Groundhog day 2011 results: Spring!
By Alexandra Petri
Whenever I try to write about Groundhog Day, I always get the creeping sense that it's been done before...

"Did the groundhog see his shadow?" everyone asks. "Will Mubarak remain in office for seven more months?" I'm sorry, that's not the question. But the answer is in!



But now the unspellable Punxsutawney Phil (and Staten Island Chuck) have both peered from their holes and concurred: no shadow, no more winter!

For those of you who have been holding your breath about this, you can stop now, although I urge you to take a moment to think about what this says about you, and to maybe apologize to your family and co-workers. Are that many calendars with inspirational daily messages a right or a privilege? Ask yourself this.

Groundhog Day could be viewed as a commentary on the nature of modern celebrity. A cute, hairy creature has become famous for doing something with minimal accuracy because he is surrounded by men in funny hats. Subtract two legs and a tail and that's the Justin Bieber narrative all over. Sure, Phil is only right 39 percent of the time, but that's more than Mel Gibson.

Of course, you could also see this as a statement about our views on prognostication. When it comes to the weather, we still seem convinced that the old ways work best. Sure, we have doppler radar and weather balloons and large, in-depth wall-sized graphics of pressure fronts and low-pressure fronts and Amy Chua standing next to clouds looking disappointed, but do we trust it? In most lives, the Weather Channel is just a form of continuous fiction for people whose self-images prevent them from getting really invested in General Hospital. And no matter what Thundersnow or Snowpocalypse or Snowki or what-have-you our prognosticators conjure up, whom do we trust?

A groundhog, surrounded by men in funny hats. I hope he's right.

HAPPY  GROUNDHOGS DAY  - EVERYONE

You know, the funny thing is that I could have told you this was what was going to happen today as soon as I listened to the weather report covering what the weather was going to be today.  It's overcast and we have storms coming through the area, hence, there will be no direct sunlight, so there will be no shadows, hence the groundhog will not be able to see his shadow.  I wonder who it is that talks to the groundhog to ask if he sees his shadow, if there is one.  Is it a groundhog whisperer?  Are they paid by the federal government?  And where is PETA as far as this group in Pennsylvania keeping a groundhog locked up all year round for the sole purpose of putting him on display in front of all those people one day a year?  Shouldn't he be let go into the wild?  But since he's been in captivity, he wouldn't even be able to survive if he had to do it on his own now.  

Quoted from Kevin March

  And where is PETA .  

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10443831-1.html

So, they'd actually wish that he be released into the wild where he doesn't know how to fend for himself or be able to find food.  That's a good little animal protection group.

Actually, there is a committee that decides whether the groundhog will see his shadow or not.   The groundhog is brought in special from his normal home --- placed in a fancy display and ceremoniously pulled out of his ceremonial home --- the committee announces what the groundhog "said" ---- they take some photos and return him to his regular home until next year.

Punxatowney, PA is one of several rival towns that celebrate the annual February 2 festivities.   Punxatowney Phil is the most widely known.  

The town actually makes a huge event out of it.    There are all day breakfast buffets at the local fire house ---to feed the press and spectators who travel into town from all over.    The money raised by these all day breakfast buffets is then split up among several civic organizations in town like the Eagles and similar organizations.

Which begs the question --- should Rotterdam come up with some "old tradition" from its Dutch heritage  --I don't know maybe pulling a ferret out of dyke or something ---- and make it a tourist event  ?????????????     I imagine some of the folks who post here might recommend an annual reenactment of the "burning of the city of Schenectady" by the French.

FDG pulling his finger out of the hole in the dam........

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Which begs the question --- should Rotterdam come up with some "old tradition" from its Dutch heritage  --I don't know maybe pulling a ferret out of dyke or something ---- and make it a tourist event  ?????????????     I imagine some of the folks who post here might recommend an annual reenactment of the "burning of the city of Schenectady" by the French.

I could see us doing something like that, but I don't know exactly what or where.  I understand there's a large parking lot that gets plowed for just about no reason this time of year on Curry Road that could fit plenty of cars and hold a festival.  There's also another one over on Hamburg Street, and we could probably even use the Senior Center for overflow parking.

It's not like there's anything else going on there (Curry Road Shopping Center).  And until this comes to happen at this location, can anyone let me know who it is that pays for the plowing of the entire parking lot except for the mountains in there?  If it's the town, I ask why, as there is no financial reason that would be immediately evident.

Rotterdam has an "old Dutch" tradition / landmark - right now it's sitting rotting in a parking lot by Rotterdam Square.  Forgotten and unappreciated.

Quoted from 147

Rotterdam has an "old Dutch" tradition / landmark - right now it's sitting rotting in a parking lot by Rotterdam Square.  Forgotten and unappreciated.

If you mean the windmill --- it is not forgotten --- and it isn't exactly rotting.    But I would agree it should be in a better location.

Maybe the Town should ask Ritano's if they could [put on their piece of prime property as you enter the town.

Or we could put it in the new town park being planned in Rotterdam Junction.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Or we could put it in the new town park being planned in Rotterdam Junction.

Great, even fewer people will see it there.

Quoted from 147

Great, even fewer people will see it there.

You might not be interested in the new park being planned .. but a lot of folks in town are interested.   So I am sure that the park will be a popular place for residents and visitors to come to.