Groundhogs Day

This just in from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania...

Looks like it's going to be 6 more weeks of winter, according to the official weather prognosticator of the Animal Kingdom, Punxsutawney Phil. Although if it's 6 more weeks of the same kind of winter we've been having so far, I think it would be hard to tell the difference between that and an early spring. Most days here in Oakland it feels like spring already!

And don't tell anyone, but according to a study done by the National Geographic Society he's only been right a third of the time anyway - and that's with 50/50 odds! Wouldn't it be nice if you could be wrong 2/3 of the time and still keep your job? Maybe they ought to use an octopus instead - remember that octopus from a few years ago who predicted the World Cup winners? He had a much better record. And besides, Octopus Day sounds way more awesome.

Funny thing about Groundhog Day is, it's not really a zoological holiday so much as an astronomical one - February 2nd is pretty much the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Seems like that might have something to do with the origin of the Groundhog Day concept, as the half-way mark makes a pretty good place to make a guess about what the rest of the journey to spring will be like. But as for how the groundhog itself got involved in the legend I haven't the foggiest idea.

Anyway, enjoy the next 6 weeks of "winter", everybody!