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["Marie McHarry" <mmcharry AT dtnspeed.net>]

<<I've lived my whole life within minutes of the ocean and cool evening
breezes.  The last 11 where the temp rarely varied 10 degrees either side of
60.  Now we live where 100 to 115 isn't unusual in the summer and 80s in the
spring is the norm.>>


Some years back I read a report based on observations of people, some who
had grown up where it was temperate and some where it was hot. Exposure to
hell hot heat evidently causes the body to produce more sweat glands. 

I grew up in a house built at the beginning of the 20th century and now live
in one built in the Civil War era. Architecture makes a lot of difference.
High ceilings, whole-house fans, decent shade, etc. can make the difference
between a house that turns into an oven, and one that is fine. The temps
here have been up and down (35 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit), but I keep the
house closed up this time of year, so it's basically still quite cool.

A friend of mine who spent time in Iran about 30 years ago described
buildings with thick walls that remained cool in the worst heat of summer.


<<Folks need a wake-up call and I'm not sure this whiney country will get it
even then.>>  

Folks living in boxes without shade can die if the heat goes too high. I
don't see it as whining if you're dying from the heat; another heat wave
should convince most of us that we have a serious problem. OTOH,
suburbanites can still go out in the back yard, but as long as deaths are
people they don't know, it will take a while before they take the situation
seriously.

Marie