WINTER BLIZZZZARD 2005!!

snow is falling in nyc and people are FREAKING OUT!

good lord.
i understand that it's a big city and people aren't used to getting snow here, but this is new york... aren't people are supposed to be tough?
people, in fact, are worried that the stores are going to be closed tomorrow (maybe even monday too?!? right...) and that no one will be able to buy food or toilet paper, condoms, tampons, shorts*, flip flops, floppy disks or widgets.
granted it's snowing... and it is snowing pretty hard**, but any moron can toss on a coat, hat, gloves, mittens, boots, thermal undies, snowsuit, and scarf can walk down the block, down the street, down two avenues and jump on the subway.
that's the miraculous thing about nyc... it's public transportation doesn't shut down! if you rely on buses you might be a little behind schedule... or if you're driver's a moron and got himself stuck... well maybe you're fucked. however, i'm still planning on jumping on the subway tomorrow morning and heading off to work. likewise, i feel like i could walk to the corner and buy most, if not, all of the aforementioned items at the corner store -- which, to this day, i have never EVER seen closed. EVER.

the news/weathercasters break in about every fifteen minutes to let us know that it's snowing, that it's still snowing, and it's going to continue snowing. of course, it might stop for a little bit, but then it's going to start snowing again. the most interesting points i've found from the interruptions have been that:
a.) they're hiring people to shovel and they're paying these hirees a mere $9/hr.***
b.) mayor bloomburg gave a breakdown of $1 million/inch of snowfall in Manhattan for 614 miles of roadways in Manhattan. c.) some "side-streets" may not get plowed until sunday night, early monday am, but most major streets are supposed to be "free and clear..." right...

i'll break back in about fifteen minutes now for an update on the snow, okay?

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* reporters out on the streets are asking people why they're out. most answers are "going to find a restaraunt," "going to a movie," "going to the videostore," "going to the store to buy a 40..." the one that takes the cake is the following:
reporter: "what are you doing out and about on this snowy saturday?"
girl: "out buying shorts!"
reporter: "shorts!?!? are you going on vacaction somewhere sunny?"
girl: "no, but you wouldn't believe the sale they have on shorts this time of year!"

back to you in the studio jim.

** around 2 o'clock i measured 4", around 7:30 i measured 8.5/9", and now around 9pm -- about 10"

*** $9!! Do they think people are going to shovel for more than a couple of hours at $9! This is not light and fluffy snow... it's heavy packing snow. Shit ton heavy. $9!! Trying to keep the cost down to around $990,000/inch, huh Mike?