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You know...when its winter time, most of the country's population is bundled up rather than getting bathed in the sun. Living in Philly, I can't EVER imagine warm weather with sunshine during Xmas and New Year's...that is beyond me.
Yes, the Midwest can be cold and miserable...but so what? People there have a higher tolerance of winter too. If it was 40 degrees in Miami, it would be hilarious how people would react over there, because they don't tolerate cold weather like that.
Ever heard of a gigantic city called Moscow? You ever wonder how 10+ million ppl live in Moscow with 8 months of freezing winter? ****, its freezing as balls there...but I don't think anyone there complains. Humans can adapt anywhere.
If you can't deal with the weather...evolution would say MOVE
Yes, the Midwest can be cold and miserable...but so what? People there have a higher tolerance of winter too. If it was 40 degrees in Miami, it would be hilarious how people would react over there, because they don't tolerate cold weather like that.
Ever heard of a gigantic city called Moscow? You ever wonder how 10+ million ppl live in Moscow with 8 months of freezing winter? ****, its freezing as balls there...but I don't think anyone there complains. Humans can adapt anywhere.
If you can't deal with the weather...evolution would say MOVE
I'm essentially asking for ways to deal with the weather aside from moving since moving is probably what cities in decline want the least--especially since it's usually the educated and skilled that are able to move.
And yea, Moscow is freezing as are Montreal and Toronto and many other cities. But since these are important cities for their respective countries, they've actually found a few solutions to deal with the weather which is the ENTIRE POINT of this topic. All three of these cities have immense underground complexes with shops, "public" spaces, and mass transit built into them. These are solutions! And if you'll take a look at Russia's other freezing cities, the vast majority of them are taking huge population losses (as Russia in general is due to high deathrate, low birthrate, and substantial outmigration to often much warmer places). Why would you be so inimical to finding ways to make the winter more pleasant for more people? Again, I have nothing against the midwest--it just seems like there are a good number of topics where people find long, cold winters to be unpleasant.
Born and raised in Chicago, and all I can say is that I was more active than ever in winter time. Far more so than summer, when everyone's social life took a hit. It was always relax here, lay out there, sit here, et cetera.
In winter it was just non-stop merriment.
Also, Canada is not a viable comparison to the United States. If an American actively hates winter, well, s/he has many options: California, the South, the southwest... Hell, the southern portion of Illinois has markedly better weather than Chicagoland.
Yet in Canada, if you don't like winter, you have to actively move to another nation. That's significantly harder than me going from Illinois to Florida. Basically they're stuck in one place.
I recognize that Canada is not a viable comparison to the US (though even that is tempered by the large number of Canadians that seem to be Every Single Country that I've ever been to--most of them in the subtropics/tropics)--that was never an issue and hasn't escaped my attention. In fact, the US having all the places mentioned people can skirt off to is why this topic is being made. It's also what makes Canadian cities an interesting example since they face greater pressure and demand to make their winters more amiable. As for these cities not being comparable due to their extreme cold--the difference is often marginal between the upper midwest/great lakes cities and more southerly Canadian cities with some cities like Minneapolis being colder on average than Toronto. So we're not talking about a whole separate league in terms of climate.
Libohove90, if you think no one complains about Moscow's winter in Moscow, you are incredibly mistaken. Try getting to know some former or present Muscovites--the ones I know will definitely set the record straight for you. Luckily, the poor get no say, the middle class is mostly nonexistent, and the oligarchs, the minigarchs, and their hot, hot wives can take a jaunt to the tropics whenever they damn well please. And if you want to talk about natural selection rather than the human capacity to alter the environment to shield himself from the elements, then I suppose you're fine with relegating the midwest a backseat to the sunbelt (in general, since I know we love those exceptions). I'm not particularly fine with that--at all.
Now I don't suppose any of you can actually offer some interesting solutions that such intimate knowledge of Moscow, Toronto, Montreal, etc. has granted you, eh?
I think the problem is that the midwest is cold but not so cold that we have to take serious steps to deal with it. I, as it appears many midwesterners do, rolled with laughter at the "6." post. I think many of us get a sick sense of satisfaction out of braving the winter. It seems like you always see people with no coat or a thin coat in 20 degree weather with a 5 degree wind chill. If I could...
7. Wear a heavy coat, thick sweater, hat, scarf, gloves, long johns, and boots. The technology is here! You can be outside in the coldest Winter weather and feel warmer than you would on a breezy Summer day.
Seriously, I find the length of Winter to be the worst part. I have thought many times of how to make Winter as convenient as possible.
Personally, I need a conservatory, solarium, greenhouse, indoor pool, sauna/spa, skating pond, gym, a good parka, ridiculous russian hat, one horse open sleigh, 2 weeks in the Carribean, and no heating bill for the entire Winter to be ideal.
Now I don't suppose any of you can actually offer some interesting solutions
While I think the premise of this thread is mis-guided, and generally lame; here is something. Indianapolis's super bowl bid (which it won, 2012) is geared toward getting people outside, despite what the weather is like here in February.
It will include temporary canopies covering streets and giant open firepits to provide warmth:
Like so many have said before ( and I am a Chicago native )
Dress for the weather and have a positive attitude.
I have a greater issue with winter driving, and when I say that
I'm referring to immigrants and transplants who are unprepared
to hit the snow, sleet and ice.
This thread cracks me up.
I grew up in the Midwest and when people ask me "How did you deal with the cold"?
It's part of life. You get cold, you put on a coat. You get warm you take it off.
Same goes for here in the summers, just turn it around.
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