Comments on: Grape-Nuts, dynamite, and drought

By: Harold Ambler

Harold Ambler — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:47:54 +0000

Well, temperatures were mentioned, so I assume they are relevant.

But, as I like to say, there is a reason that cactus grows in Central Texas, and a reason, too, that washes cover the landscape. Feast or famine, when it comes to water in these parts, is absolutely normal. Using a precipitation record that is only about a century and a half old, when discussing climate and “climate change,” is, perhaps, misleading, though.

Weather and climate did not used to be gentle and predictable, least of all in the piece of land now described as the American Southwest. Those of us living in Texas in the 21st century, indeed, are blessed when it comes to precipitation and climate. Things have been far worse in the not-so-distant past, unless you like “megadroughts”:

http://tinyurl.com/4h5hvo2

By: Martin Kohout

Martin Kohout — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 23:55:52 +0000

The temperatures aren’t really the point, though; the drought is.

By: Harold Ambler

Harold Ambler — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 23:39:39 +0000

Just in terms of the temperatures, I don’t see anything to worry about. This is Central Texas, after all. For perspective:

http://stevengoddard.wordpress.com/2011/08/07/year-to-date-in-texas/

http://tinyurl.com/3f7cjtw

By: Martin Kohout

Martin Kohout — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 17:21:50 +0000

Thanks, Brad. As I understand it, the three measures, at least in Central Texas, are 1) 24 consecutive months of lakes Travis and Buchanan being below normal levels, 2) lake inflows below 1950s levels, and 3) less than 600,000 acre-feet of water in Travis and Buchanan. We’ve already hit the first two (the lakes haven’t been full since February ’05, and the average inflows during the first six months of this year were 30 percent of the average inflows in the ’50s), but the lakes currently hold almost a million acre-feet, and are expected to remain above the minimum for the rest of the year.

And apparently Post was inspired to enter the cereal business after spending some time at Kellogg’s sanitarium in Battle Creek following his second breakdown, in 1891. Must be something in the water (or the yogurt) up there. So when are y’all going to start marketing your own granola?

By: Brad

Brad — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 16:26:12 +0000

Yikes. I’m curious – what are the three key areas that measure drought? And what is it with utopian cereal makers? Up here in Michigan we have Kellogg, the breakfast company founded on the principles of the Kellogg brothers, which included eugenics, yogurt enemas and the quackery portrayed in “The Road to Wellville.” Thanks for another great blog post, and good luck with the heat!