Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Heat wave, shmeat wave

Allow me a moment to whine (and yes, I'll have a little cheese). Why is it that it's only a heat wave to the national media when it's in California or the east coast? Is there nothing in between? Has it not been 100 and more pretty consistently for the last two weeks in the Midwest? (And by Midwest, I mean places in the actual middle of the country -- Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Missouri. Not Ohio.) OK, I saw coverage of the heat in Chicago. But what about Kansas City? What about Wichita? What about Manhattan, Kansas, and the surrounding towns? I live in one of those surrounding towns. When I called time and temperature at 6:07 a.m. today it was 90 degrees. Yes, that's not a typo. 90 degrees. But, it's Kansas and it's August -- what do you expect? The truth is, hardly anyone in the actual Midwest has died in this heat wave, which is good, but apparently that's not news. Can you see the headline? Two Million Kansans Survive Heat Wave.

I'm not unsympathetic to people who are actually suffering in the heat. I just think news coverage is a little inconsistent. I'll shut up and be nice now.

4 comments:

M. C. Pearson said...

Exactly...and California doesn't get the humidity either. I should know. I was born in San Jose, CA...and of course lived in Manhattan, KS! I had no perception of humidity before living in the Flinthills!

The funny thing is that a lot of Californians don't use air conditioning.

MeganBritt said...

117 degree heat index at lake michigan yesterday. that's all i have to say.


i live in an environment that feels like a dirty sock.

Jim Coonce said...

Whiner!

Okay, 90 degrees at 6 a.m. is pretty miserable, but it's kinda fun to call your sister a whiner!

lindaruth said...

Well, it rained last night, so it's cooler today, so I've quit whining. :)