[Slow Ben]

Typing this out made me miss Rodeo...

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Somehow I missed this news last month:

'"People should be alarmed": air pollution in US subway systems stuns researchers

Riders in major cities, especially New York, encounter particle quantities well above safe levels

[...]

Tiny airborne particles, probably thrown up by train brakes or the friction between train wheels and rails, are rife in the 71 underground stations sampled by researchers during morning and evening rush hours in Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington DC, the cities that contain the bulk of subway systems in the US.

The levels of these tiny specks of pollution, called PM2.5, were well above nationally determined safe daily levels of 35 micrograms per cubic meter in each of the cities. [...] Philadelphia was, comparatively, the cleanest system but still breached the limit beyond which serious health hazards are risked.

[...] Christopher Street, a Manhattan station that helps connect New York and New Jersey, had an incredible particle pollution level [...] about 77 times higher than the above-ground pollution. This is a pollution level more commonly found near a large wildfire or during a building demolition, the researchers said.

"It was the worst pollution ever measured in a subway station, higher than some of the worst days in Beijing or Delhi," [...] he was so amazed by the readings on his instruments he had to ask colleagues to conduct repeated tests to ensure the figures were correct. "It just wasn't believable. My colleague went down there and his airways were feeling tight after an hour or so."

The researchers calculated that someone making a typical commute to and from Christopher Street was increasing their risk of an adverse cardiovascular event by 10%. [...] Broadway in Boston, Second Avenue in New York City and 30th Street in Philadelphia among the most polluted stops in the US north-east. "People should be highly alarmed by these high levels," [...]

Analysis of the air samples shows that the pollutants were mainly composed of iron and organic carbon, a chemical produced from the breakdown of fossil fuels or decaying plants and animals. The latter has, when inhaled, been linked to an increased risk of respiratory conditions, lung cancer and heart disease.

[...] plan to further explore the exact sources of the pollutants, which can range from the exhaust given by diesel locomotives to dust whipped up from the remains of dead rodents.'

https://www.theguard...k-washington-dc

That settles it, I'm going to keep wearing my P100 mask on the subway 'after' the this pandemic....

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 14 March 2021 - 02:31 PM

[QuickTidal]

We lost my mother-in-law tonight. It’s been a long illness and she went peacefully in the end. My wife is bereft. It’s horrible to lose a parent, and she was a wonderful and vibrant person who has died far too young from a wasting disease.

[worry]

Condolences to you and your fam.

[Slow Ben]

Sorry QT. That really sucks.

[Aptorian]

Condolences QT. Never a good time for this but it must be even worse in the pandemic.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

QuickTidal, on 15 March 2021 - 02:53 AM, said:

We lost my mother-in-law tonight. It's been a long illness and she went peacefully in the end. My wife is bereft. It's horrible to lose a parent, and she was a wonderful and vibrant person who has died far too young from a wasting disease.

Sorry to read that QT. Hope you and your family are doing as well as you're able.

[Tiste Simeon]

QT man that's awful, condolences to you and your family.

[QuickTidal]

Thanks all for the condolences. We are managing as best we can.

[champ]

Shit man, sorry to hear that QT it's a cruel world sometimes, hope you guys are doing as well as you can be.

[Cyphon]

Sorry to hear that QT.

[Dutch]

I am sorry to hear QT

[Coltaine -]

That's terrible. Deepest condolences QT. Sorry to hear.

[Malankazooie]

Snow. But not the fluffy kind that falls gently that you can fall backwards into and make a snow angel from. No, not that. But a fuckin' blizzard that comes in and sprays the kind of rain-ice and snow pack stickiness that (three days later) you need a chisel/blow torch to remove from your windshield. Don't get me wrong, I am all about the snow and know what it's about, but this rain-ice-snow blizzard can fuck off down the road. Fuck you Kansas City and the Mid-West, you're next bitches! You're welcome!

This post has been edited by Malankazooie: 16 March 2021 - 12:02 AM

[Gwynn ap Nudd]

Sorry to hear that QT. Losing a parent can be a terrible experience. It took me a long time to get over my Dad passing.

[Maark Abbott]

Had another leak in the house, this time via the gable pointing. Waiting on builder to get out and quote for it but given the stress work has been lately I am waiting on an appointment with my GP today as I'm not coping with the anxiety this is causing. Just seeing rain is sending me into panic attacks.

[Morgoth]

Buying a place, selling our old place, and having an unprecedented workload at the office too, all the while having to deal with this pandemic. It's getting to me a little bit.

[Cyphon]

Be kind to yourself, moving house is one of the most stressful things you can do.

We moved recently and pandemic, work and move definitely got to me too. It sucks and there's not much to be done except work through it.

Just be glad you're not adding any other planning or high stress thing into the mix too...

[Maark Abbott]

Morgoth, on 22 March 2021 - 07:25 AM, said:

Buying a place, and having an unprecedented workload at the office too

This plus looming law reform that might put my practice area largely out of a job. Stressed is an understatement.

[Tsundoku]

Maark Abbott, on 22 March 2021 - 08:55 AM, said:

Morgoth, on 22 March 2021 - 07:25 AM, said:

Buying a place, and having an unprecedented workload at the office too

This plus looming law reform that might put my practice area largely out of a job. Stressed is an understatement.

Bummer. Care to elaborate?