Groundhog Bites Mayor Bloomberg - The Huffington Post

Read original...

Who can forget that Charles G. Hogg (Chuck), the groundhog from the Staten island Zoo was smarter than New York City voters last year when he took a bite out of Mayor Bloomberg, let's see what happens this year...

Groundhog Day

Happy Groundhog Day - Groundhog Day Movie Trailer...

Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated on February 2. It is held in the United States and Canada. According to folklore, if a groundhog emerging from its burrow on this day fails to see its shadow, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter will soon end. If on the other hand, the groundhog sees its shadow, the groundhog will supposedly retreat into its burrow, and winter will continue for six more weeks. The holiday, which began as a Pennsylvania German custom in southeastern and central Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries, has its origins in ancient European weather lore, wherein a badger or sacred bear is the prognosticator as opposed to a groundhog. The holiday also bears some similarities to the medieval Catholic holiday of Candlemas. It also bears similarities to the Pagan festival of Imbolc, the seasonal turning point of the Celtic calendar, which is celebrated on February 2 and also involves weather prognostication.

Read more...