Lessons from a snow storm

Highway 402 in Ontario between Sarnia and London is shut down due to snow. This is of some interest to me because I used to travel along that road several times a month during college.

According to news reports on CBC and other Canadian outlets, between 300 - 400 drivers are stranded and waiting to be rescued by the military. However, police, military, and other government institutions are having trouble rescuing anyone because they claim their plows are getting stuck, their helicopters can't land in blowing snow, etc.

This made me think two things:
1) Be as prepared as you can so you don't have to rely on someone else for rescue! Have blankets, food, flashlight, shovel, portable radio, etc. in your car.
2) Note that local farmers are taking out their tractors and snowmobiles, rescuing people, and letting them stay at their houses. Note how much you pay in taxes to fund the snow plows, helicopters, and "emergency shelters" that no-one is using anyway.

Storm strands drivers near Sarnia
Storm strands hundreds
Military called in to handle motorists

From WOOD TV, Grand Rapids, MI:
http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/michigan/Pop-goes-the-tax-payers-Bridge-Card-

A govt educated leech uses her food stamps to purchase 42 bottles of soda pop.  She walks from the checkout to the automated bottle return area and proceeds to insert 42 unopened bottles of pop into the machine collecting $4.20 in bottle deposits.  As pathetically idiotic as this is, the story gets better. 

Cans and bottles are crushed when inserted into these machines.  Being unopened and full of carbonated beverages, these 42 bottles explode upon being crushed.  Consequently, pop spews all over the bottle return area and gums up the machine.  Now, one would think the average person would notice this on bottle number 1.  But not this welfare queen genius, she continues inserting the remaining 41 bottles.

The article records the reaction of one customer, who obviously is also govt educated. "'I just can't believe somebody would do that,' said Hardings customer Brenda Wilkerson."