A chairlift is pictured over a green slope at a sea level of 1,200 meters (yards) in the Austrian skiing resort of Hinterstoder in Upper Austria, on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2003. It could be the weather _ there's nary a snowflake in sight. Maybe it's angst over unprecedented labor unrest or over global warming (news - web sites) melting away ski slopes in the Alps.Whatever it is, Austria -known worldwide for its magically festive Christmas traditions - is in an unusually Grinchy state of mind. (AP Photo/RUBRA)

A snowman is pictured in Waidring in the skiing resort of Steinplatte in eastern Tyrol, Austria, on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2003, where there is still no snow. The letters on the snowmann read 'Snow guaranteed from end of November to end of Easter'. It could be the weather- there's nary a snowflake in sight. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson)

German Ronny Ackerman, center, celebrates on the podium after winning the Nordic Combined World Cup skiing race at Granaasen near Trondheim in Central Norway Saturday Dec.6, 2003. He is with second placed Hannu Manninen, Finland and third placed Petter Tande, Norway. (AP Photo/Gorm Kallestad / SCANPIX)  

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