How's the weather...?

[Rían]

Originally Posted by Valandil

Here's a little article I just saw on it:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_localt...inter-opposing

Interesting issue! What are your thoughts?

[Alcuin]

Originally Posted by RÃ*an

Interesting issue! What are your thoughts?

If you shovel space for your car – and shoveling snow a foot or two deep is a lot of work, even dangerous for folks with weak constitutions – and some so-and-so comes along and takes your spot before you can get your car into it – that’s a theft. They’ve stolen the fruits of your labor. Else, let them shovel a spot for you. Better yet, let them shovel their own parking spot!

This is an example of a free rider problem. If there are four houses nearby, and all four residents shovel four parking places, then if one gets the other’s spot, it’s no big deal. But when one of them doesn’t do his share and still takes a place that someone else worked on, that’s a real problem.

[Valandil]

Originally Posted by RÃ*an

Interesting issue! What are your thoughts?

In general, I'm with Alcuin. It's a LOT of work to dig out your car from a deep snow over and all around it - and from the plastering job on the street side when the snow plow passes.

On the other hand, there should be reasonable limits. Anything less than 12" of snow - forget it. Snow melts (at least from the street - that's it. After a few days or a week or a little more (depending on sheer amount and longevity of snow) - it's time to let it go. After all - those spaces that are locked up all day long while someone is at work are unavailable for anyone else to use the rest of the day.

(you need to understand that here - the streets are always a good percent parked up - so when you need to go someplace, and the whole streetside is either parked cars or 'reserved' spaces - there's just no place to park, even for a short visit!)

In short, I like how the City handles it. People aren't really supposed to do it, but the City looks the other way for awhile, depending on conditions. And they let the word out when time is up.

[Alcuin]

I found this photograph from eastern Massachusetts. Remember, winter is only at its halfway point in the northern hemisphere.

Right now, by the way, this is typical around here. Fortunately, it is raining tonight, not snowing; but the rain is freezing, and the ground is slowly becoming covered with a fresh new layer of beautifully transparent ice.

[Jonathan]

Cool pic.

Is that an American flag on top the highest of the snow mounds?

[Gwaimir Windgem]

The real question is: how many explorers died getting it there?

[Alcuin]

Yes, that is a flag. No, I don’t know if anyone died getting it up there, but I haven’t read about backhoes falling over, either.

This is near where I live; I’m going to try to see it myself (I know where it is). The tallest piles I’ve seen so far this year, as I mentioned earlier, have “only” been about 20 feet (6 meters). Since my children climbed a snowpile in a parking lot in June many years ago, I figure I have plenty of time to see this one.

[EllethValatari]

Originally Posted by Jonathan

Cool pic.

Is that an American flag on top the highest of the snow mounds?

I think the flag's in the background, a little ways away from the mound.

[Alcuin]

Originally Posted by EllethValatari

I think the flag's in the background, a little ways away from the mound.

You could be right, but I think the flag is atop the snowmound. I am familiar with the area (Methuen, Massachusetts), and I don’t believe there are any tall buildings adjacent to the shopping mall.

[GrayMouser]

Reading all this reminds me of the answer I give to people here who ask me "But Canada is such a beautiful and advanced country- why did you move here to Taiwan?"

[Alcuin]

Originally Posted by GrayMouser

Reading all this reminds me of the answer I give to people here who ask me "But Canada is such a beautiful and advanced country- why did you move here to Taiwan?"

Tell them it was for the earthquakes and landslides.

[Amanda]

The weather's quite seasonable, at least temperature-wise.

Other than that, there's been freezing rain, then melting ice and snow, then refreezing. It's been pretty fun.

[GrayMouser]

Originally Posted by Alcuin

Tell them it was for the earthquakes and landslides.

And the typhoons- but you don't have to shovel it.

[Valandil]

Now experiencing "The Great Chicago Thaw". It's in the mid-to-upper 50's today, and has been above freezing for most of the past 3 days. Not a lot of snow left, except for where it had been piled up. That should be gone soon. Plenty of standing water around.

More snow may be coming early next week. Don't know how much they're forcasting yet.

[Tessar]

I totally know how you feel, Valandil. My city had snow this winter too.

It was awesome. For one. Whole. Day.





I'mma be bragging about that for a while, just so we're all clear.