Groundhog Day Prediction, Plus Video Rewind: 2009 Video of Mayor Bloomberg Being Bitten by NY’s Staten Island Chuck
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on February 2, 2010
Happy Groundhog Day!
Prediction today from Pennsylvania’s famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, is that we’ll have six more weeks of cold winter. Yep, he saw that pesky shadow.
UPDATE: Jimmy the groundhog in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin (“World Headquarters of the Groundhog”) and Buckeye Chuck in Ohio disagree with the more famous Phil — they did not see their shadows, so I guess you could flip a coin.
From LA Late News:
Punxsutawney Phil (Philadelphia) and Shubenacadie Sam (Nova Scotia) saw their shadow, asserting spring is six weeks away. Charles G. Hogg Staten Island Chuck (New York) and Jimmy the Groundhog (Sun Prairie) did not, contending spring is just two week away.
Mayor Bloomberg doesn’t care what all these other hogs do. He contends if you disagree with his groundhog, you’re wrong.
“I think it’s clear who the champion really was. Last year, I was willing to put that finger, right here, in the way to protect the people of this great borough. The only thing that stood between Chuck and you getting bitten was my finger and I have a scar to prove exactly how much I love one of the five best boroughs we have.”
From MarionStar: Buckeye Chuck says spring is on the way:
Ohio’s official winter weather predictor did not have a shadow on an overcast today at sunrise.
WMRN personality Scott Shawver declared Buckeye Chuck predicted that spring will be here soon as snow fell on a crowd of well more than 100 observers.
A few minutes earlier, Pennsylvania’s Punxsutawney (puhnk-suh-TAW’-nee) Phil emerged and did see his shadow, providing a prediction that winter will last another six weeks.
Some Groundhog’s Day history, from Shallow Nation:
The town for which the groundhog is named, Punxsutawney, is in the western part of the state, approximately 75 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. The tradition has been celebrated for 99 years, of which the groundhog has predicted spring only 15 times.
The annual tradition derives from ancient traditions in many cultures which celebrate the Feb. 2 date, known as Candlemas, the halfway point between the start of winter and of spring; it was believed that if a hibernating animal emerging on that day saw its shadow, it predicted six more weeks of cold weather. It was the 1993 movie, Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray set in the Pennsylvania town, which brought the town’s annual tradition to greater prominence.
Classic Groundhog Day video… Staten Island Chuck, New York’s groundhog, bit Mayor Michael Bloomberg last year at Staten Island Zoo’s annual Groundhog Day event.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg Bitten by Groundhog on Groundhog’s Day 2009
Other Groundhog Day reading:
Publius, Big Government: Tuesday Open Thread: Groundhog Day Edition
NY Times: Critics’ Picks Video: ‘Groundhog Day’
Lemur King’s Folly: Happy Groundhog Day!
Soliloquy: (Un)Happy Groundhog Day!
Columbusbestblog: Buckeye Chuck predicts early spring
The Post Chronicle: Groundhog Day (Video) Will He Bite Again?
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[...] Groundhog Day Prediction, Plus Video Rewind: 2009 Video of Mayor …Happy Groundhog Day! Prediction today from Pennsylvania’s famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, is that we’ll have six more weeks of cold winter. Yep, he saw that pesky shadow. UPDATE: Jimmy the groundhog in Sun Prairie, … Read more [...]
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[...] Is Obama in Big Labor’s Pocket? SEIU Prez Andy Stern Most Frequent Visitor to White House and Groundhog Day Prediction, Plus Video Rewind: 2009 Video of Mayor Bloomberg Being Bitten by NY’s St… Democrats’ Funny “Top 10 Moments”: Tough Going for Dems with Lost Elections, Rude Senators, [...]
[...] Groundhog Day Prediction, Plus Video Rewind: 2009 Video of Mayor …Groundhog Day Prediction, Plus Video Rewind: 2009 Video of Mayor …Happy Groundhog Day! Prediction today from Pennsylvania’s famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, is that we’ll have six more weeks of cold winter. …Read more [...]
[...] Groundhog Day Prediction, Plus Video Rewind: 2009 Video of Mayor …Groundhog Day Prediction, Plus Video Rewind: 2009 Video of Mayor …Happy Groundhog Day! Prediction today from Pennsylvania’s famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, is that we’ll have six more weeks of cold winter. … Read more [...]
[...] Groundhog Day Prediction, Plus Video Rewind: 2009 Video of Mayor …Groundhog Day Prediction, Plus Video Rewind: 2009 Video of Mayor …Happy Groundhog Day! Prediction today from Pennsylvania’s famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, is that we’ll have six more weeks of cold winter. …Read more [...]