Opinion: Groundhog Day

Monday is one of those two-way days. In the warmer climes, like southern California, Florida, Italy, and Hong Kong, it’s Bill Murray Day.

If Bill comes out of his trailer, depresses the plunger, and the explosive that he had planted blows up, it means no more golf for a while. (Forgive me for blending two of Murray’s signature movies.) However, in the Earth’s freezers, like Wisconsin, Scotland, Norway, and our soon-to-be-newest-state Canada — on maybe Greenland — if a rodent pops up from its hidey-hole and sees its shadow because it’s a sunny day, it means six more weeks of winter.

In California which had six rate increases in its service from Pacific Gas and Electric Company during 2024, what a reclusive whistlepig does in Pennsylvania is especially important. Folks in the Golden State who are writing substantial checks to the monopolistic power company are hoping that it will be a very cloudy day in Punxsutawney, and Phil will predict an early spring. Scientists will tell you that it’s all hocus-pocus, but many human beings who inhabit our planet need to believe in the power of magical animals.