That, apparently is what the news bots are calling our Nor’easter, because I was not alone in spending 7 hours on the road to go just a few miles.
There were people who could not get moving until 4 or 5 in the morning.
There were lots of wiped out tractor-trailors blocking multiple lanes of traffic.
Over 7 hours to travel 18 miles, and then 45 minutes to get into my driveway.
Lovely.
I left work 3-1/2 hours ago, and I still have not made it home.
I am in the teeth of a f#@&ing Nor’easter blizzard.
Grabbing some food at the Hires convenience store and posting from the road.
Not safe for work, but 100% true.
Home sales up, but prices are down
And inventory is rising again
Yes, I know, I haven’t been posting this regularly.
Yesterday’s miss was due to thunderstorms.
In any case, yesterday was jobless Thursday, and initial unemployment claims fell slightly, by 16,000 to 460,000, which was worse than expected, with the 4 week moving average rising slightly, and continuing claims fell, though, as I frequently note, people who move from continuing claims to emergency claims fall out of that number.
We also now know that mass layoffs rose in April.
additionally, we are seeing more of that whole “paradox of thrift” thing, with personal income rising, but spending remaining flat, which implies that an increase in consumers buying crap that they really don’t need won’t be our economic salvation.
Also note that the US GDP in the 1st quarter was revised downward, to an annual growth rate of 3% from 3.2%.
I think that he Obama’s already anemic stimulus package is running out of steam.
In real estate, the flight from the Euro has pushed the 30-year fixed mortgage rate to a record low, which, along with the recently expired home buyer tax credit, drove existing home sales higher, though inventories are increasing as well, and prices are falling once again, which implies that a resurgence in the housing bubble won’t be our economic salvation..
In terms of more general metrics, the consumer confidence index rose slightly, as did the Chicago Fed Activity Index, and the Chicago Fed Midwest Manufacturing Index.
I just wish that the PTB were as concerned about 9.9% unemployment as they are about a twitch in the DJIA that ran for about an hour.
Between the rain, it’s raining in Maryland too, and a dispirited Democratic base, there is not a meaningful contest on the Repulbican side, primary day turnout is very low.
Bad for Specter. He has always drawn significant support from the minority community, particularly the AA community, and if this is a a low turn out day, it is highly unlikely that Specter can pull this out.
Happy dance.
File under “Only in New York.”
Heh
H/t the Big Picture
It’s jobless Thursday, and the new numbers suck wet farts from dead pigeons, specifically, they are up 12% over the past 2 weeks,to 496,000, up 22,000, and well over the consensus estimate 460,000.
Ouch.
Meanwhile, both the The 4-week moving average and the continuing claims rose by 6K, to 473,750 and 4.617 million.
Note however, that he Snowpocalypse may have had something to do with this.
Note also that that the durable goods orders number sucked too, it was up only because of aircraft orders, and as the picture on the right shows, there really is no increase at all once you take out spending on military items going back a very long time.
Meanwhile, in Japan, their consumer prices fell by 1.3% year over year, which is triggering a shouting match between the Finance Ministry, who want QE, and the Bank of Japan, who are still inflation hawks.
Meanwhile in currency, the dollar rose, largely on concerns about Greece and Euro Zone.
And yes, I know, I need to post something about the Greek problem, but it’s sprawling, and I’m still trying to make a synthesis.
In energy, the crappy jobs numbers drove oil down.
We got the lightest of dustings last night, which is good, because I had an interview this morning, for a level tech writer position, which ain’t engineering but it beats sitting on my butt collecting unemployment.
In any case, the NWS is predicting snow tonight, 2-4 inches in total:
Winter Weather Advisory
URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
1214 PM EST THU FEB 25 2010MDZ005>007-011-260115-
/O.UPG.KLWX.WS.A.0007.100225T2300Z-100226T1600Z/
/O.NEW.KLWX.WW.Y.0018.100225T1714Z-100226T1700Z/
CARROLL-NORTHERN BALTIMORE-HARFORD-SOUTHERN BALTIMORE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…WESTMINSTER…BALTIMORE
1214 PM EST THU FEB 25 2010…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON EST FRIDAY…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW…WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON
EST FRIDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.* PRECIPITATION TYPE…SNOW.
* ACCUMULATIONS…SNOW WILL ACCUMULATE 1 TO 2 INCHES THROUGH THIS
EVENING…ESPECIALLY ACROSS BALTIMORE AND HARFORD COUNTIES.
ANOTHER 1 TO 2 INCHES IS EXPECTED ACROSS NORTHEAST MARYLAND
OVERNIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING.* TIMING…SNOW THIS AFTERNOON WILL CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY
MORNING.* TEMPERATURES…HIGHS IN THE MID 30S TODAY. LOWS IN THE UPPER 20S
TONIGHT. HIGHS IN THE MID 30S FRIDAY.* WINDS…NORTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH
THROUGH THIS EVENING. NORTHWEST WINDS 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO
55 MPH OVERNIGHT AND FRIDAY.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE
TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED
VISIBILITIES…AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.
More snow….Aieeeee!!!!
Statement as of 6:14 PM EST on February 24, 2010
… Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect from 10 PM this
evening to 11 am EST Thursday…
… Winter Storm Watch remains in effect from Thursday evening
through Friday morning…A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect from 10 PM this
evening to 11 am EST Thursday. A Winter Storm Watch remains in
effect from Thursday evening through Friday morning.* Precipitation type… snow.
* Accumulations… 1 to 3 inches through Thursday morning.
Potential for snow accumulations of 5 or more inches from
Thursday evening through Friday morning.* Timing… a mix of rain and snow will develop during the mid-
evening hours. Precipitation will become all snow late this evening
and will continue through early Thursday morning. After a break
in snowfall Thursday afternoon… snow is expected to return
Thursday evening through Friday morning.* Temperatures… will be above freezing until after midnight.
Lows near 30 overnight. Highs in the lower to mid 30s
Thursday. Lows in the mid to upper 20s Thursday night.* Winds… northwest winds 10 to 15 mph tonight… increasing to
15 to 25 mph Thursday with gusts around 45 mph late Thursday
afternoon and Thursday night.Precautionary/preparedness actions…
A Winter Storm Watch means there is a potential for significant
snow that may impact travel. Continue to monitor the latest
forecasts.A Winter Weather Advisory means that periods of snow will cause
travel difficulties. Be prepared for slippery roads and limited
visibilities… and use caution while driving.
With the cancellation of the US Army’s FCS-MGV system, the 20 ton class (30 ton+ in operational use), the army has been cast about for a vehicle to fill the role, and they have found it in their ground combat vehicle (GCV) program, which is supposed to have, the “urban mobility of a Stryker, with the off-road capability of a Bradley and the survivability of an MRAP,” while being C-130 transportable. (see also here)
Truth be told, a slightly improved Bradley, particularly one that has the manned turret replaced with an external remotely operated one, which would allow for a single vehicle to carry a full 9 man squad, but the way that it is all phrased does seem to be an invitation to mission and cost creep juxtaposed with schedule slippage.
By “urban mobility,” they mean “road speed”, though I noted about 3 months ago that they were calling for the “sustainability of a Stryker”.
With improved tracks and propulsion, the road mobility can be achieved, though it would still be more maintenance intensive, and less fuel efficient than a wheeled vehicle.
In any case, the Army is looking to spend about a billion bucks on developing the GCV, and they have already delayed the review, though they are claiming, with some justification, I might add, that this was a result of the snowpocalypse.
My inclination would be to look toward improving existing systems, or purchasing and making minor modifications to foreign systems.
*Full disclosure, I worked on the Future Recovery and Maintenance Vehicle, FRMV, “wrecker” variant of the FCS-MGV† from 2003-2006 at United Defense (later BAE Systems after the Carlyle Group sold me to buy Dunkin Donuts).
†Future Combat Systems-Manned Ground Vehicle. These are the ones that are the tanks and APCs. As opposed to the various unnmanned vehicles, networking technologies, etc. that form the full FCS along with the MGVs.‡
‡Yes, I have worked everywhere. Maybe I can’t hold down a job, but more likely this has been my role as “technical hit man”, where you are parachuted in to take care of a specific need.
It’s snowing again, and Baltimore County has closed schools tomorrow.
Even my daughter is sick to death of schools being closed.
About 6 feet
Well, I ain’t cleaning the sidewalks for a while.
Thy finally cleared the street on Friday, and they were very thorough.
All the snow, except immediately around some parked cars, was put on the curb by front loaders, and our little road is completely clear.
The resulting berms of snow are vary between 4 and 6 feet.
I shoveled the f%$#ing driveway, for the 2nd time in a f%$#ing week.
At least the snow was lighter than the last time, and between the powdery nature of the snow, and the wind we got some of those wind-sculpted funny snow shapes.
I’ve never seen this phenomenon this far south before.
Well, At least the snow plows found their way our tertiary road, finally, today.
After I was done, and to be fair the kids shoveled a path to the mailbox for us and the mail man, I thought that I deserved a beer, so I drove to the liquor store, and picked up a 6 pack, because, dammit, I deserved a beer.
Took the wife and kids to Java Mama’s for hot chocolate and sweets,
As to my beer, I bought Victory Brewing Company‘s Hop Devil, which is a nice, and inexpensive, brew from a small Pennsylvania brewery/brew pub.
It’s a bit over-hopped, but that’s kind of obvious from the name, but it’s from near by and fresh.
On my 2nd bottle.
At least 14 inches so far, on top of the 24+ inches last week, and school has been canceled for the whole week.
What to do?
I make soup. I just put the blending stick to split pea soup.
I got a soup/pea packet at the grocery store, and followed the recipe, adding onions, celery, carrots, and (my Sharon’s* suggestion) a parsnip.
I also added cubed pastrami,† which I cooked in cheese cloth, so that the meat flavored the soup, but II could pull the meat out when I blended it, and then I add the meat back to the soup.
Off to a late lunch.
*Love of my life, light of the cosmos, she who must be obeyed, my wife.
†I know that ham and a ham bone is traditional for split pea soup, but if I were to use ham in my house, on my wife’s dishes, my continued ability to breath would be in doubt, so no thank you, I like breathing.
It’s snowing again …………… Hard.
They are predicting another 18-24 inches over the next 24 hours.
Please make it stop!
I think that I pinched a nerve or threw out my back shoveling snow.
In either case, my right hip/sciatic nerve is killing me.
For your amusement:
Jim Kosek Needs to Switch to Decaf
That’s the 3rd largest snowball fight I’ve ever seen.
That mound with the wiper blades is a 1996 Honda Odyssey
The lump in the center left is a trash can
Back Yard
When I wrote about the Snowpocalypse, I said, “meh”.
OK, not so much.
I managed to get the back door open by about a foot, and then had to shovel the stoop to get the door open the rest of the way, and it’s still snowing.
Also: this is not the light and fluffy snow. This is heavy and sticky.
Maybe the kids will do a snow man, but I’d give less than 50-50 that there will be school on Monday.
Again, apologies for the crappy cell phone camera pix.
We have plenty of food, and if it stretches on for weeks, a very fat cat who looks good for stewing.
(Not really, the cats are family, and besides, they are not kosher)
Just starting at about 3:00pm
At about 5:00pm
We’re getting somewhere between 12 and 28 inches of snow, probably more than 20 inches.
People around here are freaking, but having spent 6 years in Alaska, and about 12 years in New England during and after college, so for me, it’s just, “Meh.”
No driving for at least the first half of tomorrow, but it’s really not that big a deal.
It will be a mess for a day or so, it ain’t the end of the world