[Noumenon]

Something else to watch for: when the control freaks perceive that something is slipping from their grasps, whether through external forces or internal collapse, they will instinctively tighten their grip.

The willful ignorance and the arrogance of our erstwhile masters is a virtual guarantee that they will precipitate something brutal, stupid and bloody in their desperation to cling to power. We've got our rain gear together - so do a lot of other folks.

[meadsjn]

Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it. (Charles Dudley Warner, often attibuted to Mark Twain)

Regardless which one actually said it, at some point it becomes pointless to even discuss it further. Some would have us just stand out there getting soaked to the bone, demanding that we just hand over more money to deal with the dust.