So Where Are All These Unemployed People?

[Stormin Mormon]

Change your last name to something Haitian sounding, and call for government airdrop of food?

Unemployed people. Well, we should bring back the CCC.

[h]

Again, what's so hard about shoveling a narrow path to the road and picking up the groceries you had delivered to the bottom of the driveway? If you are incapable of shoveling snow AND you have failed to have both a primary and secondary snow removal plan, you have no business living on your own in the boonies.

[Stranded]

BWAHAHAHA

A platoon sgt. in basic training asked me the same thing, 44 years ago.

The exact same words.

[Stranded]

Well, 24" had just fallen and now we're getting nailed with another

20" on top of it.

PRIMARY PLAN: Assume that the farmer who has been reliable for so many years would continue to be.

SECONDARY PLAN: Call other snow removal people listed in phone book.

TERTIARY PLAN: If I'd've know that #1 and #2 wouldn't work, I'd've put the vehicle at the bottom of the driveway, shop for small amts. of food every day, and carry it up the hill. We did this in the past.

[benick]

...and it ain't gonna move 24" of snow.

No shit Sherlock..But it will move 8 inches at a time...DUH...

[Stormin Mormon]

Next year, when the snow clears. Be sure to buy ahead, and keep your home stocked with food, kerosene, and other needs.

[Stranded]

Man, you don't know how bad it is here.

They're expecting massive power failures and roofs torn off tomorrow when the winds kick in.

[aemeijers]

Hell, I've probably saved the $500 I spent on my may-as-well-have-been-new snowblower already, just in painkillers I didn't have to buy. My back ain't what it used to be, being the wrong side of 50, and the wrong side of (mumble) pounds. Once you get the hang of it, this 24" MTD isn't hard to steer at all- just power through the turn and lean sideways. Or just let off both handles, pick up on the back end, and walk it sideways to line up on the next row to plow. I got it cheap from a dude about 5 feet tall and 90 pounds soaking wet, who bought it, used it twice, and was apparently scared of it. $100 less than new, and still had the plastic bag with the manual zip-tied to the handle.

Mind you, there is stuff I would rather do than drive this thing up and down the driveway. And I still have to do the front stoop and back deck by hand, not to mention rake that one troublesome spot on the roof that loves to form an ice cornice. But even with the 8" we got today, it all took less than an hour, where doing it all by hand would have taken 2-3 hours, and I would be flat exhausted after. And my back doesn't hurt!

Still gotta set the alarm for 0500 in case I have to do it again in the morning, just in case my office doesn't declare a delayed opening. (call the special phone number and listen to the recording before I get dressed or turn a light on- once a light has been on, I can't get back to sleep.)

Another 5-7 inches predicted tonight...:^(

-- aem sends....

[Stormin Mormon]

That's true; I don't know. Well, in a couple days when the power comes back on, please tell us how you did.

[The Daring Dufas]

Dang! I ain't gots no change left.

TDD

[Stormin Mormon]

The economic recovery and low unemployment didn't materialize. Congress spent money like drunken liberal sailors, and Uncle Bammy signed off on the spending. Now, the economy is a mess, and the middle class is being over taxed. And it's all George W. Bush's fault. That's Uncle Bammy's story, and he's sticking to it.

Most nearly all the USA is in major financial strain, and there is no relief in sight. Inflation is likely to happen soon. Brother, can you spare a thousand bucks for a cup of hot chocolate?

[norminn]

I'm tired of Americans crying in their soup, blaming pols for what they have done to themselves. First, they dedicated 10 years to examining Bill Clinton's sex life when there were scads of vital issues, like terrorism, being ignored. Too many voters voting one issue or voting their religion. Buying imports by the billions and billions of dollars, knowing jobs were bleeding out of the US and going overseas. Getting in hock up to their eyeballs and then burning up home equity to pay debts.

The experts/gods/economists have been harping about America's dismal personal savings rates....been talking about that at least 30 years. Banks don't have money to loan...DUH! Once we all got a few shares of stocks in 401k's, we all started voting like corporate board members. Yeh, I want my stock to earn more so, sure, send those jobs to India or Malaysia or Mexico...I want profit at any cost.

Terrorism isn't going to matter much if drugs keep pouring through our borders, but at least many will be dying happier with whatever they put up their noses or in their veins.

Four weeks after the worst disaster in our hemisphere, the big news is Sarah Palin and the Super Bowl commercials. Oh, and Michael Jackson again. What was it he died of?

[Pete C.]

Having run a snowblower regularly from about 12-34, it is damn close to "just walk behind it" as far as the regular driveway is concerned. Turns are simply lean to the side while the snowblower is moving. Granted I was also known to be rather aggressive with the snowblower in cutting down snow banks and other funkiness, which does require wrestling the machine, but that's not required for basic driveway clearing.

Every Ariens snowblower I have owned has had a differential and a selectable differential lock. I typically leave it locked, but it's certainly available to unlock if you want easier / tighter turns.

[Pete C.]

How much longer did he live?

[Stormin Mormon]

I'm not sure who all you are talking about. Probably the lame-stream media. They are the ones who kept harping "it's all about sex" when the Republicans impeached WJC for perjury and selling missile secrets to the Chinese.

I'm one of many tens of millions of Americans who have no interest in street drugs, and wish that the legislators would better secure the border, and stop giving my tax dollars to illegal alien border criminals who don't respect our laws. I'd also like to see the concept of "anchor babies" repealed.

Michael Jackson. Isn't he the crotch grabbing singer guy who dangled his own baby son off a balcony, and plays with white boys who are middle school age?

[Jim Elbrecht]

Mine's 84 & on a windy hill with a 200' long steep drive. He broke his hip a couple winters ago & when the PT asked if he had any hobbies he answered 'Gardening'. Then she asked what he did in the winter. 'Blow snow' was his answer. When he can't do his driveway any more he'll be a very sad man. Some folks might not enjoy it so much.

There is a bit of work & science to it. Dad can't use a cab because there is always too much wind-- so he goes with proper headgear and goggles. He's also got a newer blower [8-10HP] that freewheels one side when you turn. That makes a huge difference. My 8hp, 1980's Bolens is a bear to turn. [but sure beats shoveling.] OTOH- my little Toro electric is lighter than a shovel full of wet snow-- and it will empty a mud puddle full of water in a couple seconds.

We used to go the dog park every day in the winter. It used to be 4 tennis courts. If we got a big snowfall I'd go over with the blower & clear some paths. It was fun to just walk around without having to turn around at all. Except for it being a *slow* walk-- it was indeed, just 'walking behind it'.

Dad's 4-5? year old blower isn't anything fancy- but it has the freewheeling so turning is easy. If you didn't have to keep the lever depressed it would be a 1 finger operation.

Jim

[Jim Elbrecht]

-snip-

Was that you that mentioned leaning yesterday? I've been blowing snow with all manner of blowers- electric, single & double-stage,

1960s vintage to 2000-ish. I'm not understanding what you mean by 'leaning'.

I love the cleanup when you've got 6foot snowbanks on either side that the blower barely clears. If it hasn't frozen into glaciers I'll get the electric out and cut them down with that. Otherwise I shave of edges with the drift cutters and let the overhangs collapse.

Smack myself in the head. I'm with you in the 'it ain't hard work' camp- and I had completely forgotten that even my 30-something year old Bolens [essentially a Red Ariens] had locking hubs. I keep them locked because I have a steep driveway- but if I had one of those flat little postage stamps I'd unlock them and make the turns easier.

As it is I do very few sharp turns. I do the 'blow forward, then back up' thing in my turnaround-- and after the first couple trips down the center of the driveway, I've got a pretty good radius to sweep around. One hand on the machine is all it takes.

The hard work for me is walking back up the hill, but at least the snowblower can pull me a little.

Jim

[dgk]

That's why it's now called Climate Change instead of Gloal Warming. Too many stupid people think that Global Warming means that it will always be warmer and never get cold or snow again. "Oh wow, it's cold, so much for global warming!"

Most of us learned that heat is energy and that more energy in the atmosphere means more extreme events. And yes, over all, higher average temperatures. Maybe not where you are right now. Where I am right now we're getting another big snow storm.

[dgk]

We need generators and satellite internet. We can't afford to lose contact with out newsgroups!

[Kurt Ullman]

In article , dgk wrote: ptom.

We've also learned that the best way to get away from people asking questions is to incorporate it into the "theory". ANYTHING that happens is part of the problem. Real convenient.