Sunday, June 18, 2006

Heat Wave

Initializing a heat wave discussion seems appropriate at this time, considering the modest one that Detroit experienced from Sunday, May 28th (Memorial Day Weekend) - Thursday, June 1.

Day - High temp/Low Temp:
May 28 - 89/64
May 29 - 91/73
May 30 - 89/72
May 31 - 89/68
June 1 - 82/66

This isn't far from the prolonged and extreme heat that will cause a catastrophe. I'm sure there were some deaths attributable (by attributable, I mean related at some level, if not the root cause of) to the recent high temperatures.

On the evening of Memorial Day (only the second day) the A.P. weighed in with a report that "A pre-summer heat wave..." was pushing temperatures over 90 in the upper peninsula, naming a number of remote locations in the state, but not mentioning the high of 91 in the state's largest city.

The Detroit media attention followed up on the A.P.'s interest in the Roseville Marching Band's 3 dozen members who required medical treatment after 27 of them passed out during a Memorial Day parade. Maybe those band outfits are not the best attire in 90+ heat.

How many people succombed to heat-related deaths in Detroit during those five days? I saw no coverage that addressed that, although it's almost certain that some deaths resulted.

Basically, as Klinenberg and others have written, it's a fundamental part of media perversion. If it don't bleed it don't lead. While those band kids were not bleeding, many of them were probably dry heaving. As far as weather disasters go, heat wave footage is not exciting. However, people die in large numbers during heat waves. They are often old, in poverty and dying in isolation. This quiet but unjust way of passing is not interesting to Fox 2 Detroit and co. I scoured the internet for any specific coverage of recent heat-related passings and found nothing.

Here are some pictures of Detroit on May, 29 (Memorial Day):

Example
Canadian tourists operate a camera outside Hitsville.

Example
Hot, hazy skies, a funky tree, the colonel, and the Fisher Building.

Example
The 20 Grand - the famous club is gone, but the hotel remains.

Example

Example

Example
Inside the restaurant

Example

Example
Fire hydrants provide relief from the scorching heat.


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1 Comments:

Blogger marie curie said...

daniel-san, i am so glad you've joined the world of blogspot. i'm currently fixing mine as the last couple months have disappeared from here. leave me comments so i feel special. love

7:17 PM  

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