Later today, at Gobbler's Knob near Punxsutawney, PA [the "land of the stinging gnats"] an extremely well-fed rodent named Phil will emerge from his lair to determine just how much longer this miserable winter will last.
Here's a short piece on the origins of these bizarre Western Pennsylvania cult rituals.
UPDATE:
Well, Phil came, he saw, and this is the result -- the official proclamation of Phil read at sunrise today:
Sorry, folks!Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Hear Ye!
On Gobbler's Knob on this fabulous Groundhog Day, February 2nd, 2008
Punxsutawney Phil, the Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators,
Rose to the call of President Bill Cooper and greeted his handlers, Ben Hughes and John Griffiths.After casting a weathered eye toward thousands of his faithful followers,
Phil consulted with President Cooper and directed him to the appropriate scroll, which proclaimed:"As I look around me, a bright sky I see, and a shadow beside me.
Six more weeks of winter it will be!"
Read it here.
