For Us Rust Belters, D.C. Residents Not Handling Snow Is A Metaphor.

When the President mentioned his incredulity at a snow day in D.C. which wouldn't even be a second thought back home in Chicago or any other Midwestern city, he was speaking as the new out-of-town hire trying to process his new home's culture out loud with his co-workers. Of course, as Leader of the Free World and many media recording it, word gets around.

Which leads to one WaPo columnist whining about how they're not used to Winter driving in D.C. (BTW, nice fedora dude; very "The Front Page.")

And another relating on how an administrator at the Obama girls' school mouthed back at the president for denying the children of D.C. a snow day, with a bonus snarky comment about his schooling in Hawaii.

See, what they don't understand in D.C. is this: just as many Washingtonians and Southerners used the Detroit automakers' financial problems as a springboard to any number of unrelated smears (union workers are spoiled, car companies are stupid, the Midwest is antiquated and should be abandoned, blahblahblah), we Midwesteners look at a seemingly groundless snow day -- so the kids can stay home with the nanny, instead of parents scrambling to figure out who's going to watch them for the day -- as an indicia of Washingtonian out-of-touch-ness with the world -- which does exist -- outside the Beltway.

Let recall that John Kennedy once said, "Washington is a city of Southern efficiency and Northern charm."

Running the NHL, Gary Bettman is a Blind Squirrel

In the sense of a blind squirrel occasionally finding a nut, that is.

So, despite Bettman (sucks!) being incomprehensibly coy about continuing a twice-successful annual event to number three and beyond, congrats to the league on its successful Winter Classic on New Year's Day, where the Wings downed the 'Hawks at Wrigley. I agree with my friend Hockey Dino that is was a great event: good hockey game, great aestethics, increased TV ratings. There were some pros and cons, like: as great as the unis were (especially the Chicago use of old school off-white), Bob Costas seemed like he was bummed slumming doing hockey outdoors on New Year's Day.

I personally thought the game should've been at Solider Field to get a bigger crowd in, but doing that would've eliminated the perceived North Side / Wrigley cachet, allowed the 'Hawks to keep Red Wings fans out, and, most importantly, would have prevented the NHL and Blackhawks from sufficiently holding up Chicago's season ticket holders.

As much as there are now calls for Michigan Stadium or Beaver Stadium (please, not Sidney Crosby again) to host the event soon, may I suggest that you have to spread this thing around: the next two events should be Rangers / Maple Leafs in New Yankee Stadium, and Bruins / Canadiens at Fenway. (A wild card possibility for next year: the Canucks hosting in the lead-up to their Winter Olympics). This way, there's no better way to go old school, playing outside, than by going with the Original Six.

The Winter Solstice 2008: Pro and Con

Con: Yesterday was still Autumn, for God's sake!!!

Pro: Beginning now, more sunlight each day. . . so we can better discern the hypothermia in our digits and extremities.

On This Evening of a Snow Storm in Michigan, Thousands of Ice Cubes Are Being Flushed Down Toilets

In our house tonight, in an effort to prod a snow day along, a spoon is under a pillow, jammies are on backwards (or should they be inside-out?), and ice cubes have been flushed.

Until the last few years, I'd never heard of these superstitions, even growing up around here. Wonder where they first started.

Last Winter, NPR took a shot at answering, here.

Non Sequitur of the Day: Puns On Holiday Retailing Media Cliches Edition

"*Sigh* Brrrrr Monday."

In and around The D, and then everywhere else.

Manager of the Rays Dressed to Bwast Screwy Wabbit

The sports fan in me would typically be bumming that the World Series is currently in scheduling purgatory.

But when you actually have team-issued cold weather baseball caps with ear flaps, and make your two best teams play in weather that makes them look like a drowned rat, my degree of bummertude plunges to pretty much zero.

And it can potentially get worse next year.

Boys of Summer, indeed.

"Norbert, Norbit, Let's Call the Whole Thing Off"

As I write this, Hurricane Norbert is doing great damage to Mexico.

Somewhere, Eddie Murphy cringes, thinking of his own greatly damaging Norbert Norbit, and sheds a tear.

But at least he's dressed properly -- surf's up! >>

God's Meteorological Payback Can Be a Bitch

Dear God:

If Rev. Hagee -- whose endorsement Sen. McCain Gramps courted -- said that Hurricane Katrina was Your will because You were punishing New Orleans for hosting a Gay Pride parade, then is Your 2008 hurricane season, during which You are unleashing Your wrath unto states run by Republic governors. . . similar divine intervention?

If not, if it's all random weather development, would You please ensure Rev. Hagee pays for his blasphemy in Your name?

Thank you.

And now, some appropriate music: