The politics of Winter.

[annabanana]

Breathless coverage of possible accumulation can take up HOURS of air time. That's a no brainer for programmers who would rather not talk about actual news. It kind of takes up the slack that endless coverage of Holiday Entertaining and Christmas shopping can't stretch over.

but more importantly... (And Rachel Maddow touched on this the other day)

Privatization of the Energy companies has destroyed the resilience of the power grid. People in the midwest were told that they could look forward to a week or more of no power. So much for National Security folks. All they have to do to paralyze us is knock out a grid that has suffered for a few decades of lack of adequate maintenance and profit taking.

That coupled with another Enron-type expose or two and the problem ought to become clear to even a few of the clueless.

[HereSince1628]

1. We in the real midwest where we know this newfangled electric thing is iffy

still keep candles in the pantry. Right next to our cans of Tuna, plastic drop clothes, duct tape and wind-up short-wave radios.

Depending on a utility company for power has become like depending on the police for personal protection. :sarcasm:

But, honestly, that is why Lowe's and Home Depot are doing business in emergency home generators.

[annabanana]

2. What would it take, do you think.

to pry these leeches off the country? They remind me of hoards of ticks, covering every exposed inch of the National skin.