I seem to
remember that in January I complained about the lack of snow. Well, so far during the month of February (the
last thirteen days) we have had four major snow storms and a blizzard predicted
for this weekend.
Our local
Maine WCSH weatherman has posted predictions of twelve to sixteen inches
accumulation along with high wind over a thirty-six hour period beginning
Saturday morning. He hedged these
predictions stating they are taken from the National Weather Service’s computer
projections, and that the European Weather computer projections show a
possibility of twenty-four to thirty inches accumulation.
The thing
that astounded me is not the depth of snow and blizzard predictions (this is
Maine,) but that the weatherman said the European computer predictions are
usually more accurate than the National Weather Service’s, because
Europe has the most updated software and the latest high-tech computers, whereas
our government funded programs are out of date and in serious need of
upgrade.
So, why does
Europe has better weather prediction facilities than the U.S.? Why does Europe and Asia have more modern
railway facilities and infrastructure than the U.S.? Why of the thirty-three developed nations is
the U.S. the only country that does not offer universal health care? And, why does the United States spends more
on its military than the next ten highest militarized nations combined?
I think I
just answered my own questions. It is a
matter of priorities.
A link to
military expenditures posted by the International Institute for StrategicStudies (2013.)
Note, military
expenditure does not include Homeland Security, CIA, NIS, private security
firms employed by the government, military foreign aid and covert operations
etc. etc. etc.
