Looking at my weather app to see what I should wear this morning — I’ve been switching back and forth the last couple of days between outfits one would wear six months apart in a sane universe — I saw something I’d never seen before.
I’ve seen advisories about poor air quality before, which warn that people with chronic respiratory conditions — people like me — should probably not spend time outside exerting themselves.
But this was new. I’d never been told the weather is “unhealthy.” Not that I recall. So I clicked for more info. (see image below)
Which was more startling. I’d definitely never seen a warning that “EVERYONE may begin to experience health effects.”
It went on to say that the problem was “particles” that “typically result from wildfires, smokestacks, bacteria, or small dust particles.” Which is not what I would call “specific.”
Wanting to narrow that down, I did something I seldom do — I turned to television weather. No, I didn’t turn on the TV and wait for something to come on telling me about the weather. I’ve never understood how anyone cares so much about weather that they’re willing to do that. I went to a TV station’s website, and called up the most recent weather report.
The guy went on and on and on about temperatures, and wind speeds, and yadda-yadda, and never once mentioned the quality of the air.
My wife assumes it’s the pollen I wrote about yesterday. And she’s out cleaning the deck wearing a mask.
Me, I’m going to do my 10,000 steps today on my elliptical trainer, right here in my home office.
But you know, I’d still like to know what it IS, and what about it caused the app to give me this unprecedented (as well as I can remember) advisory.
So far, it’s just behaving like a mobster in the protection racket in a B movie: “Ya oughta stay inside, if ya know what’s good for youse. Doin’ udderwise could be… unhealthy…”
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Yeah, I know, my mobster’s accent was rather… uneven. Is he from the New York area, or Philadelphia? Is he Italian, or Irish? I dunno.
But I really wanted to use “youse” somewhere, that having been part of the argot we employed when I lived across the river from Philly as a kid — even though it was a little unclear whether this was singular or plural second-person — and it seemed excessive to use it three times in one sentence. So I fell back on the vague “ya.”
Hey, this isn’t “The Godfather.” It’s a B movie. You want perfect dialogue, ya gotta pay for it…
I recently purchased a Medify Air MA 22 air purifier. Target has them and includes an extra filter. I run it about 10 hours a day in my bedroom. It easily handles my bedroom and could handle a bigger room.
I run it on low at night and it helps me sleep.
I can tell a difference and I wish I had bought it earlier. Thinking about buying another for the living room.
I walk a lot now and I do dread walking in the pollen. I don’t sneeze so much as it makes my chest and head feel funny. As soon as I return from walking in the evenings I take a shower and toss my clothes into the washer and wash them on a speed wash cycle.
Brad wrote …….” I turned to television weather. No, I didn’t turn on the TV and wait for something to come on telling me about the weather. I’ve never understood how anyone cares so much about weather that they’re willing to do that”
a few thoughts:
I only care when I have outside activities planned or am planning them. I like to go to the lake a lot in warmer weather and I like to plan 2-3 days in advance. I appreciate the opportunity to hear what they weather person thinks is most likely and see their interpretation of the radar view.
I really enjoying following Tim Miller at the Augusta NBC station. Tim use to be at WIS. Tim posts weather updates frequently when there is something to post about he explains what he’s seeing in detail and also easily admits to it when he is uncertain.
Yeah, but isn’t it easier to go to the station’s website and find it than to wait for it to come on live TV? That’s what I meant, mostly…
Yes- and I do that but as Tim says- the website stuff is computer generated. I use it as a guide – but I prefer to hear some details if I have something planned.
If I don’t, I won’t bother listening to the weather person.
Well, this is ridiculous. I just finished doing a short workout on the elliptical (I’ll have to do a lot more to make my 10k), and now the app says the air quality is “moderate” — about what it was yesterday at this time.
So… where did all that “particulate matter” go? It hasn’t rained…
I have another weather app — Accuweather — when I frequently look at when I’m not sure of the main one (something I started doing when I started walking all over the place).
It says the quality is “poor.” Sheesh!
Make up your minds, people! What are the actual, physical conditions? Are they that hard to measure and compare to established standards?
It is poor today. I can feel it. I just washed off my face in the sink after taking trash out to our garbage can.
Observations from the week:
in late 2022, the NC Supreme Court flipped from Democratic control to Republican control. Reminder, North Carolina Republicans – about 5 years ago- mandated that any Supreme Court justice candidates must run on ballots with a party identification listed. Republicans in several other states have also mandated this within the law.
The new Republican NC Supreme Court has ordered re-hearings in several cases that were decided late last year. (This has only happened 2 times in 35 years). The main one being the case involving allegations that the NC legislature’s effort to partisan gerrymander most districts in the state to heavily favor Republicans even though in a number of counties in North Carolina, the split of Democrats and Republicans is almost even.
It’s funny to listen to politicians- especially right wingers- scream about China. It’s almost enough for me to pull for China against this bunch much like many right wingers now root for Russia.
The reality is, China will overtake the United State’s economy and their military will easily be much stronger and more technically advanced than any other in the world in the very near future. Nothing will stop this realty. Whining about it and crying about it and politicians decrying the “Chinese Communist Party” are only making themselves look even more foolish (hard to do).
I am leaning more in favor or Marjorie Taylor Greene’s “National Divorce” plan. While I have no illusions that it would really work, this is probably the only thing I sympathize with her over. I totally understand the sentiment to separate. I get it. The more distance the better.
Regarding the train crash in Ohio. It’s been interesting to see the right wingers proposing train regulations after being against them for so long. Always worth noting.
The Fox News revelations just keep getting more interesting. The amount of outright lies this organization, from top to bottom, tells their own viewers- while knowing they are 100% purposefully lying to them is quite interesting.
Open carry of guns is getting closer in South Carolina. As a CWP holder, I really don’t have much of a problem with this anymore. My view is that it’s better to be able to identify the people that live in such fear they have to wear a gun on their belt loop. Better to avoid such people at all costs. Now, it will be much easier to spot them in public.