For Floridians, every four years the planets align and we have two Earthly events that coincide, while we try to decide. The first is a yearly event called 'Hurricane Season', which is annual, and the other is the Presidential election.

Both are distractions from our ordinary lives, and sometimes they have to be taken very seriously because of the possible consequences, depending on the climate - political and atmospheric.

This year we are being severely punished by hurricanes, and some of my out of State friends have suggested that God is punishing Florida for throwing the last Presidential election - and possibly God is warning us not to do it again. I decline to take that remark personal - but I still have to live with the results/insults because I do live in Florida.

My reply to those who suggest we are being punished - "Paradise has a price". That can be taken to mean Florida is paradise or the whole country is paradise. The bottom line is that where ever you live there will always be some suffering and sacrifice - due to climate and politics.

Science is making the strength and direction of hurricanes more predictable, but politics are already very predictable. In their efforts to sell themselves, politicians try to impress, make unrealistic promises, and try to show distinctive style in their appearance . The only difference between them and street whores? - the whores are not Hippocrates. Hard to say which has more self respect - or which is really the older profession.

After watching several 'Scary Seasons' over the years I pretty well know what to expect:
1) The elected politicians will either fail to make good on most of the promises, or actually do the opposite of what they said they would do. It is a tip off about a politician's true character when they profess to be a certain type of individual - you can bet that in their heart of hearts they are really just the opposite. Political predictability is related to past action and not present words. So you hear what they want you to hear, and of course many just listen to what they want to hear (victomized by their own wishfull thinking) - truth and facts are irrelevant to the process.
2) The government responds to lobbyists and not laymen - the rich get richer, with a little help from their friends. The government reports a sharp increase over the past couple years in those below the poverty line - and 'Forbes' magazine reports a big jump in the number of Billionaires in this country too, from 262 to 313. Hummm . . .
3) The 'Pendulum of Power' swings from the direction of Fascism to the direction of Libertarianism and back again in uneven cycles. The Constitution and our dedication to Democracy (and divine intervention or dumb luck?) helps brings the Pendulum back to center.
4) The voters will make choices with their emotions. The average citizen takes pride in ignorance and loyalty - the politicians dream. If citizens voted as if they where stock holders in 'America, Inc.', the present CEO would probably get thrown out - especially if there was some real choices for a replacement CEO that could deliver what the shareholders desired most.

Bad decisions arise from a mentality of desperation. The 'means justifies the ends' approach to problem solving seldom justifies any act. Humanity seems to be perpetually trapped in these 'boxes'. What would Lao Tzu do? Probably look around and then head back to the wilderness for another five thousand years.

So this is why I call this the 'Scary Season'. We are surrounded by people (voters and hurricane watchers) acting on too little information and knowledge, motivated by insecurity fears, and therefore creating more danger then necessary. The drivers on the roads in Florida are totally out of it when there is a hurricane coming here, and some national surveys suggest that 'terrorism fears' have been so distracting in this country this past year that there is a 10% increase in automotive deaths linked to that.

We are all pumped up and ready to jump - but what direction?
Into the storm or into safety - too late for a correction?
Trust your instincts and your fate,
Vote for your favorite candidate,
And get ready for climatic and political hurricanes- without hesitation!

This has been a code 'Purple' alert, and I approave this message.


Brian R. Mommsen
25 September '04
Hurricane Jeanne