Althouse: Cold water.

January 28, 2009

Cold water.

It's 3° here in Madison, and indoors, where, of course, it's warm, the tap water is excellently cold.

37 comments:

Simon said...: It's not too cold down in Indiana, but there is lots of snow. I appreciate that our management circulated an email advising everyone to work from home and not risk the roads - an email sent ten minutes after everyone was already supposed to be in the office. That was a very cool jape.; 1/28/09, 7:55 AM
Anonymous said...: WWII Veteran Freezes To Death In Own Home

Utility Company Restricted Power To Man's Home After Non-Payment; 1/28/09, 7:59 AM
MadisonMan said...: Where's my January Thaw!; 1/28/09, 8:04 AM
AllenS said...: "Where's my January Thaw!"

Would you be willing to wait a week or two? Maybe three.; 1/28/09, 8:06 AM
Bissage said...: And it stoned me to my soul.; 1/28/09, 8:10 AM
Michael Haz said...: On the way back home we sang a song,
But our throats were getting dry
Then we saw the man from across the road
With the sunshine in his eyes
Well he lived all alone in his own little home
With a great big gallon jar
There were bottles too, one for me and you,
And he said, "Hey! there you are"

Oh, the water,
Oh, the water,
Oh, the water,
Get it myself from the mountain stream; 1/28/09, 8:17 AM
traditionalguy said...: News Flash. The Ground Hog in Pennsylvania has frozen to death. Al Gore, who happened to be speaking there yesterday, will stay to attend the funeral as UN representative.; 1/28/09, 8:18 AM
Original Mike said...: MM - It seems to me this winter has been abnormally cold (compared to recent years). Has it been?; 1/28/09, 8:25 AM
Hazy Dave said...: It's been quite a while since we've seen a temperature above freezing, but the last week or so without significant precipitation has been welcome. A larege swath from Texas to New England isn't as lucky today. And, the TV predicts highs flirting with 30 sometime within the next week or so!

I remember running the tap in Aruba (some 25 years ago), waiting for the water to get cold, then realizing at some point that it wasn't going to happen. Seems like most of the water pipes were above ground. (I think it came from desalination plants rather than wells or groundwater.)

BTW, what the hell is the first line of "And it Stoned Me"?; 1/28/09, 8:33 AM
Bob said...: *tries to picture Ann Althouse snorking water directly from the tap, fails*; 1/28/09, 8:39 AM
Michael Haz said...: Hazy Dave - Here are the lyrics:

Half a mile from the county fair
And the rain keep pourin down
Me and billy standin there
With a silver half a crown
Hands are full of a fishin rod
And the tackle on our backs
We just stood there gettin wet
With our backs against the fence

Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Hope it dont rain all day

Chorus:
And it stoned me to my soul
Stoned me just like jelly roll
And it stoned me
And it stoned me to my soul
Stoned me just like goin home
And it stoned me

Then the rain let up and the sun came up
And we were gettin dry
Almost let a pick-up truck nearly pass us by
So we jumped right in and the driver grinned
And he dropped us up the road
We looked at the swim and we jumped right in
Not to mention fishing poles

Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Let it run all over me

Chorus

On the way back home we sang a song
But our throats were getting dry
Then we saw the man from across the road
With the sunshine in his eyes
Well he lived all alone in his own little home
With a great big gallon jar
There were bottles too, one for me and you
And he said hey! there you are

Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Get it myself from the mountain stream

Chorus

-Van Morrison; 1/28/09, 8:40 AM
john said...: All the blankets in the world cannot keep a 93-year old body warm, it has to get its heat externally.

One Mid-Michigan lawyer said the question remains: Who is accountable in the war veteran’s death? Asked and answered, in at least one mid-Michigan lawyer's mind.

But now that the scent of money is in the air, this winter freeze will give way to a spring flurry of lawsuits against the utility company. His close neighbors and his large extended family may gain some financial comfort to assuage their grief.; 1/28/09, 8:41 AM
The Drill SGT said...: jdeeripper said...
WWII Veteran Freezes To Death In Own Home

Utility Company Restricted Power To Man's Home After Non-Payment

while the story is terrible, it wasn't some big public firm that cut his power. It was his city and its municipal utility. The "company" isn't regulated by the state. The city web site has a no Utility Department, instead it has

Bay City Electric, Light & Power (BCELP) is a municipal utility, owned by the City of Bay City, Michigan. We strive to offer value to our customers by providing reliable service at a competitive price.; 1/28/09, 8:42 AM
kjbe said...: Is this what they call 'the dead of winter'? Cuz I'm kinda getting used to it (and seem to have stopped checking the temps in the morning).; 1/28/09, 8:54 AM
john said...: Stoned me just like jelly roll

3-day-old pastry?
Midnight urge to go to Dunkin Donuts?
Morton?; 1/28/09, 8:55 AM
Original Mike said...: I'm kinda getting used to it

Me too, K*thy. Happens every winter.

I've never been one to take a trip to a warm locale in winter. In the past, when I come back, I'm ruined for the rest of the winter. Not worth it.; 1/28/09, 8:59 AM
Tibore said...: " Simon said...
It's not too cold down in Indiana, but there is lots of snow. I appreciate that our management circulated an email advising everyone to work from home and not risk the roads - an email sent ten minutes after everyone was already supposed to be in the office. That was a very cool jape."

Ouch... that sucks. I'm going to count my own blessings then. I woke up this morning, picked up the Blackberry, and noted that our warning was sent just after 6am. So all of my staff got plenty of warning, presuming they check their email.

I'm not looking forward to digging my car out from under all this crap. I'm in south-central Indiana, and it looks to be a legitimate foot of snow. Which doesn't get across the stuff that's been compacted up against the rear bumper of my car from the plow coming through! >:-{; 1/28/09, 9:06 AM
Anonymous said...: when you don't get paid it's not work in Indiana.

i'm in Indiana. I got up, grabbed my starving artist beret and my only camera that isn't broken, a ten year old, 2.1 mega pixel digital thing that doesn't do the snow justice. Maybe i'll get to borrow a better one later. I alrighty offered to help a guy push his car out of a parking lot, but he said that it was alright some guys were coming to help him. He doesn't know that i once helped the mail lady help get her truck unstuck. But what can you tell from a middle aged lady's physique under those layers of wool? Anyway I wished him luck cause even if he gets out of his parking spot, he aint going anywhere but the main streets.

Mother Nature is having a fun time here in Indiana this winter teaching people about minding her ways. A woman I don't get along with wrote me a note and she called it mother Nature's fury. How dare she? I just call it seasonal corrections and MN giving us some peace of mind.; 1/28/09, 9:15 AM
Wince said...: The Cold Water Excuse.; 1/28/09, 9:19 AM
Original Mike said...: Mother Nature is having a fun time here in Indiana this winter teaching people about minding her ways.

I've always enjoyed that aspect of big snows.

Mother Nature: "Not today."; 1/28/09, 9:20 AM
Tibore said...: "Hazy Dave said...
I remember running the tap in Aruba (some 25 years ago), waiting for the water to get cold, then realizing at some point that it wasn't going to happen."

Yeah. In the Philippines, I noticed that very few people had hot water heaters for their bathrooms. It just plain wasn't needed.; 1/28/09, 9:41 AM
William said...: Groundhog Day should be declared a national holiday. The winter holidays suck. I never feel particularly grateful on Thanksgiving, kindly on Christmas, resolved on New Years, or guilty on MLK day. What this country needs is a holiday free of categorical imperatives. Groundhog Day--you don't even have to go shopping. It signifies nothing. One day a year should be set aside so that all can sleep late and celebrate the utter pointlessness of the trip so far.; 1/28/09, 10:05 AM
Michael Haz said...: Hazy Dave - Is this where your moniker came from?

Well now Hazy Davy got really hurt, he ran into the lake in just his socks and a shirt; 1/28/09, 10:16 AM
Hazy Dave said...: "Is this where your moniker came from?"

Yup. Not my favorite Springsteen tune (especially not in Manfred Mann's interpretation), but adequately alliterative, and a fine album in general from the college years...

I always thought it sounded like old mushmouth Van was singing "Half a mile from the catfish", but that never made sense, even with the fishing poles turning up later in the verse...; 1/28/09, 11:49 AM
MadisonMan said...: My problem with holidays is that they're all in the cold season. Why not have more holidays when it's warm out and you can actually go outside a house? But I guess then all the people who live in AirConditioning land would complain :); 1/28/09, 12:05 PM
David said...: As long as that tap water is still running, you are in good shape.

Midwest slang for uncongenial female: "Man, that bitch really freezes my pipes." (Not you, Althouse.); 1/28/09, 12:06 PM
k said...: I admit that every year, I look forward to the days when Midwestern tap water becomes outrageously cold. MMMM.....

luvit.; 1/28/09, 1:16 PM
Greg Toombs said...: Wiiliam, do you suppose we might organize several Groundhog Days in a row this February?

Maybe not as many in the movie, but 4 or 5 would be nice.; 1/28/09, 1:17 PM
BJM said...: WTF is wrong with states that allow utilities to be turned off in the winter? MI doesn't have a lifeline requirement?

Really cold tap water to rinse after brushing is the best part of winter.

It's been colder than usual overnight in Sth Florida and temps have occasionally fallen into the mid-50's, 65 is the norm. 40's are predicted for the end of the week. I wouldn't be surprised to hear of snow if it rains.

The kiddies are waiting for the morning school bus in parkas, mittens and scarves, it's a comical sight amid palm trees.

We may have to put on long pants this winter, however it's 81 as I type this.; 1/28/09, 1:53 PM
Zachary Sire said...: It is a lovely 80 degrees here in California. I may go to the beach, but not in the water. You'd have to have a death wish to step foot in California's polluted coastal waters. I'd rather eat dirt and worms, as suggested in the other thread.; 1/28/09, 2:08 PM
traditionalguy said...: The Holy Days were originally church sponsored feasts of 1 to 7 days that brought the Congregation and the rest of the town's people some activities and joy during a long winter, when Farming, fishing, travel and military activities were on hold. An old man once told me that, "Doing nothing was the hardest thing for him to do."; 1/28/09, 2:25 PM
traditionalguy said...: Oh yeah, they were still working on inventing the Snowmobile.Didn"t Ben Franklin invent that? No, it must have been that scandinavian fellow named Ford, or a General named Motors.; 1/28/09, 2:28 PM
hdhouse said...: having a choice between south florida nad long island am back north now for a week and have missed the cold....specially that gloriously cold tap water ..

all madelines aside, icy tap water first thing is a strong rememberance and current enjoyment.; 1/28/09, 3:23 PM
Kev said...: We had our worst ice storm in six years here in the Dallas area last night. I work for both a college and a school district, and, thankfully, they both had the good sense to close and give everyone plenty of notice of same.

I was amused to watch the TV news reporters all bundled up and standing by the major highway interchanges this morning. I'm not sure you have to have that shot to be effective, but everyone does it. But bless 'em all, though; one of them fell on her butt on a slippery sidewalk this morning, and another one's news van did a 180 on the freeway into (thankfully slow) oncoming traffic last night.; 1/28/09, 3:28 PM
jeff said...: "His close neighbors and his large extended family may gain some financial comfort to assuage their grief."
none of who apparently were able to help with the bill. Or a phone call to the electric company.

"It's 3° here in Madison, and indoors, where, of course, it's warm, the tap water is excellently cold."
I LOVE that part. I can fill my glass from the bathroom sink rather than using the chiller in the refrigerator. Which at 3am is nice. I let the tap run here in Vegas for a couple of minutes early this morning and didnt get that benefit.; 1/28/09, 11:36 PM
Anonymous said...: Not today

interesting

they cancelled school at the university yesterday. They don't do that often, but it was a not today day. It wasn't that bad by Wisconsin standards, but I guess it was good for the kids to play outside, the twenty year old kids. It made me smile to see so many people relaxed and not hearing the usual talk. I also probably got in about six miles of walking in the deeper snow which is great exercise, too.

One thing did bug me. I just wonder why fun at college always involves drinking. And not to be a party verdärber (pooper), but its presence on large campuses is just overwhelming. And while not being a libertarian, I'm not about to put restrictions by laws because they are already there and they don't help. Mostly the party trash on lawns is just woeful to me, as well as watching tipsy girls trying to walk on slippery snow with sliding cars about.

as an aside...o I know extremes can exist and attitudes/customs morals preserved.
I've seen places with strict religious women in veiled clothing with their young children walking down a street with nude beaches a half mile down the road. But these people usually have some kind of inner strength due to other hardships which adds to the preservation. I wonder what kind of things will happen to these college drinking kids when they get out of school, and the employment picture is still so weak. They get hit with some hardship where parents aren't bailing them out because the present economic situation isn't too easy on those parent's retirement funds.

With

•• alcohol a big influence in their life now,

••and it due mostly to having goodtimes every weekend

••and many who don't know real hardship and pain

well, what's gonna happen when they are college educated and unemployed and beer has been the beverage of choice for the last four years. Add to that so many stores depending on alcohol, wiine, beer sales for income. Has anybody else noticed the growth in those aisles in their grocery stores and drugstores? Must be pulling in good dollars to see such expansion in that area.; 1/29/09, 8:59 AM
Anonymous said...: So cold negative Celsius is to much cold,wear always dinner jackets to reduce the cold temp.; 8/2/11, 1:35 AM