Here’s a news item from Greece via the New York Times’ Niki Kitsantonis:
Torrential rain of an intensity not seen in decades flooded roads in Athens on Friday, overturning parked cars and stranding dozens of motorists, including a 28-year-old woman who died of what appeared to be a heart attack.
More than six hours of solid rainfall starting at 5 a.m. flooded the streets of the capital, caused two rivers to break their banks and paralyzed public transport, causing traffic chaos as tens of thousands of Athenians sought to reach their offices during the morning rush hour. Two electricity substations were deluged, prompting power cuts, and the fire service was besieged with more than 800 calls from residents with flooded homes and 100 from motorists stuck in floodwaters.
The amount of rain that fell was equal to the average rainfall for the whole month of February, meteorologists said.
So quick, what’s your gut reaction to this news?
(a) Another example of global climate change!
(b) Divine punishment for socialism and debt!
(c) Ummm, let’s have moussaka tonight!
I’m pretty sure the three answers represent the three dominant strains in American public opinion these days about a whole host of issues.
