Moscow Mayor Promises a Winter Without Snow (This may not end well)

[Are_grits_groceries]

Pigs still can't fly, but this winter, the mayor of Moscow promises to keep it from snowing. For just a few million dollars, the mayor's office will hire the Russian Air Force to spray a fine chemical mist over the clouds before they reach the capital, forcing them to dump their snow outside the city. Authorities say this will be a boon for Moscow, which is typically covered with a blanket of snow from November to March. Road crews won't need to constantly clear the streets, and traffic — and quality of life — will undoubtedly improve.

The idea came from Mayor Yury Luzhkov, who is no stranger to playing God. In 2002, he spearheaded a project to reverse the flow of the vast River Ob through Siberia to help irrigate the country's parched Central Asian neighbors. Although that idea hasn't exactly turned out as planned — scientists have said it's not feasible — this time, Luzhkov says, there's no way he can fail.

Controlling the weather in Moscow is nothing new, he says. Ahead of the two main holidays celebrated in the city each year — Victory Day in May and City Day in September — the often cash-strapped air force is paid to make sure that it doesn't, well, rain on the parades. With a city budget of $40 billion a year (larger than New York City's budget), Moscow can easily afford the $2-3 million price tag to keep the skies blue as spectators watch the tanks and rocket launchers roll along Red Square. Now there's a new challenge for the air force: Moscow's notorious blizzards.

The air force will use cement powder, dry ice or silver iodide to spray the clouds from Nov. 15 to March 15 — and only to prevent "very big and serious snow" from falling on the city, said Andrei Tsybin, the head of the department.

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1930822,00.html

They're going to screw with Mother Nature for 4 months. The law of unintended consequences may get them somehow.

[JVS]

1. That poor town upwind of Moscow is going to get buried in snow!

[zbdent]

9. Won't be too bad until the spring thaw ...

and then, you better not be downriver of that town ...

[Lithos]

2. Stupid

Snow acts as insulation. Without it, the ground will see a harder freeze with greater damage to plants and trees. Homes and buildings will also see more damage to plumbing, etc. Probably will also cause a greater use of energy.

L-

[Dogmudgeon]

3. Mother Nature will be fine. It won't work.

Some mayors arrest hookers to prove they're earning their pay; Luzhkov plays Junior Scientist.

--d!

[Are_grits_groceries]

5. Mother Nature is always fine.

We just put her in moods we don't like. She has to adjust to all sorts of our meddling shit.

[imdjh]

4. Wouldn't that ruin the paint on your car if you live outside the city?

[Liberal_in_LA]

6. seems like a really stupid idea

[Selatius]

7. Moscow's new motto: First you've had Despotic. Now, try Psychotic! nt

[Norrin Radd]

8. Is he the heat miser?

[Go2Peace]

10. I am sure moscovites will appreciate the colder weather that results

Clouds hold in heat and make warmer weather. I am not sure he has thought this through.

[trotsky]

11. But snow on the ground reflects sunlight and chills the air.

Hard to say how this will end - but it doesn't sound like a very smart experiment.

[Are_grits_groceries]

12. Truth!

Those bright blue winter skies mean it's colder than shit.