For Want of a 9 volt...

If you were watching last night's 5pm news, you saw something you almost certainly had never seen before.

In the middle of his forecast, meteorologist Topper Shutt stopped, looked down at a device in his palm and told the TV audience to "hold that thought" and then just walked out of the picture.

What the heck was that?!

At the time, Jennifer and I didn't have a clue. But we quickly found out. You know all those graphics with temperatures and clouds and radar you see moving around behind the weather guy aren't really there at all. Here's what you see.

But the screen itself actually looks like this:

The graphics are actually being projected there from a computer which is in turn being controlled via a small remote Topper carries around. Yesterday, for the first time I've ever seen, the thing died in the middle of the forcast. The battery just failed. And when the evening forecast of muggy temps and possible rain refused to give way to the 7-day...Top realized he had little choice but to tell folks to chill for a few while he went to get a new 9 volt. Live TV! Who'd a figured?

Anyway, sports commander Bret Haber was watching the whole thing unfold out at Redskins Park, and 3 minutes later was hinting hilariously that perhaps he may have stolen Top's battery.

He was just kidding. I think.