Well, once again, Mother Nature gave our local news media plenty of fodder this week to continue with their on-going mission of striking fear into all of Southeastern Wisconsin. If you didn’t notice by looking outside, it snowed on Wednesday. And in case you missed that, all you had to do is tune to a local TV station, and they would have been sure to tell you all about it, again, and again, and again.

Did it snow on Wednesday? Yes.
Should elementary schools and daycare centers be closed in such a snowstorm? Yes.
Should we be so fearful of snow that we practically shut down the entire State of Wisconsin? No!

Last time I checked, snow is slippery, and yes, we should be cautious when driving on it, shoveling it or walking on it.  However, this is also the same snow that we go sledding on, make snowmen out of, have snowball fights with, make snow forts out of, go skiing on, go snowmobiling on, etc., etc. etc. But the local news media would try and make you believe that snow is somehow toxic, and that any and all contact with it will likely bring you certain death. Of course, their news reporters must have some sort of specialized skill, education or snowsuits that we don’t, because they have no apparent problems getting out and about to give us 24-hour, “live and breaking” news coverage of every snowflake that falls and how quickly it is or isn’t plowed. The whole time, they’ll also scare us into believing that “this situation is dangerous, and you should all stay at home unless you absolutely must go out”. Well, I drove from my home in Hubertus down to my office near Mitchell Field for work yesterday morning. I then cautiously drove home in the afternoon, and I’m here to say that I am still alive and well.

I don’t mean to sound like “Mr. Tough Guy” or anything, but I just think we have gotten too far out of hand when it comes to how we deal with snow around here. I think it’s time Wisconsinites put on their big-girl-panties, and deal with the snow as it comes. It’s not the first time we’ve had snow, and it won’t be the last. It’s not only unnecessary, but in my opinion, unprofessional for the news media to somehow suggest that we are all going to die each and every time we get more than a couple inches of snow.

G’Night G’Town!

Don't knock the weather; nine-tenths of the people couldn't start a conversation if it didn't change once in a while.  ~Kin Hubbard