Blanketed under 15 feet snow, the small fishing town of Cordova, Alaska is waiting for what sounds like a simple solution. Since November 1, massive winter storms have dropped 176 inches of snow and 44 inches of rain on the town, and so far the "dig out" efforts of its residents and Alaska's National Guard have come up futile. "There were plenty of regular shovels around," reports the AP.  "But what they needed was a larger version with a scoop that can push a cubic foot of snow or better at a time." Help is on the way. Seventy-two larger, more efficient shovels--with a "26-inch scoop" and priced at $50 a piece--are being shipped by plane from Canada today, reports the AP. "That's what's missing in Alaska," city spokesman Tim Joyce said before adding a relatable understatement for anyone that's undergone the pain of shoveling out a driveway in the middle of winter. "Trying to lift snow all day with those [regular shovels] is pretty backbreaking." 

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Alexander Abad-Santos