Do You Think Punxsutawney Phil Should be Replaced With Robo-Groundhog?

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   Green Lotusposted 13 years ago

   Happy Groundhog's Day Hubbers!  Did you know that PETA wants to replace Punxsutawney Phil, Groundhog Day's beloved mascot, with a ROBOT claiming that the star of the February 2nd tradition is being exploited! What do you think?!!

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      A Texanposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I think we should BBQ Punxsutawney Phil and serve him up with some cole slaw and potato salad!

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         tobey100posted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Typical Texan, thinking with their stomach! 

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         Green Lotusposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         You are outrageous!

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            A Texanposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Is that good or bad? Now that I think about it you're right, probably should add a Bearnaise sauce!

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               tobey100posted 13 years agoin reply to this

               It's all good and don't make me laugh.  My damn nose is broke and you ain't helping. 
               
               ps  I'd go the barbeque route.

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      Justine76posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      as long as it never sees its damn shadow, I dont care if they use a stuffed animal. But...I also think peta is going overboard. maybe theyll do some sort of naked protest?

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         Green Lotusposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Justine I think Phil did see his shadow today meaning six more weeks of winter). I like winter in Georgia so no complaints here! How about a naked Peta protest using a naked robot?

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            Justine76posted 13 years agoin reply to this

            GASP!! A naked roobot!! Now thats just....indecent....   

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               Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               

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      B.C. BOUTIQUEposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      NO!!
      that would be like getting rid of or replacing "Buckeye Chuck"
      
      Its kind of our Ohio-Pennsylvania rivalry , in a way, just like a Browns Steelers game.
      
      Let Tradition be tradition, the animals are not harmed and are very well taken care of, they are quite the local celebrities!

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   cosetteposted 13 years ago

   i think those PETA people are going a little overboard. maybe Phil likes his gig...
   
   a robot? good grief.

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   The Ropeposted 13 years ago

   PETA is trying to make headlines every which way.  One of their last campaigns was to replace the UGA mascot with a robot.  That campaign failed because they didn't do their homework.  "Ugga" the official mascot, lives better than most humans on earth and is well cared for and seemingly loves his life.  Good grief, in the 50's and 60's the boy (an earlier "ugga" obviously) had his own hotel suite, his own groomer and his own handler.  PETA needs a reality check.

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      TheGlassSpiderposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Am I the only who hears creepy echoes of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (the book that became Blade Runner) in this whole animal robot deal?
      
      Weird stuff. That groundhog (whose name I can't spell) is an enormous, lazy old fuzzball who's cared for better than his poor wild counterparts. I assure PETA that he gets fed and watered and medical care and probably luvin's and all that crap, and all he has to do is get held up in front of a crowd once a year. He's a happy hog. I'm all for animal rights, don't get me wrong...but the PETA people are just out there. They complain and make a fuss about weird fringe stuff and fail to do anything (that I can see) about the really terrible common abuses that even moderates can agree on. Strange.

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         Green Lotusposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I agree totally. If they keep it up, I just might start wearing my Mom's mink coat when I visit the north in winter, as a PETA protest.

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            cosetteposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            i know this sounds terrible, especially since i have a little furry creature of my own (a rabbit), but sometimes i see fur coats like white mink and think 'ahh'...i would love to wear one just once. mmm i bet they are soft and silky.
            
            but i do think it is wrong to slaughter defenseless creatures like baby seals and whatnot just to take their skins.

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               Green Lotusposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               I think there's a fine line between what's politically correct and what's not when it comes to the fur industry. If it's about inhumane treatment to animals (PETA's main "pet peeve") something can be done to correct it. If it's about using animals for our own purposes, well that opens up a whole different kettle of fish (or lamb stew if you please).
               
               Recently the figure skater Johnny Weir was ruthlessly attacked by PETA and other animal activists for having a bit of fox trim on his costume. His reply was one of disgust saying "“You’re protecting animals (while) we have soldiers dying all around the world.” He also asked why they didn't pick on those who wear leather and other hides. Interesting point.

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   Daniel Carterposted 13 years ago

   Everything/everyone could be exploited and still reap huge benefits. The question is in that exploitation is there any real, damaging abuse. That would be the problem, not exploitation. The word is too broad, and to use as solely a negative form is just narrow minded and slightly stupid.
   
   Hence, leave Phil alone. He's luckier than most Americans.

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      The Ropeposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Here!  Here!

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   PrettyPantherposted 13 years ago

   I am a huge animal lover, and PETA has done a lot of good for animals over the years, but they've gone off the deep end more than once, and this is one of those times.
   
   They lose credibility when they push issues like this.

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   rebekahELLEposted 13 years ago

   I've heard that Phil is well taken care of!
   
   robo groundhog?

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      Green Lotusposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      It's that "Surrogate" mentality creeping into our culture

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   Green Lotusposted 13 years ago

   Peta is saying that Phil is being abused because he's on display all year and is subjected to screaming crowds, excited children, ect, ect. I say, if Phil is happily eating his 3 square meals and shows no sign of aggresssion or illness, he's better off entertaining the crowds than fending for himself in the wild.

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      rebekahELLEposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      with that logic, it would carry over into a lot of things.
      animals adapt to their environment.
      
      mabye they should have robo teachers in the classrooms!

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         Ghost32posted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Ummm...in some cases, from what I remember of my school days...they already DO have robo teachers in the classrooms!
         
         Of course, we can expect to hear about the radical new RATS orgazation any day now.... (That would be the "Robo-Abused Teacher Surrogates".)

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   Green Lotusposted 13 years ago

   Hmmmm. I have to ponder on that one.

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   tobey100posted 13 years ago

   Why don't we replace Phil with Al Gore?  He's about as accurate.

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      Rochelle Frankposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      That's a good idea-- In fact, all animals and humans--especially politicians, should be replaced with . . .  something.

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    Green Lotusposted 13 years ago

    Just for the record..According to the Groundhog Inner Circle, Phil is extremely accurate with a spot on prediction of 100%. Although it's also been said that it is practically impossible to have an early spring. Depends on where you live too

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       tobey100posted 13 years agoin reply to this

       I did not know that!  I'm impressed and am changing my opinion of the little guy.

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          Green Lotusposted 13 years agoin reply to this

             

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             tobey100posted 13 years agoin reply to this

             I'm in your debt 

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    Cagsilposted 13 years ago

    The little fellow is a STAR and has STAR POWER, how could any idiot even think about replacing him.
    
    Not that I agree with an animal giving prediction about how long winter season is going to be. It's simply foolish. But, again, it's a star after so many years and that star power is going to keep him in charge, per se.
    
    I could not care any less with whether or not it saw it's own shadow.

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       Green Lotusposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Thumbs up Cagsil!

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    Pani Midnyte Odinposted 13 years ago

    #1 Phil has it better than most groundhogs do.
    #2 What would happen to him if they started using a robot instead?
    -He would have to be put in a zoo because he has been in human civilization for so long that he'd never make it in the wild. A zoo would be the exact same environment.
    #3 Dogs and cats are subjected to screaming children and large crowds of people all the time. Is PETA going to try to take away my cats next? That's not gonna happen!
    
    I think PETA does some good things, but some things they do are RIDICULOUS. Phil is happy, healthy, and an icon. If anything, Phil shows people that animals are useful and should be treated with respect.

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       Green Lotusposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Remember when PETA trashed the President for swatting a fly? It's unbelievable what they'll do for publicity. (hey don't pick up on Obama on this thread puhleeze :lol

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          Pani Midnyte Odinposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          Yes, that was insane considering the average fly only lives 24-72 hours anyway. And, if they know so much about animals, they would also know that, because of over-population, flies spread disease among human beings and other animals, as do mosquitoes. PETA is crazy.

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    torimariposted 13 years ago

    Oh, PETA...making us vegetarians, vegans an animal activists often look silly. I appreciate their conviction, but this is overboard...how they go about things does not encourage or educate people about animal problems, rather pushes them away sometimes!
    
    People do far worse things to animals than have a groundhog as a mascot...they should be focusing their energies elsewhere like on cruelty in puppy mills, seal clubbing and fur trades.

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    aakbar02posted 13 years ago

    hai  frions

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    farooqueumposted 13 years ago

    i love you B C BOUTIQUE

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    aakbar02posted 13 years ago

    EVIRIBODY     THIS     BEST OF TIME TAKE CARE MY FRIONS  BY THE WAY ,YOU SHOUID SPREAD   DON T MISS YOU         GOOD LUCK  AKBAR  INDIA  KERALA MEENANGADI   54

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    sunforgedposted 13 years ago

    I believe the issue with Phil, which has not been noted even once, is that groundhogs normally hibernate....the conditions Phil lives in do not allow for him to live his natural rhythms
    
    groundhogs hibernate between october and march/april so naturally phil shouldnt be awake to perform groundhogs day activities.
    
    
    what keeps being cited as conditins better than many humans seems to suggest that a groundhog would prefer human conditions which it probably doesnt.
    
    essentially a gilded cage situation
    
    
    
    ..its a retarded custom anyway, everyone seems to be stuck on the animatronics aspect ...who cares, why not just stop it completely...Bill Murray didnt seem happy when he was stuck in Punxsutawney

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       Green Lotusposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Very insightful comment sunforged; however, Phil is not on display all year as PETA suggests. Those who live in Punxsutawney have responded by saying that Phil is allowed to hibernate. I don't exactly know whether they "wake him up" for groundhog's day.

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    sunforgedposted 13 years ago

    Ive done some light research since reading this thread, according to what ive seen so far, Phil lives in a "habitat" in their library and is on display year round

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    Has_aWayWithWordsposted 13 years ago

    just shoot the groundhog and let's make soup..

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       Green Lotusposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       No one can say you don't have a way with words

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    farooqueumposted 13 years ago

    i love you

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    bearnmomposted 13 years ago

    I have not read any of the other postings because I don't want to be influenced by anyone else's opinions.  I think that Phil is an institution that should be kept going.  No robot is ever going to replace the sensationalism that one little ground hog has created over the years.  I thoroughly enjoyed the movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray and I am of the opinion if it had been a robot the movie would never have made the silver screen.  I have never been present for one of the events but my son lived in Dubois for 18 months and took the trip down.  He reported that the event was every bit as fun as it appears to be on TV.

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