December 19, 2009

Today's BIG EVENT is an incoming blizzard.

Forecasters suddenly are finding themselves the star performers. Each coming up with his/her own interpretations of their radar readings.

Talking about the impending snowstorm is taking orgasmic proportions. It sounds like they are talking about the end of the world. It's only snow, people!

They say it might be 12"-15" in the City. So what? Tomorrow is Sunday, people can take it easy. Nobody have to go nowhere. By Monday, the start of the workweek it will surely be gone.

Anyway, nice white snow cover will make this crappy looking dirty city look nice for a change.

The media is partially preoccupied with the fact that the threatening snow prevents people from their last minute Christmas shopping, since today is traditionally one of the heaviest shopping days before Christmas.

Well, don't wait 'till the last minute, I say.

Yesterday afternoon, at least 24 hours before the forecasted snow there were Sanitation Department salt trucks idling on the streets. Why? So they can rack up overtime before the Holiday? They weren't doing anything just sitting in their trucks and waiting. This where the taxpayers money is being wasted.

At the time I am writing this the snow is coming down. Not heavy but coming and because it is cold it sticks, too. Even though the streets are totally clear the snowplows are rolling up and down.

The problem is that they clear all the major roadways but not the side streets. I live on a small, tree lined street. If my street gets snowed in it won't be opened up until Spring comes because they would never come in and clear it.

Now my other beef is with the people. As it is evident I am not much of a people lover.

Today we went supermarket shopping earlier than usual to avoid the snow. When we got to our usual store were amazed to see that it was impossible to get in the store. There was a crowd outside the entrance and a guard at the door allowing people in one by one. Apparently the store was so overcrowded by panicky shoppers they had to resort to crowd control.

It was a good thing that we knew a few other supermarkets in the vicinity so we went to one where the situation was much more civilized.

But we heard that this panic shopping was going on since yesterday. What is it people are afraid of? That there won't be enough potato chips or cheese doodles. They were shopping like we were to be snowed in for a month and nobody would be able to leave their homes.

But interestingly, if any one of these people would venture out and go to a store and find that store closed or understaffed they would be the most upset at how the staff dared not to come to work.

That reminds me back to 1956. After the Hungarian Revolution in October 23, at one point there was a general strike. I have to add that the Hungarians didn't yet have much of an experience at strikes. For obvious reasons they never had a strike. At least not legitimately. They were not as experienced as the Americans.

Well, this strike went on for I don't remember how long. But! Public transportation ran, stores were open, radio was on, gas and electricity was working, I even think movie theaters were open. So, it was a very comfortable general strike.

The strikers would have been very upset if they couldn't go to the stores and do their shopping because let's say the staff were on strike too.

The situation is similar here also.

As the old saying goes: do as I say but don't do as I do! (I'm might be using a little literary freedom here)