Saturday, January 1, 2011

Snow and the People

The snow day
Late last Saturday 25th , which was Christmas day, there came a forecast that we were going to have a big blizzard thus, across the Northeastern parts of US. On the 26th, it was a clumsy day as one could easily smell the anticipated snow. We rushed to church and from there we went to David Bagels to catch a quick breakfast before going to Nyack Hospital to see Grandma Esther.
On our way, it started to snow and for me, I love to see it snow, I really love snow in short. But just like us, everybody was in a hurry to their various destinations and some on hearing news of the impending snow storm do everything possible to gather all their needed items so that, in case they are not able to go out as a result of the snow, they will stay in good shape with food, and others. I could also see, people rushing in and out of shops, from one to the next, to get their stuff of necessity. We didn’t need anything after all, as we had enough to sustain us for weeks, even months or at least a year, lol.
From Nyack, we drove gently home, as it was really snowing badly and it was forecasted we were likely to get 24 inches of snow, which was two foots. I guessed it did snowed all night and the next day, we had a big pile of snow, I couldn’t get to shovel the drive way as I intended so as to get my way out of home.
The storm was said to be one of its kind, all public transports were cancelled as well as almost 10,000 flights, and people didn’t get to go to work. The city of New York was in a mess as people couldn’t do otherwise in terms of mobility, few days after that, others complaint, the city authorities didn’t  do their best when it came to cleaning the snow from the city.
The mayor of the city had to publicly respond to those criticisms, some people even said, wealthy neighborhoods were target first than people in other low income neighborhoods.
Personally, I happened to hear from a conversation with a friend  after haven’t asked, whether he was able to go to work on Monday amidst the blizzard, he said to me no, because their streets were kind of the last to be plowed as they are lots minorities/ simply a minority neighborhood, I wasn’t  happy at all to hear that remark. But that is America, where everything is competition and class structure with so much attention being paid to, if you are not in a certain class, just forget it, don’t sit and expect to have favors like the rich guy whose house is on the hill. That is why, everybody look forward a better life, which in its sense isn’t easy to come by.
About NYC, all who weren’t certified with the responses to the blizzard by the towns, and city authorities may have  their points to err in good faith, because they need to work and support themselves and that notwithstanding, they pay taxes like crazy, right from their hard earned pay checks to the cup of coffee bought.
So if I may ask, where did all the tax dollars go that, they couldn’t get to hire enough personnels with working equipments to do the job very fast as everybody know for sure how the city operates?
Next time, I think the Mayor will do his best with his men to serve the people so that, the wont grumble out of dissatisfaction.
Economically the storm affected a lot of businesses but this is a natural cause, not any homo sapien did it to attract punishment.
All that man could do was, get prepared to clean up when such natural disasters occur, of course people lost their lives as a result of this storm. Some 8 people in a small room in California were reported burned to death in their effort to stay warm from the blizzard.
Snow, I love you, but not shoveling and not when you over snowed and cause chaos in town. I know in few days you will be here again, this time, and go easy with us and this we will be able to manage you. Every neighborhood does pay tax and need to be served when there is the need, we are not all the same, and some must be masters and others servants, but when in terms of emergency like blizzard, that kind of attitude must be showed a back benched.
Blessed day
Ronnie



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