1977: A Madman Turns 40: 2017- Day 19

 
  40 years ago today, the city of Miami, Florida saw it's first ever observed snow fall. Tampa got a blizzard of .2 inches and in Pensacola, the thermometer fell to 10F! 

     This cold spell also resulted in the only recorded account of snow to fall in the Bahamas.
   
     Now you might think this is a joke, but this kinda of thing is a big deal, especially to places that don't get snow. I have relatives who live at the beach of North Carolina and if just 1 little snow flake falls, they cancel school because they just don't have the road clearing resources we do farther away from the coast. Since snow fell on a weekday in Miami, I am sure schools were closed.
  
     Nowadays, experts say that it's the hottest the earth has ever been. I'm not going to get into some debate over global warming or climate change. But ever since I was a little kid, I've been in love with cold weather, ice, and snow. Just last week, we got a really early one and I loved it. I'm sure the people of Miami enjoyed this freak weather pattern and I'm sure I would've too. But I just have to have more than a once in 40 year episode of snow. 

     The cold of 1977 was murder on the American economy and it wasn't just due to this 5 day blast of arctic air. Winter of '77 was cold, really cold! Crops in the deep south were destroyed by frost. Over the next several months, shipping delays and loss of sales would result in higher prices and businesses to scale back or shut down. I'll talk more about this later in the month in another posting of A Madman Turns 40. Until then, enjoy these photos of the Miami Winter Wonderland.

Something you don't see everyday, snow on palm trees.

I wonder how often this lady had to use an ice scraper in Miami
before the snow of 1977...

The Simpsons Winter Wingding #3

 It's another winter-themed Simpsons annual from Bongo Comics. This one is from 2008 and unlike the Winter Wingding I reviewed yesterday, this one is filled with some holiday cheer. Well, in the case of Flanders in the first story, it's more like holiday jeer.

   Due to the commercialization of Christmas, Ned decides to ban Christmas, including Santa, in the Flanders homestead. Feeling bad for Rod and Todd, the Simpsons try to bring a little magic to their household by posing as Santa on Christmas Eve. Yet, things get really outta hand when another Santa arrives; this one demanding presents like wallets and jewelry.
    Then in a Hanukkah-themed story, Krusty learns that their aren't any mascots for those eight crazy nights. Seeing dollar signs, the clown forms a focus group in order to create the Jewish version of Santa. What the group, made of Bart, Milhouse, Nelson, and Ralph design is the stuff of nightmares.
    There's two other stories in this volume. Both aren't holiday related and only one really involves winter as a plot device. That story has Homer going to Professor Frink for an experiment. Both hope to hibernate Homey over the winter months in order to lose weight. Cue a plot taken for Weekend At Bernie's (and a forgotten SNL parody ad starring the late Phil Hartman.) The second story has Bart sent to a Scared Straight program at Springfield Jail. Only, instead of being intimidated, Bart becomes the new boss on the cell block.
     4 stories; all very funny. When you need a break from the winter blahs and there's no new episodes of the Simpsons to watch, the Winter Wingdings are perfect. I only hope I can get the rest of annuals in time for next year's holiday festivities. Though you can enjoy these annuals any time of the year (it just helps to read theme during the winter!)

   Worth Consuming

    Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

   

The Simpsons Winter Wingding #5

    Cold weather and mischief abound in this 2010 winter annual from Bongo Comics. 
    First, the whole town of Springfield gets the flu. Then Homer wins a skiing trip. He gets free plane tickets, but they Simpsons would do better off if they just walked to the lodge thanks to lay-overs and contest restrictions. Lastly, Principal Skinner buys a school bus that can travel in any sort of weather conditions. It's up to Bart, Milhouse, and Nelson to sabotage the new machine or snow days will become a thing of the past.
    I enjoyed this collection of Simpsons stories. But just because there's a festive holiday scene on the cover, it's not a holiday comic. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy this comic during the holidays. I've gotten to enjoy my own snow days recently and this book was a perfect comic to help get in a Winter Wonderland kind of mood. Just add hot cocoa and a comfy blanket.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.
     

The Simpsons Winter Wingding #2

   Normally if a Christmas special isn't 100% about the holidays, I get quite upset. It's a big pet peeve of mine. But the title to the Simpsons: Winter Wingding doesn't imply that it's supposed to be holiday themed at the least. Instead, with these annual specials, I expect all of these stories to involve cold weather antics starring television's funniest family and their zany neighbors.
    As a bonus, this issue starts out with some holiday fun as Bart wishes for it to be Christmas everyday. Interestingly enough, this issue, while extremely silly, actually has some very good points economically and socially why 365 days of Christmas isn't exactly a good thing. 
    Finishing out this comic are a trio of short stories involving Bart and the Junior Campers going on a bobsled race, Otto the Bus Driver's guide to snowboarding lingo, and the greatest snowball fight in Springfield history.
    I love the Winter Wingdings. They are extremely enjoyable. Plus, they're a great cure for when you need a Simpsons holiday fix and your local TV station is airing a Treehouse of Horror marathon instead.
  
  Worth Consuming!

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

  

Baby, It's Freakin' Freezing Outside!!!

Folks, in case you just don't keep up with the weather, it's supposed to be really nasty on the Eart Coast. I live in North Carolina where the weather forecasts have been all over the place. Some say 3-6 inches, a couple has said over a foot if frozen precipitation. But the big thing that keeps popping up is the word ICE.

   Some weather people are predicting about .25-.5 inch of ice. I saw one report call for 3/4 of an inch near where I work. Regardless, with lots of ice come power outages.

   I'm planning on keeping up with my reviews. However, if the power goes out, I can't get online and I'm not going to drive on slick roads to find WiFi. If I missed my deadline for Family Comic Friday or can't post for a couple of days, blame it on the weather. But if the power stays on, I'll be posting.

  So for the time being, be safe, stay warm, and keep reading...