Some random thoughts

I really don't know what to think about that incident in Boston where two guys put up lighted cartoon characters, and shut the city down because someone saw one and thought it was a bomb.

On the one hand, I want to laugh because it's funny. It's whimsical and silly and apparently those little critters went up in several cities and no one really noticed. It's also sophomoric, and the two guys at their arraignment didn't help much with their attitude. Or their appearance.

On the other hand, what if somene had put up an explosive device, and it detonated? It could happen. Then we'd be lamenting how unprotected we are and how careless we've been.

Either way, there's no right answer. I like to think as a nation we still have a sense of humor. If not, then the terrorists are winning. They said they'd destroy us from within. They don't even have to try; we're doing it to ourselves. Maybe that's their plan.


It seems that Punxutawny Phil failed to see his shadow, and we'll have an early spring. You gotta wonder about any rodent, or any other critter, so afraid of his shadow that he burrows back inside if he sees it. Can you put much faith in someone with that kind of lack of self-confidence?

So if Phil had seen his shadow, we'd have six more weeks of winter putting spring at — oh, say — mid-March. Right where it usually is. Spring will get here when it gets here. The groundhog simply has a good PR agent.


Maybe I should say something about Super Bowl Sunday. Everyone else has. It's second only to Thanksgiving in conspicuous food consumption. Probably more boozing goes on than during New Year's Eve. Some churches have cancelled Sunday afternoon activities; they know no one will show up anyway. Advertisers love it; they trot out commercials that will be aired only during the game, confirming that sometimes the commercials are better than the programming. And the network makes big bucks on the ads, so they have something to tide them over until Christmas when they rake it more profits.

Oh yeah. Two teams will play football. Seems like a whole lot of hype over a silly game. I wonder if the groundhog has a TV, beer and chicken wings in his burrow for Sunday. Depending on who wins, he may be too hung over to come out until spring.