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bikes/transportation | energy & nuclear

about the buses

'll just call this the Great BP Blow of '08. 'Cause believe it or not, this cold weather is brought in by excessive retained solar energy, which will doubtless bring us more yet, knocking dents in our global-warming civilization. If the ice storm follows as predicted (a big if), we could call it the Fina Freeze. And so forth.

In any event, the fact that the Pacific has teased us so, has worn out the Tri-Met bus service. Days of driving with tire chains in expectation of --well, of today's phenomenon-- has overtaxed the mechanics, who have had to maintain chain repair/removal/installation stations in four locations constantly. Their fatigue is tremendous, and they are running out of chains as the bare asphalt tore them to pieces. They look like coal miners after a double shift. I feel so sorry for them.
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