Thursday, January 30, 2014

Yes, it's frozen

I took this pic today, when the temperatures were more, well, temperate. It must have been all of 25° out.
But try taking pics on a single-digit day, and you'll find that the term "bone-chilling" is not just metaphorical. After a few minutes, your finger bones - phalanges, as they're known - actually become chilled (or at least that's how it feels), due to the exceedingly thin layers of skin, fat, and muscle covering them.

Benched!

I haven't seen this done in a while.  It's illegal, but I understand the motivation to do it.  After shoveling out a parking space, you don't want to just give it away.  On the other hand, how can you justify keeping the space unavailable the whole time you're not there?

"Some people say this town don't look good in snow"

Nah, it looks OK.

Police officer's heroic efforts save 7 from Columbia fire

Officer Austin Miller 

A Columbia Borough police officer is being credited with saving the lives of seven people, including an infant, after he evacuated them from a burning home Tuesday night.

Austin Miller, an 11-year veteran of the department, was on routine patrol around 11 p.m. when smoke drifted into his vehicle near 9th and Manor streets.

He got out to investigate but was unable to find the source of the smoke.

Miller then saw two men who yelled there was a fire. One of the men was on the phone. As he ran toward the men, he saw flames shooting from the rear of a home at 631 Manor St.

Miller said he banged on the door of the house and quickly evacuated the occupants — including a woman holding a baby — none of whom knew the home was on fire.

Seeing that the flames were moving toward a neighboring home, he entered the unlocked structure and roused two people sleeping there.

The occupants of both homes were uninjured. One man was checked at the scene for smoke inhalation but didn't require hospitalization, officials said.

"Things couldn't have ended any better. Everyone got out alive," Miller said Wednesday.

Columbia Borough police Chief Jack Brommer on Wednesday called Miller's actions "heroic."

Columbia Borough Fire Chief Scott Ryno said there were no working smoke detectors in the home where the blaze started.

MORE HERE

Monday, January 27, 2014

Warning: In Bitter Cold, Beware The 'Umbles'

First we lose some fine motor skills, and we start to fumble. And tumble. And stumble.
Then our cognitive abilities are compromised. "We mumble and we grumble."

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Hood up, pants down

Makes no sense, but gives new meaning to "freezing your ass off."

Pitts tops Americans United for Change Tea Party scorecard

"Tea Party Pitts" tops the list.

Results show that Congressman Joe Pitts, who represents most of Lancaster County, leads all other Pennsylvania members in moderate districts when it comes to his "loyalty to the Tea Party."