Friday, July 20, 2018

That's a Lot of "Getting Used To."


Who can forget when Trudeau's finance minister, Morneau, told Canadians they're just going to have to get used to a future of "job churn" - living short-term job to short-term job, paycheque to paycheque. Welcome to the Precariat from a government that just doesn't give a shit.

Now the CBC says there's more we're just going to have to get used to - in the latest case it's extreme heat events. Like most extreme weather events they're increasing significantly in frequency, duration and intensity and we're only in the "early onset" stage. In fact it's hard to consider them all that extreme any more. They're becoming closer to our new normal.

"This is unfortunately our new normal," said Ahira Sanchez-Lugo, a physical scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Centers for Environmental Information.

"When it comes to extreme heat, we can say the odds of extreme heat or heat waves have been significantly increased by climate change," said Clare Nullis, spokesperson for the World Meteorological Organization. 
"We have to start getting used to it." 
On Wednesday, NOAA released its Global Climate Report for the month of June — the fifth warmest on record (1.06 C above the 20th century average).
...David Phillips, Environment Canada's senior climatologist, said across the country, the average summertime temperature has increased by 1.5 C above the 1961-1990 average. Winter is even more dramatic with a 3.4 C rise.  
Oh well,  I'm sure they'll think of something. Don't you?

6 comments:

Toby said...

Okay, the Liberals understand that it's Global Warming that is causing so many problems. What they don't get is that they are supposed to do something about it. How nice.

Owen Gray said...

We walk around with our eyes closed. And time is running out.

the salamander said...

.. oh there's far more to get used to Mound
Yes, the job churn, yes the radical weather changes.. But I ride subways, and other public transportation, walk the sidewalks, ride my bike, drive our Mini Cooper on weekends. What do I see and dodge ? People on cel phones. On foot I just stop and wait & either they walk right into me, fall down go boom - cel phone flies or they look puzzled that I did not get out of their way. Its not like I walk down the center of the sidewalk either.

On to cars.. the late red light runners, the rolling of stop signs, the inability to keep their lane on any turn, the lane drifting while texting, those doing 80K through a 40K residential neighborhood they do not live in. Never a cop to be seen. People running 401 on half bald, all bald or half inflated tires in a downpour.. Hello hydroplaning ! 1/2 ton pickups with 2 tons of bricks or bags of cement. Did I mention the tailgaters who like to drive 6 feet behind me at 120 or 130K if that's the flow of traffic.. I just slow down more and more till the lightbulb goes on in their dim brain and they move around with angry horn and a finger... Sayanoro asshole.. I have a passenger and two dogs in the back, plus me. I also get it that using a turn signal must be exhausting for most.

When on my bike you have to get up real early in the morning even to just attempt to car door me.. and if I know when I'm beat ie 30 or 40 years ago.. I will use that negligent driver as my cushion.. me never dreaming of veering into traffic.. or getting gutted by the top corner of the door through my rib cage. I see it every day, the fling open of the door, a person lunges to their feet, not even a glance but jerking a cel phone from their pocket as they start to get upright from their seat. If I have no room due to traffic, I always have a way through the driver so to speak.
Yep.. lots to get used to.. punks or whomever with 'tired' back packs that need a seniors seat on subways, some stretch out and use 3 seats. Who pretended to raise these louts. I end up in middle of intersections with blind folks or lame sceniors.. and drivers slice around us angrily,.. Deary me.. so much to get used to !

The Mound of Sound said...


Sal, I hope you don't collect firearms. Stay cool my friend.

Anonymous said...

I am of an age similar to yours.

Meanwhile, I have children that are university graduates, facing "job churn". My youngest spent 8 years of uncertain short-term contracts. My daughter-in-law currently facing unlimited uncertainty. Oh, to be born with that silver spoon ...

UU

the salamander said...

.. the guns of my farm teens and 20's were shot at gun ranges or trap shoots
and were sold eons ago to facilitate camera bodies, lenses, dark room tools
and nice leftover bits of the funds bought vinyl & turntables
and a used 70 Chevy thunder truck..
Off I went to Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Banff, Vancouver to DJ and bartend
with 4-5 hundred albums.. waterproofed in the back or stashed at a pleased friend's,
I explored and camped across Canada while friends explored Europe
My early years I hitched across Canada and back to University
took the train several times, or bus.. delighted in Maritime fiddleheads & scallops
and fresh trout or salmon off the dock.. with steamed broccoli or beans
remains a fascination, as does Port Dover White Perch

More to your point however.
both my son and I experience the whim of 'job churn'
and the Crowsfoot Glaciers ? He may never see except as meltwater
Will he ever see a boreal caribou? Or have it only on our 25 cent coin ?

The Toronto culture of cars I described for good reason..
These horrendous vehicle operators may in fact vote..
but with the mentality or carelessness I observe
What hope they give a flying fluck re Climate Change ?
Or habitat, endangered species.. they may just want buck a beer