Phil Says "Six More Weeks of Winter!"

Despite overheating in my puffy winter coat in today's 47F weather I won't be putting it away just yet. Why? Because Phil says so.

Who is Phil you ask? Punxsutawney Phil, according to his website, is the "Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators." So what Phils says, goes.

Since February 2, 1887, the small town of Punxsutawney in Pennsylvania has had a groundhog predict the weather. According to his website (www.groundhog.org) Phil is the only true weather forecasting groundhog, and always 100% correct. Also, there has only been one Phil. He has been making predictions for over 120 years because he drinks a secret potion called the"elixir of life," every summer at the Groundhog Picnic, which magically gives him seven more years of life.

Apparently, when Phil leaves his burrow on February 2nd and sees his shadow, we will have six more weeks of winter. (He tells the Groundhog Club President in "Groundhogese")His proclamation is then translated for the world. Today he did, so don't trust all that modern technology, trust Phil, and don't put away your winter clothes just yet.

By the way, an impostor-groundhog bit NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg in the hand. Maybe Bloomberg's "Groundhogese" wasn't fluent and there was a misunderstanding.

Biking in Boston still a Battle

As I arrived in class this morning, as sweaty and disheveled as always from biking down Comm Ave, I contemplated the new and highly touted bike lanes.

Biking in Boston is nothing short of nerve-wracking. The lack of bike lanes, excessive amount of potholes and aggressive drivers make cycling in Boston a battle; giving insight into why Boston is routinely ranked the worst city in America to bike in. Last year, Bicycling Magazine listed Boston as one of the worst cities in the Nation for biking, for the third time since 1999.

In order to fight these labels, Mayor Thomas M. Menino, a newly converted biking enthusiast himself, outlined plans to make Boston a bike friendly city.However, even though some of the outlined ideas have already gone into effect,it does not seem like biking in Boston has become any less of a terrifying experience. In fact, bike lanes might have even made things worse.

The newly created bike lanes on Commonwealth Avenue, the first in Boston, serve as a bike-only refuge.Previously, bikers used to be a strange hybrid, half vehicle, half pedestrian,with no place to call their own.

So Mayor Menino introduced bike lanes to help the weary biker, but these only serve to agonizethe pitiable two-wheelers further. Bike lanes along Commonwealth Avenue are almost permanently obstructed by cars or construction, forcing the biker toeither dangerously swerve into the middle of traffic, or demean him/herself by stopping, getting off, pushing the bike onto the sidewalk, thereby angering pedestrians and admitting defeat.

Biking on roads on the other hand does not offer a much better alternative to pedestrian-heavy sidewalks. Biking on roads is nothing short of a sweaty and terrorizing experience.Cars unpark without as much as a sideways glance at the approaching biker, and aggressively honk their horns at bikers that are already pedaling their little hearts out, demanding them to go faster than physically possible.

Further, by the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and University Road, the bike path suddenlyand inexplicably leads into the middle of the road, cutting across traffic coming from Carlton Road, turning onto University Road, and heading straight onCommonwealth Avenue, leaving many puzzled bikers scratching their heads and choosing to continue on the sidewalk. That's not all though. Those who bravely remain on the oddly bent bike lane and survive cutting across multiple lanes oftraffic, will unexpectedly find themselves without a bike path and pedaling fortheir lives among cars once more, as the bike lane suddenly disappears into nothingness by St. Paul Street.

The much-touted bike lanes are also extremely narrow, causing conflict among bikers; ademographic that faces so many obstacles already that they need to stick together to remain unscathed.

Boston has the potential to be a great biking city. It's relatively small and flat, has the Charles to bike along, many parks, and is full of students. Even though considerable effort is being made to wipe Boston off the list of worst biking city, more work needs to be done. Menino: help the the two-wheelers!

Michael Phelps takes a hit (of weed)

Is Michael Phelps, swimmer extraordinaire and America's golden boy just another fratboy?

The 23 year old Olympic swimmer and winner of 14 gold medals, was caught smoking weed from a bong... And he looked like he knew what he was doing.

The world was shocked, fans disappointed, his reputation tainted. Sponsors might back out and his swimming career may be over due to new drug laws that could disqualify him from the 2012 Olympics.

But c'mon, he's 23. I'd be more surprised ifhe didn't experiment with weed. Even our President has admitted to smoking a doobie.  

Phelps issued a public apology, but who is he kidding, we know he's only sorry he got caught.

I say give the kid a break.

And Michael Phelps; just be a little more stealth next time and don't get caught. Or pull a Clinton and don't inhale.

Click here to see the picture: http://extras.newsoftheworld.co.uk/downloads/phelps_big_0102.jpg