To be expected. People die in extreme weather.

That's very cold-hearted. They died due to harsh winds and cold temperatures. Each death was avoidable and points to a way we should improve.

That’s life.

We’re privileged enough that 18 deaths in a Winter storm that affects 250 million people is a headline.

Ok, so that’s 18 ways to improve next time.

18 deaths is barely worth the ink on the papers.

If you want to make a difference, keep an eye on your elder neighbors and direct the homeless to shelters.

"That's life" is a challenge, not an admission. We can bury our power lines underground. We can improve our warning and help people prepare. We can promote more energy-efficient housing. We can get that number lower.

The challenge has been accepted and accomplished already. 18 deaths is a rounding error of a rounding error.

For everything else you want, just vote for Democrats.

18 naively is a rounding error. However, power systems across the country failed and had to institute ruling blackouts. Those rolling blackouts can be very dangerous for certain non-negligible portions of the population. That's how the deaths indicate a systemic failure.

Yeah, it's not 9/11. But it's also not "just life"

Sadly that number has doubled from an article posted a day ago by CNN.

It’s only supposed to get worse over the next few days as well!

It absolutely is life and our new normal.

The weakest/oldest/youngest dying to the elements has been the norm for 250,000 years or longer.

We just got used to our technology and cheap energy over the last 100 years. We’re not even returning to that normal, the stagnation of political will to fix things and the accelerating destruction of the climate humans have evolved in are just making things worse.

We are spoiled to the point that 18 deaths is a headline.

Can we do both? Improve survival outcomes for ALL americans and help neighbors and the homeless?

Sure could, and largely have.

To the point 18 deaths across most of a continent make the headlines.

> exposure, car crashes, a falling tree limb

That middle one points to the fact people need to be smarter with dangerous weather like this. The first one too potentially if it was some drunken idiot who fell asleep outside. And I'm not talking homeless drunken idiot, I'm talking someone with a home to get to but went out drinking in a severe snow storm.

During severe weather storms affecting like 75% of the county 18 deaths is actually amazing, more people die in single tornado strikes.

You really need to get yourself checked for psychopathy, or at the very least, Aspergers. Either that or you’re just an edgy 14 year old.

[removed]

[removed]

Meh. We didn’t blink our eyes at over a million Covid deaths. So until these storms kill 500,000 or more in one fell swoop I don’t expect any eyes to be batted.

If 2023 sees the collapse of La Niña and we see a return of El Niño weather patterns - we will be right screwed mid summer.

[removed]

This article is really grasping.

One woman fell through the ice on a river and died. Seems a bit if a stretch to include her with others like the homeless man frozen to death, or the two medical emergencies the ambulance couldn't make in time.

Not all these are directly from the storm, more like, there was a monster storm on the days those people died.

Depends on the context. If you live in a place that never freezes and suddenly there’s ice I can see people not knowing my how dangerous it is

[removed]

[removed]

Makes sense now, he’s a conservative

That river is here in WI, we definitely know how dangerous river ice is. She was 57 and went out on the ice to retrieve one of her dogs, really sad.

This number will skyrocket in the next week or so. It'll take time for people to dig out and check on their neighbours, and then report any passings.

That seems like an inaccurate assumption, actually.

He seems to think democrats are the “get everything you want party”. I would not assume that he’s politically to the left of them

Also the lack of regard for human life is a big tipoff

Any death is bad u dunce

[removed]

[removed]

I first read "1B" and I was skimming the page and was worried there for a moment...

[removed]

[removed]

[removed]

[removed]

It’s also possible the storm reduced the usual number of drunk driving deaths that happen on holiday weekends to near 0

Guess this is the norm now. Last couple years has been the same story - exceptionally mild winter until suddenly it very much isn't.

>El Niña

La* because it's a feminine noun....

Gah! Yes indeed - edited to be correct.

Article

[removed]

[removed]