It's snow fun...

This happens every year.
We're on the 35th parallel and it's, well you know, fuckin' winter!
When it gets cold because the earth is tilted far, far away from the sun.
Even though we're physically closer to the sun in winter.
It's science!
Look it up!
Or, in the spirit of the season, a gift from me... you can click on this handy link and learn more.

The weather-guy-forecasted-not-to-mention-normal-and-expected (you know, 'cause it's winter!!!) weather system that dumped about two inches of snow on the greater Portland area yesterday has derailed everyone.

It's the most amazing thing to me... every damn year we get some sort of either ice or snow storm, every year the city of Portland as well as the cities surrounding us are completely unprepared for it.

First, the dipshits in charge run around wringing their hands and bawking like chickens. Now mind you, these goddamn bawkers usually make between 80 and 200 grand every year, plus free health benefits, a generous retirement plan and usually a city-owned car... and not a one of them can figure out whether to shit or go blind.

They're afraid they might kill the environment if they put salt on the roads two or three times every winter.

Yeah, morons...that's why in places like Michigan and Wisconsin there is no wildlife, the lakes are all empty of fish and the plants and trees are all dead! Salt's like Agent Orange! We just can't put fuckin' salt on the roads... it might get into the Willamette or Columbia Rivers!!

Our city 'planners' have failed to take care of another issue, by the way. Every time it rains (which happens here in manic, pass-the-granola Portland at least 150 days out of every year) raw sewage flows into the rivers from our antiquated sewer system. That gets added to the heavy metals, chemicals, and other pollutants dumped in by manufacturers over the past 100 years. There are still people dumping manufacturing stuff, most of them don't get caught, leading the others to just keep trying. Also dumped into our rivers? Cars, shopping carts, garbage. In copious quantities.

I know someone who does water quality testing for the US Government. When he has to test Willamette water, he actually disposes of his clothing from that day. No joke. Contaminated clothes into the dumpster at work, shower and change and come home clean.

So goodness gracious, we wouldn't want to add a little salt to the toxins, turds and dangerous debris, now would we?

Yesterday morning, the school districts decided 'business as usual'. Some (mine included) decided to cancel evening activities, which included after school programs. So when I was finished with my shift yesterday morning, I was finished for the day. Stopped at the store on the way home, picked up what I needed to make a nice dinner and came home and relaxed where it's warm and safe.

About 1:30 it started to snow. At first it was just a few dry flakes, but by 2:30 it was coming down quite a bit.

By 3:30 all the roads were slippery and packed full of traffic.
Shit started happening. Cars were unable to navigate the freeways due to two things. Or three.

The poor planning has our freeways constantly congested even on good days. We're about ten years behind on building enough lanes. People were trying to get home, the too-small freeways were packed, people were slipping and sliding. Then when the kids got out of school, the buses were also unable to properly navigate. When they began having big trouble, many of them turned back to the school. Some even made it back. Some had to be towed. At least two were involved in accidents. Last I heard, there were kids left at the schools until midnight last night.

It was the ONLY story on the news all evening. In fact, they pre-empted regularly scheduled shows to talk about the weather. There were hundreds of cars stuck on the local freeways because, as usual, Portland did not prepare adequately.

They got some doorknob on the LIVE!! BROADCAST!!
PBOT or Portland Bureau of Transportation.
Wait... Pusillanimous Bullshitter/Outstanding Fibber

This yahoo (Dylan Rivera) got on the news and proceeded to throw around the biggest bunch of feces I've ever heard.

The anchor, Tracy Barry, asked him why, after years and years and years of this, is Portland not better prepared for a little snow. Since most of the places in the world where snow falls manage to go on with life as usual. You know, school, work, the evening commute.

As with most petty bureaucrats, he doesn't have the brains to blow his nose.  But he can speak with many words! And say nothing much!!
He talked about how people "should have gone home early." Blaming the commuters for the problem rather than the fact that Portland's "managers", collectively dumber than a box of hair, cannot plow the roads, spread sand or salt on the freeway... in fact, can do little more than wring their hands and run around in circles like a dumb chicken when it snows.

When Tracey asked him what he'd say to the commuters, some who'd been stranded for three hours by then, he said, and I am not shitting you... "Now that you've gotten yourself in this situation, you should call 911."

Yep, he told everyone who was stuck on the freeways to call 911.
So you know, the emergency number, for people suffering things like heart attacks or maybe having their home on fire would be clogged up with phone calls from people stuck on their commute home. After he suggested that people call 911, he added that perhaps they should contact their insurance agents. I'm not sure why.

What a fucking moron.

The Portland 911 Bureau had to get on social media and tell people NOT to call 911 unless they have a medical emergency.

Oh. And the moron also suggested that "If you're stuck, you could leave your car and just get out and walk."

With the wind chill last night, it was about 14 degrees out there. Picture the commuters in their office garb, maybe high heels or suits and ties... walking.

I guess when one after the other would fall victim to hypothermia or have blood sugar issues and pass out, someone could call 911 for help. Not that emergency vehicles would be able to get to the injured/stricken person, of course.

So KGW put up a survey on their website this evening, asking people what Portland could have done differently during the storm. Shockingly, 80% of the respondents suggested SALT!!!

Yes, I responded, too. Copied and pasted some of this post into the comment section, actually. But I left out the profanity.

So I didn't work on Wednesday afternoon. I did not work today, Thursday. Tomorrow is Friday. School has been canceled for Friday, too. Then, there are two weeks of school closure for the holiday break. I haven't heard yet whether I will be working. I would actually welcome the time off, although it's hard to pay off hospital bills and other stuff when there is no money coming in.

Eric isn't working, either.

But neither one of us are stuck on the freeway. At least not right now.
I'd hate to have to call 911.