When we first moved to Plover, Wisconsin, so I could attend the University of Wisconsin, Steven Point, we had less than no money. I had a 1964 Chrysler and no garage. This part of Wisconsin gets cold, very cold. This meant that starting your car in the morning was no sure thing. So, I bought the cheapest possible solution, an electric dipstick. In theory, this would warm the engine oil just enough so you might be able to actually start your ice-cold automobile. one could start your car.
My wife’s grandmother passed away on one of the coldest days imaginable. We had to drive to Milwaukee to catch a plane. It was in January 1972. I don’t remember the exact temperature, but in Minong, Wisconsin it was 51 degrees below zero and it was more than 40 degrees below zero in Plover. My electric dipstick failed miserably. When I tried to start the car, the only thing that happened was the dome light went out. I called a tow truck. He attached this enormous battery charger to the car. That got the dome light working, but nothing else. Then he tried to tow us, but the car’s transmission was frozen so he couldn’t move it. In desperation I called a friend, who owned a trucking company. He towed our car, with all four wheels skidding on the frozen tundra, behind a semi to his garage. Then he put a huge gas-powered space heater in position to warm up the car. After about an hour, we could finally start the car. We drove to Milwaukee and flew to the funeral in Buffalo, N.Y. While it was cold in Buffalo, famous for freezing weather, it was a lot warmer than Wisconsin.
When I got back home, I bought a block heater. That attached to the hose between the radiator and the engine. That worked. It would warm up the antifreeze which would warm up the engine. As long as I had a place to plug in my block heater, I could start my car.
Today, about 70% of the country is experiencing a severe cold wave. This is coincidental to talking heads warning us about global warming and rapidly rising sea levels. These are the same people who told us they would defeat COVID with lockdowns, vaccine, and mask mandates. That obviously did not work. The same people who tried to arrest a parent for pointing out that the school board was not wearing masks while lecturing parents who dare complain about children forced to wear masks. We have a Prime Minister in Canada who is treating truck drivers, protesting because of COVID restricts that made it almost impossible for them to do their job, as terrorists. Putin has already invaded the Ukraine, the only question is how much territory he will seize, this time. Biden is trying to manage this by pretending he is remotely capable of intimidating Putin. The economy is tanking, gas prices are soaring, there are more shortages and the truck drivers, who keep that supply chain moving, are on the verge of revolt. The defund the police movement has resulted in an enormous surge in crime. Things are so bad that BLM is angry at police officers for not being available to defend BLM members in Portland.
You can’t make this stuff up. It is not even necessary to exaggerate. The truth is more than enough. Then I realized what really happened. We are trying to restart the economy with an electric dipstick. Frankly, based on recent results, an electric dipstick might be a significant upgrade.
TDM