Sunday funnies

How women have to navigate the world.  Being called Beyonce voters.  Misconceptions about the Hobby Lobby ruling.

All the tornadoes that have happened so far this year.  The weather next week.

World War I explained in 40 maps

Reporting the scientific news does not mean including 'opinions'.

The conservative mindset.  Paul Krugman explains their difficulties with the success of Obamacare.

Torches and pitchforks in the future.

Poisonous newts in your coffee?  Crickets singing hymns?

Putin has hurt Russia by attacking the Ukraine.

National parks feel climate change.

Censorship or protection?

It really brings it home

What a tornado can do to a community. The before and after shots (Google map style) of Joplin.

Living through a tornado

Tornadoes appreciate irony?

Topeka, KS (AHN) - Northeast Kansas was hit by several tornadoes from Wednesday night until Thursday, causing extensive damage in the area.

[snip]

The twister also smashed the Kansas State University campus, causing cars to turn turtle and smashing glass windows.

It destroyed the university's Wind Erosion Laboratory...

Joking aside, having never lived in an area of extreme weather, I would have no clue what to do. For those who want to know:

So what can you know about tornadoes which might save your life? Knowing something about tornadoes and using common sense can go a long way towards saving yourself. Here are six tips everyone should be aware of.

1 Hail is closely related to tornadoes! Large hail may precede a tornado, so the areas of a thunderstorm adjacent to areas of hail is a good candidate for a tornado to form. Seek appropriate shelter and remain in the shelter until well after the hail has stopped, about a half hour until the storm has moved away.

2 Opening a window in a house with the idea of reducing damage from tornadoes is a myth! Most building have sufficient ventilation to allow for the sudden drop in atmospheric pressure related to tornadoes. It is a myth that opening a window will allow inside air pressure to equalize with outside air pressure. Actually, opening the wrong window can increase damage.

3 Most deaths from tornadoes are caused by flying debris. Stay in the center of a building away from windows and exterior doors. Bathrooms and closets offer good protection if a basement is not available. Bathrooms have added support from pipes. Large rooms are more likely to have roof collapse.

4 Tornado wind speeds increases with height within the tornado. Storm cellars and well protected basements offer the best protection from tornadoes. In high rise buildings, occupants should try to reach the lowest floor and take shelter in small rooms or stairwells.

5 An approaching tornado may sound like a loud roar such as that from a freight train or airplane. At night or in heavy rains the only clue to a tornado may be the roar from its winds.

6 Although most tornadoes occur in the afternoon, they can occur at any time or the day or night.

The key to survival is awareness and planning. All members of the household should know where the safest areas of the house are. Make sure everyone knows that they may only have seconds of warning and that they must never hesitate or pause to grab toys or valuables.

In ways these suggestions sound very much like our California earthquake training: going for the strongest supported areas of the house, not trying to collect valuables, planning ahead. Sadly, we did not plan ahead for the tornado currently blowing through the Oval Office....

Greensburg, Kansas

Is gone. Holy crap.


( Jaime Oppenheimer/The Wichita Eagle)

Bryan at Why Now? shares the link to Jeff Masters' weather site, where these pictures were found. Jeff Masters discusses the aftermath of the storms:

The severe storm action finally quieted down yesterday in Kansas and the Plains; only 11 reports of tornadoes were received, compared to 93 on Saturday and 33 on Friday. The severe weather action should stay at a slow simmer through Wednesday over the Plains; the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has portions of the region under its "Slight Risk" area for severe weather through Wednesday. Flooding is a major concern now; most of eastern Kansas, plus large portions of Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota are under flood warnings. More heavy thunderstorm rains during the week are expected to add to the problem.

I think I'll stay in earthquake country....

Did Georgie just tell Kansas

That they're going to get FEMA'd?

US President George W Bush has declared parts of Kansas a disaster area and has pledged federal aid for reconstruction.

"I'm confident this community will be rebuilt, to the extent we can help, we will.

"The most important thing now is for our citizens to ask for the good Lord to comfort those who were hurt," the president said after attending church in Washington on Sunday.

So, it's not the Deciderer, nor the Commander Guy, but the Compassionator! No money, but here comes Georgie to lay some comfort on the unfortunate folks!