Breakdowns in the system

So,  the past few days there have seen a few unrelated but similar events.

First up the Internet was down for the day, apparently due to theft rather than sabotage (that is, thieves cut the cables for the copper).

Second was the forty-five car smash-up on I-five between Seattle and Tacoma. No one killed, thank goodness,  though there were a lot of cars that needed towed away (seventeen I fotget).

Third, and most sinister of the three, someone tried to set fire to two ballot boxes, one in Portland and the other in Vancouver, Washington. No one hurt and only minimal damage, but distressing nonetheless.

--John R.