of rainwater two-feet deep on roads two miles southeast of Miller Park, the weather service said.

...Flooding also was reported at Mayfair and Blue Mound roads in Wauwatosa and at Lily and Burleigh roads in Brookfield.

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District started combined sanitary and storm sewer overflows into local rivers and Lake Michigan in central Milwaukee and eastern Shorewood around 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday was a second day of heavy rain and it overwhelmed regional sewers and started filling the district's deep tunnel. It was the first sewer overflow to waterways reported by the district this year.

...MMSD Executive Director Kevin Shafer said he ordered closing of gates connecting combined sewers to the deep tunnel during a Tuesday evening downpour to prevent sewage backups into basements and to reserve space in the tunnel for flows from the majority of the district served by separated sanitary sewers. Overflows from combined sewers likely started as gates closed.

The main deep tunnel already was more than half full from combined sewer flows when Shafer ordered the combined sewer overflows. Another reason for the emergency measure is to prevent overflows from separate sewers. The district's state permits allows up to 6 combined sewer overflows in a year but generally prohibits separate sanitary sewer overflows except under extreme conditions.

By late Tuesday night, the City of Milwaukee said it had received about 150 complaints of backwater in basements and water flowing into basements through basement windows. At least a half dozen manhole covers were displaced.

Of course.

MMSD is fouling Lake Michigan and rivers again.

Are we supposed to be impressed that this is the first time this year that MMSD has dumped sewage into Milwaukee's source of drinking water?

In an interesting twist, news of the sewage dumping comes on the same day that Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and other city officials held a news conference about the problem of illegal dumping.

From FOX 6 News:

This is the season for a lot of outdoor fun, but unfortunately it is also a time when the City of Milwaukee sees an increase of illegal dumping.

The City of Milwaukee is asking for help from citizens to stop these culprits, and this growing problem.

Sanitation Services Manager Wanda Book said, "There are over 3,000 city owned vacant lots across the city that unscrupulous characters have been using as their private dumping grounds."

Last year, the city spent $175,000 clearing illegally dumped debris and the problem is getting worse.

City leaders say citizen reporting is the key.

"We need citizens who are tired," Alderwoman Milele Coggs said. "Who are sick and tired of their neighborhoods being used as a garbage dumping ground and we need them to be the eyes and ears on the streets for us."

Common Council President Willie Hines witnessed illegal dumping in his district and he took action.

Hines said "Write [their] drivers license plate down, the name of the company and forward it to the police department of which we were able to cite him."

...If you see illegal dumping in progress, call the Milwaukee Police Department's non-emergency number.

Also, you should call the We Tip hot-line number at 1-800-78-CRIME. You can be rewarded up to a thousand dollars if your information leads to prosecution.

 

Illegal dumping on city or private property is a serious problem. It shouldn't be tolerated.

Citizens should report this crime if they see their neighborhood being abused as a dumping ground.

A thousand dollars in reward money is quite an incentive to get involved.

Too bad Mayor Tom Barrett and city officials tolerate dumping sewage in Lake Michigan. I wish they'd take a strong stand against that.

Prepare for Milwaukee area beaches to prohibit swimming due to contaminated water.

Same old, same old.

Springfield, Mass. Tornado (Video)

Tragically, the spring of 2011 continues to be marked by deadly tornadoes.

The latest outbreak of storms hit Massachusetts.

From ABC News:

Multiple tornadoes slammed Massachusetts, destroying buildings, flipping vehicles and leaving at least four people dead and dozens injured.

The Massachusetts twisters hit as unstable weather threatened the entire Northeast, bringing tornado watches to Philadelphia, New York and Boston.

The situation in western and central Massachusetts was so bad that Gov. Deval Patrick declared a statewide state of emergency, calling up 1,000 members of the National Guard.

Two of the four fatalities in Massachusetts occurred in Westfield, and there was one each in West Springfield and Brimfield, officials said.

Two tornado touchdowns were confirmed -- one in the Springfield area and a larger one in the Westfield area, Patrick said.

ABC News Boston affiliate WCVB earlier reported additional tornadoes confirmed in the Massachusetts communities of Wilbraham, Monson and Oxford.

Patrick said at least 19 Massachusetts communities were affected by the twisters.

...One tornado ripped through downtown Springfield, Mass., and into its suburbs around 4:35 p.m. today, knocking down trees and destroying buildings. There were reports of injures and people trapped by debris in the city of about 150,000 residents 90 miles west of Boston.

Baystate Medical Center in Springfield was treating numerous injured people, some with serious force trauma injuries, spokeswoman Jane Albert told The Associated Press.

Here's video:







More video, from WGGB:

La Crosse Tornado, May 22, 2011 (Video)

From the Wisconsin State Journal:

A tornado ripped through La Crosse's South Side on Sunday afternoon, leaving a wake of leveled buildings, downed power lines and debris that stretched nearly halfway across the city.

The storm downed trees and wreaked havoc along a 1.5-mile stretch along a four-block wide path. The worst damage was along Green Bay and Redfield streets, where treetops were shorn, roofs and siding torn off houses and debris left hanging from tree limbs and power lines.

At least 200 homes and businesses were damaged, according to La Crosse County Emergency Management, including Bakalars Sausage Co., the Green Island Ice Arena, Kmart, the Pepsi-Cola Bottling building and Badger Corrugating.

Other homes just a few blocks away were untouched.

Somehow, in all the devastation, a miracle: no one was seriously hurt.

"God was looking out for a lot of people," La Crosse Police Chief Ed Kondracki said.

The tornado struck at about 4:30 p.m. Mayor Matt Harter declared a state of emergency Sunday evening.

PHOTO GALLERY
__________________

UPDATE, May 25, 2011: Raw Video: Dash Cam Catches Wisc. Tornado

A camera on a Lacrosse, WI city bus was rolling when a tornado came through on Sunday, May 22, 2011. No one was injured.

Joplin Tornado, May 22, 2011 (Video)

UPDATE, May 23, 2011: Death toll from Joplin tornado climbs to 116

Rescue crews dug through piles of splintered houses and crushed cars Monday in a search for victims of a half-mile-wide tornado that killed at least 116 people when it blasted much of this Missouri town off the map and slammed straight into its hospital.

It was the nation's deadliest single tornado in nearly 60 years and the second major tornado disaster in less than a month.

Authorities feared the toll could rise as the full scope of the destruction comes into view: House after house reduced to slabs, cars crushed like soda cans, shaken residents roaming streets in search of missing family members. And the danger was by no means over. Fires from gas leaks burned across town, and more violent weather loomed, including the threat of hail, high winds and even more tornadoes.

My prayers are with the people of Joplin and all affected by the devastating destruction and this terrible loss of life.
___________________

More death and destruction from a massive tornado.

From KNOX, via the Associated Press:

A massive tornado that blasted a four-mile path across southwestern Missouri slammed into this city with cataclysmic force, ripping into a hospital, upending cars and leaving only a forest of splintered tree trunks behind where entire neighborhoods once stood.

An unknown number were killed in Joplin on Sunday night, and officials struggling to communicate without power and cellphone service were leery of putting a hard figure on a death toll they feared would rise after daybreak. Asked about a report that 24 people had died, city spokeswoman Lynn Onstot said grimly that officials were “afraid it may be more. … Our fear is that’s a low number.” The Missouri National Guard planned to search for the injured throughout the night. “You see pictures of World War II, the devastation and all that with the bombing. That’s really what it looked like,” said Kerry Sachetta, the principal of a flattened Joplin High School. “I couldn’t even make out the side of the building. It was total devastation in my view. I just couldn’t believe what I saw.”

The same storm system that produced the Joplin tornado spawned twisters along a broad swath of the Midwest, from Oklahoma to Wisconsin. At least one person was killed in Minneapolis. But the devastation in Missouri appeared to be the worst of the day, eerily reminiscent the tornadoes that killed more than 300 people across the South last month. Onstot said the twister __ believed to be between one-half to three-quarters of a mile wide __ was on the ground for nearly four miles. It hit a hospital packed with patients and a commercial area including a Home Depot construction store, numerous smaller businesses and restaurants and a grocery store. Jasper County emergency management director Keith Stammer said an estimated 2,000 buildings were damaged in this city of about 50,000 people some 160 miles south of Kansas City.

PHOTO GALLERY

American Red Cross Disaster Relief - Tornadoes

Red Cross Sends Help After Deadly Tornadoes Blast Through the South

The American Red Cross is helping thousands of people after Wednesday’s deadly tornadoes destroyed neighborhoods throughout the southern region of the country.

“Our thoughts and sympathies are with those who lost loved ones or have suffered through these deadly storms,” said Charley Shimanski, senior vice president, Red Cross Disaster Services. “Red Cross disaster teams are working around the clock to help the thousands of people whose lives are turned upside down. More Red Cross assistance is on the way.”

“Our top priority right now is to provide food and shelter to the thousands of people throughout the South and Midwest affected by these storms,” Shimanski said, adding that the Red Cross is also distributing relief supplies and providing emotional support and basic health services to disaster survivors.

Hardest hit was Alabama, where Governor Robert Bentley has activated National Guard troops to help in the devastated areas. The Red Cross is sending disaster workers, materials, blood products and equipment into the state. Nearly 40 emergency response vehicles are on the way, along with 25,000 ready-to-eat meals. Red Cross Blood Services is moving hundreds of blood products into the area, and Red Cross nurses and mental health workers are being deployed to help people cope with the aftermath of this disaster.

...The Red Cross is able to respond quickly when emergencies happen with the help of corporations who are members of the organization’s Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP). ADGP members pledge donations on an ongoing basis to allow the Red Cross to pre-position supplies and be ready to take immediate action when disasters occur.

ADGP members include Walmart, UPS, UnitedHealthcare, The TJX Companies, Inc., Target, State Street Foundation, State Farm, Southwest Airlines, Ryder Charitable Foundation, Northrup Grumman, Nationwide Insurance Foundation, Morgan Stanley, Merck, Lowe’s Companies, Inc.; Kraft Foods; Kimberly-Clark Corporation, John Deere Foundation, The Home Depot Foundation, GE Foundation, FedEx Corporation, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Darden Restaurants, Inc, ConAgra Foods, Cisco Foundation, Aon, Altria and 3M.

The Red Cross depends on financial donations to help in times of disaster, both here in the United States and around the world. Those who want to help can make a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. To make a donation, visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS. Contributions may also be sent to local American Red Cross chapters or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

Tornadoes, April 27, 2011 (Video)

UPDATE, APRIL 30, 2011: Twister toll at 337; 2nd-deadliest outbreak in US
_______________

UPDATE, APRIL 29, 2011: Tornado Aftermath: Southern Storms Death Toll Rises to 312 as Obama Visits
_______________

UPDATE, April 29, 2011: Alabama tornado death toll climbs to 210

Alabama emergency officials say the number of people killed in the state in the worst tornado outbreak in four decades has climbed to 210. It is now considered the deadliest weather event in the state in more than 70 years.

At least 36 were killed Wednesday in Tuscaloosa, home of the University of Alabama.

The Alabama Emergency Management Agency early Friday said in a news release that nearby DeKalb County had 32 fatalities.

...Fatalities were also reported in Bibb, Calhoun, Cullman, Dekalb, Elmore, Fayette, Franklin, Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, St. Clair, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa and Walker counties.

The new Alabama total brings the death toll in six states to at least 297.

Here are the most recent death tolls in the states hit hardest by Wednesday's storms.

Alabama: 210 dead
Mississippi: 33 dead
Tennessee: 33 dead
Georgia: 15 dead
Virginia: 5 dead
Kentucky: 1 dead

_______________

UPDATE: Tornadoes devastate South, killing at least 248

Dozens of tornadoes ripped through the South, flattening homes and businesses and killing at least 248 people in six states in the deadliest outbreak in nearly 40 years.

As day broke Thursday, people in hard-hit Alabama surveyed flattened, debris-strewn neighborhoods and told of pulling bodies from rubble after the storms passed Wednesday afternoon and evening.

Deadly Tornadoes Sweep Through the South



Raw Video: Utter Devastation in Tuscaloosa



Tuscaloosa Mayor Walter Maddox Focused on Finding Survivors


__________________

The death and destruction left by the storms and tornadoes that slammed the South should provide some perspective on how stupid media obsessions like Donald Trump, Obama's birth certificate, and the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton really are.

The death toll from the tornadoes keeps rising.

From the Associated Press:

Fierce storms obliterated large swaths of land from Mississippi to Georgia, wiping out homes and businesses, causing a nuclear power plant to use backup generators and even forcing the evacuation of a National Weather Service office.

The death toll was staggering — 83 people killed in five states, including 61 in Alabama alone, a number that was likely to increase.

One of the hardest-hit areas was Tuscaloosa, a city of more than 83,000 and home to the University of Alabama. The city's police and other emergency services were devastated, the mayor said, and at least 15 people were killed and about 100 were in a single hospital.

A massive tornado, caught on video by a news camera on a tower, barreled through the city late Wednesday afternoon, leveling it.

By nightfall, the city was dark. Roads were impassable. Signs were blown down in front of restaurants, businesses were unrecognizable and sirens wailed off and on. Debris littered the streets and sidewalks.

...Elsewhere, 11 people were killed in Mississippi, nine people were reported dead in Georgia and one person died each in Tennessee and Virginia.

The storm system spread destruction from Texas to New York, where dozens of roads were flooded or washed out.

President Barack Obama said he had spoken with Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley and approved his request for emergency federal assistance, including search and rescue assets. About 1,400 National Guard soldiers were being deployed around the state.

"Our hearts go out to all those who have been affected by this devastation, and we commend the heroic efforts of those who have been working tirelessly to respond to this disaster," Obama said in a statement.

It's appropriate for Obama to issue a statement.

From CNN:

"While we may not know the extent of the damage for days, we will continue to monitor these severe storms across the country and stand ready to continue to help the people of Alabama and all citizens affected by these storms," Obama said in a statement.

"Michelle and I extend our deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives because of the tornadoes that have swept through Alabama and the southeastern United States."

The devastation didn't keep Obama from attending three fundraisers in New York City on Wednesday night, where he was expected to rake in millions of dollars for his 2012 campaign.

Obama was hanging out with Democrat big donors and celebrities and joking about his birth certificate. Earlier in the day, Obama and Michelle flew to Chicago to tape an interview with Oprah Winfrey. He was flashing his birth certificate, using it as a prop.

What was that Obama said about not having time for "silliness"? Didn't he say we can't solve our problems if we're distracted by sideshows?

I guess Oprah isn't a sideshow in Obama's world.

While people were struggling in the aftermath of the storms, having lost their homes and businesses, suffering injuries, and grieving the loss of loved ones, Obama was yucking it up and raising money.

Bad, bad timing.

Video of Obama fundraising in New York and in Chicago with Oprah:



Attention should be directed to the victims of the storms. I pray the death toll won't go higher, but I fear it will.

Here's video of the storms, the devastation, and the survivors:

The monster tornado that ripped through Tuscaloosa, caught on video, is a terrifying sight.

Seeing it from afar, one knows that what was in its path would be obliterated.



Here's a story of survival, faith, and thankfulness:



Here are more videos, from CBS 42, Birmingham, Alabama.

Wisconsin Tornadoes

Yesterday was an especially rough weather day for some people in Wisconsin.

From Reuters:

A powerful storm system that moved through the nation's midsection over the weekend caused what may be a record-breaking seven tornadoes in Wisconsin, officials said Monday.

"It's one of the most significant tornado outbreaks in April," said Rich Mamrosh, meteorologist for the National Weather Service. He said if confirmed, the number of Sunday night storms may have broken a record for a single day in April in the state -- the previous record was six.

...A tornado in Merrill in the north-central portion of the state causing widespread damage to homes and businesses, said Captain Scott Krause of the Merrill Fire Department. Three people were taken to area hospitals.

Instead of responding with concern for the people affected by the storms, here's how some deranged Leftists reacted on Twitter:

Slouch2geneva, "That bitch from Wisconsin," tweets:





Rosegirl, Emily Rose Thomas, responds to Slouch2geneva:



Sick!