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Hurricane Irma

How much can you say about a natural phenomenon like weather? Not enough it seems if you are a news channel. It certainly gives the media something to do when it is bad weather. It’s good they are doing their duty. It IS important.

However, weather prediction is not an accurate science. It’s an educated guess, mostly. That’s why there are dozens of “tracks” where a storm like Irma MAY be going to travel. But the storm is not paying attention to those predictions.

When there is a dangerous situation, people must make decisions. In the case of Irma, it is a stay or flee choice. It is still a choice. I hope in the USA we always have a choice. I want the option to choose my own destiny. The choice is difficult because there is no way from weather predictions, to have black and white, either/or facts, from which to make a perfect judgement.

Unfortunately, humans often make incompetent decisions. Occasionally, I have realized I have done it. Usually because I am not an expert in everything. The problem is there are a lot of other incompetent humans feeding bogus information into decision-making systems. We assume media information is accurate. We don’t have an easy way to check our own, or their sources.

In the case of large scale weather events, media has always over-played the bad. It is good for business (of being media) and always best to be wrong on the “being safe” side. They have an agenda to be first with the most, but not always the most accurate. As I point out, weather is NOT an accurate science.

It’s a Chicken Little, “The sky is falling!” reaction that is created for the public. That’s why many folks decide to see for themselves and take their “chances” that it might just be another chicken little false alarm panic. Certainly, that is not a play it safe decision.

I would say it is obvious, Irma is a serious concern. The warnings have gone out. The tracking is “good enough“! Suicide by storm is a possibility. It is a possible consequence of a decision to stay. The warnings were out well in advance. Don’t expect to be rescued by others in the nick of time.

Why do the severe weather reporters hang out to the last moment in the worst of the worst areas, being blown off their feet in driving snow or rain? Answer, simply to attract viewers. But I digress…

The choice is to sift the information that is pandered by the media, knowing (assuming) they are not making anything up, and understanding everything presented is a possibility. Then make a choice that is best for you and the people to whom you are responsible. The media is wearing out the statement but move to safety is always the best action. Sometimes something other than absolute safety may seem to be more important.  Then, prepare for the very worse.

I think it is a human right to have that choice to make for ourselves, but remember whom else may be affected by that choice. Choosing safety for the kids’ sake (or others) is not a lame reason or excuse.

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