The Zion Curtain and (what else?) the weather

 

                Current events that coincide or refer to what I’m reading always seem serendipitous. I just finished “Water Under the Bridge” written by Verna Simms of Festus, Missouri. She is nearly 93, is on Facebook and sold many of her 333-page books at a recent signing.

                The novel is about Mormons. In Sunday’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette was an article headlined, “Utah alcohol laws too dry, some say,” with the sub-head, “In heavily Mormon state, bartenders mix drinks out of customers’ views.” I took time to read the article by John M. Glionna of the LA Times.

                I chuckled at a reference to the Zion Curtain! In Utah, the “politically powerful Morman Church’s restrictive alcohol laws described by some as the Zion Curtain needs to be torn down.” Bartenders must mix drinks in the kitchen—because of “impressionable children” who might be present.

                Others call it “Byzantine alcohol laws,” and “something akin to a covered wagon parked in a lot full of Maseratis. ”

                More information: Mormons are a majority of Utah’s Legislature, and compose three-fourths of the state’s population of nearly three million. Mormons who drink are forbidden to worship in temples.

                Shot glasses in one souvenir shop read, “Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow you may be in Utah.”

                Sleet lay on the ground Monday morning, so I checked into the online wunderground weather information. This is what I found:

              “At any given moment around the world... approximately 1800 thunderstorms are occurring. Although thunderstorms are relatively small... when considered on a global scale of weather... all
thunderstorms are dangerous. Lightning... flash floods... hail... straight-line winds... and tornadoes all result from thunderstorms.

             “ A thunderstorm is considered severe when it produces winds of at least 58 mph or hail at least 1 inch in diameter––the size of a quarter.

             “Lightning is a hazard in all thunderstorms... whether they are severe or not. While thunder frightens many people... it is the lightning that causes deaths... injuries... and damage. Remember... it is the lightning that produces thunder... so whenever thunder is heard... danger is present. In Arkansas in 2013... no lightning deaths occurred... but six people were injured by lightning.

              “Flash floods are another thunderstorm hazard. Most deaths due to flash floods occur at night... when the danger is the most difficult to see. Vehicles being driven into flooded areas result in the greatest number of flash flood deaths. In Arkansas in 2013... 6 people lost their lives to flash floods... all on May 31st. Five of the fatalities occurred at Y City in Scott County.

              “Large hail... on average... causes nearly one billion dollars in damage in the U.S. Each year. Some injuries due to large hail occur in this country each year... but deaths from hail are relatively rare. Animals fare far worse than humans. The largest hailstones reported in Arkansas during 2013 were 2 inches in diameter in the Warren area on May 21st.

             “Straight-line winds produced by thunderstorms caused one death and seven reported injuries in Arkansas last year. Typically each year in Arkansas... the strongest winds reported from thunderstorms are between 75 and 100 mph. The strongest thunderstorm winds reported in Arkansas last year were 100 mph in The Horseshoe Bend area of Izard County. Altogether... there were 17 instances of thunderstorm winds of at least 80 mph in Arkansas during 2013.

           “Finally... tornadoes are spawned by thunderstorms. In an average year... 33 tornadoes would be expected in Arkansas... with these tornadoes causing four deaths. In 2013... Arkansas experienced
34 tornadoes... and there were two tornado fatalities.”

                Here’s an observation and my first published haiku: “a single brave bird/ tries its winter-dormant voice/ ‘spring-a-soon, spring’s soon.’”
                Let’s hope so.