Time To Go Outside

As I mentioned the other day when I wrote about having to change both shear pins during a freezing rain shower after they broke trying to clear wet and heavy snow, I may have officially reached my breaking point with this winter. For the first time in several years I actually had to remind myself why I live here instead of someplace warmer (short answer - I hate heat even more than snow). I love the change in seasons as much as the next guy, but even I can feel like enough is enough. Given how hard this winter has been I hardly think I am alone in that. Even by the toughest of standards this winter has been more than most people should be expected to handle. Still, even with that moment of exasperation at least I can hold my head up high and claim that I never tried to blame a rodent for my troubles. It is just too bad not everyone can still make that claim. A prosecutor in Butler County, Ohio (just north of Cincinnati) has filed an indictment against Punxsutawney Phil, claiming his proclamation back on February 2nd that there were only six more weeks of winter deliberately and maliciously misled people. He is seeking extradition to Ohio and if Phi is found guilty the penalty would be death.

Now, I am sure this was done very tongue-in-cheek but it still does not paint the people of Butler County in a very good light because not only did they have time to think this up, they still thought it was a good idea the next morning, wrote it out and then sent it to the proper authorities. You would have thought somewhere along the line someone would have been like, "Hey, I think this has gone on far enough. The joke was funny for a second, but maybe we should stop now." (Although, on a positive note they clearly have a low crime rate if a prosecutor has this much free time.) Even worse the people of Pennsylvania have begun to stand up for Phil, claiming he never made claims about how warm the spring was going to be, just that it would start. This is what happens when people spend too much time inside. I've always said the reason Boston produces so many funny comedians is because people have to spend the winter months inside entertaining themselves, but clearly people's imaginations can take very different paths. I can only hope it starts to warm up in Southern Ohio very soon, because we wouldn't want the legal system being clogged with frivolous lawsuits against the Freeze Miser.