Happy Friday! It’s January 13, 2023 and there are 355 days left in the year. On today’s NOTICE News: Rains continue to drench the state of California as wild weather has killed 17 people there. We’ll tell why it’s happening. Plus: Our weekly NOTICE News quiz! Here’s a transcript of today’s show.
Discussion Questions
- How is an “atmospheric river” like a typical river, and how is it different?
- Why would saturation from a previous storm make a current storm more dangerous?
- Since experts say the frequency and intensity of these storms in California are symptoms of man-made climate change, how might that impact people’s thoughts and feelings about the environment?
- Why might it be important politically for an investigation to be labeled “independent” and conducted “independently?”
- Why is it necessary to conduct an investigation into why the FAA experienced such technical failure on Wednesday?
Writing Prompts
- Often when missteps happen in the national government, people demand independent investigations. What sorts of other governing bodies or entities might require independent investigations when their conduct comes into question and why?
- This week’s Republican infighting resulted from ultra-conservatives within the party. Why would an “ultra” version of anything lead to dissent within a group? What other iterations of “ultra” exist in society?
- In terms of any crisis, like the extreme weather on the west coast, people often feel that “it couldn’t happen to them,” if it doesn’t feel close, relatable or tangible. Why might people feel this way, and what issues are there with waiting until a problem is knocking at one’s front door?
Further Reading
- Our top story: California Picks Up Debris From Latest Storm, Braces For The Next (Reuters)
- Explainer: Why California Is Being Deluged by Atmospheric Rivers? (Scientific American)
- Update from earlier in the week: Nurses at 2 NYC hospitals return to work as deal ends strike (AP)