It has come to my attention recently that Staten Island has STOLEN PA’S IDEA. The NYC borough has something they call “Staten Island Chuck,” a groundhog. And what do you think Chuck’s claim to highly localized fame might be? That’s right, he looks for his shadow on February 2, and makes a call about the remaining amounts of winter.
OK, Staten Island, come on. We know how great it is to have a large rodent letting us know what to expect out of winter: Punxsatawney Phil has been Pennsylvania’s official prognosticator since 1887. But you lose in the creativity department. Could you not have picked another indigenous woodlands critter? A possum? Chipmunk? Weasel? Seriously.
So memo from Pennsylvania to Staten Island: please make an improvement. Oh, and General Beauregard Lee of Georgia, and Wiarton Willie of Ontario? That goes double for you. Thanks for your attention in the matter.
Color Phil Not Impressed
-Jen
3 Comments
February 18, 2009 at 11:21 am
Please note: While Staten Island Chuck, aka Charles G. Hogg, hasn’t quite hit his centennial birthday — he became New York City’s furry forecaster in 1981 — he is known for his accuracy. The 10-pound groundhog’s prediction turned out to be right 21 out of the last 28 times, according to the borough’s hometown paper, the Staten Island Advance. With nearly three decades on the job, Chuck is hardly a copycat woodland prognosticating critter.
March 5, 2009 at 1:52 pm
If I may add to the list of prognosticators… Woodstock, IL (where the movie Groundhog Day was filmed) also has a furry weather groundhog. He is known as Woodstock Willie. Just remember, Phil, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!
July 15, 2009 at 6:37 am
Don’t forget Malverne Mel, which is what passes for a weather forecasting groundhog in Malverne, Long Island.