Day 687 (Tidbits)

It's Hippy Dippy Weatherman time over at the Day 687 post on THE 800 DAYS blog!

The Hippy Dippy Weatherman is a character/skit created by the late George Carlin (1937-2008). Carlin was noted for his black humour and also for taking risks in his comedic efforts by often creating scathing social commentary comedy bits on political topics, and many, many taboo topics. The topics of Psychology, Religion, Gender, Drugs/dope were topics most comics would shy away from but some of Carlin's greatest comedy routines were full of these topics.

George Carlin is definitely one of my favourite comedy presenters EVER and a most impressive thinker, too. I'm glad Blake put the Hippy Dippy Weatherman vid on the Day 687 post 'cos I had forgotten about that one and wouldn't have searched for it without prompts! Blake mentions Carlin as one of his mom's (Kat Vale's) fave performers, too!

The Hippy Dippy Weatherman skit is a lead in Blake uses to approach the topic of severe weather and current weather events...

Oh, and by the way, February 2, the date of Blake's post to The 800 Days blog is known as GROUNDHOG DAY to most North Americans. The idea of this involves a groundhog as predictor of the weather for the next few months after the groundhog rises out of its winter hibernation state. If the groundhog awakens and comes out of its burrow to see clouds, winter will soon end. If the groundhog meets with the sun, the winter weather will supposedly continue for 6 more weeks.

Another way to put it: If the groundhog sees his shadow (he pops out of his burrow when the sun is shining), more winter and Mr. Groundhog will go directly back into his burrow to wait out the weather. If the groundhog doesn't see his shadow - winter is almost over- and Mr. Groundhog will leave his burrow and start exploring.

In Canada, one of the most well known Groundhogs is Sutton Sammy from Ontario. This year, Sutton Sammy predicted and early spring by coming out of his burrow to explore. HOWEVER - Balzac Billy in Alberta, Canada went back into his burrow - thus, Alberta's going to have at least 6 more weeks of winter (Balzac Billy has been correct so far as there have been mostly minus 15 celsius or colder temperatures ever since Billy woke up from his hibernation). Truthfully, I think Sutton Sammy may have made an error as I have heard via National News sources that Ontario's had awful, snowy weather throughout February.

(*Note: I am using HINDSIGHT HERE as I am writing my reviews, at this point, several weeks AFTER Blake's original posts).

The Day 687 post is associated with funnyman George Carlin, with severe weather predictions, with Mr. Groundhog and the posting date of Wednesday February 2 2011.