Venmo Ariel_nomermaid3

“My boy Spatula bunking down for a snowy night” 

I just want you all to know: For the past 72 hours my dash has been nothing but Northerners expressing intense concern and helplessness, as well as trading off and collating as many cold-weather survival tips as they can think of. Anyone who’s used to the cold is absolutely terrified at the thought of these kinds of temperatures striking areas without the infrastructure to handle them, has nothing but compassion and appreciation for the resources they have access to, and they’re wracking their collective brains for any tiny little details that might make this easier.

I’ve seen multiple posts where someone explicitly mentions how grateful they were for Texans coming together to do this same thing in reverse, when Northern states were hit by deadly heatwaves. How scared they were and how much that kindness meant to them. They haven’t forgotten.

You’re not alone down there. The assholes are loud but few and far between; for everyone making a stupid joke there’s seven people leaping to shut them the fuck down.

The rest of the country does not think you deserve this. We don’t think you brought it on yourselves. We’re pulling for you. We’re furious with every corrupt asshole who’s responsible for this entirely preventable bullshit. We desperately wish we could do something more.

General Tips

ATTN: Anyone With No Heating Or Power Currently

Texas Aid Donations

Easy light source for when you need to conserve device battery and flashlights aren't enough

Reptiles and Power Outages

Easy heater using a terracotta pot and a lighter

What is happening in Texas: An explanation of the power issues

So Your Temperate Home is Suddenly an Arctic Hellscape

Firstly start recording them ASAP, get the badges on their shoulders clearly on camera. If they swear at you, or abuse you, you’ll have it on tape and the way of identifying them and finding what station they’re from. 

If they approach you for whatever reason say “No Comment” to all their questions, you aren’t under any obligation to answer most of their questions. Avoid friendly chit chat its usually a way for them to collect information on you. 

Ask “Am I being detained” if they say no simply start walking away. Chances are they will follow you or try to verbally stop you but if you aren’t being detained they can’t hold you so you can leave. 

If they say you are being detained ask what you’re being detained for. Follow this up by explaining to detain someone they need reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed so ask them what crime they think has taken place and what are they suspicious of? 

If they do detain you ask for both their names, and their stations, keep the camera on. Chances are if they’ve detained you they’ll either arrest you or search you. If searched ask the reason you’re being searched.