That's because the weather in the City has been strange this winter. Actually, to describe this as a winter is a stretch as the mercury has barely dipped. Stranger still, during the first week of January, when I compared the temperature in New York to that in New Delhi, I found that it was actually colder in the latter!
So, the tenor of my conversation with family in India has changed. In previous years, they'd ask how I was surviving the New York freeze. This year, I've been asking them about the New Delhi cold.
Even stranger, it hasn't really snowed in New York this season, a new record for the latest arrival of snow. When it did snow, again it was stretch to describe it as snow because there were brief flurries lasting about 15 minutes in the early hours last Wednesday and no one noticed it since they were asleep and no snow collected.
But I did experience seasonal snow before then though not in New York, in Detroit. Detroit, of course, is the car-making capital of the world, with General Motors and Ford headquartered there. And it was cars that took me to the Michigan city - the North American International Auto Show 2007.
This is where the major automakers in the world present their new concepts, new designs and unveil their latest models. What was visible was the focus of these companies on vehicles that did not consume fossil fuels. They all appear to be exploring alternate fuel strategies - from hybrids to fuel cells.
Even as scientists argue over the impact of global warming or global cooling (depending on the research you decide to take seriously), the automobile industry will play a major role in curbing the negative effect auto emissions have on the weather. There may still be many who argue that the warming or cooling cannot be proved and that it's all environmental fear-mongering, but you just need to step out to realize that things are gradually going wrong. When even Siberia is warm (for Siberia) this winter, you have to take notice.
Unfortunately, most of the concepts displayed by American carmakers are just that - concepts. Most concepts cars do not make it beyond that stage and into production. It's a way of appearing to respond to criticism without really doing much about it.
Worse still, even these concepts will not be targeted towards India, with its booming auto sales. Even though all major manufacturers are concentrating on selling more vehicles in India, none I spoke to in Detroit appeared inclined towards going the green fuel route there. They're more focused on taking on rising petrol prices by tweaking their engines to sip diesel instead of petrol. That, certainly, will do the environment no favours.
I'm back in New York, and the minimum temperature here is expected to dip to below - 10 degrees Celsius over the next couple of days so you could say things are returning to normal. But I'm going to forecast stranger seasons ahead. first published:January 16, 2007, 02:12 ISTlast updated:January 16, 2007, 02:12 IST
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When you are really bored, you discuss the weather. But, over the last couple of years, this cliche has been upended, simply because the weather has become a fascinating topic of conversation. In fact, New Yorkers can't stop talking about it and the New York media can't resist reporting on it.
That's because the weather in the City has been strange this winter. Actually, to describe this as a winter is a stretch as the mercury has barely dipped. Stranger still, during the first week of January, when I compared the temperature in New York to that in New Delhi, I found that it was actually colder in the latter!
So, the tenor of my conversation with family in India has changed. In previous years, they'd ask how I was surviving the New York freeze. This year, I've been asking them about the New Delhi cold.
Even stranger, it hasn't really snowed in New York this season, a new record for the latest arrival of snow. When it did snow, again it was stretch to describe it as snow because there were brief flurries lasting about 15 minutes in the early hours last Wednesday and no one noticed it since they were asleep and no snow collected.
But I did experience seasonal snow before then though not in New York, in Detroit. Detroit, of course, is the car-making capital of the world, with General Motors and Ford headquartered there. And it was cars that took me to the Michigan city - the North American International Auto Show 2007.
This is where the major automakers in the world present their new concepts, new designs and unveil their latest models. What was visible was the focus of these companies on vehicles that did not consume fossil fuels. They all appear to be exploring alternate fuel strategies - from hybrids to fuel cells.
Even as scientists argue over the impact of global warming or global cooling (depending on the research you decide to take seriously), the automobile industry will play a major role in curbing the negative effect auto emissions have on the weather. There may still be many who argue that the warming or cooling cannot be proved and that it's all environmental fear-mongering, but you just need to step out to realize that things are gradually going wrong. When even Siberia is warm (for Siberia) this winter, you have to take notice.
Unfortunately, most of the concepts displayed by American carmakers are just that - concepts. Most concepts cars do not make it beyond that stage and into production. It's a way of appearing to respond to criticism without really doing much about it.
Worse still, even these concepts will not be targeted towards India, with its booming auto sales. Even though all major manufacturers are concentrating on selling more vehicles in India, none I spoke to in Detroit appeared inclined towards going the green fuel route there. They're more focused on taking on rising petrol prices by tweaking their engines to sip diesel instead of petrol. That, certainly, will do the environment no favours.
I'm back in New York, and the minimum temperature here is expected to dip to below - 10 degrees Celsius over the next couple of days so you could say things are returning to normal. But I'm going to forecast stranger seasons ahead.
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