Sliding Towards the Weekend...

It was a welcome sight to see pavement peeking out from under our most recent snowfall yesterday. That means it's becoming "warm" enough for rock salt and ice-melt to begin working as designed. I'm sure it won't be long before we start seeing DRY roads, instead of the lengthy skating rinks that are passing for streets. roads, and highways over the last several days.
Today's Hoosierland weather will still be cold, but nowhere close to the COLD we had a mere 48 hours ago. Temps will actually get into the MID- TWENTIES today, so we are closing back in on that elusive FREEZING mark. There are chances for further snow showers as well, but no real accumulation is expected.
Now, without any further ado, let's get busy with topping off that nice warm morning beverage of choice, and see what's been going on elsewhere.
*** First off the ski slope today is the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT? quote:
"Adventure is just bad planning."

This was spoken by noted polar explorer Roald Amundsen (Norwegian - 16 July 1872 - 18 June 1926).
And here is his WIKI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roald_Amundsen#Disappearance_and_death
He led the antarctic expedition of 1910-1912, becoming one of the first men to reach the South Pole.
In 1926, he was recognized as the first undisputed expedition leader to reach the NORTH Pole.
He is also remembered as the FIRST man to traverse the Northwest passage (1903-1906).
He disappeared in 1926 while taking part in a rescue mission.
Amundsen was also the first man to cross BOTH poles by foot AND by air (plane and dirigible)
His expeditions are a good read, and serve the era of "the heroic age of antarctic exploration".
A number of locations in and around Antarctica are named after him, so his legacy is secure.

I find him to be a remarkable man, who placed being properly prepared and using what worked best above all else.
There are some Nat Geo films from his expeditions, and a 1954 documentary.
Considering the weather WE have had here of late, watching a film on him might make you feel a bit WARMER.
Moving on...
*** The "big dig" continues, as Fort Wayne shovels itself out of the recent deep-freeze.
We even had a front loader come up the ALLEY...

Now THAT is one way to clear the alley!

I would imagine this is to give the TRASH TRUCKS an easier go when they come around this Friday.
Lord knows walking the alley the other day was a chore...then again, just being OUT in such cold and wind was taxing on both mind and body.
And it appears I'm not the ONLY person that finds the lack of motivation to clean off a sidewalk disturbing.
Frank Gray (J-G) knocked one out of the igloo with HIS take on this.
Here's the link to his column in today's paper:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140109/LOCAL0201/301099971
Frank's correct...Snow-filled sidewalks ARE the SHAME of this city, and so are those who fail to shovel whenever it snows.
Now, I AM excluding those infirm or elderly who simply cannot shovel.
And I'm not talking about people who have this done for them like at apartment complexes, assisted living facilities, and the like.

Obviously a CAPABLE individual who gives a damn.

I'm talking about the extremely CAPABLE among us...who CAN (but won't) lift a shovel of two of snow to make life easier for those who venture outside.
Frank states this phenomenon of a lack of compliance is not relegated solely to all our residential streets, but on many of our MAIN STREETS.
That presents a much bigger problem.
It forces people to walk IN THE STREET, and that's where all the cars, trucks and buses just happen to be.

Being in the street - risky business!

Thing is, in the realm of physics, it clearly says that "no two objects can occupy the same space at the same.time", and so we find ourselves with an important conundrum to consider.

Come SLIDE with me...

It also is easy enough to see that the STREETS (where the vehicles drive) are not cleared off either, and many of them resemble those linear skating rinks I mentioned earlier, so trying to avoid people walking in the streets (while driving) is as much of a concern as trying to avoid OTHER vehicles and not getting your vehicle loose or sideways in the process.
Maybe if police were as quick to cite people for NOT shoveling the sidewalks as they have been getting vehicles to remain off our streets during snow emergencies (to which snow plows did an admirable job of plowing people back IN along their driveways), maybe we'd see more clean sidewalks.

That's the way it SHOULD look.

I have mentioned how some folks will do anything to dig their CAR out, dumping THAT snow further into the streets, but still leave the sidewalk covered in snow...goes to show where their "priorities" lie, doesn't it?
Like I say...some don't have the sense they were born with, and that causes more problems along our streets.

Okay, do I pull FORWARD...or BACK UP?

Everyone has to start being held accountable. It's no big deal to shovel a sidewalk if you're able to, and there are some out there with an altruistic streak in them that will shovel for you...gratis (it's the kids who will charge you...or those adults looking for some fast booze money).
There is simply NO excuse to NOT have a cleared sidewalk...none at all.
*** Next up, to show you HOW crime doesn't even take days off for snow, there's THIS:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140109/LOCAL07/140109328/1002/LOCAL

Another dope dealer off the streets...gotta love that.
And a "different" KIND of SNOW...!
Jeffery Milton White, 48, was busted and charged with FOUR counts of dealing HEROIN, and is being held in lieu of $200K bail (sweet).
His red Pontiac was spotted by vice/narcotic officers and tailed until marked units could assist in the stop which occurred at Winter and Pontiac Sts, in the beautiful, ghetto-esque SE side of town.
I love happy endings...even in such frigid weather.
*** Here's a story that has to get you scratching your head:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140109/LOCAL/301099968/1002/LOCAL
CABIN-FEVER? Are you kidding me?
It's not like the damn DONNER PARTY, stranded for months under several feet of snow, deciding WHO to have over for "dinner", is it?

Now THEY had "cabin-fever".

So, the schools have been closed this week...what's the big deal?
Is this a case that demonstrates just HOW afflicted our kids are with ADHD?
I thought they had all these cool tech gadgets and game systems to keep their little fertile minds occupied for MONTHS, let alone days?
(guess not)

We're BORED with all our toys and games and computers.

I suppose much of this has to do with not being able to see their "friends", because, since we BUS kids ALL over creation, rather than having them attend the old "neighborhood schools" we USED to have, those friends live ACROSS TOWN, instead of down the street, or around the corner.
And that's why WE never had such issues when WE had snow days way back when.
We also had parents that gave more of a damn about US, and didn't just blow us off and tell us to "go play"...
Parents need to get more creative...or better yet, ring up Grandma and ask how SHE used to deal with it.
Her answers might just astound those dumbfounded and stir-crazed parents.
*** Lastly today...we're not even a month into Winter, and we've already seen how Mother Nature can smack us all "up side the head".
We have also seen how the city works to alleviate the problems from the weather, as well as how people can react or remain apathetic to it all.
It's a  marvelous case study of both the BEST and the WORST in people, and can provide us with as much insight as comedic relief.

How WE handle ourselves under such conditions gives us the opportunity to take stock in who WE are.
We can't anticipate EVERY contingency under every condition...BUT, we can have a plan in place, or at least THINK of one to put forth.
That speaks volumes as to how we were brought up, and how to proceed in the most effective manner.
Like I say...every day is part of the learning experience, and hopefully, we come out the other side better educated and wiser for it.

Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay SAFE (and warm) out there.