Since I heard about this on Sunday and saw the video today, it has still not gotten old, and will never get old. Surely by now you’ve heard that our outgoing President, George W. Bush, had to bob and weave like Floyd Mayweather to avoid two shoes being chucked at him—with impressive aim and velocity—by an Iraqi reporter at a news conference in the Prime Minister’s office during Dubya’s surprise visit on Sunday. It was unquestionably the most eloquent use of footwear to make a political statement since Nikita Khrushchev banged his shoe on the table at the UN in 1960. (And surely you’ve also heard by now that one of the most vehement shows of disrespect in the Muslim world is to show the bottom of one’s shoe to another—or, more directly, throw it at him or her—because it’s akin to saying, “You scum-sucking pig! You son of a motherless goat!”*)
Here is the video, taken from Brazilian television (I cannot explain why, but the Portuguese somehow makes it that much funnier). FYI: search YouTube for clips that include slow motion and alternate angles, if you care to analyze the footage—pun intended—like it’s the Zapruder film and search for a second shoe-lobber. I’m quite content to watch this clip, though.
Anywho, I have a forecast update for you—potential for some hazardous driving conditions and winter weather over the coming days. Stay tuned, as always, for updates, as things can change quickly with a storm like this.
Tuesday 12/16: It’s difficult to believe given today’s very mild temperatures in the mid 60s, but by Tuesday morning’s commute, the temperature will only be in the upper 30s; it will drop to freezing by the time school lets out Tuesday. What this means for us is that it will be cold enough—both in terms of surface temperatures and the air aloft—to precipitate in a wintry fashion and create travel troubles.
Rain in the morning, mixing with freezing rain by late morning; changing over to snow by 1 or 2 in the afternoon. Snow continues intermittently, making travel a bit dicey; snow intensifies later and overnight into Wednesday morning, bringing a total accumulation of snow and ice to 2 to 4 inches. (Philly suburbs get less accumulation but more icing; Lehigh Valley and northern Berks could see as much as six inches of snow, depending on when the changeover takes place.)
Cancellations / delays: The snow and ice in particular make Tuesday evening’s commute potentially dodgy, so be careful. Tuesday AM delay 15%; cancellation 10%; early dismissal 35%.
Wednesday 12/17: Snow ends mid-morning, possibly mixing with sleet. High 38, low 29.
Cancellations / delays: Wednesday AM is the most treacherous; depending on snow totals, we could see some cancellations. Wednesday AM delay 85%; cancellation 45%.
(Remember that the cancellation and delay potentials are evaluated separately, as distinct events, and you should not look for percentages to add up in any particular way. For example, when I say there is an 85% chance of delay on Wednesday, there is no converse percentage implied. Can a statistics teacher out there help me explain this more clearly? I’m not even sure what the hell I mean.)
Thursday 12/18: Cloudy and milder with rain possible on and off. High 42, low 34.
Friday 12/19: Overcast and windy with a shower or two; snow may develop later on. High 44, low 31.
Saturday 12/20: Partly cloudy and colder. High 38, low 27.
Sunday 12/21: Overcast with a few breaks of sunshine; some snow showers are possible. High 35, low 21.
Monday 12/22: Sunny, clear, windy and cold. High 33, low 18.
Tuesday 12/23: Sunny, clear, breezy and colder. High 28, low 16.
Wednesday 12/24: Partly to mostly cloudy with snow possible late. High 34, low 22.
Thursday 12/25: Cloudy and cold with no precipitation around today (though given the cold temperatures, some snowfall from the preceding week or so could still be on the ground, technically making it a “white Christmas”). High 33, low 21.
Friday 12/26: Overcast with snow developing; could accumulate. High 34, low 26.
Next weekend: Very cold and snowy with highs struggling to get out of the 30s.
Beyond: A bit milder the last few days of 2008 and into 2009, it appears.
*Be the first to email me with the source of this reference (and another accurate quotation from the same source) and you will win a priceless gift: prominent mention in this vaunted space in my next posting, along with my deepest admiration.