If you're reading this, I guess you survived the Thanksgiving ice storm. As long as you didn't lose power, have your neighbor's Bradford Pear tree fall into your driveway, or get nailed with ice falling from power lines, I guess it was kind of fun and wintry.
Outside of the tree trimming and guy-who-owns-a-chainsaw industry, the big winner of the weekend was Barbie Jeffers Battershell. She's the person who took this "awesome" photograph that KFOR claims shows a "speed limit sign from Mustang that is melting in a strange fashion."
Ice Storm 2015 has started to melt. Power on, uverse not. #icestorm #mustang #oklahoma @reedtimmerTVN @KyleSalomonMN pic.twitter.com/HV9T8j7tMo
— Barbie Jeffers (@barbiereif) November 29, 2015
Yeah, uhm, I hate to break it the KFOR Social Media Bandit, but the sign isn't melting. You see, a thin layer of ice formed over the sign, and as the ice melted it revealed a thin mold of the numbers and letters. Basically, it's kind of like Mother Nature created an ice sculpture to remind people to drive really really slow, expect it wasn't made by a pixie or fairy like the ice sculptures you see in the forest at night or while attending a lavish wedding.
Anyway, I like the pic and think it's cool, but I'm disappointed that Barbie sent the pic to Reed Timmer and some dude from Mustang Times. That's not cool. I thought viral weather photos was our turf. She totally blew her chance to be an Ogle Mole and get us a bunch of internet traffic.
That being said, Barbie did get a lot of credit for the pic. Check out all these desperate media outlets that contacted her on Twitter to get permission:
@barbiereif Wow! Amazing! May @weatherchannel use this pic w/ credit to u? Pls comment w/ "#permission." Terms @ https://t.co/hb08SF8QHS
— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) December 1, 2015
@barbiereif CNN would love to use and distribute your melting speed limit sign picture to go with a story. Is this ok?
— Slma Shelbayah (@SlmaCNN) November 30, 2015
@barbiereif Hi, I'm with NBC News. Did you take this photo and would you permit NBCU to feature on our platforms/partners? Thanks - Sean
— seánfedericoómurchú (@seanfomurchu) November 30, 2015
@barbiereif Wow! Did you take this pic? If so, may we use it in our syndicated content w/ credit back to you? What is the location?
— Breaking Weather by AccuWeather (@breakingweather) November 30, 2015
@barbiereif Awesome photo! I am with KREM 2 in Spokane, can we use this photo on our website and newscast?
— Adem Arac (@AdemAracBack2TV) November 30, 2015
@barbiereif Hi there - crazy pic! Can @Discovery use this photo on our digital platforms worldwide into perpetuity with appropriate credit?
— Danny Clemens (@dpclemens) November 30, 2015
@barbiereif Hi, I'm with CNN. Could we please use your photo on all our platforms/affiliates in perpetuity if we give full credit? Stay warm
— Justin Lear (@CNNJustin) November 30, 2015
So, uhm, you're supposed to get permission from someone before using a photograph they took? I had no clue. The internet is a strange place.
Anyway, these ice storms usually happen in threes, so expect another big one to hit in January. When it does, it will be interesting to see how many people stand around outside watching ice melt from signs so they can take a pic, hit their 15 minutes of viral photo fame and mingle with Social Media Bandits from the cable news world. Before you know it, we'll have to sign ice molds to our list of the most annoying types of winter weather photos.