Freezing Up In Here

So, last night, on our local Fox station, the lead story on the 10:00pm news was the frigid cold snap ravaging Central Florida. "LIVE TEAM COVERAGE" They busted out the weatherman. The anchors were all making their usual rehearsed "ad lib" puns about the cold. They even had a reporter out on the streets. She holds up a thermometer and says, "As you can see, it is 40 degrees out here. But as you said, with the wind ... it is much ... much... colder." Then she goes on to say, "But even with the frigid conditions, it has not stopped people from braving the elements."

Now, bear in mind that this is an area that was hit by three hurricanes this year. I would expect that kind of commentary during a natural disaster. But when the temperature hits 40 degrees? Come on. And it is supposed to be like this for a week or more. Are we doomed to "LIVE TEAM COVERAGE" every day for a week? They then did a story about parents at their kids' soccer game that night. They were all bundled up like they were extras in the Alien vs. Predator movie. One lady said, "I"m wearing six layers and I'm still freezing." Good night nurse. It was FORTY DEGREES!

Then, of course, they have to warn us to bring in our plants and pets. You know, the thing I don't get is that this happens every year - winter I mean. It is one of the seasons. I know we live in Florida, but it is not like that means we never have a cold day. You would think we had a bunch of morons living here. (Well, I guess that is a possibility) It is not like the hurricane rush, where we had not had one cruise through for forty years. We have cold days every year. It may only be five or ten, but they happen. Did we just gain a bunch of newbies who have never braved the terrible Florida winter? If we did gain new residents, where did they come from? Chances are - since we are so far south - these people came from up North. Now, wouldn't they understand that winter=cold weather= dead plants? I would think. Yet we have the weather people present an action plan through their "LIVE TEAM COVERAGE" to show us how to survive the chilly nights.

Cracks me up every year. Reminds me of the scene in L.A. Story where Steve Martin's weatherman character in L.A. just records a week's worth of weather updates because the weather never changes - and then it rains. The whole city freaks out. Like the Guns N Roses November Rain video where all the wedding guests go charging around when the rain comes and start diving under tables and stuff - like the rain was going to do them great harm. That's Florida. They overreact when it gets too cold or too hot or too rainy or too dry. But they completely ignore the weather when a hurricane is coming. "Me n Myrtle ain't leavin'! We've been through wurse'n that before." Then after the hurricane the same people are sitting on their collapsed trailer crying and saying, "We dun lost ev'rything. Couldn't do nuthin about it neither." Of course, this will be shown on the "LIVE TEAM COVERAGE" - unless it is too cold.