Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day, the holiday, not the movie, strikes me as little more than a publicity stunt these days. There is one famous groundhog in Pennsylvania who predicts the coming severity of the weather. Here’s the event website. Sounds like a fun day, but the one moment where Punxatawney Phil checks for his shadow is such a small part of it. It’s all about civic pride and pumping up the local economy. These are two commendable things in today’s society, so let them wear their big hats and have their fun.

And Phil saw his shadow yesterday, which means six more weeks of winter. And what does it mean for those of us who have not really had winter yet?

Jeffrey L Cohen

Jeffrey L Cohen