Posted on 12/06/2003 7:29:58 AM PST by BigWaveBetty
People walk down a snow covered sidewalk on New York's Fifth Avenue, December 5, 2003. The New York area is expected to get up to eight inches of snow in the next two days. REUTERS/Jeff Christensen
Northeast this season was threatening near whiteout conditions from New Jersey to Maine on Saturday after burying Pittsburgh under 7 inches of snow, delaying flights from Boston to Washington, D.C., and creating hazardous driving conditions blamed for at least five deaths.
As much as 2 feet of snow was forecast for Massachusetts by the end of the weekend, and northern Pennsylvania was bracing for as much as 20 inches.
"We're hoping the forecasters are wrong, but if they're not, we're trusting that people will be staying home with their families and off the road so we can get our job done," said Anna Farneski, spokeswoman for the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Drivers on Friday braved slick highways, and commuters shuffled along frozen sidewalks as they tried to make their way home through the wind and snow. In New York City, traffic slowed to a crawl.
"The salt is here, the trucks are ready, the chains are on, and New York is prepared for the assault," New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Friday.
The storm was blamed for at least five traffic deaths, including the 74-year-old driver of a van that collided with a school bus in Pennsylvania. None of the three dozen children on the bus was hurt. Two people were killed in Virginia and two in New Jersey.
More than 80 fender-benders were reported on the New Jersey Turnpike, where the speed limit was reduced from 65 mph to 35 mph because of dangerous conditions.
The storm brought several inches of snow to Virginia and Maryland on Friday, and road crews were preparing for a second onslaught with flurries overnight expected to turn to heavy snow. Four to 8 inches was expected in the Baltimore region.
Dave Martin, a National Weather Service (news - web sites) Meteorologist in State College, Pa., said the two-day storm was dumping a large but not overwhelming amount of snow on an area stretching from the Carolinas to New England.
"What's unique is the fairly big accumulation, but what's making it relatively easy is that it's over two days," Martin said Saturday.
Forecasters predicted accumulations of up to 20 inches in northern Pennsylvania, up to 15 inches in New Jersey, and 12 to 18 inches in New York City and its suburbs by the end of the weekend.
Flights were delayed or canceled early Saturday at Logan International Airport in Boston, where wind gusts were at 35 mph, an airport spokesman said. Cancellations and delays also were expected Saturday at New York's La Guardia and John F. Kennedy airports and New Jersey's Newark Liberty International, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
About 100 flights were canceled at Philadelphia International Airport on Friday, and some flights were delayed at Washington Dulles International Airport.
While the storm disrupted or postponed outdoor plans — including Frederick, Md.'s downtown Kris Kringle parade, which was delayed for a week — some people embraced the seasonal weather.
"We're loving it," said Tana Graham, visiting New York City from Jackson, Miss. "It's putting us in the Christmas spirit."
Others were dismayed at the prospect of digging out. Sucie Stevenson looked dejected while inspecting a shovel she had just bought at a home and garden center in Orleans, Mass.
"I love storms, but I don't like shoveling," Stevenson said.
Many schoolchildren got an early start to their weekend when dozens of schools closed early on Friday. Some high school students got a lucky break when several schools canceled Saturday's scheduled Scholastic Aptitude Tests.
: "According to the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, fruitcakes are being banned because they are notoriously difficult to identify on the X-ray scanners used to inspect air travellers' luggage."
If Dennis Kucinich needs to get from Toronto to Ottawa, he'll just have to take the bus. LOL!
Uh-oh! Not only is John 'the F-bomb' Kerry branishing a finger gun, he's not a very good aim if he's gunning for Dean.
It seems Mrs. Dean, or should we say Dr. Steinburg, has decided to move to the WH after all but will continue to work as a physician in D.C. Yeah, right.
Unfortunately, she missed the riveting interview of Howie by Judy"doesn't catch the daily political spin on CNN - since the Deans don't have cable TV" ....She met Howard Dean when they were both doing the New York Times crossword puzzle during a less-than-riveting lecture at Albert Einstein Medical College in New York City." Just what D.C. needs, a doctor who was inattentive in med school..
And here is Slick...whatever it is he is describing, Wynton does not look convinced...(Maybe Hillary's naked butt, the last time Slick saw it, hee hee).
Former President Bill Clinton speaks to Jazz musician and Artistic Director, Jazz at Lincoln Center Wynton Marsalis at a panel on 'Jazz and Democracy' held at the Walter Reade Theatre at Lincoln Center in New York Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2003 (AP Photo/David Karp)
.... The Rev is furious at the Doc for invading his home turf Tuesday, when Dean went uptown to receive former Vice President Al Gore's endorsement at the National Black Theatre on 125th St. Sharpton didn't appreciate the coronation - or the venue. [In other words, Harlem is not for white folks, except x42, who is only kind of white]
"The day is past when black folks can be delivered," he said in a telephone interview. He called the Dean-Gore summit "drive-by campaigning in Harlem."
And he's firing back. "Howard Dean is a conservative," Sharpton says. "He's supported three-strikes-and-you're-out sentencing. He called welfare recipients 'lazy people' with no work ethic. Now he wants to keep troops in Iraq for years. How are folks in the civil rights community supposed to support things like that?"
George Bush fans don’t see the humor in Judy Gold’s “joke.” In fact, the comedienne — who was roundly criticized after she called the president a “piece of s—-” during a fundraiser for Howard Dean — now says, she’s getting death threats. Gold went on shock jock Howard Stern’s show yesterday and said that after her picture appeared on Fox News, the situation got out of hand.
“It was meant as a joke,” Gold’s agent told The Scoop. Given the reaction, would she do it again? “No,” replied the agent.
Not everyone regrets the incident, though. The agent tells The Scoop that he got a call from an intern at the John Kerry campaign wanting her to perform for one of Kerry’s functions. [Well, that's only fitting for Mr. F Bomb himself] The agent, however, was unable to provide the name of said intern. MSNBC
Judy Gold, bless her heart
My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year. It was an exciting season for a six year old. For weeks, he'd been memorizing songs for his school's "Winter Pageant." I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd be working the night of the production. Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher. She assured me there'd be a dress rehearsal the morning of the presentation. All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then.
Fortunately, Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise. So, the morning of the dress rehearsal, I filed in ten minutes early, found a spot on the cafeteria floor and sat down. Around the room, I saw several other parents quietly scampering to their seats. As I waited, the students were led into the room.
Each class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor. Then, each group, one by one, rose to perform their song. Because the public school system had long stopped referring to the holiday as "Christmas," I didn't expect anything other than fun, commercial entertainment - songs of reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes and good cheer. So, when my son's class rose to sing, "Christmas Love," I was slightly taken aback by its bold title. Nicholas was aglow, as were all of his classmates, adorned in fuzzy mittens, red sweaters, and bright snowcaps upon their heads.
Those in the front row- center stage - held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the song. As the class would sing "C is for Christmas," a child would hold up the letter C. Then, "H is for Happy," and on and on, until each child holding up his portion had presented the complete message, "CHRISTMAS LOVE".
The performance was going smoothly, until suddenly, we noticed her; a small, quiet, girl in the front row holding the letter "M" upside down - totally unaware her letter "M" appeared as a "W". The 1st through 6th graders snickered at this little one's mistake. But she had no idea they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, proudly holding her "W".
Although the teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter continued until the last letter was raised...and we all saw it together. A hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen.
In that instant, we understood the reason we were there, why we celebrated the holiday in the first place, why even in the chaos, there was a purpose for our festivities. For when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and clear:
.
.
Did anyone remember to send John Kerry a birthday card? Yesterday was his birthday. Did anyone throw him a house party? John's Campaign Site
From the site: Today, December 11th, John Kerry turns 60 years old! Give him a birthday celebration he will never forget.
$60 buys
Pizza for 20 volunteers
PB & J sandwiches and soda for 200 canvassers
100 yard signs
25 Real Deal t-shirts
What, no takers?
Just keeping talking, Tim, you just keep making a bigger fool of yourself:
TIM Robbins is sorry he called the Bush Administration and most of Congress "chicken hawks" in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle. "I regret using that term. I meant to refer to their militarism without actual war service but I was also aware that chicken hawk refers to older gay men who go after young boys," Robbins told Webster Hall curator Baird Jones. (PageSix)
Hillary does her part for the country by eating and drinking. Well, a girl's gotta keep up her strength! - -
. Hillary did the Four Seasons restaurant Tuesday wall-to-wall. Drinks with teachers union leader Randi Weingarten, then dinner with nine senators like Frank Lautenberg and Joe Biden. Why? "We're all here because we're concerned where the country is headed," said Hillary. (Cindy Adams)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
