Brown Motion

As the confusing American election process comes to a head into the end of 2016, it will be the first time a black man will have commandeered (he is called Commander-in-Chief) a predominantly white nation in its 240 year history, for eight consecutive years. That in and of itself is not a marker for anything other than a collective agreement that leadership, empathy and qualities that defined America at one point in history could be found in a person of any color and background.  As the latest installment to anoint a leader of these United States gets played, it is becoming apparent that the gender of the leader also might (not) be a deciding factor, after all. I am not of the camp that goes overboard with leader worship calling the US President the leader of the free world because it is factually wrong, arrogant at best and belligerent at worst.  Suffice to say the policies and behavior of America in a post WWII era has been that of bootstrapping its own economy, driving...

A sample of what and how we flew, rode, strolled, dined, drank, chilled and experienced...in a week...to wrap up 2014.. Awaiting takeoff in an Airbus at SFO on Christmas morning 2014 NASA facilities tour @ the KSC Cape Canaveral Unused Inventory - rocket garden KSC Serenity now - pond outside faux China - Epcot @ Disney World Marrakesh?  Not quite - Disney's Epcot Center - Orlando What is a Disney party without fireworks?  'Peace for mankind' themed display! Nature's own fireworks - Gulf of Mexico @ Clearwater, FL An atheist can still admire art - Sacred Heart Cathedral in Tampa FL Gaggle of random birds - Alligator Alley off I-75 on way to Miami Slumming @ a Miami resort Everglades National Park, Florida On the trail in Everglades NP Drugs in Style - and perhaps cheap - Art Deco District Miami My kinda place...

I mean to be blunt about what I saw in my recent visit to the state of Florida.  While it is inquiring human endeavor to extract the most out of nothing...as in the case of this state it does not alter the fact that it is largely a swamp.  While geologists and their kin might argue it as a slow moving river that meets the sea from a practical standpoint it is a hotbed for all things that like murky, damp environs to procreate (e.g. the mosquitoes). We were bit by one (or two or three) - the first in North America in two decades of living here (I do not consider Mexico as part of North America so the statement stands). While the Government certainly did use this piece of real estate wisely in couple ways it is in many ways like Las Vegas, Nevada where ideally no one need visit.  I mean there is nothing there that you will ever need for survival nor enrichment other than man made establishments that simply exist to help you part with your cash all the while enterta...