A few thoughts after seeing one inch of snow turn into five, and hoping that we actually get above freezing on Saturday:
• Perhaps someone who understands transportation policy can explain why state officials don’t close the High Five during this kind of weather. Don’t we need to save Dallas drivers from themselves, since they never seem to get the hint that they’ll get stuck on the overpasses?
• We’ve taken a lot of criticism because we have been so girly about the ice and snow. This has been unfair. Wamre grew up in northern Minnesota and I grew up in Chicago, and we both endured the legendary 1979 Chicago snowstorm — 19 inches over two days. And both of us had enough this week. Given that Dallas’ average winter low is 35 and our average snowfall is an inch, the last four days have been the Dallas equivalent of a storm like that.
• I realize the Legislature has more important things to do (insert Molly Ivins quote here about Legislature convening and villages losing their idiot), but perhaps it can do something about the rolling blackouts that shut power to hospitals. Since, apparently, they were the state’s fault.
• Finally, a cranky ex-newspaperman’s salute to the brave men and women who report for Dallas’ TV stations, and who have had to stand outside at places like the High Five and freeze their cameras off. I had to do some silly things during my career, but I never had a boss who made me stand outside in the ice to remind readers that there was ice outside.