During the recent weekend parts of the United Kingdom saw a couple of centimeters of snow fall and accumulate. Nothing spectacular, just what I would describe as a below average winter weekends smattering of the white stuff that the country experiences every year. If going out socially or to work was too hazardous or onerous during this brief flurry then what else was there to do? The answer is obvious, stay at home and enjoy the hysterical coverage in the press and on the television and radio.
The build up to the 'Big Freeze' during the final days of last week was absurd. Any self respecting Martian listening in would have thought that we were facing Armageddon! What on earth those poor souls in Eastern Europe currently enduring some of the coldest temperatures on record, down to -33 degrees, must think of us doesn't bear considering.
Originality is not something that occurs too often in our media and this brief spell of inclement weather has produced all the usual rubbish. Coverage and photographs of a few celebs and their offspring sledging down Primrose Hill. This time round it was Tim Burton and Helena Bonham-Carter who thrilled the photographers and us with their antics. And why Primrose Hill? Because all the lazy bastard press photographers live just round the corner and they can get their pictures done and be back indoors by half past ten in the morning.
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| Predictable! |
Equally culpable in this weather induced feeding frenzy are the TV channels. Sky News in particular must have a reporter primed and ready, swathed in Marks and Spencer matching scarf and hat sets, in every city in the country. Cue shots of sledging infants hurtling down hill sides followed by the aforementioned reporter being ambushed by snowball throwing thugs. Usually with a follow up report a couple of days later about the dangers of these hoodlums and how they all deserve ASBO's.
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| Boring! |
A more recent phenomenon has been the sharing via social media of other peoples snow pictures and experiences. If I've seen one picture of someones son/daughter/grandchild building a snowman/riding a sledge/making a snow angel then I've seen a thousand. For crying out loud keep the bloody pictures to yourself unless there is something remotely original to share.
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| Much better! |
It's not the actual snow or cold weather that I have a problem with, I quite enjoy a walk in the snow and seeing the children enjoying themselves. It's the mass hysteria indulged in and propagated by the media that irks me so much.
Anyway, enough of me being a seriously grumpy old man, I'm off to post a few snaps of my dog playing in the snow on Facebook.
As always please feel free to leave a comment.
