Attitude v Latitude

woodchip · Post by **woodchip** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 2:17 pm

Up here in Northern Michigan we just recovered from a Historic event --- may I even say a "Weather Event" of "Biblical Proportions" --- with a historic blizzard of up to 44" inches of snow and winds to 90 MPH that broke trees in half, knocked down utility poles, stranded hundreds of motorists in lethal snow banks, closed ALL roads, isolated scores of communities and cut power to 10's of thousands.

FYI:

* George Bush did not come....
* FEMA did nothing....
* No one howled for the government...
* No one blamed the government
* No one even uttered an expletive on TV...
* Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton did not visit
* Our Mayor's did not blame Bush or anyone else
* Our Governor did not blame Bush or anyone else either
* CNN, ABC, CBS, FOX, or NBC did not visit - or report on this category 5 snow storm
* Nobody demanded $2,000 debit cards.....
* No one asked for a FEMA Trailer House....
* No one looted....
* Nobody - I mean Nobody demanded the government do something
* Nobody expected the government to do anything either
* No Larry King, No Bill O'Rielly, No Oprah, No Chris Mathews and No Geraldo Rivera
* No Shaun Penn, No Barbara Striesand, No Hollywood types to be found

And...

* Nope, we just melted the snow for water
* Sent out caravans of SUV's to pluck people out of snow engulfed cars
* The truck drivers pulled people out of snow banks and didn't ask for a penny
* Local restaurants made food and the police and fire departments delivered it to the snow bound families
* Families took in the stranded people - total strangers
* We Fired up wood stoves
* Broke out coal oil lanterns or Coleman lanterns
* We put on an extra layers of clothes because up here it is "Work or Die"
* We did not wait for some affirmative action government to get us out of a mess created by being immobilized by a welfare program that trades votes for 'sittin at home' checks.
* Even though a Category "5" blizzard of this scale has never fallen this early...we know it can happen and how to deal with it ourselves.
* "In my many travels, I have noticed that once one gets north of about 48 degrees North Latitude, 90% most of the world's social problems evaporate."

Mobius · Post by **Mobius** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 2:34 pm

Nice that you survived unscathed. However, a snow storm can not be compared to a weather event which leaves half a million people homeless. You expect to be hit by severe weather, and probably are subject to it on an annual basis.

Oh, and I guess 17 oil refineries and dozens of oil wells weren't knocked out by the snow, either.

Pun · Post by **Pun** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 3:19 pm

where in michigan? I'm planning a snowmobile trip.

Duper · Post by **Duper** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 4:02 pm

Mobius wrote:...You expect to be hit by severe weather, and probably are subject to it on an annual basis....

So are hurricanes. The people in the gulf coast "expect" hurricanes every year...without fail. The fact that New Orleans sits something like 10 feet below sea level and the levees loom over the town shoring up moving water well over street level all times of the years should present the obvious.

I feel bad for those folks sure. I wouldn't wish that experiance on anyone. But to point a long bony finger (or short and fat) at the government in blame is stupid. yea yea.. there are issues with "the system" ... WHEN has there NOT been? with a buracracy THAT top heavy??? DUH!? A snow storm of that magnatude can / will kill people just as quick as a hurricane. The dynamic of the storms are a bit different but they are both deadly.

The bottom line is this: If you live in a given area, grown up in a given area, be ready to accept the climate and what nature might dish out on you. I don't care what your financial standing is, if you want to move, you can. No it wouldn't be easy... but neither is trying to live through a hurricane and 30 feet of water. Here in Oregon, if you live on a 100 year flood plain? MOVE! or pay a but load of money in insurance... our choice. Take responsiblity for who you are. Quit being the ever growingly popluar "victim".

Woody, how do you get outta the house to shovel in that kinda snow?

woodchip · Post by **woodchip** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 5:56 pm

Duper wrote: Woody, how do you get outta the house to shovel in that kinda snow?

We have doors in the roof just for deep snow.

Cuda68-2 · Post by **Cuda68-2** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 5:58 pm

Duper wrote: Woody, how do you get outta the house to shovel in that kinda snow?

By useing a snow shovel or blower every time 3 to 6 inches builds up

Duper · Post by **Duper** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 9:19 pm

woodchip wrote:
Duper wrote: Woody, how do you get outta the house to shovel in that kinda snow?
We have doors in the roof just for deep snow.

Seriously??? o_0

Kilarin · Post by **Kilarin** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 10:02 pm

Duper wrote:he fact that New Orleans sits something like 10 feet below sea level and the levees loom over the town shoring up moving water well over street level all times of the years should present the obvious.

Honestly, I know this is going to sound cold, but I don't understand why *I* should be expected to shoulder the expense of rebuilding for people who chose to live in a city 10' below sea level on the coast.
Move them out, fine, I'm happy to help, but to waste money rebuilding the city so that it can happen AGAIN? Beats the heck outta ME why we do it.

And I feel exactly the same way about people who live on the major fault lines in California, or any other especially hazardous location.

The people in Mississipi who got hit had every reason to be surprised, but they were NOT located 10' below sea level right on the coast. We can rebuild the houses in Mississipi with a reasonable chance of them standing for quite a while. But rebuild New Orleans? To my mind it is an absolute miracle that the city lasted this long.

If you CHOOSE to live in an EXTREMELY risky location, you should not ask others to bear the expense of rebuilding in that same location when the expected disaster comes along and destroys your home.

Kilarin

fyrephlie · Post by **fyrephlie** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 11:11 pm

i live in minnesota, its the same here. we get snow... lots of it. blizzards happen, and we all pitch in and get through it (well most i guess i should say). its a pretty damming parralel.

you live in hurricane country... hurricanes happen.

you live on a hill in california,... mudslides happen.

you live in in blizzardy north... snow happens.

you live on the san andreas... earthquakes happen.

its a fact of life. nature is nature.

a few months back there was a storm here... that knocked out power for several days for people living in the quad city area, downed trees, property damage in some staggering numbers.. people were going to gas stations and grocery stores that had generated power and screaming that they didn't have ice, and that they hardly had food because they needed it... but wtf is it they weren't prepared, and the station should be? people have an 'everyone take care of me' mentality that seems to get really ugly when the 'feces hits the fan'...

im off on a tangent again.

i get knocked down... i get up... other peple get knocked down... they scream: "HELP ME HELP ME!!!" and we wonder why they keep screaming, cause the rest of us help them!

Iceman · Post by **Iceman** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 11:16 pm

punisher wrote:where in michigan? I'm planning a snowmobile trip.

LMAO!

BTW Woody, George Busg Hates You

Pun · Post by **Pun** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 5:01 pm

punisher wrote:where in michigan?

Can ya at least tell us what county? I dont need your home address or anything, Woody.

Birdseye · Post by **Birdseye** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 7:39 pm

★■◆●, I was just about to post this!

Repo Man · Post by **Repo Man** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 9:51 am

fyrephlie wrote:you live in hurricane country... hurricanes happen.

you live on a hill in california,... mudslides happen.

you live in in blizzardy north... snow happens.

you live on the san andreas... earthquakes happen.

its a fact of life. nature is nature.

You live on planet Earth...S**t Happens!

woodchip · Post by **woodchip** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 10:12 am

punisher wrote:
punisher wrote:where in michigan?
Can ya at least tell us what county? I dont need your home address or anything, Woody.

Go north across the Mackinaw to the Soo, go past the drowning of the Fitzgerald, click your heels twice and you will be in snow over your head.

Actually I live down in Washtenaw County west of Ann Arbor. We have about 10 - 12 inches of snow here.

Zuruck · Post by **Zuruck** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 4:41 pm

I'm willing to bet woodchip, that those people in New Orleans would take a temporary snowstorm over the complete and utter destruction of their lives. Their houses are completely contaminated, if they are even still standing, and every job has been lost. It'll take a few days and the town will be back to normal. Trust me, I know, I grew up in the mountains in Colorado, I have plenty of snow stories.

George Bush doesn't hate you, he loves you. You were dumb enough to vote for him, twice.